What if your residential construction business could keep moving, growing and making decisions without everything running through you?
For Houston luxury custom home builder Erin Stetzer, that question became the blueprint for building a company that does not depend on the owner being on every jobsite or answering every question.
At the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) 2027, Erin will share the systems she uses to build a team that can run projects, improve financial performance and keep the business moving without constant owner involvement. Her Building Knowledge Session, Build a Team That Runs & Grows Your Business Without You, is designed for remodelers and single-family builders who are ready to create more capacity, accountability and room to grow.
Meet IBS Education Speaker Erin Stetzer
Erin is a Houston-based luxury custom homebuilder with 25 years of experience managing and building $10 million-plus custom residential projects. She is also an active builder, meaning the systems and frameworks she teaches come directly from running a real residential construction company and managing real projects.
Her focus? Helping builders move beyond being the person who must make every decision.
“The real margin problem for most custom builders is that they are still the ones making every decision,” Erin says.
Her solution starts with a team structure so leaders own their responsibilities, projects keep moving and the owner focuses on growing the business instead of constantly putting out fires.
3 Systems Builders Can Put to Work
Erin says attendees will leave her IBS 2027 session with three systems they can start implementing immediately.
1. A three-role hiring framework
Knowing who to hire and when can be a major challenge as a residential construction business grows.
Erin will break down her three-role framework, including project managers who own the field, financial managers who own the numbers and a bridge role that connects the two.
The goal is to align staffing decisions with business volume so builders can expand capacity while protecting profitability.
2. A PM scorecard that replaces gut-feel management
How do you know whether your project managers are performing?
Erin uses defined performance metrics and PM scorecards to create measurable accountability and identify improvement opportunities without relying on constant micromanagement.
3. A 52-week accountability rhythm
Your team should not need you as the accountability system.
Erin’s 52-week structure creates a consistent rhythm for tracking performance, reinforcing expectations and keeping the team moving toward business goals.
As she puts it, the system gives the team a rhythm without you being the rhythm.
Why This IBS Education Session Matters for Builders
Labor and material costs get plenty of attention when builders talk about margins. Erin sees another issue becoming increasingly important: owner dependency.
“The builders who are figuring out how to run their companies without being the most expensive laborer on their own jobsites are solving a problem that can directly affect growth and capacity,” she says.
For builders spending too much time making decisions, solving jobsite issues or responding to client requests, building a stronger team structure can create more than operational efficiency. It can create space to work on the business instead of being trapped in the day-to-day.
That makes team structure, accountability and strategic hiring important conversations for builders focused on sustainable growth.
Erin’s Advice for First-Time IBS Attendees
Trying to experience everything at the Builders’ Show can be overwhelming. Erin recommends going deeper instead of wider.
“Pick two or three sessions and go deep,” she says.
And do not rush out when the session ends.
For Erin, some of the most valuable Builders’ Show conversations happen in the hallway afterward, when attendees take an idea from the stage and start talking about how it applies to their own businesses.
“Some of the best ideas I have gotten came from those five minutes between sessions with someone I had never met before.”
That people-first side of IBS is one of the things she’s most looking forward to in 2027: connecting with builders who are wrestling with the same challenges she faced earlier in her career.
Where to Find Erin Stetzer at the Builders’ Show
Session: Build a Team That Runs & Grows Your Business Without You
Track: Business Management
Format: Building Knowledge Session
Level: Advanced
Who Should Attend: Remodelers and single-family builders
IBS 2027 is Feb 2–4, 2027, in Las Vegas.
Ready to Get More from IBS 2027?
Erin’s session is just one of 120+ IBS Education sessions you can choose from with an IBS Expo+Education Pass. Register today.