“One of the things we love most about the Live Life Build community is watching members lean all the way in … showing up, putting their hand up, and using what they learn to actually shift how they run their business.”
This month’s Member Spotlight features Damian (“Damo”) Dowling, Director and Builder at DBD Constructions in the Tweed Valley, Northern NSW. We caught up with Damo to hear more about his story.
For members who may not know you yet, tell us a bit about yourself, your business and what you build.
Hello! I’m Damian (or Damo), Director and Builder at DBD Constructions in the Tweed Valley, Northern NSW.
We’re a family-run business specialising in custom homes, major renovations and extensions. I work alongside Justin, who’s been with me for nearly 20 years. We’ve built a great partnership over that time, and one of my goals is to bring on an apprentice soon so we can pass on the knowledge and experience we’ve gained.
My wife, Aly, helps run our business. When she’s not working as a midwife, coaching junior and women’s basketball, or carrying out her board duties for Tweed Valley Basketball, she’s keeping DBD running as best she can behind the scenes.
What really drives us is creating homes that genuinely improve the way people live. We put a big emphasis on planning, communication and building strong relationships, because we believe the best projects come from trust and collaboration. We’re also preparing to roll out our PAC Process this year, which will let us get even more involved in the planning phase and help clients make informed decisions before construction begins. We’re currently in the middle of our own major renovation, and it’s reinforcing firsthand just how important early planning is.
Outside of work, family is everything to me. Most afternoons and weekends are spent driving the kids between basketball and soccer training and games, and I still squeeze in a social game of basketball each week myself.
What made you decide to join Live Life Build, and what were you hoping to get out of it?
I joined because I needed help with running the business.
Like a lot of builders, I knew how to build houses, but running the business was becoming overwhelming and, at times, quite isolating. I was looking for better systems, more structure and a way to improve how we operated.
Both Aly and I have learnt so much since joining. The biggest surprise has been the community itself. It’s refreshing to be part of a group where Duayne and the members are so open with sharing ideas, experiences and lessons they’ve learnt. Everyone genuinely wants to see each other succeed, and that’s pretty rare.
You’ve really ramped up your social media presence lately. What prompted that, and what’s been the impact so far?
For a long time, social media sat at the bottom of the to-do list. We posted when we remembered to, but there wasn’t any strategy behind it.
Over the last year we’ve made a conscious effort to show more of who we are. We’ve shared our projects, the building process, our team and the trades we work with through our “Trusted Tradie Tuesday” series. Rather than just posting finished homes, we’re trying to tell the stories behind them and give people an insight into how we work.
We’ve had a few enquiries come directly through social media, which has been encouraging. More importantly, people are starting to understand who we are and how we do things before they even pick up the phone or send an enquiry through.
You were the first to jump into Build Your Reputation. What made you put your hand up straight away?
Over the past 12 months we’ve invested a lot of time into building our reputation, not just through marketing, but by improving the overall experience we provide our clients.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve taken from Live Life Build is that people don’t just buy a house, they buy into storytelling and the people building it. That changed the way we approach our marketing.
Rather than trying to generate as many enquiries as possible, we’ve focused on attracting the right clients by sharing authentic stories about our projects, our process, our team and our values. We’ve become much more intentional about showing people who we are, not just what we build.
When the Build Your Reputation award came up, it felt like the perfect opportunity to reflect on everything we’d been working towards. This nomination really represents the work we’ve intentionally put into our business over the past 12 months, and how much we’ve grown, both in the way we market ourselves and the experience we strive to deliver to every client.
What’s been the biggest mindset or business shift you’ve experienced since joining the community?
The biggest shift has been realising that running a successful building business isn’t just about being a good builder. It’s about leadership, communication, systems, marketing, client experience, knowing your numbers and always looking for ways to improve. I’ve also learnt that investing more time upfront saves a lot of time and stress later. Whether it’s pre-construction planning, documenting systems or improving processes, doing the work early nearly always pays off.
What would you say to a builder who’s on the fence about getting more involved?
Get involved. It’s easy to sit back, watch from the sidelines and think you’ll do it later, but I’ve found I get the most value when I participate.
Ask questions. Share what’s working. Share what’s not. Put your hand up when opportunities come along, like the Aussie 10 Peaks Hike. They’re the experiences that push you outside your comfort zone, help you grow as a person, and ultimately make you a better leader for your family and your business.
You don’t need to have all the answers. Everyone’s at a different stage of their journey, and there’s always something to learn from someone else’s experience. The more you put into the community, the more you’ll get back.