Kudos

David does not solicit testimonials about his work.  However,  one occasionally arrives in his inbox. Here are  excerpts from a few of them:

David, I have purchased and read several of your books and they truly have helped and I have enjoyed them. Thanks. -- Wade, builder in Nashville, TN

I can’t stress enough how important I feel Gerstel's voice in the industry is and how much I want his ideas to be heard on the pages of JLC. I am quite serious about my use of terms like “revolutionary” and “restore balance” to describe his work.  --  Clayton DeKorne, Editor of the Journal of Light Construction

I have a lot of admiration for you and your work. -- Bill E., Engineer 

I am a builder and mostly build family properties and larger estate homes. I worked for a general contractor for 20 years. During my time with them I discovered your book, "Running a Successful Construction Company". It truly was my Builders Bible. . . .. When your book "Building Freedom" came out I bought a dozen copies and handed them out to my subcontractors. This book is the "cherry on top". It sums up all you have been teaching. Thank you for all the wonderful information you have provided. I kid you not when I say you have transformed many lives.  --  Francisco H., builder in Northern, CA

I have a lot of admiration for you and your work. -- Bill E., Engineer 

I have had the opportunity to get to know David over the last few years, and during that time I have realized that his unique ability to run a successful construction company and even teach those principles to others is not even his greatest skill. It is his ability to think independently, challenge assumptions, and to arrive at better answers . . . Our interviews with David are among our highest rated to date. So I encourage you to listen to the full library. Enjoy my conversations with one of the industry’s greats. -- Jared Gossett, Austin Texas Homebuilder of the Year and Founder of the Building Optimal podcast

I have already purchased my copy of Nail Your Numbers. It looks like it will be a wonderful teaching tool, as is  Running a Successful Construction Company. I was a general and electrical contractor  When I first read your book, I went WOW!  . . .  Good job!   --  Mark M., member of the faculty at Cabrillo College

David is the builder's builder. His exacting attention to  detail and his supreme organizational ability have made him the go-to person for any contractor with questions on how to improve their business or any homeowner interested in hiring the best contractor. Not only is he supremely qualified as a builder, but his warm, gracious manner enables him to advise without pontificating.  --  Larry H., President of Federal Building Company

You were great. Perfect presentation, just right for the audience and for the evening itself.  Thanks for all you do for our community, for all these many years now.  --  Steve Nichols, Founder of MN Builders

Your book was my mentor in the beginning of my contractor career. I just wish that I had had your advice on keeping my company's infrastructure  flexible enough to adjust quickly during the Great Recession. Or maybe I did have that advice, but  in the busyness of running a business I hadn't found the time to review some of the basic fundamentals, or thought that I knew them well enough (Ha!).    

-- P. Hirvonen, electrical contractor

Mr. Gerstel, when it comes to the construction business, none  ever reach  your clarity and precision and faithfulness. From that bible called "Running A Successful Construction Company" (and your other books), I learned to save money, stay lean, manage well, seek profit, be humane, and build a residential complex on my own without any kind of bank loans. --  Joseph H., 

 builder in Vancouver, Canada

A builder came over the other day. He mentioned at one point that he builds houses and also does much smaller jobs. Ah, I said, I have a friend who works on that range of jobs too. He said, who's your builder friend? Maybe I know him. I replied, David Gerstel. He shouted, David Gerstel! I know him!  He raved about you, your work, and your book.  What are the odds I'd run into someone on Cape Cod who knows your work and book and has met you?  --  Gordon F, sociology professor and owner of a cottage on Cape Cod

Two days ago I got to chatting with another carpenter.  At one point he complained that people just don’t get what it means to be a carpenter. I wanted to know if he knew the term “artisan contractor,” so I asked if he knew David Gerstel. Well, of fucking course, his eyes lit up and he went on and on about how much your book helped him. I’m in the middle of nowhere, 20 miles from the Mexican border, walking my dog, and I still can’t get away from you. --  Kevin Ireton, editor-in-chief of Fine Homebuilding

Gerstel knows his stuff. I like his approach. --  Edgar E. on YouTube

I'm a younger carpenter just jumping out on my own. Everything you've put out  has been a total asset for me, so I just wanted to throw you a huge thank you. You are definitely the real deal and I hope I can follow in similar footsteps. -- Andy,  builder in TX

I have often thought about how I would like to let you know the credit we give you for the success of our business. We (wife and myself) started our business 27 years ago. We relied heavily on your book as a how-to guide for structuring our business, and various management insights. Your book helped us understand how much we didn’t know about running a business, and it gave us good and tangible insights into how to get started. Your book was definitely our foundation. We are currently into the 6th year of an 8 year transition plan in which we are selling our business to one of our employees.  I am grateful for the opportunity to thank you for your insights, and helping make our business successful. -- Tim W., builder

Your book was instrumental in helping me run my construction business and later I used it to grow the design/build firm I worked at from $600K to $5M in annual revenue. --  Michael M, designer in Maine 

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Magazine reviews of David's books are available at the BOOKS tab above. Over 100  other evaluations of David's books can be viewed at the Amazon listings for Nail Your Numbers, for Building Freedom, and  for  David's other books.