Contractor Evolution on Steno.fm

Contractor Evolution

Breakthrough Academy presents Contractor Evolution. In this show we unpack the systems, tactics, and skills you need to take your fast-growing contracting business to the next level. If you’re here to learn what it takes to scale up, work less, and increase profitability, you’ve come to the right place. Stay tuned to learn what separates the new breed of contractor from the old school, and welcome to your ultimate guide to the business of contracting.

S5 Enull · Wed, April 02, 2025
207. How to Systemize Your Contracting Business - David Jenyns
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP207 To learn more about David, check out https://www.systemology.com/ If you know me, you know I strongly believe that business systems = owner freedom. That’s why it made sense to get today’s guest David Jenyns on the show. David is the author of SYSTEMology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems. It’s literally a system for building systems. I took this opportunity to ask David for his perspective on systemizing a blue-collar business in a predictable, repeatable way. We talk about the stages of business systemization (and how to know which one you’re in), how to prioritize which systems to build first and how to involve your team in the systemization of your business. This conversation offers a great, high-level perspective on systemizing a contracting business. Episode Highlights: Get a breakdown of the “system for building systems” David Jenyns outlines in his book, SYSTEMology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems. Learn how to prioritize which systems you build, in what order. Gain insights into how to involve your team in business systemization, including the idea of designating a “systems champion” to help with adoption and implementation. 00:00-Intro 02:04-What is a system? 02:47-The vast majority of businesses we look at are dramatically undersystemized. Why? 04:29-3 common excuses for not systemizing 07:42-Is being a good systemizer god given or learned? 12:57-What's more important: Vision or Systems? 17:24-4 stages of business systemization 25:03-How should busi
S5 Enull · Fri, March 28, 2025
206. Evolution Rewind: Strategic Planning To Pull You Out Of The Daily Grind - Danny Kerr, Igor Trninic & James Dale
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP206 Grab your free strategic planning template here: https://trybta.com/DL206 You may be thinking: Is this an episode of Contractor Evolution… …on a FRIDAY? Yup. After over 200 episodes, we thought it was time to introduce a new face—our co-founder and visionary Danny Kerr. And what better way to do that than by bringing you some BONUS content you can enjoy alongside our regular releases? Starting with a bit of a throwback. Today, we’re re-releasing an episode we made back in 2021, hosted by Danny and his fellow co-founders Igor and James, covering all things strategic planning. Oddly enough, it has become one of our most popular episodes. If you’ve never given it a listen, now’s your chance. Episode Highlights: In this BONUS episode, take it back to 2021 with us and delve in to strategic planning with Danny, Igor and James. Understand why you SHOULDN’T be planning in a boardroom with whiteboards and laptops - and where to go instead Learn the 3 things you should come away with once you’ve completed your Annual Strategic Plan 00:00-Intro 01:56-Why is Strategic Planning important? 15:02-What are you trying to achieve with your strategic planning? 17:27-What is the step-by-step process for annual strategic planning? <span style="co
S5 Enull · Wed, March 26, 2025
205. The Alter Ego Effect: Perform Better Any Time, Anywhere - Todd Herman
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP205 To learn more about Todd, check out https://toddherman.me/ Whether we realize it or not, we all play characters in our lives. The idea that we should unashamedly show up as the “best” version of ourselves in all settings sounds good, but in reality, it is a gross oversimplification of the truth. Think about it…. There’s: You the CEO You the friend You the salesperson You the mum or you the dad There’s you the amateur train collector or video game enthusiast We have different versions of ourselves. Does that make you disingenuous or inauthentic? Not at all. We’re all multifaceted beings, and if you can’t see that, you’re not paying attention. Our guest today is Todd Herman. His book The Alter Ego Effect explains WHY understanding and investing in these different archetypes of the self is one of the most powerful performance cheat codes available to us. Today’s conversation is about how to harness it. Episode Highlights: Understand the Alter Ego Effect and how it can be used to exponentially improve your performance in every aspect of your life. Learn how to identify the different versions of you, their strengths, and how to harness them at the right time to achieve the right results. Get tips from Todd Herman, performance coach to billionaires and elite athletes, on creating your own alter ego, designed to help you succeed in whichever area of your life is lacking. <span style="background-color: transpar
S5 Enull · Wed, March 19, 2025
204. Open Book Management: The Employee Perspective - Ryan Markewich, Jacob Markewich, Rik Van Espen & Zac Neufield
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP204 Openness and transparency are values MANY of us espouse. But how open and honest are you really? Does your crew understand budget hours vs. actual hours? How about the projected gross profit on the project they just started? How about last year's net profit? In today’s episode, we’re talking to Creative Roots Landscaping founder Ryan Markewich along with three of his team members: Jacob Markewich, Rik Van Espen and Zac Neufeld. They run their landscaping business, Creative Roots, completely open book. Every person on the team is taught and shown every metric the business tracks and knows how every dollar is made. This conversation is all about the employee perspective on open book management. What it does for the culture they work in, their feelings about work and its effect on performance. Episode Highlights: Learn how open book management works in practice, using friend of the show Ryan Markewich’s highly successful Creative Roots Landscaping as a case study. Get the perspective of three team members —what openness and transparency does for their culture, sense of purpose and performance. Hear how Ryan’s strategy has resulted in high retention rates, exceptional talent, and a work environment that has people lining up at the door to be a part of. 00:00-Intro 01:36-About Open Book in Creative Roots 05:57-What drew the team to Creative Roots? 09:03-What impact does open book management have on the culture? 19:48-Best part of open book management 37:13-Is it true that young people don't wanna work in the trades? 45:56-Advice to business owner wanting to try open book management
S5 Enull · Wed, March 12, 2025
203. Can Contractors Work With Offshore Talent? - Rob Levin
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP203 Learn more about WorkBetterNow here: https://www.workbetternow.com/ Are you using Virtual Assistants and other forms of offshore talent yet? Because you probably should be. Many of the roles in your business can’t be done remotely, sure. But could your office manager effectively administrate from Mexico City? Could you delegate all the lower-level stuff to an executive assistant based in Medellin? The answer is: maybe. Our guest on the show today is Rob Levin. He is the co-founder of Work Better Now and the author of the forthcoming book: The New Talent Playbook . Today’s conversation is a pragmatic road map to how you might install super-talented offshore hires into your company. At the end of the day, what's right for your business is up to you, but we want you to fully understand the scale of talent options that are out there. Episode Highlights: Learn about the breadth of options available to you when it comes to offshore and nearshore talent. Hear Work Better Now co-founder Rob Levin’s take on some of the most common arguments AGAINST offshore talent. Get ideas for which of the roles on your org chart make good candidates for offshore hiring (hint: there are more than you think). 00:00-Intro 01:41-About The New Talent Playbook 03:41-What is up with the current labor market? 09:00-Where is the labor market headed? 11:33-In the blue-collar context: what roles can be done offshore/nearshore? 23:35-Strengths and weaknesses of offshore talent 24:58-Common concerns about offshore talent: #1: Missing context 28:07-Common concern #2: Language barriers 34:22-Common concern #3: Cybersecurity 36:26-Cost of offshore vs. local 39:27-Idea of divisional assistants 44:02 - How AI empowers VAs and offshore talent 49:48-Recap 52:04-Connect with Rob
S5 Enull · Wed, March 05, 2025
202. How Much Should Contractors Charge? - Ellen Rohr
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 Grab a copy of Ellen's pricing tool here: https://trybta.com/DL202 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP202 Today, we’re welcoming industry legend Ellen Rohr to the show. We couldn’t be more excited. She’s built and sold two companies. Written a slew of unbelievably helpful books including Where Did the Money Go? and How Much Should I Charge? She’s the founder and owner of Zoom Drain which now has over 50 locations. This episode is all about pricing. AKA how much you should charge and why. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro 01:57-About the 2011 book: How Much Should I Charge? 08:45-Why pricing as a passion? 12:36-How most contractors decide what to charge 17:21-The importance of value 21:34-How to figure out what you should charge 29:05-Importance of billable hours 34:22-The best position to be in the market 39:19-How to know when your price is too high 44:27-How to train your sales team to "own their price" 53:39-Pricing analysis and updates in an inflationary environment. 58:01-Fun Hypothetical Question See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, February 26, 2025
201 - Be Coachable: Advice For New Breakthrough Academy Members
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 Get your free guide to being COACHABLE here: https://trybta.com/DL201 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP201 Today’s episode has a very specific purpose. We’ve gathered four of our world-class business coaches to give advice to contractors who are just beginning to systemize their business with Breakthrough Academy. If you chose this episode, you are either: Through conversations with Coach Harold, Coach Ashley, Coach Brayden and Coach Shane, you’ll learn: Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro02:16-Why do most people start BTA?04:16-Successful Members vs. those who struggle07:53-New Member red flags09:59-The first six months: what to expect11:36-Mindset tips for faster results12:36-How to implement faster and be more coachable14:45-Importance of the BTA community19:50-How coaches help struggling Members21:23-How to become data-driven23:50-Coaching pet peeves26:01-The first year: what to expect29:22-Best part of being a BTA coach See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, February 19, 2025
200. Celebrating 200 Episodes: Benji Reacts to His Favorite Moments - Benji Carlson
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP200 Today is a very special day for the team here at Contractor Evolution. Today, we’re releasing our 200th episode. We've spoken to some incredible guests, and that has helped us build a following of the coolest listeners in the world. So... if you've been on the show or just listen to it, we want to express profound gratitude to you. To say we are humbled and proud would be to say nothing at all. For this milestone episode, we're going back through some of Benji's favorite episodes and talking through the lessons we took away from the conversations. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro01:40-How To Create A Vivid Vision For Your Company - Cameron Herold10:16-Which Fire Should I Put Out Next? - Mike Michalowicz14:26-Is Blue-Collar Work Making a Comeback? - Ken Rusk20:47-What’s Your Business REALLY Worth? - John Warrilow26:45-Thinking Lean: Eliminate Waste Through Continuous Improvement - Paul Akers31:14-Mark Bradley: From 0 To 50MM + Founding LMN - Mark Bradley34:58-SOP's: Why Your Business Is A Mess & What To Do About It - Tom Hughes41:45-How To Buy Back Your Time - Dan Martell 50:15-Matt Risinger on Hiring - Matt Risinger56:02-Negotiation Tactics for Contractors - Chris Voss01:01:56-Is Wrapping Your Vehicles Worth It? - Dan Antonelli See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, February 12, 2025
199. Five Languages of Appreciation: Contractor Edition - Dr. Paul White
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP199 Use code TRADE2025 to get $10 off a copy of the Motivated By Appreciation Inventory for Trades here: https://shop.appreciationatwork.com/collections/mba-inventory (limit one code per email, good through March 15, 2025). Ever wonder why your staff feel “under-appreciated?” Like—you tell them they’re doing a good job, you take them for lunch every now and then, and you pay them fairly. And yet there’s always someone who feels like you don’t value their contributions. Our guest today, Dr. Paul White, has some possible answers. He coauthored The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace alongside Gary Chapman, the man who coined the five love languages many of us are familiar with. The idea is simple: not everyone experiences appreciation the same way. Some like verbal praise, some find meaning in gifts, others need quality time with their manager or team. This conversation is about how to recognize the best way to appreciate your team, and the tangible impact appreciation can have on your business. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro 01:13-About Dr. Paul 03:01-Appreciation in the trades 08:12-Is blue-collar work underappreciated? 12:43-The psychology of appreciation? 16:03-Misconceptions about appreciation at work 17:52-The 5 Languages of Appreciation 18:21-Words of Affirmation 25:00-Quality Time 31:22-Acts of Service 35:21-Gifts 39:07-Physical Touch 41:09-Tools & assessments for appreciation at work 43:32-How to install appreciation across your organization See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, February 05, 2025
198. How SOPs Changed the Game For Matt Risinger - Matt Risinger
On April 8, we're hosting a free web class with Matt Risinger to teach you how to manage your finances like a 7-figure contractor. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-FIN2025 Get your free SOP starter kit here: https://trybta.com/DL198 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP198 Ever wonder why some contractors scale smoothly to 7-figures and beyond while others constantly get stuck in an operational hellhole? Clients constantly badgering you… Crews relying on you to answer every single question… Margins so depressing they could make a grown man cry… The good news is, there’s a relatively simple tool that can help you solve most of your operational challenges. SOPs (standard operating procedures). A while back, I co-hosted a comprehensive SOP web class with the one and only Matt Risinger, CEO of Risinger Build and founder of the Build Show Network. We covered everything you need to know about SOPs, based on Breakthrough Academy’s work with over 1500 contractors and Matt Risinger’s own experience scaling two massive companies. Today, we’re releasing that class as a podcast episode so more contractors can benefit from Matt’s insights. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro02:13-About the web class06:50-What part of your operations frustrates you the most?15:11-SOP Red Flags25:52-Where to start with SOPs35:34-How to build SOPs50:04-Change management58:54-Why SOPs fail01:00:49-The evolution of the entrepreneur01:02:09-Implement SOPs faster with the Contractor Growth Method01:04:53-Q&A See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, January 29, 2025
197. Keeping Faith During Tragic Times: Coach Ian’s Story - Ian Ouwerkerk
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP197 When times get tough, tragedy strikes or things take a turn for the worst, how do you keep faith that everything will turn out ok? Today, that’s what our very own Breakthrough Academy coach Ian Ouwerkerk is joining me to discuss. On August 29th, 2008 on their way to a wedding, Ian, his mum and his dad were T-boned by a car going 70 miles an hour. The accident left Ian with a severed carotid artery plus 11 ribs and both his collar bones broken. And the list of injuries goes on. He died and came back multiple times through this harrowing event. Today, he’s generously opening up about his accident, miraculous recovery and the life lessons he learned from the tragic experience. We talk about how to cultivate resilience, perspective, and faith in life’s most challenging seasons. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro 01:31-About Coach Ian 08:17-Ian's accident and out of body experience 17:58-The injuries Ian had to overcome 28:27-What got Ian through the recovery process 30:32-Getting back on his feet 39:05-Enduring more bad news 49:07-Core lessons and takeaways from that difficult period 50:56-It's all about faith 01:06:57-The power of impacting others through entrepreneurship See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, January 22, 2025
196. The Financial Secrets of $10MM Contractors - Bob Gauvreau
Grab your free "goodie bag" of financial management templates here: https://trybta.com/DL196 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP196 If you’ve made it this far in business, I probably don’t need to tell you that need to budget, track your overhead, and do job costing. The problem is: nobody ever shows you HOW. A few weeks back, we co-hosted a webinar with our friend Bob Gauvreau from Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory to teach 7-figure contractors everything they need to know about managing their finances. We talked about budgeting, job costing, avoiding cash crunches and more. And today, we’re replaying it here on the podcast so more contractors can benefit from the insights. This is a must-listen for anyone whose New Year’s Resolution is to get better at financial management. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro02:34-About the session03:47-About our free templates (link in description)05:24-Why talk cash flow and budgeting?06:50-About Benji & Bob08:05-Purpose, Outcomes & Agenda10:59-Why is staying on top of your numbers so hard?13:41-Common challenges with financial management21:41-3 Core Systems of Financial Management36:23-Industry Benchmarks - Profit Margins41:20-Margins as you evolve46:21-Signs you should be worried about your cash flow51:04-Five Cash Flow Destroyers59:33-How to implement change01:07:18-Q&A See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, January 15, 2025
195. Tersh Blissett’s Automation Pro Tips - Tersh Blissett
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP195 How are you using AI and automation in your business? Maybe you use ChatGPT for idea generation or have some automated reminders going out through your bookkeeping software or CRM. If so, that’s great. But the reality is there is a lot more you could be doing. And it doesn't all require in-depth programming knowledge or tech skills. Today’s conversation is with Tersh Blissett. He’s an AI and automations expert for trades and construction, Host of the Service Business Mastery Podcast, owner of two HVAC companies, and founder of Trade Automation Pros. We discuss the five types of automations all contractors need and three of the most clever ways he’s seeing AI deployed in the trades today. If you’re tired of monotonous and repetitive tasks but aren’t sure where to start with automations, this episode is a must-listen. Episode Highlights: 00:00-Intro 01:16-Defining automations 02:04-Background on Tersh's passion for AI and automation 06:42-About Tersh 11:55-Five automations every contractor needs 12:23-Automated appointment scheduling and reminders 19:36-Streamlined customer support ticket handling 24:10-Automated lead management 25:23-Social media content curation and posting 30:54-Automated onboarding for new clients 40:49-Three clever ways contractors can use AI in their business 54:10-Advice for the not so tech-savvy contractor 56:52-Connect with Tersh See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, January 08, 2025
194. Essentialism for Contractors - Greg McKeown
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP194 Get your copy of Greg McKeown's new Essentialism Planner here: https://gregmckeown.com/books/the-essentialism-planner/ Do you know what you want this year? Or next year? Or in five years? In this distracted world we’re living in, it can be pretty hard to drown out the noise, algorithms and influencers and figure out what it is that you want. And how to go get it. Our guest on the show today is Greg McKeown, author of one of the most beloved books in the small business world: Essentialism: the Disciplined Pursuit of Less. He’s here to teach us how to define and achieve what’s truly most important to you by narrowing your focus and aligning your actions with the highest priority—the most essential —goals in business and life. Late last year, Greg released a new workbook to help readers work through the concepts of an essentialist lifestyle, and we’re lucky enough to get a preview into what the process looks like on the show. Episode highlights: Learn how to apply the concepts of Greg McKeown's book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less to your business and life. Get tips from Benji and Greg on how to figure out what it is you actually want in life, and how to go after it with laser focus. Gain a new perspective on your 2025 strategic plan and vision, just in time to go out and crush your goals. 00:00-Intro 01:44-Essentialism: A 2024 Update 04:19-About the Essentialism Planner 07:43-How to discern the "trivial many" from the "vital few" 30:39-How to figure out what you actually want 55:25-The power of a graceful no 01:01:40-The importance of rest, play, and escape 01:10:40-Advice for contractors as they enter 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S5 Enull · Wed, January 01, 2025
193. 7 Lies to Stop Telling Yourself in 2025 - Benji Carlson
Stop telling yourself the lies in this episode and start telling yourself the 7 TRUTHS in this free download instead: https://trybta.com/DL193 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP193 For the first episode of 2025, Benji is speaking from the heart. Today, he's calling out seven lies to stop telling yourself in 2025. And, really, seven lies we all need to stop telling ourselves. We hope this episode helps you break unhealthy thought patterns. About your business. About your family. And most importantly, about yourself. New year, new you. And new us, too. Episode Highlights: - Understand whether seven unhealthy thought patterns are impacting your business and life, and how to let them go as you enter the new year. - Reflect on the limiting beliefs that held you back in the past, and start to shift your thinking as you move into the future. 00:00-Intro 02:09-It’s “just a [insert industry] business” 04:32-Another business/industry would have been easier 08:39-It HAS to be hard 10:39-I need to be good at everything. 11:45-I’m not worthy of the abundance my business is creating 14:32-A+ Talent doesn't want to work for my business 16:32-I’m behind; everyone else is so far ahead See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, December 25, 2024
192. The Private Equity Playbook: What Contractors Can Learn From Big Business - Adam Coffey
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP192 Have you ever wondered how the masters of big business scale up to nine-figures and beyond? Today’s guest is Adam E. Coffey, author of 3 bestsellers: The Private Equity Playbook, The Exit Strategy Playbook, and Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion . After 10 years as an executive at General Electric, he was hired as the president of three private equity-backed service companies where he completed 58 acquisitions and facilitated billions of dollars in successful exits. In this episode, we pick his brain about how small-to-medium sized contractors like you can apply the concepts of The Private Equity Playbook to their business systems and operations. And trust us, there is a ton to be learned from our conversation. Episode highlights: - Get a breakdown of the concepts in Adam E.Coffey’s bestselling books, The Private Equity Playbook, The Exit Strategy Playbook , and Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion . - Learn the three stages of business growth on the road to a billion, and what tactics and areas of focus are most important at each point in the journey. - Understand how to apply the mindset and tactics used in the world of private equity to your own strategic plan. 00:00-Intro 01:23-About Adam Coffey 06:22-Stage 1 : $0 to $1MM 16:26-Stage 2: $1 M to $10MM 32:17-Stage 3: $10MM to $100MM 42:40-Four Powerful Organic Levers to Bend Your Growth Curve Upward 50:27-The 2 Most Essential Business Skills for Growth 53:39-Connect With Adam See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, December 18, 2024
191. Simple Numbers for Contractor Growth - Greg Crabtree
Learn how to hire for profit growth with this free download: https://trybta.com/DLEP191 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP191 Learn more about Greg and Simple Numbers here: https://www.simplenumberscri.com/ We're gonna make an educated guess and say you didn’t get into business because you love accounting. So when it comes to financial management—budgeting, forecasting, and tracking the right metrics for success—you’d be forgiven for getting a little lost in the jargon and differing opinions on the “right” way to do things. Our guest on the show today is Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! Greg's approach to financial controls and profitability is refreshingly simple and easy to understand. He distills the confusing world of accounting into incredibly simple metrics and lays out the core areas of business you need to focus on. If you’re looking for a simple explanation of which numbers you should care about and how to optimize them for business growth, consider this episode your starting point. Episode highlights: Understand why gross margin is your TRUE top line and why revenue is one of the most meaningless metrics to care about in business, according to Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! Hear Greg’s thoughts on why your income tax paid is actually one of the best KPIs to optimize Learn the only two ways to boost labor productivity and get out of the profitability black hole between $1MM and $5MM 00:00-Intro 01:52-Why are finances so hard to understand? 14:49-About the Four Keys 21:30-How should people use and think about the Four Keys? 28:44-Owner's Salary 36:56-Profit 50:52-Labor Productivity 1:02:23-Habits and mindsets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, December 11, 2024
190. Never Lose an Employee Again - Joey Coleman
Grab a free summary of Joey's book, Never Lose an Employee Again, here: https://trybta.com/DLEP190 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP190 Learn more about Joey and his work here: https://joeycoleman.com/ It sucks to lose good people. Especially when it feels like you did everything you could to keep them, short of a 7-figure salary and 6 months vacation. 🤦 But, according to my guest today, world-renowned speaker, consultant, and bestselling author of Never Lose an Employee Again Joey Coleman, there’s probably a lot of crucial onboarding steps you’re missing with your new team members. Today’s conversation is about more than employee retention. We’re diving into the world of employee experience, and how getting it right can save you tons of time, money and headaches by lowering turnover and building a killer culture. Episode highlights: - Get an inside look at Joey Coleman’s framework for building killer employee experiences, as outlined in his bestselling book Never Lose an Employee Again. - Learn about the importance of the first 100 days of an employee’s time with your company, and how to optimize their experience for long-term retention. - Get tips on designing organizations that allow high performers to grow into careers, rather than feel like they’re in a “dead end job.” 00:00-Intro 01:29-The true cost of turnover 04:45-Why people quit after just a few months 13:51-Why proper onboarding is essential (even though it's a lot of work) 21:25-The goal of an onboarding system: The 4 R's 32:57-How to optimize the first day on the job 43:24-The importance of the First 100 Days 47:23-How to create career paths that keep A-players around 58:42-Connect with Joey See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, December 04, 2024
189. Turn Your Ideas Into Fully Implemented Systems - Benji Carlson
Grab your copy of our IMPLEMENT framework here: https://trybta.com/DLEP189 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP189 The end of the year is approaching, and that means it’s “hope season” for a lot of contractors. Your implementation goals are big. You’ve got tech stack upgrades, brand refreshes, and shiny new internal processes on the brain. But, let’s be real: If you look back at past years—and all the projects you had planned—how many of them did you actually get across the finish line? The graveyard of good ideas not implemented for most entrepreneurs is vast. So how do you break the cycle and actually get sh*t done in 2025? This episode is a 9-part roadmap that will help you sharpen your implementation skills and turn your great ideas into fully implemented systems. Episode highlights: - Learn Benji’s nine part framework for successfully implementing projects—from tech stack upgrades to business systems to SOPs. - Understand why implementation is so difficult, and how to sharpen your skills as a business owner to get more done in 2025. - Get fired up and ready to crush your implementation goals next year. 00:00-Intro 02:15-Pick The Right Things To Implement 04:33-Define Your Outcomes 06:34-Don’t Reinvent the Wheel 07:34-Make Foolproof Project Plans 09:04-Delegate, Don’t Dump 12:29-Find Your Milestones and Celebrate Them 13:29-Don't Forget the Change Management Part 15:57-Audit (is what we implemented working?) 17:12-Give People Breaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, November 27, 2024
188. Does Time-Tracking Really Boost Staff Productivity? - Isaac Barlow
Connect time tracking to your job costing with this free white paper from busybusy: https://trybta.com/DLEP188 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP188 Have you ever wondered whether getting your field staff to track their time is worthwhile? Sure, it’d be great to hold them accountable. But you can already hear their grumbles and groans about having to add another thing to their to-do list. The thing is, in other businesses (think accounting, law, marketing agencies), time tracking is standard practice. The whole goal in those industries is to make as much time billable to the client as possible. So why is it different in the trades? Our guest on the show today is Isaac Barlow. He’s the Founder of busybusy. The industry-leading time-tracking app for construction and trades. Today’s conversation is about leveraging time-tracking technology to increase productivity and profitability without hurting your company culture. Episode highlights: Learn how time tracking can be used to create a performance culture built on business intelligence. Understand why field staff often resist adopting modern tech and how to change their attitudes and get them on board with time tracking. Find out how to create a modern data-obsessed organization in an old school industry. 00:00-Intro 01:48-The story behind busybusy 08:42-Why contractors need to be more time obsessed 16:42-The benefits of busybusy and other time tracking apps 22:08-How to deal with pushback from the team 28:56-Business Intelligence: helpful or hurtful to culture? 31:57-Gamification: does it work? 34:04-3 tips to get your team thinking more like owners 38:19-Downloadable handout and busybusy promotion 39:08-Business intelligence: what is it and how do you use it? 44:46-Too much data vs. too little data: what is the balance? 46:36-How to become data-obsessed (even if you're not wired that way) 49:13-Connect with Isaac and learn more about busybusy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, November 20, 2024
187. How to Be a Profit First Contractor - Shawn Van Dyke
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP187 Get a copy of Profit First for Contractors here: https://www.amazon.ca/Profit-First-Contractors-Construction-Money-Making-ebook/dp/B07L38J49P Did you know that the vast majority of construction and trades businesses net less than 5% profit a year? In case you were wondering—that’s not good. Our guest on the show today is Shawn Van Dyke, author of Profit First for Contractors and The Paperwork Punch List. In this episode, we break down the Profit First for Contractors (or PFC) cash management model, including a prescribed framework for implementing PFC in your business right away. If you change the way you manage your finances, you’ll also change the way you think about money flowing in and out of your accounts. And in turn, you’ll make better decisions that benefit you and your business. Episode highlights: Unpack how the profit-first approach Shawn Van Dyke outlines in Profit First for Contractors produces a powerful and positive psychological change to the way you see money flowing into and out of your business. Learn the four most common profit-destroying mistakes that Shawn sees owners make all too often. Find out which five bank accounts you need to set up right away. 00:00-Intro 01:35-About Profit First for Contractors 10:31-Why is minimal profitability so common in construction and trades? 15:49-Brief synopsis of the PFC Model 21:05-Five bank accounts you need to set up 31:36-What's the value of the five bank accounts? 47:07-4 mistakes that kill profitability 01:05:08-Connect with Shawn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, November 13, 2024
186. Steal These Prioritization Methods to Get More Done - Harry Max and Wes Bright
Grab your free copy of the Max Priorities Pyramid and start sorting your priorities today: https://trybta.com/DLEP186 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP186 How good are you at prioritization in your business? It’s ok. You can be honest. The truth is that prioritization seems straightforward, but in reality it’s much more complex than it appears, especially in the context of a business like yours - which is inherently dynamic, ever-changing, and unpredictable. Issues come out of nowhere. Circumstances change. People quit. Clients cancel. Unexpected weather roles through. How are you supposed to get anything done when you’re constantly putting out fires? Our guests today have some practical strategies that can help. Harry Max is the author of Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions. And Wes Bright is his partner at Peak Priorities. They consult with some of the biggest companies in tech, and today, they're going to level up our priority management toolbox in a major way. Episode highlights: - Learn what makes prioritization so hard and what systems and tools you can use to get better at it. - Understand the frameworks Harry Max recommends in his book, Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions. - Get practical prioritization tips from two consultants who work with the biggest companies in tech including Apple, Google and Microsoft. 00:00-Intro 01:48-About the book - Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions 03:56-Why "prioritize" is the most important verb 09:32 - Why we all suck at prioritizing 14:22-About the "false sense of urgency" 22:58-The impact of a clear vision on prioritization 31:24-The DEGAP Framework 42:40-Sorting methods for prioritization 47:45-Ideal rhythms for reviewing goals and progress 52:27-What to delegate vs. what to keep 58:54-Evolving our prioritization systems as we grow 01:03:22-Where can people connect with you? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, November 06, 2024
185. Is Your Sales to Production Handoff Killing You? - Charlie Bethell
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP185 How did Plus Construction owner and Breakthrough Academy Member Charlie Bethell go from endless callbacks, cash crunches and frustration to selling and building 500 decks a year? Systemizing and optimizing. And a lot of it. Today, Charlie’s on the show to talk about his digital marketing strategies, which bring in 60% of the businesses annual leads, and the massive changes he made to his sales-to-production handoff. In other words, we’re diving into the secrets of a high-volume contractor. Episode highlights: - Learn the strategies and tactics Charlie Bethell uses to get 60% of his leads from digital marketing initiatives. - Find out which implementation items Charlie used to vastly improve his sales-to-production handoff, resulting in higher customer satisfaction, better team morale and more profitable jobs. - Hear how Charlie hit his BHAG five years early and what he learned in the process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, October 30, 2024
184. The Profitability Mindset of Wealthy Contractors - Brian Kaskavalciyan
Grab your free copy of the Four Numbers Exercise to help you 10x your wealth attraction: https://trybta.com/DLEP184 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP184 Learn more about Brian here: https://www.thewealthycontractor.com/ Running a highly profitable contracting business has two sides of the coin. You need the profitability skill sets: budgeting, job costing, pricing strategies, accounting best practices, and so on. We’ve discussed these plenty on the show. The other thing you need is the “profitability mindset.” This has very little to do with spreadsheets and bookkeeping and everything to do with your attitude towards money, your belief and self-worth, and your ability to practice what our guest on the show today calls wealth attraction. Brian Kaskavalciyan, aka The Wealthy Contractor, is back on the show for the second time to talk about how to clarify your why, get control of your mind and develop the sense of deserving that so many contractors are missing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, October 23, 2024
183. Turn Your Field Staff Into Customer Service Pros - Mark Matteson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP183 To get the your copy of the Freedom From Fear eBook, click here: https://sparkingsuccess.net/fgfff/ Here’s a question you’ve probably pondered before. Do your technicians, laborers, and field staff excel at customer service? Do they know how to build rapport? De-escalate an angry customer? Can they upsell and bring in more revenue for the company? The fact is, whether you like it or not, your reputation, and the success of your business, depends on the people you have out on the front lines. Our guest on the show today is Mark Matteson. He’s a personal development speaker and author of 6 books, including his best-seller Freedom From Fear. Before the big stages, though, Mark spent the first half of his career in the field as an HVAC tech and salesperson. He translated those formative years into a customer service excellence curriculum he teaches to many of the biggest HVAC companies on the continent. And today he’s going to teach us how to get our whole team aligned around providing exceptional customer service at every stage of the buyer journey. Episode Highlights: Hear from Mark Matteson, HVAC tech and sales rep turned personal development speaker and best-selling author of Freedom From Fear, about the importance of embedding customer service excellence into every part of your business. Get a walkthrough of the customer service excellence curriculum Mark teaches to many of the biggest HVAC companies in North America. Learn how to recognize and let go of the fears holding you back in business and in life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, October 16, 2024
182. Matt Risinger’s Secrets to Team Building - Matt Risinger
Get a downloadable copy of Matt Risinger's Team Building Tactics here: https://trybta.com/DLEP182 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP182 Ever wonder how an industry titan recruits and retains top talent? Before creating his 1.1 million subscriber YouTube channel dedicated to building science, Matt Risinger worked as a recruiter for a national builder, where he learned the tactics and skills he would use to assemble his incredible teams at both Risingerbuild and The Build Show. And today, he’s back on the show to teach you how to do it, too. We talk about how to get great applicants in the door, tips for behavioral interviewing, the right questions to ask (and which ones to NOT), how to retain talent for the long haul, and how to know when and why to let someone go. This is a Masterclass in human resources for construction and trades with one of the most trusted names in the industry. Episode Highlights: - Learn the tactics and skills Matt Risinger used to build the exceptional teams that allowed RisingerBuild and The Build Show to grow into the industry titans they are today. - Hear about Matt’s experience working as a recruiter for a national builder earlier in his career and how the experience shaped his current recruitment practices. - Get Matt’s take on how to know when it’s time to let someone go, and how to approach the conversation professionally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, October 09, 2024
181. Marketing Through a Downturn - John Jantsch
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP181 To learn more about Duct Tape Marketing, click here: https://ducttapemarketing.com/ If you’ve ever cut your marketing budget when times were tough, this one’s for you. When you find yourself in the middle of a downturn, leadflow turning to a trickle, customer decision-making slowing to a crawl…something's gotta give. And if your marketing budget is just an expense you pay because you think you should, it’s a pretty easy decision. Cut the deadweight. But according to today’s guest John Jantsch, that might be the wrong approach. John is the author of Duct Tape Marketing, The Ultimate Marketing Machine, The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur, and more. And today, we’re talking about how to adapt your marketing strategy for economic headwinds. The market around you may be slowing down, but that doesn’t mean your business—or your marketing—has to. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, October 02, 2024
180. Avoid These 10 QuickBooks Mistakes - Nate Flake
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP180 Grab a free copy of QuickBooks' Top 5 Profit Leaks for Contractors download here: https://www.btacademy.com/ce/download/ep180/ Grab your free Breakthrough Academy budgeting tool here: https://trybta.com/68v Have you ever wanted to better understand how to use QuickBooks effectively but haven’t had the time to really dive into it? Most contractors are probably in the same boat. Our anecdotal guess is that north of 85% of our Members use QuickBooks as their bookkeeping software. But there is so much the platform can do, it’s hard to know if you’re using it “right.” Or to its full potential. So… we thought it would be cool to have someone from QuickBooks come on and teach us how to get the most out of it. Nate Flake is the Senior Partner Development Manager at Intuit (the makers of Quickbooks) and he also hosts their Constructing Growth Podcast. Today, we’re going to unpack 10 crucial QuickBooks mistakes contractors often make and how to avoid them moving forward. 538d9f21ce1440514fe7d46194e8e85cbc8da07e See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, September 25, 2024
179. Negotiation Tactics for Contractors - Chris Voss
Get your free guide to Chris Voss' Top Negotiation Tips for Contractors here: https://trybta.com/DLEP179 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP179 Check out Chris Voss' new documentary, Tactical Empathy, here: https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Empathy-Chris-Voss/dp/B0D83LHHZT Today’s episode frickin’ rocks. The one and only Chris Voss, world-renowned FBI negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference , is on the show to talk all things negotiation. We cover the mindset, the skills, and the systems you need to be a better negotiator in your contracting business. Whether you’re defending your price to a haggling client, driving a hard bargain with a supplier, or negotiating a comp package with a key employee, implementing the tips in this episode will help you get better results. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, September 18, 2024
178. Make More Money with Less Marketing - Allan Dib
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP178 Get Allan Dib's new book, Lean Marketing, here: https://leanmarketing.com/books/leanmarketing “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is I don't know which half.” Ever heard that saying? That classic quote from John Wanamaker dates back over a hundred years ago. And, sadly, even with all the new technology, tracking mechanisms and data at our fingertips, it’s still kinda true. At least it is for many contractors. Our guest today is Allan Dib, author of The 1-Page Marketing Plan and, as of this year, a brand new book called Lean Marketing. The idea is pretty simple. Marketing creates A LOT of waste that provides zero value to you or your customer. So, today we’re going to talk about Allan’s 9 Lean Marketing principles that will help you get more leads, more profit, with LESS MARKETING. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, September 11, 2024
177. Why Most Websites Suck (and How to Make Yours Better) - Bryce Choquer
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP177 Get a complimentary SEO audit from Choquer Creative here: https://cal.com/brycechoquer/seo-audit Did you get your website built because you knew you needed one? Or did you have it thoughtfully designed and optimized to get you leads? The truth is that 9/10 of your competition's websites are poorly designed and under-optimized. And if your website just exists to check a box on your marketing to-do list, yours probably is too. Our guest today, Bryce Choquer, is the founder of Choquer Creative, a web design and SEO Agency that specializes in building websites for trades and construction companies. In this episode, he breaks down the framework he uses to get contractors more leads from their websites. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, September 04, 2024
176. How to Stay Present in a Distracted World - Mike Lee
Get access to Benji and Mike's favorite mindfulness practices here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP176 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP176 Did you know the average employee loses 600 hours a year due to distractions? That’s a lot of untapped potential. And a lot of anxious people. Our guest on the show today is Mike Lee, a best-selling author and globally recognized keynote speaker whose entire body of work is dedicated to helping leaders find focus, block out distractions, and get more done with a calmer mind. Mike and I talk about how to be more present in the way you work, live and lead. From separating yourself from the constant notifications, algorithms and open tabs to dealing with the anxiety that comes with owning a business, leading people and being a human in 2024. If you want to be more focused, more present and more mindful, this one’s for you. Get Mike's book, New Rules for the Future of Leadership here: https://mindshiftlabs.com/new-rules-for-the-future-of-leadership/ Episode highlights: - Learn about the real cost distractions have to our businesses and our personal lives. - Get tips on practicing focus, mindfulness and presence from best-selling author and globally recognized keynote speaker Mike Lee. - Find out what working with athletes like Steph Curry taught Mike about the power of mindset in achieving success on the court and in business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, August 28, 2024
175. The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership - Ryan Gill
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP175 To learn more about Ryan and Brush Strokes, click here: https://brushstrokesga.com/ Today’s episode is your daily dose of inspiration. Ryan Gill, Breakthrough Academy Member and owner of Brush Strokes Quality Painting in Georgia, has quite the story. He’s battled addiction, struggled with his mental health, and been on the brink of bankruptcy three times. And today, he runs a thriving painting company with a mission to give back. Through an unconventional hiring strategy, Ryan gives second chances to ex-inmates and individuals in addiction recovery programs while maintaining the highest standard of quality and world-class customer service. His story powerfully reminds us of the bigger role our businesses play in making the world a better place. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, August 21, 2024
174. Turn Your LAGGING Indicators into LEADING Indicators - Brayden Russell
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP174 Get your free budget tool here: https://trybta.com/DLEP174 We all know the standard KPIs we need to track the success of a business. Dollars sold. Dollars produced. Gross profit. Net profit. The only problem with these all-important metrics is that they are LAGGING indicators. We find out about their performance AFTER the activity that drives them has already happened. They tell us whether we achieved the results we wanted, but say little about how to get those results in the future. This is where LEADING indicators can be instrumental in helping you lead your team. If you tell your project managers to raise gross profit next quarter, they won’t know how. But if you tell them to keep their materials expenses below 15% by following a more efficient ordering and purchasing process. They actually stand a pretty good chance. Today, Breakthrough Academy Coach Brayden Russell is on the show to break down how to turn your lagging indicators into leading indicators and orient your team towards success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, August 14, 2024
173. Buying/Selling a Contracting Business? Listen to This. - Morgan Tate
Get your free strategic planning tool here: https://trybta.com/DLEP173 To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP173 Buying and selling contracting businesses is no easy feat. Compared to buying or selling a home, the whole system is needlessly confusing and incredibly dated. It involves pen-and-paper processes, uninformed sellers, and brokerage-owned listing sites that look like they were built in 2004. Our guest today, Morgan Tate, is on a mission to change this with a new platform called DealBuilder.co that centralizes and expedites the deal-making process for brokers, buyers and sellers. And he’s got a pretty interesting vantage point on how businesses change hands. In this episode, we cover: The difference between saleability and valuation and how to optimize for BOTH How to spot solid buying opportunities to help you grow through acquisition And lastly, the 3 most common deal killers - surprisingly obvious little mistakes that can squash a deal right before the finish line If you’ve ever considered selling your business or acquiring another one, this is a must-listen. Learn more about DealBuilder here: https://www.dealbuilder.co/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, August 07, 2024
172. Build a Killer Brand in Three Steps - Ron Tite
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP172 To learn more about the Think. Do. Say. framework and buy Ron's book, click here: https://thinkdosay.com/ Branding: everyone knows they need to do it, but very few know how to do it. Or at least, how to do it well. I’m joined today by Ron Tite, bestselling author, speaker, producer and entrepreneur, to talk about his new book: Think. Do. Say. How to Seize Attention and Build Trust in a Busy, Busy World. According to Ron, branding doesn’t have to be so complicated. You can actually boil it down to three steps: think about what you’re promising as a brand, do things that align with those promises, and say things that communicate your promises in an interesting and relevant way. Today, Ron walks us through how to use the framework to clarify your brand beliefs, align your team around them, and market yourself to your broader audience without losing authenticity. He even gives specific fill-in-the-blank prompts you can use to start thinking about your brand right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, July 31, 2024
171. Lessons From Breakthrough Academy’s 2023 Leader of the Year - Matt Parks
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP171 And don't forget to download your FREE Strategic Planning Tool here: https://trybta.com/DLEP171 To learn more about Matt's company, Five Points Roofing, click here: https://fivepointsroofing.com/ We talk a lot on the show about leadership. But today, we’re approaching it a bit differently. Our guest today is Matt Parks, VP of Business Development at Five Points Roofing and the winner of Breakthrough Academy’s Leader of the Year Award in 2023. He knows a lot about leadership. Not because he wrote a book on it—but because he has worked tirelessly over the years to develop and adopt a holistic, human-centered leadership philosophy. And it paid off. Matt is known in the Breakthrough Academy community as a strong implementer of systems and processes. In other words, he gets sh*t done. And he gets his team wanting to get sh*t done too. Listen to the full episode to learn how you can use Matt’s approach to become a leader who is both more effective and more compassionate. You’ll hear about how this approach influenced Five Points’ unconventional sales and marketing strategy, created a united team, and helped Matt overcome personal tragedy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, July 24, 2024
170. Can AI Make Better Hiring Decisions Than You? - Jonathan Whistman
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP170 Download our FREE Interview Setup Call tool here: https://trybta.com/DLEP170 We’re back on the AI hype train again. Specifically, how can it help and/or hinder your hiring? According to today’s guest Jonathan Whistman, AI is completely changing the recruitment game, and not just because ChatGPT can write job descriptions. Jonathan is the author of The Sales Boss and the founder of WhoHire, a hiring solution for the service trades industry that uses AI prediction to help put the right people in the right roles. Pretty cool. But how does that impact the way you’re recruiting and hiring right now? What do you need to be aware of as AI becomes increasingly common in the HR landscape? Is there anything you can learn and apply from the data that’s been collected on job applicants today? Today, we're covering all that and more. Get in touch with Jonathan at jon@whohire.com or connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwhistman/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, July 17, 2024
169. Land More Commercial Contracts - Business Development 101 - Dave Notte
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP169 To learn more about Dave and WCP Building Renewal, click here: https://wcpbuildingrenewal.com/ We talk a lot on the show about residential marketing and sales systems, but the requests from commercial contractors for content they can use are beginning to pile up. And that tracks. Landing commercial contracts comes with its own set of challenges. It’s a lot less catchy Facebook ads… And a lot more strategic relationship building 🤝 So today, we’re diving into business development and we’re lucky to have Dave Notte, Founder of WCP Building Renewal and Shack Shine, on the show today. Using an incredibly dialed-in customer acquisition strategy, WCP has partnered with countless commercial property groups, residential property management companies, HOAs, and stratas over the past 20 years. If you want to learn how sophisticated commercial contractors court, land, retain, and build trust with huge clients that continue to work with them for years or even decades, this episode is a must-listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, July 10, 2024
168. Can Mass Hiring Systems Work For Contractors? - Logan Campbell
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP168 And be sure to download your FREE Ideal Candidate Profile & Job Posting Tool here: https://trybta.com/DL168 To learn more about Logan and The Dream Clean Team, click here: https://www.thedreamcleanteam.net/ After wasting countless hours trying to hire good people the old fashioned way—vetting applications, interviewing, probing into skills—for cleaning positions with a shorter shelf life, Breakthrough Academy Member Logan Campbell redesigned his entire hiring and onboarding process using automation, thoughtful job descriptions and streamlined interview processes. An owner of an AirBnB cleaning company, Logan knows the feeling all too well. His business, The Dream Clean Team, requires a HUGE number of people to get a lot done in a very short time window. In this episode, he outlines how he set up his hiring process: attracting the right type of candidate, weeding out tire kickers, mass interview scheduling, onboarding, and even retaining A-players through gamification and performance pay. If you hire positions with higher turnover or seasonal workers, this one’s for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, July 03, 2024
167. 4 Tactics To Boost Your Lead-to-Sale Ratio - Kevin Donnelly
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PC167 If you’re getting fewer leads than ever, you’re not alone. A shifting economy is changing the sales and marketing game for contractors. Gone are the days of accepting a 25% ratio as par for the course. Frankly, you can’t afford it. According to today’s guest, Kevin Donnelly from Webrunner, it's time to become obsessive about sales efficiency. Kevin walks us through four ways to increase your lead-to-sale ratio—basically, how you can sell more with less. Webrunner is a full-service digital marketing agency that only works with contractors. We’ve had them on the show before and, seriously, they know their stuff. Let’s dive in with Kevin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, June 26, 2024
166. What is it ACTUALLY Like To Sell To Private Equity? - Steve Wheatcroft
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP166 To download our FREE Strategic Planning Tool, click here: https://trybta.com/DLEP166 Private equity buying up contracting companies is a popular subject lately. You may have seen Instagram posts and articles about entrepreneurs who’ve struck it rich by selling their businesses to mysterious private equity investors. But, what does that actually mean? Today, we’re going to learn what it's ACTUALLY like to sell to private equity investors, from someone who's done it. Over the course of 30 years, Steve Wheatcroft grew his humble landscaping business called Urban Life Solutions into a 30MM behemoth that - no surprise - caught the eye of private equity. After the deal was done in late 2019, Steve remained the CEO for another three years and helped the new ownership scale through more acquisitions to 100 MM. And in today’s episode, he shares the unfiltered truth about what selling to private equity is really like. The good. The bad. And the ugly. And there is plenty of all three. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, June 19, 2024
165. Could Door-to-Door Marketing Work For Your Business? - Sam Taggart
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP165 A changing market can mean fewer leads, slower decision-making, and lower average job size. While punchy Facebook ads, a decent website, and a Google Business profile may have been enough to get the phones ringing in the past, passive marketing is just not cutting it for contractors in 2024. According to today’s guest Sam Taggart, now is the time to try one of the most tried and tested methods of “getting in front of your customer” — meeting them where they live. Literally. As the founder and CEO of The D2D Experts, Sam helps hundreds of companies build successful and cost-efficient Door-to-Door Sales teams every year, and today, he’s going to teach us how to: Hire enthusiastic door knockers Build your own script using a proven framework Design a compensation plan for your D2D team …and more. If you’re door-to-door curious or looking for a more active marketing channel to add this year, this episode is a must-listen. To learn more about Sam and his door-to-door sales coaching, check out The D2D Experts: https://thed2dexperts.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, June 12, 2024
164. Is Blue Collar Work Making a Comeback? - Ken Rusk
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP164 To access Ken’s path to a successful life course click here: https://courses.kenrusk.com/a/2147833006/FaqKwmD9 For the past few decades, we’ve been steering kids towards university and away from the trades, but why? The average North American college grad is underskilled and in debt, especially compared to their blue-collar friends who skipped the college experience and got on the job site. Today, I’m talking with Ken Rusk, a lifelong contractor and author of Blue-Collar Cash: Love Your Work, Secure Your Future, and Find Happiness for Life. He’s got some insights on the benefits of choosing a blue-collar career and shares some fascinating statistics that kids are definitely not learning in school. Learn from Ken how to paint a bright picture of a future in trades and construction and use that narrative to recruit the young talent you need. So…is blue-collar work making a comeback? Tune in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, June 05, 2024
163. Get Your Sales Team's Butt In Gear - Adam Bensman
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP163 Download our Ideal Candidate Profile + Job Posting Tool for FREE here: https://trybta.com/DLEP163 Over the last year, the tone has changed with salespeople. The deals aren’t closing the way they were, and entrepreneurs are (understandably) frustrated. You need rockstar closers, but instead, you’re stuck with a bunch of order-takers. A decade of low interest rates, strong economies, plus MEGA improvements in digital marketing has created a whole cohort of (frankly) average sales professionals who are not exactly thriving in this tighter, more competitive environment. Adam Bensman is the author of the Roofing Sales Survival Guide, the creator of the Roof Strategist Sales System, and the founder of the Roofing and Solar Reform Alliance (that’s a lotta stuff!). His sales education videos have a massive following on YouTube, and if you go check it out, you’ll see why. This guy’s legit. Today’s conversation has everything you need to fix a lethargic salesperson or sales team and get them firing on all cylinders as we head into a new economy. As Adam says: A “feeling” economy. To learn more about Adam Bensman, check out his YouTube channel, The Roofing Strategist: https://www.youtube.com/ @TheRoofStrategist To learn more about the Roofing & Solar Reform Alliance click here: https://www.rsra.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, May 29, 2024
162. Tommy Mello' Secrets For Team Accountability
To download your accountability resources and to book a call with Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP162 How does your team function when you’re not watching? Do they get stuff done on time, as good as if you did it yourself? Or do they miss deadlines, point fingers and leave clients underwhelmed? If you’re feeling less like an owner and more like a babysitter, you may have an accountability problem. Your team’s performance is inconsistent, their focus is all over the map, and no one really knows who’s supposed to do what, when. Back in April, we co-hosted a webinar on staff accountability with the one and only Tommy Mello. His staff accountability secrets were so good, we decided to replay the session on Contractor Evolution. In this episode, he gives away his tried and tested methods of holding people accountable without micromanaging or pointing fingers. Listen in to learn how you can steal Tommy’s accountability system to create a solid performance culture for your team. To learn more about Tommy Mello, check out https://homeserviceexpert.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, May 22, 2024
161. If You Do Jobs Less Than $2000 Listen To This - Barry Hartman
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP161 Small Average Job-size businesses (or small AJS for short) have a unique set of obstacles to growth that most other contractors never have to confront. If you’re a junk removal business, do landscape maintenance, window cleaning, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, Christmas lights, or are a service plumber or electrician, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Scaling to a million a year, $500 a time, is no small feat. Basic napkin math reveals a lot of jobs for a lot of clients. Barry Hartman is the co-founder of 505 Junk, a pay-by-weight junk removal business here in Vancouver. Since 2011, he’s worked relentlessly to crack the code on small AJS growth. In the last few years, he has. This year, they’ll do 6 million dollars with an AJS of about $866. Do the math on that. If you’re a Small Average Job Size contractor or home service business, there are 4 things you need to master in order to scale. Listen to this week's episode to learn them all. To learn more about Barry and 505-Junk, check them out here: https://505junk.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, May 15, 2024
160. The 4 Phases Of Contractor Growth - Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP160 Growing your construction, trades, or home services business is no easy task. You’ve got: Tricky customers Shrinking labor market Cash flow crunches Fly-by nighters who constantly underbid you …It's brutal. So it helps to know which stage of growth you are at, which comes next, and how to get there faster. This is why, after working with over 1,500 businesses, we’ve studied and developed the 4 Contractor Growth Phases. Curious about which phase you’re in? Listen to the full episode to find out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, May 08, 2024
159. James Williams' Near Death Experience - Brady Williams
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP159 We spend a lot of time on this show on systems, best practices, and tactics. But Today’s conversation is a human one. Our very own BTA Member, Brady Williams of Ox Glass, went through one of the most terrifying and harrowing experiences you will ever hear about. On June 8th, 2023, while Brady was at a business retreat thousands of miles away, his son James (back home in Utah) fell backward off a third-story balcony straight onto his head. Shattering his skull, puncturing his lung, and damaging a number of other vital organs. He was given minimal chances of survival. Even if that did happen, James's normal life was completely off the table. If you want systems or tactics, come back next week. Today’s conversation is about James' miraculous battle for survival, Brady’s experience as a father, and how the OX Glass Team rallied around to support a family in their time of need. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, May 01, 2024
158. How To Create A Vivid Vision For Your Company - Cameron Herold
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP158 Do you ever feel misunderstood by employees, partners, vendors, and stakeholders when discussing the future—the vision, the strategy? That “mental image,” to you at least, feels unbelievably clear, precise, detailed, and exciting. How could anyone NOT get this? How could you NOT be fired up about this? Cameron Herold is back on the show to lay out the solution to your visionary woes. His 2018 book, Vivid Vision, became an instant classic in the small business community because it completely transforms how you approach strategy and visioning in your business through the painted-picture exercise. And today, I get to pick his brain. Expect to learn: What most of the traditional planning tools like mission statements and one-page plans get wrong How to create a painted picture step by step - a super fun and rewarding exercise How to roll out your painted picture with your team, turn it into your rallying cry, and reverse engineer the steps to execution. Cameron’s a great podcast guest; that’s why we had him back; you’re gonna love this one. To know more about Cameron visit: https://cooalliance.com/ And get 10% off on the Invest in your Leaders course https://investinyourleaders.com/ using the promo code cameronh10 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, April 24, 2024
157. How To Build A Strong Employer Brand - Andrew Hansen
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP157 The labor shortage is not improving anytime soon. This is why smart contractors invest in their employer brands. Many businesses competing over a small supply of talent drives up its price and gives your would-be employee a sea of options. Ensure your business is the best choice for them by building a world-class employer brand. How you package and communicate your place of work to potential employees matters more now than ever. Our guest on the show today is Andrew Hansen, founder and CEO of Site Partners, A specialized marketing agency that works exclusively with the industrial sector. Over the last 5 years, he’s shifted from helping businesses get customers to helping them find talent. Buckle up for an employer brand deep dive…. To know more about Andrew and SitePartners visit: linkedin.com/in/andrew-hansen- and sitepartners.ca See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, April 17, 2024
156. A Tech Founder's 4 Lessons for Contractors - Luke Hansen
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP156 My guest on the show today is Luke Hansen - Founder and CEO of Company Cam, the industry-leading job site photo tool that allows you to manage work from anywhere. Today’s episode is a Tech CEO’s 4 Business Lessons for Contractors. We talk about brand building, strategy, social media, and more. To get a deal on CompanyCam click here: https://companycam.com/ce See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, April 10, 2024
155. Does Open Book Management Really Work? - Ryan Markewich
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP155 If you’ve ever wondered how an Open Book Management business operates and whether or not this model might work for you. You’re in luck! Open Book Management, or OBM for short, is a business philosophy and system that communicates the entire financial picture of the business all the way down to the laborer in the field. The fundamental idea is that every set of hands comes from with a free brain, and people generally play better when your keeping score. Our guest today is Ryan Markewich, founder of Creative Roots Landscaping in Kelowna, BC, and a certified Great Game of Business Coach. For the last twenty years, he’s run Creative Roots fully “Open Book” and is here today to tell us about it. I ask him: Does OBM really work? Or is this just another hyped-up business framework? How much extra work is it to train employees on the financial reports and KPIs in order for them to truly be “in the game”? How do they select future partners from their employee pool? How do they groom them? And what does it actually mean when an employee purchases a tranche of the company? Open Book Management isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve ever been curious about it, this is a great jumping-off point. To know more about Ryan visit https://rmark.ca/ and https://www.greatgame.com/about/our-coaches/ryan-markewich See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, April 03, 2024
154. 7 Archetypes Of Effective Project Managers - Kyle Nitchen
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP154 My guest on the show today is Kyle Nitchen. I found Kyle through his substack and newsletter called “The Influential Project Manager” - which is worth a follow, btw. As a senior project manager for Layton Construction, Kyle has built over 350 million dollars worth of hospital wings, Surgery rooms, and urgent care centers all over Los Angeles. He writes about all things construction, leadership project management on his substack and today we talk about: Why Project Management in the construction industry is as big of a dumpster fire as it is How many of the modern tools and methods, from Gantt charts to critical paths, while useful, are incomplete in today's construction environment - and what to do instead Lastly, he takes us through the 7 archetypes of effective project managers - a simple but powerful framework to develop your PMs with. To learn more about Kyle Nitchen: https://kylenitchen.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, March 27, 2024
153. 6 Revenue Driving Videos Every Contractor Needs - Marcus Sheridan
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP153 Marcus Sheridan is back! As if writing one of the most celebrated marketing books (They Ask, You Answer) of the last 10 years wasn’t enough, he’s co-authored a new book all about how to CRUSH IT with video content. It’s called The Visual Sale. Kinda catchy 😉 Two out of every three adults already choose video as their primary information source, and one recent study showed that 96% of consumers look for videos about products and services before buying them. So the question is… is your business geared for this? Because this is one mega trend you want to be on the right side of. In today’s episode, you can expect to learn: The exact word-for-word Chat GPT prompt to give you your first 50 video ideas. The 6 core videos every modern contractor needs to have and why (and how to go make them.) And, whether hiring an agency/freelancer or building out the capacity for video in-house is better. To know more about Marcus visit: https://marcussheridan.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, March 20, 2024
152. Unleash The Power Of Your COO - Cameron Herold
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP152 My guest on the show today is Cameron Herold, best-selling author of 6 books, many of which you’ll know and love: The Miracle Morning, Meetings Suck, and arguably his most popular Vivid Vision. But today’s conversation is about his latest book, The Second In Command: Unleash The Power Of Your COO, which I am immediately putting on the must-read list for all of you. Cameron was the COO of 1-800-Got Junk and helped Brian Scudamore grow from just $2 million a year to over $100 million a year. He hosts a podcast called The Second in Command Podcast, where he interviews COOs of some of the biggest brands in the world. Shopify, Zendesk, Asana, MailChimp, and the list goes on. He’s even built a mastermind group for COOs called the COO Alliance, which is like a breakthrough academy but just for COOs. Super cool. The book and today’s episode amalgamate Cameron’s wisdom gained through decades of filling, studying, coaching, and writing about the all-important COO role. To know more about Cameron and his courses visit: https://cameronherold.com/ and https://investinyourleaders.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, March 13, 2024
151. Contractor SOPs for Overwhelmed Owners - Tom Hughes
To get the resource bundle we talk about in the episode, click here: https://trybta.com/SOP No one sets out to run a dumpster fire of a business. And yet… we can all admit that, at least occasionally, it feels that way. Things tend towards chaos. Entropy is a real thing. This phenomenon is literally baked into the fabric of the universe. But that doesn’t mean through smart systems, we can’t overcome it and create organizational order. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are arguably the most critical weapon in this battle, and my friend Tom Hughes is back on the show to enlighten us. Tom’s a lean manufacturing guru, owner of Lumen Electronincs, and the author of Improvement Starts With I and GREAT Processes - two amazing books devoted to organizational change through SOPs. Expect to learn: Why “pulling” SOPs out of your team is more effective than “pushing” SOPs onto them How using a multimedia approach to SOPs ensures they actually get followed Leadership tactics to create a Kaizen culture that continuously improves itself To know more about Tom and GembaDocs visit: https://gembadocs.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, March 06, 2024
150. Dial In Your Social Media Strategy With 6 Questions - Jonathan Cor
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP150 Do you shove off your social media strategy to already busy employees who half-ass it or just don’t have the time? Because I certainly have. When you’re slammed running a business, making Instagram posts can feel a little beneath you. And so the default move is to pawn it off to a junior who inevitably does very little with it. This is exactly why a fully formed strategy is so important. It gives you something tangible to hand off so that someone else on your team can find success with it. Jonathan Cor is the founder of Customer Growth - A contractor-focused social media agency. He advises and consults with 7-figure and 8-figure businesses dialing in their social media strategies to deliver actual business results you can measure. Today we answer a few questions: With so many content creators and distractions, is social media still worth investing in? What are the ingredients that go into a simple and easy-to-execute strategy? What should your posts even be about? Who should be capturing and posting them? To know more about Jon and Customer Growth visit: https://www.customergrowth.co/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, February 28, 2024
149. 4 Financial Health Hacks For Contractors - Robert Gauvreau
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP149 For many contractors, financial clarity can be elusive. None of us got into business for ourselves to stare at QuickBooks, spreadsheets, or P&Ls. That said, the dangers of ignoring this indispensable side of our business are no laughing matter. Does laying good people off because you can’t afford them anymore sound fun to you? Or funneling personal dollars into a business account to run payroll? Or filing for bankruptcy? Don’t be a financial freewheeler. That’s one of our mantras here at Breakthrough Academy. On that note, I am extremely excited to welcome Bob Gauvreau to the show today. Bob is the founder and CEO of Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory, a 100+ professional services firm that specializes in the contracting niche. In a world of lame financial gurus and quasi-experts, it is actually very hard to find a master of the craft, and Bob is exactly that. Today’s conversation is about how the 4 easiest ways to improve the financial health of your business headed what could be a rocky year. To know more about Bob and Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory visit: https://gauvreaucpa.ca/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, February 21, 2024
148. The Antidote To Your Chaotic Leadership - Jon DeWaal
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP148 Do you thrive on chaos? Or does it thrive on you? Is there something about the entrepreneurial journey that attracts the tormented soul? Or is it the journey of small business itself that causes the discord inside us? I’m not sure I know the answer, but one thing that seems abundantly clear to me is that if we don’t tame the chaos within, it amplifies itself on the outside. Our frantic and reactive energy rubs off on the people we lead. Our scarcity mindset causes us to push, drive, and sell at a rate that seemingly no one can keep up with. Our incredibly high standards for ourselves and our team exhaust us, as nothing is ever good enough. My point is this: Chaotic leadership doesn’t scale. If you’re in a chapter of your growth journey where you’re: tired (like… REALLY tired 😫) wondering why you started this thing in the first place 🤷‍♂️ dealing with ambient anxiety you can’t quite put your finger on 👀 or your personal relationships are suffering due to the demands of your business… … then this episode is for you Jon DeWaal is the founder of Liminal Space, an organization dedicated to helping leaders thrive as they navigate the intensity of organizational, professional, and personal change. He’s also the personal coach to one of our co-founders, Danny Kerr, who insisted we have him on, and you’ll see why… To find more about Jon and Liminal Space visit: https://www.inaliminalspace.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, February 14, 2024
147. 5 Risk Mitigation Strategies: Protect Your Future (Wealth Builder 6) - Danielle Slavin
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP147 One part of the wealth-building story for contractors that doesn’t get a whole lot of coverage in our modern thought-o-sphere is risk mitigation. The affluent business person you want to become doesn’t get there SIMPLY by always making successful bets. The part you don’t see is the huge losses they avoided. S*** happens. So protecting the downside is actually more important than the pursuit of growth. We’re excited to have Danielle Slavin on the show today. She is a CFA and a Senior Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities. For the last 16 years, she and her team of 6 help have helped contractors just like you preserve and prudently grow the wealth they extract from their businesses. Today we’re going to talk about the morbid but oh-so-important ways to protect your wealth from: Deaths Divorces Serious Illnesses and a whole host of other threats See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, February 07, 2024
146. 2024 Predictions Episode - Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP146 I’m a month late getting my predictions for the year together. But better late than never. Am I right? I’ve got 11 spicy takes on what’s going down in our North American blue-collar business universe this year, including: Private equity will _________. Early adopters of_____ will destroy ______ . The Canadian economy will _____ while the American will ____. Don't miss out on these valuable insights, and prepare for the future with us! Watch Mike Van Capelle's case study here: https://youtu.be/mShu3DXhTlU See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, January 31, 2024
145. The Untold Truth Behind Growth Stocks (Wealth Builder 5) - Anthony Scilipoti
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP145 Last time on the Wealth Builder series, Matt Wood talked about value investing in relatively low-cost stocks that pay dividends. Companies that cashflow, just like your own. The other approach, known as growth investing, while more alluring, is also way higher risk. Not better or worse. Just different. For every friend or acquaintance who struck it rich on Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, or even Bitcoin, there are 10 more quietly sulking and licking their wounds because they bought at the wrong time, didn’t understand the asset, or underestimated the downside. Value investing is buying for stability and cash flow . Growth investing is buying for the major upside . They both can work, but the approaches are very different. In this episode, we will show that when it comes to growth investing, there is a standard of excellence to analyzing companies and how well they’re run that real professionals hold to before taking any investment position. It’s not roulette… it's a careful selection based on real data and rigorous research. To help demystify the world of growth investing, we’re joined by Anthony Scilipoti. He is the President and CEO of Veritas Investment Research. A CPA in Canada and the US for the last 30 years, his team of 28 conducts and publishes rigorous research and analysis on publicly traded companies to help investors understand which ones accurately represent what's happening inside their companies and which ones are hiding behind smoke and mirrors. Highlights: Anthony’s methodology for analyzing companies from the inside out He illustrates that accounting is very subjective, and there is a lot more to understanding a company and its potential value than what you see on it’s stock ticker As a bonus, Anthony also gives us some perspective on growth stocks and why people invest in expensive companies that don’t push out cash dividends. Your hard-earned money should be invested in great companies, not just the latest trends. To find more about Anthony and Veritas Investment Research go to: https://www.veritascorp.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, January 24, 2024
144. How To Buy Back Your Time - Dan Martell
Order Dan’s book here: https://trybta.com/BBYT To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP144 My guest on the show today is Dan Martell. Award-winning Entrepreneur. Investor. Author. Since his new book Buy Back Your Time was released last year, I’ve had at least 10 Breakthrough Academy members ask me to have him on. And when I read it, I understood why. Buy Back Your Time is an antidote to the time-sucking and stress-inducing nature of entrepreneurship. Through clean diagrams, personal stories, and sage wisdom, he offers a pragmatic and deeply intuitive path to avoid building a business you grow to hate. A scenario many entrepreneurs sadly find themselves in. Dan’s life story is wild, and we start the interview there, so I won’t spoil it. But the meat of the interview is focused on the core framework of his book called: The Buyback Principle. This was an absolute banger episode, guys. I hope you enjoy it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, January 17, 2024
143. Boring Companies & High Dividends: Value Investing 101 (Wealth Builder 4) - Matt Wood
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP143 Welcome back to Contractor Evolution and episode 4 of our Wealth Builder series! So far in this series, we’ve talked about: The investor's mindset Diversification Staying “lendable” And real estate investment strategies It’s time now to turn our attention to the stock market investment and look specifically at a style generally called “Value Investing.” Owning shares in companies that methodically turn a profit for their shareholders is a fundamentally different approach than looking for the next Apple or Microsoft and betting big. The thrill of buying shares in a moonshot might be tantalizing, but owning shares of a workhorse enterprise that consistently makes money and distributes it ain’t a bad idea either. These companies often have their hand in your wallet already. Telecommunications. Banks. Utilities. Manufacturers. To explain the fundamentals of how this works, we’re excited to have Matt Wood on the show with us today. Matt’s been an investment fund manager for 30 years, including two decades owning an asset management company that managed over $2B in assets in its heyday. Matt understands what makes a company, and sometimes an entire industry, an excellent investment, and today, he explains his core principles to us in simple, down-to-earth terms that any business owner can understand. Our hope with today’s episode is NOT that you become a professional investor where you manage your portfolio yourself; rather that you know some baseline fundamentals about the concept of Value Investing so that you can have an intelligent conversation about it with a capable advisor by your side. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, January 10, 2024
142. How To Stop Getting Screwed On Your Contracts - Cian Brennan
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP141 It's funny we’ve done almost 150 episodes of contractor evolution, and this is the first conversation we’ve had about the CONTRACT part. Better late than never I guess. Today’s conversation is with Cian Brennan, Founder and CEO of Quantum Contract Solutions, and it’s all about how to DRAMATICALLY reduce your risk by learning the game of contracts. We talk about: How to use the termination clause to set some boundaries with the GC and dictate the terms in which YOU can fire THEM! Why most contractors make the colossal mistake of believing that can’t negotiate their contracts (guess what, you can and SHOULD) Lastly, we talk about tweaking what's called the limit of liability to avoid those business-ending lawsuits This conversation was SUPER eye-opening and could save you some unimaginable headaches in the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S4 Enull · Wed, January 03, 2024
141. Real Estate Investment Strategies For Contractors (Wealth Builder 3) - Justin Bontkes
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP141 Welcome back to Contractor Evolution! This is episode 3 of the Wealth Builder series. Justin Bontkes is the founder and principal of Caliber Projects, a construction management and general contracting firm working on some of the most exciting real estate developments in BC. In many ways, Justin is the perfect case study for how contractors can build wealth through real estate investment alongside their core operating business. In 14 years, Justin has gone from a bags-on framer flipping houses on the side to leading Caliber’s team of 85 and building over $150 million in low-rise and high-rise projects. Through a dedication to constant learning and an eye for undervalued real estate, Justin has grown an award-winning company and amassed personal wealth, security, and freedom for himself and his family. In today’s conversation, Justin breaks down the following: Why, for contractors at least, the concept of “diversification” might actually be a bit overrated How to avoid “killing the golden goose” by taking your eye off the ball with your core business as you endeavor into real estate Lastly, he takes us through his personal investment strategy, how he analyzes land deals, and where he seeks to ADD value to properties and force their appreciation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, December 27, 2023
140. A Chief Economist's Forecast For 2024 - Pierre Cleroux
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP140 Today's guest on the show is Pierre Cleroux, Chief Economist of the BDC, Canada’s bank for entrepreneurs. He’s been an economist for 30 years and has led the research team at the BDC for the last 12. On top of lending to entrepreneurs for their various business needs, the BDC also conducts and publishes a vast amount of research and literature on the ever-changing landscape of small to medium-sized businesses. Today’s conversation is hyper-focused on 3 macro trends that absolutely impact your business and where they’re headed. We talk about: Where inflation is at, where it is headed, and HOW you can thrive in spite of it We discuss how climbing interest rates are affecting the monthly cash flow of both homeowners and businesses and whether or not your contracting business is headed for a slowdown Lastly, he shares with us the research their team has done on the current labor shortage, how we ended up here, and whether or not it's going to get better (I’ll give you a hint: it’s not looking great ;) Pierre was a great guest and gave us a highly insightful economic overview of the year 2023 and what's in store for you in 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, December 20, 2023
139. Financing Your Real Estate Investments (Wealth Builder 2) - Kyle Green
For a free copy of Kyle’s book, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP139 It’s time for episode 2 of our Wealth-Builder Series! For the growth-minded contractor investing in real estate is an obvious, lucrative, and fun place to put their hard-earned profits. Making money in trades and construction and investing said money into real estate of some shape or form seem to go together like peanut butter and jam. This makes sense... You already have the skills, the tools, the know-how, and the contacts to elbow grease your way to wealth. One of the core components to success here is financing - most real estate transactions involve a lender in some capacity, but getting continuous financing isn’t always easy, especially as an entrepreneur. To have a long and successful career as a real estate investor, you need to “be lendable” - and this is a skill worth learning. Kyle Green is the founder of the Green Mortgage Team and is our guest on the show today. Throughout his career, he has funded over a billion dollars in mortgages, almost entirely to entrepreneurs. In today’s conversation with Kyle, we talk about: How entrepreneurs can find the balance between being tax efficient with what you pull out of your business while still remaining lendable in the eyes of a bank The most common ways contractors majorly screw it up with real estate And lastly, we talk about how rising interest rates are changing the investment landscape and what you can do about it See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, December 13, 2023
138. What Would Happen To My Business If I Died? - Sarah Cronin
To download Sarah’s Succession Planner and Personal Records Organizer click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP138 What would actually happen to your business if, tragically, you died tomorrow? “Hit by a bus” as they say. Would it unravel rather quickly without you at the helm? What financial condition would your family be left in? Morbid questions… For sure… But ones worth asking. My guest on the show today is Sarah Cronin, managing partner of OBEO Planning Group. She works directly with our Breakthrough Academy businesses on their financial and succession planning, giving her a tonne of first-hand experience helping small business owners wealth plan for the future and protect themselves and their families should the worst happen. We discuss: What can and will happen to your business and family in the case of your untimely death (warning, it's grim) Why, for co-founders, dialing in a partnership agreement is the easiest way to limit your downside in the case of death, disability, or disagreement How to draft a succession plan so that your wishes are captured and executed properly and not left up to chance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, December 06, 2023
137. Should I Reinvest In My Business? Or Save For A Rainy Day? (Wealth Builder 1) - Darcie Crowe
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP137 To learn more about Darcie Crowe visit: https://croweprivatewealth.com/ Today’s episode is the first of a multi-part Wealth Builder Series Here is why we’re making it. We are blessed to get to work with over 600 contracting companies all over North America helping them systemize for growth. Having been at this for 8 years, we are getting to a point where many of our members are asking us an interesting question: “My business has become a well-oiled machine and is now making enough money that my family’s needs are met…. What should I do with the rest?” To answer this question, we’ll be bringing on world-class experts in real estate, equities, portfolio management, lending, and economics. The focus is simple. How does the entrepreneur behind an efficient and successful blue-collar business become truly wealthy? What should we do with our hard-earned profits to maximize our returns, limit our downside, and design a life we truly love? Today is episode 1, and we’re lucky to be joined by Darcie Crowe of Crowe Private Wealth at Canaccord Genuity. She’s a senior portfolio manager and has been in the industry for the last 18 years, but she comes from the investment banking and equity capital markets world. To set up the rest of the series, this first episode is going to be focused on: The investor's mindset and how it helps you succeed over time When and why you need to start investing outside of your own operating business How a well-balanced portfolio is structured and the various asset classes within See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, November 29, 2023
136. Listen To This If You've Ever Considered Franchising - Blair Rebane
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP136 The number of contractors who speak aspirationally about franchising their business one day compared to the number who actually do is astounding. People talk the talk but rarely walk the walk. And I’ve always wondered why that is. Are people smoking hope dope? Is franchising way more complicated than people realize? Some combination of the two? Our guest on the show today is Blair Rebane. He is a franchise lawyer and strategic advisor to many home service franchises, including the world's largest junk removal company. Over the last 30 years, he has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs franchise their businesses and, perhaps more importantly, talked hundreds more out of it. We literally can’t think of anyone better to give us a sobering walkthrough of what it actually takes to franchise your business. (hint: it’s way more complicated than most people think) If you’ve ever considered growing your business using the franchise model this episode is a must listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, November 22, 2023
135. Performance Reviews That Don't Suck - Ashley Ennis
To download the Supervisor and Employee Performance Review Documents, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP135 Performance Reviews are a misunderstood facet of a company’s performance management cycle. You may have already implemented them and love how they help grow and develop the talent on your team. You might think they’re an unnecessary formality from the corporate HR world. Or (and I suspect this is a lot of you) you might be somewhere in the middle, doing a quasi-formal year-end meeting where some feedback is given, but it quickly devolves into a compensation negotiation or a bitch and moan fest (not ideal 😬.) Wherever you sit on this spectrum, I promise you’ll get a tonne from this episode, where we outline exactly why you need to start doing them (if you’re not already) and how to get started. To help me, I’m joined by one of our amazing Breakthrough Academy coaches, Ashley Ennis. Ashley’s been with BTA since 2017 and has helped hundreds of our members implement performance reviews that their teams are pumped for. So if you want to develop your people faster, create leaders within your business, and foster a culture of transparency and data-driven feedback, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, November 15, 2023
134. Brian Scudamore: How A Visionary Found His Integrator - Brian Scudamore
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP134 Our guest on the show this week is Brian Scudamore , the visionary behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK—the largest junk removal company in the world. Brian’s story is a fascinating one, but the part we zoom in on in this episode is how he found his Integrator and COO, Erik Church, and here is why… Most of you are visionaries who will, at some point, need an integrator. Your brain is naturally tilted toward the future and teaming with bright (and some not-so-bright) ideas. As your business grows, it will become necessary to hand off the day-to-day execution of your business strategy to someone who is even better at it than you. A right-hand man/woman. A strong #2. The yin to your yang. Why not learn from someone who has done precisely that to the tune of $500MM a year in sales? Listen to this episode to learn how Scudamore became one of the most successful home service entrepreneurs in the world by hiring out his weaknesses and tripling down on his strengths. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, November 08, 2023
133. Are Service Trips The Ultimate Team-Building Activity? - Mike Sherbakov
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP133 To learn if a house-build trip is right for your team, click here: https://bajabound.org/ A team that is tightly knit and cohesive is going to outperform one that is loosely assembled. 10 times out of 10. Team building is about more than selecting the right people for the right roles. We, as leaders, also need to bring people together intentionally, facilitate rapport building, and play a role in helping develop the connections between staff from “just coworkers” to “someone they’d go to bat for.” One of the quickest shortcuts we’ve found in the Breakthrough Academy universe to boost TEAM COHESION is service-based activities and trips. Go carts and wing nights are awesome, but if you want to put team bonding on steroids, doing something good for a person, a family, or a community is the fastest way to do it. We all have an innately human need to serve others, and these experiences' emotional intensity can help bring down people's walls. Mike Sherbakov, our guest today, is the founder of the Greatness Foundation a non-profit that leads impact initiatives and community projects aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. He’s also a partner in The Veteran Fund venture capital firm that invests in high-growth technology startups led by ex-military founders (how cool is that?) Through the lens of his military background, Mike explains WHY team cohesion is fundamental to success, what happens to units without it, and how to bring your team closer while doing some good in the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, November 01, 2023
132. The 5 Levels Of Leadership - Perry Holley
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP132 John Maxwell’s book The 5 Levels of Leadership is one of the most popular and highly rated leadership books ever. The fundamental premise is simple. No one cares that you are the boss, foreman, site supervisor, or business owner. Sure, a title gives you a small amount of clout, but the leverage it gives you is limited and certainly doesn’t last long. To gain the sphere of influence you want and need, you need to progress through the 5 Levels of Leadership. Position Permission Production People Development Pinnacle I’m excited to have Perry Holley guesting on the show today. He hosts the Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast, is a certified Maxwell Leadership coach, and is the author of Repeat the Remarkable. Listen to this episode to learn how you can ascend through the 5 levels of leadership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, October 25, 2023
131. How To Build A Business Where Everyone Wins - Tommy Mello & Al Levi
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP131 Attend Tommy and Al’s Freedom Event in Orlando: https://freedomevent.com USE THE DISCOUNT CODE BTA40 for 40% off My guests on the show today are Tommy Mello and Al Levi. Tommy’s company, A1 Garage Door Service, now operates in 37 markets across 19 states. They’re on pace to do north of 200M in revenue this year with an EBITDA of 17%. Al Levi is the author of The 7 Power Contractor and one of Tommy’s most trusted mentors. He helped Tommy develop the SOPs, create the org chart, write the operations manuals, and define the vision for what A1 would become. In today’s conversation, we talk about Tommy’s new book Elevate: Build a business where everyone wins. Al shares his perspective on Tommy’s long and arduous journey to success (nearly broke, living in a small apartment in Phoenix, and writing payroll cheques out of his personal account) We also talk a lot about A1’s current geographic expansion strategy, how they analyze and select markets, and the roll-up process when they decide to green light one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, October 18, 2023
130. Tame The Chaos In Your Business With SOPs - Blaise MacDonald, Brett Bernard, Zack Wojtowicz
To get Free SOP resource bundle click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP130 Writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs for short) is sorta like flossing your teeth. It's one of those things you know you need to do … but somehow never find the time for. Five things become damn near impossible for your business without them, though: You can’t deliver a consistent product or service (because everyone does everything their own unique way) You can’t develop talent (because you have no structure to grade them against) You can’t scale profitably (because nothing is repeatable) You can’t attract or retain A players (because they’re looking for an employer with SOPs to follow) You can’t build a company of value (because written processes are one of the first things a buyer is going to look for) So why go another day with all your business SOPs inside your head? Listen to this episode to learn how Blaise McDonald of MAC Reno and Brett Bernard of ProCor Group tamed the chaos in their business using SOPs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, October 11, 2023
129. 10 AI Tools Contractors Might Actually Use - Morgan Knox
Check out our easy-to-share list of AI tools: https://trybta.com/PCEP129 Let’s cut right to the chase. There are a gazillion AI tools out there, and new ones arriving every day. How many of them are ACTUALLY helpful to YOU? Not that many. That’s why Morgan Knox and I put together a short list of AI tools your contracting business might actually use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, October 04, 2023
128. A Field Report From The Frontlines Of Work - Seth Mattison
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP128 Check out FutureSight Labs and all of Seth’s work here: https://www.sethmattison.com/ My guest on the show today is Seth Mattison, CEO of FutureSight Labs, a research institute, organizational design, and transformation partner helping category-leading brands and peak-performing leadership teams prepare for the future. He’s also a world-renowned keynote speaker and expert on the future of work. In today's conversation, he shares his field report from the front lines of work, and we explore 5 emerging trends he’s writing about and speaking about with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Caterpillar, Adidas, Master Card, and Thomson Reuters. He did a great job distilling this down and speaking to how these trends will affect YOUR contracting business! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, September 27, 2023
127. Dominate Your Local Market With Google LSAs - Austin Houser
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP127 Austin’s Google Local Services Ads SOP: https://www.basecoatmarketing.com/learn/local-services-ads-for-painters/ Google Local Service Ads are a newish feature from Google that not enough business owners are taking advantage of. Search ads have become insanely expensive as the algorithm has begun catering to the highest bidders. Google Local Services Ads (or LSA’s for short) are Google’s answer for the small business owner who simply can’t compete, at least on the pay-per-click front, with national brands or massive lead aggregators. While you’re not going to scale your entire business on this one lead source, they’re a super easy-to-deploy marketing channel that more or less acts as an extension of your Google Business Profile. Leads that convert at around a 50% close rate for $20 to $50 a pop sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And this can be easily layered on top of pretty much any marketing strategy you’ve got going. Austin Houser is the owner of Base Coat Marketing, a Digital Marketing Firm for Painters. If you’re not a painter, don’t worry LSAs still apply to you. Austin has been doing Digital Marketing since 2008, and his team of 25 in-house employees have become known for delivering exceptional results. Today, we talk about: why lead aggregators kinda suck, and how Google Local Service Ads can be your antidote to effective lead gen online Austin gives us a super detailed walkthrough of how to get started with LSAs and a whole bunch of best practices to help optimize them over time. This lead source is a no-brainer! Get going on them now, and beat your competition to the punch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, September 20, 2023
126. 9 Traits That Will Transform Your Leadership - David C. Bentall
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP126 To buy David’s Book, click here: https://trybta.com/WisdomforFamilyEnterpriseSuccessors Our guest on the show today is David C. Bentall. During his tenure as President & CEO of Dominion Construction, the business doubled in size to just under $300 million in sales. He played a leading role in the development and construction of landmark projects across Canada, including GM Place (now Rogers Arena, where the Canucks play 🏒), the TD Centre Office Complex in downtown Winnipeg, plus many other notable buildings in the Vancouver skyline. David just authored his third book, Dear Younger Me: Wisdom for Family Enterprise Successors, and in today’s conversation, we focus on 9 transformational leadership traits that anyone can learn. Expect to learn: Why the AI revolution will put an even greater premium on critical thinking skills How curiosity can drive innovation inside your business Why being impatient with your organizational growth always backfires If you want to level up your leadership, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, September 13, 2023
125. Which Fire Should I Put Out Next? - Mike Michalowicz
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP125 Register for Breakthough Academy’s 2024 Winter Summit: https://www.btacademy.com/wintersummit/register/ Order one of Mike’s books: https://mikemichalowicz.com/books/ My Guest on the Show today is Best Selling Business Author Mike Michalowicz. Mike has written some classics: Profit First , The Pumpkin Plan , Fix This Next , and Get Different , just to name a few. Mike's body of work is beloved for one simple reason: they work. Today, we zoom in and hash out one of the fundamental ideas in his book Fix This Next , which he calls The Business Priority Pyramid. Mike believes that the biggest problem facing most entrepreneurs is that they don’t actually know what their biggest problem is. And I would tend to agree. Think about it… How much time have you invested solving the wrong problems? How many hours and dollars have you wasted on stuff that seemed important but really wasn’t in the grand scheme of things? Prioritization is arguably the most vital of entrepreneurial skills, and the Business Priority Pyramid is the most no-nonsense framework I’ve found to help us get better at it. To figure out the right fire for you to put out next, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, September 06, 2023
124. Critical Communication Cadences For Contractors - Brody Funk
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP124 Rhythmical and ritualistic meetings function like the war drums of your business by providing your team with a tempo and a beat to stay in sync with. Without them, things become chaotic, disjointed, and you find yourself repeating the same conversations over and over. Brody Funk is one of our amazing Breakthrough Academy coaches and used communication cadences to scale and exit his two businesses, Super Plumber and 360 Comfort. Today, we dive into five levels of ritualistic meetings: Annual strategic planning sessions Quarterly reviews Monthly town hall meetings Weekly L10s And Daily Huddles (that must include a “win-the-day” number) Listen to the full episode to learn how to get your meeting schedule on track and keep your team paddling in the same direction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, August 30, 2023
123 . Mark Bradley: From 0 To 50MM + Founding LMN - Mark Bradley
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP123 Check Out LMN here: https://golmn.com/ My guest on the show today is Mark Bradley, Founder and CEO of Landscape Management Network (or LMN for short). Since its inception in 2007, LMN has become the most trusted software in the world for landscape professionals, with over 250K users on the platform. What makes Mark different from most tech CEOs (who've spent most of their career on a laptop) is he’s actually rolled up his sleeves and done the work too. Prior to launching LMN, he built one of the biggest landscaping companies in Canada, TBG Environmental. Through some highly strategic vertical integration and a penchant for taking on the hard jobs many other shops shied away from, he grew his company up to 50MM and 300 employees before selling off a few of its divisions and diving into the software world full time. This guy is a serious player. Today’s conversation is about: How your leadership needs to evolve as you scale from 0 to 5MM and then from 5MM to 10MM Why revenue per employee hour is the most profit-inducing KPI and how lean manufacturing principles can help you drive it How to use visible scoreboards in your office to gamify production and keep your crews pushing the tempo on projects And his take on how AI will shape the future of the construction and trades space Listen to the full episode to hear about Mark Bradley’s incredible journey. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, August 23, 2023
122. What Does It Mean To Be A Conscious Leader? - Mason Marquis
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP122 Today’s conversation is about Conscious Leadership. What it is. Why it matters. And how to access more of it. And we’re going to delve into this topic through the experience of Mason Marquis. Mason started his business journey early, founding his painting company Spray Tex in Dallas Fort Worth at the age of 21. In five short years, he scaled it up from 500K to north 5MM. An insane drive and will to win drove Mason to grow his business at an unrelenting pace. In the midst of building sales teams, dealing with customer issues, developing production managers, and implementing scalable systems, he began to realize something many of you can relate to. Growing for the sake of growing wasn’t sustaining him. The need to be validated and seen as a success was no longer motivating him the way it used to. The inherent stressors of business were beginning to pile up inside him. Frustration was turning into outright anger. He didn’t recognize the hardened exterior that had begun to develop. His business, his relationships, and his sense of purpose were suffering as a result. Leading unconsciously was beginning to cost him dearly. The reason Mason is on the show today is because I know for a fact many of you are going through this inner journey as we speak, or are about to. And sometimes hearing about someone else’s hardship can help you sort out your own. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, August 16, 2023
121. The Case AGAINST Overusing AI In Your Contracting Business - Jeff Wraley
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP121 Learn more about Jeff's company Groundwork here: https://www.hellogroundwork.com/ If you’re using ChatGPT to write your website copy, create sales scripts, develop your brand, or outsource your critical thinking… guess what!? So are all your competitors! Your clients are looking for a thoughtful company that stands out from the crowd. One surefire way to NOT achieve this is to use the same tool (which pulls from the same data set) as everyone else. GPT certainly has some utility for contractors (which we’ll discuss), but its blind over-utilization will commoditize your company and destroy your brand - neither of which are good things. My guest on the show today is Jeff Wraley, founder of Groundwork, a virtual sales tool that makes it easy for homeowners to send you a video of their project, letting you instantly qualify prospects and increase in-person close rates. Our conversation is about: How using video content in your pre-estimate nurture can help you get rid of tire kickers and boost your SR The risks of overleveraging AI and large language models like GPT in your contracting business And why personalization is the best way to stand out in a competitive market. Listen to this episode for the full conversation with Jeff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, August 09, 2023
120. Strong Leadership In The Face Of Tragedy: Turnaround Of Year Winner - Stephen Osborne
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP120 Breakthrough Academy’s annual “Turnaround of the Year” award is given to the entrepreneur who has achieved extraordinary growth despite facing great adversity. That's a fancy way of saying it goes to the man or woman who's been through some seriously heavy stuff and come out the other side. This year's winner was Stephen Osborne of The Osborne Company. And 2021 was not kind to Stephen. His father, David, the founder of the company, passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly. Infighting amongst siblings ensued, everyone wanting their cut. Adding insult to injury, a group of non-construction consultants hired by family members, unbeknownst to him, forced him to step down as president. As grief and conflict ripped through the family, the business suffered too: their Net Profit dropped down to 1.7%, and the business was hanging on by a thread. Fast forward two years, and the Osborne company is on trend to do north of 15MM, with a super healthy 15% net. The team is the happiest and most functional it’s ever been, and they’ve become of the largest EV charging station installers in the US. The conversation that follows is about HOW Stephen got through the darkest time in his life, steered his father's company and legacy away from financial ruin, and won the Turnaround Of The Year Award. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, August 02, 2023
119. The Easy Way To Get More 5-Star Google Reviews - Lars Kristensen
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP119 Start your Free 14-day Trial with NiceJob here: https://nicejob.grsm.io/bta Here are 3 factoids you should probably know when considering how you’ll take your marketing and sales to the next level: 90% of consumers think reviews are more important than any information provided by salespeople. Reviews are 12x more credible to a customer than the sales copy on your website. While 75% of customers would be willing to provide a review, only 13% of small businesses ask. That’s a data-driven way of saying: buyers only care about what other customers say about you. And that’s about it. To learn how to get better reviews more often, with less effort, you’ll want to check out this week's episode of Contractor Evolution with Lars Kristensen, Founder and CEO of NiceJob. Click the links below to learn: why a 4.8/5 rating is better than a perfect 5 how to capitalize on your customer’s “moment of peak excitement” and how to deal with the dreaded 1-star reviews (newsflash: starting a heated battle in the comments for all to see ain’t it ;) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, July 26, 2023
118. Collaborate With Competition? Or Hide Your Trade Secrets? - Nick Slavik
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP118 Check Out Nick Here: https://nickslavik.com/ My guest on the show today is Nick Slavik. Owner of Nick Slavik Painting and Restoration Company, the Chairman of the Board for the Painting Contractors Association, and a minor celebrity in the painting world known for his “Ask A Painter” Facebook live series. On today’s episode, we try to answer one simple question Should you collaborate with your competition? Or protect your trade secrets? Entrepreneurs have strong opinions when it comes to this polarizing question. And I’ve heard the case made for both sides 100 times. Many claim it's unwise to share your trade secrets or fraternize with the enemy in any way. Others say “there’s more than enough work for everyone” and that connecting with other contractors is the fastest way to compress learning curves and raise the bar for the industry. Listen to this episode for some answers from Nick Slavik. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, July 19, 2023
117. How To Squeeze “Lost Revenue” Out Of Your CRM - Alan Michael McKenna
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP117 Check out Alan’s work here: https://ultimaterainmaker.com/ Have you ever crunched the numbers to figure out: how many leads your business generates that go unestimated? How many leads get estimated but remain unsold? How much lost revenue that all adds up to? Most small businesses are wildly inefficient with their lead flow. You wouldn’t dream of buying twice the materials you need for a project only to abandon the leftovers in a pile. So why do we do this with our marketing spend and our lead flow? Why do we recklessly burn and turn leads like they grow on trees? A solid “rehash” system can help you maximize the revenue off of the leads you already generate, and I’m excited to speak to Alan Michael McKenna, founder of The Ultimate Rainmaker, about it. Alan’s system has recaptured north of $100MM dollars of lost revenue for many of the biggest brands in the home service and remodeling industry, including Renewal by Anderson, Kohler, and One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning. If you want to know how to add 10% to 20% to your top without spending a dollar more on marketing, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, July 12, 2023
116. Project MGMT Hacks For Faster Projects And Chunkier Profits - Benji Carlson, Andrew Spear, Chris Collins, Michael Gogan
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP116 Red Stag Contracting: https://redstagcontracting.ca/ Royal Heating and Air Conditioning: https://royalheatingandair.com/ Project Management Resource Bundle: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP116 Do you have Project Managers Or Professional Firefighters? The answer to this question is so directly connected to your year-end profit it’s not even funny. They say: Money Loves Speed. But what does that really mean? It means that the faster and more predictably your projects closeout, the faster you can move on to the next project. Over the course of the year, this means more revenue in the door which means more money to pay for your overhead and pad your bottom line. The most profitable construction, trades, and home service companies all have on thing in common. They chew through projects QUICKLY , with fewer hiccups, mistakes, and callbacks than their competition. So if the Project Management in your business feels chaotic and you want to learn how to fix it, this episode is a must-listen. Andrew Spear, a high-performance home builder in Summerland BC shares how he used PM systems to scale from an exhausting 2.6MM in 2021 to being on trend for a smooth and profitable 7MM in 2023. And Chris Collins of Royal Heating and Air Conditioning, a 3rd generation commercial HVAC contractor in Willoughby, Ohio, who’s used PM systems to modernize the business he took over and increase his gross profit from 31% to 42%. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, July 05, 2023
115. 8 Ways To Turn Your Team Into Master Call Handlers - Zac Garside
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP1115 To Download Power SellingPros CSR Training Resources, click here: powersellingpros.com/free Do you ever listen to your office manager or salesperson speak to a lead on the phone and think to yourself: “You’re doing it WRONG!” ? The way calls get handled has a direct impact on how much revenue you do, how efficient your marketing spend is, how easygoing the customer is when the crew arrives, and how your brand is perceived in the marketplace. It's the first impression a customer has of your business, and if done poorly, it will be their last. We’re very fortunate to have Zac Garside, CEO of Power Selling Pros, on the show today. Power Selling Pros helps customer services representatives, and entire call centers boost their booking percentage and create amazing customer experiences from the very first interaction: Expect to learn: Why rigid call scripts don’t work and what you should be using instead How to train your call handers to build value, use strategic empathy, and ASK for the business And the 6 KPIs you need to measure call handling success objectively Whether you’re still doing all the calls yourself or you run 25 person call center, you’re going to get a tonne from this conversation with Zac Garside See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, June 28, 2023
114. What’s Your Business REALLY Worth? - John Warrillow
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP114 To Download Your Built To Sell Checklist, click here: BuiltToSell.com Ever wonder what your business will be worth when it comes time to sell? Building a business of actual value - something you can sell for a pile of money - is not (despite what many people think) just a function of hard work and dedication. There’s a strategy to it. A playbook, if you will. And countless entrepreneurs, sadly, don’t read it. My guest on the show today is best-selling business author John Warrillow. John’s 3 books, Built To Sell , The Automatic Customer , and The Art Of Selling Your Business, have, over the years, become something akin to sacred scrolls for the entrepreneur looking to build a business they can cash out of. Listen to this episode to learn: How specialization can keep your service from becoming commoditized. Why charging upfront keeps your monthly cash flow healthier but also boosts the price a potential acquirer is willing to pay. And why giving away equity to long-term employees (while often done with the best intentions) usually backfires when it comes time to sell your business. Full of brilliant insight and decades of experience, this conversation with John Warrillow is a must-listen! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, June 21, 2023
113. Why Some Family Businesses Succeed And Others Fail - David C. Bentall
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP1113 Check Out David’s Book Leaving A Legacy here: https://www.amazon.ca/Leaving-Legacy-David-Bentall/dp/1894860977 Connect With Next Step Advisors Here: https://www.nextstepadvisors.ca/ Did you know that 85% of businesses (globally) are family owned? And did you know that family businesses, on average, last twice as long as non family businesses? Turns out entrepreneurs like to keep their success in the family. That doesn’t make it a walk in the park though. On the contrary, running a company with your mom, dad, sister, brother, cousin, uncle, or [insert relative] adds a layer of complexity that few understand. How do you maintain professional, productive working relationships during business hours, and then slide into loving and nurturing family relationships the rest of the time? How do you keep your responsibilities to the company separate from your role as parent, son, or daughter? Then comes the question of succession planning. Who is going to run this thing when the older generation retire? How do we structure and prepare for that transition? For answers to these questions and a bunch more, listen to this week’s episode of Contractor Evolution with David C. Bentall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, June 14, 2023
112. Increase Your Influence With Conversion Copywriting - Ami Sanyal
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP112 Check Out Ami’s Language Building Blocks Template, Click Here To connect with Ami message him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apsanyal/ Learning to write persuasively is a massively underrated skill and not something we’ve spent enough time on this podcast. See, there is a scientific process to crafting messages that truly compel someone to: apply to your job posting, to fill out the inquiry form on your website, to subscribe to your newsletter to award you the contract and not your competitor The list goes on. Whether you hoping to transact in dollars or just in information, there are certain spots in your business where the exact words on the page really matter. The technical term for what I’m talking about is conversion copywriting, and the concept is simple: construct sentences in such a way that makes the reader feel seen and understood and want to interact with you more. Another way to think of this is “Salesmanship In Print.” Ami Sanyal is a marketing strategist, the CEO of The Uncommoners Club (his agency), and our conversion copywriter here at Breakthrough Academy. I’ve worked firsthand with him over the past year, and honestly can say he’s the most talented person at his craft that I’ve ever met. Long story short, if you want to learn how to write job postings that give you an inbox full of resumes , how to write follow-up emails that get excited responses, or website CTAs which get you leads, learning the basics of conversion copy is probably a good idea. The good news? Mastering this craft is easier and more formulaic than you might think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, June 07, 2023
111. Optimize Your Business’s Instagram For Lead Flow - Sean Walford
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP111 Check out Priority Builders on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prioritybuildersyeg/ Love it or hate it, Instagram can deliver impressive results for your construction business. If you’ve become disenfranchised (as so many have) with this platform, this week's episode is the antidote. For many contractors, Instagram is a time-sucking vanity project with no ROI, but for our guest Sean Walford, it’s a hyper-efficient lead-generating machine. Get this… Sean’s Edmonton-based renovations company gets 70% of its sales directly from ‘the gram’ - and he hasn’t even been at it that long! Two short years ago, he decided to pour some focus into this platform and has since built up a super-engaged following of 12,000 that BUY. Today his gonna peel back the curtain and tell us exactly how he did it. We discuss posting strategy, comment management, and how to embed CTA’s that convert followers into leads. So if you’re tired of mediocre Instagram results, listen to the full episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, May 31, 2023
110. 16 Signs You've Hired The Wrong Person - Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here Download Breakthrough Academy’s Interview Guide, Click Here Let me know if this situation sounds familiar… You hired someone a month back. When you called to tell this person they got the job, you were excited, and so were they. But now the glimmer is gone. The excitement you felt is slowly turning into doubt. There are a couple of things about this new hire you didn’t see before: They don’t have the skills their resume led you to believe they did. They aren’t the team player you hoped they were. Their reliability is hit-and-miss. They need an attitude adjustment. [insert behavior you’re not loving] The reality is even great team builders don’t shoot 100%. Look at professional sports, and you’ll see first-round draft picks that end up being busts. Major contracts awarded that only a year later seem totally boneheaded. If the most sophisticated and well-resourced team builders in the world get it wrong from time to time, it seems probable that you in your business are going to as well. No sweat. Part of the journey. The question is, how do you deal with it? Do you exit quickly, learn and bounce back? Or do you let this mistake linger and fester? Today’s episode is 16 Signs You've Hired The Wrong Person . To hear them all, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, May 24, 2023
109. Driving Alignment: The Power of Performance Pay - Shane Bannerman
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP109 One of the most common questions we get is: how should I pay my people? This makes sense when you think about how influential your compensation plans are to the success of your business and the people inside it. Is what I’m offering compelling enough to attract the talent I need? Am I using incentives and bonuses effectively to get staff focused on the right things? Is dolling out cash at the end of the year out of the goodness of my heart the right way of going about it? The value in answering these questions can’t be overstated, and yet, you don’t hear people having money conversations like this all that often - at least not openly. “Performance Pay” is one of the best ways to align the goals of the individual with the goals of the organization - share the gain, share the pain. Shane Bannerman, one of our incredible Breakthrough Academy coaches, is here today to explain how to set up performance pay for the archetypal roles most contracting businesses have: production managers, field staff, salespeople, and administrators. Shane coaches over 40 different BTA companies. He’s seen firsthand the comp plans that drive results and those that FLOP! Listen to this episode for deep dive into performance pay for contractors! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, May 17, 2023
108. Selling Through A Downturn - Marcus Sheridan
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here Check Out Marcus’ sales & marketing training company: www.impactplus.com Order His Book They Ask, You Answer: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119312973/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3 Our guest on the show today is globally renowned speaker and consultant: Marcus Sheridan. Author of They Ask, You Answer and The Visual Sale. Marcus is the go-to guy for content marketing and inbound sales (especially for contractors and home services). His philosophy is simple but powerful: If your customers are asking about it, you should be creating content around it. Getting out in front of the concerns and questions of your potential buyers is the easiest way to build authority and elevate your company from “one in a sea of options” to “the only one” they want to do business with. Expect to Learn: How to build trust and transparency through your website’s content using “The Big 5” framework - turning visitors into buyers while exponentially increasing site traffic Just how educated the modern buyer truly is and why relying on uninformed clients is no longer a viable marketing strategy (if it ever was) Marcus’ insights on navigating through a changing market, having carefully steered River Pools through the 08 financial crisis and into one of the most successful pool franchises in the US Making great content doesn’t have to be hard, you just have to know where to start. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, May 10, 2023
107. Skill Up New Crews Faster With DORAGI - Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here, Click Here To download our printable DORAGI framework for your job sites, Click Here Download the BTA Training Checklist Contractor Quick Tool, Click Here Don’t know if you’ve noticed… but new employees often come with more skill gaps than advertised. How many times have you hired someone you thought had certain skills only to find out on-site that they, in fact, do not have said skills? The reality is when it comes to the talent pool, almost no one is truly “plug and play.” There are hundreds if not thousands of intricacies and nuances about how YOU do things, and that doesn’t always line up with how your new recruits have been trained via their previous employers, experience, or education. See… transferring skill is a SKILL in and of itself, and it’s one we see contractors struggle with. Today’s episode is about DORAGI , a framework for skill transfer that dramatically compresses learning curves. If you want better-equipped crews in less time, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, May 03, 2023
106. Is Wrapping Your Vehicles Worth It? - Dan Antonelli
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here Use The Scrollers To See Dan’s Brand Transformations (srsly cool): https://www.kickcharge.com/portfolio/small-business-rebranding-before-after/ Dan’s Book “Branded, Not Blanded:” https://www.amazon.com/Branded-Not-Blanded-KickChargeTM-Service-ebook/dp/B0BBL1CCJ9 If you’ve ever wondered whether wrapping your fleet of vehicles is worth the cost, this episode is a must-listen. We’re suuuper lucky to have the “G.O.A.T.” of vehicle wraps, Dan Antonelli, on the show today. His agency KickCharge Creative has built brands for some of the biggest home service companies in North America: A1 Garage, Goettl Air Conditioning, and Absolute Airflow, just to name a few. Today’s conversation is about outdoor advertising in general but, more specifically, the 5 rules that all contractors and home service business owners need to follow when designing a vehicle wrap that pops and drives results. We also talk about his new book Branded, Not Blanded . It’s the best book I’ve ever read on branding for our niche. We’ll link it in the description. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, April 26, 2023
105. The Matt Risinger Story - Matt Risinger
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here Matt’s Build Show Network: https://buildshownetwork.com/ Risinger Build: https://risingerbuild.com/ The Build Show Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-build-show-podcast/id1560010348 My guest on the show today is Matt Risinger. Matt is one of the most recognizable thought leaders in the construction space. His Youtube channel, which has over a million subscribers, is dedicated to all things building science, and he’s parlayed that into the creation of an entirely new platform called Build Show Network - Picture Netflix, but all the content is for construction nerds. Pretty awesome! His actual construction company, Risinger Build, is one of the most sought-after in Austin, Texas, where he lives with his family. Today’s conversation is about his entrepreneurial journey… Why he chose this industry, how he built his construction empire, and became the household name he is today. He shares some of the life-altering mistakes he made along the way, plus I get his take on the future of residential construction in North America. I really look up to Matt and deeply admire everything he’s built but, more importantly, the values he embodies. For all his success, he’s one of the most down-to-earth people I’ve ever met. We need guys like Matt, and I consider myself blessed to have gotten to know him a bit over the last year. Listen to this episode to hear the full Matt Risinger story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, April 19, 2023
104. Implement Systems Faster: Change Management 101 - Jeff Skipper
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here Learn More About Jeff’s Work And His Book Here: https://www.jeffskipperconsulting.com/ Ideas are the easy part. The truth is getting implementation projects across the finish line is ALWAYS harder in reality than it is in your mind's eye. You’ve, no doubt, fantasized about the business efficiencies made available by new technology, the rollout of SOPs, a new sales methodology, whatever… and then been met with blank stares from your team when you excitedly announce these grand visions: “Why do we need to do this?” “This seems complicated!” “What's wrong with what we're doing right now?” As today’s guest, Jeff Skipper, says: the easiest thing for an employee to do when confronted with change is NOTHING. Jeff is a Change Management consultant and just authored a new book called Dancing With Disruption (definitely check it out). If you need to get your people doing things a new way, adopting a new system, or dropping an old one, the fundamentals of Change Management can help. At its core Change Management is about guiding organizational changes all the way from conception through to implementation. Jeff gets hired by companies like IBM, Suncor, Cenovus, Bayer, Molson, and Sport Chek to help them make monumental internal changes, and he’s here today to help us do the same. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, April 12, 2023
103. Listener Q&A: 5 Questions, 5 Answers - Igor Trninic & Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, Click Here If you’ve ever wondered: How do I set up performance based pay for my Production Managers? Is it possible to effectively interview for “coachability”? (cuz saying “I’m great with feedback” and actually taking it are two different things) Or, how do I make my field staff accountable for quality without my direct supervision? In Today’s episode of Contractor Evolution Igor and I tackle five tricky listener questions head on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, April 05, 2023
102. A Contractor's Formula To High-Performance Mindset - Shawn Feurer
To register for BTA's Staff Accountability Secrets Masterclass, CLICK HERE The late and great Arnold Palmer asserted that golf was a game “predominantly played in the 6 inches between the ears.” Business and life are no different. Your mental game - what happens inside that head of yours - influences reality to such a profound degree it's difficult to measure. Where you set your sights, how you feel about yourself and your work, what you think is possible for you and your team, and how you handle massive setbacks; all of this and more are 100% dictated by the thoughts you allow (or do not allow) through your mind. The contractor’s formula for a high-performance mindset exists, and Shawn Feurer (Shawn Feurer Consulting) is here to break it down for us. Shawn has built a mindset framework specifically for contractors and actively coaches about 60 individuals through it. On today’s episode, you can expect to learn: The most common self-limiting beliefs contractors struggle with and where they come from How to distinguish “what you truly want” from “what you think you can have” A 3-step daily mindset routine that magnetizes your brain for prosperity (I’ve already started it and am loving it) So if you’ve been looking for the fluff-free, non “woo-woo” approach to disrupting your thoughts and reprogramming your mind for success and abundance, watch this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, March 29, 2023
101. High Conversion, Low Cost: Client Testimonials - Joseph Hughes
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP101 To Download Contractor Dynamics Testimonial Guidelines, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP101 If you, like me, are always looking for inexpensive but effective brand upgrades, look no further than client testimonials . Simple videos of your happy clients talking about how pleased they were with the experience they had with your company are one of the best assets to start collecting, and here’s why. The modern homeowner doesn’t put much weight on what you have to say about your own business or service. And why should they? You’re biased. It’s your business, after all! Of course, you’re gonna say how amazing it is. Fifty years of constant bombardment from advertisers and brands have made today’s consumers a bit more scrupulous and a bit less gullible. This is why getting clients to sing your praises is orders of magnitude more effective than singing your own. It’s just that simple. Here’s what I love about client testimonials: They’re cheap They’re versatile as hell (you can put them on your website, social media, in your sales process, and about eight other places too) People watch video content more than they read Social Proof from actual customers is way more persuasive Today on the show Joseph Hughes, founder of Contractor Dynamics, is here to unpack why they work, how to capture them, and where to put them. Listen to this episode to get these low-cost, high-conversion videos working for you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, March 22, 2023
100. 10 Commandments Of Contractor Success: 100th Episode Special - Benji & Igor
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP100 To download Benji & Igor's 10 Commandments of Contractor Success, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP100 We want to hear your feedback after 100 episodes, click this link to complete the survey (3 min): https://trybta.com/100 Yeehaw! That’s 100 episodes down (and goodness knows how many more to go!) We’re blessed and humbled to have spoken to some incredibly smart people over the past two years and have noticed some fundamental commonalities among them. Belief systems, habits, and tactics the best of the best all seem to share. Today’s episode is an amalgamation of the 10 things we’ve observed about success in the contracting and home service space after 100 episodes of Contractor Evolution. Huge thanks to both our guests and you listeners. We couldn’t do it without you! Tune in to find out why: No one at the top of their game is a ___________. The labor market is a challenge, but___________. ___________ matters more than working hard. Listen to this episode to fill in the blanks on these three and the remaining seven! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, March 15, 2023
99. How To Not Get Screwed By SEO Agencies - Devon Hayes
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP99 To download Devon's 7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marketing Agency, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP99 Search Engine Optimization for your business can be a thorny rat’s nest full of technical jargon, disappointing results, and shifty marketers who’ll not only underdeliver but hold your website hostage if you ever try to leave. This is why going into a relationship with a 3rd party without at least a baseline understanding of how it works and what questions to ask is a recipe for disaster. We’re super lucky to have Devon Hayes of Elevation Marketing on the show today. Her Denver-based digital marketing agency is niched to serve contractors almost exclusively. Over 80% of their client base are businesses like yours, and they do phenomenal work. I learned a tonne from her, but my highlights were: The seven questions you need to ask your SEO person or agency before engaging. No joke, these could save you thousands of dollars and dozens of headaches. Easy “SEO Layups” - simple things you can do for little to no money time that provide an immediate boost to your findability online. And lastly, Devon drops a truth bomb about the risks of overusing Chat GPT for your website’s content; listen right until the end for that nugget! Whether you're a total SEO newb or already know a thing or two, listen to this episode for a beginner’s guide to SEO with Devon Hayes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, March 08, 2023
98. Problem Solvers Are Better Than Problem Finders - Benji Carlson
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP98 I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but employees tend to be much better at pointing out problems than fixing them. “Hey Boss, just wanted to let you know that [ insert business issue you’re already abundantly aware of here ]. We should really do something about that, hey?” Staff drop problems in your lap as consistently as a golden retriever drops a tennis ball at your feet. But what if you could instill a culture of problem-solving within your team? How much easier would your life be if, instead of you being the single source of critical thinking, your entire team was encouraged and even rewarded for making problems go away on their own? In today’s episode of Contractor Evolution, I talk about why problem-solving is one of the most critical traits to look for in new hires and even how you can develop it with the team you already have. Listen to this episode to find out why problem solvers are infinitely more valuable than problem finders. Highlights: Why finding problems is easy How to interview to find problem solvers How to spot Problem Solvers How to instill a culture of problem solving into your current team See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, March 01, 2023
97. Are Blue Collar Businesses Under-Appreciated? - Tom Reber
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP97 To learn more about Tom and The Contractor Fight, click here: https://thecontractorfight.com/ My guest on the show today is Tom Reber. You may have heard of him. He hosts the Contractor Fight Podcast, speaks at many conferences, and has become a pretty well known guy in our space. Tom runs a program not unlike our beloved Breakthrough Academy , but for slightly smaller businesses. In fact, you could even call him our competitor ( Ahh, the horror 😱). Here’s the thing though. We tell our contractors to collaborate with the competition and raise the entire industry on a daily basis, and the same rule applies to us. Practice what you preach. Tom is a phenomenal guy with a message you all should hear loud and clear, and we were lucky to have him. You can expect to learn the following from my conversation with Tom: Why trades and construction play one of the most essential roles in a functioning western society but get almost no credit for it How we overestimate how much we can accomplish in a year but underestimate what's possible in a decade And how to make trades cool again in the eyes of our young people, our clients, and ourselves See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Wed, February 22, 2023
96. How To Get $6.6M Out Of One Salesperson - Brad Baker & Devon Crowell
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP96 To Download A Visual Representation Of Artisan’s Sales Process, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lkfp3NXG6r0QjFNu_5ts6qY_B8pUYatM/view?usp=share_link To get in touch with Brad & Devon you can email: marketing@artisanroofing.ca One facet of our businesses' that will undoubtedly look wildly different in 10 years is in-home selling . How we sell leads into closed deals hasn’t changed much and is ripe for major disruption. Think about it… Get lead > Call lead > Call lead again cuz they didn’t pick up > Qualify lead over the phone > Schedule appointment > Do appointment > Close deal ~40% of the time > Follow up with the rest until you’re blue in the face. This way of going about it leaves a few things to be desired. For one, there’s very little time spent actually selling. The drive there. The drive back. The time spent measuring or building a scope. Oh, and don’t forget about the four outbound calls you had to make to reach them in the first place. Rising costs in fuel make this format increasingly burdensome too. And then there are changing buyer preferences to consider: Baby boomers may welcome us for a cup of coffee and a two-hour chit-chat in the backyard, but are millennials looking for that level of personal touch when they need work done? Doubt it. My personal take? In-home selling is ripe for disruption and is about to evolve in ways that will blow your mind. Brad Baker and Devon Crowell of Artisan Roofing are at the forefront of this progression. Using marketing automations, clever email nurtures, EagleView reports, and a VA in the Philippines, they drove 6.6 Million in sales out of one salesperson in one of the worst markets (economically speaking) in the country . BTW, they did this all in a city of only 116,000 where the average income is 38K. Oh, and the kicker….zero time lost in the car driving from appointment to appointment. This conversation highlights the story of a roofing company. But the overall thought process and implementation will have parallels and learnings for any contractor. The lingo might be different, and the tools might vary, but mark my words, this is the way it’s going, no matter your industry niche. To hear how these two are pioneering a brand new way of selling, listen to this episode. Highlights: How Artisan roofing hit 6.6 M in sales with 1 salesperson selling small residential jobs Where Artisan roofing borrowed from other industries to design their sales system to be hyper efficient How it’s possible to provid
S3 Enull · Thu, February 16, 2023
95. The Secret To Building A Brand That's Authentically 'YOU' - Erik Miller
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP95 To connect with Storyhook click the links below: Website: https://www.storyhook.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearestoryhook/ You can find Erik Miller on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spelledwithak There are many competing philosophies around how to build a brand customers feel a connection with. Erik Miller might have my favorite angle, and he is my guest on the show in this episode of Contractor Evolution. Erik believes instead of bending over backward to fit the mold you believe your ideal client avatar wants, it's way less work to look inward and display what's already there. In other words, finding out who you really are by paying attention to what your clients already love about you and highlighting THAT, is faster and more authentic than trying to be something you're not. Erik founded StoryHook in 2015, a branding agency obsessed with the power of stories. He’s also the Director of Brand for Company Cam and has been instrumental in making them the household name they are today. Today’s conversation is about: How and where contractors can find the “hooky” parts of their story and put them on display Why your sales team is the ultimate testing ground for new brand ideas and how you can use them to reality test new concepts. Because believe it or not, not everything you come up with is pure gold ;). And lastly we talk about the best LOW BUDGET brand upgrades that any contractor can do without engaging an expensive agency. To learn more about how to accentuate the amazing elements of your brand, listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, February 09, 2023
94. Bryan Baeumler: Balancing a 60M Business With TV Stardom
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP94 To find out more about Baeumler Approved click here: https://www.baeumlerapproved.ca/ Our guest on this episode of Contractor Evolution is Bryan Baeumler. Star of HGTV’s hit shows Disaster DIY, Leave it to Bryan, Island of Bryan among others. Behind the TV Persona is a pretty sophisticated yet down-to-earth businessman with a super diverse portfolio of companies, the largest being his actual construction company, Baeumler Quality Construction, which is on trend to 60 Million plus next year. We talk about How and why our education system is under serving mechanically minded youth The best and worst parts of being a TV star Why hiring a CFO was one of the smartest business decisions he’s made and the growth it unlocked And I get his honest and unpolished take on what effects (both positive and negative) HGTV shows like his have had on the construction industry. To find out what really goes on behind the scenes of a celebrity contractor listen to this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, February 02, 2023
93. How To Discover And Define Your Company's Core Values - Dr. Ken Keis
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP93 You can find Dr. Ken Keis by contacting the Consulting Resource Group at https://crgleader.com/ Today’s conversation is about Core Values. The term “values” comes up a lot these days, but I’m pretty dissatisfied with how surface level the conversations are around it. “Hire for values train for skill” “Core Values are the foundation of a strong culture” “They didn’t align with our values” You get the gist. Now we can all agree values are extremely important and deep, but I always want to get behind the buzzwords and figure out what’s really going on. In order to find out what really makes a difference we have a friend of the show, Dr.Ken Kies, returning on this episode of Contractor Evolution. Dr. Keis holds a PHD in leadership and management and is the president of Consulting Resources Group, a global consultancy focused on team building, leadership, and communications. In this episode he shares with us: -Why 80% of the working population is unhappy with their career and the role values play in that -How to go think about, talk about, and write about your core values so they’re way more than just some 5 dollar words on a poster that no one actually understands -And perhaps most importantly, how to assess core values fit in an interview so that you don’t find out the hard way 6 months later that you are indeed not at all aligned To learn how to define your core values and leverage them for performance (out of both yourself and your team) click on the links below Highlights Why 80% of the working population is unhappy with their career and the role Values play in that How to go think about, talk about and write about your core values so they’re way more than just some 5 dollar words on a poster that no one actually understands And perhaps most importantly, how to assess core values fit in an interview so that you don’t find out the hard way 6 months later that you are indeed not at all aligned See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, January 26, 2023
92. 4 Tactics To Put Your Referrals On Steroids - Brian Kaskavalciyan
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP92 To learn more about Brian’s company gfour marketing go to https://www.gfourmarketing.com/ This episode of Contractor Evolution is with Brian Kaskavalciyan, Author of The 7 Secrets to becoming a Wealthy Contractor , Host of the Wealthy Contractor Podcast, and Co Founder of gFour Marketing Group: A relationship marketing firm that helps contractors unleash the power of their customers by installing the industry leading framework for driving referrals. Before becoming the well known figure he is today, Brian founded Handyman Network which he developed into a national franchise. It was there he began to realize the power of not just referrals, but having a customer base that truly promotes you and reps the brand. So he began to develop a wholistic approach to Relationship Marketing which makes up the framework that he now implements with clients through gFour. I wanted to go deep with Brian on how to put a referral program on steroids and become a company where our raving customers do a lot of the marketing for us. If you do good work and take care of your clients you're obviously going to get some referrals organically, but if you're a growing company and want to become more intentional with this all important lead source, there’s actually a ton of stuff you can implement. Our conversation is anchored in four core areas: How to drive google reviews which boost searchability and position you as the customer service leader Customer Appreciation and how automated post job gifts and notes of gratitude build crazy goodwill in the marketplace We talk about Referral Rewards programs which incentivize clients to actually bring you hot leads And lastly we talk about the all important long term nurture sequence which keeps your brand front of mind and makes you a repeat business magnet. To learn more about how to put your referrals on steroids, listen to this episode. Highlights: How to drive Google reviews which boost searchability and position you as the customer service leader Customer Appreciation and how automated, post job gifts and notes of gratitude build crazy goodwill in the marketplace Referral Rewards programs which incentivize clients to actually bring you hot leads Long term nurture sequence which keeps your brand front of mind and makes you a repeat business magnet See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, January 19, 2023
91. The 'Purgatories' of Scaling: 3 Growth Stages That SUCK! - Dan Platta
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP91 To join the Bookkeeping, Beer and BS FB group click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourblueskies To learn more about Blue Skies Admin Services for home service companies click here: https://yourblueskies.com/ As you’ve grown your business you may have noticed that there are certain sizes or stages that feel worse than others. There are times when the scale of your business seems to be in a “Sweet Spot”, and then there are other times when you feel stuck in purgatory. If you’ve grown your team, and your top line, but your actual profits have stubbornly stayed the same (or sometimes even deteriorated), then this episode will give you the path out. To learn more about these Business Purgatories, what causes them, the revenue ranges they rear their ugly heads in, and most importantly what to do to pass through them as quickly as possible, listen to this episode. Highlights The 3 common business 'purgatories' that happen in contracting businesses - which revenue levels you’ll typically see them, and what to do about it How to ensure that your management team doesn’t make decisions that allow your costs to balloon out of proportion Actions you can take to speed through these purgatories so you don’t end up trapped for years in the ‘no fun zone’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, January 12, 2023
90. 2023 Workforce Trends: Adapting To A Changing Labor Market - Asad Zaman
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP90 To visit Sales Talent Agency click here: https://www.salestalentagency.com/ If you’re wondering, like I am… What effect will inflation and climbing interest rates have on employees and employers alike? How does a recession change the landscape of the labor market? What emerging trends should business owners stay in front of moving into 2023? How do you capitalize on hiring opportunities in a down market? …Then this episode is for you. In this episode of Contractor Evolution I’ve brought back Asad Zaman, CEO of Sales Talent Agency and a friend of the show. For those of you that listened to our Ultimate Hiring Funnel Series, you’ll remember him from episode 3. Sales Talent Agency is an international recruiting agency, they’ve helped acquire talent for over 1500 companies: Harley Davidson, SAP, IBM, Salesforce, and Sonos just to name a few. I wanted Asad back to talk about the state of the workforce and what we can expect out of the 2023 talent market. To learn where big trends are going, what to watch out for, and how to jump on opportunities this year, listen to this episode. Highlights The effects the last 3 years has had on the workforce and recruiting in the trade How inflation and a recession will impact the talent market and where to leverage opportunity as an employer Why you can't lower the bar for candidates you're hiring, even in a tough labor market Why you should never have your top employees asking you for a raise, and if they are, why you’re in trouble The reason knowing your data going into a recession is especially important The key traits that you should be looking for in your candidates in 2023 and which ones are different from previous years? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S3 Enull · Thu, January 05, 2023
89. How To Get More Young Women In Trades - Lydia Crowder
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP89 To find Lydia on Instagram click here: https://www.instagram.com/drywallshorty/ To watch Lydia on The Build Show click here: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/lydiacrowder Our guest on the show for this episode is Lydia Crowder (aka Drywall Shorty). Lydia puts out the best content for the drywall trade on all of the interwebs. She’s been a drywall finisher for 20 years, and owns Trinity Drywall in Bozeman Montana. She started to make educational videos about 3 years ago and today her following has grown to over 1 Million subscribers across her various platforms. Our conversation is about what it's like to be a female tradesperson in a historically male-dominated industry and how business owners can attract and retain women in the trades. To learn more about why you should be pushing hard to recruit women, what they bring to the table, and how to create an environment that attracts them, listen to this episode. Highlights What's it's like being on site as a female tradesperson How women in the trades are treated today vs 20 years ago 2 Unique qualities tradeswomen bring to the job site How to build a work environment that appeals to women and has them wanting to stay for the long haul Advice to women thinking about getting into the trades See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, December 29, 2022
88. Strategic Planning Roundtable: How 2 Elite Contractors Plan For Growth - Matt Hambrick & Dave Fraser
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP88 Download your free 2023 Strategic Plan Templates for Rapid Growth here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP88 We did a Strategic Planning Roundtable with some Breakthrough Academy Members a couple weeks back. We had over 300 live attendees and tons of positive feedback so we thought we’d release it as a Contractor Evolution episode. Given that you are probably doing some much needed year end reflection and beginning to chart your course for 2023, we thought this would be a timely conversation as well. Moving from one year to the next without evaluating what in your business went well, what did not, and what needs to change is a recipe for exhaustion, frustration and stagnation. One of the coolest things about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity you have to choose where your business goes, what it becomes and why. This is like… the fun part. So if you're not creating space every year to reflect and strategize, not only are you hindering your businesses growth, you're also just missing out on one of the richest aspects of entrepreneurship. If you’re wanting to learn first hand how the best in the business take the vision in their mind and turn that into a reality, listen to this episode. *Note* - This was originally delivered as a web class with video and slides, so if you want to see the slides, move on over to YouTube. If you’re in the car though, this will still totally makes sense with just audio only. Episode Highlights: What business looks like before you have a plan, and what it can look like after How to build a detailed annual plan, and what data should drive your decision making How to get team buy-in AND accountability A deep dive into REAL Annual Strategic Plans, both before a year starts and after a year in review Where to find the time to set an annual plan when you’re super busy How to evaluate key drivers and restrainers to adjust targets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, December 22, 2022
87. The Difference Between Good Tech Adopters and Bad - Brett Jones
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP87 To connect with Buildertrend click here: https://buildertrend.com/ If you listen to Contractor Evolution, there’s a good chance you’re not only an entrepreneur, but you are smart enough to understand that you’ll have big opportunities to cut your costs using software in the next few years. However, understanding what a software service does vs implementing it are two COMPLETELY different things. In fact, if you’ve tried getting your team to adopt new tech at some point already, it can easily lead to you wanting to fire everyone, quit the trades, and start a simpler business like building space stations. All joking aside, it’s not easy to embrace change, especially when it comes to tech. My guest on the show today is Brett Jones, a Key Account Executive of Data Solutions at BuilderTrend. Over the last 3 years, Brett has done over 150 On Site Consultations helping builders, GC, and Remodelers implement BuilderTrend so that it functions at its fullest and delivers the highest possible ROI for the Entrepreneur and their team. To learn what Brett has observed about the builders that succeed in this area, vs those that don’t, listen to this episode. Episode Highlights: Why so much of the contracting industry hold their cards close and why that isn't working as a competitive advantage anymore The Profile of a strong tech implementer vs poor tech implementer (after implementation consulting with 150 Contractors) How the contracting industry has changed as a result of tech adoption and the big picture trends that will shape the industry in the next 10 years The impact of venture capital in the contracting market and how it’s changing the way contracting companies are being run Where Buildertrend is innovating in the contracting space and the big value they will be bringing builders in fintech Advice to young entrepreneurs for the next decade - where they should focus their attention for maximum results See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, December 15, 2022
86. Financial 'Reality Check' For a Changing Market - Leeroy Beeby
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP86 To visit Check The Level accounting click here: https://www.checkthelevel.com/ To Join the ‘Job Costing and Bookkeeping for Contractors Only’ Facebook Group click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobcostingandbookkeepingfocontractorsonly Have you ever wondered why the bookkeeping and accounting for your contracting or trades business is so challenging? Well, there is a very real reason, and no it's not because you hated math in high school. A lot of it has to do with the fact that your project lifecycles and the cash inflows and outflows that happen therein don’t follow the gridded and calendarized rhythms of accounting cycles. They march to the beat of a different drummer (so to speak) and this can create all sorts of headaches and confusion when it comes to both your books and your bank account. Our guest on this episode of Contractor Evolution is Leeroy Beeby, Co-Founder of Check the Level - an accounting, bookkeeping and software provider. Check The Level was created for general and specialty contractors to master their pricing, profits, and cashflow. They do this through both managerial accounting as well as their proprietary reporting software. What’s unique about Leeroy’s perspective is he has back-end access to the budgets, P&Ls, cash positions and pricing systems of hundreds of contractors all over North America and is able to see large-scale patterns in a way almost no one can. To dive into the common practices that are shared by the top 10% of contractors (as well as the common mistakes made by the bottom segment of contractors) listen to this episode. Episode Highlights: The difference between Financial Accounting vs. Managerial Accounting and why most firms won't do the latter for you (even though you really need it) The patterns that become evident when you look at 100's of contractors' financials, and what the top 10% are doing differently than the rest How the top 10% of contractors set up their sales contracts uniquely to protect their cash flow Why you need to be charging a higher markup on your change orders than your standard rates How to get your team involved in the financial performance of each job The typical profile for a financially 'at risk' contracting company See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, December 08, 2022
85. The 3 Do's and 3 Don'ts of Strategic Planning - Alex Brueckmann
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP85 To download Breakthrough Academy’s ‘Annual Strategic Planning Template’ click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP85 To Connect with Alex Brueckmann click here: https://www.brueckmann.ca/ It is strategic planning time here at Breakthrough Academy. Our 500+ members are all reflecting on the year that was 2022 - the highs, the lows, the lessons…and they're using all of that to inform their visions for 2023. You should be too. “Strategy” is another one of these terms that gets tossed around so much it loses some meaning. Most entrepreneurs will make mental associations between strategy and other ideas like goals for the future, well-laid plans, or a list of priorities for the organization. But this still leaves a lot of room for differing interpretations and abstraction. This episode's conversation is with Alex Brueckmann. Alex is a Strategic Facilitator and the Author of The Strategy Legacy which comes out in 2023. After 15 years of fine-tuning his philosophy and process in the corporate world, Alex now gives small to medium-sized businesses access to the tools and techniques that fortune 500 companies use to dial in their strategy and create the clarity and direction teams (large and small) need to get bought in and execute. To learn more about Alex’s 3 Do’s and 3 Don'ts of Strategic Planning, listen to this episode. Episode Highlights: The difference between strategy and tactics and why NOT to worry about tactics when planning at a high level Why celebrating small wins too early can sometimes hurt your momentum Why your strategy NEEDS to be tied to emotions, and how emotions propel results more than any other factor How to create a strategy that everyone will buy into, not just your leadership team Why you shouldn't force your plan forward when things aren’t working, and when it's ok to take a couple steps back How to leverage the power of writing to communicate your vision and deflect distractions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, December 01, 2022
84. How and Where to Find Your Integrator: Mark C. Winters Pt. 2
To apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP84 To assess where you lay on the visionary/integrator spectrum, click here: https://rocketfueluniversity.com/assessments/ This episode is Part 2 of a 2 part conversation with Mark C. Winters, co-author of Rocket Fuel and the foremost expert and Visionary/Integrator relationship. If you haven’t listened to part 1 of this episode, go do that now. In part 1 of this 2 part conversation Mark and I focused on the dynamics between a Visionary and an Integrator. What wasn’t shared in that episode is that great Integrators are RARE. Mark and his team at Rocket Fuel University™ discovered there are 4 Visionaries for every 1 Integrator. Which means really good Integrators are hard to find…and even harder to keep. If you want to learn where to look for your integrator, and more importantly, the principles for keeping them happy and effective, listen to this podcast. Episode Highlights: Where to find great Integrators both inside and outside your organization The necessary 3 part process for successfully onboarding an integrator so they quickly earn team respect and don’t burn out. 5 Rules to follow to ensure a long term relationship thrives between the Visionary and the Integrator The way to maintain equality in the relationship even when it's not equal ownership The difference between Visionaries and “Idea People” and how the latter is not actually very beneficial to a company What happens when either the Visionary or the Integrator outgrow the role? How do you responsibly exit the relationship See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, November 24, 2022
83. Visionary & Integrator Dynamics: Mark C. Winters Pt. 1
To apply to Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP83 To assess where you lay on the visionary/integrator spectrum, click here: https://rocketfueluniversity.com/assessments/ The Visionary/Integrator relationship is one I hear a lot of business owners wrestling with. Here is why - A lot of you likely fall on the visionary end of the spectrum. You have a head full of ideas and a heart full of passion. You took the entrepreneurial leap and gave birth to what would become the business you own and lead today. You saw opportunities where others didn’t and you have a natural ability to see what you COULD build. But here's the thing. Visionaries can wreck companies. It’s possible to have too much vision, too many ideas. A Visionary can easily rip their team in a million directions or load them down with an unreasonable number of projects. Visionaries are also typically pretty terrible with holding accountability. And your business pays for that. The answer is to find an integrator. BUT Just because you find an integrator, doesn’t mean your business will thrive. The Visionary/Integrator relationship is like a marriage. And just like a marriage needs frameworks, habits, and methods of communication that will set it up for a shot at long term success, so does the relationship between a visionary and an integrator. Listen to this episode to hear from Mark Winters, the co-author of Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business Mark shares the frameworks you’ll need to set up to successfully navigate the waters of one of businesses most powerful relationships. Episode Highlights: The visionary/integrator dynamic and why it can lead to friction or harmony depending on the relationship The character traits of the visionary and the integrator and why you typically won’t be both Why not everyone wants to be the visionary, and why the integrator role is so important The benefits to a business that has both roles as opposed to business that only has one or the other leading the team The amount of Visionary 'Juice' that a business needs and why a businesses will die when the have too much vision 4 ‘Readiness Signs’ a visionary be aware of that will tell them it’s time to go and find an integrator See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, November 17, 2022
82. 3 No-Nonsense KPI's For Contractors Who Like Making Money - Meaghan Likes
To apply to Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP82 To download the pricing calculator, click here: https://www.bookkeepingacademyonline.com/pricing-calculator Other Links Mentioned In This Podcast: https://likesaccounting.com/ https://www.bookkeepingacademyonline.com/ https://jefflikescleanwindows.com/ http://profitstofreedom.com/ http://adminbootcampadventure.com/ Let’s say that I give you a challenge. I tell you that you need to triple revenue in your business in 1 year…and if you can’t, I get to take it from you. You’re probably already thinking, “How do I ramp up EVERYTHING by 3X? It’s TOO MUCH.” Yeah…maybe you could pull it off, but it wouldn’t be easy…or fun. Okay pause. Now what if I told you that there’s a way to accomplish your 3x revenue growth simply by moving 3 VERY SPECIFIC levers forward by 5%,10% and 20%. That’s it. Just the 3. Nothing else. And the lever you need to push by 20% can be moved overnight by sending 1 email with guaranteed results. It’s not a pipe dream. When you see it and you run the math you realize it’s entirely possible. It will blow your mind how easy it can be. Meaghan Likes, a Home Service Company owner and Certified Public Accountant figured this magic formula out and shares it with us in this episode of Contractor Evolution. Would you like to know what the 3 levers are? Then listen to this full episode for all the details. Episode Highlights: The real reason so many entrepreneurs avoid talking to their accountants and how to approach your accounting in a new mindset Why tracking Average Job Size (AJS) is so important and how to increase your AJS overnight How much you need to be raising your prices, when to do it, and why you should feel ZERO guilt about it If you have a poor Sales Ratio here’s what you can change in your customer experience that often corrects the problem The most common reason for high lead slippage, and how to train your team to reduce it in a day How to easily 3x your company revenue in a year with 3 simple moves in AJS, Sales Ratio, and Lead Slippage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, November 10, 2022
81. Thinking Of Building Your Own Software? Here’s What It Takes - Tanner Mullen
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP81 Find the dripjobs CRM Here: https://www.dripjobs.com/ If you’re ambitious and always looking for an opportunity, you might have thought about building a software product to ‘fill a gap’ in your business. You hear this story on podcasts, or youtube videos…maybe from a friend. Some contractor out there got frustrated with a lack of software in their business and they decided to do something about it. They decided to build it themselves. And then became bajillionaires. But is it really that easy? To find out, we invited Tanner Mullen of Dripjobs to share the realities of building a software company while still running a painting business. If you’d like to learn more about the SaaS building process, managing multiple companies, and how to sell your software, listen to this episode. Episode Highlights: How to train your team to manage the client so you free up your time for other things How to manage your calendar when you're running 2 businesses and a family The process of designing a CRM with programmers when nothing else seems to fit your business model Tactics that work to gain the sales advantage when pitching a SAS product from a successful salesman turned contractor What a 'Unique Mechanism' is, and why most contractors are not using it to their advantage What Tanner wishes he knew when he started both of his businesses See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, November 02, 2022
80. The Rise Of Cyber Attacks On Contracting Companies - Omer Segoly
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP80 Download the 5 tips for keeping your trades and contracting business secure https://trybta.com/PCDLEP80. Cyber security is something for tech companies, banks and nerds to worry about right? Yeah, in 2010 maybe, but not anymore. There has been a STEEP rise in the number of attacks on small businesses the last few years and contractors are a prime target for hackers. Why? Because in the trades we work with big chunks of cash AND most of us haven’t made the time to put cyber security as a top priority. To a hacker, we’re the prime target. Listen to the full episode to learn more about why you might be vulnerable, what hackers are after, and how to protect yourself. Episode Highlights: What is going on high level that is leading to an increase in cyber security breaches in the contracting community The assets of value that hackers are looking for in a typical contracting company and how to protect them The most common threats and attacks you’ll be targeted for as a contractor What it costs you to buy security vs pay for damages The 4 stupid things most business owners do that leave themselves open to hacking How to tell if a software has legitimate security measures in place See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, October 26, 2022
79. Project MGMT Secrets Behind 2 Rapid Growth Contractors - Iain Kent, Greg Hasler, Zack Wojtowicz
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP79 Download your free resources for Project Management Secrets for Rapid Growth here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP79 A couple months ago we did a Project Management Roundtable with some of our highest performing members in the construction space. It was so popular and well received we thought we would release it as a Contractor Evolution episode. As you no doubt have experienced, most (but not all) Project Managers in construction and trades are professional firefighters. This is a problem. Under equipped PM’s burn themselves out and eventually hurt morale, but more importantly mismanaged jobs can make or break our year end P&L’s. So we put together a live roundtable with Greg Hasler of Hasler Homes and Iain Kent of Eagleview Construction where we discuss their evolution story from chaotic to dialled in. We dove into the systems that have made the biggest difference, and the personality profile of a rockstar PM as well as where you might find one. Episode Highlights: 3 PM 'Red Flags' that will tell you things can be improved on What makes a great PM (from the perspective of highly effective contractors) How to hold PMs accountable to the results they were hired to achieve in your business (including which KPI’s you should be tracking) The number of jobs should your PM's be able to manage at one time The PM qualifications you should you look for and where to send PMs to learn proper PM systems for your business The best way to keep your field crews (and your subs) engaged with the PM systems and actually filling out daily logs (spoiler - yes, it is possible) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, October 19, 2022
78. SOP's: Why Your Business Is A Mess & What To Do About It - Tom Hughes
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP78 The Discount Code for 10% off Gembadocs is BTA10. Download the app or visit https://gembadocs.com/ to start your FREE 30-DAY TRIAL! Also, get Tom’s book for free in multiple formats at https://improvementstartswithi.com/ If you don’t have clear SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) for all the things you do in your business you’re in trouble. Here’s why: - You won’t be able to scale - You can’t take a vacation - You can’t promote anyone on your team - It takes FOREVER to train new staff - You field a million questions everyday that suck your time - You’ll never be able to take a step back from operations …the list goes on Not having clear SOP’s is why your business is a mess. BUT if you don’t have them, it’s not your fault. Because no one told you where to start, how to create them, how to have your SOP’s evolve with the business or WHO IN THE HELL would be creating all of these things? However, now all of your obstacles are irrelevant. Someone has figured out how to get around all those challenges and more. His name is Tom Hughes and he’s going to open your mind to the possibility of SOP’s that are highly effective and practically create themselves. To learn Tom’s brilliant approach to these age old challenges, listen to this week's episode. Episode Highlights: The reason why you can’t predictably grow a business without SOP’s How much value SOP's will give to the sale price of the business and peace of mind to the owner The 3 keys most owners miss when implementing SOP's that lead to a giant waste of time and money How to foster ownership and buy-in from the team by implementing bottom-up rather than top down SOP creation How to put SOPs at the point of use to make sure they actually get used instead of collecting dust Lastly, how to make the update process easy so that your SOPs grow with your business instead of falling out of date See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, October 12, 2022
77. How To Build A Leadership Team & Step Back - Dan Young
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP77 Do you have a leadership team? Do you let them lead? I’m sure you’ve probably heard that you need to hire a leadership team who will allow you to take a step back from the grind. But rarely do you hear HOW to nurture that leadership team to a point where you feel comfortable letting them take over. In this episode of Contractor Evolution, I meet with Dan Young of Kingdom Roofing Systems of Marion Indiana. In just 3 short years (2018 to 2021) Dan grew Kingdom from 3 million in revenue to over 16 million. Contributing massively to this explosive growth is his Executive Leadership team, which over the years, he has assembled and trained with care and purpose. I wanted to have Dan on to talk about where he found these people and nurtured underappreciated talent into truly exceptional leaders. If you’ve been wondering what it actually takes to build a leadership team that will allow you to step back, listen to the full episode. Episode Highlights: How the leadership team is organised in this 16M contracting company How to recruit a high-end leadership team from outside your industry and the attributes you should watch for in the people you interact with daily One way to nurture under-appreciated talent as opposed to expecting you'll have all the skills you’ll need in everyone you bring in How your role as a leader evolves as you go from 3M to 16M (hint - it’s both easier and harder) Striking the balance in a 'family vibe company' when you're running corporate systems The value of hiring women in the trades and what they bring to the organization that the men typically don't See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, October 05, 2022
76. 5 Game Changers That Helped Tommy Mello Scale to 200 Million - Tommy Mello
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP76 You ever heard that quote about the bumblebee flying? The one that goes, “Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it flies anyway.” I feel like Tommy Mello didn’t get the memo that a garage door company traditionally caps around 10 Million. When he was growing his company, Tommy looked around for inspiring models he could replicate and didn’t find much from the other garage door companies in the market. So instead of accepting industry norms, he looked elsewhere. And now he’s sailing past 200 Million in revenue and says it’s just the beginning. Listen to the full episode to learn about the 5 game changers that Tommy attributes to his unusual growth. Episode Highlights: What Tommy & A1 Garage Doors needed to do to go from 800k to 200M Where to start when you know you need to dial in your finances but can't afford a CFO How to find and work with an integrator if you're the visionary The way a 200M contractor thinks and spends their time vs the way a 1M contractor thinks and spends their time When, during your growth, you need to start finding advisors, which ones will really move the needle for you, and how to filter out the crappy ones What advice Tommy would have given himself in the early years of his business that would have saved him a pile of headaches See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, September 28, 2022
75. Former Navy SEAL Changing The Future Of Construction? - Garrett Moore
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP75 Have you ever run a project and gotten so fed up with the people doing the job that you wished you could swap them out with robots? Yeah, so did Garrett Moore… …and then he built the robots. While on deployment, this former Navy SEAL was getting so fed up with the sub-trades building his house that he decided to do something about it. Now he runs Agorus, a company that blends construction, robotics manufacturing, and software to build custom residential homes. Listen to the full episode to learn more about this super ingenuitive company and how they are disrupting the building industry. Episode Highlights: Garrett Moore's frustration with the contracting industry & what was happening on the macro level that led to the start of Agorus The current state of decline for skilled workers and where we will be by the end of the decade The true size and scale of the housing crisis in North America the demand for construction and trades its creating How Agorus designs and manufactures custom homes using software and robotics - and then is able to erect to lockup in 5 days or less What smart contractors should do right now to stay ahead over the next decade What serving in the Navy SEALS taught Garrett about team building in construction and how to pinpoint entrepreneurs that show signs of success See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, September 21, 2022
74. Build A Long Client Waitlist Using These 4 Sales Documents - Jamie Overley
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP74 Build A Long Client Waitlist Using These 4 Sales Documents: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP74 When selling to your prospects and customers, do you ever get tired of answering the same exact questions over and over again? Are you ever bored by the sound of your own voice, endlessly running through the same talking points, addressing the same concerns, constantly explaining the same process sometime multiple times a day? What if you could replicate yourself for those conversations? You’d both save yourself some time AND you could talk to all the potential clients you’re struggling to get to right now. Well, guess what. You can. Kind of. We live in an age where you can create a piece of sales collateral and it will continue to sell long after you’ve created it. Yet, there’s a lot of testing that goes into WHAT to create. In this episode, Jamie Overley of Boulder Land Design shares the 4 pieces of sales collateral that she has found are the most effective in getting the sale, and then driving reviews and referrals after the project is complete. Oh, and she has been booked out over a year for the last 3 years PLUS continued to raise her prices, so something is working. Learn how this former marketing exec is sailing past the competition with her easy to replicate 4 part process. Episode Highlights: What consumer habits have evolved into and how to play to the change in behaviour in 2022 How to make sure that the customer gets the right sales message every time no matter who they talked to The red flags that tell you you are doing a poor job communicating your brand 4 examples of easy sales collateral that you can create and the details that go into each piece Why you should build a 'post project' package and what goes into it to drive referrals and reviews Tips for managing a huge backlog of inquires when your sales collateral works too well See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, September 14, 2022
73. Is Better Financial Tracking The Secret To Scaling? Case Study - Cooper and Janelle Leary
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP73 If you’ve ever felt like your profit should be increasing with your revenue, you’re not alone. If revenue goes up…profit goes up. Right? It’s simple math. It should work like that. You think if you just work a little harder, push a little more…POOF… you’ll magically crest revenue hill. Economies of scale will kick in and all of the sudden you’ll have the kind profit you’ve always wanted. But it doesn’t work like that. If your revenues have been growing, but your profits aren’t matching the same growth rates (or exceeding), then you, my friend, have a very simple problem. One that is pretty easy to fix if you know what to look for. Listen to what this husband and wife team did when they found they had the same problem in their $4M landscaping company and how they fully controlled profits from that point out: The reason why profits didn't change even though revenue was seriously increasing 1 file that CLS implemented which made the biggest difference in their business growth and profit margins. The mental struggle with being a contractor vs working in a white collar industry and how to shift your mindset How to install a strong leadership team to manage multiple locations PLUS the roles you need to hire and in what priority order What advice would Cooper and Janelle have given themselves back when they started What it's like to find balance between 60 staff, 3 kids and themselves See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, September 07, 2022
72. The End Of Resumes And Job Boards - Jody Underhill
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP72 Download The Rapid Hire Hiring Funnel Here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP72 Check out Rapid Hire Here: https://rapidhirepro.com/ As a millennial myself, I take a small amount of personal offense whenever I hear frustrated contractors verbally bash my entire generation (or young people broadly speaking) for their supposed lack of work ethic, chronic ADD, and apparent disinterest in construction and trades. I admittedly roll my eyes a little anytime I hear someone throw their hands up in frustration and declare: “These young people I tell ya, no one wants to work these days”. If you listen to this podcast, you know this is a recurring theme on the show. Having said all that, I also deeply empathise with the business owner whose phone is ringing off the hook with potential customers but can’t seem to hire enough good people. Which is why this episode is so monumental. Our guest today, Jody Underhill, has figured out how to deliver a literal flood of qualified applicants to almost any contractor. Don’t believe me? Listen to the full episode to learn more about all the genius ways Jody has sailed past traditional hiring methods to deliver as many applicants as he needs. Episode Highlights: Why young people aren't responding to trades ads, and what you can do to attract them. The statistical results between marketing on social media vs traditional digital job boards The exact formula for ad copy that gets high #'s of applicants and sets you apart from the competition How to structure your application page and what you need include in your employer brand promo video to get a high level of applicants (hint, it’s not you talking about the company) How to run hundreds of video interviews without the interviewer actually being involved The statistical difference between using email vs text and which medium brings in stacks of applications See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, August 31, 2022
71. 19 Hilariously Accurate Client Red Flags - Benji Carlson
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP71 Nothing in the world of contracting sucks the life out of you or your team like a miserable client. A sorry SOB whose apparent mission in life is to ruin yours. It almost seems they take pleasure in the process. What I’m saying is I think we can all agree that avoiding the crazies is in your best interest. And the sooner the better. After running my own painting company and talking to over 1000 contractors, I’ve noticed there are a few client patterns that have emerged in our collective experience. I should mention, this list is by no means exhaustive and if you have your own red flags I’d love you to leave them in the comments of this episode's Youtube video. I read all the comments you guys put in there. Episode Highlights (6 Key Phrases That Should Raise A Red Flag): “Can I help out? And what kind of discount will I get if I do?” “We bought the materials already, just charge us for labor.” “I could do this myself, I’m just so busy” “I’m a realtor and I’ve flipped many houses so I know what things cost.” “I have a brother-in-law who does some flooring. Can he be involved?” “I’m super busy, do we have to meet?” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, August 24, 2022
70. Stop Sabotaging Your Performance - Fyfe Barraclough
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP70 Download the Mental Fitness Framework and Quiz Here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP70 Connect with Fyfe here: https://www.uplifementalfitness.com/ If you roll into a multi-day hike with tons of vertical and a 50-pound pack after 6 months on the couch eating Doritos, chances are you’re probably not going to have the best time. But what about if you're asking a lot of your mind? How many stressful situations do you encounter in your business in a single day? How often is intense focus demanded of you even though your batteries are drained? In its simplest form, mental fitness is your capacity to handle life's challenges with a positive rather than negative mindset. We, as humans, have all formed negative self-sabotaging characteristics that protected us while we were young. However, these same saboteurs can ultimately lead to downfall if we don’t recognize them. In this episode, we have Fyfe Barraclough on to explain the 10 saboteurs that exist, which ones are most common in entrepreneurs, and what we can all do to turn self-sabotage into opportunity. Listen to the full episode to learn how you can transform your metal liabilities into tangible assets. Episode Highlights: The definition of mental fitness and when a contractor would need to be concerned about it The neuroscience science behind mental fitness and why large organisations are starting to pay attention to the training The 10 saboteurs that we form to protect ourselves when we’re young but can hold us back as adults The common saboteurs that plague entrepreneurs specifically and examples of what they look like in the workplace How to play "mental judo" and turn your stress induced self sabotage into an opportunity instead The observable benefits of someone who actively works on their mental fitness vs someone who doesn’t See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, August 17, 2022
69. From 400k To 10M+ in 4 Years: Case Study - Anthony Langdon
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP69 On this episode of Contractor Evolution, we’ve brought in Anthony Langdon of Asset Roofing in Seattle WA. It wasn’t too long ago that Anthony’s business hit a ceiling because he was always stuck on the roof. No pun intended. In 2018 his business was doing 400k a year in revenue while he worked 80 hours a week due to a lack of systems. Anthony was making money, but he was breaking his back for it. He owned a job, essentially. Today, only 4 years later, his business is trending to do over 10 Million dollars in revenue with a net profit margin north of 20%. How? Listen as Anthony breaks down the most critical business systems that lead to this remarkable growth - both in mindset and in revenue. Episode Highlights: The first system Anthony built that led to his epiphany moment The most fundamental systems that Anthony implemented in his business which led to exponential growth Of the hundreds of systems you can implement in a business, Anthony shares where he started and what he tackled in order after that What to do if your entire team isn’t buying into the changes you’re trying to make for the health of the business Outside of systems, Anthony shares 3 key areas that required a complete overhaul and despite pressure, he didn’t compromise in What Anthony’s life looks like now in the day-to-day after completely re-inventing the way he ran his business See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, August 10, 2022
68. Three Profit Killers And How To Avoid Them - Benji & Igor
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP68 Your business is a “For-Profit Entity”. Profits are a slippery business though. Sometimes it can feel like what you made on paper and what is in your bank account don’t quite line up. Sometimes top-line growth doesn’t translate to bottom-line growth. And sometimes it's only a few expense categories on our P&L that are giving us all the headache. Listen to the full episode and we’ll show you where and how contractors most commonly destroy their year-end profits Episode Highlights: Why it’s so easy for your overhead efficiency to spiral out of control and the best way to track your overhead deliverables The difference between managing expectations in your "Ditch Diggers" vs managing expectations with your more abstract roles Managing increasing material costs and why you NEED to take action in your business to mitigate them and not just accept tightening margins The two kinds of companies when it comes to addressing inflation and why one thrives while the other fails Why writing off big expenses at the end of the year to offset your tax bracket is a bad move How your ego can tank your financials if you aren’t very careful See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, August 03, 2022
67. The Case for Content Marketing (Even If You Have Too Many Leads) - Matt Jones
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP67 Tradie Web Guys - https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/BTA “Create Content” is such an easy thing for some marketing guru to tell you to do. But those people are the same A-holes that sit in front of a screen all day and have no realistic clue what goes into running the average contracting company. On top of that, why on God’s green earth would you take the time you don’t have to bring in leads when you’re flooded with work already? I’ll tell you why. Demand. Creating a list of 1000’s of people that want to work with you allows you to raise your prices SIGNIFICANTLY. Demand is the reason some contractors are able to charge 3 to 4 times more than average. In order to show you how to create that kind of demand (without eating up your entire work day filming selfies) we have plumber turned marketing expert Matt Jones on the show. Listen to the full episode to learn some stupidly simple things you can do to dial in your content strategy and build your brand presence. Episode Highlights: What it means for a contractor to have a "Content Strategy" in 2022 and what you can expect for results if you get it right An easy way to tell your story in a way that leads to sales (even if you think you’ll be terrible at it) How much work it (really) is to produce content as a contractor and the easy incentive to get your team to produce content for the business so you don’t have to The communication mediums you should use in 2022 to target an upper-middle-class demographic Why it’s a huge advantage to produce content even if you have more than enough work The obvious “RED FLAG” mistakes on contractor websites that actively push ideal clients away See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, July 27, 2022
66. What We're Reading In 2022: 9 Killer Books To Put On Your List - Benji Carlson
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP66 As you might have guessed by the title, we’re talking about books in this episode of Contractor Evolution? Why? Because someone way smarter than you has devoted DECADES of their life mastering a principle that will significantly impact you in a positive way. And you can choose to ignore that fact…or you can absorb a lifetime of learning in roughly a day. There’s a reason we say leaders are readers. Leaders have accumulated hundreds of lifetimes of wisdom and then are able to apply it to their specific circumstances. Simply put, leaders that read have a huge strategic advantage. And if you don’t like reading, guess what, all the books we’re talking about have audio versions. So click the icons below for a fresh list of 9 books from our contractor top picks. Episode Highlights: Learn to see and stop problems before they happen so your days of firefighting can come to an end A framework for making better decisions in work and life The best way to make huge changes in your life through small, everyday actions Why you should never believe you’ll be happy "Once you make it" and why you’re selling yourself short on the possibility of a fulfilling life starting now Everything in you life is a negotiation - here’s how to master the art of creating win-win scenarios Navigating the road ahead by finding your centre and coming back to what’s true when the world is an ever changing tumultuous mess See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, July 20, 2022
65. The Antidote For Imposter Syndrome And Self Doubt - Benji Carlson
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP65 Do you ever feel like a fraud? In certain situations do you ever feel like you are one minor mistake, one missed detail away from being found out by everyone as a phony? Do you sometimes feel totally under qualified to occupy the position that you do? Flawed, imperfect, error-prone, human? If you do, that CAN be healthy. Or, it can ruin you. Either way, you aren’t alone. Click the links below to get my take on Imposter Syndrome and why it affects so many contractors. Episode Highlights A definition of imposter syndrome and some of the key signs to look out for in yourself of others An anecdotal observation about imposter syndrome after speaking with over 1000 contractors and diving deep into their mental and emotional challenges The surprising reason that an unusually high number of contractors are prone to feeling imposter syndrome and why it might be a sign you’re on the right track Why you shouldn't block out your negative emotions and how to listen and act on them in a healthy way 3 Practical steps to manage imposter syndrome if you think you have it The dangers of trying to mask a lack of confidence by being overly confident See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, July 13, 2022
64. Thinking Lean: Eliminate Waste Through Continuous Improvement - Paul Akers
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP64 To download “LEAN in a nutshell” click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP64 To learn more about Paul Akers click here: https://paulakers.net/ To learn more about Fastcap click here: https://www.fastcap.com/ The average American worker (across industries) outputs about $150/hour worth of value a day. Our guest in this episode, Paul Akers, runs a company called Fastcap who’s workers now output $500-$700 a day and are happier than when the company started. He’s been so recognized for his work that he’s been invited to speak and consult with companies like Mercedes Benz, Amazon, and the US Navy. So what’s his secret sauce? It’s a concept he stole from Toyota and applied to his business. He tells us only 2% of contractors ever ‘get it’ and he wants to share with those who will listen. Episode highlights: How LEAN production revolutionized the job site and the 8 areas where you can eliminate wasted time, material, costs The state of the average job site in North America and why it’s not where you want to be How to apply LEAN principles to a contracting business model with specific examples The "Quick Wins" you want to start with to see some immediate results The best way to retrain your team to see the waste and what needs to happen to create an ongoing culture of continuous improvement What to do about the team member that fights the change and get them totally bought in See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, July 06, 2022
63. Master Your Sales To Production Hand Off: Less Finger Pointing, More Referrals - Paul Atherton
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP63 To download the Sales Handoff Project Charter and DECA analysis click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP63 Misaligned expectations between contractor and client are the route of all evil when it comes to: Hitting or missing budget Finishing the project on time or way behind schedule And creating a happy customer who will refer you for years or not. Sales handoff is one of the most critical links in the overall chain that is your business’s workflow. Get this right and producing the job you sold can, believe it or not, go off without a hitch. Get it wrong though and your production team can be stuck in a hellish nightmare for way longer than planned, hurting the project’s profitability and team unity. Your sales handoff can seem more straightforward than it actually is though, which is why we’ve got Paul Atherton, one of BTA’s most senior coaches on for this episode. Click the icons below to learn the 6 things Paul tells us your sales team needs to share with your production team for a headache free job. How to prevent "I thought you guys would do this too" from the customer (and end death by 1000 requests) What it looks like to set “bumper guards” on the job so things like deadline and expenditures don’t get out of hand The common assumptions that will kill your project The best way to avoid false promises during the quoting process from being made in the first place How to use a Project Charter to insure everything is communicated properly at key points along the project Using a DECA Analysis to be able to ask the right questions at the start of the job See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, June 29, 2022
62. 'Bags On' Carpenter to 380M in Real Estate in Just Over a Decade: Case Study - Barrett Johnston
To apply for a Business Assessment with Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP62 You can find Barrett’s Company Cadence Real Estate at: https://www.cadencere.com/ Just 13 years ago, Barrett was working as a bags-on carpenter fresh out of school. Since then, he has not only built an extremely successful construction company but has also become a full-blown multi-family developer. His company, Cadence Real Estate, which is actually composed of 4 subsidiaries, now owns over 380 Million dollars worth of Real Estate in the Seattle area and is expanding beyond. NBD. To learn Barrett’s somewhat unique approach to business development click the icons below. The 2 core systems Barrett implemented that really moved the needle in his business How to run effective Strategic Planning when you run 4 companies How to select the leaders and leadership traits for the business you run 2 Key lessons learned going from 0 to 380M and what Barrett would change if could start again Barrett's strategy for managing capital and investment in a business that has huge swings in revenue Barrett's advice to young contractors today and his reflection on opportunity in 2022 sharing similarities to opportunity in 2008 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, June 22, 2022
61. Supercharge Your Business By Buying Another: A Strategy Worth Exploring - Jason Paris
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click: https://trybta.com/PCEP61 Aleph Holdings: https://www.alephholdings.com/ This painter crushes it by buying into his competition You may have, at some point, pondered the idea of supercharging your growth by buying another business. Entrepreneurs naturally see opportunity all around them - owners that don’t know what they’re doing, older guys trying to get out, young untapped potential rising up. And to be clear, your intuition isn’t wrong, the opportunity is out there. What we want to do is make sure you don’t get blown up by the hundreds of proverbial landmines that can lay hidden under the surface of those businesses. Learn from our guest Jason Paris, who’s built a 10M+ painting empire and shares many of the red flags to watch out for, by clicking the icons below. Highlights: The pro's and con's of buying out other businesses within your industry The types of businesses and people you should be looking looking to partner with and the red flags that mark the ones you should avoid How to value businesses when you're looking to buy them out The internal systems in the seller's business that matter when you are the purchaser The buying process from start to finish The first goals/systems/structures that you should implement in a business once you've purchased it See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, June 15, 2022
60. Geographic Expansion: How To Grow From A Single Location To Three - Kory Ballard
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click: https://trybta.com/PCEP60 Perficut Website: https://perficut.com/ Ballard Inc Landscaping Products: https://www.ballard-inc.com/ If you have ever wondered what it takes to expand into a new market, begin operations in a new city, or even a new state, this episode is a must-listen. Our guest for this episode is Kory Ballard, founder of Perficut Site Management. Kory started as a teenager, borrowing his dad's mower to do his neighbor's lawns and save up for a moped. Fast forward a couple of decades, and Perficut would become a massive full-service commercial landscaping company with nearly 200 employees operating in 3 different cities across 2 states. Quite recently, Kory sold Perficut to a national site management brand…kind of the dream exit actually. He now focuses 100% of his time on Ballard-Inc., an equipment and accessory manufacturing company for landscapers. Kory is a classic entrepreneur: successful enough to retire, but so driven he can’t - at least not yet. We wanted to have Kory on to share his lived experience. What is it ACTUALLY like to push your brand to its limit and expand into new territories? What is unexpectedly hard about it? What are the financial implications and risks? How do you choose where to go? How does your role as a leader change? And What systems make this possible? Like many things in life, actually doing the thing is many orders of magnitude harder than daydreaming about it. And that's why this episode is a good one. Kory gives us the unpolished reality of what it takes to expand geographically. In this episode we learn: How to determine when you've saturated your current geographic market What is the best way to pick your next market The business systems to you need to have fully functional before you consider opening a new branch The financial implications of starting a new branch How you as a leader will need to change to lead multiple locations The challenges you don't think about when you decide to expand See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, June 08, 2022
59. Prepping For a Downturn: 4 Things to Do If This Market Makes You Nervous - Benji & Igor
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click: https://trybta.com/PCEP59 As we say all the time on the Contractor Evolution show, business is a game you have to play for the long run. One situation you are inevitably going to face at some point, or many points, is an economic downturn. Or Recession. Or Meltdown. Whatever you (or the media) wants to call it. You get what I’m saying though. Business isn’t just about winning when the times are good and everyone is fat and happy. You also need to know how to play the game when things aren't so flush. Now I want to be clear. We are not economists. We don’t have a crystal ball. We’re not in any way trying to guess what the market is going to do. However, we do try to stay current and provide value to our listeners, and lately this conversation, around the market, what's ahead, and what to do, seems to be coming up a lot with our contractors. While we’ll be the first to tell you we have NO IDEA what’s going to happen, I think we can all agree there are a lot of flags on the field right now. There are a lot of scary headlines, and that's making people nervous. Fair enough. In this episode Igor and I are going to go over: Why a downturn isn't a bad thing and how to look at it from a new perspective How to identify true revenue drivers vs 'nice to haves' Why you need to create 2 business plans and 2 budgets when times are unstable, and what the 2 plans should look like The true costs of laying people off (which is beyond the loss of ROI) What reserves should you keep in place to make it through a rough period? What percentage of monthly revenue should you put away for a rainy day? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, June 01, 2022
58. Husband and Wife Team Doubles Revenue in One Year: Case Study - Channell & Curtis Murray
To apply for a Breakthrough Academy Business Assessment click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP58 Download your free Budget Tool for Rapid Growth here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP58 Today’s Episode is a case study with Curtis and Channell Murray of 180 Kitchens: A kitchen cabinet refacing business based in Vancouver BC. Listen carefully now okay? In one short year, they accomplished the following. -They increased their top line revenue by 250% -They moved their net profit from an already healthy 15% to a world class 22% -They doubled the size of their team - And they both work 15 hours a week less than they did before - Oh and just as a side note, they did all this with 3 kids under 5. So the obvious question is HOW? That’s what we’re going to unpack here over the next half an hour. We’re going to get into the story of how they tamed the chaos in their business, and most importantly they’re going to break down the three most crucial systems that underpinned this tremendous growth. Why, despite having a clear vision, Channell and Curtis struggled to make any gains towards it. What the first year of Breakthrough Academy was like and the unexpected learnings The first ‘big secret’ that led to a significant shift in how work got done at 180 kitchens 3 of the ‘big picture’ management tactics Channell and Curtis changed to create massive growth in 1 year How 180 Kitchens use GSR's to keep everything running efficiently and significantly reduced the need for BS meetings What life looks like now vs 2 years ago for Channell and Curtis See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, May 25, 2022
57. Listener Q&A: Recruiting & Hiring - Benji & Igor
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP57 To download the Hiring & Recruiting Tactics, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP57 About 2 months ago we put on our first digital Contractor Evolution Summit where we focused on recruiting and hiring. We had so many questions during the live event that we couldn’t get to them all so here are an additional 9 questions that were too good not to respond to. By the end of this episode you’ll know: Whether you should focus on recruiting "lifers' or also consider people you know will stay only a few years? If it’s a good idea to hire someone that aspires to run their own business The percentage of annual revenue that you should allocate to recruiting How do you get a high volume of applicants from your job ads and drive traffic to your ‘Work With Us’ page How to market to people that are already employed but not steal employees from your competitors When we recommend personality testing to determine culture/role fit in your company and how it can save you a huge amount of headaches See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, May 18, 2022
56. Solve Your People Problem with 'New School” Hiring Tactics - Brett Farrington
Interested in working with us? Let's chat: https://trybta.com/PCEP56 To download the Hiring & Recruiting Tactics, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP56 When it comes to solving business problems there will always be hundreds of theoretical or formulaic sounding answers floating around out there. There is certainly value in these more textbook concepts, but one of the best ways we entrepreneurs learn is by simply listening to how other entrepreneurs have solved the same problem. The problem we’re going to dissect in today's episode is a recruiting and hiring one. Today on the show we’re excited to have Brett Farrington, owner of Renova Exteriors and Holiday Spirit Lighting. In the late summer and early fall of 2021 Brett was faced with a massive recruiting gap. His projections for the year's sales and production clearly showed he would need about 16 staff to get through his busy season and execute everything. This created a pretty real “Oh Shit” moment for Brett, because at the time Brett only had 4 people on payroll. Now what's cool about this epiphany, and the steps he took thereafter, is his complete refusal to blame external factors or feel sorry for himself. Brett faced a seemingly insurmountable problem and instead of comforting himself with the all-too-often used excuses (millennials suck, covid ruined the workforce, no one wants to work) he put his head down and got to work. Now I don’t want to give away too many spoilers cuz I really want you to hear it from him, but some of the highlights for me were: The game plan that Brett came up with to eliminate the labour challenge he was facing How to methodically establish the #'s needed to run a successful recruiting strategy How Brett reverse engineered who he was trying to hire and how that played into the job ads descriptions The web and visual assets every contractor should create before running a recruiting campaign How Brett implemented a unique and highly effective incentivized employee referral system The mind-blowing results that Brett got by changing his recruiting tactics from ‘old school’ to ‘new school’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, May 11, 2022
55. How to Implement a CRM Without Giving Yourself a Migraine - Ben Hodson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP55 You can find the Building Business Youtube Channel From Job Nimbus here: https://youtu.be/dg25mpaz7eM If you took a survey of contractors right after the implementation of their first CRM or Project Management tool, many of the responses you’d get would sound something like: That was awful My head nearly exploded Truly the worst 6 months of my life for me and my team I never want to go through that again Technology and software are supposed to make your business life simpler and more efficient. So why do most entrepreneurs talk about the adoption period like veterans talk about the war or mothers talk about childbirth? This whole “tech overwhelm” thing, especially for contractors, is something we’ve been wanting to get some answers on for a while now, which is why we are so excited to have Ben Hodson on the show today. Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of JobNimbus which is one of our favorite pieces of contractor software, and we thought who would be better to teach us how to implement technology headache-free, than the guy who builds it. We’re fans of Ben and JobNimbus for a couple of reasons. It's super customizable and integrates easily with everything. It's relatively simple to implement compared to other CRM’s and they have a dynamite customer support team that is super hands on. So if you’ve purchased a CRM and barely used it, if you’ve been frustrated by your tech stack or lack thereof, or if you’re still managing your business on a spreadsheet but you’re ready to take the leap… this episode is a must listen. By the end of this episode you’ll know: The difference between contractors that struggle to implement new systems vs those that find it pretty easy How to use an “I.C.E.” decision making matrix to ensure you select the right CRM to begin with How to avoid the common “employee pushback” scenario and foster adoption of any new tech system How to identify all of the problems you face in business as one of two factors which then become easier to solve The elements of the trades and contracting sectors are ripe for disruption and what you need to be getting ready for The things that a serial CEO Ben Hodson wished he had learned earlier when running businesses See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, May 04, 2022
54. Breed Infectious Performance Culture With Better Team Events - Benji & Igor
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP54 To get the Team Event Planning Checklist click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP54 The interconnectivity of the individuals on your team is a huge predictor of success. When people know and trust each other they’re more likely to collaborate together on important work, they’re more likely to be honest with each other when it counts, and your business will be better for it. Your employees need to form deeper relationships than simply “someone I work with” in order maximize productivity and truly love their work; and part of your job as a leader is to foster this. In this episode of Contractor Evolution Igor and I discuss how to breed infectious team culture through better team events. We talk about how to plan and execute gatherings and get-togethers that your staff will rave about and thank you for. By the end of this episode you’ll learn: Why quality time off site with your team is so important to the quality of work getting done Things you as the leader should consider before planning a team event to get the most out of it Dozens of ideas that you can use to create team events that are fun, unique, and have a positive impact on your team, the business and the community How often you should be running team events depending on the size of your company How much you should budget for team events and what can you expect for ROI Some of the positive signs you will notice if you run team events for a year or more that go beyond profit See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, April 27, 2022
53. Construction Law Fundamentals: 5 Ways to Keep Your Butt Out Of Hot Water - Trent Cotney
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP53 To get the Contract Checklist click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP53 You want to keep your A$$ out of trouble. All ventures, big and small, face some form of legal risk and whether you realize it or not, the business of contracting is on the riskier end of the spectrum. You put thousands of hours of work every year into growing your company, not to mention the millions of dollars that get spent in the pursuit of growth. To do all of that on a shaky legal foundation is like building your dream home on sand. Because of this, smart entrepreneurs put effort and money behind proactive, preventative legal work, so that they can feel confident that the effort and money they are putting in is working to build something that will last. Our guest on the show for this episode is Trent Cotney, Partner at the firm Adams & Reese. Trent has been practicing construction law for 23 years and runs a large team of lawyers within the firm that specialize in various specifics of construction law. He’s written two books related to OSHA defense for contractors and is the General Counsel for the National Roofing Contractors Association. Needless to say, he is the best in the business when it comes to protecting yourself, and all things legal in our industry. In today’s conversation, we get into: Some of the most typical legal risks that a contractor faces and how to prevent them What a contractor needs to know about corporate structure and how to protect themselves Why when you cut and paste contracts from google you could be seriously screwing yourself How manuals and SOP's in your business serve a much bigger function than just getting the work done How to cover your butt when it comes to safety on site Why you need a crisis management plan and what goes into one so chaos doesn’t break out when things go sideways See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, April 20, 2022
52. Are you a Dreamer with Ideas or a Visionary with Traction? - Luke Hansen
Free Trial for CompanyCam: https://app.companycam.com/signup?email= If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP52 In this week’s episode of Contractor Evolution I sat down with a guest we’ve been trying to pin down for awhile, Luke Hansen. Luke is the founder and CEO of a CompanyCam, our favourite photo storage and site management app. Company Cam is purpose-built for contractors - it’s an intuitive platform to help you snap, store, sync and share photos of your jobs so that you, the owner, can better understand what's happening on site. No, I’m not getting paid to say this, I just really believe in what Luke and his team are doing. It’s so much easier to empower your crews to make decisions and drive production without having to get in your truck and go out and see them if you have great photo management. Plus, it covers your butt if anything goes to the lawyers. Luke in particular is one of my favourite CEOs in the contracting space. Not only because his product rocks but because he has a really unique perspective on life and business It's important to mention that before building a software and pitching venture capitalists, Luke was a roofer working for his family business White Castle Roofing so he understands the lived experience of the contractor because that was him not that long ago. In this episode with Luke Hansen we unpack: The problem Luke saw in his own business that led to the creation of CompanyCam How photo sharing empowers your staff and requires far less of the owner's time The 3 traits that separate a dreamer from a visionary with traction When it’s ok to look stupid in front of your peers How to know when it's time to delegate and elevate tasks as a leader Why perfection can easily be an enemy of something good See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, April 13, 2022
51. Get Things To Go Your Way With Active Listening - Benji Carlson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP51 To download the Active Listening Framework, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP51 There is one skill out there that very few people engage in, but when executed well leads to stronger social connections, increases your ability to problem solve, makes you a more interesting person, builds trust, and increases your effectiveness as a leader. That skill is active listening. I realize that listening seems like a no brainer, and you might feel the desire to skip over this topic, but if that’s what you’re feeling then this episode is probably exactly what you need right now. Active listening isn’t as easy as you think. In fact it’s one of those skills that can take YEARS to perfect. Which is why I want to run through a bit of a ‘Crash Course’ on how to improve your ability to get more out of your conversations simply by being a better listener. In today’s episode we’ll cover: How to maintain intense attention during a conversation, especially when you are naturally distractible The kind of body language, eye contact, and verbal cues you need to display to show you are open to listening to what a person has to say The best way to empathize with the person you are talking to so they feel comfortable opening up What you need to say after they’ve completed their statement so they feel they’ve been heard and understood The kind of detailed follow up questions you SHOULD be asking to keep the conversation interesting and yourself well informed The exact cues you need to be looking for that tell you you’re doing a good job See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, April 06, 2022
50. Immigration and Foreign Worker Programs: Tapping Into The International Talent Pool - Brooke Finlay
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP50 To download the Canadian Immigration Roadmap, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP50 Have you ever considered bringing in skilled workers from abroad? Think about it… you as an entrepreneur can’t find the people you need at home, so the next logical step is to seek help elsewhere. If overcoming the labour shortage and growing your business is something you care about, immigration and foreign worker programs are things you NEED to consider. And the sooner, the better. A surprising fact here in Canada is that our current demographic modelling shows that by early 2030, our population growth will grind to a halt and large scale immigration is likely the only way to fix that problem. Therefore, bringing in foreign help is quickly becoming NOT optional, and this applies to individual businesses and the economy as a whole. When done correctly, recruiting and integrating foreign workers into your business and community is a win/win. And it's something that you, the evolving contractor, need to have on your radar. Our guest on Episode 50 of Contractor Evolution is Brooke Finlay, Managing Partner of Whistler Immigration. Brooke is an entrepreneur and a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. She and her team help over 200 clients a year navigate the immigration process. Her firm connects business owners in construction and trades with the international talent and human capital they desperately need. Quick caveat. Brooke’s firm services Canada only (except Quebec). This conversation and the trends we discuss are still super relevant for our many American listeners, but we would advise you to find a local immigration consultant. By the end of this episode, you’ll discover: Why the need to bring in help from abroad exists in the first place The viability of using immigration as a tool to keep up with your recruiting needs What you, as the employer, are responsible for when bringing in a foreign worker How much it costs to bring in foreign labour The pro’s and con's of bringing in foreign workers Success stories of contractors who've brought in foreign workers PS - To get in touch with Brooke Finlay and Whistler Immigration, visit https://whistlerimmigration.com . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, March 30, 2022
49. Critical Conversations: How to Have Those Tough Talks You'd Rather Avoid - Benji & Igor
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP49 To download the Critical Convos Template click: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP49 The Los Angeles Rams have on the wall of their locker room a mantra. That mantra is, “The standard is the standard.” It serves as a reminder to the team that the standard is non-negotiable. Excellence is self-evident, and it is always the goal. No if’s and's or but’s. Now, the actual results may miss the mark. Perfection is not possible, and human beings by nature are error prone and that’s okay. They as a team can accept losses, dropped passes or other missed assignments. They learn from them, get better, more resilient, and move on. But what is NOT up for debate and never will be is the standard. Okay admittedly, I am a football nut, but lemme try and bring this back to our world. Your Business is a game of human beings making commitments and then following through. But where the real work begins is in the managing of the follow-through. The people in your business are going to make mistakes, are going to screw up, are going to have lapses in judgement, are going to say and do things they regret. This much we know is inevitable. What matters, is your ability to effectively coach them back to the standard. And this the hard part. Today's episode is on what we call Critical Conversations. How to communicate when the stakes are high. These are those conversations you know you need to have, but would rather avoid. Your project manager blows up inappropriately at a customer. Your Journeyman shows up hungover and late for the 3rd time in a month. Your usually excellent sub-trade partner messes up their scheduling and pushes your entire project back two weeks. You can’t build a performance culture, a strong brand, or leaders within without Critical Conversations and yet most people, even accomplished entrepreneurs, are terrified to have them. In today’s episode Igor and I break down a 5 step process for how to have these that will reduce whatever anxiety you feel about these and facilitate a way more productive conversation for everyone involved. We’ve also included a super easy to follow downloadable framework you can download and keep nearby. I hope you enjoy this, and remember, the standard is the standard. Why you need to uphold your standards, especially when it's uncomfortable How to decide if a Critical Conversation is worth engaging in so you don't waste your emotional energy How to define the focus of the conversation you're about to have Where you should have the conversation and how to set it up with the person you are talking to The way to have a critical conversation so that you'r
S2 Enull · Thu, March 24, 2022
48. Personal Life Planning that Drives Business Strategy - Blaise McDonald
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP48 While business tactics, skills and systems make up a big part of our discussions on the show, we’d be remiss to not also talk about the importance of having a balanced life outside the walls of your business. A lot of you are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, community members, fitness enthusiasts and adventurers. Balance is a virtue worth striving for and that means spending our time in a way that allows us to express our core values, be with the people we love, and do things that we enjoy. Yes crushing goals and making money is great, but if your life outside of that is empty, what are you really achieving with your time here on earth? So today on the show we’re going to explore how one super successful 8 figure contractor has implemented a life planning process to drive his business strategy and truly show up for the myriad other components of his life. Blaise McDonald owns Mac Renovations . Before MAC, Blaise was an industrial electrician working in a very hands-on capacity. Since entering the business 10 years ago, which was founded by his dad has gone from about 2 Million a year in revenue to close to 15 today. In that time, he’s grown his team from 12 employees to over 40 exceptional project managers, carpenters, sales people and administrators and he is one of the highest performing entrepreneurs we work with at Breakthrough Academy. In this episode you’ll learn: How a deeper and more meaningful “why” improves his clarity of thought, motivation levels, and entrepreneurial enjoyment The way to think about planning your business vs planning your life The detailed personal planning system he and his wife use to chart the trajectory of their shared life and how that drives his approach to business When you add life goals to your list of already existing business goals, does it make it easier or harder to achieve everything? How life balance is actually (almost) possible for a busy entrepreneur How to incorporate accountability into your personal goals See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Wed, March 16, 2022
47. Why the First 10 Minutes of Every Estimate Are The Most Important - Benji Carlson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP47 In a chess match, a player’s first sequence of moves is known as an “opening”. The opening is a memorized series of 8 to 12 moves that, ideally, sets up the chess game in an advantageous way for the player. Execute the right opening and you’ve created some leverage for yourself. Execute the wrong opening, or make a mistake during it, and you’re fighting an uphill battle. Now when I say “Master your Opening” what I’m talking about specifically here are the first few minutes of your sales call. I’ve heard different businesses call sales calls different things. You might call it an estimate, a quote, a consultation, an appointment, a design meeting, a discovery meeting, but for the sake of clarity I’m going to refer to it as the sales call. I know what you might be thinking. Aren’t the last 10 minutes the most important? Aren’t those precious moments when you’re “closing” the most important? When a pen is being put to paper, or when a deposit cheque is being cut? The closing moments ARE crucial, but to me the opening is the most important because it’s what sets up the close. The customer usually makes up their mind about whether they would do business with you in the first ten minutes, not when they are staring at your quote. My goal in this episode is to increase your sales conversions by covering a few core principles which I’ve learned including: Why the first 10 min of your sales call is more important than the last ten minutes The 3 things that you need to accomplish in the first 10 min that will help you close the sale 1 little mindset trick to perform before you talk to your prospect How to convey likability right off the bat The best way to establish a Leader/Follower dynamic during a sales call Where to insert trial closes into your sales calls so the customer doesn't ever feel blindsided See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, March 10, 2022
46. (UHF Series 6/6) Expectations Meetings: How Drawing the Line Early Breeds Success - James Dale
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP46 To download the Employment Agreement CQT click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP46 Welcome to Contractor Evolution and our 6th and final episode of the Ultimate Hiring Funnel series. Over the last 5 weeks we’ve tried to lay out the fundamental steps involved in attracting and hiring the talent your business deserves. Building a world class hiring funnel is not an easy thing to do, but nothing important ever was. And if building a rockstar team isn’t at the top of your priority list, I don’t know what is. Last week we talked in depth about the interviewing stage, but we aren’t quite done yet. To close this process out we need to talk about the all important Job Offer Call and Expectations Meetings. One thing that a lot of contractors struggle with is holding people accountable. Employees make up their own expectations, standards slip, and your frustrations mount. The expectations meeting solves this by clearly articulating the standards at the precise moment when your new employee is the most malleable. Remember this, you can’t hold the line with someone if you never drew it in the first place. To walk us through this we’re excited to have James Dale returning to show. James is the Director of Training and Development at Breakthrough Academy. He’s hired and conducted expectations meetings for 100’s of staff all the way from labourers to executives. He’s the brains behind the BTA Management System which he and his team of coaches help implement into the businesses of 400 fast growing contractors. It also should be mentioned that his fantasy football team is off the chain this year, and he has a black belt in krav maga. So let's conclude this ultimate hiring funnel series with James Dale where we’ll discuss: What's the Job Offer Call and why do you need to conduct one? How to get your candidate excited about the job they are about to start The best way to reinforce the positive attributes of a new hire while prepping them mentally for inevitable on-the-job coaching The prep you need to do BEFORE you go into an Expectations Meeting The 5 parts of the Expectations Meeting that allow a really strong start for any new employee How to come across as a strong leader a new hire can trust See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, March 03, 2022
45. (UHF Series 5/6) Interviewing Fundamentals With One of The Best In The Game - James Alisch
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP45 To download the Interview Guide Tool, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP45 If you’ve been around long enough you already know the cost of one bad hire….to your profitability, team morale, your brand, and your own personal stress levels. But what I want you to think about is the cost, over your entire career, of not being an exceptional interviewer…. being someone that is susceptible to frequent hiring mistakes. As we say all the time on this show, you run a people driven business. Your ability to objectively analyze someone’s previous behavior, and predict their future performance with a high degree of accuracy is one of the deadliest skills you can have as an entrepreneur. Your growth potential is directly related to how well you can team build, and interviewing is arguably the most crucial step in the whole process. Understanding a candidate - not just in terms of what is on their resume, but their deep rooted wiring, personality style, strengths, weaknesses, core values, and their wants and needs for the future - allows you to be an extremely precise decision maker when it comes to personnel. This is why we are very excited to be joined by James Alisch - Managing Director of 1-800-GOT-JUNK: the world’s largest junk removal service. James is at the helm of a brand doing 490 million dollars a year in revenue, and is executing a multi year strategy to exceed 1B by 2025. Over the course of his extensive career, James has done literally thousands of interviews to build power house teams. He knows interviewing inside and out, and we’re thrilled to have him on to share his wisdom and insight on the topic with you. In this episode of Contractor Evolution we unpack: The 3 things a good job interview should accomplish How to 'Peel back the onion' on a job applicant in the interview process to see their true character The way to interview for character traits and core values so you don’t have to fire them 3 months later The Interview Scoring Matrix and how to use it to evaluate an applicant's aptitude for the job How to manage your energy during the interview to come across as a strong leader The 'Beer & BBQ' test that an applicant should pass when you're interviewing See omnystu
S2 Enull · Thu, February 24, 2022
44. (UHF Series 4/6) Filter Out The Time Wasters with The Perfect Interview Set Up Call - Danny Kerr
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP44 To download the Contractor Interview SetUp Call click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP44 Hey, Welcome back to Contractor Evolution and episode 4 of our 6 part Ultimate Hiring Funnel Series. Last week with Asad Zaman we talked about some of the active recruiting and promotional tactics you can lean on besides just your basic job boards. At this point in the funnel you should be starting to receive applicants… and if you’ve followed the best practices shared over the past 3 episodes you should have quite the volume coming at you. As we said last time, making a good hire is impossible if you have no one good to choose from. So now that you’ve solved that problem, the question becomes, “How do we prioritize and convert our best applicants into interviews?” This applicant flow management and interview set up call stage is an unbelievably important step and one that entrepreneurs often don’t take seriously enough. Not Taking it seriously leads to you wasting your time on the wrong candidates, or worse - being no-showed by your interviewee. To walk us through this we’re lucky to have Danny Kerr, managing director at Breakthrough Academy. Before starting Breakthrough Academy, Danny was the head recruiter for all of Western Canada for College Pro Painters. He’s the best person we know at this critical flow management and interview set up stage. In this episode we cover: The most efficient way to categorise, process and schedule applicants How to treat referral candidates vs outside applicants The best way to get people to open up on the phone so you get a better sense of who you’re really talking to The questions to ask to draw out their true motivations When to bring up ‘Deal Breaker’ questions The best way to close out the call and transition to the next phase of the process See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, February 17, 2022
43. (UHF 3/6) Active Recruiting Tactics: The 3 Talent Pools To Fish For Qualified Candidates - Asad Zaman
If you'd like to apply to be a Breakthrough Academy member, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP43 To download this episode's free transcript "Where to Find the Top Candidates" click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP43 Welcome back to Contractor Evolution and episode 3 of our Ultimate Hiring Funnel Series . I want you to think about your current recruiting strategy. How much of it relies on lucking out and having the right person see your posting at the right time? Are you actively recruiting for top talent or passively waiting for a needle in a haystack? Making a great hire is impossible if you don't have anyone good to choose from. This is why 90% of the hiring problem is fundamentally "Top of Funnel". You can practice your interviewing skills all you want (and we will go over this in the next episode), but if you don't have a great pool of candidates to interview, where does that leave you? We've all at some point felt the frustration of posting an open position on a job board only to find that a few days later, only a few completely unqualified people have applied. This 'hope and pray' strategy has led many lesser entrepreneurs to all but abandon the search entirely, comforting themselves with stories and excuses that often blame lazy millennials, COVID, or government policy. But that's not you. As an evolved contractor, you know the promotion of your job ads and your employer brand is the missing link in this all-important chain. We're excited to have Asad Zaman on the show to speak in-depth on active tactics and promotional recruiting. Asad is the CEO of Sales Talent Agency, an international recruiting agency that has helped acquire talent for over 1,500 companies - some of them you may know: Harley Davidson, SAP, IBM, Salesforce, and Sonos, to name a few. Toronto Board of Trade named Asad Toronto's Young Professional of the Year for 2019, and you'll see why in this episode. This guy is seriously dialled. There is a good reason why we chose to bring someone from outside the trades and construction space in for this topic - because the level of sophistication in recruitment, employer brand, and all things hiring - is much more evolved in other industries like tech, where he plays. There is a ton that we learned from today's conversation. In today's episode, we explore: The three talent pools available to any entrepreneur and why most of us just barely tap into one The way to think with "strategic empathy" and how placing yourself in the shoes of a candidate will lead to way better results Some specific ways you as an employer can stand out in a highly competitive market The best way to make a compelling offer to your target candidate The (in
S2 Enull · Thu, February 10, 2022
42. (UHF 2/6) How to Write a Job Ad That A-Players Apply To - Josianne Gaudette
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP42 You can get in touch with Josianne Gaudette by contacting her company https://crewhr.co To download the Job Ad template click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP42 This is episode 2 of our 6 part Ultimate Hiring Funnel series. Remember we walked you through how to build the all-important Ideal Candidate Profile so hopefully now you've got at least a bit of an idea how to break down a role, reverse engineer that avatar, and really think through the type of person you want to hire. Now the question is how do we use that profile to write an engaging posting that top quality applicants can't help but click on (and apply to). So to do that we're joined by our amazing guest Josieanne Gaudette of crew HR who you should remember from last week's awesome episode. We're going to break down a super easy-to-follow framework that will have you writing compelling job postings that attract the best candidate. And don't worry, you don't need to be a Wordsmith to do this. Josianne also takes us through the all-important do's and don'ts and then how to evaluate your job postings on the scale from amateur to world-class. Some other episode highlights include: The difference between a job posting and a job description What needs to be in a headline to stand out in today’s competitive market How to write a job ad that gets a high performer excited to work at your company The 8 Part proven framework of a winning job ad The best way to visually lay out your job ad Some of the best and worst practices when creating job ads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, February 03, 2022
41. (UHF Series 1/6) Ideal Candidate Profiles: Begin With The End In Mind - Josianne Gaudette
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP41 To get the Ideal Candidate Template and Examples click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP41 You can get in touch with Josianne by contacting her company https://crewhr.co Welcome to the first part of our Ultimate Hiring Funnel Series, today is episode 1. I'm going to talk quickly about what this entire series is about and then I'll get to today's episode. So look - it is no secret that hiring is hard. Like really hard. Especially in our construction and trade Industries. Labour shortages are a real thing, and yes, perhaps Millennials and Gen Z’ers aren't as gritty as older Generations may have been. And also yes, the government has paid a bunch of people to stay at home for over a year-and-a-half leading to a super lethargic Workforce. We get it. But look, it is what it is and can’t do much about the above factors. What you can do though is build the best hiring funnel in your market…and that is exactly what the next six episodes are going to be all about. Over the coming weeks we're going to explain in plain English how you can think like a marketer and start building an Employer Brand that attracts top talent. It doesn't matter whether you are a seasoned pro, or you just started your business this year. It also doesn’t matter what trade you are in. If you’re in home services and you want to build your dream team this series is for you. Today is episode 1 and we couldn't be more excited to launch the series with our favourite recruiter Josianne Gaudette. Josianne runs Crew HR here in Vancouver. She has a master's in HR and over her extensive 18-year career she's been involved in the hiring of over 600 roles for her huge book of clients. We here at breakthrough Academy have also worked with her a ton over the years and she is a true expert in all things recruitment. In today's episode she teaches us how to make an Ideal Candidate Profile which is the primary building block for any hiring funnel. Think about it - you can't hire the right person if you don't know exactly what you're looking for in the first place. While that might seem kind of obvious a lot of people mess this up. Josianne explains in no uncertain terms how you can gain tremendous clarity about who you want, and then how to leverage that Clarity throughout the rest of your hiring funnel. In this episode we cover: What an Ideal Candidate Profile is and why you don't want to post a job ad without one How to systematically establish deliverables and accountabilities on an Ideal Candidate Profile Where personality traits fit in, and how to establish the the traits that will fit the role <li aria-le
S2 Enull · Thu, January 27, 2022
40. Contractor Q&A - 5 Questions About High Level Leadership - Igor and Benji
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP40 Every once in a while, Igor and I like to go through listener questions and really get a grip on the challenges you’re going through daily. So in this week’s episode of contractor evolution I’ve sifted through a few hundred listener/member questions and selected 5 on leadership. Based on the conversations I have every week, I believe these are common challenges for most contractor business owners. In this episode we cover: The most critical management rhythms that keep a company growing 2-3 Keys to retain superstar employees The 2 step process to create raving fans out of your customers The recommended percentage of revenue you should spend on advertising Which types of marketing should be done in a specific order How to implement a culture of accountability without scaring people off See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, January 20, 2022
39. The 3 Most Important Traits For Managers And How To Interview For Them - Igor & Benji
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP39 A growing company needs people to step up and lead divisions, initiatives and small teams. While this may be plainly obvious to you, what is less clear is how to assess whether or not someone has what it takes to step to the plate and be a driving force in your business. What traits do you interview for before making someone a General Manager, Site Supervisor, or Crew Leader.. or some other leader within? In this episode Igor and I tackle this question, having completed north of a thousand interviews for a multitude of leadership roles. We talk about: The three critical traits every leader in your business needs to have The specific questions you need to ask during an interview to assess someone’s ability to lead How to ask questions the interviewee can’t BS their way through What’s at stake if you hire someone without the 3 characteristics Examples of people who lack of these traits and how they will show up on the jobsite The difference between which traits you can train vs which ones you can’t See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, January 13, 2022
38. Proposals That Sell Themselves; The Easiest Way To Boost Your Closing Ratio - Ryan Shantz (Sumo Quote)
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP38 To download Ryan Shantz' sample quote, click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP38 When you add up all the quotes, estimates, proposals (whatever you call them) that you do in a year and consider the sheer volume of sales opportunities your business has every season, you realize that even a slight boost in efficiency has a massive impact on how much revenue you sell. If you could land one more deal out of every 10 quotes you give. How many dollars would that add up to? How much more profit would your business generate with no extra effort. Do the math… Seriously… the number might surprise you because it’s a lot. One of the easiest ways to maximize your closing ratio is by leaving your customer with a beautiful and informative proposal that does a bunch of the selling for you. Something that not only articulates the scope of work in precise detail, but also showcases your brand as the obvious solution to your customer’s problems. It turns out there is actually a formula to building such a perfect proposal, and to walk us through it we have Ryan Shantz on the show today. Ryan is the Founder of SumoQuote. For years, Ryan has obsessed over how to craft the perfect proposal that will stand for itself and drive more sales. Why is he qualified to be a subject matter expert on this topic? Well, for years prior to SumoQuote, he has owned (and still owns) a massive 8 figure roofing company in Calgary, Alberta. When he implemented these high level proposals into the company their closing ratios shot up from 27 to 44 percent. On today’s show he breaks down the ingredients that go into a proposal that sells itself. In this week’s episode we discuss: The 5 core items that exist in proposals that sell themselves The simple key image that is most likely to impact the homeowners decision (that most quotes leave out) The psychology behind strategically placed visuals and graphic design Where to include social proof in your design to increase SR New ways to make it super easy for the customer to say yes How a better proposal allows you to scale your sales team while protecting you from liability So if you want to close more, charge more, and save time, this episode is a must listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S2 Enull · Thu, January 06, 2022
37. The 5 Advisors You Need To Turbocharge Your Business - Igor & Benji
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP37 Where your business ends up in 10 years depends on a few things. Your effort. The market. Your people. Some luck. The list goes on. The other predictor that may (or may not) be on your radar is the quality of advice you get. Having a true team of “Experts” in your corner can and will have a pronounced impact on where you end up as an entrepreneur. Consulting with specialized advisors is one of the highest leverage activities available to you. It's like adding 50 yards to your drive without swinging any harder. If you haven’t carefully curated the professional advisors that sit in your corner, I promise you, you're leaving dollars on the table. Look, you’re more than likely gonna spend a decade plus at this … Don’t you want to maximize the return on your blood, sweat, and tears? Good advice is worth A LOT. So in today’s episode we examine the 5 professional advisors that every contractor needs to turbocharge their business. We’ll be covering: The 5 advisors that will significantly impact where you end up At what stages of your business growth do you look at bringing these advisors in? What to look for when you are selecting these advisors to ensure you don’t get screwed by the sea of imposters out there. Some of the specific frameworks these advisors will be helping you establish Where to find the best advisors in some of these areas What do you stand to lose by not engaging the services of these specific advisors? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, December 30, 2021
36. Debunking The Generation Gap - Eric Termuende
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP36 To learn more about Eric visit his website at https://www.erictermuende.com/ or purchase his book RETHINK WORK here https://www.erictermuende.com/rethink-work/ What’s up with the new generation? People have been complaining about “kids these days” since before the dawn of time. This whole “young people are entitled and don’t know how good they have it” thing isn’t new, and it seems to be an especially well used trope in trades and construction. When you have young 20-somethings demanding a higher hourly wage than you ever made and the quality of their work is suspect, it's tough NOT to be a little cynical. This puts you in a tough spot because as infuriating as some of the Gen-Zers and Millennials are to you, the physically demanding nature of your business means you need to find a way to connect, attract and lead young people. The other pitfall of cynical thinking is that you paint a huge population with too broad a brush. Writing off 70 million people as “lazy” is, ironically, a form of laziness in and of itself. For every blue-haired tick tocker that makes your eyes roll, there is a quiet mechanically minded kid who wants to work with their hands... and it's your job to find these youngsters and showcase what an amazing lifestyle and career IS possible through trades and construction. Our education system definitely ain’t doin it, so like it or not, this responsibility lies squarely with you… the evolving contractor. To bridge this gap and debunk some myths, we’ve brought in Eric Termuende, a leadership author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Eric specializes in working with organizations to build incredible teams and attract the next generation. Eric delivers north of 75 keynote speeches a year to large organizations like John Deere, Zoom, Amazon, Toyota and various Trade Associations. He is the author of the book, RETHINK WORK and has been unpacking the generational challenge for the last 7 years. In this episode we cover: How the changing world ends up shaping each generation in a unique way Why approaching the conversation in terms of this generation vs that generation is ass backwards How to leverage the story you already have to catch the attention of ambitious, driven and loyal young people. How the physically demanding hands-on nature of your business may actually be its most attractive feature rather than a detractor. How you need to conduct yourself as the owner and leader of the company to bring in young talent The super simple method any leader can use to quickly build trust in the
S1 Enull · Thu, December 23, 2021
35. How To Evolve From 'Boss' To 'Coach' - James Dale
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP35 To download the 3 stages coaching pdf click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP35 What are you working so hard for? Money for you and your family. And the time to enjoy it. Most evolving contractors want both. The finer details of the picture may change from entrepreneur to entrepreneur, we are all unique. But for a lot of us, our dream life and business is centered around more money and more time. You can’t really savour one without the other. Now, as you’ve definitely realized already, this dream is impossible without competent staff who can independently solve problems, make decisions, and drive the business forward. Developing leaders within is essential because if everyone and everything needs us, we’ll never feel the freedom that motivated us to start our company in the first place. Do you want empowered teams and leaders that execute well without you? Or a bunch of worker bees who need constant babysitting? The choice is yours. This is why “coaching” will always be more effective than “bossing”. To help us move from boss and coach, we’re joined by James Dale, one of our favourite recurring guests. As you’ve heard in other episodes James is Director of Training and Development for Breakthrough Academy. Today’s conversation is about situational leadership and how to coach your employees as they go through the 3 developmental stages associated with taking on a new role or learning a new skill. If you can’t develop talent your business will always run you! To avoid this, here are a few key points we go over: How to tackle the very common scenario of moving a skilled employee into a management role What happens to contractors that don’t see themselves as a coach in their business How to work with someone when they have low skill but high commitment The coaching style most contractors skip when their employees are doing OK that holds back big opportunities for growth How NOT to lead employees that have high competency and high commitment What to do when you are too busy to properly coach each employee that reports to you See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, December 16, 2021
34. How Tech Will Change The Contracting Game Over The Next Ten Years - Piers Dormeyer
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP34 If you’ve been a contractor for even a short period of time you’ve no doubt noticed that technology is changing the game…..and fast. There are technologies and softwares purpose-built to help you with nearly every aspect of your business. From lead gen to estimating, Bookkeeping to HR, inventory management to time tracking. No matter what the task is, there is some platform out there to help you with it. And if there isn’t yet there will be soon. Now, to be clear, I’m not saying randomly buying software subscriptions is going to fix everything. In fact, if you don't know how to navigate this world you can actually do more harm than good - and we’ll talk about how to avoid that mistake in the episode. But for evolved contractors planning to play this game for a while yet, the slow and methodical implementation of your tech stack is no longer optional. This is why we brought Piers Dormeyer to the show today. Piers is the president of Construction and Utilities at EagleView. If you’ve not heard of EagleView yet, let me give a great example of how tech is changing the game. They’re a geospatial software designed to help take estimating and project planning to another level. Let me explain: Eagleview owns and operates a fleet of over 100 aircraft that are constantly flying over the towns and cities of North America, taking high-resolution aerial photos of buildings and properties. These photos then get turned into hyper-precise diagrams accurate to a 10th of a foot. Think about it… you could drive to the customer’s house with a tape measure and a ladder, to spend an hour painstakingly measuring and estimating. Or you could order an EagleView Report and have all that data (images, 3d models, measurements) in seconds. No human error, no drive time, and way better information to build your pricing and project plan around. That’s probably why over 54,000 contractors ordered an EV report last year. Anyway, Piers’ background, before joining EagleView, which we’ll let him explain in a second gives him a super unique perspective on technology's influence on the contracting industry. In this episode with Piers we unpack: How the contracting tech space has changed in the last 15 years The specific tech stack that Piers would recommend if he were starting a contracting company from scratch The difference in mindset between ‘early’ adopters and ‘late’ adopters and where each path leads The process you should be using to both select and integrate new software into your business
S1 Enull · Thu, December 09, 2021
33. Strategic Planning To Pull You Out Of The Daily Grind - Igor, Danny, James
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP33 To download our Annual Strategic Planning Quick Tool click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP33 You could say that there are two groups of businesses out there - ones that put actual thought into where they are headed, and ones that do not. It’s no secret that all high performing organizations in the world put some real brain space into mapping out the future, in order to be able to channel resources and human energy towards achieving intentional goals. Our company, Breakthrough Academy - which brings you the Contractor Evolution show - has been ranked among the country’s fastest growing companies for years in a row, and one of our big keys to success has been our rhythmic Annual Strategic Planning process that happens every December. One of my favorite quotes about entrepreneurship comes from Stephen Covey, and it goes something like this “all things are created twice - once in the mind, and then in real life” . What that means is that everything you want to make a reality - the lifestyle you’re after, the income you want to make, the size of business, specific employes and leaders to have inside of your company, the dialled in CRM, or perfect, beautiful office - will first come to life in your mind, and then be created into reality. A great mechanism to allow this creative process to unfold is the Annual Strategic Planning ritual. For years, it has been the arena to reflect, to dream, vision, and create a path for a brilliant future. In today’s episode, the three Directors at Breakthrough Academy come together to give you a peak behind the curtain and tell you about how they go about their Annual Strategic Planning process. We have Igor Trninic, our Managing Director, James Dale, our Director of Training and Development, and Danny Kerr, BTA’s Director of Assessment, as we give you a play-by-play of how they plan the future and bring it to reality with extraordinary accuracy. On today’s show, we dive into: What’s at stake for you personally if you don’t take the time for Strategic Planning? Why you SHOULDN’T be planning in a boardroom with whiteboards and laptops - and where to go instead How do you know when you’ve got a plan that will work vs a pipe dream on paper? The 3 things you should come away with once you’ve completed your Annual Strategic Plan The step-by-step process BTA uses when we plan they the next year The critical moves that happen immediately after your Annual Strategic Plan that ensure momentum So let’s dive into Strategic Planning, with Igor, Danny and James. See omnystudio.com/listener
S1 Enull · Thu, December 02, 2021
32. 3 Brutally Honest Observations After 1000+ Contractor Business Assessments - Benji Carlson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP32 To get the Strategic Planning Quick Tool click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP32 This episode is going to be a little different from our typical format. While a lot of our other Contractor Evolution episodes are more instructional, this one is more of an in depth observation of the contracting and trades industry on a personal level. Over the last few years, I’ve conducted well over 1000 business assessments, each lasting roughly 2 hours, where I dive deep into the biggest challenges each contractor is facing. What becomes blatantly obvious over time is that most of the issues I see come back to 3 core problems that are totally preventable. So in this episode I’m going to lay out (or maybe rant a little) on a few key points: General observations after conducting more than 1000 business assessments with contractors 3 easy to avoid mistakes that 9 out of 10 contractors are making in their everyday decisions The area where a company falls apart when there is no clear vision Why being the ‘nice guy’ sentences you the death of a thousand cuts The biggest opportunity for recruiting that is sitting right in front of contractors faces but few recognize it A rant that most contractors need to hear about where they focus their efforts General observations after conducting more than 1000 business assessments with contractors 3 easy to avoid mistakes that 9 out of 10 contractors are making in their everyday decisions Specifically where a company falls apart when there is no clear vision Why being the ‘nice guy’ becomes the death of a thousand cuts The biggest opportunity for recruiting that is sitting right in front of contractors faces but few recognize it A rant that most contractors need to hear about where they focus their efforts See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, November 25, 2021
31. Is Your Bookkeeper Competent? - Morgan Ray
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP31 You, more than likely, didn’t start your business to stare at quickbooks, reconcile receipts, or painstakingly track every expense down to the penny. You started your business because you had a vision, you wanted to lead, and you wanted to create. Being an entrepreneur was the best vehicle for that. And while your big picture thinking is critical to success, let’s not forget at the end of the day your business needs to make money. This part of the equation can be extremely difficult without solid bookkeeping and accounting systems. You can build teams and process all you want, but if your business doesn’t reliably generate profit, you won’t be playing this game very long. While this concept is simple enough to understand... it's a lot harder to implement. Let’s not kid ourselves... tracking financial data really well and using it to make the right decisions requires great accounting infrastructure and the right person to do it diligently. The good news is that person doesn’t need to be you. Your responsibility is to assemble the right people around you to get this done successfully. The bad news is that a lot of bookkeepers can often be incompetent, unreliable, or straight up shady. And as a busy business owner it can be hard to find the true pros that ARE out there. To shed some light on this thorny issue we brought Morgan Ray onto the show. Morgan is Managing Partner at Bookkeeping for Trades - a professional bookkeeping firm built exclusively for entrepreneurs in the Trades and Construction space. Morgan’s firm has managed the accounting cycle for over 200 trades businesses helping them gain true financial clarity and increased margins. When it comes to bookkeeping for trades, she understands the needs of the market. In this episode we unpack: Why bookkeeping is so frustrating for contractors and why you aren’t alone in thinking it is The 2 kinds of bookkeeping and why 1 sucks and the other is pretty fun, but few contractors use it What a good bookkeeper SHOULD be doing, and also what they SHOULDN’t be doing The crucial security pieces every contractor needs to have in place to avoid fraud, embezzlement, or a nasty call from the tax man What good bookkeeping FEELS like to you the business owner, and how to know when you’ve nailed it The 3 traits you should be looking for when you hire a bookkeeper If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - <a href="http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Podcast+Description+Link&utm_content=Top+10+Bo
S1 Enull · Thu, November 18, 2021
30. Part 2: Where Did All The Good Talent Go? - Recruiting Roundtable with the BTA Coaches
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP30 To download the Employer Brand Quick Action Guide click here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP30 Last week was the first part of our Contractor Roundtable on the topic, “Where Did All The Good Talent Go?” In that first episode we reverse engineered the 7 patterns that top Employer Brands seemed to share. An Employer Brand, in case you are wondering, is a contracting business that attracts the best talent in the industry, regardless of what is going on economically. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, I suggest you add it to your playlist. This week we broke down 6 quick actions that any contractor could implement that makes them more attractive to potential applicants. In this episode we cover: The imagery and messaging to use on your job ads and landing page that attracts top talent How to leverage your Instagram account to peak the interest of potential applicants An easy way to add fun into your team culture so you can showcase it to the world The way to add style to your team that gets them and prospects excited An ‘outside the box’ referral program that you won’t find in most contracting businesses What’s at stake in the next decade if you don’t implement some of these things See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, November 11, 2021
29. Part 1: Where Did All The Good Talent Go? - Recruiting Roundtable with the BTA Coaches
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP29 To get the 7 Traits Of An Employer Brand PDF you can download that here: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP29 This conversation is a big one. If you’ve been following along and listening to our episodes each week you know we’re deeply committed to empower you, the evolving contractor, to build the business you dream of. We’ve talked about tactics and systems, habits and best practices, but we feel like there is this elephant in the room - which is none of this matters if you feel like your labour pool is evaporating before your eyes. And no, you’re not crazy, or alone. Millennials and Gen Zers aren’t as gritty as Gen Xers or Boomers. COVID has simultaneously increased demand for your services while shrinking the workforce you have to deliver them. If you're feeling the pinch in your hiring efforts right now, pay attention. On this episode of the show we are joined by three amazing Breakthrough Academy coaches - Danny Kerr, Thomas Cobleigh, and Ryan Gabel. FYI Breakthrough Academy Is the parent company to this Contractor Evolution Podcast and its where Igor and I work the rest of the time. Breakthrough Academy is a coaching and development program purpose built for fast growing trades and construction companies. Because we actively coach over 400 companies right now, and have coached hundreds more over the years, we have a very broad and powerful perspective on these bigger trends in the industry. We thought it would be fun to get some of our brightest minds together to discuss this labour shortage, where it came from, and what to do about it. In this episode we cover: The major trends we are seeing right now in the contractor labour market A simple solution you can implement today if you can’t afford top talent How to attract top talent and what it means to be an ‘employer brand’ The culture that attracts great people, how to build it, and how to measure it. The 7 Fundamentals you can leverage to become a top employer brand The characteristics of a present leader that a team chooses to follow See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, November 03, 2021
28. Accountability: Are Your People Doing What You Pay Them To Do? - Dave Stephens
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP28 To get your free GSR template (for a Project Manager) go to https://trybta.com/PCDLEP28 So if you listen to this show with any regularity, it’s pretty safe to say the organism that is your business is evolving. And while that’s an exciting feeling, it also brings about a feeling of uncertainty you’re probably familiar with…. Are my people doing what I hired them to do? Are they an ROI-generating asset for my business? Or are they just an expense? Are they executing at the level that I was back when I was doing their job (and a million others)? Or are they a costly piece of dead weight? I realize that might sound a little cynical. Or like we’re assuming the worst. But I’m sure most of you have had this thought cross your mind at least once or twice. When your business was small and simple. This question was pretty easy to answer. If you hired a laborer to work alongside you, you could see with your own two eyes that they’re completely effing the D. There’s the door. Bye! But as your company evolves, roles become more complex and nuanced, layers get added to the organizational chart, truly knowing how people are performing becomes less clear. So the question becomes…. How do we, as leaders, manage at scale? How do we make sure our individual team members are executing on their individual goals, so that we as a company hit ours? To answer this question we brought Dave Stephens on the show. Dave’s company, Lida Homes is an 8 figure custom home builder and high end renovation contractor. He runs a tight ship of 24, and specifically in this show we’re going to learn how he uses one on one Goal Setting and Review meetings (or GSR for short) to lead his 5 project managers to create award winning homes and customer experience. Over the last 3 years, he’s won the Canadian Home Builders Association’s builder of the year award, and over the last two has received the highest level customer satisfaction award in his Vancouver Island region. Dave directly attributes this success and recognition to the way he leads his team through GSR. His people do their jobs. Extremely well. In today’s Episode: What a GSR is and why it is important to both quality and growth in your business How to use a point system in your GSRs to create black and white accountability What a contracting business looks like before implementing GSRs vs after implementing GSRs How you can expec
S1 Enull · Wed, October 27, 2021
27. Stop Lighting Money On Fire With Your Digital Marketing - Marc Levesque
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP27 Link for Webrunner’s landing page layout: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP27 If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge If you’ve ever wasted money on marketing this episode of Contractor Evolution is for you. The fact of the matter is that there are a ton of marketing agencies out there that are more than happy to take your money even when they aren’t sure they can get you results. Want to know how to filter out the great marketers from the shitty ones? This episode will give you the 6 key questions to ask, as well as what you need to do BEFORE you talk to a marketing agency so you see great ROI when you get the ball rolling. Episode Highlights: What questions should you ask to filter out good marketing agencies from those that are good at BS? What are the best marketing strategies for contractors that are working right now? What are 2 core elements a great marketing agency can clearly show you a poor agency can’t Which marketing strategies are a clear waste of time for contractors? How to know when you are ready to hire an outside agency 1 increasing marketing trend that contractors need to pay attention to in the next 5 years See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, October 20, 2021
26. 10 Books Every Contractor Should Read - Benji Carlson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP26 One of our mantras here at Contractor Evolution - LEADERS ARE READERS!!! Lemme unpack that…. As a great leader, you know you don’t know everything. More importantly, you’re totally okay with that, and you’re actively working to shrink those knowledge gaps and timeframes by tapping into the wisdom and experience of people smarter than you. Whatever challenge you're facing right now, someone’s already solved it and captured their learnings for you in a book you can read or listen to. Thinking that you should have all the answers already is insane. So today’s episode is Contractor Evolution’s “Must Read” List I know you don’t have an abundance of time to sit in a lounge chair, sip chamomile tea and leisurely work through a list of books. But the fact that your listening to this podcast means you don’t use your busy life as an excuse to not be constantly improving. So if you can find a spare minute or two, here is what we recommend you dive into. Now to keep things organized, we’ve structured this list in a particular way After working with thousands of Contractors, we’ve observed a pretty clear pattern… There are 6 key areas in a contracting business that are often under-systemized. Think of these as 6 areas that are super important but very difficult to master. Budgeting & Financial Tracking Organizational Structure Recruiting and Hiring Training & Onboarding Sales & Marketing Goal Setting & Execution To help you along your own pursuit of excellence we’ve collected our favourite books in these areas. Some key highlights from this short episode are: 1 (not boring) book on budgeting that has you taking out profit before expenses A book that shows you how to structure your team when everything seems chaotic Which book to pick up when you want to hire the right people to replace you Where you can find information about a top tier interviewing system 2 Marketing and sales books that give you gamechangers to implement into your customer journey The undisputed most effective book on leadership as voted by Breakthrough Academy members See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, October 13, 2021
25. The Power Of Grit: Going From 0 To An 8 Figure Contracting Company - Kim Larson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP25 To watch the full episode and access free resources go to www.contractorevolution.com If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge Episode #25 of Contractor Evolution is with Kim Larson of All Elements Design. Manage. Build. Kim is truly one of our highest performing contractors in the Breakthrough Academy Program. She’s an awarding-winning luxury high-performance home builder in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Some people have grit, some have talent. Kim is one of those rare individuals who has both and she has a story that needs to be heard. While she enjoys success today (she’s won many awards including Best Design-Build Firm in BC, her waitlist is booked out a couple of years in advance, and she owns a massive portfolio of income-generating real estate), it wasn’t that long ago that she had to decide between feeding herself or putting gas in her car. And that’s what I think I love most about her story of perseverance… how close she came to not being the success she is today. And I think that’s the case for a lot of people at the top of their game. Big risk equals big reward In Today’s Episode Kim tells us: Why it pays to work for free in the right circumstances The big picture benefits of never compromising on quality The core principles that took Kim from 1 to 10 million a year in annual revenue Whether you should you hire for a role before you can afford it? How do you maintain quality as you scale? 2 key pieces of advice for young trades entrepreneurs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, October 06, 2021
24. How 1 Painting Contractor Achieved Explosive Growth In A Totally Different Way - Eric Barstow
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP24 You’ve heard the expression “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” ? Sorry for the graphic intro, but the point is there is always more than one way to get a job done. The same holds true for scaling your business. While the growth path for most trades and construction companies follows a similar pattern, there are some entrepreneurs who truly see scaling as one problem with many possible solutions. Eric Barstow of Foothills Painting and National Painting Group is one of these entrepreneurs. Some of you may know him from his huge online painting community called Painting Business Pro , or his massive YouTube following. Eric has followed the path less traveled by using an innovative partnership model that takes the intense pressure to grow - most of us are familiar with - and share this load with capable partners. I’ll let him break down his actual model, but for you the listener, what we really hope you take away from this episode is that while Eric's model is A-Typical, it WORKS . This guy has done it a different way, so what could a different way look like for you? I hope his story helps put the expansion of your business in a new light. What got you here, won’t necessarily get you where you want to go. It rarely does. And being exposed to a completely different approach to business growth could help you creatively problem solve your next few moves in the pursuit of excellence. Eric has accomplished a tremendous amount as a young guy - his business is doing a very profitable 11 million dollars a year in revenue, and headed for massive growth in the coming years. However, his path to get here has been full of huge challenges and massive setbacks, which he openly shares with us in today’s episode. One of the things I really appreciate about Eric is his ability to absorb failures and learn from them in a powerful way. In today’s show, we dive into many of the significant challenges he’s run into, and his greatest lessons coming out of them. So let’s dive into both Eric’s unique expansion model and some of the lessons he shares with us including: How pursuing multiple opportunities stunted Eric’s growth Why Eric doesn’t like the traditional Franchise model to scale The unique model Eric has created that has allowed him to scale to 11 million and maintain balance Why pursuing fast growth ironically led to a 2 year setback How to spot opportunity and why you want to avoid the flashy ones The reason setting goals around personal income can lead to failure To watch the full episode and access free resources go to <a href="https://contractorevolution.com/?utm_source=Podcast+Description+Link&utm_
S1 Enull · Wed, September 29, 2021
23. Have You Built A Powerful Contracting Brand That Works For You? - Noel Fox
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP23 Brand has never mattered more than it does right now. People, the public, your customers, are busier than ever. Not only that, but the competition for their eyeballs, their attention, has never been fiercer. Between social media algorithms, shrinking attention spans, and an ever-expanding marketplace it can feel daunting for you, the small business owner, to stand out and be remembered. There is a reason why 1-800-GOT-JUNK can charge $1,000 to haul a load of junk when no one else can. It’s the same reason why you’ll happily spend $90 for a t-shirt at Lululemon, or why people will line up to spend $4,000 on a simple laptop at Apple. People know, like and trust the brand. Of course, being the next Lululemon may not be your goal, but if you look around within your industry (whether you’re a Landscaper, Painter, Builder, Roofer, or Sub Trade), there are numerous brands that carry mass influence. And if they’ve created it, you can too. If you’re serious about creating a lasting business, you must. It’s important to look at your brand as a foundation that you build your organization on top of. It’s an investment worth adding to, as a great brand will pay back in dividends over the course of your career. To explain the importance of branding, and the process of creating great brands in the contracting industry, we’re joined today by the best that we know of - Noel Fox from FreeBird agency. Having worked with Noel for years, both on creating the Breakthrough Academy brand, as well as your favorite podcast, Contractor Evolution, I can promise you that he is the real deal. Brian Scudamore, the founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK will also tell you that Noel is his #1 go to when it comes to bringing an impactful brand to life. Noel Fox and FreeBird agency have created industry-leading brands for companies such as You Move Me, Wow 1 Day Painting, Shack Shine and have been a massive part of the brand development of 1-800-GOT-JUNK as well as those famous lululemon bags you see on every street across the world. A few key pieces from this episode on brand include: What separates a great brand from an average brand? The thing contractors often get wrong with their own brand. How to leverage your brand for recruiting and hiring How to evaluate your brand the way a world class branding agency would The signs you’ll see when you have a brand that’s working for you <li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted"
S1 Enull · Wed, September 22, 2021
22. How To Hire For A Role You Don't Understand - Dr. Ken Keis
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP22 As your contracting business grows you’re going to encounter an interesting and complex scenario (and you may have already) that you are recruiting for, and hiring, a role that you know very little about. Here's a classic example - you’ve expanded to the point where you're hiring for a dedicated full-time office manager. Someone who oversees all the complex administrative elements of your multimillion-dollar contracting business. You get (generally speaking) how you want things to look when it comes to business organization, but my question is do you fully understand the intricacies of managing a CRM, or a project management software? Have you ever managed five different inboxes while handling all the calls that are coming in? Have you ever developed all these office processes that make sure that no details get missed. Whether you’ve gone through this process or are about to, you can definitely see how hard it would be to successfully hire and onboard for this. Maybe that's why most contractors' first office manager is literally running out the door in the first six months. There are going to be dozens of roles like the example above as you expand. Whether it be a marketing manager or an executive assistant, the point is that you are going to run into this situation many times in your career and it's going to require you to educate yourself on these roles that you may not understand, but you desperately need. In this week’s episode we brought back Dr. Ken Keis to share his insights and thoughts on this topic. Dr. Keis has been on episodes in the past and is a foremost expert on Personality Styles and how they relate to leadership. In this episode Dr. Ken Keis shares: The exact 5 step method that seasoned employers use to successfully hire for roles they don’t understand. The right way to research what responsibilities the new role will have (it’s not google). Why it’s a bad idea to copy and paste a job description from another company. A process that allows you to select for the right skills AND the right personality. The big mistake that almost every employer makes when they first hire for a role they don’t understand. What you need in place before a new hire starts that fosters loyalty and eliminates frustration. To watch the full episode and access free resources go to www.contractorevolution.com If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happ
S1 Enull · Wed, September 15, 2021
21. Do You Have A Project Manager Or An Overpaid Errand Boy? - Coach's Corner With Paul Atherton
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP21 In trades the terms ‘project management’ and ‘project manager’ have become somewhat watered-down. The unfortunate truth is that in our industry most project managers are actually just professional firefighters. That isn’t to say our PM’s are doing their absolute best, but what they're missing are the fundamentals that make the science of project management what it is in other industries. If you look at manufacturing, automotive, or oil and gas you'll see their PM's are following a set of guiding principles and best practices that allow them to complete projects of unimaginable scope and still come in on time and on budget. So this gap is something that our guest on the show today, Paul Atherton, helps address within the companies he coaches for Breakthrough Academy . Prior to becoming a BTA coach 5 years ago Paul was a professional engineer and project manager for a decade. He has project managed super large construction projects in various countries around the world. Since joining Breakthrough Academy Paul has worked with over a hundred contractors helping them achieve significant growth and success and one of the cornerstones of his coaching philosophy is the implementation of world-class project management systems. In this episode Paul shares some highly applicable insights including: 2 examples of what great project management looks like 3 Questions to ask a P.M. that allow you to determine their level of control over a project 5 Systems you can implement with your team that will allow you to hit or beat project deadlines The 3 personality traits to look for that make a great project manager Common mistakes contractors make when they hire and onboard project managers How to leverage a great project management system to set yourself apart from your competition If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, September 08, 2021
20. Built To Sell: The 7 Commonalities of Contracting Companies With High Valuations - Kevin Shaw
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP20 Here’s a common scenario: Two contractors have worked equally hard over 20 years in their businesses. At the end of the 20 years, one sells off their assets for $200K, while the other sells their business for $10M. What’s the difference? Planning. If you want to build a business of tremendous value that can thrive without you and allow you to cash out and move on, then Kevin Shaw , our guest on this episode of Contractor Evolution, has some invaluable insights to get you there. Kevin is the President and Managing Director of Canada Corporate Finance Baker Tilly , which specializes in mergers and acquisitions. Kevin has been involved in hundreds of business deals over the years. With all his experience, he gives us the 7 core areas he’s looking at when he values a business for sale. Unfortunately, these 7 areas can’t be built into your business overnight. Most take years to develop and integrate into your company, so it pays to understand them well in advance. If you have a vision for your business that involves you ‘Cashing Out’ one day, this episode is a must listen. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, September 01, 2021
19. Leading Through Themes - Coach's Corner with Ashley Ennis
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP19 Have you ever been frustrated by the fact that your team JUST DOESN’T GET IT? It’s so clear to you what needs to happen within your organization - what problems need to be solved, what priorities should be front of mind, where the effort of your organization needs to be, but most if not all of this is totally lost on your employees. Owners frequently overestimate how clearly they are communicating the standards that they have in their mind to the people who need to hear it most. This is why themes are such a powerful leadership tool for contractors to know about. Themes are a super process-driven way to make sure your team's action is aligned with that vision that's so crystal clear in your head. This is why we're really excited to have Ashley Ennis on this episode of Contractor Evolution. Ashley has previously run a highly successful window cleaning franchise system spanning seven states and provinces with 45 franchisees. Since then Ashley has spent the last four years as a business coach for Breakthrough Academy actively training and coaching 40 contracting home service companies and achieving the controlled growth that they want and they need. She uses themes with her Breakthrough Academy members to over-communicate business priorities and make sure that what needs to get done does. In this episode we dive into a bunch of really cool stuff including: How it’s possible to transform your team’s weakest point into its strength Why the most effective teams are not the ones that do the most The reason it can be dangerous to be the ‘ideas guy’, especially if you are the leader How to ‘layer’ themes in the right order so their results compound What common mistakes owners often make when they implement their first theme If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, August 25, 2021
18. Tax Strategy For Contractors (Because You're Probably Doing It Wrong) - Ben Dixon
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP18 When it comes to taxes you’re going to have to pay them whether you want to or not. However spending the time upfront to establish a solid tax strategy could save you up to 40% AND lead to a much bigger investment portfolio long term. It’s key to know your strategy BEFORE you even start your fiscal year so put an hour into this episode now and reap the benefits for the rest of your life. We bring in Ben Dixon, an accountant and tax strategist who has worked with a number of contractors on setting up a strategy that has them winning into retirement. In this episode you’ll learn: Why contractors get flagged for audits and how to avoid them How much you should pay yourself as an owner What to look for when you’re hiring an accountant - especially if you want them to advise you Equipment and land - know when to buy vs lease, and know what the bank wants to see When to know you are ready for a holding company (and no it’s not based on a financial figure) Why contractors that meet with their accountant only once a year often lose out on big financial opportunities If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, August 18, 2021
17. Career Meetings: The Best Way To Keep Your Top Talent For The Long Haul
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP17 To download the Career Meeting prep docs discussed in the episode go to https://trybta.com/PCDLEP17 How do you build loyalty in high performers? It’s not pizza night, go karting or laser tag. Another myth is that you need to pay them more. While those things help, they aren’t keeping ambitious, driven, and hardworking people on your team. By nature, the best performers are those that have built in self-improvement loops. They have an inner drive to learn and grow. That’s exactly what makes them great. So you need to make it VERY clear to them that you have a business and an environment that supports their goals and their desire to move up in the world. This is the entire purpose of the Career Development Meeting. You take the time to explore where your best players are aspiring to go, and then it’s your job to try to line that up with the direction your business is going. These meetings done properly take time and effort but they pay you back in dividends, especially when you consider the cost of losing your best players to the competition or their own ambitions. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, August 11, 2021
16. Personality Tests: A Scientific Method To Team Building - Dr. Ken Keis
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP16 How are you managing personalities on your team? Or are you? We’ve invited Dr. Ken Keis onto the show to discuss his methods for assessing personality, and how you can leverage your team’s innate ability to thrive by leveraging their personality styles in a scientific way. Dr. Ken Keis is the CEO of the Consulting Resource Group and developed the PSI (Personality Style Indicator) test, which is widely regarded as one of the most accurate personality tests in the world. His research has spanned decades and he regularly consults with companies to enhance the performance of their teams by simply putting the existing employees in the right roles. Dr. Ken Keis work has significantly impacted a number of the Breakthrough Academy members businesses so it was time that we brought him onto the show to openly share his wisdom with us. You can find Dr. Ken Keis by contacting the Consulting Resource Group at https://crgleader.com/ If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, August 04, 2021
15. Contractor Q&A 1 - Answering Top 10 Listener Questions with Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCPE15 Every business owner deals with a number of pain points on their journey to success. Whether that's recruitment challenges, stress and time management, or revenue and sales (to name just a few). Learning to navigate them alone can be tough (if not impossible). Being able to reach out to others in the industry and learn from their successes (and failures) enables you to navigate those humps. In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Benji and I have compiled 10 of the most frequently asked questions from contracting entrepreneurs and are stoked to share with you our experiences. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, July 28, 2021
14. Best Financial Strategies To Run A Profitable Contracting Business - Igor Trninic
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP14 Financials – the one word that can have even the most seasoned contracting leader running for the hills. But, sorry to break this to you, mastering a budget is a bedrock skill for your entire career as a business owner. Business owners who have a strong and solid financial plan (and a well thought-through budget) are able to be more decisive and end up with financial freedom. Well, can't you just hand it over to your bookkeeper or accountant, and be done with it? Afraid not...if you want to grow and succeed long-term. It's really not as scary (or dry/yawn-inducing/grey hair encouraging) as it may seem. So, where do you start? BTA's Igor Trninic to the rescue * cue superman music * In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Igor (our numbers whizz) breaks down what a solid financial plan looks like and the steps to get there. Basically, if you have Grade 8 math and you don't mind screwing up the first few times, you're already ahead of the game. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, July 21, 2021
13. Contractors: 3 Key Traits Of High Performers vs 3 Key Traits Of Low Performers - James Dale
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP13 Have you ever wondered what makes an elite contractor in your space ‘elite’? Or, to put it differently, have you ever wondered what keeps the chuck in the trucks stuck? Why, when two business leaders, with similar companies, in a similar space, with amazing services, does one succeed and the other, get caught in the growth plateau? The answer may surprise you (and no, it isn't luck). James Dale, Breakthrough Academy’s director of training and development, has a voracious appetite for helping entrepreneurs reach their utmost potential. Having worked with 100s of contracting entrepreneurs during his career, he has witnessed first-hand what it is that truly differentiates the elite contractor. James sits down with BTA's Benji and Igor to talk about the 3 common traits of elite contractors, and, conversely, the 3 destructive habits that hold contractors back from success. His insights will truly open your eyes. You’ll feel like your windshield has finally been cleaned. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, July 14, 2021
12. Sell More Jobs In Less Time By Making These 3 Shifts - Ryan Groth
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP12 Sales is, and always will be the lifeblood of your business. But if you're a business leader doing the lion's share of the selling and your team's closing rate is piss-poor (or even if it's, well, meh), you could be heading for a business blood clot. It's time for a sales blood transfusion! Otherwise known as the wise words from this episode's guest, Ryan Groth, CEO of Sales Transformation Group – a man on a mission to change the industry by working specifically with contractors to help them achieve explosive sales growth. Let's face it. As a business leader you really shouldn't be carrying the majority weight of the sales load – so how can you step aside, safe in the knowledge that your business won't go down the can? And another question: How is it your competitor manages to close virtually all their deals, when your team only manages In this episode, Ryan and BTA's Benji and Igor shed light on these questions by explaining three habits that separate the above average sales team from the elite. Mind...blown. It will be! To get in touch with Ryan and the Sales Transformation Group go to https://www.salestransformationgroup.com/ If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, July 07, 2021
11. 6 Ways To Run A Team Huddle That Doesn't Suck - Igor Trninic
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP11 Team huddles: What are they and why are they absolutely essential to long-term business success? You probably know them as team meetings, or perhaps the “bitch and moan fest.” It’s that one hour in the week/month/quarter when you gather your team to talk strategy, goals, and updates....and it turns into a complete gong show. Exhausting. They suck. What's the point? In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Breakthrough Academy's very own Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson explain why meetings are at the core of every well-run business, how it's your responsibility as a successful leader, and why us humans really need them. After all, contracting is a team sport. The guys break it down into a simple 6 step process that will instantly improve those team huddles. Let's just say, the BTA weekly huddle is the highlight of the team's week. Time to find out why. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, June 30, 2021
10. Team Or Talent; Where Should You Invest For Growth? - Toby Woodiwiss
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP10 "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." Toby Woodiwiss, painting contractor extraordinaire, is a firm believer in this philosophy; and the results, well, they speak for themselves. His business runs like a well-oiled machine thanks to a carefully selected team and investment in the ‘right’ people. It wasn't always this way. He admits he spent a lot of time (and money), on recruiting, onboarding, and investing in (what turned out to be) complete duds. So what changed? Woodiwiss sits down with Breakthrough Academy hosts Benji Carlson and Danny Kerr to talk recruitment, personality tests, why investing in your people should be your #1 priority, and, yikes, conflict resolution. His approach will blow your mind, and make you take a long hard look in the mirror. Don't say we didn't warn you. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, June 23, 2021
09. The Military Secret That Turned My Contracting Business Into A Production Machine - Will Brown
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP09 When Will Brown took over Brown Boys Roofing of Bentonville, Arkansas from his father four years ago, it was micromanaged to within an inch of its life. Will's father could never escape the business...no bathroom break for you! Fast forward to 2021 and by making one small yet significant change (which he learned from our friend Jocko Willink, thanks Jocko) he has turned his business around. He increased profits from $2 million to $10 million, has a team of high-performing problem solvers, AND he has cut the number of hours he works in half (his wife is a happy camper). What did Will do to score the ultimate contractor dream of work/life balance? In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Will talks about his journey and proves that getting your life back after starting a business isn't just a pipe dream. Always read the fineprint: Warning, listening to this episode could result in you running a highly profitable contracting business while you're out having fun on your skidoo or dirt bike. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, June 16, 2021
08. Unicorn Hunting: Secrets To Attracting And Building A Powerhouse Sales Team with Mason Marquis and Jesse Kreisman
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP08 Does the perfect high-performing sales team really exist? C'mon?! According to Mason Marquis, owner of Spray-Tex and Jesse Kreisman, owner of Alco Products Inc., it does...and once you've found the secret elixir, your business will finally be free to level up. Marquis had a hard time stepping away from sales. He loved it. And, more importantly, he didn't trust someone enough to release those reins. Kreisman in contrast understood that his business had hit a ceiling, and it would require a certain kind of salesperson (and not the kind we would expect) to break through the roof. What did these two incredibly successful entrepreneurs do to attract and hire sales superstars and what steps do they take so they don't lose those unicorns? (They also managed to step away from their business and they don't have to deal with any sales drama.) Breakthrough Academy hosts Benji Carlson and Danny Kerr sit down with Marquis and Kreisman in our latest Contractor Evolution podcast to ask the questions people are often too scared to ask. We've got you covered...no worries. If you are are growing, but working like a dog to make it all happen, take our 10 day, Evolved Contractor Challenge to free yourself - http://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, June 09, 2021
07. Become A Master Implementer, Step Out Of The Day-To-Day -Jason Hoke
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP07 How do you turn a one-man mowing business into a $1.5 million landscaping company? Just ask Jason Hoke, owner of A Cut Above Landscape in Colorado. When he took over the business, he bought himself a job. He was sleeping on a friend's sofa to make ends meet and spending 24/7 onsite or in the office. “I was more like an employee than a leader.” Fast forward five years and he has a team of 20 who service more than 10,000 jobs a year. Last year alone he saw a 50 percent growth in revenue, and he is about to smash those targets for 2021. He now works on the business, rather than in it (40 hours a week, max). How? He became a Master Implementer (yup, he was the winner of our 2020 BTA Implementer of The Year Award). In this episode of Contractor Evolution, hosts Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson sit down with Jason to discuss what it takes to turn a business around and why the traditional way of running a contracting company will no longer cut it. They ask the awkward questions and give exact examples of how systems and strategies will change your life as a leader. Oh, this is good. Trust us. To take the Free 10 Day, 'Evolved Contractor' Challenge to step out of the day-to-day of your business, got to https://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, June 02, 2021
06. Nail Your Employee Onboarding And You'll Retain Your Rockstars - Curt Janzen
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP06 In our latest Contractor Evolution podcast, Janzen, takes us on his company's onboarding journey, and reveals what makes his process so ridonculously successful in the world of contracting. Janzen kicked the old school way of onboarding to the curb (you know, the “welcome to the chaos, now shadow this dude and learn something or you're fired” style) and instead perfected a fast-track onboarding strategy that puts him way ahead of the competition. He has it so dialled in these days that people come knocking on his door inquiring about jobs. So, what's his secret? Welcome back to the rise of a new breed of contracting entrepreneur with Breakthrough Academy hosts Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson, who talk about what it takes to build a business people want to work for in this competitive landscape . . and make your life as a leader so much more enjoyable. Kick off your shoes, turn up the volume, and join us in our latest no BS interview where we dive deep inside the mind of a successful contracting entrepreneur, what works, and what doesn't, and more importantly, why and how. To take the Free 10 Day, 'Evolved Contractor' Challenge to step out of the day-to-day of your business, got to https://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, May 26, 2021
05. How This Drywall Millionaire Took 26 Weeks Off While His Business Grew - Graeme Bouvier
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP05 Can you run a multi-million dollar contracting business and take six months off a year? That's crazy talk! But in this Breakthrough Academy (BTA) podcast, 27-year-old contracting entrepreneur Graeme Bouvier gives it to us straight on how he actually made that possible. Graeme went from struggling to build a drywall business as a med student, while running around like a chicken with his head cut off, to becoming a leader of a $7-million drywall business with 80 employees...all while being able to take six months off to travel and just, well, enjoy life. And all this within a few short years. But how? Welcome to the rise of the contracting leisure entrepreneur, with Breakthrough Academy hosts Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson, who get down and dirty on how you can win in the contracting industry, become a leader, and reclaim your time. Kick off your shoes, turn up the volume, and join us in this no BS interview where we dive deep inside the mind of a successful contracting entrepreneur, what works, and what doesn't, and more importantly, why and how. To access resources, or watch this episode in video, visit www.contractorevolution.com To take the Free 10 Day, 'Evolved Contractor' Challenge to step out of the day-to-day of your business, got to https://www.btacademy.com/evolvedcontractorchallenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Wed, May 19, 2021
04. Ex Athletes; The Best Recruiting Pool For Your Contracting Business - Angus Reid
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP04 Every contracting leader has a story about the time they recruited someone who turned out to be a waste of space (and money); no-one has time for that, especially in the fast-paced world of contracting. In this episode of Contractor Evolution we sit down with two-time Grey Cup champion, motivational speaker, and business leadership coach Angus Reid who offers tons of fascinating insights on how to recognize and recruit the MVPs of the contracting world. He cuts through the BS to talk about what it takes to create a culture focussed on results, and the steps to get you there. It's time to talk sports and business, with Angus Reid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, May 13, 2021
03. Little Known Red Flags To Look Out For In Your Partnership - Scott Foran & Barry Hartman
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP03 Is your contracting business partner pissing you off? With 50% of business partnerships failing in the first 2-3 years, how do you ensure you don't become another statistic (or punch their lights out)? Early on 505-Junk founders Scott Foran and Barry Hartman had a major blowout and realized that they did not think the same. They divided up the responsibilities of the business based on what they thought they’d be good at, only to realize they were unhappy in their roles. However they weren’t communicating their challenges and it was now threatening to bury them. What they did next not only repaired their business partnership (and friendship), but resulted in their business growing 100 percent in one year alone. Welcome to the third Contracting Entrepreneur podcast, where Breakthrough Academy hosts Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson and their guests pull no punches on what it takes to co-run a successful contracting business. Warning: These conversations may make you feel uncomfortable, but hey, that’s what comes with looking in the mirror. There’s no lipstick on this pig! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, May 13, 2021
02. A Proven Method To Build A High Performance Culture - Nestor Tarango-
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP02 With a diverse workforce ranging from field workers to office staff, is it possible to have a company culture in contracting where all your team is on the same page? Nestor Tarango runs a multi-million-dollar solar energy company. He has successfully onboarded more than 150 people over the past 12 months alone . . . and his company culture is exemplary. How? After working in a hostile environment, Tarango decided enough was enough. He stepped outside of the “traditional” contracting mould and built a company that has a performance culture others would kill for. Tarango sits down with Breakthrough Academy hosts Igor Trninic and Benji Carlson to talk about the mistakes contractors make that result in a toxic culture, recruitment challenges, and takes us through the steps he took to build a culture of uber high-performers. Can you see the sunshine after the rain? (Admit it, that song is stuck in your head now) Join us here for real tips from those who speak your language. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
S1 Enull · Thu, May 13, 2021
01. Make More and Work Less By Focusing On 1 System - Ryan Steward
If you'd like to apply for Breakthrough Academy click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP01 Reclaim 5 Hours per week with this free Contractor Quick Tool: https://trybta.com/PCDLEP01 If you're running a successful contracting business, then why are you working 70-hours a week? Contracting entrepreneur Ryan Steward was working 70 hours a week, seven days a week. He was stretched so thin that he had little to no time left over for his wife and kids. Fast forward five years and Ryan works 40-hours or less, he is a present father, friend and husband (no divorce for him!), and he gets to spend time doing the things he loves like snowmobiling, skiing and fishing. Oh yea, and he's happy. He has also doubled his profit margin and leads a $11 million contracting company with a team of 25. What did he do to end the chaos and give him back his life? Join us in this awesome episode of Contractor Evolution as we explore what it takes to be a successful contracting leader with time to enjoy the fun things, without burning out or getting hypertension. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Contractor Evolution

207. How to Systemize Your Contracting Business - David Jenyns

206. Evolution Rewind: Strategic Planning To Pull You Out Of The Daily Grind - Danny Kerr, Igor Trninic & James Dale

205. The Alter Ego Effect: Perform Better Any Time, Anywhere - Todd Herman

204. Open Book Management: The Employee Perspective - Ryan Markewich, Jacob Markewich, Rik Van Espen & Zac Neufield

203. Can Contractors Work With Offshore Talent? - Rob Levin

202. How Much Should Contractors Charge? - Ellen Rohr

201 - Be Coachable: Advice For New Breakthrough Academy Members

200. Celebrating 200 Episodes: Benji Reacts to His Favorite Moments - Benji Carlson

199. Five Languages of Appreciation: Contractor Edition - Dr. Paul White

198. How SOPs Changed the Game For Matt Risinger - Matt Risinger

197. Keeping Faith During Tragic Times: Coach Ian’s Story - Ian Ouwerkerk

196. The Financial Secrets of $10MM Contractors - Bob Gauvreau

195. Tersh Blissett’s Automation Pro Tips - Tersh Blissett

194. Essentialism for Contractors - Greg McKeown

193. 7 Lies to Stop Telling Yourself in 2025 - Benji Carlson

192. The Private Equity Playbook: What Contractors Can Learn From Big Business - Adam Coffey

191. Simple Numbers for Contractor Growth - Greg Crabtree

190. Never Lose an Employee Again - Joey Coleman

189. Turn Your Ideas Into Fully Implemented Systems - Benji Carlson

188. Does Time-Tracking Really Boost Staff Productivity? - Isaac Barlow

187. How to Be a Profit First Contractor - Shawn Van Dyke

186. Steal These Prioritization Methods to Get More Done - Harry Max and Wes Bright

185. Is Your Sales to Production Handoff Killing You? - Charlie Bethell

184. The Profitability Mindset of Wealthy Contractors - Brian Kaskavalciyan

183. Turn Your Field Staff Into Customer Service Pros - Mark Matteson

182. Matt Risinger’s Secrets to Team Building - Matt Risinger

181. Marketing Through a Downturn - John Jantsch

180. Avoid These 10 QuickBooks Mistakes - Nate Flake

179. Negotiation Tactics for Contractors - Chris Voss

178. Make More Money with Less Marketing - Allan Dib

177. Why Most Websites Suck (and How to Make Yours Better) - Bryce Choquer

176. How to Stay Present in a Distracted World - Mike Lee

175. The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership - Ryan Gill

174. Turn Your LAGGING Indicators into LEADING Indicators - Brayden Russell

173. Buying/Selling a Contracting Business? Listen to This. - Morgan Tate

172. Build a Killer Brand in Three Steps - Ron Tite

171. Lessons From Breakthrough Academy’s 2023 Leader of the Year - Matt Parks

170. Can AI Make Better Hiring Decisions Than You? - Jonathan Whistman

169. Land More Commercial Contracts - Business Development 101 - Dave Notte

168. Can Mass Hiring Systems Work For Contractors? - Logan Campbell

167. 4 Tactics To Boost Your Lead-to-Sale Ratio - Kevin Donnelly

166. What is it ACTUALLY Like To Sell To Private Equity? - Steve Wheatcroft

165. Could Door-to-Door Marketing Work For Your Business? - Sam Taggart

164. Is Blue Collar Work Making a Comeback? - Ken Rusk

163. Get Your Sales Team's Butt In Gear - Adam Bensman

162. Tommy Mello' Secrets For Team Accountability

161. If You Do Jobs Less Than $2000 Listen To This - Barry Hartman

160. The 4 Phases Of Contractor Growth - Benji Carlson

159. James Williams' Near Death Experience - Brady Williams

158. How To Create A Vivid Vision For Your Company - Cameron Herold

157. How To Build A Strong Employer Brand - Andrew Hansen

156. A Tech Founder's 4 Lessons for Contractors - Luke Hansen

155. Does Open Book Management Really Work? - Ryan Markewich

154. 7 Archetypes Of Effective Project Managers - Kyle Nitchen

153. 6 Revenue Driving Videos Every Contractor Needs - Marcus Sheridan

152. Unleash The Power Of Your COO - Cameron Herold

151. Contractor SOPs for Overwhelmed Owners - Tom Hughes

150. Dial In Your Social Media Strategy With 6 Questions - Jonathan Cor

149. 4 Financial Health Hacks For Contractors - Robert Gauvreau

148. The Antidote To Your Chaotic Leadership - Jon DeWaal

147. 5 Risk Mitigation Strategies: Protect Your Future (Wealth Builder 6) - Danielle Slavin

146. 2024 Predictions Episode - Benji Carlson

145. The Untold Truth Behind Growth Stocks (Wealth Builder 5) - Anthony Scilipoti

144. How To Buy Back Your Time - Dan Martell

143. Boring Companies & High Dividends: Value Investing 101 (Wealth Builder 4) - Matt Wood

142. How To Stop Getting Screwed On Your Contracts - Cian Brennan

141. Real Estate Investment Strategies For Contractors (Wealth Builder 3) - Justin Bontkes

140. A Chief Economist's Forecast For 2024 - Pierre Cleroux

139. Financing Your Real Estate Investments (Wealth Builder 2) - Kyle Green

138. What Would Happen To My Business If I Died? - Sarah Cronin

137. Should I Reinvest In My Business? Or Save For A Rainy Day? (Wealth Builder 1) - Darcie Crowe

136. Listen To This If You've Ever Considered Franchising - Blair Rebane

135. Performance Reviews That Don't Suck - Ashley Ennis

134. Brian Scudamore: How A Visionary Found His Integrator - Brian Scudamore

133. Are Service Trips The Ultimate Team-Building Activity? - Mike Sherbakov

132. The 5 Levels Of Leadership - Perry Holley

131. How To Build A Business Where Everyone Wins - Tommy Mello & Al Levi

130. Tame The Chaos In Your Business With SOPs - Blaise MacDonald, Brett Bernard, Zack Wojtowicz

129. 10 AI Tools Contractors Might Actually Use - Morgan Knox

100. 10 Commandments Of Contractor Success: 100th Episode Special - Benji & Igor