From Pastors to BTA Implementer of the Year: How Churchill USA Systemized Their Path to Success

What’s the secret to becoming a systemized, high-profit, self-sustaining roofing company? For Blake Butry and Danny Phillips of Churchill USA, it took four years of disciplined implementation, relentless resilience, and the courage to “just do the damn thing.” 

At Breakthrough Academy’s 2026 Winter Summit, Churchill USA was named Implementer of the Year — an award given to the entrepreneur who has implemented the highest number of impactful systems into their business over the course of the year. 

But this story isn’t just about a trophy, it’s about what happens when contractors fully commit to the systems, culture and leadership required to build a roofing business that excels.

Big vision, no experience

Blake and Danny didn’t come from construction. In fact, when they started their company, they were former student pastors entering an industry they knew nothing about. But they carried a clear vision and a belief that business could be a vehicle for positive impact. 

In their first year in the Breakthrough Academy program, they set an ambitious goal of $12.5 million in revenue, even though they were only tracking about $250,000 in Q1 revenue at the time. Under those circumstances, most contractors would have downsized their dream, but not Churchill USA. They decided to be bold and go big.

They began with a commitment to fail forward. Then to fail faster. And eventually adopted a new mindset altogether: being proactive. That shift became the turning point in their growth.

What Churchill USA actually implemented

In just one year, Churchill USA implemented the following systems:

• A fully rebuilt recruiting structure, including Ideal Candidate Profiles
• AI-based candidate scoring for objective hiring decisions
• A streamlined invoicing process for their supplement team
• A new Recruiting & Onboarding Specialist (ROS) role
• An automated email journey across the entire customer lifecycle
• A structured marketing plan
• A revamped Goal Setting & Review (GSR) process
• A Virtual Assistant to support backend operations
• Online payment options for customers
• A referral “honey hole” system for sales lead generation
• A full library of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Impressive… right?

This is what systemization looks like in practice. It’s not a single initiative or a few minor tweaks, but layered operational infrastructure that compounds over time. Each system reinforces the next, reducing friction and increasing clarity across the organization.

The result was record-breaking revenue, a 43% gross profit margin, and a 23% net profit margin. For contractors, that level of net profitability is elite and rarely achieved without deliberate structure. Churchill’s performance proves that disciplined implementation pays off.

4 Lessons contractors can learn from Churchill USA

Create resilience through systems

When Churchill lost their top salesperson mid-year, it could have derailed their momentum. Instead, their coach reminded them they had the system, they simply needed to run it again.

That’s the power of solid systems: recruiting, onboarding, sales, and operations are documented and repeatable. 

If you feel stuck or fragile in your business, ask yourself:

Are you running on people… or on process? 

Systems allow you to rebuild without panic.

Own your vibe

One of Churchill’s core values is “Unicorns,” symbolizing something rare and unique. 

Their org chart includes job titles like:

• Serving Specialist
• Finance Ninja
• Captain
• Papa Smurf

That distinct quality didn’t disappear when they implemented structure, it actually became more pronounced. Systems don’t make a company corporate, they create space for culture to thrive without chaos.

Bring leadership into your community

Churchill’s success isn’t measured only by margins. They donate tens of thousands of dollars back to their community, prioritize family, invest in personal development, and stay engaged in their kids’ lives. Blake and Danny view themselves as husbands and fathers first, and business owners second. Grounded leadership creates stability in culture and performance.

They strengthened themselves as individuals and then let the business follow. Strong leadership compounds just like strong systems.

Don’t forget to look back

When Churchill was nominated for Implementer of the Year, Blake admitted he felt like an imposter. They’d just lost their sales leader, the year hadn’t been perfect, and he didn’t feel fully ready to receive recognition. 

That feeling is common among high performers who measure themselves by their most recent challenge rather than their accumulated growth. It’s easy to forget how far you’ve come when you’re focused on what still needs fixing.

Progress builds quietly over time. Often it’s not until you pause and look back that you realize how far your business has come. If you’re building a contracting company and feel behind, zoom out and assess the broader picture. Growth isn’t always loud, but it is measurable. Every increment counts.

The big takeaway for contractors

Every contractor faces setbacks, whether through compensation changes, staffing gaps, market fluctuations, or personal hardship. Churchill navigated numerous challenges during the year, but what separated them was their refusal to let adversity dictate their trajectory.

If you’re reading this as a contractor, you likely already know what you need to do. There’s a hire you’ve been avoiding, a process that needs documenting, a pricing issue that needs discussing, or accountability that needs tightening. 

Churchill’s motto this year puts it plainly: just do the thing. Not recklessly. Not emotionally. Systematically. 

Pick a system, implement it fully, and then stack another. That’s how greatness is built – one piece at a time.

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If you're ready to stop operating reactively and start building a systemized, high-performance contracting business, book a call with Breakthrough Academy.

Take the first step toward implementing the structure your company needs to scale.