WELCOME TO YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE ON THE BUSINESS OF CONTRACTING

This is the Contractor Evolution Podcast. 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 profits, you’ve come to the right place.

Join 40,000+ contractors that learn from Contractor Evolution. New episodes drop every Wednesday.

Master Class: Ultimate Hiring Funnel Series

So look - it is no secret that hiring is hard. Like really hard. Especially in our construction and trade industries. Labor 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. Over a 6-part series, we explain in plain English how you can think like a marketer and start building an Employer Brand that attracts top talent. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting your business if you want to build your dream team, this series is for you.

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Categories

Episode 190 61 min
LEADERSHIP, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, RECRUITING & HIRING, TRAINING & ONBOARDING

Never Lose an Employee Again - Joey Coleman

Losing good people sucks. In today’s episode, author of Never Lose and Employee Again Joey Coleman shares his tried and tested framework for retaining A-players (without overpaying them).

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.

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Episode 189 19 min
LEADERSHIP, STRATEGIC PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT

Turn Your Ideas Into Fully Implemented Systems - Benji Carlson

The graveyard of good ideas not implemented for most entrepreneurs is vast. In this episode, Benji breaks down a nine part framework for getting more projects across the finish line in 2025.

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—myself included—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.

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Episode 188 51 min
INTERNAL SYSTEMS, STAFF ACCOUNTABILITY

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

Is it possible to get your team excited about tracking their time? Isaac Barlow, founder of industry-leading time tracking software busybusy, says yes. And he’s here on the show to teach you how.

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.

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Episode 187 66 min
FINANCIALS

How to Be a Profit First Contractor - Shawn Van Dyke

The majority of construction and trades businesses net less than 5% profit a year. Profit First for Contractors author Shawn Van Dyke is on the show today to teach us the cash management model designed to increase profitability and change the way you think about your business’ finances.

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.

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Episode 186 65 min
INTERNAL SYSTEMS, LEADERSHIP, STRATEGIC PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT

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

Prioritization is one of the most important skills you can learn in business. It’s also one of the trickiest to master. Harry Max and Wes Bright are on the show to break down the systems, methods and mindset you need to set clear priorities and get more done.

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.

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IT’S TIME TO GET OUT OF THE DAY-TO-DAY

If you are a 7 figure contractor who has the vision to scale to 8 figures without adding more stress, then learn how to replace yourself with this proven management system. Take the 10-day ‘Evolved Contractor’ challenge and identify the methods that will scale your business.

MEET THE HOSTS

BENJI CARLSON

Benji gained insights into the trades as a 4-year franchisee with College Pro Painters, earning accolades for having the most productive staff in the franchise network. Since then, Benji has run in-depth business assessments with over 1000 contractors and now uses that information to represent the interests of contractors on the show 'Contractor Evolution’ whose goal is to arm smart contractors with the skills they need to grow.

IGOR TRNINIC

Igor has an impressive track record running trade businesses. He started by building up to a GM with College Pro Painters, running a $2.5MM business. He then co-started the franchise SHACK SHINE, which was acquired within 18 months. Igor is a co-founder of Breakthrough Academy, which coaches over 500 contractors (with a combined $1.6B in revenue) on how to systemize their businesses for growth.

HOW DOES A $20M CONTRACTING BUSINESS RUN? WOULD YOU LIKE TO FIND OUT?

Take the 10-day ‘Evolved Contractor’ challenge and identify the methods that will scale your business past 8-figures.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE

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