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.

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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 100 53 min
FINANCIALS, INTERNAL SYSTEMS, LEADERSHIP, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, RECRUITING & HIRING, SALES & MARKETING, STAFF ACCOUNTABILITY, STRATEGIC PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT

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

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. 

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:

  1. No one at the top of their game is a ___________.
  2. The labor market is a challenge, but___________.
  3. ___________ matters more than working hard.

Watch the full episode to fill in the blanks on these three and the remaining seven!

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Episode 99 58 min
SALES & MARKETING

How To Not Get Screwed By SEO Agencies - Devon Hayes

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 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. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 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 immediately boost 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, watch this episode for a beginner’s guide to SEO with Devon Hayes.

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Episode 98 11 min
LEADERSHIP, RECRUITING & HIRING

Problem Solvers Are Better Than Problem Finders - Benji Carlson

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?”

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.

Watch this episode to find out why problem solvers are infinitely more valuable than problem finders.

Highlights from this episode:

  • 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

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Episode 97 48 min
LEADERSHIP, RECRUITING & HIRING

Are Blue Collar Businesses Under-Appreciated? - Tom Reber

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 😱).  

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

 

 

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Episode 96 50 min
INTERNAL SYSTEMS, SALES & MARKETING

How to Get $6.6M Out Of One Salesperson - Brad Baker & Devon Crowell

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…  

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, watch this episode.

Highlights from this episode:

  • 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 provide a very personal experience in an ‘automated’ sales process
  • The changing landscape of sales in 2023 and what it means for contractors in the next 10 years

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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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