How 8 Years in a Community Changed My Contracting Business

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely game. Long hours, tough calls, and constant pressure make it easy to feel like you’re carrying the whole load alone. But what if the real accelerator for your business wasn’t another tool or strategy, but the people you surround yourself with?

That’s what Umbrella Property Services owner Ryan Lermitte discovered over his eight years as a Breakthrough Academy Member. He originally joined for the systems and coaching but stayed for something even more powerful: community.

Key Takeaways

1. Community Makes You Sharper

Ryan says that working alongside peers in the same industry has been a game-changer. When contractors openly share what’s working (and what isn’t) everyone grows faster. You skip months of trial and error because someone else already paved the way.

2. Real Connection Beats Networking

There’s a huge difference between handing out business cards and building authentic relationships. For Ryan, meaningful conversations happen when you’re fully present. Not checking your phone or chasing surface-level talk. That intentional presence builds trust and long-term friendships that spill over into better leadership at work and home.

3. Vulnerability Builds Strength

Community only works if you’re willing to be real. Ryan’s learned to drop the mask and talk about the messy stuff: team turnover, burnout, imposter syndrome. When leaders open up, others feel safe to do the same. It’s not about complaining; it’s about growing together through honesty.

4. Collaboration Beats Competition

Even when it comes to “competitors,” Ryan takes the opposite of the secret-sauce mentality. He shares systems, SOPs, and agreements freely because few people actually implement them, and the ones who do raise the bar for the whole industry. The result? Better contractors, happier clients, and a stronger trade overall.

5. The ROI Is You

At the end of the day, Ryan says the biggest return from BTA hasn’t just been revenue—it’s who he’s become. More self-aware. More grounded. More connected. 

“I’m a better human being today than I was in 2017,” he reflects. 

That personal growth pays dividends in every area of life.

When you stop trying to do it all alone and start investing in community, your business grows—but so do you.

If you’re ready to experience what a network of driven, values-aligned contractors can do for your company, book a complimentary discovery call with Breakthrough Academy. We’ll show you how to build the systems, coaching, and community that help you scale—and stay sane doing it.