Podcasts about contractors

In today's Wholesale Hotline (Astroflipping Edition) Jamil breaks down a solution for one of the biggest problems in real estate...reliable contractors. Show notes -- in this episode we'll cover: Jamil shares why finding reliable contractors has been one of the costliest pain points in his 20+ year investing career—losing over $150K to no-shows, bad work, and runaway deposits. Why attaching real, fast-turnaround contractor bids to your wholesale deals instantly builds buyer trust, improves credibility, and helps renegotiate more effectively—especially when time is tight. How QuickFlip supports wholesalers with a free quoting service, AI-powered renderings, and even revenue share opportunities, turning your construction headaches into new income streams. Full behind-the-scenes look at Jamil's $440K co-living construction deal: from permits and architectural plans to using QuickFlip's team for a zero-money-down infinite return project cash flowing $3,000/month. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ☎️ Welcome to Wholesale Hotline & Astro Flipping breakout

Is your contractor ghosting you, or are you just not speaking their language? Most interior designers know they need reliable contractors to grow their business, but few realize contractors are also sizing them up. In this episode, Elizabeth Scruggs shares what makes contractors roll their eyes... and what makes them want to call you back. Whether you're a designer dreaming of launching a design-build firm or just tired of construction projects going sideways, this episode lays out the path forward with practical steps, stories, and no-fluff advice. You'll learn: ✅ Why finding contractors at the pro desk may be smarter than scouring Instagram. ✅ What builders are really evaluating when deciding to partner with a designer. ✅ The biggest mistake new design-build firms make, and how to avoid it. ✅ How to protect your business legally before the demo starts. If you're an interior designer looking to get more control, more confidence, and more respect from contractors, this is the episode that's going to help you get there. Listen now and start building the partnerships that elevate your entire business.   (00:00) Learning construction by doing: Elizabeth's origin story. (05:28) How designers can find and vet great contractors. (12:19) The importance of setting expectations with trades. (17:32) Legal and liability considerations for design-build firms. (24:43) What contractors actually want from interior designers. (30:33) Should you become your own general contractor?   About Elizabeth Scruggs Elizabeth Scruggs is a licensed general contractor and the principal designer behind Superior Construction and Design, LLC, one of the only female-led design-build firms in Middle Tennessee. With over 30 years of hands-on experience and a national reputation as a speaker, author, and High Point Market Insider Tour co-host, Elizabeth brings unmatched insight into bridging the gap between construction and design. Her passion? Helping interior designers confidently step into the design-build space and build businesses they love, without sacrificing quality or control. Website Instagram: @superiorconstructionanddesign  

Drawing a parallel to a scientific test, this business application is presented as a way for contractors to gauge their readiness, alignment, and ability to perform under pressure, particularly when interacting with customers. Eric and his circle's discussion focuses on role-playing with peers as a key method for conducting this test, allowing individuals to receive honest feedback on their communication skills, tonality, and overall approach. The conversation also highlights the importance of a contractor's license as a form of initial qualification and the need to assess both the contractor and the potential client for suitability. Ultimately, regular "testing" through practice and peer review is emphasized as crucial for preventative maintenance and continuous improvement in the contracting profession. Key Takeaways: Regularly practice through role playing or similar tests to sharpen your skills and improve how you handle pressure. Listen actively to fully understand your customers' needs and build connection. Seek and accept honest feedback from peers or mentors to identify and correct your weaknesses. Consistent training and practice is preventative maintenance that helps you avoid slipping up and losing potential jobs. Ensure your business is fully licensed and insured and be ready to demonstrate your credibility to clients. Resources: Contractor Sales Secrets: ContractorSalesSecrets.com Fitz Fish Ponds: Koi Trips Book A Call With Triplett: Call with Triplett The Pond Digger: https://theponddigger.com/ LA Pet Fair: https://www.lapetfair.com/ Atlantic-Oase: https://www.atlantic-oase.com/ Helix Pond Filtration: http://helixpondfiltration.com/ TWT Contractor Circle (Facebook Group): TWT Contractor Circle TWT Contractor Power Circle (Facebook Group): TWT Contractor Power Circle The Pond Digger Instagram: Instagram The Pond Digger Facebook: Facebook Train With Triplett TikTok: TikTok EasyPro Pond Products: https://easypro.com/ 

Implementing robust safety practices creates a powerful dual advantage—protecting your most valuable asset, your people, while simultaneously driving business growth and opportunity. Paul Cook and Darren Lottes of Painters USA and pioneers of Safety within the Summit group,  share field-tested insights on transforming safety from a compliance burden into a strategic cornerstone that builds team trust, reduces costs, and creates competitive differentiation. This is about creating an environment where protection and production reinforce rather than compete with each other. Summit Members interested in Safety Certification, please contact Jen Ware, Jen@nolancg.comTo learn more about Safety Reports by Align Ops: Click HereSpecial Pricing Offer for Summit Members & Out of the Hourglass Listeners: 25% off User Fees for their 1st year of Safety Reports. OR Visit Linkhttps://www.safety-reports.com/?utm_source=NCG_Pod&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=website 

Our guest today is Daniel Corbett. Daniel has served as an elite Navy SEAL operator, as part of SEAL Teams 5, 6, and 17. He's now an entrepreneur and the author of American Mercenary. 1) People really need to read your book to get the whole story, but in a nutshell, how did a nice mercenary like you end up in a prison in Serbia? 2) Your story has been picked up by a production company. What can you tell us about that? 3) Is there a significance to your choosing the word Mercenary as opposed to “Contractor,” as many others in your line of work have used? 4) Throughout the book, your connection and dedication to your parents, especially your mom, stand out. The dangerous and secretive work you do must be hard on the family waiting at home. How does your family handle the unknown aspects of your life? 5) Your bio mentions that you have become an entrepreneur. Tell us what business ventures, besides finding “Unique Solutions To Unique Problems,” you are engaged in? 6) It might surprise people to hear that American Mercenary is an endearing story. And for a guy whose nickname is “Dirty” you have a humble and humorous way of letting us know you. From the story about Kinder Eggs to being transparent about Lululemon being your favorite brand of workout clothes. The reader feels like they are walking beside you throughout your journey. What is your favorite story about deciding what to put in or leave out of your book? Originally Aired 5.28.25

Send us a textToday we explore how contractors can use AI to enhance personal connections with customers while maintaining their unique brand identity. Michael Wheelock from Affiliated Tech shares how their AI tools analyze customer interactions to improve service quality, identify at-risk clients, and boost retention rates without sacrificing the human touch.• AI can analyze calls to identify customers at risk of leaving or sales opportunities without replacing human interaction• Personalized service consistently outperforms rushed customer interactions in closing deals and building relationships• Call recording and analysis helps enforce brand standards across all customer touchpoints• Technology can transcribe calls, summarize interactions, and integrate with existing software systems• Using sentiment analysis allows companies to address negative experiences before they become poor reviews• Call recordings provide training opportunities and recognition for excellent customer service• Successful implementation requires transparency with both customers and employees about recording purposes• The right AI approach helps contractors scale while maintaining their unique brand voice and valuesReady to explore how your business can grow without losing your brand voice? Reach out to the team at Affiliated Tech via sales@affiliatedtech.com to learn how their solutions can help improve your operations.If you enjoyed this chat From the Yellow Chair, consider joining our newsletter, "Let's Sip Some Lemonade," where you can receive exclusive interviews, our bank of helpful downloadables, and updates on upcoming content. Please consider following and drop a review below if you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to check out our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. From the Yellow Chair is powered by Lemon Seed, a marketing strategy and branding company for the trades. Lemon Seed specializes in rebrands, creating unique, comprehensive, organized marketing plans, social media, and graphic design. Learn more at www.LemonSeedMarketing.com Interested in being a guest on our show? Fill out this form! We'll see you next time, Lemon Heads!

Discover powerful strategies to maximize your rental property returns and minimize costly vacancies. Learn how top investors are transforming their approach to property management, from tenant retention techniques to smart staffing solutions. Key Insights: Master the art of keeping great tenants and reducing turnover Understand when to scale your property management approach Explore innovative investment opportunities beyond traditional real estate Market Trends Spotlight: Rental demand is on the rise Emerging investment options offer unique wealth-building potential Strategic diversification is key to long-term financial success Explore alternative investment opportunities like sustainable teak forestry - a generational wealth strategy that offers: Low entry point Long-term growth potential International diversification Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, these insights will help you make more informed, profitable real estate decisions. Resources: Learn more about the teak tree investment opportunity at Gremarketplace.com/teak Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/555 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai    Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, learn how to reduce a giant operational expense that you'll have over time your tenant vacancy and turnover, including how many units you must own before you hire your own on site property manager as your employee. Whatever happened to agent commissions in light of last year's NAR settlement, then a timely update on teak tree investing today on Get Rich Education.   Mid South home buyers. I mean, they're total pros, with over two decades as the nation's highest rated turnkey provider. Their empathetic property managers use your ROI as their North Star. So it's no wonder that smart investors just keep lining up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone. They're headquartered in Memphis and have globally attractive cash flows and A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau and now over 5000 houses renovated their zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate, while their average renter stays more than three and a half years. Every home they offer has brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter. Remember that part and in an astounding price range, 100 to 180k I've personally toured their office and their properties in person in Memphis. Get to know Mid South. Enjoy cash flow from day one. Start yourself right now at mid southhomebuyers.com that's mid south homebuyers.com   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Welcome to GRE from Manchester, New Hampshire to Manchester, England and across 188 nations worldwide, I'm Keith Weinhold, and you are back inside one of America's longest running and most listened to shows on real estate investing. This is get rich education. What's all that stuff really mean? I'm just another slack jawed and snaggletooth podcaster, a shaved mammal with a microphone. I'm joining you from here in London, England this week for the first time ever on the show. More on that later. Let's talk about reducing the biggest operational expense that you're ever going to have as a real estate investor, at least the one that you can exert a good measure of control over. That is reducing your tenant vacancy and turnover, that constant menace. Now, I suppose you might say that property tax is your biggest ongoing ops expense, but you've got less control over your property tax rate. So yeah, we're talking about increasing your net income by lowering your VIMTUM operating expenses. Vacancy is the V in that acronym. This is big because this can make or break your ability to have your property create positive cash flow and getting tenant turnover right both increases your income and reduces your expenses. It is springtime currently, and it's soon going to be summer, so it is the right time to talk about this. It's when there is more tenant turnover. The goal here is for you to really move the dial in increase the likelihood that your tenant is going to renew their lease. Now, sure if your tenant gets a new job out of town, they're going to move out. But if they're moving because of too many maintenance issues, well then that's something that you could have fixed. The average tenancy duration in the US over time is two to three years. And of course, that's going to be longer in single family rentals and shorter in apartments. And how long your tenant stays is driven by three factors, the price of your unit, the quality of your maintenance and the quality of your management. Let's say that your tenant moves out. To be conservative, that your vacancy period is two months between tenants. Okay, that's the turnover and the time to lease. It two months is a somewhat longish vacancy period. But come on, it happens sometimes, especially if you're going to make upgrades between tenancies and you're busy with other things in your life, if you have a move out every year at that rate, well, that is too often. That would amount. To a vacancy percentage of 14% you might think it's 17% but it isn't, because it's a 12 month vacancy plus two vacant months, all right, but if instead that tenant moves out every two years, that's just 8% vacancy, and every three years that's just 5% vacancy. Of course, if you keep your vacancy period to only one month rather than two, you can have all those numbers. You can really see how you are increasing your income by retaining the tenant. The most vital thing for you to keep in mind is that fast quality maintenance and good communication are by far the best forms of customer service that a property manager can provide, so prompt, quality maintenance. That's a retention strategy. Being a proactive helps. One strategy you can engage in is to reach out to the tenants two months before their lease is set to renew, and that's the time to give them the new lease price and ask them if they intend to stay. If they say, No, they're not, ask them why. And occasionally, you can sway them if there's been a misunderstanding in your relationship, for example, a lingering maintenance issue that hasn't been addressed, and perhaps they didn't bother to contact you about that, if nothing else, I think I mentioned this to you one time before offering a small reward, like a gift card helps. I mean, creating this sense of reciprocation is really one of the best retention tactics out there, even if the items being reciprocated aren't anywhere near equal value, like the value of a 12 month lease versus you giving them, say, a $50 gift card now, say you've tried those strategies, and none of that works, and your tenant does decide to leave, perhaps 45 days from now, but you know that you've got time in your life to turn over the unit now, and You know that you're going to be really busy with other things in 45 days. One thing that you can do then is shift your strategy to pay the tenant. Say you can pay them as little as 10 or 20 bucks a day to leave early. This way they'll vacate during a period where you've got the time to devote to the vacancy and the turnover and the showings to prospective new tenants, and that way, it's not going to linger vacant as long now, a technique like this is a little similar to an eviction, where if a tenant has violated their lease or becomes non paying, without you having to go through the length of Your court driven formal eviction process, you can pay them a lump sum to leave early. Hopefully that's not your situation, but that can come up. And I think you've heard of it before. This is known as the Cash for Keys strategy. That means to get a tenant that's made some violation against their lease, and you want to have them vacate the unit sooner. This means that you get the keys in your hand and the right to enter when you pay them to leave, rather than having to go through the not so fun eviction process and see a tenant wants to avoid a formal eviction as well, because that goes on their record, and then it can make it tough for that tenant to get rental housing elsewhere. But I dislike the Cash for Keys strategy in order to hold off from a formal eviction, because what that does is that rewards a person that violated a lease, although we know that that might also shorten your economic vacancy period, and it could actually be economically beneficial to you, Cash for Keys. It's just not ethical, though. I know it might be tempting for you, the landlord, the cash for key strategy. It rewards societally immoral behavior. Now, of course, you might be using a professional property manager that does all of this stuff for you, like I do today, but still, these are often the best practices for your manager. And I started out self managing, just like a lot of real estate investors do in the beginning, and that's where I learned strategies and techniques like this for reducing your tenant vacancy and turnover. Now, here's a really interesting question that you may not have had to ask yourself yet, but you may down the road, if you've grown your portfolio to a certain size and you're serious about reducing your vacancy and turnover expense, it might be time to ask yourself one big question, and that is for your management and maintenance. Should you use contractors, or should you start to hire your own employees? Now, if you have a small portfolio, it won't be enough work for you to keep an employee busy, so you should go with contract. Contractors. On the other hand, if you have an apartment complex with on site property management, I would definitely recommend having a make ready crew on site, because it's just so easy for them to get to and from a job site. Now, you should still maintain relationships with contractors as a backup, of course, and you should also have specialists like plumbers, electricians and HVAC people ready to call now, most investors are small and they use off site management, but if you grow big enough someday, or maybe it's two day, the important point about employees is that you really need to stay on them, because every extra hour costs you. You don't want anyone out there who's thinking that speed isn't essential, because they're like, ah, you know, I get paid by the hour. Contractors, on the other hand, they quote you or your manager a job up front. So while an extra day hurts because it's one more day you can't lease the unit, it hurts less than it does if you have your own employees. One problem with contractors is they often can't start right away, and this tends to be more true if you're self managing. See if you use a professional manager. They might have their own in house people so you can leverage their employees without having to manage employees yourself, even if your manager brings in an off site contractor, like an electrician or a plumber. Well, that contractor probably gets a lot of business from your property manager, and they have some sense of loyalty to your property manager, therefore, they're incentivized to show up on time faster than if you're trying to self manage, say, your small portfolio of five properties, and you or your tenant are the ones that call the electrician or the plumber. Well, those contractors are going to be less likely to prioritize you and your infrequent requests, and this is just another reason that I like to employ professional management and not self manage. Now, virtually no new real estate investor is going to hire their own employees, and most are never going to at all. All right, but how do you know? How would you know when it's time to hire your own property manager or your own contractor, and have them on your own payroll and you are their boss, if you've got under 20 to 30 units, all right, typically third party property management or self management with contractors, that's going to make more sense, because having a full time, dedicated employee, it's just not financially justifiable. Below 20 or 30 units, you're not going to be able to keep that employee busy. And I'm generally talking about if you have one apartment building here, or a bunch of single family rentals, only if they're in small, close proximity to each other. What about if you grow up to 30 to 60 units? All right now you're in a gray area. If the property is something that's pretty management intensive, like high turnover, or you own an older building, or you generate a lot of work orders, or you're in a challenging area. Well, at 30 to 60 units, you might justify a part time on site person. So how that could practically work in this 30 to 60 unit gray area, what you can do is have a resident manager that gets free rent, plus perhaps a small stipend from you. Okay, so that's a strategy that you can play in this gray area zone. That way they can be responsive to tenant requests, and you can keep your vacancy and turnover costs down. All right, how about when you're going even bigger and you reach 60 to 100 units. Now you're in the range where a full time on site manager or a maintenance person, starts to make financial and operational sense, because here it's 60 to 100 units. Your staffing model, it might be that you have one full time manager, they do the leasing, the tenant relations, in the admin stuff, and you'll also have a second person, a full time maintenance tech if they're needed, all right? And the final tier here, if you reach more than 100 units, oh, okay, now it is standard for you to have a full on site team. You could be in the hundreds of units. So we're talking about a property manager, a leasing agent, a maintenance lead, a groundskeeper and sometimes also a part time assistant manager. So that's it. That's the hierarchy of how, based on your portfolio size and where they're located, how you can serve tenants well and reduce your vacancy and turnover expense. Yes. All right now, what are some things that can shift those thresholds, those unit counts? Well, high rent or luxury buildings, they often need on site staff at a smaller unit count, very low rent or section eight properties, they may need more intensive oversight, buildings that have amenities, like some of these newer apartment buildings that have a pool and a gym, okay, that can trigger some more staffing needs. And if you own multiple properties that are nearby to each other, well, then you can share employees across those properties. And you've got to look at local labor costs in places like New York City, northeastern New Jersey, parts of New England, Miami or LA, those high cost places. Then breaking even on staffing. That probably takes a bigger property than those numbers that I talked about. But here, we tend to invest in those investor advantage areas, the inland northeast, the South, in the southeast, in the Midwest. Now, if you've got, say, even 50 smaller properties, but they're scattered all over the place, in multiple states, well then of course, you're not going to hire employees. A good general metric to leave you with here is that one on site employee for every 50 to 80 units that you own in the same area, that is common, that is a common industry practice in market rate multifamily apartments right now, these are pretty timeless strategies I've been talking about with you here.    As for what's happening in The market lately, I continue to slowly get more optimistic about the long beleaguered apartment market. A few weeks ago, I talked about how there's finally been greater apartment rent increases, although those rent increases are still historically low. What recently we learned that apartments are seeing a longer duration of tenancy and today, per real page, every single one of the 50 largest apartment markets has posted month over month occupancy gains, and then that's somewhat commensurate with what we're seeing on the one to four unit side, because the home ownership rate has fallen. It just fell from 65.7% down to 65.1 quarter over quarter. Now that doesn't sound like much, but that's actually a substantial drop in the home ownership rate in just one quarter. And fewer homeowners means more renters. So this basically means that the percent of Americans, renting has gone up because you just take the flip side of those numbers. So the rentership rate has essentially risen from 34.3 up to 34.9 in just one quarter. Something that completely makes sense, because we all know that home ownership affordability, especially for that first time, home buyer is lower, more renters. Is good for rental property owners. It's bringing more rental demand, more occupancy and more future pressure on rising rents. Now I want to follow up with you on a story from last year that made a lot of waves in the larger real estate world, but not so much for real estate investors. You surely remember this. That is the NAR settlement that a lot of people thought would result in lower real estate agent fees. Lowered commissions were coming. That's what everybody thought last year. Stories about that were all over the place that realtor fees are about to shrink. What's happened since then? Well, not much realtor fees, they still haven't fallen in any significant way, although the settlement was more than a year ago and this went into effect nine months ago. So to back up for a moment, in case you missed it, what happened is that a group of sellers accused the NAR, the National Association of Realtors, of inflating home costs by letting buyer side and seller side agents communicate about commission rates on the MLS home database, which only agents can see. And a jury agreed, so the NAR settled the lawsuit for over $400 million in damages, and it barred agents from sharing commission rates on those MLS databases. So that was a huge change that was expected to extinguish the globally high five to 6% realtor fee in the United States, because global averages are between one and 3% so as a result, the US real estate industry, they were bracing themselves for up to a 30% drop in the commissions that Americans pay annually in fees. But the new rules. Things have been nothing other than a big nothing burger. It only took a matter of weeks, really, for most agents to realize, you know, what did the agents do? They just simply moved their conversations off the NAR website and over to phone, text and email. That's it. Yes, that's all they did. So since that time, the average commission for buyers agents has barely budged. It ticked down less than 110 of 1% so for example, it ticked down less than 500 bucks on a 500k home that's per Redfin. So agents still expect sellers to pay five to 6% now I'm not against agents. Not only can an agent guide you through the process, what they can do is get you a higher sale price than they could have otherwise, because they really know how to market and advertise your property and reach a greater pool of buyers, but their commission rates have hardly budged. And of course, here at GRE marketplace, we typically use a direct model where agent compensation isn't priced into your properties anyway.    To review what you've learned so far today, being proactive can help reduce your tenant vacancy and turnover expense and increase your income. Prompt, quality maintenance, that is a retention strategy in itself, as can having one on site employee for every 50 to 80 apartment units. And one year later, changes at the NIR really haven't reduced aging commissions appreciably. I'm coming to you from London, England today, taking in all the top sites, Buckingham Palace and watching the changing of the guard over there, Big Ben a Thames river cruise and the London Bridge, which is actually called Tower Bridge. The real estate transaction that I'm currently involved in here is paying $550 a night to stay here at a nice hotel in the center of the city. It's right near the Thames, kind of a steep rate, and I sure didn't have to stay right in the city center, where everything is more pricey. But that's the experience that I want to have. Next week, I'll bring you the show from Edinburgh, Scotland, where I'll be paying even more for a well located hotel right on the Royal Mile, and I'll tell you how much more then I am here to boost their economies, I suppose more next, including a really timely update. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to Episode 555, of get rich education.    The same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours Ridge lending group NMLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat with President Chaley Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com. That's Ridge lendinggroup.com.    You know what's crazy? Your bank is getting rich off of you. The average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back. No weird lockups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing. Check it out. Text family to 66866, to learn about freedom. Family investments, liquidity fund again. Text family to 66866.   Tom Wheelwright  24:21   this is Rich Dad advisor, Tom wheelwright. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  24:37   Welcome back to Episode 555, of get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, with an episode number like 555, you would expect me to go deep with you on real estate pays five ways, but we did that five weeks ago on episode 550 with your audio masterclass right here on the show today, we're talking about something with less upside. Than say that or the inflation triple crown, and instead on reducing your downside, vacancy and turnover expense, next week here on the show, I expect to sit down with a guest that's a highly regarded financier and author of a fairly hot new finance book, Christopher Whelan, and next week's show could get really interesting, because I've heard Chris say something about how real estate prices could fall back to 2020 levels. In my opinion, that is so many levels of unlikely that happening is about as likely as your grocery bills falling back to 2020 levels. So we'll see it could turn into a debate next week with Christopher Whelan and I. He is a sharp, well informed guy that also used to work at the New York Fed. That's next week down the road, longtime and former co host of the real estate guys radio show, Russell gray will join us again here, and we'll see what he's been up to in his post real estate guys, radio life that's coming up in a few weeks. Lots of great future content here, monologs, yes, those slack jawed monologs For me, repeat guests and new guests joining in as well. Back to this week now, there's an intriguing and potentially lucrative investment that we've discussed on the show here before, and I do have a timely and crucial update about it. A little while back, I sat down with the teak operations principle when we were in New Orleans together. These are yes, those Panama teak tree plantations that so many of you have already invested in. Yes. So as it is here. I am an American in London today talking about teak trees in Panama and I interviewed our upcoming guest here when we were in New Orleans together, the teak investment has a long time horizon, because trees have to grow. There's also a low cost of entry and no loans available. This is a real estate investment. You can own the land with the title to it and the trees that grow on top of them. Historically, teak returns have been five and a half percent, which doesn't sound like much, but see it grows in board foot volume at the same time that the unit price grows. And if inflation runs high over the next 25 years, your return might be higher. But the reason that we're discussing this now is because the principal, Mike Cobb here meeting with me, he is going to mention a price, and this is key two weeks from today, on June 9, the price for the teak parcels increases substantially. I'll tell you about that shortly. So for GRE followers, you can get locked into the lower price for just two more weeks. Here's my chat from a little while back with the teak tree investment principle, and then I'll return to bring you more.    Hey, did you know that you can own a quarter acre parcel of a producing teak plantation, you own the title to the land, and you get the growth in the trees. On top of that, this is something that you can do as an investor. And teak trees are a valuable hardwood that you own, typically in Central America. So there's a very low cost of entry to this investment, and that's what attracts a lot of people to it. And I am with Mike Cobb, the CEO. He's also the author of the new book how to buy your home overseas and get it right the first time. But Mike, a lot of people are interested in the teak investment because it is so approachable. Tell us about it. Give us a general overview.   Mike Cobb  28:42   absolutely, you know, thanks for having me on. It's always nice to be with you. We're, we're having some fun here in New Orleans, which is terrific, you know, yeah, the teak plantation is something that I envisioned back in 1998 so what's that like 26 years ago? Right? And in 1999 we planted our very first 100 Acre teak plantation. Because what we thought about at the time, which has now proven true 25 years later, is that, you know, I was either going to need the money in 25 years and be really glad I did this, or I wasn't going to need the money in 25 years and I was going to be really glad I did this. You know what? I don't really need the money now, but I'm really glad I did this. And 25 years comes. And I think that's been really the challenge for a lot of people looking at teak. They're just like, ah, 25 years. It's too long, but 25 years comes. 25 years will come, and you can either have planted the trees and be ready to take this huge windfall of return, or you won't be getting a windfall return. So I think that's the challenge, the mental challenge, I think maybe an average investor has, but I know you work with superior investors because they're paying attention to what you're writing, they're watching your podcast, they're reading your newsletter. You have far superior investors than I would say, the average investor. So I think this is a great thing for folks to check out.   Keith Weinhold  30:00   All right, so you're talking about the investment timeline, from the time a tea tree seed is planted until the harvest time that can feel like quite a while. You have been doing this over 25 years, and that is key when you as an investor go offshore or go overseas to have trust in a stable company that's been around for a long time. That's why, really, you're one of the few people that I work with who are outside of the United States real estate like the teak trees.   Mike Cobb  30:25   Thank you. Yeah, we've been around for 31 years. I've been working in the region. 31 our development company is 28 years old. Our plantation is now 26 years old. 25 with the trees, but we bought the land 26 years ago. But the bottom line, you're right and and the other thing that we should care about. And you brought this up earlier, when we're kind of chatting, is country, what country are you planting trees in that you got to wait 25 years for them to mature and harvest? By the way, the Panama. By the way, Panama, and of all the countries in the region where I feel the most comfortable as an investor, Panama's yet, because Panama's got the canal. And I know people say, oh, yeah, that's right. It's a vital strategic US interest. It's a vital world interest. The Chinese care about it as much as we do. The Europeans care about it. Anybody who wants commerce to happen cares about that canal being open. And so you've got this country, Panama, that has the canal stable, economically stable, politically stable. And when starting to talk about 2550 7500, year time frames, because you own the land, you get the harvest in 25 years, you replant, and then your children get the next harvest, and your grandchildren get the next harvest. It is truly generational wealth. Stewardship   Keith Weinhold  31:41   Panama is a little bit like investing overseas with training wheels on their well developed, first Central American nation. They even use the United States dollars. They do is that familiar? Absolutely well. But as the investors thinking about investing in teak plantations, just tell us about the properties of teak wood, of all wood types. Why teak? Tell us about the value there.    Mike Cobb  32:00   Yeah, teak has been grown in plantations, starting with the British back about 400 years ago. And so you've got centuries of plantation growing of teak as a crop, right? And so you've got this incredible longevity of information and things like that. And I know some of the stats off the top of my head, since 1972 the average price of teak lumber has has risen about five and a half percent a year over a 52 year period. Talk about track record, centuries of growing as a crop, right? 52 years as a lumber commodity. Look, people been using it to make ships. Its hardness is its most valuable characteristic is an extremely hard wood. It's resistant to rot fungus, so it's used in outdoor furniture, for example, right? Some of the stuff on the Titanic they pulled up from the bottom of the ocean, you know, chairs made a teak, right? Teak. But ship builders fine furniture, outdoor furniture and and they're cutting teak down. This is so important, they are cutting teak down eight to 10 times faster than anybody in the world is replanting it. So just imagine what that does to supply and demand and prices based on just basic economics, right?   Keith Weinhold  33:13   Yeah, that is some scarcity. That is a really good point. Tell us about what you're surely interested in. What do the investor returns look like.   Mike Cobb  33:21   Yeah. So you know, to own one of these quarter acre parcels, by the way, you said it before you own the land, you get title to the land you own the trees. $6,880 that's your that's your entry. Gosh. So for less than $7,000 you own a quarter acre of teeth trees that in 25 years projected returns. We all projections right about $94,000 a little over $94,000 so 7000 turns into $90,000 over 25 years, harvest, plant the trees again, and in 25 years, your kids or your grandkids will get the next harvest, and so on and so on. It is a powerful generational wealth stewardship. In fact, right now we have what we call give the gift of teak because look, you know, you got kids, you got grandkids. What are you gonna get them? Right? I mean, they got everything they want, presumably, right? You buy them a teak parcel, right? Buy that kid, buy that grandkid, a teak parcel. What a cool idea. Oh my gosh, in 25 years, you might be gone, right, but they're gonna get this big windfall, and they're gonna thank grandma or grandpa, right for for thinking of them 25 years into the future?   Keith Weinhold  34:27   Yeah? Oh, I love that. And you're so proud about what you do. You regularly offer investor tour so that they come and see the teak. But maybe you know, for you, the investor, you're wondering, okay, if you're used to investing in us real estate, you might be making two leaps here. You'd be going from residential real estate to agricultural, and you'd also be investing in a nation outside your home country. And when it comes to those sort of questions, I think any savvy investor asks, okay, what are the risks involved with this investment? Can you tell us about that?   Mike Cobb  34:59   Yeah, sure. Look, you've got political risk, country risk, political risk, which, I think again, of all the countries in the region, Panama, dollar, economy, canal, safe, stable. So the political risk is minimal. It's there. It's real. You know, fire risk is an issue, right? Trees burn. The good thing about teak is that after about year three, they're up. And you keep them trimmed, trim all the low branches off. So fire risk really drops incredibly low after about year three or four. But ultimately, it's about professional management. We have a company called Heyo Forrestal that we hired 25 years ago, 26 years ago, actually, to help us find the land, do the analysis of the land, make sure it was good for teak. And when you hire professionals, you get professional results. I mean, we stayed with this company for 26 years now, and the guy that we met early on, a little forestry engineer, is now General Manager and partner in the business. So we've watched that business grow up alongside ours at the same time. Those relationships, you know, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers have a song you can't make old friends. So here we are with Jacobo and some of the Luis that we've worked with for, you know, 26 years, and the relationships matter, especially in that part of the world, but professionalism and professional management is the key, and you have that alongside the relationships. Both are important.   Keith Weinhold  36:20   yes. So we're talking about how the property manager is such an important part of your team, and you think about your single family homes or your apartment buildings. And Mike here is talking about the importance of professional management, because teak trees need a little management and pruning, and sometimes there are thinnings which can give you some income so that you don't have to wait 25 years. Correct another way in which you might not have to wait 25 years for the full harvest cycle is at times you can buy trees that are, say, already seven years old, so you can only be waiting 18 years, or that are teens, so you might only be waiting 10 years, or some things about that, those are some of the options. But Mike, before I ask you if you have any last word, if you want to learn more about this, get some information, learn more about it, and learn how to connect with Mike's team. He is one of our GRE marketplace providers, and he's the owner of that company. You can do that at gre marketplace.com/teak, any last thing someone should know about teak before they consider investing? Mike?    Mike Cobb  37:16   Yeah, well, two things you mentioned the tour. So we do run discovery tours. We have one coming up in January, end of January, two days, we go out to the plantation, the teenage teat plantation, by the way, oak, which is eight or nine more years to harvest. Then we're going to the sawmill, because all of our logs go through a sawmill to convert to lumber, which enhances the return to the investor.    Keith Weinhold  37:36   Do the teens sleep until noon? Or can we visit them   Mike Cobb  37:38   and then they're on their phones all day If we're gonna go visit them. We'll wake them up and, like, get on their phones. But here's, here's the last parting word. I think it's scary for a lot of people. It is scary. You're going overseas, you're outside of, you know, residential you're going into a new industry. You're going to a new country. The reason this works for so many people, over 1000 now, have done this, is it's such a small bite, $7,000 and if that's maybe one or 2% of your portfolio, what I hate to say, put it on the table and roll the dice, but you'll be happy you did. I'm happy I did. It's a small bite, but that international diversification is so important. And then you put it in something that's absolutely not correlated to the market. It's not correlated to us real estate. I mean, in 2008 to 2012 when real estate was dying in the US, our trees just kept growing. So non correlated, non US, right? And non residential. I think that's the reason you want to take a little tiny piece of your portfolio and put it overseas in something like teak.    Keith Weinhold  38:42   We know over the long term that it has grown in value 5.5% a year, but at the same time, it grows in volume, in the amount of board fees you're getting a crease, an increase in both unit value and volume. It's really growing a couple ways. At the same time, you've had over 1000 different individual investors invest in the teak now, several dozen, maybe even more than 100 of those have been you the get rich education follower. So again, thanks for joining me, Mike. If you want to learn more, start at gre marketplace.com/teak. I'm Keith Weinhold. I'll see you next time.    Yeah, good information from Mike there again for GRE followers, that 6880 price deadline is Monday, June 9, and then it goes to 8680, that is a 26% price increase, and this is because land and planting costs have skyrocketed. And you know, I have long wondered about when they were going to change that same lower price that they've had for a lot of years. The provider recently added a sawmill to convert logs to lumber, and that enhances investment returns. So when you inquire for more info, you can ask about that, and that could very well put them above the 94k per part. Possible projected payout. Teak, hardwood, it just has some amazing physical properties. It's not your run of the mill. Backyard. Maple, it is a real asset. Think of it as a forest that fights back against Fiat and the provider reputation and continuity are almost impeccable. They've even had the same forestry manager, yeah, sort of like a property manager for trees, because trees take things like prunings and thinnings, the same manager for all 26 years of the teak operation. In the future, I might join one of their teak investor tours in Panama, and if I do, I'll be sure to let you know so that we can meet up that might even be a GRE exclusive tour. What you really need to know now is that, again, the lower price is good until Monday, June 9, to get started or simply learn more, visit gre marketplace.com/teak, that's t, e, a, k, until next week, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Unknown Speaker  41:10   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  41:34   You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info, oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access and it's got pay walls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers. It's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters. And I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter. You also get my one hour fast real estate video. Of course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text gre 266, 866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text, GRE to 66866.   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, getricheducation.com  

Successful contracting businesses are built on six fundamental pillars that form the KROFF framework: Knowledge, effective sales and marketing, Relationship management, Operating systems, Financial management, and Finding the right people. • Knowledge is the foundation – you must understand construction basics before managing others• Effective sales requires consistent lead generation from referrals, online presence, and local marketing• Systematic estimating and follow-up processes demonstrate professionalism to potential clients• Relationship management with both customers and crews builds loyalty and prevents issues• Operating systems and processes create repeatable success through documentation and accountability • Financial management through job costing and cash flow tracking prevents business failure• Strategic hiring and employee management require different skills than contracting• Bad financial management and poor hiring decisions are the two biggest company killers• Low-hanging fruit (easy jobs) must be balanced with long-term business development• Construction is a math game, not a casino – systems ensure predictable profitabilityIf you'd like personalized help implementing these fundamentals in your business, visit ProStruct360.com and contact us through the Contact Us page.Struggling to grow your contracting business? The Foundations Program is designed to help contractors break free from the chaos and build a business that runs smoothly. You'll get a customized training program, 1-on-1 coaching, and access to a full paperwork database—including contracts and the Client Engagement Agreement. Join the Foundations Program today!

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Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Sam Clayton, Vice President of the Construction Group to discuss how the expected loss rates will impact concrete contractors in California. Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Rancho Mesa's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alyssa Burley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sam Clayton⁠Editor: ⁠⁠Megan Lockhart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “Breaking News Intro” by nem0production© Copyright 2025. Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

In this live episode, we bring you two unscripted roleplay sessions recorded during the NashVegas event. These real-time mock sales calls are not only packed with humor and personality but also demonstrate the power of the Shin-Fu sales process in action. Contractors will gain invaluable insights on handling objections, qualifying leads, and maintaining control of sales conversations.In this episode :[00:00] Tom introduces the episode from the NashVegas event and the focus on impromptu role plays[00:30] Role play: Taylor explains that his company handles commercial projects and drywall[01:15] Scenario: Bidding on an upper deck addition for Fenway Park[02:25] Establishing project goals and understanding decision-making layers[03:44] Building rapport and qualifying the seriousness of the opportunity[05:10] Identifying project urgency and navigating around potential delays[06:09] Scheduling the site visit and sharing documentation like references and COI[06:57] New scenario: Client wants an addition on a 1,400 sq. ft. home[07:54] Role play: Dave takes a call and works to uncover the client's true needs[08:53] Tim explains pressure from his wife and desire to start construction quickly[09:42] Dave explores the dynamics of decision-making and aligns with the urgency[11:51] Discussion about Title V septic requirements and how to navigate them[12:39] Discussing pricing and the client's budget limitations[13:25] Adjusting scope to fit the client's $250K budget and confirming interest[14:48] Setting expectations, discussing trust, and preparing to sign the contract[15:59] The twist: Tim reveals another contractor was in the mix—a humorous close to the role play[16:34] Tom wraps up and encourages listeners to dive into Shin-Fu Sales TrainingResources:

Are you blindly following what your buddies charge? Sorry to say it but you're killing your profits. If you're guessing your markup based on what “the other guys” are doing, STOP

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Schedule a Meeting with Joshua TODAY!Are you hearing your clients during sales calls—or actually listening? That subtle difference could be costing you thousands in lost projects.In this episode, host Joshua Gillow shares a powerful lesson he learned from a 15-year-old Scout that applies directly to how landscapers, hardscapers, and outdoor living pros communicate. If you've ever walked out of a sales meeting thinking it went great—only to get ghosted—this is for you.You will:Learn the difference between hearing and deep listening—and why it matters for sales.Discover how body language and tone reveal more than words ever will.Get the mindset shift and step-by-step approach to listen with impact and convert more leads.Tap play now and learn how mastering the art of listening can instantly boost your close rate and help you connect better with every client you meet.Connect with Joshua at:The WebsiteThe Facebook GroupSales Master ClassesHow to work with Joshua - https://yes.express/apply/Tune into this podcast where a seasoned craftsman shares expert communication skills, strategies for overcoming stress and overwhelm, and insights on building a profitable business in landscaping and hardscaping, with tips on how to sell, close more deals, and achieve financial freedom to retire early as a successful business owner in the design/build and outdoor living industry.

In this episode, Colin Nolan shares the importance of transforming objections into opportunities by mastering the art of uncovering customer pain. Discover why the most successful objection handling happens during discovery, not at the end of the sales process, and learn practical techniques to leverage emotional buying motives when facing resistance. If you're struggling with closing deals, this conversation reveals why the solution lies in how you open them.

Discover the AI Coaching Tools Driving Explosive Growth in Home Services SalesJoin Tim Brown and Arnav Power from Rilla in this value-packed episode of the Hook Better Leads Podcast. We dive deep into how cutting-edge AI tools like Rick and the new hands-free feature are transforming sales training, compliance, and coaching for home service businesses.Learn how top companies are: • Using AI to instantly review technician performance • Coaching reps on the go with real-time insights • Leveraging call analytics to close more deals • Increasing average ticket sizes by talking smarter, not harderIf you're in roofing, plumbing, or HVAC, and want to boost conversion rates, this episode is your ultimate playbook.

Cedric is still camped out in front of the Jot ‘Em Down store, but Lum has cooked up an idea that might lure him off the property. Lum intends to…

I imagine you and I are similar in many ways. When creating my editorial calendar, I try to craft a broader narrative of the design and architecture industry. I view this show as a time capsule being both created and consumed in real time. But if you go back and listen to episodes from 2013 when this podcast was started until now, you will discover an illustrative exposition that both narrates in real time and looking forward to demonstrate where the industry is going by examining where we are. It's a futuristic approach to the built environment. To be transparent with you, that is the part I enjoy most. Every now and then, like the impact of a meteor, something happens to make us all think about the industry as we know it. As we approach the work. These days, it feels like we are experiencing an unending barrage of meteor strikes which is turning our industry upside down. And, believe it or not, I'm not even talking about tariffs, government chaos, wildfires or the supply chain! Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Design Hardware - A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!  - Where service meets excellence TimberTech - Real wood beauty without the upkeep We will be reviewing all of these, but not today. In 2018, you might have heard a conversation I published from the LA Design Festival on the topic of intellectual property rights, IP law and how it was affecting the industry. In the following episode, I will be introducing you to Andrew McBride, Partner @ Adams & Reese and Carter Pope, Associate @ Adams & Reese. I found Andrew and Carter while on a journey of exploration, there is a case moving it's way through the legal system called Aaron and Samantha Judge v. Drew Designs, LLC. This is a case about a design relationship gone wrong rife with communication issues, contract issues and a litany of other things that make for a messy professional relationship that winds up in the courts. McBride and Pope authored an article called, “Hidden Ball Trick” - Yankees' Aaron Judge Case Involving Deception Carries Lessons for Contractors.  I've added a link in the show notes and I highly recommend this for contractors, architects and designers. The following conversation covers a number of issues that led to both parties winding up in court and as you are going to hear, much if not all of this could have been avoided. In addition to this case, we also explore, the Judd Foundation v. Clements Design, Inc. in a case that will surely affect the future of dupes as well as another case winding it's way through the courts like a medieval knight moving through the digestive tract of a money guzzling dragon, Gifford v. Sheil. Perhaps the metaphor is too graphic, I'll rethink that one. But it fits. The law is a complicated knot of ideas and it seems to me the best way to avoid legal entanglements is to do good business in the first place and when disagreements come up, and they will, you work hard to find common ground and squash it. And this is why. You will hear the whole conversation with Andrew McBride and Carter Pope of Adams & Reese, right after this. Thank you, Andrew and Carter. Enlightening. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed.  Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. - CXD

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In this presentation, we will review a home inspection (not a code inspection), demonstrate why code inspectors and contractors should network with local home inspectors, and show how the home inspection industry influences $32 billion in home improvements yearly. We will also learn how home inspectors help homeowners maintain their homes and keep them functioning, safe, and healthy.

Today in Lighting is brought to you by Amerlux. Discover the innovative Hornet 2.5 Monolithic Downlight Family by Amerlux—where cutting-edge design meets exceptional performance. Learn more. Highlights today include: SESCO Lighting Acquires ERT Lighting, Beacon Awards 2025 – Submit Your Lighting Design Projects Now, Déjà View, Rexel and Parspec Expand Partnership to Launch Next-Generation Digital Platform for Contractors, Optique Lighting Introduces Perifina Edge Reveal.

Has a recent hailstorm left your Thornton roof a wreck? The right roofer will get your roof back to its best in no time; you just have to know how to hire a reliable contractor. That's where Apex Restoration & Roofing comes in.https://apexroofingusa.com/adams-county/thornton/storm-damage-roofing/ Apex Restoration & Roofing City: Centennial Address: 7076 S Alton Way, Centennial, Website: https://apexroofingusa.com/

Today's show captures one of Eric's coaching calls focused on personal and professional growth for contractors, introduced through the metaphor of a fire triangle with fuel, oxygen, and heat representing key elements for success. Participants share their struggles with finding and maintaining motivation, identifying what fuels their drive and what provides the necessary oxygen and heat, which can include self-awareness, confidence, continuous learning, and support from others. The conversation highlights the importance of actively identifying these elements and consciously nurturing them to prevent burnout and achieve goals, emphasizing that growth requires intentional effort and accountability. Sharing experiences and seeking help from a supportive community are presented as crucial components of this personal and professional development process. Key Takeaways: Identify your personal fire triangle by figuring out what serves as your fuel, oxygen, and heat. Write down the elements of your fire triangle and your goals to make them visible and concrete. Share your goals and the elements of your triangle with others for accountability and support. Become self-aware of your behaviors and personality type to recognize when your fire is diminishing and what steps to take. Take action and bet on yourself by continuously feeding your fuel, oxygen, and heat to foster growth. Resources: Contractor Sales Secrets: ContractorSalesSecrets.com Fitz Fish Ponds: Koi Trips Book A Call With Triplett: Call with Triplett The Pond Digger: https://theponddigger.com/ LA Pet Fair: https://www.lapetfair.com/ Atlantic-Oase: https://www.atlantic-oase.com/ Helix Pond Filtration: http://helixpondfiltration.com/ TWT Contractor Circle (Facebook Group): TWT Contractor Circle TWT Contractor Power Circle (Facebook Group): TWT Contractor Power Circle The Pond Digger Instagram: Instagram The Pond Digger Facebook: Facebook Train With Triplett TikTok: TikTok EasyPro Pond Products: https://easypro.com/ 

Schedule a Meeting with Joshua TODAY!Are you treating your clients like transactions instead of real human beings—and wondering why referrals are drying up?In this episode, Joshua Gillow challenges the outdated "business-to-consumer" (B2C) model that most landscape and outdoor living businesses operate under. He introduces a transformative "human-to-human" (H2H) approach that focuses on connection, empathy, and delivering emotional value—something your competitors aren't even thinking about.You will:Discover how the H2H mindset can unlock effortless referrals and repeat business.Learn why most contractors never get “raving fans” and how to create them.Hear the exact mindset shift that creates deeper customer relationships—and more profitability—without spending a dime on extra marketing.Press play now to learn how humanizing your business can help you stand out, charge more, and create clients who sell for you.Connect with Joshua at:The WebsiteThe Facebook GroupSales Master ClassesHow to work with Joshua - https://yes.express/apply/Tune into this podcast where a seasoned craftsman shares expert communication skills, strategies for overcoming stress and overwhelm, and insights on building a profitable business in landscaping and hardscaping, with tips on how to sell, close more deals, and achieve financial freedom to retire early as a successful business owner in the design/build and outdoor living industry.

In this session from the American Contractor Summit – Built to Last, Michael Gogan from HireBus breaks down how contractors can hire better, faster, and without all the chaos.He covers how to use technology and process—not just gut feel—to build the kind of team that actually helps you grow. Whether you're hiring your first admin or your fiftieth crew member, Gogan lays out a smarter way to do it.

You'll recognize yourself in some of Matt Michel's contractor stories. Matt has worked with contractors for years and is the founder of Service Nation which operates the Service Roundtable, Service Nation Alliance, and more. Matt gives you the “story behind the stories” in this book that every contractor should read. Free P&L Statement and Balance Sheet https://tinyurl.com/2rjd6wxu Ruth King Twitter - @RuthKing LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthking1/   Podcast Produced by Nick Uttam https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-uttam-4b33a1147

LikeFolio's Andy Swan discusses why Home Depot (HD) is weathering the housing market storm better than Lowe's (LOW). Swan says Home Depot's 50/50 split between contractors and DIYers gives it a structural advantage, and contractors are driving growth despite a weak housing market. He believes Home Depot's stock is "priced right" for now, but a pickup in the housing market could be a catalyst for a rally.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Check out Quantum Rise here: https://www.quantumrise.com/Follow Alex here

BBB Director of Communications Sarah Wetzel joins John Hancock and Michael Kelley with a warning for victims of last week's storm.

Jared Dean isn't winging it — he's a master HVAC sales tactician. With over two decades in the industry, Jared has developed a precise, proven process that earns trust, overcomes objections, and closes premium HVAC systems at a staggering $25K average ticket with a 64% closing percentage.  Jared works just three days a week in the field, serves full-time as a pastor, and still sold $3.5 million last year. In this conversation, he opens up his playbook — step by step.  What you'll walk away with: The first 10 minutes that make or break the sale — Jared's subtle script to uncover decision-makers and secure time commitment without pressure. How to “price-condition” like a pro — Set the stage for high-ticket HVAC sales without triggering objections. The four-option close that boosts average ticket and drives confident, fast decisions. How storytelling + strategic vulnerability generate instant trust (and eliminate hard closing). What to say after they say “yes” — Jared's post-sale move that slashes cancellation rates. The 5-minute habit that separates amateurs from elite sales pros — and accelerates long-term mastery.  Jared proves you don't need to work 60-hour weeks or be a natural-born closer to dominate in residential HVAC sales — you need a system, heart, and the discipline to follow through.  Show Notes The Successful Contractor Podcast is a part of the CertainPath family.  CertainPath builds successful home service businesses—and has for 25 years.  We do it by providing contractors with a proven path to success, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong. Doubling your sales, with a 20% net profit, and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible.  Let us show you the way. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.   FOLLOW CERTAINPATH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/ 

This is Part 5 of our Million-Dollar Mistakes series—all week, we're breaking down why most contractors never crack $1M, and how to avoid the traps. Check back daily for the next episode.Want to build your plan? Join the Million Dollar Contractor Workshop – Live, May 20–22:https://thecontractorfight.com/MillionIn this final installment of the 5-part series, Tom gets brutally honest about the single biggest reason contractors fail to hit $1 million in revenue—it's not the market, your skills, or your team. It's YOU. If you haven't truly decided to build a million-dollar business, you're already behind. Tom shares powerful insights and challenges every contractor to cut off all other options and fully commit to their future.In this episode, Tom discusses:[00:00] Introduction to the final part of the series and a call to join the Million Dollar Contractor Workshop[02:17] The #1 reason most contractors don't hit $1M: lack of true decision[03:39] Personal reflection: Tom shares his own struggles and the cost of not deciding sooner[04:20] Shedding your old identity to become the contractor capable of running a $1M business[05:10] The dangerous cycle of operating on autopilot and the cost to your life and loved ones[06:11] The reality of hitting $1M in revenue and why it still might not mean profit[06:40] The true meaning of “decide”—cutting off all other options[07:56] The identity shift: from desperate contractor to F.W. (Fucking Winner)[09:30] The harsh truth about dabbling, distractions, and the myth of “when things calm down”[10:29] Building something worth handing down—or not[11:04] What real decision-making looks like and the call to action[11:59] Why Tom is in your face—because he knows you can win[13:05] Full details on the upcoming Million Dollar Contractor Workshop and how to registerResources:=========================================

Three Buddy Problem - Episode 46: We dig into a Coinbase breach headlined by bribes, rogue contractors and a $20 million ransom demand. Plus, (another!) batch of Ivanti and Microsoft zero-days being exploited in the wild, a new 'Intrusion Logging' feature coming to Android, Apple's iOS 18.5 patches, and the EU announcing its own vulnerability database and software vendor secure-coding pledge. Cast: Juan Andres Guerrero-Saade (https://twitter.com/juanandres_gs), Ryan Naraine (https://twitter.com/ryanaraine) and Costin Raiu (https://twitter.com/craiu).

This Podcast Is Episode 628, And It's About Efficient Payroll Implementation For Construction Business Owners mplementing an effective payroll system is crucial for construction business owners, as it directly impacts project management, employee satisfaction, and overall financial health. Given the complexities of the construction industry, including varying pay rates, overtime requirements, and the need for certified payroll reports, developing a streamlined payroll process is essential.    Here are some steps to consider:   1. Determine Payroll Needs: Assess the size of your workforce (hourly vs. salaried employees). Identify the types of workers (e.g., subcontractors, full-time employees) and ensure your payroll system can handle various pay rates and classifications.   2. Choose the Right Payroll Software: Look for software that caters to the construction industry's needs, including support for job costing, lien waivers, and compliance with prevailing wage laws. Ensure it has features for tracking time worked, overtime, and benefits. 3. Set Up Employee Information:  Gather necessary documentation for all employees, including W-4 forms, identification, and relevant licenses.  Enter employee data into the payroll system, including their pay rates, tax information, and benefits enrollment. 4. Establish a Time Tracking System: Implement a reliable method for tracking hours worked. This can be done via paper timesheets, digital time clocks, or mobile apps. Ensure the method complies with labor regulations regarding work hours and overtime.   5. Understand Payroll Tax Obligations:  Familiarize yourself with federal, state, and local payroll taxes, including Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment.  Set up an account with the IRS and pay estimated taxes regularly to avoid penalties.   6. Communicate with Your Team: Educate your employees about how the payroll system works, including how to report hours worked and any deductions they may see. Keep an open line of communication for any payroll-related questions or concerns.   7. Run Payroll: Determine a payroll schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) that best suits your business needs. Process payroll on time, ensuring accurate calculations for hours worked, overtime, and deductions.   8. Maintain Compliance: Stay updated with labor laws and regulations specific to the construction industry to avoid compliance issues. Keep records of payroll transactions and employee information for audit purposes.   9. Review and Adjust: Regularly review your payroll processes for efficiency and accuracy. Make adjustments as needed to enhance effectiveness and address any emerging issues. Consider soliciting employee feedback about the payroll process to identify any areas for improvement.   By following these steps, construction contractor business owners can implement a payroll system that meets their operational needs and effectively supports their workforce.    Now, what if you already have a system in place? Upgrading or changing your payroll system offers numerous significant benefits. Saving time and money, making everyone's lives easier, and improving integration are good reasons to consider a change.   But if the switch is mishandled, the results can be catastrophic and lead to long-lasting problems. So, please make sure that you allocate the project the time it requires. While some people may indeed enjoy coming to work, earning money is the main reason most people seek employment. Our jobs make the world go round, supporting us and our families so that we can afford everything else in life.   Not receiving payment correctly is a significant issue for your crew. As a construction business owner, you want to ensure your employees are paid sufficiently and on time. This protects your business and their happiness.   Changing payroll systems is a huge undertaking. Many moving parts and people will be affected. Ensure that this project receives the time and attention it deserves. Determine what will be necessary to make the transition, understand who it affects, and communicate with everyone involved. The planning process is critical. Treat it as the foundation to making the switch, and the rest will fall into place.   The primary motivation for implementing a new payroll system is to simplify processes. Yet, many construction businesses overlook how their new technology can help. It's easy to lean on old methods for getting things done because they're familiar, but that would be a mistake when switching to a new payroll system.   Ensure you are familiar with and understand the features of your new platform. The real-time, monetary, and energy savings will be realized here. Automate anything you can. When these tools prove their worth, your team will understand the rationale behind the switch.   That is why we're here. Fast Easy Accounting streamlines construction payroll by offering specialized services tailored for the industry's unique needs. Our bookkeeping services are designed to seamlessly assist you with your payroll processes, ensuring efficiency and accuracy at every step. Here's how we can help:   1. Tailored Solutions for Construction Payroll: We understand the unique challenges of construction payroll, such as varying pay rates, overtime calculations, and compliance with regulations. Our services are customized to meet these needs, ensuring every worker is paid correctly and on time.  2. Time Tracking and Data Management: We offer tools and systems for accurately tracking hours worked, including overtime and different pay classifications. Whether through digital time clocks or integrated apps, we help set up a reliable time management system that feeds directly into payroll, minimizing the risk of errors.  3. Compliance Assurance: Navigating payroll tax obligations can be complex, especially in the construction industry. Our bookkeeping services inform you about federal, state, and local regulations, ensuring you comply with all payroll tax requirements. We handle the calculations and submissions, allowing you to focus on your projects.  4. Efficient Payroll Processing: We streamline payroll by automating everything from calculating wages to processing payments. Automating these tasks saves you valuable time, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively.  5. Record Keeping and Reporting: Accurate documentation is critical for construction businesses, especially for audits and employee inquiries. Our services include maintaining thorough payroll records and generating necessary reports, such as certified payroll for government projects, that are easily accessible when needed.  6. Training and Support: We train your staff to use payroll systems effectively and provide ongoing support for any questions or issues. This ensures that your team feels confident and knowledgeable about the payroll process.  7. Monthly Reviews and Adjustments: Payroll needs can evolve as your business grows. We conduct regular reviews of your payroll processes and reports, making adjustments as necessary to enhance efficiency and address any new requirements that may arise.    Final thoughts   A well-implemented payroll system ensures that employees are paid accurately and on time and helps managers maintain compliance with labor laws and regulations. Furthermore, integrating payroll with project management and job costing enables better tracking of labor expenses and profitability for each project.    Deciding to change your payroll system is a big undertaking. But with some planning and preparation, it can be a smooth and rewarding transition.   For construction business owners, investing in a robust payroll solution means gaining a competitive edge, improving operational efficiency, and creating a positive work environment that fosters employee loyalty and productivity. By utilizing our bookkeeping services, construction business owners like you can ensure your payroll processes are compliant, accurate, and streamlined to support overall business growth and employee satisfaction. Let us handle the complexities of payroll while you focus on what you do best—building and growing your business. About The Author: Sharie DeHart, QPA, is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on managing the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com  

Want to hire our team to scale your Lawn, Landscaping or Outdoor Living Business? Book your FREE strategy call now → https://www.savantmarketingagency.com/free-strategy-call Got questions or need help? Text me: (716) 265-0729 If you're a landscaper or contractor looking to scale past 7 figures and dominate your local market using Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and automation — you're in the right place. In this video, you'll learn: ✅ How to leverage Facebook Ads in your landscaping or contracting business to land $50k+ jobs ✅ Proven strategies we use at Savant Marketing to help landscaping businesses generate consistent, qualified leads ✅ Actionable steps you can take today to improve your marketing results –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Work With Us Want us to build a high-converting marketing system for your business? Apply for your free strategy call here → https://www.savantmarketingagency.com/free-strategy-call Join 5,000+ Contractors in Our Free Facebook Group The #1 community for growing your landscaping or contracting business → https://www.facebook.com/groups/488948048832631 Listen to Our Podcast: The Landscaper Marketing Show No fluff, just proven strategies → https://www.landscapermarketingshow.com/ Visit Our Website Learn more about how we help contractors grow → https://www.SavantMarketingAgency.com DM Me On Facebook Chat directly with Matt → https://m.me/matt.thibeau –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– About Matt Thibeau Matt Thibeau is the CEO of Savant Marketing, one of the top marketing agencies for landscapers and contractors in North America. His team helps established businesses generate predictable leads, book more jobs, and scale profitably using advanced paid ads on Meta and Google, and automation systems.

This is Part 4 of our Million-Dollar Mistakes series—all week, we're breaking down why most contractors never crack $1M, and how to avoid the traps. Check back daily for the next episode.Want to build your plan? Join the Million Dollar Contractor Workshop – Live, May 20–22:https://thecontractorfight.com/MillionIn this powerful bonus episode of The Contractor Fight, Tom brings on his Marine Corps brother and fellow contractor, Rocky Gudim, to share his incredible transformation story. After years of financial struggle and two bankruptcies, Rocky made the pivotal decision to join Battleground. Since then, he's turned his company around—growing from low-margin chaos to a structured, profitable business pulling 30–35% gross profit. His only regret? Not starting sooner.In this episode, Tom and Rocky discuss:[00:43] The #5 reason contractors stay stuck—waiting too long to act[03:56] Rocky's background and how G&H Construction was born[04:21] Years of business mistakes and how joining The Fight changed it all[05:27] Struggling with “head trash” and excuses before taking action[06:12] Crushing over $500K in debt and finding a better way[07:18] Living like you make $20 a month while doing $1.2M in sales[08:50] Discovering the real power of “Know Your Numbers”[10:32] Seeing financial results in less than 30 days[11:19] Boosting margins from 17% to over 35%—even 100% markups[13:37] Battleground as a boot camp for building a real business[14:00] The surprising emotional lift from community and support[15:06] Stats don't lie—why most contractors never reach $1M in revenue[16:15] Going all in: Battleground, War Room, and one-on-one coaching[16:28] The discomfort of raising prices—and how it paid off[17:57] From camera-shy to content machine: winning through video[19:59] Tangible lead generation from consistent content marketing[22:20] Letting go of the “go it alone” mindset and embracing the team[24:14] Why community speeds up success more than grit alone[26:33] The powerful moment when Melinda told Rocky, “I have my husband back”[30:19] Losing confidence, becoming a winner again[31:32] The real magic wand: daily implementation[34:35] Why consistency beats intensity every time[36:05] How to connect with Rocky and G&H ConstructionResources:=========================================

In this episode of the Cabinet Maker Profit System, host Dominic Rubino talks with Clint Padgett, a project management veteran whose clients include Coca-Cola at the Olympics and FIFA World Cup. But don't worry — the lessons he shares aren't just for mega-corporations. They're built for your shop too. Whether you're managing installs, renovations, or entire builds, this conversation will help you: ➡️ Replace confusion with clear, confident planning ➡️ Build real accountability in your PM team ➡️ Avoid the biggest time-wasters in construction project management ➡️ Train new PMs to talk (not just text) ➡️ Use conversations to prevent disasters and scope creep Follow us for more straight-talking business advice for trades pros. And don't forget to share it with someone who needs to hear it. More about Clint: Website: Project Success Inc: The Conversation with Clinton M. Padgett: FOLLOW

Alexandra Gabriele Kaplan is the Founder and CEO of Kaplan Interpreting Services, a leading provider of certified medical and court interpreting services across the United States. With over 17 years of experience as a certified Spanish court interpreter, she is renowned for her precision in high-stakes environments, including courtrooms, hospitals, and corporate negotiations. In 2017, Alexandra founded Kaplan Interpreting Services, which now offers services in over 200 languages, supported by a global network of over 7,000 certified linguists. She holds a master's degree in healthcare administration from Washington University and is also an alumna of the Latino Business Action Network's business scaling program at Stanford University. In this episode… Running a business based on freelancers can feel like a juggling act — especially when you're also raising four kids. How do you manage a team of independent interpreters, serve critical healthcare and legal clients, and still preserve your family time? Alexandra Gabriele Kaplan answers this challenge by sharing the systems, mindset, and professional networks that allowed her to scale from solo interpreter to founder of Kaplan Interpreting Services. Drawing on her healthcare administration background, Alexandra highlights how she built trust with clients, vetted contractors, and responded with resilience during crises like COVID-19, all while maintaining personal balance. Her strategy of building strong relationships with both clients and interpreters has been key to her success, proving that clear communication and mutual respect are crucial in maintaining a well-functioning business ecosystem. Tune in to this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast as John Corcoran interviews Alexandra Gabriele Kaplan, Founder and CEO of Kaplan Interpreting Services, about scaling a nationwide interpreting network. Alexandra discusses managing quality across languages, adapting during the pandemic, and the entrepreneurial programs that shaped her leadership. She also offers insights on building reputation, navigating AI disruption, and balancing work and family.

Today's show was brought to you by our sponsor Encore Funding. Have you or someone you know recently been awarded a government contract and cannot secure funding? Encore Funding has your back, with a recently launched Government division they are funding your receivables so you can just focus on the work. Visit encoregov.com for more information on how to get the money you need to continue growing your business.  In today's episode, I caught up with Jamelyn Austin Trucks live from a procurement event in the City of Miami. Jamelyn is the Practice Director for Grants, Resiliency, and Master Planning at AtkinsRéalis, and she shares her unique vantage point working with FEMA, DOD, and other federal agencies on disaster recovery, transportation, and planning projects. What stood out was her emphasis on the critical role small businesses play—especially those with niche expertise and community knowledge. She breaks down how firms like hers seek out small business partners and what it takes to maintain long-term teaming relationships—beyond certifications, it's about communication, quality, and trust. We also talk shop on real pathways to working with FEMA and other agencies without going through the front door. Jamelyn lays out the kinds of conferences and industry events where firms like hers scout for partners and gives practical advice on how to stand out, get your foot in the door, and keep it there. This is a must-listen if you're a small business looking to team up with prime contractors in the federal space. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamelyn-austin-trucks-cfm-pmp-31325112/ Company Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atkinsrealis/ 

(00:00:00) Electrical Contractor Business Benchmarks w Josh Bone, ELECTRI International (00:05:28) Project Basics (00:15:31) Evolution of an EC Business (00:23:17) Project Progress (00:32:16) Who is This For? (00:33:19) What to Measure in Business? (00:38:22) Passion for the Industry Business financial and operation benchmarks are invaluable as you look to improve your business numbers and service levels. However, if you're an electrical contractor or data/comm installer, how do you find numbers that relate to your industry?I spoke with Josh Bone, Executive Director at ELECTRI International, about a new project to create a repository of benchmarking data that will be available to contractors for free. We discuss the design of the project and how the data will help contractors understand their businesses for better management and financial success.ELECTRI International is a non-profit research organization focused on the electrical and comm/data side of construction.Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review our show on your favorite app.To get a hold of us here at Keepin' The Lights On, please email: podcast@graybar.comWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JkEiv3FKFdwTo reach Josh Bone on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshbone/Learn more about Electri International: https://www.electri.org/Find the free Electri International research reports: https://www.electri.org/research-overview/research/Get engaged in the latest research: https://www.electri.org/research-overview/electri-research-engagement-hub/Drago's Seafood New Orleans: https://www.dragosrestaurant.com/

Schedule a Meeting with Joshua TODAY!Are you struggling to close outdoor living projects—even when your designs and pricing seem spot on? In today's market, uncertainty rules—and it's changing how your clients make decisions. With economic, political, and financial anxiety at an all-time high, understanding the mindset behind your leads has never been more important. If your sales process doesn't account for this shift, you're likely missing out on your best opportunities.You will:Learn why asking one key question about a client's timeline can transform your entire sales conversation.Discover how to qualify leads faster by aligning your process with client values, not just budgets.Find out how to boost your close rate by 20–30% by selling with empathy and precision, not pressure. Listen now to discover how to close more outdoor living projects by mastering the mindset of today's uncertain buyer.Connect with Joshua at:The WebsiteThe Facebook GroupSales Master ClassesHow to work with Joshua - https://yes.express/apply/Tune into this podcast where a seasoned craftsman shares expert communication skills, strategies for overcoming stress and overwhelm, and insights on building a profitable business in landscaping and hardscaping, with tips on how to sell, close more deals, and achieve financial freedom to retire early as a successful business owner in the design/build and outdoor living industry.

Brian Nolan, Co-founder and President of Nolan Consulting Group, and Business Coach Sydney Bates discuss  the rollout of the NEW Hourglass Scorecard, a dynamic assessment tool for trades businesses focused on building value and growth. They explain how this updated version of the Business Systems Checklist helps identify a company's current status and future goals, helps align expectations and develop customized strategies for companies at different revenue stages.  It sets the stage for REAL implementation opportunities. Actually provides weight to the systems you're looking to implement and the value of those opportunitiesTo access the Hourglass Scorecard Resources, connect with Molly@nolancg.com! 

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on a new lawsuit over a hidden camera sting.

Send us a textEver feel like you're throwing marketing dollars into a black hole and praying something works? You're not alone. In this refreshingly honest episode, we're peeling back the layers on what's really holding home service contractors back from marketing success.Marketing for contractors has become a chaotic landscape of conflicting advice, flashy trends, and endless "must-try" tactics. It's exhausting trying to keep up! But after working with hundreds of home service businesses, we've identified three critical mistakes that even successful contractors make with their advertising – mistakes that silently sabotage growth and waste precious marketing budgets.The first pitfall we tackle is "Spray and Pray Marketing" – that haphazard approach where you throw content everywhere without strategy or tracking. Next, we dive into "Promo Sapiens Syndrome," the prehistoric attachment to basic promotions (hello, $49 tune-up!) that keeps contractors in a race to the bottom. Finally, we examine the "Vanishing Brand Act," where inconsistent visuals and messaging prevent customers from truly recognizing your brand.The good news? These mistakes are entirely fixable. We break down practical solutions that don't require a marketing degree – from dialing in your ideal customer avatar to building campaigns that showcase your unique value proposition. Whether you're struggling to break through revenue plateaus or just tired of spending money on marketing that doesn't work, this episode provides the framework to transform your approach.Ready to build a brand that sticks? Pour yourself some lemonade and join us for a conversation that could completely change how you think about your marketing strategy. Your competitors will wonder what hit them.If you enjoyed this chat From the Yellow Chair, consider joining our newsletter, "Let's Sip Some Lemonade," where you can receive exclusive interviews, our bank of helpful downloadables, and updates on upcoming content. Please consider following and drop a review below if you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to check out our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. From the Yellow Chair is powered by Lemon Seed, a marketing strategy and branding company for the trades. Lemon Seed specializes in rebrands, creating unique, comprehensive, organized marketing plans, social media, and graphic design. Learn more at www.LemonSeedMarketing.com Interested in being a guest on our show? Fill out this form! We'll see you next time, Lemon Heads!

In this episode of the Hook Better Leads Podcast, Tim Brown interviews Randy Hurtado of DTY Roofing—who shares how he transformed a career in IT into a $40M/year roofing business by mastering the art of strategic referrals. Discover how realtors, insurance agents, and even competitors became lead sources, why generosity in business pays off, and how to engineer referrals without sounding salesy.Whether you're a roofer, marketer, or any home service pro, this episode will reshape how you view networking, value delivery, and partnerships. Learn the systems behind Randy's incredible referral engine and how you can apply the same framework to your own business.

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Joe Fairless interviews Vanessa Alfaro, Bonny Wayman, and Rebecca Themelis in part three of a three-part series on AI in multifamily real estate. This installment focuses on how operators are implementing AI in property operations such as leasing, maintenance, asset management, and investor reporting. Vanessa discusses creating AI agents and chatbots for asset analysis and KPI tracking, Rebecca explains how tools like MeetElise and Claude AI have accelerated leasing and quality checks, and Bonny shares how custom GPT bots are transforming her management of 50-unit properties. The panel emphasizes the accessibility of AI across portfolio sizes, the importance of training both humans and bots, and how embracing these tools early provides a major operational edge. Vanessa Alfaro Current role: Founder of Venus Capital & Lunax.ai Based in: Texas Say hi to them at: https://lunax.ai, https://venuspartners.com Bonny Wayman Current role: Asset Manager at Wild Oak Capital Based in: Colorado Say hi to them at: https://www.wildoakcapital.com/ or bonny@wildoakcapital.com Rebecca Themelis Current role: Real Estate Investor, Broker, and Contractor at Spot Properties Based in: California Say hi to them at: rebecca@spotproperties.net Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at ⁠https://www.stamps.com/cre⁠. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show! Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/BRE. Terms and conditions apply. Try Huel with 15% OFF + Free Gift for New Customers today using my code bestever at https://huel.com/bestever. Fuel your best performance with Huel today! Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It's free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Part 1 of our Million-Dollar Mistakes series—all week, we're breaking down why most contractors never crack $1M, and how to avoid the traps. Check back daily for the next episode.Want to build your plan? Join the Million Dollar Contractor Workshop – Live, May 20–22:https://thecontractorfight.com/MillionMost contractors never break the million-dollar revenue mark—and in this powerful first installment of a 5-part series, Tom Reber breaks down exactly why. This episode zeroes in on the #1 obstacle holding you back from building a real, profitable business: not knowing your numbers. If you're serious about taking your contracting business to the next level, this is where the path begins.In this episode, Tom discusses:[00:00] Introduction to the special 5-part bonus series[00:14] Overview of the Million Dollar Contractor Workshop (May 20–22)[01:51] The harsh truth: most contractors never hit $1M in revenue[02:25] Why staying under $1M means you're stuck in a glorified job[03:11] The critical first step: know your enemy[03:44] Obstacle #1: Not knowing your numbers[04:26] Examples of how clueless contractors are about their finances[04:51] Key metrics you must track daily to succeed[05:10] Why the tool doesn't matter—just track your numbers![05:26] The danger of vague goals and the need for clarity[06:20] You must evolve at every revenue level[06:44] Aim small, miss small: specific goals lead to better results[07:16] Pricing, marketing, leadership—adjusting the right business knobs[07:40] What to expect in next week's workshop[08:11] Final push to register for the Million Dollar Contractor WorkshopResources:=========================================

Schedule a Meeting with Joshua TODAY!Worried about how your outdoor living business will survive in a flat economy with rising wages and uncertain market conditions? In this episode, Joshua Gillow and financial expert Greg Crabtree break down what business owners need to know to stay profitable, stable, and strategic in 2025's challenging landscape. If you're depending on revenue growth alone, you might be missing the bigger picture.You will:Discover why two months of cash reserves can be the difference between survival and shutdown.Learn how to adjust your labor strategy—without overextending on payroll.Understand how to capture more market share and build financial resilience through smart capital management. Tune in now to hear how contractors like you can thrive—not just survive—in a tightening economy.Connect with Joshua at:The WebsiteThe Facebook GroupSales Master ClassesHow to work with Joshua - https://yes.express/apply/Tune into this podcast where a seasoned craftsman shares expert communication skills, strategies for overcoming stress and overwhelm, and insights on building a profitable business in landscaping and hardscaping, with tips on how to sell, close more deals, and achieve financial freedom to retire early as a successful business owner in the design/build and outdoor living industry.

Many contractors struggle to pay themselves consistently, let alone invest in their future. In this episode, Tom lays out a no-fluff roadmap to help you earn at least $100,000 in personal income from your contracting business. From reverse engineering your financial targets to becoming relentless with marketing and sales, Tom breaks down the exact steps needed to take control of your income, stop living paycheck to paycheck, and start building lasting wealth.In this episode, Tom discusses:[00:00] The reality of contractor income and why most struggle to pay themselves properly[01:43] The first step: reverse engineer your financial goals to determine revenue and pricing targets[03:49] How to calculate the number of jobs and leads you need to hit your income target[05:15] Step two: avoid complacency and stay consistent with momentum-building activities[06:49] The critical role of always marketing to keep your pipeline full[08:06] Why you must sell daily and take control of your sales process[09:24] Building relationships and prospecting consistently to keep the cash flowing[10:16] Raising your standards to attract better clients and demand higher prices[11:11] Step three: be fanatical about branding and sell unafraid[12:39] How to build trust by sharing your values and operations through content[13:27] Owning your local market by getting involved in your community[14:08] Creating value through education instead of relying on traditional ads[16:00] Being confident in your pricing and eliminating “head trash” around money[17:25] The power of sales training and controlling the conversation[18:41] Becoming an uncommon salesperson by identifying pain points and guiding clients[19:06] The importance of consistent follow-up and building long-term customer relationships[20:04] Why sales is a skill you must continually work on to increase your incomeResources:=================================