The Profit Builder Unscripted

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Most contractors I meet don’t struggle with the work — they struggle with the numbers behind it. When those numbers aren’t clear, pricing gets off track and profits start slipping fast.

Undercharging not only eats into profits, it can drain your energy, keep you overworked, and make you feel like success is just out of reach.

In this episode, I share the story of two painting contractors, Al...

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Many contractors stay away from their numbers because they’re afraid of what they’ll uncover. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

In this episode, you’ll hear the story of a remodeler who found himself in that exact spot — worried about his profit, unsure what was working, and guessing his way through decisions.
The turning point came when he finally looked at the data. What he f...

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Many contractors believe that selling more jobs at a lower price will lead to higher profits. On the surface, it seems like a smart move—more work coming in, more money out the door.

But that strategy can quietly destroy a business.

In this episode, I share a story about a contractor whose revenue exploded from $2 million to $12 million… yet profits disappeared. The lesson?

Volume doesn’t equ...

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Owning a business can feel like you're carrying the whole load by yourself. Most of us never had formal training in leadership — we learned it while doing the work, making mistakes, and figuring things out as we go. And when things get tough, it's easy to fall into the comparison trap and believe that everyone else must be doing it better.

That realization allowed me to start some...

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Ever feel like your business is just growing on its own — without a real plan behind it? That was Benjamin’s story.

His remodeling business was doing “fine,” but he was running on autopilot — taking what came, working hard, and hoping it would all pay off someday.

Then one simple shift changed everything.

When he started treating his business like one of his projects — with a clear goal, a pl...

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Ever found yourself stuck in that anxious loop — wondering if you should keep a team member or cut costs.

Or maybe its that your worried about where the next job will come from, and unsure which move is the right one?

In this episode, I share a real story about a contractor who found himself in that exact spot — overwhelmed, uncertain, and on the edge of making a big decision.

The breakthroug...

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The four ways to affect your bottom line—and why “just sell more” isn’t a strategy.

Story: Frank was busy, clients were happy, but profit lagged. The audit showed pricing and billable capacity—not volume—were the culprits.

Key Takeaways

• There are only two ways to affect profit: increase revenue or decrease cost. Each has two paths → 4 total levers.
• If staff are “billable,” set clear billab...

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When we tell people what to do but skip the why, good practices feel like busywork.

That’s when consistency slips and results suffer.

This episode reconnects work to purpose so your team sees the value—and brings ownership, creativity, and follow-through. We use job cost reports as a live example: move beyond data-for-data’s-sake to decisions that protect schedule, budget, and change orders.

...

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Ever feel like you’re saying the same things over and over to your team, but nothing changes?

A client was ready to fire a long-time employee for this very reason. It looked like poor performance. Once we slowed down, the real cause came into focus—and everything shifted.

In this episode, I share the breakthrough that turned frustration into opportunity, the key reasons people fail in their ...

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Ever had a small schedule slip snowball into awkward calls and late nights?

A simple roofing contractor’s delay at a friend’s home sparked this episode and a hard look at why so many of us overcommit.

In this episode, I unpack that story and the simple shift that turned “sure, I can do it” moments into clear, doable commitments. You’ll hear…

• The quick questions I run through before agreei...

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An employee not meeting expectations despite repeated conversations? In this episode I unpack the four main causes of job underperformance.

I share a real story from one of my clients about a long-time employee who’s skilled and capable, but suddenly causing friction with the team.

Whether you’re promoting someone into leadership or trying to get a struggling employee back on track, this epi...

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Ever feel like your profits swing wildly from one job to the next—even when sales are up? You’re not alone.

I recently talked with a contractor, Steve, who’s facing that exact challenge. On paper, everything looks fine. But when we dig in, the real issue shows up: without clear profit targets, every project’s results are left to chance.

In this week’s episode of The Profit Builder Unscripted...

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Ever looked at your bank balance and thought, “We’re doing great” — only to be scrambling for payroll a few weeks later? You’re not alone. Many contractors mistake the number in their bank account for a sign of profitability, when in reality it can be hiding serious cash flow problems.

In this episode of The Profit Builder Unscripted, I share a real conversation with a contractor facing tha...

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Ever wonder why some customers rave about your work, while others seem disappointed—even though you did a great job?

Good customer service isn’t just about delivering quality work or giving extra perks. It’s often about something simpler, yet frequently overlooked.

I recently had an eye-opening experience at my car service center that changed how I think about customer satisfaction. The work...

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When my client Steve’s business jumped from $2M to $5M, what should’ve felt like success quickly turned into overwhelm.

Too many jobs, too many people needing him, and not enough clarity on how to get out of the weeds.

At first, he thought he just needed more help. But what we uncovered was something deeper—and surprisingly easy to fix.

In this episode of The Profit Builder Unscripted, I shar...

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“I’m slammed with work, drowning in paperwork, and stretched way too thin… but hiring help feels impossible. I just can’t afford it right now.”

But what if you’re wrong?

In this episode, I dive into a common but costly belief contractors hold onto—one that keeps them stuck, overwhelmed, and ultimately costs them far more money than they realize.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “It’s faster if I ju...

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When profits dip or things feel off track, it’s tempting to just power through and hope things get better. But what if the very numbers you’ve been avoiding hold the key to turning it all around?

In this episode of Profit Builder Unscripted, I share a powerful story of a contractor who’d been avoiding his numbers.

Not because he didn’t care — but because he already assumed the story they’d t...

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If you’ve ever felt like your day is hijacked by whatever pops up in front of you: email, phone calls, job site fires — you’re not alone. I found myself in that exact place recently.

And if I’m being real, it made me question: am I teaching leadership or just improving their reflexes?

In this episode of Profit Builder Unscripted, I share a breakthrough moment with my team that reminded me ho...

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Have you ever had that gut feeling something isn’t right on a job or with someone on your team? In this episode of The Profit Builder Unscripted, I share a real story about a contractor who ignored those instincts—and what happened when the truth finally came out.

Learn how trusting your gut can save your business from costly mistakes, how to spot warning signs early, and why having those t...