Ashley Burkeen is a serial entrepreneur with 12 years in general contracting, a regional Master Networks franchise, short-term rentals, a holistic skincare line, and a book to her name. In this episode she gets real about what it actually takes to build across multiple industries without losing yourself in the process.

From networking and personal branding to failure, delegation, and self-awareness, Ashley brings a refreshingly honest perspective on entrepreneurship that goes way beyond hustle culture.

If you're building something and feeling like you have to fit a mold that was never made for you, this one's worth your full attention.

Brandon Fuchs brings over 20 years of construction experience and $100 million in managed projects to this conversation. As the founder of the Elite Builder Society, he's on a mission to cut the contractor failure rate by tackling the root cause: fear and a lack of business fundamentals.

In this episode we cover why so many skilled contractors stay stuck, how AI is transforming the front end of construction businesses, and what a real sales framework looks like when you lead with authority and confidence.

Whether you're just starting out or trying to scale past a ceiling you can't explain, Brandon's perspective will challenge how you think about your business and yourself.

Most people use a pandemic as an excuse to wait. Jeremy Wolf used it to launch. In March 2020, with the world shutting down, he started Stay Cool Climate Control from scratch and turned it into one of the most recognized HVAC brands in St. Louis.

In this episode, Jeremy breaks down how he built a standout brand in a crowded market, made the shift from technician to business owner, and learned to trust a team so the business could grow without him. If you own a service business or work in the trades, this one is worth your time.

Book a FREE marketing audit for your business: https://buildauthority.com/contact-us/

Apply to be a guest on the podcast:

https://buildauthority.com/learning-hub/contractor-marketing-podcast/

Most contractors stay stuck swinging a hammer for 90 hours a week because they never make the jump from operator to owner. Trant, a third-generation carpenter based in Nottingham, New Hampshire, almost did. Then his wife told him they were having a kid, and everything changed.

In this episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, host Adam McChesney sits down with Trant to break down exactly how he went from solo contractor to building a custom deck and outdoor living company on track to hit $20M in annual revenue, and why niching down to decks (instead of being a master of all trades) was the single biggest unlock.

What we cover:
– Why niching down to decks streamlined his estimating, SOPs, and office operations
– The mindset shift from contractor to business owner — and the audiobooks and mentors that drove it
– How becoming a dad forced him to build a company that could run without him on every job site
– The marketing stack that built the brand: vehicle wraps, Google Ads, Google Business Profile, and targeted neighborhood mailers
– Why hiring a virtual assistant was one of the highest-ROI moves he made
– His 5-year plan: $20M in revenue and a dedicated outdoor living design center
– How to delegate the tasks outside your expertise so you can focus on growth

🔗 CONNECT: 
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✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

Quitting a stable paycheck to build something of your own is the hardest decision most future business owners ever make. In this episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, host Adam McChesney sits down with Michael Schieffer, a former commercial loan officer who spent 10 years inside the banking world before walking away in April 2023 to build three businesses of his own.

Today Michael runs a real estate flipping operation (16+ flips and counting), an Exit Factor franchise that helps business owners increase valuation and step out of the operator seat, and a Two Maids cleaning franchise in St. Charles that he runs as an owner, not an operator. That distinction is the entire point of this conversation.

What we cover:
– Why "golden handcuffs" keep so many high earners stuck in jobs they've outgrown
– What 10 years of writing commercial loans taught Michael about why businesses fail
– The owner vs. operator framework — and how to structure a business so it doesn't depend on you
– How Michael completed 16+ real estate flips while still holding down a W2
– Why "time freedom" became the real driver behind leaving banking
– The 80/20 content rule for building authority without becoming a full-time creator
– How to position your business for a higher exit valuation 5+ years before you sell

If you've been sitting at a desk wondering if it's time to make the jump, or you're already running a business and trying to step out of the day-to-day, this episode lays out the mindset and the mechanics.

🔗 CONNECT: 
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✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

After years of adding complexity, multiple agencies, multiple locations, a lawsuit — I'm done overcomplicating things.

In this video I'm walking you through my new office setup at Adventure Unknown, why I made the move, and the exact way I've structured my environment to do better work in less time.

I'll walk you through:
👉 Why I traded a 10-minute commute for a 30-minute one — and why it was still the right move
👉 How I structured one space to handle daily work, YouTube, and podcasting without reinventing my setup every day
👉 Why batching content changed everything for my output
👉 The case for simplifying your business before adding anything new

If you're a business owner who feels like your days are running you instead of the other way around, this one might hit home.

🔗 CONNECT: 
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LinkedIn  https://bit.ly/3hjU4jq

✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

Most contractors think social media is a waste of time. John McDonald proved them wrong, with 400K followers on Facebook, 315K on Instagram, and a multi-million dollar business that grows because of his personal brand, not in spite of it.

Adam McChesney sits down with John McDonald, founder of Fab Tech Solutions, to break down how a Navy vet who started with $4,000 in the bank built a massive personal brand and a thriving business — without ever chasing viral trends or following a content playbook.

What we cover:

- How John went from the Navy to running a multi-million dollar machinery business
- Why his content about a barndominium and a pond exploded — and what contractors can learn from it
- How a personal brand acts as a silent sales rep that builds trust for years before a follower becomes a client
- The "fire yourself" framework — how to delegate so your business can scale without you
- Why being great at a trade doesn't mean you should own the business
- The content habit every contractor should build before worrying about algorithms

If you're a contractor who thinks personal branding isn't for you — John McDonald's story will change your mind.

🔗 CONNECT: 
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Instagram  https://bit.ly/3HmCR3m
LinkedIn  https://bit.ly/3hjU4jq

✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

If your painting business can't run without you, you don't have a business. You have a job.

Adam McChesney sits down with Chris Moore, founder of Elite Business Advisors, to break down exactly how painting contractors go from overwhelmed owner-operators to running a scalable business with a real leadership team and hitting $1M+ in revenue without being on every job site.
Chris has coached painting contractors across North America since 2018, released 250 straight weeks of podcast episodes, and built a firm with 8 advisors. He knows exactly where contractors get stuck — and how to fix it.

What we cover:

- How to systematize your painting business so it runs without you
- The leadership team every contractor needs to break past $1M
- Why a 50% gross profit margin is the benchmark — and how to hit it
- Sales and estimating strategies that close more jobs faster
- The coaching framework that pays for itself within 90 days
- How to transition from residential repaints into commercial work

🔗 CONNECT: 
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✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

If your home service business is struggling with labor shortages, high turnover, or leads that go cold before your team can follow up, this episode is for you.

Adam McChesney sits down with serial entrepreneur Chris Huddleston to break down how AI voice agents are replacing underperforming sales reps, cutting labor costs, and closing more jobs for home service businesses in 2026 and beyond.

Chris has built and scaled companies across the warranty, junk removal, and home services industries since 2006 — and he shares exactly what separates contractors who scale from those who stay stuck.

What we cover:

- How AI voice agents are solving the labor shortage in home service businesses
- Why most contractor sales teams lose leads in the first 5 minutes (and how to fix it)
- Leadership frameworks that build teams that don't depend on the owner
- How to navigate slow seasons without losing momentum
- The mindset shift every contractor needs to go from $2M to $5M+

🔗 CONNECT: 
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LinkedIn  https://bit.ly/3hjU4jq

✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

Do you want to turn a successful local business into a national brand through franchising? 

In this episode, we break down the real-world process of "multiplying success" with Dr. Tom DuFore—from identifying if a business is "franchiseable" to navigating the long-term sales cycles required to scale. This isn’t theory. It’s what happens when a founder decides to move from a visionary role into a coaching and training role to lead a franchise system. 

We talk about:

* The Three Pillars of Franchising: Using other people's capital (Money), local ownership (Management), and faster expansion (Multiply).
* The "Franchiseability" Checklist: Why a profitable prototype, national customer base, and a "teacher’s heart" are non-negotiable.
* The Franchise Blueprint: A deep dive into the 3-step strategy of structuring fees, documenting manuals, and launching to market.
* Success vs. Struggle: Why consistent marketing for 200+ days is the key to closing franchise sales, and why starting and stopping ad campaigns leads to failure.
* The Founder's Role: Why the first 20 franchisees are actually buying into the founder, not just the brand.

If you’re a business owner, contractor, or entrepreneur looking for a "confidence elixir" to grow while maintaining local quality, this episode will hit.

🔗 CONNECT: 
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Instagram  https://bit.ly/3HmCR3m
LinkedIn  https://bit.ly/3hjU4jq

✉️ CONTACT:
Email  [email protected]
Website  adammcchesney.com

About me:
I’m Adam McChesney: an entrepreneur and marketer who’s spent the last decade building and scaling service-based businesses. I’ve been on both sides of the table: running companies myself and helping other business owners grow through smarter, more disciplined marketing.

I’m the founder of Builders of Authority, where I work with service businesses to improve visibility, strengthen their brand, and build marketing systems that actually perform over time. Everything I share comes from real experience, what I’ve tested, what’s worked, and what hasn’t.

Today, I create content, speak, and have honest conversations about marketing, growth, and leadership, with one goal in mind: helping business owners stop relying on last-minute tactics and start building something sustainable.