Download Dr. J.J.'s one-liner template here: https://trybta.com/DL214

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP214

Today we're interviewing the one and only Dr. J.J. Peterson, Head of Storybrand and co-author of Marketing Made Simple, which sold over a million copies worldwide.

Dr. J.J. has helped thousands of businesses clarify their message by using a storytelling framework as old as time. 

Plus, we found out before we started recording that he actually has a contracting background. His family ran a concrete business when he was growing up, so he REALLY gets the challenges you’re all facing.

Today’s conversation is all about how to apply the seven-part Storybrand framework to a contracting business. How to position your customer as the hero of your story so you can become their trusted guide.

Episode Highlights:

• Get an overview of the Storybrand framework from someone who has implemented it into thousands of businesses.
• Learn how to apply each of the seven parts of a Storybrand to a roofing, painting, landscaping, construction, electrical, plumbing or home services business, with examples.
• Understand why it is so critical that you keep your message simple, and why so many businesses get this wrong.

00:00-Intro

01:43-About Dr. J.J.'s background in contracting and storytelling

06:46-Why is story so important to marketing?

17:17-The messaging sweet spot: too vague vs. too complex

19:03-The 7-Part StoryBrand Framework: Contracting Edition

24:20-Step 1: What does your customer want?

25:16-Step 2: What problem does your customer face?

32:57-Step 3: How do you position yourself as their guide?

35:47-Step 4: What’s the plan?

38:21-Step 5: The call to action

38:50-Step 6/7: What does success/failure look like for your customer?

41:12-Danny's example, Dr. J.J.'s feedback

49:12-How to get the info you need from your customer

53:39-Most common Storybrand mistakes

57:54-Signs your messaging is working

01:00:47-About Dr. J.J.'s one-liner template

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP213

Today’s the day.

The last official day of Benji's time on Contractor Evolution.

And the first official day of a new era.

In today’s episode, we're pumped to introduce Danny Kerr as your new host.

Danny is one of the co-founders of Breakthrough Academy. In fact, he’s the visionary behind the whole thing. 

He’s a lifelong entrepreneur, former painting contractor and a true expert in guiding contractors to more profitable and more fulfilling businesses.

In this episode, he leads his first official interview on the show—with Benji. They're diving into the history behind Contractor Evolution and everything Benji has learned about content marketing along the way.

Episode Highlights:

• Get an introduction to the new host of Contractor Evolution: Breakthrough Academy visionary and co-founder Danny Kerr.
• Reminisce with Benji as he walks us through the history of the show and what he learned along the way.
• Learn from Benji’s experience when it comes to content marketing, and understand how you might use it to benefit your business.

00:00-Intro

01:42-The history and evolution of Contractor Evolution

14:34-The case for content marketing

25:12-Content Marketing 101 for contractors

42:46-Value-add content vs. salesy content

47:41-Avoiding false starts

54:04-Lightning round

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP212

Grab your free financial management resource bundle here: https://trybta.com/DL212

A few weeks ago, Danny cohosted a web class with Matt Risinger (Host of The BUILD Show) on one of the most important topics in business: finances.

On top of teaching the hundreds of attendees our approachable financial management systems, I had a chance to pick Matt’s brain about his experience managing cash flow as he grew his company into the monster it is today.

So we’re releasing the web class on the podcast to give you everything you need to run your finances like a 7-figure contractor.

We’re covering budgets, forecasting, cash flow, and how to drive results with your team.

If the thought of financial management gives you a migraine, this webinar replay is for you.

Episode Highlights:

• Discover the least painful way to track your budgets, forecasting, and overhead—without wasting hours with mind-numbing numbers.
• Learn how to take the guesswork out of your financial decision-making by understanding your industry benchmarks.
• Get insight into how Matt Risinger avoids lumpy cash flow and why Risinger Build NEVER bids on work.

00:00-Intro

06:12-About Danny and Matt

10:06-Purpose and outcomes

12:18-Why is staying on top of your numbers so hard?

20:39-Matt Risinger on Breakthrough Academy

23:15-Budgeting

38:43-What does “good” look like?

41:20-Gross profit margins as you evolve

46:14-Financial forecasting

52:19-Driving numbers with your team

59:37-Implementing change

01:07:09-Q&A

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP211

Chances are, you’re familiar with at least one personality test. Myers Briggs, Enneagram, Personal Style Indicator (PSI) or, the focus of this episode, DISC profiles.

Are these tools actually helpful? In my opinion, they have a time and place. But the truth is they’re kinda useless if you don’t actually apply the information you get from them.

Otherwise, people just use them as an excuse to behave a certain way.

That’s why today’s guest has become so popular in the world of small business and leadership. Thomas Erikson’s bestselling book Surrounded By Idiots is less about labeling yourself and others as red, yellow, green or blue and more about bringing awareness to your behavioral tendencies to more effectively lead and interact with others.

Instead of saying “I’m a red, so I can’t help being brash,” the book encourages you to say “My tendency to be brash may be pushing people away—what can I do to change that?”

In other words, how to stop feeling like you’re surrounded by idiots just because the people around you don’t act the same way you do.

Episode Highlights:

• Get a brief overview of the DISC personality assessment and its use cases from the author of the bestselling book Surrounded by Idiots.
• Learn how self-awareness can help you become more effective in business and life.
• Understand how to use personality assessments like DISC as tool for personal growth, rather than an excuse for your behavior.
• Bonus: Learn how to recognize and deal with energy vampires in all areas of your life.

00:00-Intro

02:15-Where does "behavior" come from?

04:24-Overview of the 4 DISC personality types

10:28-Distribution of color profiles in society

13:06-Why is this framework useful in running a business?

21:26-Correlation between personality types and roles

28:01-Benji's pushback on personality profiles - can they do more harm than good?

37:33-What motivates the different colors?

43:46-How to use knowledge of the colors to level up as a leader

49:29-About energy vampires

53:48-Closing advice for leaders trying to get the most out of their people

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP210

To grab a copy of the Skill/Will Matrix, DORAGI framework, and Conflict Resolution Guide, click here: https://trybta.com/DL210

In contracting, your people are your business. They determine how customers experience your brand, the productivity of your job sites, the profitability of your business and your own enjoyment of life as an entrepreneur.

So understanding how to manage them as a strong leader is essential.

Today, we’re going to break down one of my favorite frameworks that will give you the tools to bring out the best in your team, maximize productivity, and build a workplace people actually want to be a part of.

It’s called the skill/will matrix.

The idea is that whenever productivity is down or someone isn’t meeting your expectations, ask yourself this one question:

Is this a skill issue? Or a will issue?

Listen to the full episode to learn how to handle each situation.

Episode Highlights:

• Get a summary of the skill/will matrix and how to use it to identify and address productivity issues on your team.
• Learn how to use the DORAGI training framework to help team members struggling with skill.
• Learn how to have a healthy conflict to improve the performance of team members struggling with will.

00:00-Intro

01:28-About the Skill/Will Matrix

02:00-High Will, Low Skill

05:56-Low Will, High Skill

09:46-High Will, High Skill

10:43-Low Will, Low Skill

12:07-Recap

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP209

Our guest on the show today is our very own coach, Ian Ouwerkerk.

Ian coaches the highest number of businesses here at Breakthrough Academy. He has a massive sample size and a unique perspective on what works and what doesn't when it comes to growing your construction or trades business.

He is particularly well-versed in implementing what we call the Contractor Growth Method with his coaching Members. It’s a six-part business system designed to help contractors set their businesses up for success—whether that means scaling, stabilizing or just making the whole thing less painful and more fun.

Today, Ian is going to walk us through that system, just like he’s done hundreds of times for Members.

This episode is the high-level answer to the question: “how do I systemize my entire contracting business from start to finish?”

Episode Highlights:

• Get a step-by-step walkthrough of a six-part business system designed to help contractors scale or stabilize their operations.
• Learn how Ian priorities certain areas of business over others when coaching his many Members.

00:00-Intro

00:10-About the Contractor Growth Method

05:14-Ian's philosophy on business systems

16:02-Contractor Growth Method Step 1: Goal Setting & Execution

26:56-Contractor Growth Method Step 2: Financial Controls

38:41-Contractor Growth Method Part 3: Optimized Sales & Marketing

51:08-Contractor Growth Method Part 4: Hiring & Training

59:15-Contractor Growth Method Part 5: Defined Roles

01:07:11-Contractor Growth Method Part 6: Project Delivery

01:13:24-Recap

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

Grab your FREE hiring resource bundle here: https://trybta.com/DL208

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP208

In 2025, there is one issue contractors talk to me about more than any other:

Hiring.

Getting good people to agree to—and show up to—an interview suddenly seems impossible.

You book five interviews and three no-show, one thinks they’re applying to be CEO and the other shows up drunk.

After conducting over 2,400 interviews for trades positions myself, I know the struggle.

That’s why I hosted a web class last month where I taught hundreds of contractors my system for attracting A-players and replacing time-wasters during the recruitment process.

We decided to release it on the podcast as a BONUS episode so more contractors can benefit.

Enjoy.

Episode Highlights:

• Learn why creating a hiring funnel is just as important as creating a sales funnel.
• Understand how to write job ads that actually attract the people you WANT.
• Get the winning interview strategy Danny refined while interviewing over 2,400 people for trades positions.

00:00-Intro

08:15-What part of hiring frustrates you the most?

09:28-Unpacking the hiring crisis

15:00-The lost opportunity cost of not having a solid hiring system

17:06-What a good hiring funnel looks like

19:26-Hiring tool 1: Ideal Candidate Profile

25:26-Hiring tool 2: Job Postings and Applicant Generation

34:08-Hiring tool 3: Interview Setup Call

42:52-Hiring tool 4: Behavioral Interviewing

47:44-Recap

50:57-Get more help systemizing your business

59:37-Q&A

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP207

To learn more about David, check out https://www.systemology.com/

If you know me, you know I strongly believe that business systems = owner freedom.

That’s why it made sense to get today’s guest David Jenyns on the show.

David is the author of SYSTEMology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems. It’s literally a system for building systems. 

I took this opportunity to ask David for his perspective on systemizing a blue-collar business in a predictable, repeatable way. We talk about the stages of business systemization (and how to know which one you’re in), how to prioritize which systems to build first and how to involve your team in the systemization of your business.

This conversation offers a great, high-level perspective on systemizing a contracting business.

Episode Highlights:

• Get a breakdown of the “system for building systems” David Jenyns outlines in his book, SYSTEMology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems.
• Learn how to prioritize which systems you build, in what order.
• Gain insights into how to involve your team in business systemization, including the idea of designating a “systems champion” to help with adoption and implementation.

00:00-Intro

02:04-What is a system?

02:47-The vast majority of businesses we look at are dramatically undersystemized. Why?

04:29-3 common excuses for not systemizing

07:42-Is being a good systemizer god given or learned?

12:57-What's more important: Vision or Systems?

17:24-4 stages of business systemization

25:03-How should business owners decide what systems to build first?

33:03-System Building

48:11-Fostering adoption

55:30-Unexpected Benefits/Pleasant Surprises

57:15-Where can people connect with you?

On May 6, attend our free web class to learn the proven hiring framework top contractors use to attract and retain A players during a labor shortage. Register here: https://trybta.com/CE-HIRING-M25

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP206

Grab your free strategic planning template here: https://trybta.com/DL206

You may be thinking:

Is this an episode of Contractor Evolution…

…on a FRIDAY?

Yup.

After over 200 episodes, we thought it was time to introduce a new face—our co-founder and visionary Danny Kerr.

And what better way to do that than by bringing you some BONUS content you can enjoy alongside our regular releases?

Starting with a bit of a throwback.

Today, we’re re-releasing an episode we made back in 2021, hosted by Danny and his fellow co-founders Igor and James, covering all things strategic planning.

Oddly enough, it has become one of our most popular episodes.

If you’ve never given it a listen, now’s your chance.

Episode Highlights:

• In this BONUS episode, take it back to 2021 with us and delve in to strategic planning with Danny, Igor and James.
• Understand why you SHOULDN’T be planning in a boardroom with whiteboards and laptops - and where to go instead
• Learn the 3 things you should come away with once you’ve completed your Annual Strategic Plan

00:00-Intro

01:56-Why is Strategic Planning important?

15:02-What are you trying to achieve with your strategic planning?

17:27-What is the step-by-step process for annual strategic planning?

42:36-What do you do after you've got a strategic plan?

45:13-Sharing your plan with your team

53:56-Purpose of quarterly reviews

58:05-Wrap up

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP205

To learn more about Todd, check out https://toddherman.me/

Whether we realize it or not, we all play characters in our lives. The idea that we should unashamedly show up as the “best” version of ourselves in all settings sounds good, but in reality, it is a gross oversimplification of the truth.

Think about it….

There’s:

• You the CEO
• You the friend
• You the salesperson
• You the mum or you the dad
• There’s you the amateur train collector or video game enthusiast

We have different versions of ourselves. Does that make you disingenuous or inauthentic? Not at all. We’re all multifaceted beings, and if you can’t see that, you’re not paying attention.

Our guest today is Todd Herman. His book The Alter Ego Effect explains WHY understanding and investing in these different archetypes of the self is one of the most powerful performance cheat codes available to us. Today’s conversation is about how to harness it.

Episode Highlights:

• Understand the Alter Ego Effect and how it can be used to exponentially improve your performance in every aspect of your life.
• Learn how to identify the different versions of you, their strengths, and how to harness them at the right time to achieve the right results.
• Get tips from Todd Herman, performance coach to billionaires and elite athletes, on creating your own alter ego, designed to help you succeed in whichever area of your life is lacking.

00:00-Intro

01:48-Clark Kent vs. Superman: Understanding the Alter Ego

05:14-Where does the term "Alter Ego" come from?

07:40-Using the Alter Ego to improve performance

10:19-Why everything is a performance

19:42-How to create an Alter Ego

30:36-Alter Ego examples

34:15-How to get started on your Alter Ego(s)

41:17-Activating your Alter Ego

47:18-What business people can learn from athletes

51:42-Connect with Todd