To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP192 

Have you ever wondered how the masters of big business scale up to nine-figures and beyond?

Today’s guest is Adam E. Coffey, author of 3 bestsellers: The Private Equity Playbook, The Exit Strategy Playbook, and Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion. After 10 years as an executive at General Electric, he was hired as the president of three private equity-backed service companies where he completed 58 acquisitions and facilitated billions of dollars in successful exits. 

In this episode, we pick his brain about how small-to-medium sized contractors like you can apply the concepts of The Private Equity Playbook to their business systems and operations. And trust us, there is a ton to be learned from our conversation.

Episode highlights:
- Get a breakdown of the concepts in Adam E.Coffey’s bestselling books, The Private Equity Playbook, The Exit Strategy Playbook, and Empire Builder: The Road to a Billion.
- Learn the three stages of business growth on the road to a billion, and what tactics and areas of focus are most important at each point in the journey.
- Understand how to apply the mindset and tactics used in the world of private equity to your own strategic plan.

00:00-Intro
01:23-About Adam Coffey
06:22-Stage 1 : $0 to $1MM
16:26-Stage 2: $1 M to $10MM
32:17-Stage 3: $10MM to $100MM
42:40-Four Powerful Organic Levers to Bend Your Growth Curve Upward
50:27-The 2 Most Essential Business Skills for Growth
53:39-Connect With Adam

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn how to hire for profit growth with this free download: https://trybta.com/DLEP191 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP191 

Learn more about Greg and Simple Numbers here: https://www.simplenumberscri.com/ 

We're gonna make an educated guess and say you didn’t get into business because you love accounting.

So when it comes to financial management—budgeting, forecasting, and tracking the right metrics for success—you’d be forgiven for getting a little lost in the jargon and differing opinions on the “right” way to do things.

Our guest on the show today is Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits!

Greg's approach to financial controls and profitability is refreshingly simple and easy to understand. He distills the confusing world of accounting into incredibly simple metrics and lays out the core areas of business you need to focus on.

If you’re looking for a simple explanation of which numbers you should care about and how to optimize them for business growth, consider this episode your starting point.

Episode highlights:

• Understand why gross margin is your TRUE top line and why revenue is one of the most meaningless metrics to care about in business, according to Greg Crabtree, author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits!

• Hear Greg’s thoughts on why your income tax paid is actually one of the best KPIs to optimize

• Learn the only two ways to boost labor productivity and get out of the profitability black hole between $1MM and $5MM

00:00-Intro

01:52-Why are finances so hard to understand?

14:49-About the Four Keys

21:30-How should people use and think about the Four Keys?

28:44-Owner's Salary

36:56-Profit

50:52-Labor Productivity

1:02:23-Habits and mindsets

 

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab a free summary of Joey's book, Never Lose an Employee Again, here: https://trybta.com/DLEP190 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP190  

Learn more about Joey and his work here: https://joeycoleman.com/ 

It sucks to lose good people. 

Especially when it feels like you did everything you could to keep them, short of a 7-figure salary and 6 months vacation. 🤦

But, according to my guest today, world-renowned speaker, consultant, and bestselling author of Never Lose an Employee Again Joey Coleman, there’s probably a lot of crucial onboarding steps you’re missing with your new team members.

Today’s conversation is about more than employee retention. We’re diving into the world of employee experience, and how getting it right can save you tons of time, money and headaches by lowering turnover and building a killer culture.

Episode highlights:
- Get an inside look at Joey Coleman’s framework for building killer employee experiences, as outlined in his bestselling book Never Lose an Employee Again.
- Learn about the importance of the first 100 days of an employee’s time with your company, and how to optimize their experience for long-term retention.
- Get tips on designing organizations that allow high performers to grow into careers, rather than feel like they’re in a “dead end job.”

00:00-Intro
01:29-The true cost of turnover
04:45-Why people quit after just a few months
13:51-Why proper onboarding is essential (even though it's a lot of work)
21:25-The goal of an onboarding system: The 4 R's
32:57-How to optimize the first day on the job
43:24-The importance of the First 100 Days
47:23-How to create career paths that keep A-players around
58:42-Connect with Joey

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your copy of our IMPLEMENT framework here: https://trybta.com/DLEP189

 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP189  

 

The end of the year is approaching, and that means it’s “hope season” for a lot of contractors.

 

Your implementation goals are big. You’ve got tech stack upgrades, brand refreshes, and shiny new internal processes on the brain.

 

But, let’s be real:

 

If you look back at past years—and all the projects you had planned—how many of them did you actually get across the finish line?

 

The graveyard of good ideas not implemented for most entrepreneurs is vast.

 

So how do you break the cycle and actually get sh*t done in 2025?

 

This episode is a 9-part roadmap that will help you sharpen your implementation skills and turn your great ideas into fully implemented systems.

 

Episode highlights:
- Learn Benji’s nine part framework for successfully implementing projects—from tech stack upgrades to business systems to SOPs.
- Understand why implementation is so difficult, and how to sharpen your skills as a business owner to get more done in 2025.
- Get fired up and ready to crush your implementation goals next year.

 

00:00-Intro
02:15-Pick The Right Things To Implement
04:33-Define Your Outcomes
06:34-Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
07:34-Make Foolproof Project Plans
09:04-Delegate, Don’t Dump
12:29-Find Your Milestones and Celebrate Them
13:29-Don't Forget the Change Management Part
15:57-Audit (is what we implemented working?)
17:12-Give People Breaks

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connect time tracking to your job costing with this free white paper from busybusy: https://trybta.com/DLEP188 

 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here:  https://trybta.com/PCEP188 

 

Have you ever wondered whether getting your field staff to track their time is worthwhile?

 

Sure, it’d be great to hold them accountable. But you can already hear their grumbles and groans about having to add another thing to their to-do list.

 

The thing is, in other businesses (think accounting, law, marketing agencies), time tracking is standard practice. The whole goal in those industries is to make as much time billable to the client as possible. So why is it different in the trades?

 

Our guest on the show today is Isaac Barlow. He’s the Founder of busybusy. The industry-leading time-tracking app for construction and trades. 

 

Today’s conversation is about leveraging time-tracking technology to increase productivity and profitability without hurting your company culture.

 

• Episode highlights:
• Learn how time tracking can be used to create a performance culture built on business intelligence.
• Understand why field staff often resist adopting modern tech and how to change their attitudes and get them on board with time tracking.
• Find out how to create a modern data-obsessed organization in an old school industry.

 

00:00-Intro
01:48-The story behind busybusy
08:42-Why contractors need to be more time obsessed
16:42-The benefits of busybusy and other time tracking apps
22:08-How to deal with pushback from the team
28:56-Business Intelligence: helpful or hurtful to culture?
31:57-Gamification: does it work?
34:04-3 tips to get your team thinking more like owners
38:19-Downloadable handout and busybusy promotion
39:08-Business intelligence: what is it and how do you use it?
44:46-Too much data vs. too little data: what is the balance?
46:36-How to become data-obsessed (even if you're not wired that way)
49:13-Connect with Isaac and learn more about busybusy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP187

 

Get a copy of Profit First for Contractors here: https://www.amazon.ca/Profit-First-Contractors-Construction-Money-Making-ebook/dp/B07L38J49P

 

Did you know that the vast majority of construction and trades businesses net less than 5% profit a year?

 

In case you were wondering—that’s not good.

 

Our guest on the show today is Shawn Van Dyke, author of Profit First for Contractors and The Paperwork Punch List.

 

In this episode, we break down the Profit First for Contractors (or PFC) cash management model, including a prescribed framework for implementing PFC in your business right away.

 

If you change the way you manage your finances, you’ll also change the way you think about money flowing in and out of your accounts. And in turn, you’ll make better decisions that benefit you and your business.

 

Episode highlights:

• Unpack how the profit-first approach Shawn Van Dyke outlines in Profit First for Contractors produces a powerful and positive psychological change to the way you see money flowing into and out of your business.

• Learn the four most common profit-destroying mistakes that Shawn sees owners make all too often.

• Find out which five bank accounts you need to set up right away.

 

00:00-Intro

01:35-About Profit First for Contractors

10:31-Why is minimal profitability so common in construction and trades?

15:49-Brief synopsis of the PFC Model

21:05-Five bank accounts you need to set up

31:36-What's the value of the five bank accounts?

47:07-4 mistakes that kill profitability

01:05:08-Connect with Shawn

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your free copy of the Max Priorities Pyramid and start sorting your priorities today: https://trybta.com/DLEP186

 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP186

 

How good are you at prioritization in your business?

 

It’s ok. You can be honest.

 

The truth is that prioritization seems straightforward, but in reality it’s much more complex than it appears, especially in the context of a business like yours - which is inherently dynamic, ever-changing, and unpredictable. 

 

Issues come out of nowhere. Circumstances change. People quit. Clients cancel. Unexpected weather roles through.

 

How are you supposed to get anything done when you’re constantly putting out fires?

 

Our guests today have some practical strategies that can help.

 

Harry Max is the author of Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions. And Wes Bright is his partner at Peak Priorities. They consult with some of the biggest companies in tech, and today, they're going to level up our priority management toolbox in a major way.

 

Episode highlights:

- Learn what makes prioritization so hard and what systems and tools you can use to get better at it.
- Understand the frameworks Harry Max recommends in his book, Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions.
- Get practical prioritization tips from two consultants who work with the biggest companies in tech including Apple, Google and Microsoft.

 

00:00-Intro

01:48-About the book - Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions

03:56-Why "prioritize" is the most important verb

09:32 - Why we all suck at prioritizing

14:22-About the "false sense of urgency"

22:58-The impact of a clear vision on prioritization

31:24-The DEGAP Framework

42:40-Sorting methods for prioritization

47:45-Ideal rhythms for reviewing goals and progress

52:27-What to delegate vs. what to keep

58:54-Evolving our prioritization systems as we grow

01:03:22-Where can people connect with you?

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP185  

 

How did Plus Construction owner and Breakthrough Academy Member Charlie Bethell go from endless callbacks, cash crunches and frustration to selling and building 500 decks a year?

 

Systemizing and optimizing. And a lot of it.

 

Today, Charlie’s on the show to talk about his digital marketing strategies, which bring in 60% of the businesses annual leads, and the massive changes he made to his sales-to-production handoff.

 

In other words, we’re diving into the secrets of a high-volume contractor.

 

Episode highlights:
- Learn the strategies and tactics Charlie Bethell uses to get 60% of his leads from digital marketing initiatives.
- Find out which implementation items Charlie used to vastly improve his sales-to-production handoff, resulting in higher customer satisfaction, better team morale and more profitable jobs.
- Hear how Charlie hit his BHAG five years early and what he learned in the process.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab your free copy of the Four Numbers Exercise to help you 10x your wealth attraction: https://trybta.com/DLEP184 

 

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP184 

 

Learn more about Brian here: https://www.thewealthycontractor.com/ 

 

Running a highly profitable contracting business has two sides of the coin.

 

You need the profitability skill sets: budgeting, job costing, pricing strategies, accounting best practices, and so on.

 

We’ve discussed these plenty on the show.

 

The other thing you need is the “profitability mindset.” 

 

This has very little to do with spreadsheets and bookkeeping and everything to do with your attitude towards money, your belief and self-worth, and your ability to practice what our guest on the show today calls wealth attraction.

 

Brian Kaskavalciyan, aka The Wealthy Contractor, is back on the show for the second time to talk about how to clarify your why, get control of your mind and develop the sense of deserving that so many contractors are missing.

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/PCEP183 

 

To get the your copy of the Freedom From Fear eBook, click here: https://sparkingsuccess.net/fgfff/  

 

Here’s a question you’ve probably pondered before.

 

Do your technicians, laborers, and field staff excel at customer service?

 

Do they know how to build rapport? De-escalate an angry customer? Can they upsell and bring in more revenue for the company?

 

The fact is, whether you like it or not, your reputation, and the success of your business, depends on the people you have out on the front lines.

 

Our guest on the show today is Mark Matteson. He’s a personal development speaker and author of 6 books, including his best-seller Freedom From Fear.

 

Before the big stages, though, Mark spent the first half of his career in the field as an HVAC tech and salesperson. He translated those formative years into a customer service excellence curriculum he teaches to many of the biggest HVAC companies on the continent. 

 

And today he’s going to teach us how to get our whole team aligned around providing exceptional customer service at every stage of the buyer journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Hear from Mark Matteson, HVAC tech and sales rep turned personal development speaker and best-selling author of Freedom From Fear, about the importance of embedding customer service excellence into every part of your business.
• Get a walkthrough of the customer service excellence curriculum Mark teaches to many of the biggest HVAC companies in North America.
• Learn how to recognize and let go of the fears holding you back in business and in life.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.