Today Brad speaks with John Coppola of Coppola Custom Woodworking.

Even with a relatively successful business in New York, John was unsatisfied with the path he was on, prompting him to make the move to Phoenix and start from scratch. “I want to work with someone who wants my work,” says John, “Not just because I fit their timeline.”

On a similar note, John makes earning his clients’ trust a priority, even if it means taking some loss leaders early on in order to build a name for himself and a portfolio he can proudly display.

Honesty is another virtue that anchors all of John’s interactions with both contractors and clients, to the point that he is willing to turn away anybody who he feels in his gut is not a good fit for a partnership. He says that gauging honesty from the very first conversation is vital, and it is not only beneficial to you as the business owner, but to them as the customer as well.

John goes on to talk about his unique approach to business. A self-proclaimed “control freak”, John likes to keep his ship tight and goes out of his way to do a lot of the work himself. He caps things off by mentioning that his father, a successful business owner in his own right, is the single biggest influence in John’s personal and professional life.

Sponsors:

• Visit https://buildertrend.com/aft/ to get a 60-day money-back guarantee on your Buildertrend account!
• Pella Windows & Doors - https://www.pella.com/

Events:

• Learn More/Register for Contractor Coalition Summit May 01-04 https://www.eventcreate.com/e/contractorscoalitionsummit

Topics Discussed: 

• [00:42] Building relationships in a totally new market
• [06:06] Educating contractors and clients
• [12:49] Why John moved from New York to Phoenix
• [15:06] Working with contractors in New York versus Phoenix
• [26:00] Building more rapport with contractors and clients
• [31:16] Dealing with time-related issues and balancing work and family
• [37:24] How humidity in Arizona affects woodworking
• [40:47] Working effectively with vendors and dealing with supply chain issues
• [45:41] Investing in quality pieces
• [51:30] John and Brad talk about their fathers’ impact on them
• [55:50] Why John decided to start his own business after working for his dad
• [58:18] What John would do differently if he could start over

Connect with John Coppola:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jcop30/

Connect with Brad Leavitt:

• Website - https://www.aftconstructionpodcast.com/
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/aft_construction
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aftconstruction
• Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/aft-construction/aft-construction
• Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.ph/AFT_CONSTRUCTION/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzB4R_DHPVV1SPh7RUfR5jg

Key Quotes by John:

• I’m a horrible businessman. Money is the last thing on my mind. I make a ton of mistakes. I’m human. But I’ll make sure I make my mistakes right.
• I didn’t lose money. I just learned a new skill.