Podcast
Contractor Freedom Podcast
Hosted by Jason Phillips · EN
Contractor Freedom is the podcast for growth-minded contractors who are tired of chaos, overwhelm, and feeling trapped by the very business they built.
Hosted by Jason Phillips, owner of the multimillion-dollar Phillips Home Improvements and founder of Contractor Freedom, this show helps contractors break free from “Contractor Prison” through leadership, people, systems, and personal growth.
Each episode delivers real-world insights on building winning teams, creating scalable systems, increasing profitability, improving leadership, strengthening culture, and designing a business that serves your life instead of stealing it.
Whether you’re trying to grow your company, reclaim your time, develop leaders, or simply rediscover your purpose, Contractor Freedom will equip and challenge you to lead at a higher level and live with greater freedom and purpose.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The AI Trap Contractors Need to Avoid
1w ago00:12:20Tap to summarizeThe central thesis of this episode revolves around the perilous inclination of contractors to employ automation as a means of evading fundamental business challenges, rather than addressing the underlying issues directly. I elucidate how many contractors, beset by a meager closing rate or ineffective follow-up mechanisms, resort to developing elaborate technological solutions, such as chatbots, in an attempt to mask their deficiencies. However, such distractions serve merely to perpetuate a cycle of avoidance rather than engendering genuine progress. I contend that true freedom in business is achieved through mastering personal leadership, cultivating accountability, and implementing robust systems, rather than relying on automation to rectify a flawed process. By the conclusion of our discussion, I aim to equip listeners with a structured framework to discern when to incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations, ensuring that it serves as a tool for enhancement rather than a refuge from the hard but necessary work of leadership and growth. This episode offers a profound exploration into the pitfalls of misprioritizing technological solutions within the contracting industry. The speaker articulates a compelling argument against the prevalent tendency among contractors to automate processes without first addressing the foundational issues that plague their businesses. For instance, many contractors facing a dismal 10% closing rate are inclined to invest in chatbots rather than scrutinizing their sales strategies or follow-up protocols. This tendency underscores a broader theme: the inclination to utilize automation as a means of avoiding the uncomfortable and often challenging tasks of leadership and accountability. Throughout the discourse, the speaker stresses that the core problem is not the technology itself, but rather the mindset that leads contractors to seek quick fixes through automation instead of engaging in the essential work of developing their leadership capabilities and refining their business processes. The episode delineates a structured approach to this dilemma, proposing a three-stage sequence: first, contractors must address the fundamental aspects of their operations, such as improving sales techniques and establishing accountability measures; second, they should systematize their processes; and third, only after these stages have been established should automation be utilized to enhance their operations. This methodical approach emphasizes the importance of addressing leadership deficiencies before incorporating AI solutions. In summation, the episode serves as a critical reminder for contractors to focus on the foundational elements of their businesses rather than succumbing to the allure of technological advancements. By engaging in the difficult yet necessary work of leadership development, contractors can liberate themselves from the constraints of their operations. This episode ultimately advocates for a reevaluation of priorities, urging listeners to invest in their growth as leaders before seeking out automated solutions, thereby fostering a more sustainable and successful business model.Takeaways:Many contractors attempt to automate issues without having effectively led themselves out of those problems first.Utilizing AI to solve fundamental business challenges often leads to greater distractions rather than real progress.Focusing on personal growth and leadership is paramount before considering automation and AI solutions.The fundamental steps to business success involve mastering self, leading others, and then implementing systems.Links referenced in this episode:contractorfreedomlive.comCompanies mentioned in this episode:Contractor FreedomChatGPTClaudeGemini
Transcribe →How Contractors Can Stop Hiring the Wrong People
2w ago00:53:43Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Contractor Freedom Podcast, Jason W. Phillips sits down with Jennifer Smith, HR manager and culture champion at Phillips Home Improvements, to unpack why most contractor hiring problems are not really people problems. They are clarity problems.Jason and Jennifer talk through what has to happen before a job posting ever goes live: defining the role, knowing your core values, identifying the ideal candidate, building clear key result areas, and creating a compensation plan that rewards the right outcomes.They also discuss the cost of bad hires, why culture must be guarded at the gate, and how values-based hiring can attract the right people while repelling the wrong ones.For contractors who are tired of hiring out of desperation, this episode is a practical reminder that the goal is not just a bigger team. The goal is the right team.Topics Covered: Contractor hiring, values-based hiring, culture fit, team building, leadership, role clarity, key result areas, KPIs, HR for contractors, hiring mistakes, Contractor Freedom, Jason W. Phillips, Jennifer Smith, Phillips Home Improvements, Contractor PrisonTakeaways:The central premise discussed in this episode is the notion that hiring challenges stem predominantly from a lack of clarity regarding candidate requirements and organizational values.A contractor's struggle to find suitable employees often indicates a deficiency in defining the ideal candidate profile and the associated role expectations effectively.It is imperative for businesses to articulate their core values clearly, as these values not only influence hiring practices but also shape the organizational culture and employee satisfaction.The episode emphasizes the importance of establishing key result areas for each role, thereby ensuring that potential hires are evaluated based on their ability to meet specific performance outcomes.The significance of aligning compensation with desired behaviors and results is highlighted, as it serves to motivate employees to achieve their best performance in accordance with company objectives.Ultimately, clarity in both values and role expectations will facilitate the recruitment of individuals who align with the organization’s mission, thereby fostering a harmonious workplace culture.
Transcribe →From Panic to Profit: A Contractor's Guide to Managing Lead Droughts
3w ago00:21:44Tap to summarizeThe primary focus of this podcast episode is to elucidate the crucial steps contractors should undertake when experiencing a downturn in lead generation, emphasizing the necessity of refraining from hastily investing in additional advertising to rectify a problem that may stem from internal inefficiencies. I expound upon the common tendency of contractors to panic and flood the market with ads, which often exacerbates the situation by increasing costs and diluting return on investment. It is imperative to first diagnose the nature of the slowdown—whether it is a market-wide issue or a self-inflicted predicament due to faulty systems. I provide a systematic approach, comprising four essential steps that contractors ought to follow to optimize their existing resources before considering any new financial expenditures. Ultimately, this discussion aims to empower contractors to work more effectively with their current assets, thereby fostering sustainable business practices and avoiding unnecessary financial strain. Contractors frequently encounter periods where lead generation slows, often prompting a hasty response characterized by increased advertising expenditure. This reaction, however, is often misguided. The discussion emphasizes that in times of reduced leads, contractors typically panic and oversaturate the market with advertisements, inadvertently escalating costs and diminishing returns. I advocate for a more strategic approach, urging contractors to first assess the nature of the slowdown—whether it is a market-wide trend or a specific operational issue. The initial step should be to ensure the existing leads are being effectively managed rather than hastily investing more in acquiring new leads. This entails scrutinizing the responsiveness to incoming inquiries and ensuring that every potential client is adequately followed up with. By focusing on internal systems and processes, we can often remedy the situation without incurring additional costs, ultimately leading to a more sustainable business model that does not rely on reactive spending.Takeaways:Contractors often react to a slowdown in leads by increasing ad spending, which can exacerbate the problem.Before allocating additional resources, it is crucial to assess whether leads are being effectively utilized.Systemic issues within a business can often masquerade as market-related slowdowns, leading to misdirected efforts.Effective lead management requires prompt follow-up and a structured approach to nurture leads over time.Companies mentioned in this episode:Contractor FreedomFacebookRingcentralAngieNextdoor
Transcribe →From Addiction and Cancer to Contractor Freedom: Joe Carfagno’s Story
4w ago00:24:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Contractor Freedom Podcast, Jason W. Phillips sits down with Joe Carfagno of Carfagno Professional Painting to unpack how Joe went from addiction, cancer, relapse, and starting over to building a growing painting business with real systems, team culture, and purpose.Joe shares how his company grew to 10 painters, 3 office team members, and $1.8M last year. He also talks about his recent best month ever, closing $265,000 in April and hitting two $95,000 weeks after attending F7 Boot Camp.This conversation covers the personal and business side of Contractor Freedom: getting out of owner-operator chaos, learning your numbers, improving your sales process, leading your team, building company culture, and creating a business that supports faith, family, freedom, and purpose.Takeaways:The Contractor Freedom Podcast aims to liberate small business owners from the constraints of contractor prison, enabling them to achieve personal fulfillment beyond their business pursuits.Jason Phillips, the host, emphasizes the importance of life skills, love, leadership, and business acumen for entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their operational efficiency and personal growth.Guests on the podcast, such as Joe Carfagno, share their transformative journeys from adversity to success, highlighting the resilience required to overcome significant life challenges and build thriving enterprises.The discussion underscores the critical role of coaching and community in fostering a supportive environment for contractors, illustrating how collaboration can lead to personal and professional development.Business growth is often accompanied by the necessity of adapting to new systems and practices, which may involve relinquishing control and embracing delegation for improved scalability.The podcast articulates that true freedom extends beyond financial gain, encompassing personal wellness, spiritual alignment, and the quality of relationships in one’s life.Links referenced in this episode:contractorfreedomlive.comCompanies mentioned in this episode:Carfagnum Professional PaintingTeen ChallengeMorristown Medical CenterPaintconJohn Mitchell
Transcribe →From 30% to 62% GP: How 605 Painting Built a Real Freedom Machine
Jun 900:36:03Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Contractor Freedom Podcast, Jason W. Phillips sits down with Kyle Schuh of 605 Painting to unpack how their company moved from owner-operator chaos to a more scalable, profitable business.Kyle shares the behind-the-scenes story of how 605 Painting improved gross profit from around 30% to 62%, hit $1M in a quarter, and began building the systems, sales process, and team alignment needed to create real Contractor Freedom.This conversation goes beyond revenue. Jason and Kyle talk about what happens when contractors stop relying on heroics, stop selling from fear, and start building a company that can grow without the owner being chained to every decision.You’ll hear practical lessons on pricing, sales, leadership, team buy-in, and why more leads are not always the answer. The real path to freedom is closing the right jobs, at the right price, with the right margins — a core Contractor Freedom message.This episode is for painting contractors, home improvement business owners, and trades entrepreneurs who want to build a business that creates time, money, and freedom — not just more work.
Transcribe →He Rebuilt His Life and Built a $1.8M Painting Business
Jun 200:39:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Contractor Freedom Podcast, Jason Phillips sits down with Konrad Derheim of Derheim Painting for a powerful conversation about rebuilding, refocusing, and growing a painting business through one of the hardest seasons of his life.Konrad shares how he went from feeling overwhelmed and stuck to building a $1.8M painting company by getting clear on the right work, making hard leadership decisions, improving his sales process, and learning how to build a business that could support both growth and freedom.This conversation is for contractors who have built something successful on paper but still feel trapped by the pressure, decisions, and daily chaos of the business. Jason and Konrad talk honestly about what it takes to move from survival mode into real leadership and how focus, systems, pricing, and team development can change the future of a company.If you’re a painting contractor, remodeling business owner, or home improvement entrepreneur who wants to escape Contractor Prison and build a business that gives back your time, peace, and purpose, this episode is for you.Topics include painting business growth, contractor leadership, building a team, raising prices, creating systems, overcoming hard seasons, and finding Contractor Freedom.
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How To Buy Back Your Time & Make More Money
Jul 3, 202400:47:32Tap to summarizeJason Phillips: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast. I'm your host, Jason Phillips. This show exists to help small business owners like you escape the tyranny of contractor prison and enter the bliss of contractor freedom so you can have the time, money, and freedom to live your life with purpose beyond your business.As a certified human behavior consultant in DISC personality styles and motivators, I'll be sharing with you skills for life and business. I'll also be connecting you with experts that can help you scale your business and your life. So if you want to build the business and life of your dreams, then you are in the right place.Let's go! All right, welcome back, everybody. Today, I'm thrilled to introduce a special guest who is truly a beacon of innovation and leadership in the home service industry. Billy Kline, the owner of YourNewDoor. com is here with us. Billy runs a family business. Metro area and Billy and I have been online friends for quite a while now, but we recently got to spend some time talking in [00:01:00] person when he, uh, generally offered to take me to the airport in Austin, rather than me hailing an Uber.So I really appreciate that, Billy. And Billy made a choice to a few years ago to eject the status quo in his business and to, and to change the game. And since then, he's made some impress impressive strides in his business. And I'm sure that you are going to be inspired by his story. One of the things that I really.Appreciate about Billy is how humble and hungry he is. And plus he's got a heart to give back and to help others. So Billy, welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast. It's fantastic to have you here with us today. Billy Cline: Hey Jason, I appreciate you having me on. It's an honor. There's one thing in this world I like to talk about is business, right?I'm very awkward a lot of times when we get into social events or settings, right? Like, I don't want to talk about much. I don't like talking about baseball or sports much, but I want to talk about business. So if I can corner someone at a party or something like that, it wants to talk business, you know, they can't shut me up.But otherwise, a lot of times I sit around and don't say much. So I enjoy these, We know Jason Phillips: if we revisit that. That little [00:02:00] talk we had on the way to the airport, you know, you told me where the way your business used to be. Can you just give me a, give us a, give the listeners a glimpse of, of how did things used to be with, with your company and you?Billy Cline: Well, you know, we spoke a little bit and I referenced that, you know, the path that you're on and what you do and what you speak about, contractor prison and breaking out of that. I was the epitome of that, right? Like my, my business owned me. I didn't have a, I didn't have a business. I had a job really.Right. And my number one goal every week was to sell enough jobs to make payroll. Right? And it was really one of those scenarios where I couldn't afford to take a day off. I couldn't miss a day. If something went wrong on a job where we didn't get paid for that job, we were going to miss payroll. And you know, it was always something, right?Like it was literally what you hear and what you think when someone talks about being a firefighter in their business. If, you know, you know, Honestly, it's probably was a good exercise for me to go through because now when something's on fire around here, I just sit around and, you know, it doesn't, I don't get excited about it because I've been through way worse.Right. [00:03:00] So, but it was literally, you know, five alarms every day, just trying to keep the wheels on the bus. Somebody doesn't show up, you know, somebody messed up a project, something was missold or whatever. Right. So it was always something and I just got tired of it one day. Honestly, almost quit. My wife and I went to church.And we stopped at, I'll never forget it, we stopped at Burger Street on the way back from church and had a conversation that we were going to quit offering a certain aspect of our business just because it was just so burdensome. And I was ready to quit. And I'm glad that I didn't because in three or four instances in my life, I've been right at that edge to where things were, you know, ready to quit.And it's like, it was literally like, just, that was the edge that we broke over and things started to break open for us and change. Mostly my mindset and my attitude. But it really, after we, after I, uh, got over not quitting and getting over that, it was like the skies opened up and, you know, God was ready for us to do, you know, what, uh, we were supposed to do.Jason Phillips: Billy, has there been a time [00:04:00] when, can you take us back to a time and maybe that was it, when you felt completely, you know, overwhelmed by your business and it was, it brought you to maybe even a breaking point? How long, uh, are we Billy Cline: recording today? Right? Yeah. It was, you know, the interesting thing for me is, I feel like, you know, not to pat myself on the back or anything, I feel like I have come out of that place relatively quickly, right?Like, it's one of those things, like a reform story, someone's in prison and they get out and totally change their life and become, you know, millionaires or whatever. I was literally felt like I was stuck in prison. You know, I was, a lot of times, I was wearing all the hats still. I was doing all the sales.I had people for things, but I was too dumb and too stubborn to turn loose and let them do their job, right, without micromanaging. It was just always. You know, buyers and always I had to felt like I needed to be in a part of everything. And then one day I, what really broke it open for me was I realized that I had a broken mind, right?Like I was raised by people who were raised by people who went through the great [00:05:00] depression, right? And generationally that carries over. And my parents, it wasn't something they did wrong or, you know, were necessarily trying to do to me, but. Growing up, I always heard that cost too much, that won't work, can't do that, right?There was never enough money for anything, but, but, you know, the thing, you know, cigarettes and things like that, right? Like they always had money for that. Gas is always too expensive. The rent was always too expensive. And what I realized was I had that in me and I went to buy a van, right? Like I had bought one at the beginning of COVID before things went crazy, just before COVID.It was like 35, 000 bucks, right? Very reasonable. You know, 18 months after that, during COVID, I went and bought two more and they were almost 60, 000. And I was like, there's no way they're worth that. But what I got to thinking about a couple days later was like, I'm an idiot. Because if I don't want to spend 60, 000 for the van, it's not that.It's a 1, 000 a month payment, right? So by not wanting to pay a 1, 000 a month payment, it's costing me 000 in revenue that I'm not going to be able to get. So right then I realized that I had a broken mindset and I was going to do [00:06:00] anything in my power to fix that. And it started by taking it, becoming curious, right?Reading books, going to events, seeking out mentors, listening to people smarter than me and podcasts. Really, podcasts really opened my whole mind to, you know, successful people. And it is as simple as that sound. It really does starts to, uh, grease the wheels in your mind and change your mindset. And all these gurus that are out here and all the things that will, number one thing that, that they may disguise or you may not realize they're selling you is a mindset.They can help you fix your minds that take credit for, they charge you for it, but you really don't need a guru to help you fix your mind. You just have to make your mind up and decide that day is the day that I am changing. I don't know the answers. I don't have the answers. I will seek the answers out and like in the Bible, ask and ye shall read.Receive, see, and we shall find. When you start looking for the answer, they mysteriously show up. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. And that's literally all about mindset. That's the problem, you Jason Phillips: know, Billy, with mindsets is they [00:07:00] cloak themselves in logic, broken mindsets. That's too expensive, but we're asking the wrong question.It's not how much does it cost? It's in that case, it's what am I missing out on by not spending this money with your van question, right? And switching to an investment. Absolutely. And some people will say it's an unlimited mindset. Surplus mindset or whatever it is, but man, that's a key. And what's crazy is we can see limited mindsets in others, but we can't see them in ourselves.You know, I literally, maybe you've been through the same thing. I've literally went through a time and I still pray this prayer from time to time, but I literally went through a time where I prayed every day, God, I want you to open up my thinking, help me think bigger, help me to see my own limitations.Man, that's a great, that's a great, that's a great story. So, you know, so before that, back in the day, I guess you were striving to meet payroll, right? And then you recognized you had a limited mindset, which kudos to you, man, for doing that. So along, along this change, what, what personal sacrifices have you, you know, had to make along the way?Billy Cline: All of them, right? You [00:08:00] know, it didn't. It really kind of got bad there for a while...
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This Is Why You're Not Closing Sales feat. Joe Covarrubias
Apr 17, 202400:42:24Tap to summarizeJason Phillips: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast. I'm your host, Jason Phillips. This show exists to help small business owners like you escape the tyranny of Contractor Freedom and enter the bliss of Contractor Freedom so you can have the Time, Money, and Freedom to Live Your Life With Purpose Beyond Your Business.As a certified human behavior consultant in DISC personality styles and motivators, I'll be sharing with you skills for life, love, leadership, and business. I'll also be connecting you with experts that can help you scale your business and your life. So if you want to build the business and life of your dreams, then you are in the right place.Let's go.Jason Phillips: Hello Contractors, we've got a great episode for you today. I have with me today Mr. Joe Covarrubias. He is the, the shy, quiet type. No, for those of you that know Joe, no, he's not the shy, quiet type. Joe's our VP and he has been, training the salespeople at our home improvement company for, I [00:01:00] think, eight years now.Eight years. And so we're going to learn some insights from Joe so that you can take your sales organization to higher levels. Hey Joe, welcome to the show today. Joe Covarrubias: Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here. I always love Visiting with you on a different level other than a boss employee relationship.I love just sharing and chatting. So thank you for having me. Jason Phillips: I'm glad you were able to take some time out of VP prison. No. So you've, you know, you've trained quite a few salespeople. And the reason we're doing this episode today is because so many of our business owner friends.are at the place where they've hired their first salesperson and the new salesperson for whatever reason can't seem to close the deal like the business owner. And I thought we might diagnose for them some possible things of what could be going on. So, you know, what would be the first thing, you know, if a guy comes in, Hey Joe, my new salesperson, he's not closing deals like I was.Can you help me diagnose it? You know, what's the first thing you would look at? Joe Covarrubias: Well, the first thing I would look at [00:02:00] is, you know, I've been real fortunate to kind of go on this journey with you of the behavior profiles. And when I first started as a sales manager here at Phillips, I didn't have, I wasn't as educated as I was, and I was just hiring guys who had the gift of gap, you know, just sales guys, right?But as I've been along on this journey with you, With regard to behavior profile, that'd be the first question I ask. What is this guy's, is he in a seat that, is he in the right seat? I mean, be great guy. He may be a, his, it is this profile may be a sales profile, but it could be a long sales cycle. There's different sales.And here at Philips, you know, we work, we try to nurture a one call close environment. And there's a certain profile that. That does that. So if they're not closing OTS on the spot, that's probably the first place up. Jason Phillips: Is the personality profile. Interesting. Something near and dear to my heart. Yeah, exactly.You know, it makes me think about if we look at external things and we look at like sports. Right. You know, there's a typical physique of someone who's winning medals in swimming. Joe Covarrubias: Right. Jason Phillips: And [00:03:00] you know, from their height, their leg length versus their upper body length. And then their lungs. This is the same thing for like marathon runners.Sure. And let's say basketball players or sumo wrestlers or boxers. Right. Or it's like in any professional sport for, let's say individual sports for now, there are. Some typical physiques or body makeups that put you at an advantage automatically. The other guys can still outwork you and work harder than you, but there's things that give you the edge.And it's kind of like that, it's like personalities. And you know, I'll never forget when one of the times that this really hit me. Hit home to me was when we were initially teaching the team how to knock on the door and, you know, and our, one of the things we want to do is we show up with a clipboard with our paper, right?And it's got, you know, it's got both property owners on it, typically a husband and a wife, and we don't know who's answering the door. But in a scenario, you know, if the husband answers the door and our paperwork says that we're supposed to meet with [00:04:00] John and Jane, then we need to, you know, say, well, Hey, Mr.Krubitsch, I see I'm supposed to be meeting with a you and Jane, is Jane available? And that question, when I was working with people that had the wrong personality style, that question scared the crap out of them. Joe Covarrubias: It can, it, if you don't have the right profile, it can be uncomfortable. Jason Phillips: But it's such a simple.Joe Covarrubias: It's simple, you know, with a with ourselves, there's a series of what we call soft. And every, in our last, at our last boot camp that we had here, that you guys were at the boot camp, you remember us talking about trying to get three yards at a time, and, or three and a half yards at a time.And throughout the sales, at the end of each, let's just call it a step, there's a soft close, and that's your three yards. And your first soft close is getting both people at the table. That's their full focus of all owners. That's the first soft close and if you start your appointment or you start your set off or whatever you call it, without being able to get that first commitment, the other six commitments are gonna be really tough.Because at the end, you're [00:05:00] gonna ask them to get on your schedule. And if you can't ask for the for the second party, it's going to be real hard to ask for a 40, 000 interior, you know? Yeah, Jason Phillips: exactly. So, you know, you've hit on something else, is if we don't line up a great appointment, if we can't get there, if we can't get their focus, the kids are running around, or they're distracted by taking, you know, their animal, or a phone call.If we can't have their focus, it's going to be hard to get any commitments to get the project done, to trust us, to want it our way. You know, our value, all of that. Joe Covarrubias: It is, and you know, the beautiful thing about, you know, our workflow here at Phillips is, which you quoted it today to the leadership team, it's reinforcement.You know, we start that process of getting both parties there as soon as the customer calls in. And by the time we knock on the door, whether it's that day, many times it's the same day, which guys prefer because they're ready to buy if it's a same day appointment. We reinforce that importance. The importance of having all parties.Jason Phillips: So what, Joe, what are some, let's say you hire a sales guy and we're in this plays into the, why your new [00:06:00] guy isn't closing like he should. What are some telltale signs on day one or week one that this guy or gal really, we're not, we say salesmen, but saleswomen do really well in this industry as well.What are some early warning signs that you shouldn't ignore? Okay. Joe Covarrubias: I do things, I probably do things a little bit. It may be, and it may come across as harsh. What I do is when I feel like I have a strong candidate to join the superstars here at Philips, I invite them on Friday to come in. That's our, that's a sales meeting day right now.And to just join the sales meeting, help the guys. At that Friday meeting, I introduce them to their first script, that doorknock. And I go over the script with them. I actually let them video me. I have them record me, and basically what I tell them is to learn it on Friday, love it on Saturday, and be able to live it on Sunday.Because I'm not teaching them a task, I'm teaching them a way of life throughout their career here at Phillips. And I tell them they have until 9 o'clock Monday morning. They're welcome to call [00:07:00] me over the weekend. They're welcome to, and I remember they're walking away with a video recording in the actual script.There have been a number of times where I've let the candidate go at nine o'clock because he did not study the script. It may seem a little harsh, but you know, right, right now, I think the last Facebook live we did, we talked about the cost per lead in those assets. You know, before we start sinking 1, 000 1, 500 a day in these candidates, we have to know they're going to do the homework.First sign. If they don't get that first script over the weekend. Jason Phillips: Will they put in the work? Joe Covarrubias: Will they Jason Phillips: put in the work. So, Joe, are you giving them like a whole book? Tell everybody, I know what you're giving them but, I mean, are you giving them a whole script book? What, how big is this? I'm Joe Covarrubias: giving one, I should count the words, I don't know.It's like 10 sentences. Yeah, it's just 10 sentences. The purpose of that script is basically to get the prospect's time and attention. Yeah. That's all we're trying to do. Jason Phillips: So, so you're saying that if a guy shows up and he hasn't given it the effort over the weekend at 9 o'clock, you're cutting him loose.Because if he's I pay hi...
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Master the Art of Connection: Best Kept Secrets Reveal w/ Janell Roedl
Mar 6, 202400:25:17Tap to summarizeJason Phillips: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast. I'm your host, Jason Phillips. This show exists to help small business owners like you escape the tyranny of Contractor Freedom and enter the bliss of Contractor Freedom so you can have the Time, Money, and Freedom to Live Your Life With Purpose Beyond Your Business.As a certified human behavior consultant in DISC personality styles and motivators, I'll be sharing with you skills for life, love, leadership, and business. I'll also be connecting you with experts that can help you scale your business and your life. So if you want to build the business and life of your dreams, then you are in the right place.Let's go.Jason Phillips: Hello, contractors. I ignored these resources. For so many years, and I kept hearing about all the amazing resources that the PCA had available for its members. And even though I've been a member for a long time, I had been a member for a long time, I never really took the time to check these things out because I was always busy running my [00:01:00] business.Well today, I've got great news. We're opening the closet turning on the light in today's episode We're diving in with the PCA's own Janelle Roedl the PCA member advocate I want you to stick around till the end because I guarantee you're gonna discover one or more multiple resources that you can use To solve your business challenges, stand on the shoulders of the giants that have gone before you, save you time, money, and headaches.Janelle, welcome to the show.Janell Roedl: Thank you, Jason. I am honored and it's a pleasure to be here.Jason Phillips: Well, I am so glad that we connected. Janelle, would you, would you take a moment to share with everybody, you know, what's your role? What, what is, what is the member coordinator at the PCA?Janell Roedl: Absolutely, I'd love to. So my title now is Member Advocate and I kind of gravitate more towards that title because it really shows that my role is on the side of the painting contractor. Not [00:02:00] PCA, but I'm here to create a premier experience for PCA members. , we do that in a variety of ways by providing resources and connecting our contractors with those resources.We have so many that it's often a challenge. One of the biggest challenges is, Finding those resources. So it's my role to help do that. , to answer questions, troubleshoot just problems, issues, connect with you. Take feedback. I would love any feedback on, the PCA, the resources we offer, the member experience, because I just want to make it better.My heart is service. I love people. I love connecting withJason Phillips: Well, you know, I, I love, I love that. And I appreciate you sharing that. One of the things that's frustrating is when you're working within as a business owner, or let's just say as a consumer at all, you're working with an organization or you're working with, with a, with a company and. You're like, who do I call for this?Who do I call for that? I mean, just recently my company, we had been working with another company that was going to deliver some [00:03:00] stuff to us and, some digital goods to us. And they had so many departments and people, we didn't really have a single point of contact. And so hearing you just say, look, that's my job. So I think that is, Janell Roedl: Yeah. I'm your girl.Jason Phillips: so before the end of this episode, you guys are going to learn how to get in touch with Janelle so she can answer, any questions, that you have. So let's, you know, the, the, the PCA, the Painting Contractors Association, for those of you that aren't familiar, significant anniversary this year?Janell Roedl: There is, this year marks our 140th anniversary and that just blows my mind. We have a hard time thinking in generations like that. So, yeah, been around a long time, as you mentioned, standing on the shoulders of the giants that have come before us, we don't have to reinvent the wheel. We just grow over 140 years and that's like one of, the big benefits of aligning with the PCA is aligning painting contractors with an organization that has 140 years of legacy behindJason Phillips: that is, thatJanell Roedl: we're excited.Jason Phillips: So, you know, let's, let's talk about the vision. Like, , if so [00:04:00] many contractors, I still meet contractors who don't even know, painting contractors who don't even know who the PCA is Janell Roedl: Right. We still say it's the best kept secretJason Phillips: would, I would agree with that. Why does the PCA exist?Janell Roedl: great question. it exists very similar to what you told me your mission is, to elevate the painting industry, to bring professionalization to the painting industry. In the very early days, it was more designed to advocate for, painting contractors, as we have evolved and grown. And more recently, the PCA is here to discover the challenges and the pain points of our painting contractors.and meet those needs and we do that through educational resources painter training and i'm sure we're going to get into our resources today, but meeting the needs of our painting contractors in the world todayJason Phillips: you got me thinking, . you've been doing this for a while with the Janell Roedl: A little biti'm still learning i'm eightJason Phillips: that's, a significant amount of time. In your mind, [00:05:00] what do you think is the, I don't want to say best kept secret, but if there's one thing about the PCA and you're like, I run into so many contractors who don't know about X, Y, Z, and they need to know about X, Y, Z.What, is there something that sticks out in your mind?Janell Roedl: I have a handful of like my favorite resources or benefits with the PCA and the first one is one that I've just mentioned. It's aligning with that mission and that legacy. I think that's one of the best kept secrets. With your PCA membership, you gain access to the PCA logo and marketing materials. so Aligning in where you invest your money, your time, and using those resources like the logo package where people recognize you as a PCA member and, associate you with that legacy and that professionalization, craftsmanship and integrity.So that's one of the best. resources and reasons I think a painting contractor would want to align with the PCA. Some of my other top favorites are, [00:06:00] painter training. Painter training isJason Phillips: Can we elaborate on that for a moment what what is entailed thereJanell Roedl: So painter training, was designed to, for the painting contractor to be able to train their crew. It's seven courses. They complete the courses on their own time, video courses. They take a quiz and earn a certificate. it's standardized so that you as the painting contractor have confidence that your crew has been trained well. The painters have feel this endearment towards you as a painting contractor because you've invested in their professionalization.And that helps with employee retention, which everyone is concerned about in these times. And that all comes free with your membership, which is why it's at the top of my list because it's one of those things you get for free just by beingJason Phillips: So what if you know, what if what if the painters are spanish speakers?Janell Roedl: Great question. So, four, I believe four of those seven courses have been translated into Spanish because we do have, we want [00:07:00] to get into some of those realms like women and the Spanish speaking community. We have a Spanish initiative that we're launching in the next two years with PPG, to bring more Spanish resources.So, right now they haven't all been translated into Spanish, but they will be within the next two years, in order to meet that need, because it's definitely aJason Phillips: So if i'm a business owner, i'm a member I can train all I can put all of my painters through this training for no additional charge.Janell Roedl: Right? I know. It's crazy. If you were a non member and purchasing those courses, they would be 99 per course per crew person. so rightJason Phillips: Yeah, it's justJanell Roedl: wellJason Phillips: for sure for sure okay, so I I know that you know, I i'm a fan of hiring for character and training for skill and hiring, let's just say hiring for fit. And, but you've got to have a training program. The reason that so many people, especially when they're newer in business, they're like, I need someone with experience.I need someone with experience. Well then you get someone with experience, might be bad experience, [00:08:00] but there's a pretty high likelihood they have bad habits or at least habits and ways of ingrained habits that don't, mesh with the way you need to run your business. And so, I love this that you, so now you can focus more on finding the right person, put them through a training program.How long does it take to go through that training program?Janell Roedl: that's a great question. It is like, go at your own pace. Seven courses, I don't know what the average, I need to look that up. What's the average time that it takes someone to complete a course? I'm thinking it's like an hour and a half to tw...
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The #1 Strategy for Selling More Painting Jobs w/ Tanner Mullen
Jan 17, 202400:40:47Tap to summarizeJason Phillips: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast. I'm your host, Jason Phillips. This show exists to help small business owners like you escape the tyranny of Contractor Freedom and enter the bliss of Contractor Freedom so you can have the Time, Money, and Freedom to Live Your Life With Purpose Beyond Your Business.As a certified human behavior consultant in DISC personality styles and motivators, I'll be sharing with you skills for life, love, leadership, and business. I'll also be connecting you with experts that can help you scale your business and your life. So if you want to build the business and life of your dreams, then you are in the right place.Let's go. Jason Phillips: Hello Contractors! I'm excited to be here with you today. I've got a very special guest with you with us here who you can see on the screen and you're going to, you're going to want to tune in till the end because we've got some, we've got some awesome info that's, that, That impacts you guys, so many of you guys who are using a particular software for running your contracting business.I don't know if you [00:01:00] guys know who that is if, what it is, if not, yeah, you'll find out, but I've got a feeling most of you guys already know. I already know what I'm talking about here. We got the one and only, got Tanner Mullen with us here today. Tanner's not only, he's I don't know if I could call him a serial entrepreneur.But he's definitely a visionary. He obviously, you like that? Okay, yeah,he Not only is the owner of premium, painting, but also Dripjobs automation software for contractors. And not to mention, he's got the painting contractors group on Facebook, which has, more people in it than a population of China.Tanner, he's a giver and he's an all around great guy if you haven't interacted with him onlineAnd so Tanner, it's my pleasure to have you on today, man. Tanner Mullen: How are you doing? I was saying, I'm so glad he started a podcast, man. I think this was, long overdue. I respect you fully and, I'm just excited to see what you do with it. Contractor freedom, all the good stuff, man. I'm happy to be here. I really am an honor Jason Phillips: me as well. I feel the same way about you. I'm glad we got to connect. I think we've only met in person, maybe like one time in passing at a PCA event. And we we've been on a couple of podcasts together before. I think [00:02:00] on, I would like that. So I, one of the things, one of my goals, again, this isn't about me today, but.One of my goals is I just, I want to build bridges. I feel like our industry is too fragmented and that's adding to the contractors, feeling like they're on an island. And I believe that a forward thinking people need to unify, build bridges, work together, and we can make this whole community a better place.So that's one of the reasons I decided to have you on today. Hey Tanner, tell us, obviously you're the owner of Premium Painting. And am I, did I hear before that, that, you grew up in the paint business? Is that true? Tanner Mullen: Yeah, I did. Actually, my dad was a painter by trade and you know, just as a kid going on the job site with him.I remember in eighth grade, everyone else had summer where they'd hang out with their friends and I had get up at six o'clock and. Grab your white Dickies and your painter's shirt that had blue tape on it from the day before. But you know, it was, it was interesting. I didn't resent it, but I was like, I will never do this again.When I went off to college, got into the professional things like car sales, and I was really heavy into the restaurant industry. At [00:03:00] 19, I was a manager of a restaurant that I couldn't, I wasn't even old enough. To drink the alcohol that they were serving, you know, so that was interesting because people would look at me and be like, you're too young to be doing this.And I, I just always work seriously, Jason, you know, it was always something to me having a kind of like up upbringing. I just knew that that was my way out and it was something I could just. Put my attention in and focus on. And in retrospect, I look at it as a blessing, like everything to have hit so many different sectors.Many people know that, you know, I was in the restaurant industry. I got to a point where so many things I learned, ordering, learning how to deal with vendors, hiring, customer service, but what I think is so valuable, and we'll get into this later about software, Jason is, with the restaurant, having to manage the back of the house and the front of the house.How often in your business? Are you managing the back of the house and the front of the house? Having to relate to the cooks, the busboys, the dishwashers, but then having to be able to switch gears and be able to communicate effectively with the servers, the hostess, the customers. And that skill set alone has just always been so [00:04:00] instrumental in how I handle my.Developers with drip jobs and the customers, but also my front lines, right, salesperson, customers. It's just interesting just being able to kind of just relate to people. That's what I learned most. So went through the restaurant industry, got into sales. So I packaged so much. Customer service, you know, together with, with the restaurant.Then I got into sales and I learned the art of negotiation. I learned the art of following up with leads. I learned the art of waking up and having to hunt for your pay with nothing in the pipeline and you're not getting paid unless you sell. That was interesting. Look, there was no cushion to fall back on.If I don't sell, I don't eat, Jason. And then finally landing in life insurance, having to go knock doors. I learned the art of door knocking. I mean, all of these experiences, last but not least, I learned, you know, business and transactions and financing and all these things. And again, I can't attribute it to anything else, but God getting me ready for the painting business.I don't know how I, that's how, that's what I landed on. [00:05:00] Jason Phillips: You know, it, it, it doesn't sound glorious, right? I don't think any of us, unless maybe most people don't grow up thinking, Oh, I dream of owning a painting business or being a contractor. It's like a fireman, a doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, and then a contractor.But it's amazing what you said. It's like, you look back and I'm like, dude, that's incredible. You've had all of these. different experiences that are just added to the opportunity you've got now and that you're making a difference in the industry. I love that. I didn't know a lot of that about you. I'm glad you shared that.So before you got into the software business, by the way, the whole analogy to me, it's an analogy for you. It's reality of the. Background in the restaurant business. Man, that analogy, I can just see that's on contractors. That's real. And that front of the house and back of the house, that sales and marketing and production, that's real, man.I love, Tanner Mullen: I love that. And this is to bring that even closer to home. I'm sitting in the line restaurant and I think, have you ever worked in a restaurant? No, no, never. Okay. So. [00:06:00] You know, the back Jason is these are the guys that bust their butts and the front of the house gets all the tips, right? You know, they get all the glory, but in some restaurants you have to earn the respect of the kitchen, right?Whether you're a server or whether you're a manager and my things is is like I wanted to earn that respect. I wanted to be considered a leader in the kitchen. Even though I didn't know how to cook, they saw me as someone that didn't overwhelm them with tickets because I needed things done. To be able to ask for things in a respective way and not be demanding.To manage their workload without them getting stressed out. To see an area that's weak, whether they needed to be prepped, something needed cleaned. For them to see that I'm willing to jump in with my team to get it done. And I do the same thing in my painting business. It's amazing. It's like, even though I own the business, I honestly try to earn the respect of my team.And I don't just try to do it once. It's important to me to make sure that they understand that my head hasn't gotten too big. I'm still there with [00:07:00] them. If I go to a job site, I'm looking for trash to pick up. I'm aiding them. What do you need? Do you need something? Good. I'm there. That's kind of how I've, I've transitioned from that.And I, and it's always served me well, just earning the respect of the teammates, trying to showcase to them that I'm no better than them in any regard. I just happened to have learned different things and took different risks and I need them in order to continue. Jason Phillips: Man, that is so inspiring. That is so inspiring.I look at it this way. I was never a craftsman. I was never a painter. I literally painted one house as my first week in training and I had this experience. I'm like, okay, wow, this is not my thing. I love sales and marketing at the time, but we need each other. We don't need a company full of Jasons.Everybody needs to play their part. If we're going to build a bigger future for us all, that's the way I look at it. But at the same time, Hey, I'm, we, we call it executive itis and we don't need any executive itis. I get out, I get out in the field occasionally, not as much as I really want to. And every time I do, it's like a reality check.I'm like, I remember what it was like trying to del...
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