In a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast we discussed a common mistake contractors make when presenting and pricing lighting packages. John Kerzelis of Green Foundry Co emphasized that charging per fixture is a big no-no that puts contractors at a disadvantage.

Charging per fixture doesn't account for the different levels of labor and difficulty associated with installing various lighting types. A low-voltage path light installed in a garden bed takes much less effort than a fixture requiring core drilling or mounting high off the ground. It also doesn't allow for customizing a system based on a homeowner's specific needs and property.

Instead, John recommends taking a more holistic approach by considering lighting design, types of fixtures used, and installation challenges posed by the project site. Factors like access, elevation changes, base material conditions, and more need to be part of the pricing calculation. This approach gives contractors...

Building Your Company's Reputation Through Image and Brand One of the most important factors for any business' long term success is establishing a strong reputation and brand identity in the marketplace. On a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Brian Fullerton joined Caleb Auman for an in-depth discussion about how contractors can craft an image that portrays competence, confidence and value to their customers.

Brian shared his experience choosing a builder for his custom home project. He looked for a company that displayed past work on their website that fit the style he wanted. During conversations, he wanted to feel reassured that the builder had experience with projects of that scale and complexity. Making the right choice was important since it was a significant investment. Brian didn't want it to be a builder's "crown jewel" project but rather something within their normal scope and capabilities.Delivering an excellent product is key to building reputation. Customers...

In a recent episode of Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb talked about how as the construction season starts winding down, it's important to begin focusing on securing work for the winter months ahead. In the episode, Caleb shares some valuable tips for landing winter projects and building a strong backlog. He recommends having earlier conversations with clients in the fall about potential winter work. Selling the benefits of scheduling drainage projects or land clearing for February or March can help clients save on pricing too. It's also key to qualify clients who may be willing to work on designs over the winter for a spring start. Maintaining a wide funnel of leads all year helps you find opportunities to frontload next season. With the right planning, you can stay busy right through the winter. Be sure to listen to the full discussion here!

In a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, AJ and Alicia from Brex Landscaping discussed strategies for maintaining momentum in a business. They talked about how initiatives they had implemented recently, such as employee development days and quarterly meetings focused on quality of life, had helped build up a lot of positive energy and progress.

However, they also acknowledged that it can be difficult to keep that momentum going over the long term. When asked by Caleb about their approach, AJ said it's important to continuously feed motivation by keeping up with training events and seminars. Taking breaks from learning opportunities can cause momentum to stall.

They also mentioned that while taking regular breaks to recharge is valuable, it's crucial to dive back into goals, processes and initiatives upon returning instead of letting things slide. Maintaining structures and accountability helps prevent hard-earned momentum from fading away.

In summary, AJ and Alicia advised...

In a recent episode of The Kid Contractor Podcast, Alicia and A.J. Brentzel joined the show. During the episode, Alicia shared a new business she has launched called Boss Side Hustle. Alicia explained it was created to help other business owners grow their companies. With over 13 years of experience running her own successful construction firm, Alicia is now offering one-on-one coaching to provide clarity, purpose, and accountability. For a low introductory price, entrepreneurs can work directly with Alicia to develop customized plans to improve processes, people management, and business performance. Her goal is to help clients achieve their goals through clear direction and regular check-ins. Boss Side Hustle offers an affordable way for businesses of any size to gain valuable guidance from a seasoned professional.

Reach out to Boss Side Hustle for your business: @bosssidehustle

On the latest episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb interviewed Nick Caliva of Earthworks Landscaping in Wisconsin. Nick discussed running the family business started by his father in 1978. He recruited college athletes seasonally and uses technology like a tilt rotator to increase efficiency. Nick balanced high-end and smaller projects while working with family. The episode provided business advice and insight into evolving a multi-generational company over time. To hear more insights from Nick on running a multi-generational landscape business, balancing family and work, and his outlook on the industry, be sure to listen to the full interview on the latest Kid Contractor Podcast episode. Nick provided a lot of valuable lessons learned over his career. The full conversation provides great context and is worth a listen.

On a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb Auman interviewed Dan Faber about improving communication with clients. Dan shared valuable insights from his years of sales experience.

Some key lessons included establishing rapport with clients by understanding their preferred communication style. It's also important to ask the right questions to uncover their true needs and decision-making criteria. Dan emphasized focusing on solving the client's problem over making a sale.

The discussion provided practical tips like using "feel, seen, heard" language to gently address disconnects. They also explored how to have difficult conversations by staying in a nurturing "parent" mindset. Different personality types prefer different approaches, so it's good to understand behaviors like dominant "D" personalities.

Overall, the episode gave a helpful framework for each stage of the sales process. From initial contact to follow up, strong communication is key to building trust and...

On the latest episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb sits down with sales expert Dan Faber to discuss developing a more strategic approach to growing his business. Dan walks Caleb through the concept of a "sales cookbook" - identifying specific behaviors, goals, and metrics that are within his control to track.

They map out Caleb's sales pipeline from initial conversations all the way through to closed deals. By working backwards from desired revenue goals, Dan helps Caleb determine how many conversations, appointments, and referrals he needs each month to hit his targets. This "cookbook" approach gives Caleb action items to focus on rather than vague outcomes.

A big takeaway is the importance of understanding your "why" - having a clear motivator for pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. For Caleb, financial goals like paying off debt and funding retirement are driving forces. With accountability and tracking the right metrics, specific behaviors can be optimized over...

We recently had an interesting experience with an overzealous salesman that has provided some valuable lessons about different sales approaches. It started when a representative from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) stopped by our shop to conduct a survey.

Right away, it was clear this salesman had a polished presentation down to a science. He worked to build rapport through the survey questions and highlighted how our answers aligned with other small business owners. His pitch about the NFIB's services was certainly convincing on the surface

However, things took a turn when he began aggressively pursuing the sale throughout the day. After our initial meeting, he pried for details like what car my wife drives so he could follow up with her later. He then showed up unannounced at our office multiple times trying to close the deal.

By the end of it, we just felt stalked rather than served as customers. While persistence is important in sales, this guy seemed to...