The Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors podcast brings you off-the-cuff conversations from business growth and tech experts to help you grow your trade business. Whether you just started your own business or are a veteran with an expanding team, this show will keep bringing you useful ideas, interviews, tools, and tips each week to help you grow.
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Perspectives from construction business owners, heavy construction equipment experts and construction technology providers.
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Are you "living in sin" in your contracting business? No, no, not that kind of sin. I'm talking about the kind of "sin" that gets in the way of your ability to be successful in business. A sin of mindset, of the way you think. You see, small-minded thinking will keep your small business small – or kill it outright. On the other hand, if you can master the mindset of success it will become almost impossible for you to fail! The bottom line is that the way you think about your business as a co ...
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This podcast is for the contractor needing a boost in life and business. We talk about business and life and anything else in between. Whether it be Marketing, admin, funny, life, religion, social issues etc.
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Matt Bachtel of Bachtel Excavating joins Taylor today to discuss his journey from one man and a truck to a thriving multi-generational business. Matt shares his conservative approach to growth, emphasizing the importance of consistent, meticulous work, and open communication with his team. He reveals the surprising risks of staying small, the chall…
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Maximizing Your Brand's Online Presence: Tips for Contractors and Small Business Owners with Alexander Donev
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, we dive into the power of professional online presence and effective marketing strategies with Alexander Donev of Firemind Studios. Alex, a creative marketing expert with years of experience, has helped contractors and service businesses transform their brands, boost their customer enga…
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This week, Taylor sits down for an informative and inspiring conversation with Nic Parish, VP of Contracting and Operations at Burns Dirt Construction, and a key player in FORGE Your Path, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging the next generation to explore careers in the trades. In this fascinating episode, Taylor and Nic dive into the importance o…
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James Simmons, Co-founder of Montana Excavation & Utilities, joins Taylor on the podcast today to share his journey from Pennsylvania to Montana and discuss the trials and triumphs of building a business in the excavation industry. From early entrepreneurial ventures as a teen mowing lawns to managing a growing excavation company, James’ story is o…
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, we explore the essential strategies that help contractors grow their businesses with Mike Gore Hickman. Our guest shares his journey from running a successful painting company to building a business that helps contractors streamline their operations, improve their sales processes, and g…
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Taylor welcomes Lynn Miller, President of Miller Earthworks, to the podcast this week to explore his remarkable journey from a rather modest start to leading a successful family-owned business. Highlighting his unique approach to excavating which involves focusing on niche projects that larger companies often overlook, Lynn discusses with Taylor th…
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, we're thrilled to welcome Luke Hansen, the founder of CompanyCam, joins us to discuss the intersection of technology and team communication, focusing on the role of AI in simplifying workflows for contractors. Luke shares insights on the exciting AI developments happening at CompanyCam,…
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Sitting down for a chat with Taylor today is none other than Bret Barnhart, President of Barnhart Excavating in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bret shares his incredible journey, from humble beginnings working with his father and grandfather to growing his company into a thriving business that handles both municipal and commercial projects. Together, he and Tayl…
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, we're thrilled to welcome David, the founder of Protiv, a software company revolutionizing the construction industry. David shares his journey from contractor to tech entrepreneur, developing a platform that helps contractors incentivize their hourly workers to increase productivity whi…
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Michael Melicia, the founder and CEO of Coastal Paving and Excavating, joins Taylor this week to share his remarkable journey from starting a business with just $500 to leading a thriving civil engineering and construction company. Along the way, Michael and Taylor explore the challenges of starting a business at a young age and how Michael navigat…
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, we welcome Will Sublett, a geoengineer at HMI, a company specializing in concrete lifting and ground improvement. Celebrating 50 years in business, HMI is renowned for its commitment to customer education and long-term support. The conversation highlights HMI's dedication to advancing t…
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Taylor welcomes the truly amazing Matt DiBara, a fourth-generation mason and the founder of The Contractor Consultants to the podcast today. At just 31 years old, Matt has transformed the recruitment landscape for contractors, offering a fresh approach to an industry rich in tradition. With over 100 years of family history in the masonry business, …
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, we welcome Brandon Lewis, founder of the Academy for Professional Painters and Contractors and publisher of Painters Weekly, to discuss the vital importance of production rates, charge rates, and pricing. Gain insights from Brandon's extensive experience in coaching service contractors …
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Joining Taylor for a truly inspiring conversation today is Mike Simon, Founder of Dirt Perfect, an excavating business in southern Indiana built upon the rock solid foundation of commitment to family, community, and helping others. A lifelong tradesman turned YouTube star known for his hands-on approach and construction expertise, Mike shares his f…
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Brian Hess, the dynamic owner of The Pavement Group, Top Contractor School, and One Key Media, takes time out of his incredibly busy schedule to join Taylor on the podcast today to discuss his remarkable journey from construction to becoming a tech-savvy entrepreneur. Emphasizing the importance of creating a strong company culture and balancing fam…
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Digging into Soil Cycle! An In-Depth Conversation on Business Operations of a Challenging Industry
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Taylor is joined today by the dynamic duo of James O'Connell and Joey De Athe who run Soil Cycle, a subsidiary of Contour Group, that was established in 2020 to provide additional support to Contour’s earthworks division by delivering cost-effective services for the disposal of excess soil. Known for brilliantly transforming the landscape of soil m…
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Navigating the Entrepreneurial Abyss: Insights from 3rd Generation Business Owners with John Scepaniak
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Director of Aggregate Operations at Wm. D. Scepaniak, Inc., and fellow third-generation entrepreneur, John Scepaniak joins Taylor on the podcast today to explore the dynamic world of family-run businesses and a whole lot more. Sharing his firsthand experiences in managing the complexities of mining and road construction operations, John sheds light…
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This week, Taylor finally gets an opportunity to sit down and have a chat in person with Silkstone Group’s CEO, Travis Hesketh, a fellow entrepreneur whose journey through professional motocross and a formidable construction career epitomizes both resilience and grit. Travis details his transition from the high-speed world of motocross to the equal…
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Dr. Sarah Buchner: Real and Practical Applications of AI in Construction with CEO of Trunk Tools Inc.
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With apologies to all his other guests, Taylor welcomes “probably the smartest person” he’s “ever had the chance to interview” to the podcast - the mastermind behind Trunk Tools, Dr. Sarah Buchner. Among her many achievements, Sarah is a Stanford MBA Graduate, holds a PhD in Civil Systems Engineering and Data Science, has been named a Forbes ‘30 Un…
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Luke Payne, President of Western Excavation, returns to the podcast today to join Taylor for a candid exploration of the intricacies of entrepreneurship, resilience, and work-life harmony. Their discussion, filled with personal anecdotes and professional advice, touches on the importance of a supportive family foundation, the concept of a "zero-fai…
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The legendary “Dozer Dave” Turin, a stalwart of gold mining from the acclaimed series Gold Rush and the brain behind America's Backyard Gold, joins Taylor here today to share his journey from civil engineering to becoming a venerated figure in both television and gold mining. This episode delves into the heart of gold mining, touching on the histor…
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In this episode of Rocket Your Business For Trade Contractors, join us as we explore the entrepreneurial journey with Jason Paris, the brain behind Paris Painting and Partnership Developer at Aleph Holdings. Delving into the crucial aspects of growing a painting business, Jason shares invaluable insights on profit reinvestment, strategic decision-m…
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Our apologies, this was a duplicate upload. Check out our latest episode with Jason Paris. On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by Daniel Honan of Bookkeeping For Painters about being prepared for the taxman, managing overhead, pricing, pricing, pricing and finally profitability. Learn how not to get surprised…
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In today’s exclusive episode, Taylor takes center stage, embarking on a solo journey filled with invaluable insights gleaned from questions sourced directly from the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Instagram community. Delving into the heart of the construction industry's challenges, Taylor fearlessly addresses topics such as cash flow struggles, the significance …
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Katie Kelleher, aka “Katie Cranes”, an increasingly prominent, award winning figure in the construction industry joins Taylor for what turns out to be her first visit to the podcast today. Katie’s journey from a sales background to her current role as a crane operator and technical development officer exemplifies the importance of seizing opportuni…
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Ep 150: Brian Dietz - Growing a family business, it’s only possible when we’re on the same team.
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Taylor welcomes Brian Dietz, Co-owner of Bob Dietz and Sons Inc., to the podcast today, and together, they turn their spotlight on achieving enduring success in the construction industry, particularly as a family-owned construction business. Brian shares his personal journey, instilled with an outstanding commitment to excellence and a strong work …
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by Will Reyes of Battleborn Painting to talk about adding services to your company's repertoire of offerings. Learning what services will be profitable and aligned with your core skills is essential when considering adding something new on the menu for your customers. Will …
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by Brandon Pierpont of Painter Marketing Pros to talk about how trades businesses often go off track in their marketing, spending large amounts of money but getting very little in return. Brandon discusses simple steps businesses can take to get marketing back on track and …
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Ep 149: Randy Blount - How financial projections can boost your business’ profitability (and keep it alive…)
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This week, Taylor is joined by legendary leader of Blount Contracting and BuildWitt CFO, Randy Blount, who shares his inspiring journey of taking his family business to simply incredible heights of success. Together, they also dive into such essential themes as leadership, accurate job costing, and the intricacies of managing overhead costs, provid…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by the Customer Success lead at Estimate Rocket, Fred Kulik, who talks with us about the kind of investment that training ought to be in every company. It takes time, money, and intention to carve out time for the proper amount of training in a company, but that investment …
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by Jim McBrayer of McBrayer and Associates to discuss strategies for keeping the winter backlog full and flowing! We discuss ways to creatively plan for slow seasons, and we spend time analyzing sales processes that keep people engaged. "VBR" is a term you should know by th…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, Tom Droste of Estimate Rocket share a presentation in two parts on the fundamentals of proper estimating that every trade contractor should understand to stay efficient and profitable. In this part 2 of the presentation, Tom discusses sales strategies, pricing models, production rates, …
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, Tom Droste of Estimate Rocket share a presentation in two parts on the fundamentals of proper estimating that every trade contractor should understand to stay efficient and profitable. Tom discusses production rates, accurate measurements, labor and material tracking, job costing, prici…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, Corwin Smith of Culture To Cash joins us to talk about why business leaders find delegating so difficult, and why efforts to start delegating often wind up ineffective. If you can't let go of what you're not good at and learn to delegate, you inevitably limit your team's growth, and fru…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, we are joined by Nick May of Walls By Design and Stacia Newton of Paper Moon Painting. Nick and Stacia are champion sales and job management process creators and we discuss pro tips that empower efficiency and profitability in business, covering topics like client communication, sales f…
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The visionary behind Dig-It Digital GPS, EJ Herron, joins Taylor on the podcast this week for a fascinating journey through the cutting-edge realm of construction technology. Together, they explore its profound impact on the industry's efficiency and precision, and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. Whether you're a construction professiona…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, we re-share a conversation by Nick Slavik, host of Ask A Painter LIVE, and Tom Droste, Founder/CEO of Estimate Rocket. Nick and Tom's conversation originally aired on Ask A Painter LIVE and they covered topics ranging from job management technology and future economic challenges, to sal…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we chat with Tony Margani from Nubilis about the ability of trade contractors to innovate within their company while simultaneously elevating their trade with products and services that make the world a better place. Not everyone is able to create world-changing products while staying pr…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors we are joined by Logan Shinholser of the Contractor Growth Network to talk about what trade businesses can do to build a more cohesive and compelling marketing plan. Many companies want to jump straight to the "attraction" phase of marketing strategy, but Logan discusses reasons why serv…
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Aaron Witt: Putting People First to Transform Construction Taylor welcomes self-proclaimed “Chief Dirt Nerd”, Aaron Witt, to the podcast today for an insightful discussion on construction, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. Currently the CEO of BuildWitt - a services, media, and software business focused on the infrastructure and mining industr…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors, David Lord from Nexa joins us to talk about how phone calls can be the most important step--and the first!--to a positive customer experience. We talk about why some businesses don't value call services, how affordable call companies have become, and how call services can help a company…
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On this episode of Rocket Your Business, Nick Slavik from Ask A Painter joins us to talk about the types of project and performance reviews that reveal trends and improvement opportunities. Every project review is inevitably impacted by employee performance, and Nick talks about how his company, Nick Slavik Painting and Restoration, schedules proje…
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SAMHSA's National Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357) The National Helpline provides 24-hour free and confidential referrals and information about mental and/or substance use disorders, prevention, treatment, and recovery in English and Spanish. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 Just Dial 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, confidentia…
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We are celebrating the launch of our new podcast name and logo, Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors! New name, same great business growth education! On this episode of Rocket Your Business we are joined by Splash from Blue Collar Tribe to talk about how businesses can scale without alienating their employees, dipping in customer service, or …
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On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio--soon to be Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors!--Tom Droste, CEO/Founder of Estimate Rocket, joins us to talk about the importance of professional phone answering services. How your company answers the phone--or doesn't!--can reveal a lot about your sales process efficiency and growth potential. This…
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Amy Underwood, widely recognized as the_digger_girl, brings her charismatic and insightful perspective to her conversation with Taylor here today. Amy, a plant operator hailing from Scotland, shares her remarkable journey within the construction industry, transcending traditional gender stereotypes and championing blue-collar careers for both women…
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On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio (soon to be rebranded as Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors!) we are joined by Nick May of Walls By Design to talk about industry influence on every trade contractor to scale their business at all costs. But is this the right way to grow your company? Nick discusses ways business owners can target ne…
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On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Jason Paris of Paris Painting and Aleph Holdings joins us to talk about business growth and leveraging leadership skills to realize new expansion. Trade businesses can experience accelerated change in the current economy, and long-range goals that used to take 10 years to actualize can now often be reached …
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On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Scott Lollar of Consulting 4 Contractors talks with us about how businesses can start taking on more commercial work to get bigger projects and to even out the peaks and valleys of cash flow. Thinking about getting into commercial but you're not sure of the steps you need to take to get your feet wet? Scott…
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On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio (soon to be Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors!), we are joined by the CEO and Founder of Estimate Rocket, Tom Droste who shares ways a sign-on-the-spot option can help sales people close more sales. This may not be an option for every business, but if your company has the tools and opportunity for s…
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