A lot of new business owners think the secret of how to find success is relentless, merciless, hard work.   I’d say this perception is especially true among tradespeople-turned-entrepreneurs. And for good reason. We’re practical people. If you have a trade background, you’ve gotten far by working hard and by bringing everything you’ve got to the work you do.   Here’s the issue.    Yes, hard work is necessary for building a strong, thriving business.   But only if you&rsquo... Read more

  Lead with confidence.   If you’re a business owner—or an aspiring business owner—this is probably something you dream of doing every day.   Who doesn’t want the certainty that comes with confidence…   ...the knowledge that it’ll all work out? That your path is right? That everything is under control?   Who doesn’t want to be the leader who instills a sense of security in their team?    The problem is, as a business owner, you have to: Handle tasks ou... Read more

I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re probably facing a challenge in your business right now.   We’re pretty much always running up against some obstacle in our careers. It doesn’t matter what you do or how far you’ve advanced—there will always be a new difficulty to overcome.   Now, this sounds like it would be one of the biggest downsides to being a business owner. Confronting new challenges every day? Constantly facing our own shortcomings and opposing forces? Sounds exhausting, rig... Read more

What is your single greatest business goal for 2022?    If you don’t know, it’s time to start thinking.   If you do know, it’s time to start planning.    For a lot of business owners, October isn’t exactly a time of new beginnings. There is a tendency to see this final quarter as our last big push for the year... especially for those of us in the restoration industry. We’re getting through hurricane season, wildfire season… preparing for the season of burst pipes and ice dam... Read more

  You already know all the key habits for success, right?   You have to read up on your industry for at least an hour a day. You need a committed workout routine. You should be making x number of cold calls, attending x number of conventions, and making time to inspire your employees to become leaders.   Right?   First of all: yes to all of this. All the things I mentioned above are extremely valuable to your productivity and long-term success.   But it’s also overwhelming to think about these things wh... Read more

If you want to achieve business success, you have to stop lying to yourself.    To be clear: we all lie to ourselves. It’s not just you. It’s just a function of your brain, and it’s a function that exists for your survival.   When you experience pain, your brain needs to make sense of it so it knows how to avoid that pain in the future.   The first time you burned your mouth on soup, for example, your mind immediately created an explanation. “Soup burns if you eat it the moment it comes off th... Read more