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EP 132 : Business Management for Painting Contractors

EP 132 : Business Management for Painting Contractors

In this episode, we delve into the world of painting business strategies and management, as our mastermind members share valuable insights and experiences.

From focusing on the 3P’s to tackling the challenges of cabinet work and transitioning from fieldwork to business management, our participants engage in candid discussions about the intricacies of running a successful business.

Join us as we explore the importance of networking, the significance of small wins, and the power of building strong long-term business relationships.

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Transcript:

Speaker A [00:00:02]:

Hello, and welcome to Mastermind. Our mission is to build $1,000,000 businesses that we can have financial freedom, time for our families, and make an impact in our communities. Let’s kick it off some big wins. Sonia, lead the way, please.

 

Speaker B [00:00:17]:

I’ve had, things have a recouping. I, had a few, repeat customers call me back, so VBA. That’s kinda that’s my win for the for this past time, and, things are starting to quote, just starting to come back in and estimates starting to get rolling and, I mean, the opposite. I’m estimating quotes going out, business coming in. So nice.

 

Speaker C [00:00:41]:

Yes. Awesome

 

Speaker A [00:00:42]:

sauce. Very good. Thank you. Daryl.

 

Speaker C [00:00:46]:

Yes. I have a few. Gotta mention to Steve earlier this week. I let I let go of one of my very long time employees. He’s he’s profitable, but, he he wasn’t, he wasn’t great. He was good most of the time. Had a couple employees actually approach me privately and tell me, man, he’s he’s kinda toxic, and, I think it’s probably time you need to let him go. And so I did.

 

Speaker C [00:01:11]:

And so I have a I have a thing with my team. If, if somebody’s not working out on the team, if if we have a consensus where everybody else feels the same way, then that person goes. And that’s what we did. And I will tell you when, when I let when I let that guy go, my other 2 team members that came to me did a job by themself. They finished up a job we started last year. I thought it was gonna take 3 of them 5 days to do. The 2 of those guys got it done in 3 days.

 

Speaker D [00:01:38]:

Wow.

 

Speaker C [00:01:38]:

And I’m getting a $16,000 check today from that that I thought they were gonna be on forever. So that’s pretty awesome. Hired, hired 1 guy 2 weeks ago, Lewis. He’s a Mexican. I love it. I love the guy. I always make fun of each other. I’m too white and don’t know don’t know enough of his language.

 

Speaker C [00:01:56]:

Hired hired one tomorrow or hired 1 already. She starts tomorrow. I got her through Express Employment. If you guys remember a few masterminds ago, I talked about mostly going through there. So I’m doing that, and I put the numbers together, and I think it’s gonna be, really, really good. So I’m excited.

 

Speaker A [00:02:15]:

Awesome. That’s fantastic, Daryl. Way to protect the culture

 

Speaker E [00:02:18]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:02:18]:

And lead. It’s very important. And it’s sometimes it’s hard to let some of those, producers go because they produce but really the the issues that they bring to culture to the team are just so traumatic that, you know, I don’t I don’t know that we’ve ever let somebody go and say, that was too soon. I should have waited to fire him.

 

Speaker C [00:02:41]:

Never never too soon. Never.

 

Speaker A [00:02:44]:

Yeah. So great job. Good leadership. Thank you. Isaac, big wins.

 

Speaker E [00:02:50]:

Yeah. So, I would say a very difficult project developed in me a deep and trust in God. And, I’m happy to say we’re finally finished with it after 3 weeks and, an entire week of thinking, I don’t know if we’ll ever be out of this house. And, just wanted to thank you guys so much for your encouragement, that one day I felt just a huge shift in my level of hope and, just plugged through the rest of that week and talked about that. So, and I’ve been going to the gym a lot. So

 

Speaker A [00:03:26]:

Yeah. That’s awesome. Yeah. So where do you go, Isaac? Remember to post those in the chat. Encourage the others to keep going too, please. Like, I don’t wanna be going on posting. It’s kinda weird. Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:03:38]:

But help me to encourage the others. I was talking Jesus about this yesterday. It’s like, share. You gotta share them. Share them. Share them, please. Yeah. And so many guys have been.

 

Speaker A [00:03:45]:

So thank you guys for that. So, Isaac, yeah, great job. And, unfortunately, this isn’t gonna be the only one. These things come, and, it feels miserable for a short time. But just remember this time, and remember that you got through it, and maybe even journal about it so that you can reflect back on it the next time this happens, and because, you know, the life of an entrepreneur is a roller coaster and or peaks and valleys. And so That’s why I was just saying. Yeah. It’s gonna come again, but it’s it’s a character building opportunity.

 

Speaker A [00:04:14]:

You’ve learned and you got stronger and you got tougher and you’d leveled up your EQ as well.

 

Speaker E [00:04:20]:

Absolutely. Yeah. When he when he end that talk said, find the gift in your trial. Just like, wow. What a great opportunity.

 

Speaker A [00:04:29]:

Yes. Yeah. That’s it. And that’s the right attitude that gets you through it. Well, others will just kinda give up. And so Right on. Alright. Let’s see.

 

Speaker A [00:04:38]:

Thank you, Isaac. Chris, you’re up.

 

Speaker F [00:04:41]:

Good morning. My big win, is got in touch with this guy, that will will be coming on now as our 2nd crew. He it’s basically a team of him, his wife, and his son. So it’s kind of a close knit kind of family situation. With the subs, it’s so difficult to just know, you know, especially as we keep going as we start going, who’s gonna, you know, who’s gonna even show up. Right? But, kind of a family situation just very, yeah, very good. And so between that and then just the onboarding process, I would say it’s a big win. I just feel very confident about the communication that we’ve done upfront.

 

Speaker F [00:05:29]:

I feel like we were I was pretty comprehensive. My 1st stop there was a lot of trial and error and a lot of, a lot of mistakes because, you know, you’re you’re trying to figure it out kind of as you go. Whereas this felt very clean, clear, smooth. Expectations should be pretty clear going forward. And so very optimistic about this, 2nd crew.

 

Speaker A [00:05:53]:

Awesome. Awesome. Fantastic. It sounds like you did a great job too of, prequalifying them. It is hard to tell, but, sounds like

 

Speaker D [00:06:01]:

you did

 

Speaker A [00:06:02]:

a good job, so well done. Thank you for sharing. Juan, good morning.

 

Speaker G [00:06:06]:

Good morning. Big win for me this week. So I did implemented the the color consult a couple of weeks ago, and I did, email blast to all my clients. So I closed 3 jobs this week. Same thing.

 

Speaker A [00:06:22]:

Sir. Alright. Yes. Way to take action and implement, my man. Alright. Hey, Seuss. Big wins, buddy.

 

Speaker H [00:06:35]:

Yes. Good morning. So my big wins, this was last week. It was, organizing my 6 month stay in interview for my guys, and then I have, the send out cards I did this week. And then I’m continuing the 1 on ones with the other business people around. That’s going good.

 

Speaker A [00:06:54]:

Yeah. You just posted a community spotlight. Was it, Tacos Mexican food? What was it with the restaurant, right?

 

Speaker D [00:07:01]:

Yeah, it was tacos. Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:07:03]:

Everybody loves tacos. Oh, yeah. Everybody. So that’s a winner. Good job. You’re sending out cards. What was the theme?

 

Speaker H [00:07:10]:

It might’ve been a little too late. It was Valentine’s day.

 

Speaker A [00:07:14]:

That’s okay.

 

Speaker H [00:07:15]:

The only thing I’m talking about.

 

Speaker A [00:07:18]:

Okay. That’s all right. Like, Hey, you know, at least you remembered them. Yeah. He’d send them out every month. Right? And he’d send a lot of times he guess on birthdays, and they’d say, you’re 2 weeks late. And he’s like, well, at least I remembered. Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:07:31]:

Not my car. Alright. Well done, Jesus. Florian, big wins.

 

Speaker D [00:07:39]:

Hey. Good morning, guys. Have a couple of big wins, I mean, since I mean, it’s been 2 weeks now. So some small projects, which, I mean, we lead up in a big project, let’s say, like, because just staying in the room. And people call me back and said, Dan, can you come? I’m in the living room with this, so that means it’s just there. So let’s see how how we’re going to people’s house. I mean, new drop post pretty much when I see the people there. Right? So the interior, pretty much, you’ll have to take care.

 

Speaker D [00:08:06]:

I mean, like, you have to be like a nurse for 3 months so people have it back. Which is a good thing. You know? So a couple small projects. And, 1 interior we did, and next year 2 would be some, for that lady. So she was kind of upset because for the for the, she’s trying to say to me, oh, it’s not in quote. I say, yes. It’s in quote, but you didn’t decide to do the. So that turned in that project.

 

Speaker D [00:08:32]:

So whatever it is from exterior, I put in that passed I mean, that invoice. And she apologized and said, hey, Send me the link so I can send a file Google Google review. And she apologized for that, which is great. So, 2 small jobs, I mean, came from BNI, which I’m following up every week at least, like, 1 to 1, once a week no matter what. And then I have 2 jobs. Another one there cabinets, which one was big one. Actually, it was like around $14,000, which we closed like a week ago because we have some small touch ups. And another one which we’ll be closing tomorrow, that is $57100.

 

Speaker D [00:09:12]:

So those are my big wins. You know? Yes, sir. Little little things, but it makes a payment so I can pay my guys. You

 

Speaker A [00:09:20]:

know? Yes. Little things matter. Right?

 

Speaker G [00:09:22]:

So there’s Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:09:23]:

Out of the book. And, which is also the, the moral of the story of the compound effect and the slight edge. It is they all add up and I’m free. You know what? Takes a lot.

 

Speaker G [00:09:35]:

That’s correct.

 

Speaker A [00:09:36]:

Alright. Way to be to keep at it. Alright. Canada’s most caffeinated painter, Colonel Armstrong. Big glance.

 

Speaker I [00:09:46]:

Hired, hired somebody. So, she’s working out well. She’s got, she’s got her own truck, which is really nice. And she’s willing to, take, you know, take tools around to the job sites and whatnot. So, that’s that’s very handy. So it saves saves me a lot of time. And, yeah. So she’s she’s working out well.

 

Speaker I [00:10:10]:

That’s my big win.

 

Speaker A [00:10:11]:

That is a big win. That is awesome. Fantastic. So that’s,

 

Speaker I [00:10:14]:

that’s the 4th 4th painter now. So we’re up to 4.

 

Speaker A [00:10:18]:

Yes, sir. Look out. Yeah. Yeah, man. 4 to 6, and you’re out of the field forever. Hey, you’re there, everybody. Let’s go. Right on.

 

Speaker A [00:10:29]:

All right, Sonya. What is the there’s the book down there? What is the one thing we could brainstorm for you such that would make everything else easier and or unnecessary?

 

Speaker B [00:10:41]:

I think we’ve gone through everything that I’ve always go through. It’s always the same, you know, when you talk about valleys. It’s always that trying to keep motivated, I think, is one of those things. But I know the last time we spoke, we talked about target market, a little bit more. So I’ve been, I know, I think it was Juan. He was saying about the color consulting. So I’m kind of been delving into that and kinda working on a project. But in doing so, I found that most of the ones that I like to work with are anywhere from, like, 60 to 75.

 

Speaker B [00:11:15]:

They’re super lovely. They usually are their husbands are lawyers or there’s something like that. And so those are the ones that it just goes so smoothly versus the computer guys, you know? Yeah.

 

Speaker C [00:11:27]:

They’re they’re not

 

Speaker E [00:11:28]:

Okay. But,

 

Speaker A [00:11:28]:

so here’s some questions. Right? Hold on real quick. Let’s let’s zoom in and here. Some questions. Where do they associate? Where do they network?

 

Speaker E [00:11:35]:

Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:11:36]:

They have social lives and they’re involved.

 

Speaker B [00:11:42]:

Where do they associate and where do they go?

 

Speaker A [00:11:43]:

Where do they associate? Where do they network? What what what do they, yeah, where do they socialize? Where do they network?

 

Speaker B [00:11:50]:

Okay. Yeah. That’s where I was trying to hit, you know, like trying to go into who do I go do, go look for them and find their community, basically. Right?

 

Speaker A [00:12:00]:

Yep. So so it sounds like in order to, have this information to him now, it’s it’s you probably already have serviced some of them. You’ve probably already worked for some already. Correct?

 

Speaker B [00:12:10]:

Mhmm. Yes.

 

Speaker A [00:12:11]:

Just circle back to them and say, just just and and and you you can just say, Joanne, this is Sonia. I wanna circle back first to tell you thank you for your business, and 2, I enjoyed, working for you so much that I would love to work for 100 more people just like you. And she might laugh or whatever and say, so I’ve got a fun question for you. Where do you hang out? Who do you hang out with? Where do you network? Where do you socialize? Where are your people? And just have fun with it. And then they’ll understand what you’re saying and just be genuine about it. And but what you do is you you lead with a compliment to them, which is authentic. We’ve really enjoyed working with you. We’ve, would love to work with, more people just like you.

 

Speaker A [00:12:53]:

Where are your people?

 

Speaker B [00:12:55]:

Yes. I love that. Okay. That’s pretty much where I was needing help directing, like, okay. Alright.

 

Speaker E [00:12:59]:

Appreciate it.

 

Speaker A [00:13:00]:

Yeah. There you go. Awesome. Alright. Daryl, you’re up.

 

Speaker C [00:13:05]:

Cool. Not really a big one. Just a kind of a question because, you know, I we try to go with the 3 p’s, you know, our people, our profit, and our process. Well, I have a have a big commercial job that I looked at yesterday. I did not do it on the spot because it’s over $100,000, and it’s about 40 minutes north of my target area where we work is Pompa City. This one is actually in Arc City, Kansas. So it’s about 35, 40 minutes north of us. My crew actually wants to go do this job.

 

Speaker C [00:13:35]:

I’m not so sure. It isn’t it is my people and and it’d be profitable, but Mhmm. The process part is not there, but I don’t I think it’s mainly because I don’t do a lot of commercial. And so it could be an opportunity. But I don’t know if I wanna dive into a $130,000 commercial job Right now, I’m out. I’ve got $265,000 paint jobs back to back that I’m doing, and I just don’t know if I’m in the right season to do that. I know we could handle the job Mhmm.

 

Speaker A [00:14:08]:

But I

 

Speaker C [00:14:09]:

don’t know if I want the job.

 

Speaker A [00:14:11]:

So this is wise. I’m really glad you brought this up. One one other factor we need to keep in mind is businesses when when when we get jobs, it’s not all about, revenue. The one that the long term goal is we wanna build referral sources. Right? So step behind the system and stay on top of mind. Because once you’re generating 80% referrals on repeat business, like, life is that’s easy. Easy, easy, and highest cash flow, simple as process. You’re the only one bidding.

 

Speaker A [00:14:41]:

Now in order to do that, we need to, create as many, direct customers as we can. Now if we’re on a $100,000 job, we’re not gonna be doing that. Mhmm. Right? So a $100,000 job might be a quick big win, but in the long run, how many customers, right, how many referral customers, referral sources could you have generated in that time? So say your average job is, I don’t know, we’ll just say 10,000. Right? So that’s 10 referral networks that you’re not gonna have. Or if your average job is 5,000, that’s 20 referral networks that you’re not gonna have if we take the $100,000 job. Not even counting, like, the risk and the stress, and if we think back to, like, the hospital job that we did.

 

Speaker E [00:15:28]:

Yep. Yep.

 

Speaker A [00:15:28]:

You know? Right? It’s just also, you should never take a project that’s more than 20%, and we won’t go into what it is. But, something to consider is you should never take a project that’s more than 10 to 20% of your revenue. Because the strain and the stress that it causes if something goes sideways, because if you’ve been into this business for more than 3 minutes, stuff goes sideways, right?

 

Speaker E [00:15:49]:

Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yep.

 

Speaker A [00:15:51]:

Yeah. It is, as if you have business, I would pass. The only reason I would consider this is if you’re a startup and you had capital and, you could cash flow it, which is rare for startup, then consider it. But if you’ve got if you’ve got work and you’ve got plenty of, direct residential easy jobs, right,

 

Speaker D [00:16:11]:

process

 

Speaker C [00:16:12]:

Mhmm. Yeah. That was my thinking. Just wanna get some other input on it because I I my my intuition was to just pass on it.

 

Speaker A [00:16:20]:

That’s wise.

 

Speaker C [00:16:21]:

Yeah. Mhmm. Alright.

 

Speaker A [00:16:22]:

Or refer it to a larger competitor and maybe work out, you know, a referral arrangement where they send you the single residentials and you send them the large commercials. Yeah. Yeah. Because single residentials are not in their process. They’re set up to execute large commercial.

 

Speaker E [00:16:37]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker D [00:16:40]:

Don’t forget the big house off the hill. Yeah. Right?

 

Speaker C [00:16:44]:

I’m I’m working on one of those right now.

 

Speaker D [00:16:47]:

That’s what it is.

 

Speaker C [00:16:48]:

But but it’s in the referral network. So

 

Speaker D [00:16:51]:

Yeah. You have to stay in the city and don’t lose those guys. You know? So Yeah.

 

Speaker C [00:16:56]:

And I’m fixing to start a $65,000 paint job, but it’s for a repeat client. It’s in a very good neighborhood, and it will definitely land me more work. Yep.

 

Speaker D [00:17:05]:

There you go.

 

Speaker A [00:17:06]:

There you go. Right on. Awesome. Alright, Isaac.

 

Speaker E [00:17:11]:

Yeah. So lately, since starting to hire people and then letting my 1st guy go and trying to bring on another guy, and then just a couple of hard projects. I feel like I’ve kind of been treading water, and so all the action steps that I’ve been wanting to take, like getting my monday.com in line, leaning more into, my community spotlights, and just all the stuff on the on the steps. I’m wondering so I feel like my number one thing that I really wanna focus on in order to be able to make the other things happen is trying to get a good team so I can get out of the field. Would you say that there’s something else that I should focus on first? If I don’t know. I because I’m struggling with how to know when my guys are ready for me to be out. Because I’m I’m fine getting out with just 2 guys and then really kinda living on less

 

Speaker C [00:18:16]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker E [00:18:16]:

Just to be able to have that I don’t know. I’ve there’s so many things I need to do, and I’m freaking rolling walls still. And it’s like, I need to get out of here. Yeah. Yeah. We

 

Speaker I [00:18:29]:

could we could

 

Speaker E [00:18:30]:

What would you guys say? I don’t know.

 

Speaker A [00:18:32]:

So the question is, I heard a lot there. Yeah. What is what what specific question do you have?

 

Speaker E [00:18:40]:

A specific question would be, yeah, we’ll just dial into what are some key markers to know when your guys are ready for you to not be there anymore?

 

Speaker A [00:18:52]:

Yeah. I would, what you do is you start withdrawing yourself an hour a day, then 2 hours a day, then half day. And also when you do this, just to remember, they’re gonna make mistakes. It’s part of learning. It’s okay. We forget how many mistakes we’ve made. Right? Especially when we become proficient in something and especially after we master something, we forget all the mistakes. Like, no.

 

Speaker A [00:19:17]:

I’m wonderful. You know, we, we once we’re not. Okay. And, so I would just start with strong. You know, and, and as they make mistakes, just coach them up, you know, encourage them, coach them up and try yourself an hour a day, 2 hours a day, and then half days. Right? And when you do 2, here’s here’s a mind shift that your employees, your team needs to understand because, you know, there’s, well, we’re the one doing all the work is is initially what happens because they don’t understand it first. So it’s our responsibility to help them to understand. Say, listen, guys.

 

Speaker A [00:19:51]:

We’re getting going now. Who wants to stay busy year round? In their hands, you know, kind of go up. Right? Rhetorical question, right? We all do. Well if I’m in here painting every day then I don’t know that I can keep us going full time, year round. I can probably keep me going full time year round, but I wanna keep you guys going full time, year round. So my job really is, I should be out there networking, marketing, sales to keep all of us going fully, full time. Does that make sense? Like, yeah. Once they get it, they’re gonna start saying, what are you doing here, Isaac? Get out there.

 

Speaker A [00:20:23]:

Go to network. Go go find us some more jobs. Get off. What what are you doing here, man? That once they really get it, they will kindly but sincerely, you know, say, what are you doing here? Go go go go find us some more work. You know? Yeah. And so just make sure you have that conversation with the 2 to help them to understand the shift of you, of you not being there. But to circle back to your question, withdraw yourself an hour a day, 2 hours a day, half days, be ready for them to make mistakes, coach them through it. Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:20:50]:

And then, you’ll be able to wean yourself out. The other side of this is the conversation with the customer. All right. Well, cause they’re going to say they’re used to, or they heard the referrals. I can be like, well, Isaac, you’re going to be on the job and you can answer it a couple different ways. And, you know, one of them is, well, you know, not, but however, the guys that I have on here are. You know, if you have craftsmen that are better than you, you get to a point to restart hiring craftsman that are better than you. But 2, you can say that the guys that the painters, the craftsmen that I’m going to have working on your home, they’re a 100% focused on your home.

 

Speaker A [00:21:21]:

They’re not going to be interrupted by phone calls and customers and phones dinging and binging. If I were here, I wouldn’t get a lot done anyway. But my guys, I’ve been personally trained by me and will probably do a better job than I will for you to, and better experience. And I remember there were times I’d stopped by the job and the customer would say, what are you doing? So I’m sorry. I don’t know. I was expecting, Hey, Steve. And he’s like, what are you doing here? Like, I’ll just pop by and say hi. They’re like, these guys got it.

 

Speaker A [00:21:47]:

Okay.

 

Speaker E [00:21:49]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker D [00:21:50]:

Right?

 

Speaker G [00:21:50]:

That’s

 

Speaker A [00:21:51]:

awesome. Yeah. So I’m really excited to hear that you can jump out at 2. That is, very wise and very frugal of you. That is

 

Speaker E [00:21:58]:

Yes.

 

Speaker A [00:21:58]:

Awesome. That is a fastest path to success. Sounds like you’re not driving a brand new Escalade, which is smart. Right? And, yeah, sooner the sooner you can get out, the faster you can double your business in style.

 

Speaker E [00:22:11]:

Yeah. I’m I’m very Dave Ramsey focused, and, we’re, like, a month away from for the 2nd time being debt free. And we whittled down our expenses to, like, nearly nothing. And so it’s it’s like, okay. I don’t have a lot of overhead, but I need to get out of the field to focus on this other stuff. So that’s my my number 1.

 

Speaker A [00:22:35]:

Yes. I remember when April and I went through the season, it was chicken and rice every night. Chicken and rice, chicken and rice. Full circle. I now eat chicken and rice for health reasons.

 

Speaker D [00:22:42]:

But says now I use.

 

Speaker A [00:22:46]:

But for then, it was economical reasons to get out of the field, build this business as fast as possible. So bring on Isaac. Any other thoughts for Isaac? Absolutely.

 

Speaker C [00:22:54]:

Well, Isaac, I I was in the same boat off now for a while, and and, basically, the way I operate is, if there’s if there’s anything that my guys can do, I’m not doing it. I don’t I don’t touch a single thing well, I don’t wanna say a single thing, but I hardly ever am doing anything that my guys do. I’m not I’m not swinging a brush. The only thing I’m doing is I I might be spraying doors at my shop and I’m doing mud work, like texturing. The guy I hired 2 weeks ago, this this guy, Lewis, he knows how to do drywall mud and skim, but he didn’t do he didn’t do very well. So I was just showing him how to do my process. Took him 3 times as well, twice as long to do these last 2 skin jobs that I could’ve done in less than half the time. But I let him do it because on the next job, he’s gonna get quicker and

 

Speaker E [00:23:41]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker C [00:23:41]:

That’s one less thing I’m doing. And I’m been talking to Steve for the last 6 months. It’s all I’ve been doing is skim coating. I was like, I wanna I wanna go work at Lowe’s. This is crazy. I need to hire somebody, or I’m gonna quit and go work at Lowe’s. And so I hired somebody to do that. So Yeah.

 

Speaker E [00:23:57]:

Yeah. After 5 projects, now my guy is cutting in everything. I’m not Here

 

Speaker C [00:24:02]:

you go. Don’t do it anymore. Let him do it.

 

Speaker E [00:24:04]:

He’s doing better than me. So

 

Speaker G [00:24:06]:

Yep.

 

Speaker E [00:24:09]:

It’s cool. Thank you.

 

Speaker F [00:24:10]:

I would say, there’s you know, if if you need like, if the days that you feel like you need to be there it sounds like you know what’s going on in terms of, like, having, like, got every everything worked out. But, in turn other than instead of having a, you know, using a roller, if you need to be there, there’s still things you can do. You can bring a laptop with you. You can you can do a lot of stuff where you’re still at presence there, and making sure that everything’s kinda going smooth, but able able to do a lot of work just right there at the job. You can also do hand out a lot of, like, door hangers. You can go door to door and stuff like that. Hey. We’re in the neighborhood and just be very intentional with that neighborhood that you’re working on so that you’re still on the job.

 

Speaker F [00:24:52]:

Technically, the guys know you’re there. If it’s a if it’s something important, they can have you you know, you can you you’re still in the area. You’re just literally a call away. And then, like, I’m a I’m I think I’m pretty risk averse. So, like, I’m not afraid. Like the way I would do it way I’ve done it is like if it’s if it’s less than like a $4,000 job I’m I’m even okay with them messing it up a little bit in terms of, like, timeline or whatever, like, just to just to just to find out, just to see if they can do it. It’s it’s kind of worth worth finding out to me. Like, if they can’t do it, they can’t do it, but if they can, I’m glad I tried.

 

Speaker F [00:25:35]:

And you know, it it’s never going to be the stakes are never too high. Right. So those are some of my

 

Speaker E [00:25:44]:

thought, you

 

Speaker F [00:25:44]:

know, when I’m trying to get get away from the roller because they’ll suck you in.

 

Speaker A [00:25:50]:

Oh, yeah. Final words of encouragement too for everybody trying to get out of field is that of clients who, have built $1,000,000 businesses and have never painted their life. It’s like, well, how did they do it? It wasn’t an option. Right. So sometimes, because we start off as technicians, that’s your, that’s your problem. That’s your biggest problem. You’re like, I’ve got to fix it. I know how to do it.

 

Speaker A [00:26:10]:

Nobody can do it as good as I can. That’s your biggest challenge. If you get rid of that. In fact, I would encourage the book. I don’t see it behind now Goals. It talks about the theory of critical constraints. And if you put the critical constraint on of, I cannot go out in the field, you’ll figure it out.

 

Speaker G [00:26:28]:

You’ll figure it out.

 

Speaker A [00:26:29]:

Yeah. Yep. So sometimes we used to joke ground and say, Hey, listen, if you don’t get out of the field, I’m gonna come and break one of your legs so that you can’t get on the field.

 

Speaker E [00:26:36]:

And then we’ll build this.

 

Speaker A [00:26:42]:

Now obviously that’s, but that’s what happened to me. I busted my knee on a roof of bank. I went that’s when it little light finally went off, you know, after years years of being in the field. You know? Oh my goodness. I’m not gonna be able to do this forever. And I thought menu was gone, and I played a lot of basketball at the time. I was sad that I couldn’t play basketball, and it took 6 months, but it finally healed. But it was during that 6 month season that I went, I’ve gotta figure this business part out because I can’t be out here for the rest of my life.

 

Speaker A [00:27:08]:

So good deal. You’re doing

 

Speaker D [00:27:11]:

it, Isaac.

 

Speaker A [00:27:12]:

Way to be. It’s exciting. Chris,

 

Speaker C [00:27:15]:

you’re up.

 

Speaker F [00:27:16]:

My question’s about color consultants. Where do you find them?

 

Speaker G [00:27:22]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker F [00:27:22]:

How or how do you pay them? Is it a contract thing? Make makes sense to me. That would be. I you know, in terms of it it seems as though what’s inevitably gonna happen is you’re going to find your color consultant up naturally upselling. Right. Because as as the creative juices start flowing,

 

Speaker C [00:27:47]:

all

 

Speaker F [00:27:47]:

of a sudden we’re painting this or adding this, which is great. But then my question is, how much do you inform them about pricing? Do you just kinda let them let them kinda stir the imagination and then add add these change orders after? Just any feedback about color consoles.

 

Speaker A [00:28:07]:

This is a great question. I love this. So your question is, how do you use color consultants, decorators to double your business faster? 1st, how do you find them? Great question. Ideally you want to find new up and coming, and I’ll explain why in a minute you find them at usually chamber events. Chamber networking is the best place that I found decorators and color consultants. Next, when you find them, the own commerce, you connect to them and you meet with them and you say, listen, I am looking for a other consultant designer that I can work with to introduce to my clients and hopefully work out an arrangement with. Meaning, I want to offer your services to my clients and get you get your foot in the door because it does open them up from a work. And ideally they’ll set you up with a deal and, for us, like way back to the, it was $50 and then it was like $100.

 

Speaker A [00:28:59]:

It might be a 100, 150 now, but they give you a discounted price for the relationship for setting it up. Okay. Now over the years, these guys, they are guys, gals, for us, there’s always ladies. They’ll get busy. They’ll get going, they’ll get busy, and they won’t be able to, fulfill that relationship anymore because they outgrown. They they’ve outgrown it and that’s okay. That’s that’s understandable. So you go back to the the chamber or b and I and you find another new up and comer who’s eager to get out there and and and get after it.

 

Speaker A [00:29:27]:

Do, you know, whatever it takes to get going. And this works out as a fair arrangement to them. So hear me, it’s not like we’re ripping them off. It’s it’s a win win because it does get their foot in the door with nice clients who need their drapes and rugs and, you know, take out their furniture and whatever else the magazines and TV programs tell them they should be buying. Okay. Now the other part of this, and this is one of my favorite, parts of the diamond designer decorator is it’s also a closing tool. And so we’ve, we’ve talked about the sales processes. We have a sales system in the the cafe and some of you guys have gone through it, but at one thing that I’ll offer them is I’ll say, listen, if you sign with me right now, I will pay for a designer to come out and to help you to select the perfect color for your home so that you know you won’t make the wrong decision.

 

Speaker A [00:30:15]:

Okay?

 

Speaker C [00:30:18]:

Right?

 

Speaker A [00:30:18]:

So a smiley smiley bobblehead face. Yes. You know, to get further clothes. And they love it. They absolutely love that. Because they asked me, like, well, Steve, do you wanna up colors? I’m like, no. You’d only pick any color. And so like, well, but you’re a painter.

 

Speaker A [00:30:31]:

You’re a painting company. Said, yeah, we understand how to properly prepare and apply paint, not decorate. Like, why haven’t you done a 1,000 homes? And I said, well, haven’t you been in a 1,000 homes? Don’t you have friends and family? It’s the same thing. But, you know, when it comes to decorating, because the truth is I don’t want the liability. I don’t want anything to do with the liability picking on colors. No. It’s cost me way too much money in the past trying to help somebody pick out colors. I don’t like that.

 

Speaker A [00:30:54]:

Whatever you picked out. Oh, well you chose it. I was just kind of guiding you, but I guess now I don’t want it so we get to repaint it. But no. So instead use the decorator color consultant as a closing tool as well. And it’s a win win all the way around. Now pricing. Couple of things to do is once you have your new arrangement with a color consultant is you say, okay, one is please keep them away from the deep bases.

 

Speaker A [00:31:17]:

No deep bases. Okay. Let’s stay in the pastels, the mid colors, please. So for easy application, appreciate that. And, that’s really all we coached him on. Now, Paul Dibdahl, he’s another mastermind group. He loves to share the story of the decorator he works with. Now he’s in the Greater Los Angeles area and he’s got this, or had this great big, this flamboyant decorator.

 

Speaker A [00:31:41]:

Right. And he was just larger than life or those personality. And he’d always ask them. He’d always say, what’s Paul charging? What’s Paul charging? They’d tell him to go, oh, goodness. That’s a steal. You know? So he always had his back and that was just really cool. And so your decorator is gonna have your back too when you find a good person. It’s just it’s the same thing too with hiring for characters.

 

Speaker A [00:32:01]:

So circle back, it’s find them at the chamber or BNIs, up and comers. Connect with them, invite them for coffee or launch something you wanna get to know them. And then lay out the idea that you have for them and you work something out for maybe $100 or, oh, you know, maybe it’s a 150 depending on your market, pop. And then you can also use it as sales tool and then, you know, give them kinda coach them on some guidelines. Alright. Sonya Decorator, would you have anything to add to that?

 

Speaker B [00:32:30]:

I don’t know. Sorry. Okay. That’s alright. I had to step off, and I’m like, what did I come into? Sorry. Nobody do. As far as, know, when you mentioned about the, because I’m I’m all in 1 pretty much, and that’s my differentiation is I’m able to kinda either so I’ve I’ve been able to segue in there. Like, I do color consultations, and I’ll send I can segue and get a project going.

 

Speaker B [00:32:51]:

But definitely set up the guidelines as far as I love that that little tidbit and pro tip about don’t stay away from the deep basses because you can run into some little hiccups there too. You know?

 

Speaker A [00:33:00]:

Especially with decorators. Decorators love deep basses. Tell them to

 

Speaker B [00:33:04]:

I do too, but, you know, just in small spots. Small spots. Not

 

Speaker C [00:33:07]:

like Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:33:08]:

I like small yeah. I don’t mind small spots. Yeah.

 

Speaker B [00:33:10]:

But, know, if we have a media room. You know?

 

Speaker C [00:33:12]:

Yep. No

 

Speaker D [00:33:13]:

more than

 

Speaker C [00:33:14]:

a court. Yes.

 

Speaker B [00:33:16]:

No. But as far as yeah. Develop that relationship and just coach them, because I worked, that’s how I kinda started into this was I worked for a paint company and, as I subcontracted for them. And and that was you know, they set up the guidelines as how much for the colors, you know, no more than 2 colors or 3 colors. You know, if it’s more than 3 colors, it’s $100 more or whatever it is that you upcharge for another color, whatever is given in there. And if you charge more for any color swap, any color change other than the pastes, trims, and ceiling, then, you know, let them, you know, let them know. Let them set it up for them so that they know exactly what you want because I ran into some of that too, you know, when I was working with that, working with them, I’d be like, oh my gosh. I forgot that step.

 

Speaker B [00:33:56]:

Well, I forgot just lay it out for them. And what’s nice is they finally they, like, let me have a guideline to to say, look. These are the things to look for. This is how we want you to come in there. They also also go in I know it’s kinda hard because they had color consultations available with in house, but they took me on a few projects to show me this is the expectation, this is what I’m looking for, and this is how the color consultation goes. But just kinda set it up for them and let them know, and they’ll be able to help you know, like he said, have your back for you and get that. So and happy customer.

 

Speaker E [00:34:27]:

Yeah. Yes. Yes.

 

Speaker A [00:34:29]:

Yep. Awesome. Thank you so much, Greg.

 

Speaker I [00:34:31]:

One thing I’d add is, just, make sure the client knows that it’s, like, a maximum of 1 hour or or however long you’d like. Maximum of 1 hour, and then anything over and above that, the the interior designer will bill you directly. So

 

Speaker C [00:34:47]:

Yeah. That’s

 

Speaker D [00:34:48]:

it’s very true.

 

Speaker I [00:34:49]:

Good. Yeah. So that’s that’s a that’s a tip. And also tell them to stay away from Chantilly Lays.

 

Speaker C [00:34:54]:

Yeah. That one too. Sometimes that’s fine. You can

 

Speaker I [00:34:58]:

you can coach them that if they delve into the deeper colors, they can just give the heads up to the customer that it’s gonna take more quotes. It’s gonna take more time. You might have to so and so. Like, Chris might have to come back and revise the estimate just to account for this. If you really want this, we can do it. But just be aware that’ll be an extra charge. So just couple couple little extra tidbits.

 

Speaker A [00:35:22]:

Right on. Awesome. Are you good, Chris? Is that helpful?

 

Speaker F [00:35:25]:

Super helpful. What what about, in terms of just directing them in terms of, like, from a decorator’s perspective? I’d imagine they walk into a place and like, oh, this needs a backsplash. Oh, well, this needs new flooring. Like, like, we’re like you said, we’re basically telling them, you know, we’re not doing these deep bases. Let’s let’s steer towards this direction. We’re focused on paint. Is that just we’re just kinda guiding them in terms of, like, like, we’re not, we’re not, doing extreme home makeover or whatever here we’re doing specifically painting, like, is that kind of the idea or, or?

 

Speaker A [00:36:03]:

Yeah. That’s never been an issue for me. And, you know, if they think something’s a backsplash or whatever, then I don’t I don’t want anything to do with that. Right? It doesn’t fall within my 3 piece as far as managing or referring. So if they’ve got a carpenter or tile person that they work with, then that’s that’s that’s that’s their rodeo. You know? Let’s say, okay. Awesome. You guys have fun with that.

 

Speaker A [00:36:23]:

We’re gonna stick with what what would you crush it and move forward. So good questions, Chris.

 

Speaker C [00:36:28]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:36:28]:

All right. Thank you guys. 1, what you want to know, my man?

 

Speaker G [00:36:34]:

Well, I wanted to talk basis what Isaac mentioned. You know, I’m struggling, stepping out of the field. I don’t know. I get that problem.

 

Speaker A [00:36:43]:

Where’s my bat? Where’s my baseball bat? We’re gonna go see 1.

 

Speaker G [00:36:48]:

I keep seeing myself with a brush, cutting, rolling, fixing walls and all. So I don’t know how to get that hat, but have it out of me. So I need you your ideas, and I wanna be accountable to it. I just wanna stay in the business side, but it’s hard. It’s hard for me because I got that I don’t know if it’s in my DNA or I always go back and try to do it myself.

 

Speaker A [00:37:12]:

So let’s try to drill down a little bit. What what so I hear you say that you wanna build a business. I also hear you say you can’t get out of the field. So which is it?

 

Speaker G [00:37:25]:

I wanna get out of the field.

 

Speaker A [00:37:27]:

How bad do you want it?

 

Speaker G [00:37:30]:

I really wanna, you know, get off the ladder and build my business.

 

Speaker A [00:37:35]:

Okay. Do you not trust your painters to provide a great experience?

 

Speaker G [00:37:39]:

I do. Yes. I do. They they are very good crew.

 

Speaker A [00:37:44]:

Yeah. Do you not enjoy, networking with people and getting to know people?

 

Speaker G [00:37:51]:

I not the best at it, but I’m working my way to be better at it. You know? I’m a kinda quiet guy. You guys notice that. I don’t I don’t talk to myself. That’s one of my struggles too.

 

Speaker A [00:38:05]:

Okay. I have 2 points for the quiet guy. And, I don’t know if you guys saw this, Todd Smith. I shared him with you. A mentor of mine, author there, little things matter. He’s finally going public now. I’m excited about it. I’m like, like, yes start.

 

Speaker A [00:38:16]:

Right? Because he’s been a private guy up until this time building all his businesses. But he shares the benefits of the introvert. And while sometimes it might not seem like it, I’m a full blown introvert too. So there’s 2 things you do. 1 is just add coffee. Like, Steve, you don’t sound like an introvert right now. I add coffee to turn it on. Right? So second, as an introvert, your strength, your superpower is that you’re a great listener.

 

Speaker A [00:38:42]:

Extroverts aren’t great listeners. God bless you guys. Okay? We have we have all strengths and weaknesses, but introverts are great listeners and ask great questions, so it’s not about talking. The key to winning to crush networking is to listen and to ask great questions. That’s how you win people over. That’s how winning is done.

 

Speaker C [00:39:06]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker H [00:39:09]:

Alright.

 

Speaker C [00:39:10]:

Hey, Juan. How are your do your your finances good for you to just step out? I mean, just do it. Are your finances good?

 

Speaker G [00:39:20]:

I’m kinda, half the way there. I’m not really where I wanna be.

 

Speaker C [00:39:24]:

Yeah. Not not to say that you have to be there to step out, but I’m just saying it it makes it easier because my my finances are good. So I I let my jobs my guys do jobs that take twice long as I would’ve, just so I could focus on getting the next job and making it up then. So, I’m not buying bigger vehicles. I was talking to Steve. My wife wants me to buy a new truck just because I haven’t bought 1 in a while. I have a 2017 Silverado that’s really sweet looking. I don’t need a new truck.

 

Speaker C [00:39:51]:

I don’t need to impress anybody. You know what? I’m gonna keep my guys going, and I’m gonna I wanna network, and so I’m on a good good path for that. But my finances make it easy for me to do that.

 

Speaker D [00:40:03]:

Mhmm. Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:40:04]:

Well, and how many how many painters you have currently?

 

Speaker G [00:40:07]:

3 right now. Mhmm.

 

Speaker A [00:40:09]:

Okay. So generally, the math works out benchmark. It’s not the same for everybody, but it’s usually, 3 to 4 depending on the size of your family and, if you’re driving an Escalade or an older truck. Right? So can use those extreme exaggerations. It’s usually about 3 to 4 painters that can afford you to step out of the field. Okay? So that you can focus full time. And now when you step out, you’re not gonna make a bunch of money because you’re sacrificing some of the profit for your freedom. But you need that freedom to scale up.

 

Speaker A [00:40:42]:

So then once you get to 4, you need to get to 6 and then the profits start rolling in again. But once you get out of the field at 3, 4 guys and you focus full time on networking and sales, you can generate 50% more business, get and then hire 2 more guys and get you up to that 6 and start cranking out profits again.

 

Speaker G [00:40:59]:

So, but when you say you stepping out, are you guys not going to the field at all? You’re not shaking jobs? Nothing.

 

Speaker A [00:41:07]:

1, we get this. You burn your whites.

 

Speaker G [00:41:11]:

Okay.

 

Speaker D [00:41:14]:

Alright. I’ll

 

Speaker C [00:41:14]:

write down. A video of that. Yeah.

 

Speaker F [00:41:19]:

I need to burn mine.

 

Speaker A [00:41:21]:

Yes. Let’s have a burning party.

 

Speaker C [00:41:26]:

Hey, Juan. Real quick because I know we’re out of time, but I’ve I’ve been reading a book, buy back your time. I can’t remember how

 

Speaker G [00:41:33]:

you mentioned that.

 

Speaker C [00:41:34]:

Yeah. I mentioned it a couple weeks ago. It’s it’s really, really good. It helps you focus on what really matters.

 

Speaker G [00:41:40]:

Alright. I’m gonna start reading that today.

 

Speaker C [00:41:42]:

It’s very good. Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:41:46]:

Fair enough.

 

Speaker C [00:41:46]:

Well, my place is actually gonna read that.

 

Speaker G [00:41:50]:

I’m gonna give you an update in the next minute and see how it did.

 

Speaker A [00:41:53]:

You’re an implementing machine, so I trust that. Way to give you one. Alright. Moving along. Hey, Seuss. What’s up?

 

Speaker H [00:42:02]:

Hey, Steve. I’ve been thinking here. I don’t have much right now, but maybe, Oh,

 

Speaker A [00:42:08]:

we just talked, what, yesterday?

 

Speaker H [00:42:10]:

Yeah. That was it, really.

 

Speaker A [00:42:12]:

Solved all his problems. It’s all done.

 

Speaker C [00:42:15]:

But I do have

 

Speaker D [00:42:16]:

a I do have

 

Speaker H [00:42:17]:

a tough story here. I did lose, a pro on a project by not prequalifying correctly. And I learned my lesson on that. So when you’re desperate, don’t just get any job, and that’s what happened to me there. So I lost and I learned, And I did for a job away about 2 days ago about popcorn, removal. I know I barely do those, so I just referred them away to another painter I know from networking. So just refer them

 

Speaker C [00:42:44]:

to the

 

Speaker H [00:42:45]:

estimates, stick to your 3 piece.

 

Speaker A [00:42:47]:

Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. And, just a fun fact to you guys, Jesus is hitting the gym, so look out.

 

Speaker G [00:42:53]:

Yeah. Hey. Hey.

 

Speaker A [00:42:54]:

So I need, so he and Isaac can start sharing, the workouts as well. Yes. Alright. So, Florian, you’re up.

 

Speaker D [00:43:05]:

Okay. So, I have my BNI group, I have a social media. She advertise, I mean, every week, and she’s talking about how you guys can advertise and this and that. So I’m gonna meet with her this Friday, 10 o’clock in the morning. So the question is, like I heard a lot of I’m watching a lot of videos, I mean, how to advertise and this and that. But, they’re talking about, like, 3 to 5% of your, income I mean, business income has to go on the advertising. Some, they say 10% either. So I see that people on the advertising, AngelList, forget about that.

 

Speaker D [00:43:42]:

I’m not gonna go there. But, I mean, so when I meet with her, I have to do I mean, have conversation with her and read, like, couple of questions probably how to advertise. I mean, she has couple packages. So any advice from you guys? What to think about? What is pretty much, like, 3%, 5% question had to us so make myself more clear.

 

Speaker A [00:44:05]:

Mhmm. I’m so glad you you brought this question. First 10% is old school. That’s traditional media. Traditional media budgets, radio, TV, you know, stuff that people thought worked in the eighties. In fact, I forget who said that, said that 50% of our marketing works. We just don’t know which fifty. Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:44:30]:

Now, as far as what is a proper benchmark, if you follow the system, 3% is plenty. Okay. Right. You go beyond that. You’re gonna bump up to 5. I don’t recommend an advertising. Right. You don’t need it unless it’s an ABA.

 

Speaker A [00:44:46]:

Instead, follow the system. Right? Make sure you’re crushing step 5, always be connecting, or ABCs of sales, always be connecting, networking, chamber, BNI, rotary, develop relationships. That’s a little slower build, but once that flywheel gets going, baby. Right. Then you leverage it with ABAs. And it just multiplies multiplies. It’s crazy. Alright.

 

Speaker A [00:45:09]:

I did that, I did that, webinar for Tanner and I kinda went over a bunch of those. I shared those. And so I’ve got that video. It’s on YouTube and I think we published the podcast as well. Review that. If you guys need it, like, ping me in the, chat, and I’ll find it for you. But please watch it again because I shared, like, many of the highlights. And if you looked, I didn’t spend much at all on advertising.

 

Speaker A [00:45:31]:

My advertising expense was, my BNI, registration, chamber registration, rotary registration, and gourmet cookies. That was really the majority of our advertising expense. And we were probably at 2 a half percent and just crushed it.

 

Speaker C [00:45:51]:

Okay.

 

Speaker A [00:45:51]:

Oh, and send out cards for staying top, you know, staying top of mind. Do not recommend advertising. It’s too hard to track. It’s very difficult to track, especially for small businesses where we don’t need it. Don’t need it. Just network. Build that fly world of endless referrals.

 

Speaker D [00:46:08]:

Okay. Thank you, sir.

 

Speaker A [00:46:10]:

You’re welcome. Craig, you’re up.

 

Speaker E [00:46:15]:

Well,

 

Speaker I [00:46:17]:

I did my first, well, it’s still in process, actually. I did my 1st, cabinet painting for a walk in closet and it took quite a bit more time than I thought. But Mhmm. It’s turning out well. I used the the Sherwin Williams, the gallery paint, and that stuff is that stuff is freaking awesome. It it, like, really levels nice. It really looks nice. The only thing is I don’t know whether I wanna still pursue cabinet painting.

 

Speaker I [00:46:53]:

It just it seems to be such a different process than, like, just regular house painting. And I’m not sure if it’s how like, I don’t wanna do it. I don’t wanna do it myself. If I can teach it, I’ll keep on going. The only thing is have no shop space, so I have to spray on-site. And, and I I need to be able to teach it to somebody else. So, given those 2 factors, I’m sort of I got a lot of people asking for it, but

 

Speaker G [00:47:29]:

I’m not sure

 

Speaker I [00:47:30]:

if it’s something that I wanna pursue. Any any thoughts?

 

Speaker A [00:47:34]:

So, unpopular opinion. We didn’t do it. We decided, you know what? We can turn over exterior single residentials much faster than we can at cabinet job. And we you know, we’re we’re we’re turning nice profits on just repaint simple repaint, interior, exterior repaint. So I like the process better, rather than doing cabinets. Now having said that, there are a lot of people who do well in cabinets, but it’s you’re right. It’s involved.

 

Speaker C [00:48:01]:

It’s

 

Speaker A [00:48:02]:

involved. And so you just have to decide, is this something I want to develop? Can you maybe train up a crew who focus specifically on cabinets? The guys who do well on this, they have crews who specialize in just cabinets. They’re they’re not doing, you know, repaints. They’re doing just cabinets. And then can you set up, you know, a system for it? You don’t we don’t have a shop. Some, pull around a trailer. They’ve created a trailer, for a spray shop inside. Others haul them back to their place and do it in their garage and, you know, set up a spray tints and whatever.

 

Speaker A [00:48:37]:

And then others go to the expense of going ahead and renting a shop for, you know, $1500 a month. And then you gotta do the math on, okay, How not only is the process involved, but how many cabinets do we need to turn out? Well, okay. It’s not 2 guys now we need 4, maybe 6 guys to make the shop profitable. Right. To make the whole process profitable. So there’s, it can go both ways. It just depends on what you want to do. It sounds like you’re not feeling it.

 

Speaker A [00:49:05]:

If you’re not feeling it, don’t do it. It’s not, yeah. The opportunity is there. You got a bunch of customers, you could generate a bunch of work, but is the process worth it? And do you have enough work doing what you’re crushing currently?

 

Speaker I [00:49:16]:

Yeah. I mean, the thing is I can see myself, like, just a closet was was big enough. I can see, like, a full kitchen, like, trying to stage that, in a customer’s home, it would just be a nightmare. Like, it it’s it’s enough. Like, it was enough of a hassle doing a closet in an unoccupied hide house Yeah. To to even think about doing kitchen, like, a full kitchen in a house that, like humans were living in.

 

Speaker A [00:49:47]:

Yeah. The you know, the liability increases dramatically. And so you hear me? It’s like Steve shoot down cabinets. It’s just not for me. I like simple process. I like to simplify. I I want to, provide a remarkable experience, make a bunch of money, and have freedom and time and simplify and hopefully sleep well at night, you know, which is tough for an entrepreneur. Sleeping well at night.

 

Speaker A [00:50:10]:

Right? Because we’re worried about everything. Oh, the plastic, the the tape peeled, did it release, did the, do wait a bit, did the spray get under that plastic and I didn’t see it and it’s sitting there curing for the next couple days before we pull? You know? These are things that we have to consider.

 

Speaker D [00:50:25]:

So I know that I can see

 

Speaker I [00:50:27]:

I can see it being a fairly straightforward process if you had, if you had a spray shop and and just you know? I know how I can see how people can kick out a whole ton of them.

 

Speaker A [00:50:38]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker I [00:50:39]:

Because, you know, it’s almost like a factory assembly line when you have it set up correctly. But

 

Speaker G [00:50:43]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker I [00:50:44]:

It’s just the learning curve to get it to that point.

 

Speaker A [00:50:46]:

Yeah. You’re willing to build it.

 

Speaker I [00:50:48]:

Is a little little bit of an uphill climb. Yeah.

 

Speaker E [00:50:51]:

If you do think about considering it, I’d recommend YouTubing, the Idaho Painter. And he has this hanger and pole system where basically it’s these really sturdy metal hangers, drill pilot holes in the sides of the cabinet doors you can’t see.

 

Speaker A [00:51:13]:

Mhmm.

 

Speaker E [00:51:13]:

Hang them and spin them and spray them, and then this really solid, hanging system. So if you and he has a lot of tips on what tips to use, how to spray them, how to prep them. And so if it’s something you are kinda on the fence on, maybe check out some of his videos and see if that’s a process you’d like to tackle.

 

Speaker I [00:51:37]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker D [00:51:37]:

So the other the other thing you can do, I mean, as I’ve worked in the past, is, like, finding the cabinet guy who does cabinet. Cabin by itself is a quick is a quick process especially on the side. So what I was doing in the past is, like, I had the cabinet guides come and pick up all the doors. I marked the doors. But in order to keep my guys busy, I was, masking, get ready all the body and everything. So we share like, I share with him, like, I mean, 5050. So he has to pay materials and everything, but he’s doing on the side. Like, closing the boxes might be ready so it come and sprays and goes.

 

Speaker D [00:52:12]:

So this might be another profitable for you for that time. I mean, if you wanna keep your guys busy, and this is the process. Because what you do, you just prep. You know what I mean? And he he’s gonna handle all the doors in the shop, and he comes on the side of the space so everything is perfect. So that’s another option if you wanna do it because you don’t wanna have a shop. And I mean, you don’t have to shop. And maybe you don’t wanna have in the future. Like Steve said, like, hey.

 

Speaker D [00:52:36]:

Stay away from it. But still, you can milk I mean, get that milk out. You know what I mean? Whatever you can, keeps you guys busy. Whatever you can get. You know? That’s my advice. That’s what I was doing in the past.

 

Speaker I [00:52:49]:

Yeah. I did one job where, I took off all the doors. One of my friends came, picked them up, sprayed them in his garage, and we, like, site painted the boxes, brush and roll. And that worked out, but they’re just the profit wasn’t there, so I’d have to charge charge more for that, rather than just I don’t know. It might be easier just to refer it entirely away.

 

Speaker D [00:53:15]:

Yeah. The thing is, like, when I do the camera, especially body and everything, masking breath. For me, it’s a quick process. I mean, I had a small kitchen, like, $32. And, like, in 2 days, I was out.

 

Speaker I [00:53:25]:

Like,

 

Speaker D [00:53:26]:

2 guys masking the 1st day, make it ready, get the doors out, prime. Then the following day, go back and put 3 coats right away. You know? So it’s it’s I mean, it’s different. I mean, because as you used to work, you get more I mean, you go faster and faster and faster. You know what I mean? But whatever comes to cabinet job, I don’t let it go. You know? I love it because I make a profit no matter what.

 

Speaker A [00:53:52]:

Yeah. Now, like, we were talking with Daryl about the commercial. The, you know, see if you can find a commercial business referred to and work out a referral partnership. Same thing in the cabinets. Check around and see if you can find somebody who specializes in cabinets and see if you can work out a referral partnership, because the cabinets are obviously when they’re in there, they’re gonna ask them, hey. Do you, you know, do you paint the rest of the house? And they’ll say, well, actually, we have some we know somebody who specializes in that. We focus on cabinets, and they can send you a bunch of work

 

Speaker C [00:54:21]:

as

 

Speaker A [00:54:21]:

well in return.

 

Speaker E [00:54:22]:

It works.

 

Speaker D [00:54:23]:

You know, the referral source

 

Speaker A [00:54:24]:

for you, helping you to focus on what you do, keeping that process simple and cash flow flowing. Alrighty. So it’s time to roll out with takeaways. Sonya, lead the way. Ladies first.

 

Speaker B [00:54:40]:

Send out cards, chamber BNI, rotary, ABA, gourmet cookies. Just basically going back to, you know, finding where, you know, are your I our ideal clients hang out, tell them they came to death. We loved how they you know? So just, you know, just basically keep on like you mentioned, sales, networking, and sales is, the way to go. 3% DYB, endless referrals, you know, just that all that kinda was, like, all in the same. So yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:55:10]:

That’s it. Getting on it. System. Here you go. Right on. Thank you, Sonia. Daryl?

 

Speaker C [00:55:14]:

Yeah. I think just listening to everybody, you know, just keeping keeping our 3 p’s in mind all the time. You know? Craig, I’m right there with you too. I’m kinda stepping away from cabinets. I’ll still do them, but I’m not really marketing them. It is profitable for me. I just don’t care for doing them. So 3 p’s is definitely what I’m gonna make sure I keep in my focus on.

 

Speaker A [00:55:36]:

Mhmm. Yep. Indeed. Concrete floors are very popular in Florida, and I stayed away from them too.

 

Speaker C [00:55:40]:

Nope. Don’t touch those.

 

Speaker A [00:55:42]:

Yeah. Yeah. Say to that, it would just be a simple wall painter where the cash flow flows. Okay. Isaac, takeaways.

 

Speaker E [00:55:52]:

Yeah. Quite a few, but I think my main takeaway and focus is just having that conversation with my guys probably after this next job, just to say, hey. You guys wanna stay busy around? And it kinda brought him on with that conversation in mind, so it’s kinda already there, but just leaning into that more. And all the books that you guys mentioned, I’m gonna Did

 

Speaker A [00:56:14]:

you say you’re gonna have them all read before next meeting?

 

Speaker C [00:56:16]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker E [00:56:17]:

Yeah. I’m still working on the hiring one. I just I need to wake up earlier. 4:30 is not early enough. There you go.

 

Speaker A [00:56:24]:

We’ll suj out of

 

Speaker D [00:56:25]:

the field.

 

Speaker A [00:56:25]:

You’re gonna have more time to

 

Speaker C [00:56:26]:

Yes.

 

Speaker A [00:56:26]:

Get through. So

 

Speaker C [00:56:27]:

Yeah.

 

Speaker A [00:56:28]:

Right on. Pretty good. Thank you. Chris?

 

Speaker F [00:56:32]:

My biggest takeaway, I had a really, really bad day yesterday and wasn’t feeling too hot today and didn’t want to come on here. And when I turned the screen on, everybody was smiling, everybody was happy, and I actually just really just appreciate that. The other notes I got here from Sonya, where do they associate? Where do they socialize? Where are they network? I love that. For an interior decorator, or consultant, get them at the chamber events, 10150 a person. No deep bases. 1 hour.

 

Speaker A [00:57:03]:

Yeah. Right on. Awesome. Looking forward to hearing out how, how that goes on getting yours lined up. So very good. Thank you, Chris. We’re glad you made it too. Glad to see your smile.

 

Speaker A [00:57:13]:

Alright. 1. Takeaways.

 

Speaker G [00:57:16]:

Well, the big thing that simplify things. I’m gonna start simplify things and, find out when my a client are hanging out.

 

Speaker A [00:57:25]:

Yes. Yes. Okay. Fantastic. Very good. Thank you. Jesus?

 

Speaker H [00:57:31]:

Yeah. I would say, simplify and keep the cash flow going.

 

Speaker A [00:57:35]:

Yes, sir. Love it. Thank you. Florent? Take away.

 

Speaker D [00:57:39]:

Yeah. Go back to the yeah. I mean, read it one more time. I mean, we know that already, like, BNI following the groups. And so you can build a network, but, other than 3%. So we’ll see how it goes. You know?

 

Speaker A [00:57:52]:

Yes, sir. Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Alright, Craig. No pressure. Close this out your takeaways.

 

Speaker I [00:57:59]:

I think, actually, it’s, Jesus mentioned that he did, send out cards for Valentine’s Day. So, that, I’m in need of doing a send out cards because, I want, I want the phone to start ringing a touch. So, you know, that’s a good way to do it. So I will have a send out cards done before the next mastermind.

 

Speaker A [00:58:20]:

Fantastic. Post a picture of, whatever whatever you picked or chose in, the mastermind chat, please, to Yeah.

 

Speaker I [00:58:27]:

I wanna keep you late for Valentine’s Day.

 

Speaker A [00:58:30]:

Yeah. I’ll have you tomorrow. Find find a fun holiday. Just find a fun, silly holiday.

 

Speaker C [00:58:34]:

Talk like a pirate day. Yeah.

 

Speaker I [00:58:37]:

Or making.

 

Speaker E [00:58:38]:

Can I ask you a quick question?

 

Speaker A [00:58:40]:

Yes.

 

Speaker E [00:58:41]:

Greg, are you having April do them, or are you doing them yourself? Because I’m thinking about wanting to implement that.

 

Speaker I [00:58:50]:

I I use SendOutCards. It’s it’s a little expensive, but,

 

Speaker E [00:58:57]:

Like, it’s a service that’s called SendOutCards? Okay.

 

Speaker I [00:59:00]:

Yeah. Yeah. And you just upload your client database to it, and they they do everything. They

 

Speaker C [00:59:07]:

Yep.

 

Speaker I [00:59:08]:

Address, post them, everything.

 

Speaker A [00:59:10]:

Works out to be about 2.50 a card, but they’re Hallmark style cards. Mhmm.

 

Speaker C [00:59:16]:

Yeah. And

 

Speaker I [00:59:17]:

and once you upload, the list, I mean, a send out, you know, will take me maybe an hour tops to put together versus stuffing, you know, 400 envelopes

 

Speaker E [00:59:29]:

Mhmm. Okay.

 

Speaker I [00:59:30]:

Which takes more than an hour.

 

Speaker A [00:59:33]:

Ben Campbell, just sent 1 out, and we’re on his list. So we get him, and, he just said, front of us said, this is not a card. You opened it up. It says that it’s a hug with a crease in it. We appreciate you.

 

Speaker E [00:59:45]:

Have a nice day.

 

Speaker B [00:59:47]:

That’s awesome. Dude, you

 

Speaker A [00:59:48]:

got a bunch of texts, calls, responses? Yeah. Wow.

 

Speaker E [00:59:52]:

Can you customize them to only go to certain parts of your client list?

 

Speaker A [00:59:56]:

Mhmm. Yep. Alright, lady and gentlemen. It’s time to roll out. But before we do, I wanna encourage you to continue. You’re a big hustle smarter. You’ve got this.

 

Speaker C [01:00:10]:

Have a

 

Speaker D [01:00:10]:

good day, guys. Hey.

 

Speaker E [01:00:11]:

See you, guys. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Speaker B [01:00:14]:

Bye.

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