EP110 : 11 Employees in One Year: How Nick Kelley Built Elite Paint & Home Renovations
Introduction:
Welcome back to another exciting episode of the DYB Podcast! In today’s episode, we dive into the world of elite paint and home renovations with our special guest, Nick Kelley. Nick’s journey is one of determination, growth, and success in the painting industry. From starting with just four employees to now leading a team of eleven, Nick has seen his business, Nick Kelley Elite Paint & Home Renovations, thrive in a remarkably short period of time.
In this episode, Nick shares invaluable insights into his strategies for scaling his business, implementing training programs, and prioritizing customer service and integrity. We’ll hear about his experiences with employee development, marketing tactics that yield great results, and the systems he utilizes to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
Join us as we learn about Nick’s personal journey, from humble beginnings to building a thriving enterprise. Discover the key lessons he has learned along the way, the importance of work-life balance, and the role of faith in his entrepreneurial endeavors.
So, get ready to be inspired and gain practical tips as we dive into the amazing story of Nick Kelley’s Elite Paint & Home Renovations on this episode of the DYB Podcast!
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TRANSCRIPTION:
00:00.00
dybsteve
What happened.
00:02.39
Nick Kelley
All right? So when I was first owner operator right? So I was still on the job and stuff I had actually only had 1 guy working with me at the time I hired a guy Craig he’s actually one of our great workers now right? So we’re in this house I left them at about one o’clock to go to estimates because I’m sure everybody’s done that where. You know you’re kind needs trying to get off of the job right? and do more of the business side while I get a call and Craig’s bigger dude right it wasn’t super high walls maybe like twelve feet okay well I get a call from Josh and he’s actually our project manager now but he goes. Ah, yeah there there was a fall.
00:38.31
dybsteve
The.
00:39.59
Nick Kelley
Right? And I’m like what does that mean I’m like what does um there is a fall cause there was carving everywhere and I’m like he’s like yeah the new guy cause it was cra Craig it was his first week on the job and he goes. Ah yeah, he felts like well he’s a big dude like what he beat he fell I like that had to like shake the house you know? um so I go on’m like all right I’ll be back out there. So I end up.
00:51.27
dybsteve
Oh no.
00:58.32
Nick Kelley
Going back out I said okay well where did he fall at well where he fell at there was carpet so they had cleaned it right? There’s a little bit ah of a mess they got on there I’m like okay well it looks good. But if everybody spilled paint on Carpet you all know. Okay that once it dries it dries hard right.
01:11.10
dybsteve
The O yeah.
01:14.96
Nick Kelley
I’m at my kids’ teball later the day I think everything’s good. We’re good. Craig didn’t hurt himself. He was fine. Um I go to the homeowner I’m like hey you know he’s like oh yeah, you know everything’s good. So ah, cool. So his wife gets home I get this call right? and she’s like. You know one of your guys spelled today I’m like oh yeah, he just slipped down her wrong. No big deal. We ended up getting it cleaned up. She’s like well it’s not cleaned up. My carpet is hard right? So I’m like okay well in my head this is I’m brand new company probably only have like 5 reviews right? So I really don’t have any room for error all right.
01:42.88
dybsteve
Kenja.
01:46.51
Nick Kelley
So I go I know I want to go there in the morning but I’m like this is a dire need to happen right now moment right? So I say no problem I’ll be there in 15 minutes right so I tell my wife hey got to go out there right? So on the way there I’m thinking. Okay, this brand new company. Let’s say they’re carpet’s bad. It’s only like a $2700 job so it’s not a huge job or anything like that right.
01:49.70
dybsteve
And.
02:06.23
Nick Kelley
So I say you know what I’m a I’m a company with integrity. That’s what I want to be so I go there and these people are ready for a fight. Okay, the wife that the husband’s over here. He’s looking at the wife like all you’re in for a treat buddy right? fact go in there. She’s like yeah so she she literally she goes not just like feel this carpet right? and I’m like.
02:14.88
dybsteve
Since Ah, it’s about to go down.
02:25.47
Nick Kelley
Ma you know what? and this is like what I said to I said you know what I want you I want to be honest with you. Um, this is unacceptable 110 percent I go what I’ll do for you is this section of carpet cause I know a buddy that does carpet I’m like its probably about twelve hundred bucks I’m not only gonna give you $1200 for a brand new carpet. Okay, but I’m not gonna make you pay anything for the job. And both of them looked at each other okay because I was like I don’t want a bad review I only have five reviews like I can’t afford it so they both looked at each other and the husband’s like I mean I mean you can’t what are you gonna do and they’re like you don’t have do that. So the lady ends up saying we have a carpet cleaner downstairs.
02:44.54
dybsteve
Yeah, yeah.
02:51.26
dybsteve
Yeah.
02:58.62
Nick Kelley
Let me see if we clean the carpet and everything goes well right? You know and everything’s good and I said well at least let me give you cause you edit on some windows I was like at least let me give you the windows for free and we’ll see how it works out. Well we get the next morning carpet looks brand new. Perfect finish the job got paid on it. Um, and then Craig the funny part about the story was I was on the fence of like well do I fire this guy like he fell on his first you know week of work. Well I didn’t I said you know what he did pretty good job things happen to everybody ended up being one of our you know best guys now. So it’s what funny story though. I mean it was super strong.
03:16.27
dybsteve
And.
03:29.45
dybsteve
Um, yeah.
03:29.80
Nick Kelley
I Remember going there and just I remember walking in and you know like you feel yourself sweat and you walk away and then there’s sweat there again. That’s exactly how I felt.
03:31.68
dybsteve
Oh yeah, oh yeah, well done so where a lot of guys would have went in are and that’s why they’re ready for an are instead you came over the top blew their minds reestablished trust with them and they just said you know what they were so grateful. For your goodwill that they took care of it. It ended up being raving pan after all. But here’s what we all want to know. Did you get your sixth review? Yeah, okay, ah if.
03:56.85
Nick Kelley
I did get my 6 review and and and I was like glory. Do you know how I know everybody’s had customers were like do I send this one do I not I’m like look I’m gonna send them a review. They’re really happy with the pain job and I end up getting my six five star review. Yeah.
04:05.81
dybsteve
Yeah, fantastic, fantastic way to go all right? Well hello and welcome to the do ib podcast today’s guest is from Macomb County Michigan just about an hour from where I grew up owner of elite paint home renovations going into his. Third year in business projecting for one point two million dollars this year. He’s married to his wonderful wife Megan with 5 awesome children Dominic Drake Kingston Madison and Jaylen Nick Kelly welcome to the show. My friend.
04:40.97
Nick Kelley
Thank you Sir! Thank you. It’s a pleasure. Thank you for having me on I Love this kind of stuff on this is a lot of the stuff that I watch to be honest I’m a book reader but um I have to listen to Audios and read the book at the same time. It’s just how I have trouble retaining so podcast.
04:48.78
dybsteve
No one.
04:57.24
Nick Kelley
I Mean when I was working for the Union This is what really gave me podcasts is what really gave me the push to know that like hey man like I’m young and I can do this right? So I love podcasts. So I appreciate you and.
05:03.13
dybsteve
Yeah, right on all right? Fantastic! Thank you So take us all the way back to the beginning. How did you get started in business.
05:13.95
Nick Kelley
Okay, so um, well I’ll go even how I got started in painting. So um I really gonna be honest with you wasn’t in the greatest high school student. Um I played Sports I really didn’t like school I just liked it for the social aspect of everything where this is in the time where if you don’t go to college. You’re a loser right? okay.
05:14.99
dybsteve
Yeah.
05:27.45
dybsteve
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
05:31.37
Nick Kelley
Was like the thing. Um, so I knew I was gonna go to college. Well what ended up having was my buddy. Um Josh which he actually works for me right now I’m crazy but he said hey man my dad does this painting thing. Um, you know you could come help me paint I used to paint with my dad too cause he was painter as well. So that was a cool thing. But. I actually started my first company other than doing clausets with my father um with Josh and from there I I did it was just a job I’m not gonna light you up. It wasn’t something I thought foreseen myself doing forever. But once I started after about two months they started showing me how to bid right.
05:55.16
dybsteve
Um, you know.
06:05.00
Nick Kelley
And then I’m seeing I’m like wait a minute so I’m making x amount of dollars. We’re bidding these jobs for x amount dollars. We’re getting all this done I go. There’s a lot more money in this than I thought right? So um, what I did was I joined the union um I quit that company joined the union at about 1718 years old and I started working for this company. Um, ah.
06:10.68
dybsteve
No.
06:24.98
Nick Kelley
It was a union company right? I’m not going to drop any names but ah, very a high end basically union company. So union companies are usually doing like commercial work just like kind of you know, nothing fancy. Well these guys were doing fancy stuff. Um, after about 4 years there um this is where I really started kind of seeing like that I was pretty good. And my craft I started running big jobs. Um, and started doing a lot of fine finishing things and stuff like that and I listened to tons of podcasts Gary Vee um lot of motivational stuff I really got into meditating um that was something I do every morning because I always was working for the union. And then doing side jobs for myself which it was elite painting in drywall at the time was the name that I had for my side business just me doing work right? So I was working 40 hours a week plus working and probably an extra ten or fifteen hours making more money to my wife. Obviously we have a ton kids. So ah, she stays home with them. But I listen to these podcasts and I just.
07:07.42
dybsteve
1
07:22.32
Nick Kelley
You know Gary Vee and it just kind of was like man I’m young. It’s probably about 22 at the time and I was like man you know I really I really think I can do this by myself I’m bidding these jobs by myself I’m getting them done by myself. Everything like that. Um, well a few years ago I finally you know made the jump. Um, and said you know what I’m going to just go full fledgge on this I knew that I could get my job back and at at the company I was working I got an offer from another union company that wanted me to have a supervisor role with them. So I knew that I could always come back to this like worst case scenario it doesn’t work out I could come back and do this so I I put in my two weeks and um I actually there was another guy from the company I worked that came and worked with me and funny story I ended up booking like three weeks of work right right away and after the first week of work. He he had got another side job and he was like and it’s all.
08:02.44
dybsteve
Yeah, yeah.
08:10.81
Nick Kelley
So three month job so I went in there thinking? Oh I got this guy that can work and I can go sell the jobs for right now while I build this thing and that was one week of that and then it was back to the drawing board. So um I basically went and hired a guy who never had any painting experience. It was a a person I painted with son and basically trained him up from the ground up. And just added a few guys along the way I went funny story. So Josh who I started painting with we follow out. We didn’t talk for like 6 years you know I was doing the union thing he was kind of doing his own side thing. So I tried calling him his.
08:34.87
dybsteve
The big a.
08:44.88
Nick Kelley
Phone was disconnected cause when I lost that guy was like man I really need a lead so I can go out and sell these jobs right? So I remember where his model lived. Okay, so one day I’m like man I’m having really trouble hiring guys like this was during like the pandemic when hiring was like horrible. It was just real bad. People were getting free money no’t want to work. So.
08:58.57
dybsteve
You know.
09:04.63
Nick Kelley
I went to his Mas house I parked in front I knocked out on her door and she looked and she was like oh Nick hey Nick how’s it going so she calls Josh off. She’s I was like can you get older Josh I might have really good opportunity for him so she gets on Facetime with them. She’s like yeah. Yeah, your little ah your your little ah dark dark mexican friend right? I’m not Mexican but that’s what she always thought I was so and I and it was funny. You know at the time and I was like a man give me a call here’s my number. Um I ended up he ended up wanting a job got him started and now he’s one of our project managers. So funny story like that. But um.
09:28.27
dybsteve
Um, yeah, yeah.
09:40.10
Nick Kelley
1 thing I can really say about business in general is that when I got started the preconceived notions that I had um like oh I’m just gonna find a bunch of people to work for me I’m gonna be able to golf and chill with my family and they’re just gonna take care of everything right? Well, it’s not like that. Okay.
09:47.56
dybsteve
Um.
09:54.82
dybsteve
Yeah.
09:58.70
Nick Kelley
Anybody that knows, um, it’s not exactly like that. Um, but I would say so we got started. We had a small crew of like 3 guys that started hiring people I was working in the field pretty much until two o’clock each day and then doing like a 2 3 4 and a five o’clock appointment um and I only did Facebook ads.
10:12.77
dybsteve
Yeah.
10:18.10
Nick Kelley
I had no marketing um no marketing background I just looked at some Youtube videos figured out how to run Facebook ads and put really cool before and afters that was 1 big thing though I knew I needed to get really good reviews at when I first started I knew that I really needed to take really good before and after photos. Because I understood very early that you are what you market. Okay like I could be the best painter ever. But if everybody doesn’t know and can’t see that like we’re doing this fabulous work. It doesn’t work for you? no one knows you? okay no one knows you yeah your friend’s sister might know you. But other than that, that’s it you know.
10:48.94
dybsteve
1
10:56.31
Nick Kelley
So I I realized real fast like hey I need to market myself because I’ve done so much side work I knew how it was. It’s that you get a job here and there you might not really want to do the job. Not something is really your cup of tea and I just wanted things that I knew that I could knock out of the park. Do 110% and get a fivestar review at right? so.
11:11.27
dybsteve
And.
11:15.45
Nick Kelley
That was um so that was like 1 of the biggest things is I marketed by myself for Facebook about seven months kept us consistently busy. We did $400000 in our first year with 4 guys. Okay, which was pretty crazy. Um I would say I’m a pretty good I had a lot of experience project managing painting and um and I did sales before I ever did painting ever.
11:30.40
dybsteve
I.
11:35.16
Nick Kelley
So I was pretty good in a nutshell at it. Um, the 1 thing that I didn’t have down though was the systems. Um I always believed that I from when I started this company I always was like I’m going to make this huge I want to be a huge company I want to make a bunch of money right? Okay, um, but I got into the painting contractors group. Okay.
11:46.26
dybsteve
The.
11:54.10
Nick Kelley
And that was really a big changing point for me because now I was seeing all these other young cats that were you know around my age that had really successful businesses that were doing the thing right? I started watching kind of ah tanner’s podcast right? and I was like man. Okay, like I knew I could do it but now I really know I could do this. And I heard about the Pca Expo um, and I was like I I didn’t I mean I made some money right? but I was like I never I was I come from a broke family right? So We didn’t have a lot of money. Okay, so going to spend $3500 to go to an event and all that is not something like I just do.
12:20.23
dybsteve
Me.
12:31.18
dybsteve
Home. Ah.
12:31.58
Nick Kelley
Okay, it was like a big decision like I’m just spending $500 okay so I’m like I’m just gonna do this I think I’m gonna roll the dice and I’m gonna go to this expo. So I take my crew lead. Ah Josh I actually gave the other 2 guys the week off because I just didn’t have it like that right I couldn’t keep the business running and like I just wasn’t there yet right.
12:47.44
dybsteve
Nothing.
12:50.40
Nick Kelley
So Josh came out there with me and that was the eye-opening um thing for me was I started I talked to everybody. Okay I went to all the meetings I took notes at everything and I realized that systems right? Systems was the way that everybody was making this look easier right? and I’m like.
13:09.59
dybsteve
Um, yeah.
13:10.33
Nick Kelley
Cause I’m running like ah you know with my head cut off all around trying to do everything right? and I realized very quickly that um, delegating responsibilities is how you make this look easy. It’s how you aren’t stressed all the time right? building systems to where things are just automatically. You know going in and in the way like paints being ordered things like that right Um, and then from there I was like okay I’m gonna get a secretary I’m gonna hire 3 more people. Um and I’m just gonna do the thing cause I knew I could sell work. Okay and I knew 1 thing that I knew was if I wanted to make the company.
13:39.40
dybsteve
And.
13:47.44
Nick Kelley
Build the company as quickly as I wanted to and get to where I wanted to go the fastest I needed to spend money on marketing. Um and the problem with me was is because I come from broke right? Not having very much money. Um I could never justify my head spending 3 to 6 to $10000 a month I’m like. I didn’t even make that much money paying someone that much money when I worked you know I mean so I’m just gonna pay someone to do that and when I understood Roi though and saying okay, yeah, you might spend 3 grand but you might turn that 3 grand into 40 grand or 30 grand or 50 grand or or even 20 grand right.
14:07.83
dybsteve
1
14:19.93
dybsteve
Nothing.
14:23.41
Nick Kelley
Um, is when I really started being like understanding how marketing worked cause I think that’s very important I think that’s 1 thing in our business that people don’t realize is that I like the option to figure out what leads I’m going to go on I don’t like just taking anything that comes in I like to pre-qualify my leads know that they’re my bread and butter. Know that I can knock it out of the park. No I can give the customer exactly what they want it makes it really easy to get a 5 star review there and we’re in a day and an age of everyone is looking at reviews I mean you go on Amazon right? Okay, you got this pair of scissors. You got that pair of scissors this pair of scissors 3 stars that 1 ne’s 5 stars this one’s three extra dollars.
14:59.63
dybsteve
5 stars.
15:01.20
Nick Kelley
Which one are you buying exactly? So it’s one of those things where I was like okay I need to do that and then ah 1 thing that I got I started doing these video walkthroughs of the jobs and like the colors we were using and things like that being like like that and you don’t know how many. Appointments I go on now where people are like I watched all your videos right? like before and I just love them right? And it’s it’s nothing. It’s actually like I laugh at myself when I do these videos cause I’m not like I can get on the phone and do a little selfie video because when I was younger like on you know the phone and stuff right? But like.
15:35.59
dybsteve
Um, another.
15:36.80
Nick Kelley
I Never really thought that that would be something that customers would really like like but it builds trust So these people see the job site. You’re on they see you walk it before once it’s prepped after it’s done. They know how how the whole situation is going to go if they hire you right.
15:41.55
dybsteve
Um.
15:53.44
Nick Kelley
So it makes it a lot easier for someone to pull the trigger on your company knowing that and it was uncomfortable I mean we would get my guys would laugh at me we could laugh together because we have a very strong company company culture here I think that’s super important. Um for our company in general like we do. We just did a top golf event where I you know, rented two bays. Um, had everybody come out on a Friday paid all of them for the Friday being there. Um, and we had a good time. We’ve done tigers games Detroit Tigers Games town um we’ve also done red wings hockey games which were really cool. They really liked that but we really tried to make this an environment for people to want to come here and do a good job.
16:17.46
dybsteve
Go yeah.
16:33.20
Nick Kelley
Like 1 of my selling points is that my guys are gonna come here with a smile on on their face and and be excited to do your project and people don’t realize that in the contractor field. That’s not very common right? People will come there and they’ll do a good job but are they happy about it right? Are they happy to be there. Are they like um you know.
16:46.70
dybsteve
There you go.
16:52.11
Nick Kelley
So That’s like super important for us here because there’s times where this crew’s a little bit ahead right? This crew’s a little bit behind and I have to pull these guys and say hey go over there and help them get a little bit ahead of the game while if this crew don’t like this crew. Or they don’t mesh really well and not everybody’s used to working with each other that’s gonna be a lot harder than you know, having people that you know constantly are hanging out and constantly know you know hey I can tell him to do something and he’s not gonna be like hey you’re not my boss right? You know what? I mean because we all know how that goes everyone has their crew lead who they listen to.
17:18.34
dybsteve
You know.
17:25.12
Nick Kelley
Hear another crew lead tell him and they’ you’re looking at this guy like du I know you’re talking to like I don’t work I don’t work on your crew. You know so we really tried to build something really? um, really like energetic here. Um, like we got this from Corey ah leister um the one. Ah, she’s the cabinet queen I call her right? Love this.
17:28.00
dybsteve
Personal.
17:36.48
dybsteve
Um.
17:39.79
dybsteve
Yeah, yeah.
17:44.58
Nick Kelley
Because like it’s like replacing words that we use right? with positive words right? like can’t I can hard challenging nervous composed worry confident right? worried confident I love that you know because it’s so true when you’re worried right? Okay, where do you fall back on. Okay, you fall back on your. Hey I know how to do this I know how to fix this I’ve ran into this problem I know I can do this right? So there’s no reason to be worried cause we know we have sops in everything in our company to tell you exactly when you run into problems how to fix them. Well um, that’s 1 big big huge thing but I went from last year I mean just in one calendar year.
18:13.67
dybsteve
Or to.
18:23.15
Nick Kelley
Have 4 guys. Um last year around this time and I was just getting off of like working on the jobs like at all now I wasn’t working full time or any of but us still spraying doors here doing that right? but last year I didn’t have a shop we got ah a shop. We got a spray booth. We didn’t have any vans. Um, until. About a year and some change ago we got vans now we got 11 employees I have a secretary right now I’ve just moved up 1 of our team leads to a project manager role and moved another guy up um to a team lead role. Um, we’re doing the training right now for that we just started doing once a month we let everybody put on a paper something that they want to be trained on right and then we do a vote of what we want to do that on. We just one was spraying. We just taught I have 2 people that just sprayed doors yesterday on that never sprayed a day in their life and they they primed ah 2 sets of doors and they didn’t call me 1 time you know. Um, so that’s something that’s super beneficial but these are like things that I always thought were like why are these guys wasting money and and doing a training day like you can make so much money in that day and it’s like now I see that’s gonna help me tenfold because guess what now I have another person I can say hey there’s some doors that need to be primed. Let’s just keep you here priming doors and I’ll send one of you know my spray guy who’s a heavy hitter onto the job to knock some stuff out if neat be so those are super super big things. Um and kind of like my story. 1 thing I can say is that honestly I never had a serious job until I I went and painted with my friend. Never I mean I had a Joe Randazzles fruit job.
19:57.36
Nick Kelley
Ah, Taco Bell Job right so that was like the first thing where I kindly I kind of saw I was like okay I can see a future in this right? Yeah so I was ah I was really young I was like 16 years old right? and I went to this it was called um.
20:04.76
dybsteve
Um, you mentioned sales training before painting What was that.
20:17.10
Nick Kelley
Acs or was the actual company. It was actually fundraising right? They call it so you had the Navy Veterans Association you had ah breast cancer so you would call cold call. It would just you have a thing on it would dial for you. You’d have to get these people on the phone. They’d put you through like a week training. Give you a script. Then you basically build down your script to what’s a necessity and you do it. There’s like 1600 people that worked there in my first month by the fourth week that I was painting there I was the fifth person out of 1600 people in the fundrais. Okay I just learned quick I was like okay I see who the top guys were.
20:42.87
dybsteve
Yeah.
20:52.38
Nick Kelley
I would go over on my break and instead of eating lunch. Okay I would sit there and I listen to how they did their calls and I would sit there for 30 minutes and just looking at them and they’ always be like do can you get out here I’m like yeah I’m just gonna sit here and sit tight here for a minute eat this granola bar. Okay so I would do that and I started taking little its and bits of what they were doing. And I would write it down right? So by that like third week I knew I knew how these guys were doing it. So I just started doing that and then what ended up happening after about six months at that company I was still so like fresh dude I think I just turned 17 and they offered me. Ah.
21:13.58
dybsteve
Um, who.
21:29.51
Nick Kelley
Ah, position of like the training so that one week training that we go. It was me and 2 other guys that they wanted us to do it cause no one had done that that fast I mean those guys the moody brothers they were called they were twins and they were always 1 and 2 I was 3 right cause these guys been there for like 13 years they’re a beast right? Um, but they they liked.
21:38.40
dybsteve
Um, yeah.
21:47.20
Nick Kelley
That I learned so fast and they wanted to give me an opportunity to um, start teaching other people so that’s where I got a lot of my I mean that’s a hardest sell I’ll tell you right now you call someone who doesn’t want to answer the phone you start talking about a cause they do not care about right? Those are the toughest. Okay, you get hung up on f you is this. You know what? I mean like.
21:49.64
dybsteve
And.
21:57.92
dybsteve
Moving. Morning he.
22:06.51
Nick Kelley
So you have to have tough skin. But what I realize is that I don’t know these people you know what? I mean I’m just gonna I’m gonna try and have a good time and you’ll get these people who will get on the phone with you and have a good time with you and it ends up being an enjoyable conversation right? and that really prepped me very well for getting in front of people because nothing’s harder than that right? and then I also did.
22:17.48
dybsteve
Um, the.
22:20.29
dybsteve
Um, yeah, oh yeah.
22:24.96
Nick Kelley
In the summers when I was still doing that job I would knock doors in canvas for a brick company. Okay, well try and do that. Okay, try and canvas knock doors. Trust me, you gotta have puff skin for this kind of stuff right? So really prepare me nothing bad. What I tell people all the time is once you kind of go there.
22:33.20
dybsteve
Um, yeah, yeah.
22:42.83
Nick Kelley
I mean if someone says noty in front of you and you know about a price that you want. It’s so much easier because you’re in the door. You know you’re not getting slammed on. Ah I told you leave me alone. Don’t just see the sign. You know what? I mean that kind of stuff. So ah I really helped prepare me for um, this stuff and it’s 1 thing that Brad Ellison good friend of mine.
22:45.26
dybsteve
Um, yeah, since.
23:00.86
dybsteve
Um.
23:01.57
Nick Kelley
He um tells me all the time sales just comes natural to me. Um, we have conversations all the time. So it’s like I always think like oh man just do this and he sometimes will humble me and be like bro. It’s normal people don’t just like come straight to that you know I mean sometimes this isn’t something that’s natural for people with some that’s natural for you.
23:16.26
dybsteve
Who.
23:19.12
Nick Kelley
And it’s something that I’m starting to realize especially when ah I’m starting to build S O P and trainings for bringing on a salesperson now you know.
23:23.42
dybsteve
Right on now I have a feeling I know the answer to this but I’m going to ask it anyway where does your drive come from.
23:34.94
Nick Kelley
Honestly man I Just always I’m very competitive person when I was younger I was competitive I Just always wanted to be a winner and when I found something I grabbed painting that and I knew I was good at it and I was fast at it and I was thorough with it and I and I learned and I absorbed right? and when I figured I was like this could be the thing.
23:37.80
dybsteve
Um.
23:52.77
Nick Kelley
That makes me be develop into the person I always knew I could be so I always knew I could be this great like you know you know I’m not saying I’m like better than everybody. Don’t get me wrong. But I knew I could be something more and and and be something where I could help other people because that’s what’s most important to me I’ll be honest with you like I get a.
23:55.75
dybsteve
Um, the.
24:00.71
dybsteve
Um.
24:11.30
Nick Kelley
Ah, adrenaline rush of walking into someone’s house getting them excited about a project right? and then delivering that that to them and and because we had a lady cry 1 time she was so happy she started crying because she had this vision of just these white cabinets and I was like ah what was her name.
24:21.30
dybsteve
Um.
24:29.24
Nick Kelley
It was Lester was the husband’s name I forget the lady’s name was but I was like last or listen I was like that’s a great idea I was like but let me give you a couple ideas. You know I was like I think if we do this because they had side cabinets this cabinet and like this other thing and they wanted to do all their stairs just in white right. and I and I just done some projects where I I could make it look really good I was like let’s try this and they’re like okay, we’ll try this right? So we left the top steps stained. We did all the side panels in white and then we did the island in an accent color. The side in a color that matched their countertops and then the white ivory lace that they wanted right.
25:01.72
dybsteve
Ah.
25:02.52
Nick Kelley
And it looks so good I mean it looks so good and I was like oh they’re gonna be so happy. This lady walked out because they only wanted just a basic white and everything but when I went with my idea and she was so happy she started crying like I didn’t even imagine my house ever looking as good as it does Now That’s what like drives me.
25:17.67
dybsteve
Man man.
25:20.40
Nick Kelley
That that in my children I will say my family and my children like I just will never. It’s not an it’s like some people give themselves an option. Um I don’t give myself options. It’s like this is what needs to be done. This is why I do it and this is what I’m going to do right? Eric said I think he was saying um.
25:35.85
dybsteve
Then ah.
25:39.38
Nick Kelley
Was it. It’s like he does he said kind of the same thing worded differently like it’s not an option to me, you know what? I mean when I make a list of what I need to do on each and every day one thing that’s always on that list is make sure I have enough energy to give my full time to my children when I get home each day.
25:52.98
dybsteve
None.
25:56.46
Nick Kelley
A lot of people will tire themselves out at work and give one hundred and fifty percent and then go home and just like oh I’m too tired I can’t do that or I can’t do that’s not even an option in my head. You know what? I mean like I go home I spend 3 hours with my children maybe 4 sometimes. Before they go to bed I get them to bed. We go outside and we play and I’m not gonna lie to you a lot of times I am tired but that is 1 thing that I said when I started my company is I’m doing this because I want to spend more time with my family and I want to be there for every event that I can for my family because in the union.
26:15.15
dybsteve
And.
26:28.74
Nick Kelley
Was one thing I’d ask these questions you know cause I’d listen to Gary Vee to get me all pumped up right? I’d ask these questions I’d like what’s 1 thing you guys like regret because we’d always eat lunch together. You’d be on a job with like fifteen twenty guys right? and it was a consensus thing is I wish that I would have been at more of my children’s events and spent more time with my family right.
26:30.97
dybsteve
The.
26:44.98
dybsteve
M.
26:48.44
Nick Kelley
So those are things that when I decided to make that jump that it was not an option for me. It just wasn’t it was that if if I ever felt like I was overworking or anything like that like I get done what I need to get done at the office I go home and spend time on my families and then on the weekends I spend time with my families. My family as well.
26:52.98
dybsteve
Ah.
26:58.27
dybsteve
Move.
27:07.28
Nick Kelley
Like that’s their time you know I don’t get a lot of time for myself I’m gonna be honest with you? Um, but that was my decision because I wanted to have 5 children and when I decided to do that like that’s on me when when my kids are older cause I have my kids when I was younger and I’m retired chilling and I have this great company that’s running in systems right.
27:18.70
dybsteve
Um.
27:25.10
dybsteve
No no.
27:25.98
Nick Kelley
I’ll be able to do whatever I want you know what? I mean but I try to make time to myself in the morning and meditate and pray I pray every single morning god is huge in my life I tell you that right now I pray every day multiple times a day I mean when I go to. We just had a job actually um, where we use this new product. And was a super deep base. We sprayed the doors we added some cross linker for the gut and it miss tined so it made that the color that was on the gut was different than the color that was on the doors. So we’re done. It was a beautiful job. We put them up the homeowner I get there. They sent me pitchs I went over to it and I was like home owners like the doors look great. The gut looks great. They don’t look great together right? So I was like I like all right? Well, we’ll figure this out. So what I did was I have product at the shop added the crosslinker to it resrayed all the doors and I personally um, came here last night. Um. To to spray those doors to make sure that this was ready for the customer because the customer had a party that they’re having on Sunday and that was one of the main concerns was that they wanted to make sure that this project was done for their party on Sunday so I I made it happen for them. Um, my guys got everything else done but I had to come and just flip them around and spray them one time. But. Got 2 people hanging doors right now finishing off that job. But um I just think that those are super important things. Integrity’s huge to me. Customer service is huge I do not ever want to be the contractor that comes out of someone’s mouth that says well they did a great job. We tried calling them back. Never could get a hold of them. There was one touchup we seen right? You know I never want to be that guy cause.
28:41.27
dybsteve
And.
28:51.40
dybsteve
The.
28:55.97
Nick Kelley
Try to treat people my customers my children, my employees which I fall short of this sometimes. Okay so I’m not gonna say I’m perfect cause I’m not but I try to on a regular basis do the next right thing. Um and and treat people how I would want to be treated in business. So like.
29:10.70
dybsteve
Um.
29:11.99
Nick Kelley
I call people you know like I called Doug said hey just want to give you ah you know cause I’m sure they’re nervous now right? they had seen this thing they knew that we had their doors for a week. They’re like oh my gosh like is this not gonna be done in this party did I pick the right company hey Doug just wanna let you know everything’s good. We got all those doors sanded I had this a 9 1 1 go we got the other side sprayed I’m gonna let it sit here till about eight o’clock and I’m gonna come here personally myself and spread the other side so we can make sure we can get those hung for you tomorrow. He was so happy. Nicest guy ever. But I do that extra stuff because I know how it is to be in that position and be like oh my gosh like nervous like this guy’s nervous. And you know what I mean about a project that he’s paying me a bunch of money to do I do not ever let my customers sit like that I just think that’s wrong like I want them to know exactly what’s going on exactly that hey you got nothing to worry about sleep good at night tonight and let’s get this thing done.
29:48.17
dybsteve
Um.
29:55.68
dybsteve
Right on Now you mentioned systems part of systems are having a proper tech stack. What does your tech stack look like.
30:05.38
Nick Kelley
Um, so we have drip jobs. We use busy busy that is app that like tracks time it also job cost for us so I can actually put into there like the amount of hours that the job was bid for. Will show me the employees that are there right? Um, and how many hours from how much they’re getting paid is taken off of that project. So I can literally go on my computer and look at any time if ah if a project’s behind ah forward or whatever’s going on. It makes it pretty easy but that we use Quickbooks as well. Quickbooks is a big thing that we use. Helps us to see where we’re at financially, especially when you’re growing. It’s super important to have and the reason why is because I’ve been doing a lot of rapid growing. We’ve been hiring a lot of people and obviously like your you know money in and out is going to change because if you bring on 3 people now you got to spend more marketing dollars right? okay.
30:40.50
dybsteve
Ah.
30:53.78
Nick Kelley
And you have to see what ah everything weighs out because then sometimes you have to do some adjustments. Um based on like your projects right? because I try to be as competitive as I possibly can be I think a lot of people try to make as much profit as they possibly can be I think if you want to be profitable 100 per 10 percent like we’re at a 51% pop. So we’re definitely profit profitable. But the other thing to me is that how can I get more people and like my cabinet jobs like can I make them a little bit cheaper because we have so many people doing them when we’re making so much money that my profit margin’s still huge like do I really have to squeeze. So I try to do that as well and I don’t know a lot if a lot of people do that. But that’s something that I do like my cabinet jobs I know that they’re pricey because we do I think a better job than anybody in our area and we give you know a 5 year warranty on them all this stuff right? So what I try to do is when I hire more people like when now I have 3 cabinet sets going on a week right? I don’t have to be at 7500.
31:29.54
dybsteve
Maybe.
31:47.13
Nick Kelley
I can be at around six six thousand dollars and I have 3 of them going on and I’m still profiting way more than probably everybody else’s right based on the wages that I have and because I only have 2 people doing cabinets. So I have to 3 2 man crews and I have a shop guy that stays in the shop and just sprays all the doors you know. So we’re able to be a lot more competitive that way and instead of.
31:53.97
dybsteve
And.
32:05.55
Nick Kelley
Having to keep that number that high you know we can be more competitive. Get more work. Um, our close percentage percentage went up. We did that two months ago and our close percentage went up 12 points. You know what? I mean so those are like super I think that is so crazy if I wish that when I first started that I tracked everything. Everything.
32:12.29
dybsteve
No no.
32:23.11
dybsteve
Um.
32:24.58
Nick Kelley
Doesn’t matter if you have 2 guys track it all if you’re doing a cabin set with 35 doors and draws their’ maple know exactly how long that took you for you? 2 2 guys to do that right? and then systemize it that was one thing I didn’t do I didn’t write anything on paper I just thought like oh I’ll be in the field I’ll show em all how to do it and everything’s just gonna go great.
32:42.53
dybsteve
Great right.
32:44.18
Nick Kelley
Well, that’s just not how it goes it might be a go. Great. But when you’re doing 1 job a week but when you start doing five six jobs 4 even 4 jobs four jobs in a week like you have to have everything systemized or like how people are gonna order their paint like we on Thursdays we have our crew leads ordering paint for the following week’s jobs. Have folders set up right there with the jobs for the next week right? that they go in they see the job detail. They order the paint that needs to be done. It gets dropped off at our shop our secretary labels it then and then it’s ready for them to go for the following week with the po on it like that wasn’t a thing you really needed to do with 1 job.
33:13.79
dybsteve
Go.
33:19.74
Nick Kelley
But when you have that many jobs going on it. It’s a necessity right? It’s just something that like has to happen but um, systemizing our company has really get bought me back time though if you’re owner, you’re rapidly growing you feel like your head’s you know you’re you’re being pulled in 90 different ways sit down.
33:20.11
dybsteve
On on.
33:37.68
Nick Kelley
Figure like how do we do? So how do we paint walls. How do I want my guys painting walls. How do I want my guys you know, ah picking up cabinet doors. How do I want my guys sanding doors what kind of grit sand paper all that’s up just take an 8 hour time block and do that. Okay and I am telling you right now.
33:52.40
dybsteve
Um.
33:55.63
Nick Kelley
It’s not like it’s all just gonna happen right overnight but train them on these processes build a process of like where you can give them accountability to using these processes like a checks and balances right? and I’m telling you within about a sixty day period you will see a crazy significant change of stress level. You know what I mean and.
34:06.39
dybsteve
No. Yeah, so nick you mentioned drip jobs. We kind of ran over that for first time listeners explain drip jobs please.
34:15.30
Nick Kelley
Go ahead.
34:22.37
Nick Kelley
Okay, so drip jobs is huge. Okay so I tried different crms I’ve had house call pro um was it another one that we used cheap option. $50 wasn’t bad for when I first got it drip jobs really has made a significant difference for us personally.
34:34.19
dybsteve
He.
34:37.82
Nick Kelley
Um, and the reason why is it automates text messages. So like someone fills out a lead form right? They’re getting touched immediately so hey and I switched it to my secretary’s name. So hey this is Britney so if they contact back. She’s able to call them discuss things with them so when she says hey this is Britney from el lead paint. They already know who she is.
34:55.96
dybsteve
No.
34:56.20
Nick Kelley
Cause’re like oh brittanney the one that sent me the the message. Um, not only that from our crewise running our crews now that we’re growing I mean being able to just I like printing them and putting them in a folder I like people touching it that way they have to read it like because on your phone you could go something pops up and then you just go to Facebook right? or something like that.
35:09.48
dybsteve
Nothing touched.
35:13.40
Nick Kelley
Like I’m touching it but we print out the work orders from drip jobs. Um, it’s just been a super super beneficial thing for for me being a painting contractor. Um, and for people who aren’t very good at following up I’m very good at following up I’ll be honest with you I think you can make a ton of money on following up that is like.
35:27.28
dybsteve
The home.
35:31.19
Nick Kelley
People don’t realize like you go and give an estimate That’s just one little straw there dude cause if you’re a higher price. You gotta follow up and you gotta follow multiple times until someone tells you no, you gotta keep on up but they do automatic followups which gives you touch points for then it to reopen up the sale right? So like. <unk>ll send an automatic drip right? Hey jenny it’s been six days ah seen the ah you know of approval hasn’t come through wondering if what kind if you needed any other information to make a decision. Well yeah, so we were looking at you know costs of paint right? You know why is that so much bam I get on the phone I see that that came up I call them immediately.
36:05.73
dybsteve
And.
36:08.65
Nick Kelley
And now I start talking about cost of paint but not only am I talking about that now I’m reselling them I’m reeling them in is that the only information that you needed was it just the paint that was really keeping you away from a proof in this estimate. Well no, you know, start time. So I see you guys get here at eight thirty I would need people here at 9 0 a m right. 9 am okay, you know that’s no problem. You know what I actually have some doors that they can sand um in the week that that I’m looking at scheduling you guys if I get them there at 9 am m right would that help her earn your business today like is that the only you know breaking straw heres Cindy or whatever her name is right? and then I just sell them and we get them and I get them to approve it then you know what I mean and.
36:36.63
dybsteve
Says man go.
36:45.28
Nick Kelley
People don’t realize that that’s so huge because it it opens up the door for them to list their pain points for then for you to sell and and get and collect that deposit or whatever you guys are doing right? and and I love that I Love Drb jobs. It’s really really helped me even when I didn’t have my secretary.
36:53.48
dybsteve
No.
37:02.31
Nick Kelley
It was like a safe haven because I knew if I couldn’t get on the phone right away if I was spraying or something like that that I had someone that was touching base with them right away and then when I could get to them. They didn’t feel like they just called someone and no one ever answered or called them right away you go what I’m saying.
37:13.37
dybsteve
Yeah yep, right on what are some books that you really like and that you recommend brothers.
37:19.12
Nick Kelley
So book traction is that’s the number one I started with grit I went with traction. Um I’m actually um I mean I the way that I’ve ran my company that like the leadership um rolls everything that they’re doing I wasn’t a business savvy guy.
37:22.34
dybsteve
What are some of your takeaways from traction.
37:37.64
Nick Kelley
Right? I was a good salesman but business wasn’t anything. This was a system that it literally step by step tells you and then you can put into your business see what works or doesn’t work for you. But even if you take 2 things from the book and apply it to your company. It’s going to help you tenfold right.
37:52.11
dybsteve
A.
37:55.51
Nick Kelley
So traction is something I would definitely suggest for early like if you’re just starting your company. You’re just getting into some of these things that I’m that like you know I explained right get into traction get a notepad out take notes and I promise you try and instill some of these things into your company and it will it will help you tenfold. Okay.
38:10.65
dybsteve
Right on.
38:14.80
Nick Kelley
Um, another one was a $100000000 offer um Alex Harmmon her harmmoni her I forget forgot the last name but great book on marketing. Okay, in general sales and marketing but like marketing touch based on it really.
38:15.15
dybsteve
Her mosey her mosey. Yeah her mosey. Yeah.
38:30.96
Nick Kelley
If you don’t know much about marketing or how it works or you’re working with a marketing company and you don’t think they’re doing a good job or something like that read that book read that book see if they’re doing stuff like they’re doing in that book and it will help you understand if they’re doing a good job or if they even know what they’re doing right? That was something that really opened my eyes and helped me when I was having these Zoom calls with my marketers right. And keeping them on their toes. Okay like hey are they really doing cause that’s 1 thing I was super nervevreing to me. We’re paying all this money. How do I all it’s gonna take three to four months for this to work and and sixty days for this to work right? And you’re just like sounds like you’re gonna get paid a lot before I get any results right? You know? Well this is a way to um, educate yourself.
39:02.53
dybsteve
A.
39:09.32
Nick Kelley
Um, so that you can you know, give them some pointers or or see if they’re doing some things as well. Love that book though. But I like I was telling you before the podcast I learned most of my stuff from podcast man podcasts I listen to content that is my bread and butter I’m in my carb I got someone’s podcast on that I’m listening to whatever I choose cause I always choose on sundays.
39:10.84
dybsteve
No, just.
39:28.76
Nick Kelley
I Plan the week out of what topic am I going to search and then I I make a you know podcast or something each day that I’m going to devote on that topic to educate myself right? because as a business owner I know about painting right? but business sales things either. It’s constantly evolving so you want to.
39:37.30
dybsteve
Now.
39:48.24
Nick Kelley
If I’m not learning new things and I’m trying to tell my guys to learn new things like who am I you gotta be stay ahead of the curve and I think that’s 1 thing that people don’t realize is that like if you if you have a bunch of marketing channels out. You see it like Facebook works really good one month Google works really good one month then door hangers then you know what I mean. So.
39:50.24
dybsteve
9
40:07.24
Nick Kelley
You have to kind of be a little bit everywhere and see okay, this is working well let me like put some more eggs in that basket for this month and I think that’s 1 thing that people don’t realize is if you’re just using 1 marketing channel I promise you this like there’s gonna come a point where that’s not going to work for a month or 2 and you’re gonna be stressed out right.
40:10.64
dybsteve
Me.
40:22.50
dybsteve
No way and yeah, right on I really appreciate you coming on nick this has been awesome. It’s cool. We have a lot in common. You know you live about ah an hour away from where I grew up I also had a poor upbringing I also got started in telemarketing sales I was 17 s.
40:23.41
Nick Kelley
So you want to dip in a little bit of everything for sure.
40:38.23
dybsteve
And also came down here in Florida started all over cold calling door to door door to door kept paint your house. No kept paint your house. Get off my log I paint your house dog. You know? So yeah, but but it gave us the tenacity of the will to just keep going and we’re not scared of nose anymore right? like we’re already at no.
40:41.67
Nick Kelley
Yeah, yeah, so you know how is you got have that think skin. Yeah.
40:54.50
Nick Kelley
Um, yes, yeah yeah.
40:55.84
dybsteve
We can’t get more know than what we are right now so as well ask for it. Is there a a question I should have asked or a final point. You’d like to make before we roll out.
41:05.92
Nick Kelley
The final point I like to make I like this for everybody Ma’am You a business owner is a lonely road. Okay seek out these people who are other business owners on these pages. Okay, um I tell everybody I come in contact with like if I can help you in any way shape or form in anything.
41:11.22
dybsteve
Um, we.
41:22.61
Nick Kelley
Like please reach out to me right? Um, but you’re not alone. It’s hard sometimes there’s days where I’m like on the top of the world and I think this is the greatest thing and there’s days like am I just gonna get rid of this company. Okay, it happens to the best of us. Um, grit you have to have grit in this business because there’s gonna be days and curve balls left and right. Um, but just stay positive. You can always choose to be happy happy like you can always choose to look at the glass half full. That’s one thing I do a lot of videos on Facebook of like positivity and it’s sometimes more for me than anybody else I’m just trying to get myself in that mind frame. Um.
41:57.40
dybsteve
No.
42:00.53
Nick Kelley
But there’s tons of people out here, especially in the painting business that are willing to help you in any way shape or form and give you anything that you need Pca is a absolutely fantastic organization that is willing to help. There’s so many people and there’re willing to help seek out these people and ask take. Put the pride away and ask for help and um, just know we all started where where you guys are at like where you’re at or where I was at we all started at a place where we had 1 guy or it was just you painting? Um, limiting beliefs are always going to keep you at that point. Um, you can do so much more than what your mind tells you just stay positive and and the 1 thing I can tell you is that if you’re not trying to work hard being a business owner is not the job for you. Um, because that’s 1 thing that I put in my head every day is that I’m willing to get up and I’m willing to work harder than everybody else.
42:46.40
dybsteve
And.
42:54.94
Nick Kelley
To get to that end position that I am but the 1 thing and then I’ll end with this is that do not always make sure that family is number one for you as well. Do not sacrifice your family time for your business. Make sure that you’re able to balance both of those in each world. Um, because you will regret. That you you can always get money back. You cannot get time back so I will I will end with that though.
43:19.67
dybsteve
Right? Ah, if somebody like to follow up. What’s the best way that they could connect or contact you.
43:25.14
Nick Kelley
Um, so my email address this is my actual personal 1 is nkells 32 at Gmail.com on Instagram it’s elite paint home renovations on Tiktok. It is elite paint home rental Facebook though Nick Joe look me up on Facebook message me on Facebook I have people that do that periodically if you message me on there I will get back to you I will help you with anything that I can and the reason I do that is because I had so many great um people in this industry. Brad Nick tanner um Eric um, and the list goes on. That have done the same thing for me so reach out to me on Facebook I have no problem helping out there hey you as well. Thank you sir.
44:01.65
dybsteve
Fantastic! Thanks again. Nick have a great day.