PCA Articles

We started the Contractor Evolution Show because we felt we had to. We saw a gap that needed to be filled and felt called to do something about it. I’m sure you started your business for the same reason.

The fact of the matter is the contracting space has been under systemized for far too long – and that’s not your fault. I’m sure you’ve noticed the massive lack of educational business content that is engineered for contractors. That bugs us.

Why is it so difficult to get real, down-to-earth answers from someone who knows what they’re talking about and isn’t just trying to sell you something? The business of contracting shouldn’t be some hidden away secret.

• “Is 40% a healthy gross profit margin for residential repaints?”
• “No one is applying to my job ads… can someone help me?”
• “I want to get from $1M per year to $2.5M. How?”
• “What’s the right mix of in-house painters vs. subs for my business?”
• “What’s the best way to structure incentive-based pay for my crews?”
• “What reports should my bookkeeper be bringing me every month?”
• “How much are other contractors paying their Crew Leads?”

We kept hearing these questions over and over from our members. Our coaching calls and business summits were so chock-full of conversations like this they became hard to ignore. Then it dawned on us… You don’t really learn this stuff on the job site and asking another painting contractor in town can feel a little awkward. Most of the books out there have some good advice but don’t really grasp the nuance of the painting industry. Trade conferences can be a great learning experience but they’re costly and only happen every once in a while.

The conclusion we came to was this: there needs to be something out there for the systems-minded painting contractor with a hunger for knowledge and growth. It needs to be easy to consume and it needs to be FREE. Because here’s the thing, most contractors are closer than they realize. Most of the businesses we coach are only a couple smart systems away from owning the company they’ve always wanted. The formula exists. The information is out there. It’s just never been assembled, packaged, and distributed in a way that makes it accessible and fun.

Over the last 6 years, we here at Breakthrough Academy have systemized hundreds of contracting businesses for growth. We’ve helped countless painters, landscapers, builders, and roofers tame the chaos in their businesses and scale. We know what it takes to build the infrastructure and develop the skills needed to run your dream business and we deeply admire those of you with the courage to take that on. The problem is we can only coach so many entrepreneurs at once. There are over a million trades and construction entrepreneurs in North America. As it stands, Breakthrough Academy can currently work directly with about 500. That’s quite the gap. We want a larger audience to benefit from the wisdom that, until now, has been kept inside the walls of BTA.

Our goal with Contractor Evolution is pretty simple. Be the #1 podcast in the world for contractors looking to systemize and grow their business. Period.

Before our launch, we spent a full year interviewing entrepreneurs, speaking to associations (like the PCA), and meeting with our strategic partners. We even hired a market research firm to figure out exactly what the evolving contractor needs. Instead of assuming we knew already, we humbled ourselves and we listened.

What we learned was pretty interesting:

• You don’t like arrogant chest-beating or too much hype
• You want practical, real-world advice on how to solve the problems in your business – not just fluffy sound-bites that sound good but don’t actually help
• You like experts and thought leaders who have walked the walk
• You like frameworks and tutorials that make complex ideas simple to implement
• Lastly, because you are busy, you want it to be easy to consume while you drive or work out

So that’s what we’re trying to deliver: a podcast that unpacks the systems, tactics, and skills you need to take your fast-growing painting business to the next level. Every Wednesday my co-host Igor and I bring on industry experts, BTA coaches, and other high-performing business owners to discuss what’s working for them. It’s all value, no BS, and a ton of fun.

You deserve to run the business you’ve always wanted. The vision that’s crystal clear in your mind’s eye deserves to become a reality and we’re here to make sure that happens. So, if you want to learn what it takes to scale up, work less, and make more money, check out Contractor Evolution wherever you listen to podcasts.

Weekly Episodes Here

-Benji Carlson
Host of Contractor Evolution

Breakthrough Academy is a business education platform for contractors and home service companies. They help grow their members’ businesses by implementing smart systems that pull the entrepreneur out of the day-to-day and focus on the big picture.