When Business Partners Can’t See Eye to Eye: All Is Not Lost Business partnerships are a lot like marriages. At first, everything feels exciting. You’re building something together, sharing dreams, and pushing each other forward. But what happens when that dream starts to crack? What if you and your business partner can’t agree on anything anymore? What if every meeting [...]
How Hopium Kills Your Business: Why Hope Is Not a Strategy If you’ve been in business long enough, you’ve likely met an owner addicted to a dangerous drug. It’s not something you’ll find in a pharmacy or on the streets. It’s called hopium, and it’s the substance that keeps struggling entrepreneurs convinced that “everything will work out” even when the [...]
The Challenges of Working with Family and How to Fix Them Working with family sounds great in theory. You already know and trust each other, and you get to build something together. But if you've ever been in a family business, you know it's not always easy. Arguments, favoritism, and personal issues can make running a business with family stressful. [...]
The Importance of Identifying Friction Points in Your Business (and 10 Tips to Do It Right) Running a business is a lot like driving a car. When everything is working smoothly, you can hit your goals at full speed. But if there’s friction—a squeaky brake, a flat tire, or a misaligned wheel—it slows you down, wastes energy, and keeps you [...]
How to Prevent Entrepreneurial Burnout in 2025 Entrepreneurship can be one of the most rewarding journeys you’ll ever take. It’s exciting to build something from the ground up, make your own decisions, and watch your hard work pay off. But let’s face it: it’s also demanding. The constant grind, long hours, and weight of responsibility can lead to something every [...]
Why Can’t I Find and Keep Good Employees? If you’re frustrated because you can’t find—and keep—good employees, you’re not alone. I hear this complaint from business owners all the time: “Nobody wants to work anymore,” “They leave as soon as I train them,” or “Why can’t people show up and just do their job?” Here’s the thing: the labor market has changed. What worked [...]
Help! I can't get my plumbing company out of the red! If you’re reading this, chances are your plumbing company is in trouble. The red ink is piling up, and no matter how hard you work, you just can’t seem to dig your way out. I get it—it’s frustrating, overwhelming, and downright exhausting. But here’s the good news: you’re not [...]
The 5 Most Common Problems in HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, and Contracting Businesses—And How to Fix Them Running a trades business—whether it’s HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or general contracting—is a tough gig. You’re not just the expert on the tools; you’re the CEO, the scheduler, the marketer, and the bookkeeper. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. But as someone who’s coached hundreds of [...]
Resolving conflicts between business partners requires a balanced approach that preserves the relationship while addressing the underlying issues. Here’s a step-by-step guide to navigate these situations: 1. Diagnose the Problem • Identify the Root Cause: Clarify the source of the conflict. Is it about financial decisions, workload distribution, strategic direction, or communication styles? • Separate the Personal from the Professional: Determine if [...]
The three biggest mistakes you can make as the owner of a HVAC company are: Using markup instead of margin Owners not getting paid twice Focusing on the work instead of on time Markup is the most generic form of pricing in the trades, and it is based on a false assumption. If your cost of materials is $1 and [...]
