In this episode of Out of the Hourglass, Brian Nolan, Jim Bradley, and Molly Nolan delve into the trades industry's evolving landscape, and the influence of private equity on small business transitions. They announce the February launch of the Sellers & Acquisition Peer Group, designed to support business owners navigating valuation, sale preparation, and post-sale planning. The conversation explores the emotional and strategic aspects of exiting a business, the growing appeal of the trades, and the importance of building a network of advisors to maximize business value.

In this episode of Out of the Hourglass, Molly sits down with Ross Hartmann, founder of Kiingo AI, to explore the transformative potential of AI and generative AI for small businesses. They discuss practical applications of tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, emphasizing strategies to integrate AI into company culture, optimize efficiency, and maintain brand authenticity in AI-generated content. With insights into AI's capabilities, limitations, and the importance of hands-on training, Ross offers a roadmap for leveraging AI to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and elevate both customer and employee experiences. This conversation sets the stage for the exciting future of AI in business.

In this episode, we dive into the Reflected Best Self Exercise™ (RBSE) with Brian Nolan, a powerful personal development tool designed to help you see your best self through the eyes of others. Originating from research from the Center for Positive Organizations (Ross School of Business, University of Michigan), RBSE invites participants to gather stories from those around them, uncovering their unique strengths and impact on the world around them. We'll explore how this exercise has been transformative in Mastermind Retreats we’re facilitating with Business Owners and how combined with the topic of Resistance from War of Art by Stephen Pressfield, we can discuss the importance of shifting focus from weaknesses to strengths in personal and professional growth. It’s time to be the leader you were meant to be. 

To learn more about the Reflected Best Self Exercise, visit: https://reflectedbestselfexercise.com/ 

When was the last time... "you lost track of time, utterly engaged with what you were doing?" "you instinctively volunteered for something?" "you surprised yourself with how well you did?" These intriguing questions are from NYT Best Selling Author, Marcus Buckinghams's most recent publication Love + Work - the focus of this week's episode! Four of our NCG Team Members, Brian Nolan, Kathryn Freeman, Colin Nolan & Sydney Bates host this edition of the NCG Book Club for an engaging discussion. The discussion revolves around what it means to "love" what you do and understanding how you can use what you love to reveal your unique talents and pinpoint what makes YOU stand out from others. We're incorporating the strategies from Love +Work into our culture here at NCG's going forward... So if you hear us talking about the power of identifying our "red threads" and are looking for context, pick up a copy of the book and get in on the conversation!

This week we're featuring an excerpt from our Job Site Leadership Workshop - one of the most requested development courses that we offer here at Nolan Consulting Group. Facilitated by NCG Managing Partner Brian Nolan, and Conal Mulreany, Field Supervisor at Nolan Painting & Field Consultant at NCG, this workshop is designed to provide Production Management leaders with the critical awareness of each leg of the Operational Stool: Employee Management, Customer Management & Job Management. This particular excerpt begins with an element that impacts the culture of the field environment - values. Do your employees understand the values of your company - are they living those values in the workplace? The discussion also taps into the power of emotional intelligence. As a leader and manager of people, how do you respond to situations - both positive and negative? Are you aware of the impact your words have? To quote Benjamin Franklin, "Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place at the right time but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at a tempting moment." Brian and Conal are passionate about this topic, and no matter what industry you are in, this discussion will impact your leadership.

On today's podcast, we have the privilege of welcoming Josh Abramson, Chief Solutionist and Director of Happiness at ALLBRiGHT Painting based in Los Angeles, CA. In this conversation, Josh and Molly discuss Brand Power - what drives the inspiration and creativity behind the marketing at ALLBRiGHT Painting. Brand power is more than getting leads in the door - the impact is multifaceted and is grounded in the authenticity of the mission statement. For Josh and his ALLBRiGHT Team - this means Painting Happiness. Tune into this great conversation with Josh to hear how the company and brand evolved, and what he learned in the process. Josh also discusses new projects they are involved in and the impact on the community. We want to thank Josh for sharing his story, his time, and lessons learned and we wish you an ALLBRiGHT day!

This week's Out of the Hourglass podcast features the latest edition of the Business is Messy Series featuring Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of Nolan Consulting Group, and Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting & Partner at NCG. If you are new to the podcast, the Business is Messy Series is a quarterly check-in with Brian and Kevin on the state of the business environment. Molly Nolan hosts the discussion as they talk about the successes, challenges…and the messes that come with running a Small Business. Or as Brian likes to joke, Kevin shares the messes and Brian cleans them up! This time - we’re talking about the economy. To be clear, this is not an episode about recession fear, but about putting strategy behind an unpredictable economy. It's about being prepared, taking action, and getting smart about controlling the controllable. This is about acknowledging what we know to be true and doing our best to get ahead of the game. Listen in as Brian and Kevin share insight on what they are hearing and experiencing firsthand and give recommendations for how to prepare your business for turbulent economic times. We've had them before, they are happening now, and they will come again.

This week we're bringing something different to the podcast! We're featuring a compelling excerpt from the most recent Sales Fundamentals Boot Camp facilitated by NCG Senior Coach Andrew Amrhein and Jim Falk, Sr. Estimator at Nolan Painting and Sales Trainer & Consultant with Nolan Consulting Group. The Sales Boot Camp focuses on the execution of the “original” Sales Process - this particular excerpt highlights the importance of asking the often dreaded "budget questions". When it comes to qualifying a prospect, there is perhaps no more important step than making sure that a future client can pay for your product or service, yet that conversation is often approached with trepidation. Listen in on this lively discussion as Andrew and Jim walk us through the importance of this step, as well as offer strategies, word tracks and questions to uncover if your prospect has a budget...and working the close.

Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of Nolan Consulting Group, joins Molly Nolan in this week's podcast, for a deep dive into the core mission of NCG - getting small business owners Out of the Hourglass. Brian explains what it means to be stuck in the hourglass, in a variety of scenarios, and how NCG helps owners transition out of the hourglass at different points of their business lifecycle. From implementing systems and knowing your numbers, to creating scalable excellence and high-performance teams, Brian covers the key components of escaping the hourglass and building a "value business." This intriguing discussion will leave you with renewed motivation and inspiration to pursue your own vision ...or to create one if you haven't yet!

In this week's podcast, NCG Sr. Business Coach, Colin Nolan joins Molly Nolan for a practical discussion of how DISC can be applied to customer relations. As many listeners know, DISC is a behavioral assessment tool that we often refer to in conversations on this podcast, and within our Coaching and Consulting practice. We've discussed how DISC can be used to understand behaviors & motivators, improve organizational communication and engagement, and provide valuable insight for hiring and management decisions. Today's application is all about the customer - Colin shares with us how we can apply our awareness of DISC and emotional intelligence to relate to our customers better - whether closing the sale, dealing with difficult situations, or enhancing the overall customer experience.

Description: This week's podcast episode features a topic that has been an ongoing challenge for businesses across all industries - Recruiting and Retaining employees. Molly is joined by Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Paining and Colleen Nolan, Director of Human Resources at Nolan Painting as they share how they have been working to combat this issue at their organization, brainstorming and grinding in the day to day to make sure they have the team to in place to fulfill the high demand of work that keeps the phones ringing. The discussion reveals how they have shifted perceptive, learned to welcome new ways of thought and agility in decision making, leaned into creativity, invested in their people, and continue to go after the long game by focusing on bringing young people into the trades. They have finally found success in increasing their FOS numbers over the last few months and while they know they've tapped into a strategy that is working, they also realize the need to stay on their toes - since nothing is a constant in this environment!

The NCG Book Club returns again! This month, we're discussing Part 1 of Coaching for Breakthrough Success ~ Proven Techniques for Making Impossible Dreams Possible by Jack Canfield and Dr. Peter Chee. In the book, Canfield & Dr. Chee deliver what they believe to be the Top 30 Coaching Principals that every coach needs to practice in order to succeed. The principals are all encompassing - from breaking down the critical steps needed to build relationship and trust, to what it means to have a coaching spirit, to the power of listening, intuition and asking the right type of questions. In the discussion, our team highlights what principals have the greatest impact on them and how they apply to their own practices. In sharing this book with you, our team encourages our listeners to apply these principles to strengthen your own coaching skills.

Since we are about halfway through 2022, today's podcast features a Mid-Year Planning Status Check! NCG's Director of Finance & Sr. Business Coach, Andrew Amrhein reminds listeners of the importance of keeping a pulse of the metrics and reviewing where you stand in the plan that you set at the beginning of this year. During this crazy busy time of year, how do we take the time to make sure we’re not making decisions that are taking us off track? Andrew highlights the metrics to stay on top of, the conversations that need to happen and gives recommendations for working through the uncertainty of what the months ahead may bring. We hope that this mid-year status check helps you stay dialed on the health of your organization and sets the tone for a successful second half of 2022!

Colin Nolan, Senior Business Coach at Nolan Consulting Group and Certified Trainer of Ken Blanchard’s SLII Experience™ (Situational Leadership) Program is back to talk the Top 10 Leadership Mistakes People often make from an SLII Perspective.  

From new employee attitude changes to confusing confidence vs. competence, leadership of people is hard and tools like the  SLII  framework used for diagnosing situations and providing the appropriate support can be a game changer for people management success. 

For a refresh of the SL2 Framework, we encourage you to check out the Podcast Series, episodes can be found here:  

https://www.nolancg.com/blog/situational-leadership-podcast-series/

For Weekly: Several spots remain in the upcoming Situational Leadership Workshop facilitated by Colin Nolan & Sydney Bates kicking off Oct. 29th. To learn more or register: Click here

If you are an avid Out of the Hourglass podcast listener or are working with our team, "DISC" is a term you have heard frequently. In today's Out of the Hourglass podcast, Molly Nolan is joined by NCG's Business Systems Specialist Sydney Bates for an in-depth unraveling of DISC. Listen and learn as Sydney breaks down DISC concepts by highlighting the behaviors and motivators revealed through the DISC assessment, what they actually mean, and how they work together. Molly and Sydney apply these concepts to training conversations, hiring and recruiting, organizational role deep dives and communication. If you’ve taken the DISC before, find your results after listening to this episode and see what new insight you've gained!

In today's podcast, we have the pleasure of hearing some powerful and practical insight from Sheldon Stewart, Summit Member & NCG Member Coach and President of Stewart Painting based in Hyannis & Hingham, Massachusetts. Sheldon shares with us his experience through the process of creating the Board of Directors at Stewart Painting and where he is at in the journey. It's process that has been incredibly well thought out and reflects his succession plan for his business. We’ve worked with Sheldon and his team for over a decade which makes this current topic and his planning for retirement both rewarding and humbling. We have much respect for Sheldon and his business and hope this conversation will inspire you to be intentional about planning for your own future along with the future of your business.

Our podcast today features a topic that is near and dear to our hearts, the role of the Coach. This powerful conversation with two respected leaders, Brian Nolan, Managing Partner at Nolan Consulting Group, and Paul Cook, VP of Painters USA, Summit Member and Member Coach, will challenge you to think about who is looking to YOU as a coach. At NCG, we have the immense privilege to work with many business owners and organizational leaders in a coaching capacity to help them achieve their desired visions and accomplish their personal and organizational goals. It’s a position that is both incredibly rewarding and challenging. This conversation centers on the skills and behaviors that are critical to succeed in the role of the coach. As you listen, consider who is looking to YOU as a coach. As a leader, business owner, or manager of people, you have a coaching responsibility - you just might not realize it.

Today’s episode features the NCG Book Club and April’s book of the month, Fish!: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin. While it might have been the shortest book in length so far, its message is far-reaching and filled with timeless wisdom. It's the story of a flailing corporate culture that meets the wildly engaging Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, WA where the Fishmongers practice the FISH! philosophy., comprised of 4 simple rules.

Today's podcast is a two-part conversation hosted by NCG Coach and Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman. In this episode, Kathryn sits down with Paul Cook, Vice President of Painters USA with locations throughout Chicago and Dallas, and Hernan Jimenez, Safety Manager at Nolan Painting, based just outside Philadelphia to discuss the critically important topic of safety. To begin the conversation, Paul share his WHY - how an integral moment forever changed his and his company's view on safety in the workplace, and the imperative need for leadership to take on this responsibility. Hernan then discusses his role as Safety Manager, his approach to teaching and training employees, and the necessity of a shared commitment to safety among management and the team. Nolan Consulting Group challenges the organizations we work with to develop and maintain a culture of safety. In addition to our Summit Safety Certification Program, this summer, we’ll be kicking off a Safety Peer Group! As you listen to this episode, think about safety’s place in your own organization and what you can learn from the experiences of others.

Today’s podcast episode features our special guest Jeff Wraley, Founder of Groundwork, a virtual sales tool for contractors. We initially met Jeff in early 2020 when Groundwork was in its infancy and prior to the COVID pandemic. The timing was impeccable as Jeff brought a virtual sales tool to the service industry right as a virtual world of interaction became a necessity. In this episode, Jeff looks back at his entrepreneurial journey and shares what current and future trends he and his team are seeing in the intersection of technology and the sales process. To learn more about Groundwork, check out https://www.hellogroundwork.com/

Nolan Painting CEO and Nolan Consulting Group Partner and Coach, Kevin Nolan joins us on Today's Podcast Episode, for Customer Issues & Crucial Conversations. Kevin draws on his 30 + years of experience to address a request about how to manage those tough situations where jobs don't go quite as well as promised and the fallout that can ensue. While these jobs are few in quantity, they can swiftly derail the team, suck the energy out of operations, and do serious damage to the company’s reputation if not handled well. A quick shout out to Brian McCracken, President of All American Painting Plus in Reston, VA for this episode request! If you have a podcast topic request, please reach out - we’d love to make it happen!

Today's episode features TWO of our extended team members and partners from Nolan Painting: Jim Falk - Senior Estimator at Nolan Painting and Sales Trainer with NCG, AND Conal Mulreany, Field Supervisor at Nolan Painting and Field & Ops Trainer with NCG. We are thrilled to have Jim and Conal on this podcast together as they unravel the unique relationship between the sales and operations departments of a growing, fast-paced, service-oriented organization. Through the conversation, Jim and Conal share how their departments work together - how Nolan Painting has adapted to strengthen the relationship and meet the departmental challenges that arise. They provide recommendations on how to establish better communication channels and demonstrate that the success of the Sales/Ops relationship is built upon constant collaboration, communication, and most importantly, respect. Much gratitude to Conal and Jim for getting real about what it means to be a TEAM!

Today’s episode features NCG’s Director of Operations and Sr. Business Coach Kathryn Freeman, joined by NCG Sr. Business Coach, Colin Nolan for a conversation on company culture from a hiring perspective. What does "a culture fit” really mean? Have you defined what your company culture actually is? Have you mistaken culture fit with personal affect? Colin and Kathryn work through the complicated matter of how the personality and behaviors of individuals and the role they are hired for play into company culture.

Today we’re bringing you a special episode, one that was generated from a recent webinar, Bringing KPIs Into Focus, led by NCG Sr. Coach and Director of Finance, Andrew Amrhein. At Nolan Consulting Group, we strongly believe businesses should be utilizing KPIs, key performance indicators, to keep a pulse on the health of the business. In this episode, Andrew highlights 7 unique KPIs and shares the impact that KPI awareness makes on your business strategy and the directional health of your company's financial statements. A special thanks to Dylan Ehlert, Director of Finance and Operations at Two Dudes Painting in Lancaster, PA for jumping into the conversation and sharing how the Dudes are using KPIs relating to employee retention and the impact of turnover. Lastly, a note to NCG clients - If specific questions arise as you listen to this episode, we encourage you to talk to your coach and take note of the KPIs you would like to focus on in the year ahead.

Today we’re wrapping the discussion of the Fast Growth Planning Program, designed to give Business Owners with a “fast growth” mindset the framework to achieve. Joined by Jay Rogers and Kathryn Freeman, two Nolan Consulting Group  Business Coaches, we’re highlighting the final stages of the program - focusing on the Organizational Development of your scaling business and the Strategic Decisions needed to make it happen. 

Whether you're a startup looking to scale quickly or an established company aiming to break through growth barriers, you need the strategic framework, tools, and support to achieve your ambitious goals.

To learn more about the Fast Growth Planning Process, https://www.nolancg.com/fast-growth-planning-program-for-contractors/

In today's episode, the NCG Book Club is back with a lively discussion on “Winning on Purpose: The unbeatable strategy of Loving Customers” by Fred Reicheld, facilitated by Michael Murray, President of Textbook Painting and Member Coach with NCG. This book reconstructs how NPS (Net Promoter Score) is used and analyzed within businesses. Winning on Purpose suggests that the primary purpose of business should be to enrich the lives of customers, and that deeply investing in the customers and their experience with your company brings back THEIR business and kickstarts their friends' business interactions, leading to earned growth and increased profits. This discussion and the book itself have inspired us to think harder about NPS and its place as a critical KPI in our financial workbook going forward. If the NPS system is new to you - don’t worry! We start off our conversation defining the system before jumping into the book highlights and takeaways.

This week we are thrilled to celebrate Nolan Consulting Group’s 18th year in business AND our 100th episode of the Out of the Hourglass podcast! To mark this occasion, Brian Nolan and Kevin Nolan, take a walk down memory lane in today's episode, sharing how this business and their partnership has both served their lives and the gratitude for all who have been a part of it. From the logistics of our first workshops in the shop garage, the growth of the Summit Group and the story of the organization to where it is today... It has truly been an amazing journey! From all of us at Nolan Consulting Group - We Thank You - our listeners and our clients for being a part of the NCG journey…and for letting us be a part of yours.

Today’s episode features Brian Nolan, Managing Partner, and Colin Nolan, Sr. Business Coach, for a discussion on self-leadership development. Where do you see yourself in the future? Where do you want to go? What is the Primary Aim? Brian and Colin discuss experiences in their own leadership journey and share how using a variety of development tools can help guide you on your way to reaching your goal. From podcasts and books to collaborating with peers, these tools can be the first step on the journey of making you a better leader.

Today’s episode celebrates a major transition time in the life of NCG Business Coach, Jerry Block... he is retiring! When we reflect on Jerry’s time with NCG, we can’t help but be sad to see him go! Despite that, we must celebrate all his accomplishments and take the opportunity to tap into the wisdom he has to share. In this episode, Jerry shares with us his lessons learned throughout his professional career and reminds us all the TEAM you work with is your second family.... it's the team that wins together.

NCG's Senior Business Coaches Brian Nolan, Managing Partner & Andrew Amrhein, Director of Finance, connect for a conversation on how to get good at decision making! From highlighting the practice of the debate time, to the key elements of management team dynamics and the creation of a decision-making matrix, Brian and Andrew discuss the need to create a formal decision-making process for your company. You may remember this line from Kim Scott’s Radical Candor; “Debate Time does NOT equal Decision Time.” Are you systemizing the communication process within your team?

On today's episode, NCG’s Director of Operations and Sr. Business Coach, Kathryn Freeman, joins us for another conversation about a role on the organizational chart. This time, we’re talking about the Chief Revenue Officer, also referred to as the CRO. While typically a role title spoken in a corporate environment, its function and strategic intent have an important place in the world of Small Business, especially for those with growth oriented intentions, looking for a desire to scale.

The NCG Book Club continues with a discussion on Daniel Pink’s, Drive, The Surprising Truth that Motivates Us. Facilitated by NCG Coach, Colin Nolan, our group highlights the major takeaways, and personal applications of Pink’s concepts - a step away from the traditional thoughts of motivational drivers. Pink describes the evolution of Human Motivation - one that began at the early need for survival (Motivation 1.0) to his most recent theory of Motivation 3.0 - a compilation of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. By understanding the intrinsic vs extrinsic desires of yourself, the people around you, and the environment best suited for your operating style, we are empowering each other with the tools to succeed and ultimately, generating the framework of our primary aims. Like what you hear on the episode? We highly encourage Drive to be added to your reading list for further concept exploration and personal application.

In today's episode we are joined again by Andrew Amrhein, Director of Finance and Sr Business Coach at Nolan Consulting Group for a follow up conversation on our Levels of Work series. It's been a year since we kicked off the original series yet this topic still remains crucial in its context to role clarity. Andrew discusses the importance of distinction between tasks and responsibilities at different levels and how people thrive off of clarity of vision and functions. If this is a new concept or if you're looking for a refresher you can find the Levels of Work Series Level 1-4 episodes in our podcast library (January - March 2021)

Today's episode features the third installment of our Entrepreneurial Spirit Series! NCG's Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman, is joined by Lori Delin, President & Co-Owner of Tru-Colors Contracting, 24 Hour Floor and My Stack Box Storage all located in beautiful Pompano Beach, FL. Lori shares how her entrepreneurial spirit started from a young age and grew into a passion for solving problems and growing businesses. Over the years she has never shied away from taking risks or being afraid to fail. Lori’s strategic decisions have paved the way for the growth of successful business organizations and allowed her to help others rethink their potential. If there is a challenge in her way, Lori looks for the opportunity.

Today's episode brings you the latest edition of the Business is Messy Series and the first of 2022! Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of NCG and Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting & Partner at NCG, come together to discuss the ever present challenges businesses are continuing to face and the current happenings at Nolan Painting! From snow storms, to labor shortages, continuing Covid impacts, sales rate challenges and more, we must remember to keep expecting the unexpected. This year is already looking like one for the books!

Today we are connecting with Christi Fabela, the Director of Product Optimization at busybusy of Align Technologies, a time tracking software built for the construction and remote Industries with the goal of helping their clients utilize the data insights driven from their technology to make better, more strategic business decisions.

With a professional background in the Excavation Industry, Christi has walked the walk and can talk the talk -  she knows first hand how important data and KPIs are to understanding the story of your business and how the slivers of change behaviors can make all the difference to the bottom line. 

To learn more about busybusy, visit https://busybusy.com/ 

Nolan Consulting Group Clients - want to connect for a demo? Reach out directly to Bracken Anderson, bracken@busybusy.com  or 385-404-6257,  for a platform review and partnership pricing. 

The first episode of the year features NCG's Sr. Business Coach, Colin Nolan and Rob Yarbro, Owner and President of Western View Painting (formally Wyoming View Painting) based in Laramie & Casper, WY. Rob tells the story of his trajectory into becoming an owner of a painting company and highlights the vision of company growth in a larger geographical territory - opening multiple locations from the start! Presenting unique challenges and opportunities, it has quickly required the standardization of processes, strong emphasis on team culture and optimal organizational consistency across multiple teams that are working hours apart.

Our last episode of 2021 features our December Book Club selection, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity. Scott defines the concept of Radical Candor as the intersection of Caring Personally while Challenging Directly. At its core, Radical Candor empowers us to give guidance and feedback that’s both kind and clear, specific and sincere. This book hit home for many of our team members and challenged our way of thinking and approach to the conversations we have with all audiences in our lives. Throughout the book, Scott provides tools to utilize, a framework for giving guidance and many personal examples of when she failed at or succeeded in practicing radical candor in her own life experiences. It's a great read and we would highly encourage it to be added to your reading list!

Today's episode features Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting and Partner at Nolan Consulting Group, for our annual yearly review and look ahead! Kevin recaps some of the major events of 2021 and where they stacked up against the 2021 vision, highlights the overarching plans for what's to come in 2022 from the Big Rocks to Revenue Goals, lastly, reminds us that sharing the plan remains essential for success. We create the plan, and we cascade the plan.

Today's episode features a Social Media Expert, Consultant and Founder of Content Fresh, Deborah York Salisbury! Content Fresh is a digital marketing agency specializing in social media strategy, content creation, SEO, and website development. As a social media guru Deb gives us insight into the world of social media. How much money should you be spending on social media marketing? What platform should you use? What is the best way to engage with customers on social media? Deb answers all these questions and more!

In our second installment of our Entrepreneurial Spirit Series, NCG's Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman, is joined by Nate Anderson, Owner and CEO of Anderson Painting in Raleigh, NC. Nate shares his deep passion around mission based entrepreneurship and helping people reach their fullest potential. Over the years, Nate has assisted many refugees acclimate to the community and provided them a welcoming place of employment. This community work has positively impacted the business and the growth potential is high reaching - that’s what we call doing well by doing good! It’s an amazing story and we thank you, Nate for sharing your perspective on how utilize your skills and entrepreneurial spirit to change the lives of others

Welcome to December .... Welcome to Planning Season! As we welcome in the new year next month, now is a the time to be planning for 2022. Today's episode features a timely discussion on the Cascading Planning Process (CPP) between NCG's Managing Partner, Brian Nolan and Andrew Amrhein, Director of Finance & Sr. Coach! Brian and Andrew discuss recommendations for 2022 and highlight the function of the CPP, a cycle of planning activities, that we use to help our clients solidify their plans and goals for the year. From visioning and budgeting to creating accountability and structure, the CPP is designed to map out the Big Rocks! And most importantly, we hope this episode serves as a reminder of how essential it is to be cascading the plan down through the organization, all members of the team should have a line of sight to the vision.

This time of year reminds us to take a moment to pause and reflect on the things that we are most thankful for. Today's episode features a few members of our Nolan Consulting Group team expressing their thoughts of gratitude both personally and professionally. We hope that after listening to this week's episode you are inspired to share your messages of gratitude with your family, friends, colleagues and teams.

Today's episode kicks off the Entrepreneurial Spirit Series, a series of upcoming episodes hosted by NCG's Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman, for a discussion on understanding what drives the energy and determination in the entrepreneurial journeys of some of our Summit Member Business Owners. From family and community passion, to the mission and strategies behind why they do what they do, each has a story and great wisdom to share. Today we start with Bill Kelly, a long time Summit Member and Owner of Kelly Brothers Painting based in Truckee, CA. Bill's entrepreneurial spirit inspired him to create Kelly Enterprises & Companies, focusing on a diverse group of entrepreneurial outlets where he is able to truly live out his desire to diversify life and prioritize the balance between work, business, play and family. Thank you Bill for your willingness to share - from what drives you, to lessons learned and the importance of doing what makes you happy.

Today's episode features our Director of Operations and Sr. Business Coach Kathryn Freeman with a great one on one conversation with Brian Stauffer, Owner of JRS Landscaping & Custom Creations. Kathryn and Brian continue our conversations around cascading change. Brian shares how implementing Green Books for new employees originally failed but now has transformed his business leading to the start of a training program. As you listen to this week's episode of Out of the Hourglass, think about how you can fail forward and cascade change when challenges arise.

Today's episode takes a deep dive into the world of marketing with a focus on the importance of your company's online reputation with special guest, Chris Kiefer, Marketing Manager at Webfoot Painting & Webfoot Concrete Coatings. Chris brings his passion for marketing to the episode, but more specifically highlights how companies can leverage their online reviews for success! From organically providing greater lead generation and SEO benefits, to the strategies for quantity AND quality, Chris introduces us to Boolean, a new program that Webfoot is utilizing with amazing success to drive more customers to leave quality online Google Reviews! Listen today and take notes - Chris has wisdom to share!

The Financial Fundamentals Workshop is coming up next month and we’ve got a preview ahead on this week’s episode of Out of the Hourglass with Kathryn Freeman, Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations at Nolan Consulting Group. 

We are quickly entering the Fall Season and it’s going to be an interesting next few months with a lot of factors at play. This is a time where we focus on leaning into what we can control - and one of those things we CAN control is thoroughly understanding the financial management of our companies. This workshop and conversation is geared towards ensuring we are setting the foundational pieces for peeling back the P&L Report and being able to ask the right questions and read the story of what’s actually happening in the business. 

Summit Members: To register your spot for the Financials Fundamentals Workshop, click here to learn more information and complete registration. 

Today's episode, hosted by our very own Brian Nolan, centers on the topic of ownerships vs. management and to highlight the clarity and distinct functions of the two, Brian is joined by Jared Byas, Founder of Common Good Family Business Advisors & NCG Coach. Jared helps us to better understand the roles in which these two functions play, explains that ownership doesn’t always equal management and highlights the importance of the transparent dynamics in the relationship - from values and vision alignment, to social capital, cascading the decision matrix and so much more.

At our 2021 Grand Summit Conference in Nashville, TN, we were lucky to have two awesome Summit members take the stage. directly following Brian Nolan's keynote on Cascading Change: Travis Ulrich, Co Owner & Director of Operations of Webfoot Painting and Ryan Parsons, Chief Solutions at the Brothers that Just Do Gutters. Today's episode highlights their moments sharing their Change Initiatives in front of the Summit group and gave insight on how this impacted their companies.

Today's episode brings you the latest edition of the Business is Messy Series with Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting & Partner at NCG joined by Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of NCG. Brian & Kevin discuss the ever present challenges businesses are continuing to face and the current happenings at Nolan Painting! They'll also share highlights and lessons learned as they talk through the operational challenges at a recent event of which they both endured a thrilling adventure, or as Kevin calls it "The best experience he can't recommend!'