If you’re like most contractors we know, then you started your business because you’re passionate about and great at your craft. You also wanted to be your own boss. Owning a business has a lot of advantages, but also a lot of challenges.
We started this podcast to talk about things that matter to you as an owner, like business fundamentals, sales processes, marketing, leadership, and much more. Armed with knowledge, you’ll be able to reach your goals, whether that’s growth, getting your shop to run without you, or anything in between.
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257 - Protect Your Legacy: Estate Planning for Business Owners with Marty Cain
Episode 257
Thursday, May 29, 2025 • Duration 56:08
Want to protect your business and family? Marty Cain shares vital insights on estate planning for business owners. Discover how to set up and fund your trust effectively!
Time Stamps
00:58 - Guest Intro
01:41 - Marty's Background and Practice
02:56 - The Importance of Estate Planning
15:27 - The Probate Process Explained
30:46 - The Importance of Properly Funding a Trust
32:43 - Key Assets to Include in Your Trust
33:46 - Handling Real Estate in a Trust
35:16 - What Happens Without a Will or Trust
37:22 - Creating and Storing a Will
41:57 - The Concept of a Death Box
48:23 - Finding a Good Estate Planner
51:02 - Steps to Work with an Estate Planner
52:48 - Conclusion and Contact Information
Snippets from the Episode
” 72% of people in our country have done nothing.” - Marty
“Just think about the cost that you're gonna put on your family without the estate plan, without having a trust in place so that it goes into probate.” -Khalil
“The beauty sometimes of the trust is that it leaves a lot more instructions and can leave some protection from some of life's risks to our children and adult children when we ultimately pass away.” -Marty
”What I've learned in estate planning is that the better listener you are, the better you'll be able to counsel and guide your client to what tools they need to use.” -Marty
Resources
24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
Are you ready to identify and tackle the constraints holding your business back? In this episode, Martin & Khalil dive into the strategies to enhance your focus and capacity to drive results. Tune in to find out more!
Time Stamps
00:42 - Thunder Game Recap
02:57 - Focus on Sports and Business
04:14 - Importance of Specific Goals
05:44 - Addressing Systemic Problems
16:58 - Capacity and Focus
23:14 - Episode Takeaway
28:38 - Final Thoughts on Focus
Snippets from the Episode
”Focus is a really hard thing to capture in business every single day. -Khalil
“It's the little things that matter most. The reason they matter the most is that they are the things you can actually do.” -Martin
“I think what the focus should be is what's the biggest constraint, what constraint is choking us the most?” -Khalil
The thing about focus is that it implies that it's the one thing you're working on, but it doesn't absolve you from doing everything else. You still have to do everything else, but you're not involved in making change, as you are on the thing you're focusing on. -Martin
Resources
24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
247 - Access to Cash: What Are Your Options? with Luke Boyenger
Episode 247
Thursday, March 13, 2025 • Duration 55:38
Luke Boyenger, Expert Fractional CFO, joins Martin & Khalil to discuss cash efficiency, the smart use of lines of credit, SBA loans, building strong banking relationships, and more!
Time Stamps
01:54 - Episode & Guest Intro
02:08 - Exploring AI in Financial Analysis
05:53 - Cash Series Recap
07:11 - Building and Managing Bank Relationships
14:33 - Understanding Line of Credit
20:29 - Navigating SBA Loans
25:18 - Treasury Management
28:30 - HELOC Loan
31:25 - Identifying Red Flags in Your Business Model
32:50 - Maximizing Cash Efficiency
36:19 - Common Cash Leaks and How to Fix Them
38:50 - Maintaining Healthy Cash Reserves
50:35 - Episode Outro
Snippets from the Episode
There's just this misconception in the business world that it's not possible to feel comfortable - bull crap. That is not the way business is supposed to work.
If you're going to go into business, don't put your personal financial health at risk. Have the intellectual honesty to admit to yourself that if a bank or even a third party lender will not give you SBA funding for your business, that's kind of a red flag that maybe this isn't the business you should even be pursuing in the first place.
You do not have to fly blind. You do not have to trust your gut. You can run a data-driven business.
Resources
24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
157 - 9 Essentials to an Organized Business (Part 3)
Thursday, April 27, 2023 • Duration 01:00:07
The business world is full of unexpected storms. But with enough preparation, you can be ready to deal with any type of weather that threatens your business. Getting organized is key!
In Part 3 of the "9 Essentials to an Organized Business" series, Martin and Khalil discuss job descriptions, how-tos, and KPIs!
Time Stamps
00:37 - Tornadoes & Hail Storms in OKC
06:42 - Episode Intro
08:11 - The Meat of Job Descriptions
16:45 - Effectively Communicate Job Expectations
22:51 - Autonomy, Mastery & Purpose
24:59 - The Value of How-Tos
30:48 - Having a Checklist
33:59 - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
40:52 - What's a Salary Cap?
43:00 - Meaningful KPIs
53:25 - Less is More with KPIs
57:03 - Recap & Takeaways
Quotable Moments
“The meat of the job description is the functions that you just wrote under that position on your org chart. - Martin Holland
“As you write your job description, try to include your values and intertwine them into the language of how everything's listed” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“You really have to make some time, before you decide to hire for a position, about what this role really is gonna do. But you also have to use it as an opportunity to vet people, not just on skills, but on values.” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“You can fire a guy for being drunk on the job at five o'clock, and he can be at work at eight the next morning for somebody else if his hangover allows it. “ - Martin Holland
“They [employees] need to do what you need to be done, but you have to pay attention to what employees want.“ - Martin Holland
“If everything is urgent, then there's really low organization because you're not able to be prepared and plan ahead, and all that stuff.” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“If a picture's worth a thousand words, a video's worth what? A hundred million, right? - Martin Holland
“Where you are and what's important to you, in large part, determines what your KPI needs.” - Martin Holland
156 - 9 Essentials to an Organized Business (Part 2)
Thursday, March 30, 2023 • Duration 49:07
Productivity is a must for businesses at all levels. It is easier to achieve success and growth when your company is well-organized. In Part 2 of the "9 Essentials to an Organized Business" series, Martin and Khalil discuss goal setting, organizational charts, and the importance of systems!
Time Stamps
00:33 - Liquid Death
02:56 - Can Texas Be Its Own Country?
05:52 - Episode Intro
06:42 - Why Vision Comes Before Goals
13:18 - What Are Goals?
24:36 - Goal Writing Process
25:23 - Org Chart - Why Does It Matter?
35:52 - TouchStone Business Systems
39:21 - Importance of Systems
42:34 - Writing Systems
43:53 - Tools that Can Help You Get Organized
46:28 - Episode Recap & Takeaways
Quotable Moments
"I think so many times you can be chasing a goal just because you think that it matters. But how many times do you run into people that have a sales goal but no profit goal?" - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“People who work for you need to understand what their role is and what their goals are, and they need to know, did we do it or did we not? So, we need goals all around, and getting an organized company, bringing it back to the big picture. “ - Martin Holland
If you don't define what a productive day is, and you don't define what you're gonna do each day, then you're trying to shoot at a moving target and it's really difficult.” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“If you don't have goals, you might have a great vision, you might have a great mission, you might even have a good culture, but if you don't have goals, you don't have that first step.” - Martin Holland
“An org chart is absolutely essential. It's a map. An org chart is a picture of the way you want your company to look when you're finished with it.”
“80% of what you can do can be done consistently, can be done the same way. If you find an improvement, you can change the process and it spreads throughout your organization.” - Martin Holland
155 - 9 Essentials to an Organized Business (Part 1)
Thursday, March 23, 2023 • Duration 50:23
What does it take to build a successful company that people will rave about? Join Martin and Khalil as they discuss the 9 essentials to an organized business that will make all the difference in terms of increasing efficiency, improving communication, and streamlining operations.
Time Stamps
00:36 - Diane's New Speech Language Pathology Clinic
08:16 - Episode Intro
09:00 - What is Your Vision?
16:36 - What Makes a Good Vision?
25:52 - The Difference Between Your Vision & Mission
29:25 - Defining & Refining Your Mission
32:31 - Identifying Your Culture
39:10 - Having Actionable Values
47:18 - Episode Summary
Quotable Moments
“Having a vision for what you want your company to become is essential because it guides everything you do.” - Martin Holland
“If you've gotta go to your website to find your vision, it is not a vision. It has to be something you really care about.” - Martin Holland
"I encourage people to think about the vision, not to think in terms of what sounds good on my website, but to think in terms of what do I really want?" - Martin Holland
"A vision is something that describes your business when it's complete; what it's going to achieve. But for the mission, it's actually how you achieve the vision of your business." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"I think if you're really gonna take a hard look at your values, you've gotta look at how you spend your time, your energy, where you pay attention to, what you pay attention to, and how you truly act on a day-to-day basis." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"I also think that culture should also, and in some ways, define or at least impact your mission, because how you do something really does matter, and the culture that you create is something that will impact how something is done." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
Starting your own business is exciting, but you'll soon learn how critical it is to grow. Most business owners look to advertising and promotion to achieve this. But what if there's another way? What if your business could instead grow through acquisition? Tune in to find out if this is a viable option for you!
Time Stamps
00:37 - A Pig in a Poke
02:06 - Episode Intro
02:57 - The Value of a Business
09:10 - Why Consider Growth by Acquisition
13:01 - How to Approach Growth by Acquisition
17:59 - Financing for Business Sales
24:20 - Understanding Multiple Arbitrage
28:23 - Other Benefits You Can Get Through Acquisition
31:11 - Being Intentional with Your Business Exit
37:32 - Episode Takeaways
Quotable Moments
"If the value of your company is profits times a multiple and you double your profit, you will double the value. If the profits remain the same, but you double somehow the multiple, you will double the value of your business. If you do both, double your profit and double the multiple, your business will be worth four times as much.” - Martin Holland
“People right now are a little bit hard to find. It's not impossible, but it's hard.” - Martin Holland
“It is way faster to acquire a business, and the customers, and the employees, and the talent, and the systems, and the machine than it is to go and start from scratch and start that new location. And so being able to do that is a huge advantage.” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“Everyone has an exit in their company at some point, whether it's intentional or unintentional; you pass away, hand it off to your children, or you have to sell. Whatever happens, there's going to be an exit at some point, so why not be intentional about it?“ - Khalil Benalioulhaj
“You need to know what it’s [your business] worth to you, and that's where your offer is. That's your maximum offer.” - Martin Holland
Resources
153 - Stay One Step Ahead with Jon Matzner
Friday, March 3, 2023 • Duration 01:09:35
Businesses are constantly playing catch-up, but there is one that is always, inevitably, out in front: the business of being different. Listen in as Khalil talks with Jon Matzner about utilizing new tools and technology, capitalizing on specific niches, leveraging overseas talent, and staying one step ahead of the game.
Time Stamps
00:43 - ChatGPT as Magnifier of Human Output
03:52 - Jon Matzner's Entrepreneurship Journey
05:21 - Dubai's Business Culture
11:01 - From Foreign Service to Home Improvement Business
12:43 - Half Old Job, Half What You Want to Be Doing
19:18 - Riches in the Niches
21:39 - Business in a Box
31:14 - Utilizing Twitter to Share Expertise & Grow Network
38:53 - Why Hire Overseas Talent?
49:32 - How Do I Hire Overseas? Where Do I Start?
54:51 - Training & Managing Global Talent
57:59 - Local vs. Overseas Workforce
01:04:49 - Why Jon Tweets Quotes to His Son
01:08:39 - Making the Choice to Get Getter
Quotable Moments
"I really think it's [ChatGPT] a magnifier of human outputs and productivity, not a replacement" - Jon Matzner
"Vegas is a city of sin. Dubai is a city of trade." - Jon Matzner
"I always like this idea to basically use where you currently are as like half old job and half what you want to be doing. So don't try to go from like construction to owning taxis. Find a way to do construction for taxi stands." - Jon Matzner
"I could beat Dominoes if all I focused on was one neighborhood, but I could never build a business in one neighborhood." - Jon Matzner
"The best way to make a lot of money is to help other people make a lot of money." - Jon Matzner
"A lot of people say they're capitalist, but if you look at their books, they might be running a non-profit." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"Just being really enthusiastic and passionate about what you do is contagious and magnetic." - Jon Matzner
"Put your expertise into the world, and you'll be surprised." - Jon Matzner
152 - Receivables Insurance with Scott Stone
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 • Duration 01:09:08
Are receivables risks preventing your company's growth? You should probably get accounts receivable insurance. Listen in as Martin and Khalil welcome Risk Management consultant Scott Stone to discuss the process and benefits of obtaining Accounts Receivable Insurance.
Time Stamps
00:37 - Episode Intro
02:46 - How Scott Stone Got Into the Insurance Business
05:09 - Insuring Your Accounts Receivables
06:32 - Extending Credit From B2B Transactions
08:16 - How Much Does Receivables Insurance Cost
10:34 - Receivables Insurance Coverage
15:30 - Credit Risk Underwriting Process
21:35 - Types of Coverages for Smaller Jobs
23:34 - 4 Different Qualifiers
27:07 - Advantages of Getting Insured
32:20 - How Do Banks Treat Uninsured AR vs. Insured AR?
36:59 - Examples of How Receivables Insurance Benefited Businesses
48:40 - Claim Settlement
50:09 - Receivables Insurance as a Credit Enhancement
55:00 - Post-pandemic Economic Challenges
1:02:45 - B2C Risk Mitigation Options
1:06:46 - Episode Takeaways
1:07:27 - How to Reach Scott Stone
Quotable Moments
"If you're a company that is extending credit, whether it's for goods, tangible items, or for services you provide, you could potentially be a client and have credit insurance.” - Scott Stone
“Our policies are extremely customizable. It's not one size fits all.” - Scott Stone
“Slow pays are always slow pays until they become a no pay. And when they become a no pay is when you turn it over to us.” - Scott Stone
“A lot of people are excited about the sales opportunity, but they fail to think, what’s these people's ability to pay me?” - Scott Stone
“Insurance is something that you need to buy when you don't need it. Because when you need it, you can't buy it.” - Scott Stone
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151 - Pools, Partnerships, and Processes with Scott Bakkala
Thursday, February 16, 2023 • Duration 45:19
Running your own business is not easy. And it gets even more complicated when you throw in partnership issues and unprecedented pandemic challenges! Martin and Khalil invite Scott Bakkala of Vista Pools to discuss the lessons he learned about business partnerships, dealing with a sudden increase in competition, and developing sound processes along the way.
Time Stamps
00:40 - Oklahoma's Erratic Weather
01:14 - Intro to Scott Bakkala
02:22 - Pool Business & Lessons in Partnership
09:37 - Why It's Important to Have Defined Roles
11:28 - What Scott Learned From His Previous Partnership
14:39 - The Impact of COVID-19 on the Pool Industry
18:07 - The Pandemic Pool Phenomenon
21:27 - Mistakes, Concessions, and Processes
25:28 - Under Commit, Over Deliver
27:24 - The Contractor Death Spiral
30:20 - How to Get Out of the Contractor Death Spiral
32:33 - How Covid Affected the Workforce as a Whole
36:50 - Pool Industry Supply Chain Issues & Price Increase
41:47 - What's Instore for Vista Pools in 2023
43:48 - Advice for New Pool Business Owners
Quotable Moments
"I think partnerships, they're born, they're incubated in this space of sort of wonderment. It’s a skewed perception of reality, though I think not everyone can share the same dream. I think it takes some very unique relationships to be on exactly the same page, which is what's necessary for a successful partnership.” - Scott Bakkala
“A handshake isn't good enough. It's maybe good enough for today, but reality changes. It just, always.” - Martin Holland
“Not everyone is going to share your vision, your goals, your dream, that they're simply just not going to believe in you, and that is okay. Not everyone is going to believe in what you do. Find people that do.” -Scott Bakkala
“Just because someone's a good person doesn't mean that they're a good partner, and not even a good business person.” -Khalil Benalioulhaj
“I think there's value in staying in your wheelhouse.” - Scott Bakkala
“Customer deposit is for work that has not started. That's not money you've earned, and that is a very deceiving figure to have mixed in with your general ledger. - Scott Bakkala
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“It takes 20 minutes to recover back to where you were in a difficult task after an interruption.” - Martin Holland
“Even in your business, there are tornadoes, there are events that make it hard to do things, and an organized business will be better at withstanding them.” - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"I consider the people that follow me in my newsletter to be a bigger asset than a huge pile of money in the bank." - Jon Matzner
"Your network is your net worth." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"It takes more time before it takes less time. But then once you've figured it out, your business and your life will be changed forever." - Jon Matzner
"Just like the way that global manufacturing revolutionized commerce and brought prices down and all that stuff, it's gonna be the same thing with knowledge work, white collar work, global white-collar work." - Jon Matzner
"You're not just doing business for business' sake. There's gotta be a greater purpose behind it. And what better purpose than to invest in your family and your children." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"Anybody who has a mustache, and is able to convince their wife that they can keep it, is a good salesperson." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
"The way that your business operates every day is a choice. And if you don't like the way that it operates, make the choice to get better." - Jon Matzner
“When people are starting down this pool purchase process, they don't need to be sold to. They need to be to be educated. That's what they want. They want information. They don't need the sales. - Scott Bakkala
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