The Wealthy Contractor – Details, episodes & analysis

EPISODE 232: 2024 was a tough market for the home improvement industry. Economic uncertainties and rising costs threw a wrench in many contractors' plans, but not for my guest today, Kirk Koskiniemi.

Kirk took his roofing business from $10.4M to $16.7M over the past year AND raised profits at the same time. He and his team achieved this with a single mantra: "Do fewer things better".

In this episode, Kirk lays out the areas they worked on to achieve this amazing feat during a year other home improvement companies were stumbling.

We talk about how he optimized his sales funnel’s various conversion points, increasing average ticket size to drive down marketing costs (even on small repair jobs), what a typical week looks like for his sales reps, and the magic behind “handing out leads like they are diamonds”.

You’ll also find out why their average NSLI (Net Sales Per Lead Issued) went from $5,600 to $10,500 in December when they were low on leads—and why they are thinking of switching sales goals from overall revenue to the highest NSLI.

We finally chatted about how our Accelerate LIVE! event played a major role in his growth with its big learning and networking opportunities.

Hit play now to hear how Kirk simplified his way to success and how you can too.

Key Takeaways: 

Introduction (00:00)

Kirk’s 2024 business performance (00:20)

Challenges and benefits of remote management (14:52)

Business growth and sales team focus (15:10)

Sales funnel optimization and marketing strategies (15:52)

Sales rep performance and training (21:12)

Rehash and lead management (30:39)

Accelerate LIVE! event and networking (34:42) 

Additional Resources:

⚡ Save your seats for Accelerate LIVE! 2025: https://www.AccelerateEvent.com/ 

⚡ Learn more about The Wealthy Contractor Success Society: https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/SuccessSociety

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/

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The Wealthy Contractor is a podcast for home improvement professionals who want to grow their business, work less, and make more money. Follow us for more!

EPISODE 231: You want your home improvement business to run like a well-oiled machine? Then you’ll want to take a page out of the book of none other than corporate America.

Although there’s no venture out there like running a home improvement business, there are SOME lessons we can learn from larger corporations. From precise money management tactics to the best tips to become a better leader, big companies bring a wealth of proven strategies you can use to grow your business.

I discuss all of this in more detail with my guest in this week’s episode of The Wealthy Contractor podcast, Lee Diamond.

Lee is a former Fortune 200 executive that has had the MOST unique entrepreneurial journey. After a successful corporate career, Lee partnered with his son to acquire a home improvement business in Denver, Colorado. 

Together, they’re blending corporate sophistication with the flexibility and grit of small business ownership to create the company of their dreams.

In this episode, Lee and I will be discussing how he modernized his company, everything you need to learn about change management, the importance of building a team culture that will prevent great employees from being hired away from you, and so much more.

Are you ready to transform your business?

Then tune in now and discover Lee’s blueprint for success!

Key Takeaways: 

Introduction (00:00)

Lee’s journey from corporate exec to entrepreneur (01:23)

Blending corporate skills with entrepreneurial grit (11:40)

Profitability and scaling (21:09)

How to develop leadership within your team (39:46)

Secrets to empower your employees (45:34)

Self-development is key to business success (48:45)

Additional Resources:

⚡ Save your seats for Accelerate LIVE! 2025: https://www.AccelerateEvent.com/ 

⚡ Learn more about The Profit Masters: https://www.TheProfitMasters.com/ 

⚡ Learn more about The Wealthy Contractor Success Society: https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/SuccessSociety

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/

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The Wealthy Contractor is a podcast for home improvement professionals who want to grow their business, work less, and make more money. Follow us for more!

EPISODE 222: Many contractors find themselves taking on too much work because they don’t want to give up control. They’d rather work long hours in the business than hire the people to do it. 

But this isn’t the way to run a successful company, no matter how talented you might be.

If you’re incredible at what you do, but find that your ego and need for control are holding you back from delegating and hiring the people you need to do the work, then you definitely want to give this week’s episode of The Wealthy Contractor podcast a listen. 

In it, I sit down with my friend Charles Surber from Surber’s Windows & Doors, a family-owned home remodeling business with a 44-year history. 

Since joining in 1994, Charles was able to successfully scale the business while also increasing his profit margins; but he wasn’t able to do so until he let go of certain responsibilities, hired and trained a great sales team, implemented a structured selling system, and found ways to remove the fear from making certain decisions

Make sure to listen in as Charles and I discuss his company’s phenomenal success, why he adopted the Profit First method, and the importance of letting go of control (even when you really can do it best).

He and I will also be talking about how he’s hacked customer loyalty, why the company is focusing on community engagement as much as profit, the importance of face-to-face marketing, his incredible open house strategy, and more.

Are you ready?

Let’s dive in. 

Key Takeaways: 

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Charles (01:24)

How the need for control is holding you back (09:25)

Stop chasing revenue! (16:05)

Why financial discipline matters (19:42)

How high profitability allows you to make mistakes (23:55)

Why you should be engineering your success (36:57)

The importance of community engagement (41:57)

Why you need customer appreciation events (45:06)

Additional Resources:

⚡ Save your seats for Accelerate LIVE! 2025: https://www.AccelerateEvent.com/ 

⚡ Learn more about The Wealthy Contractor Success Society: https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/SuccessSociety

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/

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The Wealthy Contractor is a podcast for home improvement professionals who want to grow their business, work less, and make more money. Follow us for more!

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Nowadays, many home improvement and home service companies are focused on understanding what characteristics they should be looking for when they are on the hunt for new talent. 

But do you ever ask yourself, “What does a potential employee search for in an employer?”

Today on The Wealthy Contractor Podcast, you’re going to hear from Michelle Boykin of Rackley Roofing, the largest roofer in Tennessee. Michelle - who is also on the Executive Committee for the National Women in Roofing - is going to share with you some tips on how to change your company’s culture and pour into your employees so that even more people will be interested in working for your company - no matter your company’s size.

Listen closely as Michelle shares some insight on how you could create more structure in your company by setting clear expectations from what you expect for your employees, and how this could have positive effects on the productivity and growth of your business.

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

These days, most home improvement or home services business owners are focused on hiring, hiring, hiring. There's so much work, and yet so few people to get it done. 

But something you need to ask yourself is, “What am I doing to keep the great people I already have?”

That’s what we’re exploring today on the podcast with Justin Bartley, owner of Next Door & Window. Located in the greater Chicago area, Justin’s company has more than 10 crews and 16 salespeople, so he knows a few things about growth and relationships. 

Drawing from EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), Justin shares a quarterly practice that will get you in alignment with your team, but then he also details ways to take this exercise to another level.

Listen closely as Justin shares how one conversation can mean keeping the resources you need to continue growing your company.

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Every successful entrepreneur needs that right-hand man (or woman) who’s going to make your vision a reality - and hold YOU accountable along the way.

If you apply EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) to your business, that is the perfect way to describe a relationship between a Visionary and an Integrator.

Today, you’re going to hear from an incredible Integrator, Brad Bettner with Herbert Roofing. Brad’s job day-in and day-out is to make the vision of the owner, Jason Herbert, a reality. 

Listen closely as Brad shares how you can accomplish so much more for your business - and yourself - if you remove yourself as the bottleneck in the company and let your team implement your vision for you.

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Many home improvement and home service entrepreneurs have struggled with the idea of wanting to always be right while also trying to be more profitable, but here's what you should know... in order to be a successful business owner, you definitely have to choose between the two, and come to terms with the idea that always being right isn’t necessarily what’s right for your business. 

In this episode of The Wealthy Contractor Podcast, you’ll find out some strategies that you could use in order to successfully navigate the day to day tasks that are present in your business. 

Listen closely to find out how you could prioritize being profitable over always being right, and how you could get unstuck from whatever is holding you back in your business. You don’t want to miss it!

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Finding the right people to put into the right seats is a key factor for running a successful business, but as a business owner - are you aware of the difference between a type A, B, or C employee?

Today on The Wealthy Contractor Podcast, you are going to hear from one of our past guests and owner of The Eppley Group, Ed Eppley, as he shares some insight on the type of employees that you should be looking for to join your business.

Listen closely as Ed shares how you could figure out what type of talent would work best for your business, and how you could easily search for them. You don’t want to miss it!

For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Today on the podcast you’ll hear from a successful Shark Tank contestant and the owner of FlexScreen, Joe Altieri, as he describes his experience with being on TV, how it helped him save his business, and what he did in order to make a lasting impression with investors. And just so you know when it comes down to making that first impression, bigger is always better.

Listen closely as Joe shares how his bold and courageous marketing techniques allowed him to accomplish a deal with one of the Sharks, and successfully move his business in the right direction. You'll definitely want to listen to this episode, because Joe will be giving you some tips on how you could stand out from your competition and make potential stakeholders want to invest in your business. You don’t want to miss it!

 For more FREE Wealthy Contractor resources, go to www.TheWealthyContractor.com

Being a wealthy contractor means that you are fully committed to your business, but what does it mean for you, when you are married to your business partner? Well this episode of The Wealthy Contractor Podcasts takes the meaning of being married to your business to the next level!

Today is going to be a special one! Co-owner of gFour Marketing Group, Adi Kaskavalciyan will be guest hosting, and you’ll hear from the owners of O’LYN Roofing, Michael and Linda Olen as they explain what it takes to communicate and set boundaries in order to successfully run your home improvement or home service business.

Whether you're married to your business partner or not, you might want to take some notes and listen closely because the Olens are going to be sharing some excellent tips on how to work with your partner and what boundaries to put into place in order to do it successfully! You don’t want to miss it!