Rocket Your Business for Trade Contractors

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we are joined by Torlando "The Economist" Hakes and we discuss a point system that he developed to help contractors estimate accurately and quickly without waste. Torlando makes the case that too often contractors are charging by labor hours which signal to the customer the value of the project is in the time and work of painters instead of in the...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Nick Slavik of Ask A Painter and Nick Slavik Painting and Restoration joins us to talk about new revelations about estimating and job costing that can help launch contractors into next-level growth. Owners and estimators are in need of quick and easy estimating that makes for a super-simple process for both customer and contractor that correctly assesses w...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we are joined by Tom Droste, founder and CEO of Estimate Rocket software, to discuss the benefits of to-do tasks and checklists for employees. Supervisors and employees have too much to keep in their heads at any given time, and the problem of retention is only amplified by complexity. Once details start slipping, projects run over in time or expenses, or s...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we are joined by Splash of The Blue Collar Tribe podcast to continue our series of talks about the type of leadership that is both empathetic AND effective for managing in the trades. The tightrope between "bud" and "boss" can often be difficult to walk, especially in light of popular leadership gurus that sometimes confuse niceness with...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, we are joined by Lacie and Austin Ilsley from Ai Painting Plus to talk about Team Training and Individual Improvement Plans that actually work. Lacie and Austin pride themselves in aligning their company goals to account for and include the individual goals of their employees--this is the only way to keep everyone moving in the same direction. We talk abou...

In this second part of a two part episode series on Estimate Rocket Radio, we are joined by Tom Reber of The Contractor Fight to talk about the type of team communication that gets results. Tom says that the Mission of your company doesn't care how you feel, but managers do! If managers are to speak in a way that drives results, they need to show employees what's "in it for them&quo...

In this first part of a two part episode series on Estimate Rocket Radio, we are joined by Tom Reber of The Contractor Fight to talk about the type of team communication that gets results. Tom believes that everyone walks around with an invisible sign that reads, "Make me feel important." If managers are to speak in a way that drives results, they need to show employees what's &quot...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket we are joined by Jeff Wraley of Groundwork to talk about a major pain-point of contractors that we don't talk enough about: pre-qualifying leads. Tire-kickers are the bane of every sales process, and reducing wasted time on dead-end leads can drastically increase your bottom line. Jeff talks with us about how a strong pre-qualification process can not only h...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio Jason Phillips of Phillips Home Improvements joins us to talk about Contractor Prison: how do contractors get in it, and how do contractors get out? Jason discusses the type of leadership development and team training that allows companies to create teams with systems that allow "average people to achieve extraordinary results." Jason is a trusted...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Ryan Groth and Jamie Schmidt join us from STG—Sales Transformation Group—to talk about how sales teams develop and what they need to communicate effectively. A sales team needs sophisticated people that use sophisticated tools, and this is achieved when training is focused on developing right behaviors before the proper skills and tools. Ryan and Jamie tal...

Join us for our annual recap of what is new and what's coming at Estimate Rocket! Learn about new power-up features, our evolving customer base, and resources available to help your team get better and your profits get bigger! Check out the full Estimate Rocket Evolution webinar on Thursday, January 19, 2 pm ET. Bring your questions and learn what's new that you may have missed! Register...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Doug Yeager of Wonderwall Painting joins us to talk about how he was able to build his team, delegate tasks, and walk away. We also dive into how owners can balance delegation with presence in the company so that training practices and systems increase, while micromanagement decreases. We also discuss logistics that help facilitate the trust that becomes t...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Corwin Smith of Transcend Growth joins us to talk about tools you can use to help hold your team accountable for big accomplishments in 2023. Metrics and KPIs don't have to be scary subjects, and teams can build a healthy sense of collaboration along with a little friendly competition while reaching towards lofty goals. With the right tools in place,...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we are joined by Brandon Lewis of the Academy of Professional Painting Contractors to talk about building the type of business that has the long term potential to sell.  But here's the trick: you can only sell the business you love. When you are building a business that is worthy of a good ticket price at the end, it inevitably becomes the type of busi...

In this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste--CEO of Estimate Rocket--joins us to talk about the fifth and final strategy in our series, Managing Uncertain Times: Forward-Thinking Teams. Relationships form the core of a good business, whether it's relationships to your customers, relationships with your team members, or even your relationship with your family--and no one is more impac...

In this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste--CEO of Estimate Rocket--joins us to talk about the fourth strategy in managing uncertain times: building sustainable business practices. What are sustainable practices, how do you build them, and how do you know when your businesses is veering off-course? We discuss practical tips that help prepare businesses for changes in the economic landsca...

In this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste--CEO of Estimate Rocket--joins us to talk about the third strategy in managing uncertain times: cash flow. Healthy cash flow strategizes for both the present time and the future to make sure there is "blood in the body" in business finance. If the well dries up, business comes to a crashing halt; but with proper cash management techniq...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we sit down with Miljce Donev of First Choice Professional Painting and we talk about how to build a base of repeat customers that can account for up to 75% of a company's total revenue! We discuss how loyal customers are slowly developed by a company's consistent effort to build out the type of trust that is both competent and ethical.  If you wa...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste joins us to talk about a free planning tool for contractors now available called, "What If: Fast Formulas for Profit Forecasting." We discuss why every business leader needs to have certain numbers available for fast-crunching to be able to run brief hypotheticals that impact your bottom line. You should be able to quickly ballpark whe...

In this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste--CEO of Estimate Rocket--joins us to talk about 3-Month Planning Cycles that business leaders and managers need to be executing during times of economic uncertainty. Strategy remains a priority during even periods of drastic change, although continued momentum is also imperative. Business owners must often rethink and reroute even as they travel...

In this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Tom Droste--CEO of Estimate Rocket--joins us to talk about what business leaders and managers need to be thinking about during times of economic uncertainty. We start with the simple idea that although fear might trigger fight-or-flight in some people, good business leaders know how to delay their panic-reflexes, let the fear pass, and begin searching for...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we are joined by Luke Hansen and Mike Knott from Company Cam.  We discuss how service contractors and their teams can document projects from beginning to end with photo, video, and conversation tools that help produce and store reliable job progress reports that inform and protect both company and customer. Studies show that language-centers of our brains a...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio we talk with Mike Stanley and Aaron Moore about the state of Commercial Painting and how commercial contractors are pushing the industry forward. Mike and Aaron discuss barriers to entering into commercial work, opportunities for contractors crossing over from the residential sector, and new growth potential in the current economic landscape. The CPIA Leade...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket we are joined by Ryan Groth of Sales Transformation Group and we talk about how to match your sales process to your business model. Business owners often attack the process itself first, but when business owners begin to understand how their sales philosophy is informed by their company's core values, they can better construct a sales process from beginning...

On this episode of Estimate Rocket Radio, Morgan Knox of Pro Painter Network joins us to talk about the type of effective teaching and training that works in trades companies. Making training stick is a challenge in every business worth solving because well-trained employees streamline processes, increase efficiency, reduce stress, and make more money! We discuss with Morgan the types of practices...