The Fab Lab

This may sound too good to be true or counterintuitive.  Or it might sound crazy…to choose not to quote someone’s project.  But the fact is, opting not to quote work that you’re not likely to get is good business.  And developing a class act sales presentation will serve your business well for years! In this episode, I discuss how to develop a qualifying script and the fundamentals of a world-clas...

Would you like to put more jobs on the calendar without having to generate more leads and produce more quotes?   You can, if you follow the following 3 techniques explained in this great episode of the Fab Lab Podcast!   Send quotes the next business day (from presentation or drawings) Follow up on sent quotes, the next business day Ask for the sale (give the customer the chance to say yes)   10’s...

Want to grow your profits without growing your headaches?  Want to grow your profits without growing your business? The fact is you can and its easier than you think! In this episode we cover the following: Price Increase – minor increase = massive impact High Margin Upgrades – grow the size of the jobs you’ve already sold Cost Cutting – reduce OT and grow your profits Enjoy To get an excel spread...

Have you raised your prices?  Are you raising your prices?  Does the topic of raising your price cause you to sweat and worry about what your customers might say? Well, no matter how you answer those questions, there has never been a better time or a better reason to raise your prices…and it's not just because costs keep going up. Your work is worth it!  The customer values what you do for them an...

Ready to grow beyond the “redlined existence”?  Would you like a more relaxed pace as you lead and manage your stone shop?  The way you get there is to first operate the engine at the Power Band instead of the Redline, and then to shift through the following 3 gears: Delegator Discipler Dreamer As you grow your skill in these areas, your business can grow with less reliance on you, freeing you up...

Are you a doer, director, or dictator?  In this episode, we assess each stage (or gear) and how the redline effect happens at each stage.  We also discuss how to escape the redline experience so you can get your life and your profits back!   Click here for my free Stone Shop Assessment Tool.   Want to explore coaching with me in a complimentary no strings attached 90-minute coaching experience?  C...

Your stone shop is an incredible asset.  It is an “engine” that has the potential to provide you with massive wealth creation opportunities!  But it must be maintained and cared for.  Is your stone shop, your wealth creation engine a well-oiled machine?  Or is it red-lined and at the risk of overheating? Either way, this episode begins a short series on how to “shift through the gears” as an owner...

High demand and lack of labor running you ragged as you make up the difference?  Thinking that growing might be the answer to your challenges?  It might be. But what if there is another way to reduce stress and higher profits? Well in this episode, I suggest a highly controversial approach: Shrink your capacity and headcount Shrink the number of tasks you must perform thru delegation Both of these...

Economic forecasts are essential and smart business owners pay attention to them. But those forecasts can be too general and there can be enough lag in when they are made available to render them obsolete. As such, smart stone shop owners must look to data inside their own business to use as leading indicators. In this episode, we discuss leading indicators that don’t serve us well, and the one th...

Interview with the Director of Research and Development, Eric Post of ITR Economics Want to know what's happening and what’s going to happen?  We don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have a great economist from ITR Economics on the show today and he provides some fantastic insight as well as encouraging news for those of us in the stone business. As one of ITR Economics’ senior economists, Eric Po...

There is a huge distinction between a knee-jerk reaction and a conditioned response when it comes to overcoming oversights, mistakes, and remakes. It’s the difference between chronically fixing the same problems over and over and going nuts while you do it, and solving those problems once and for all so you can attend to more important matters. Enjoy and Happy Fabricating!   Interested in coaching...

Chris Hildebrand is a very busy guy, he runs the All Slab Fabbers, reps for 2 different equipment manufactures (Sasso and BBM), and oh by the way, he also owns a very successful stone shop in Aitken, South Carolina.   His story will inspire you if your goal is to build a successful stone business that runs without you being there 24/7.   Enjoy!   Aaron   If you would like to explore how coaching c...

Delegator or Doer… Which owner are you?  Which do you aspire to be? The difference between a “delegator” and a “doer” has massive significance to your business and your quality of life.  We talk about each in the episode of the fab lab podcast! Interested in a 90 minute Complimentary Coaching Experience?  Click here   You can watch Aaron on youtube now. Click here

In this episode, I talk with my old friend Larry Hood who is the editor at the Slippery Rock Gazette.  He takes us back to the beginning, how the SRG was started and how it has evolved and stayed relevant thru downturns and the digital revolution. Enjoy… And happy fabricating! Aaron Crowley Also, be sure to watch this episode and connect with me on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MbEfxf7CJd8

If you’re dealing with oversights, mistakes, and remakes…your current mindset might lead you to Emotions, Conclusions, and Actions that prevent you from overcoming those very mistakes. To truly reduce mistakes and remakes, you must first change your mindset and what you believe about why to issues occur in the first place. We go deep into this subject and I make some strong statements.   Enjoy and...

Do you have costly oversights, mistakes, and remakes in your stone shop?  Of course you do, every stone shop does. The question is how long will you tolerate them… In this episode we set the stage for understanding the cost, then the mindset. Make sure you check out aaroncrowley.com   And you can watch the Fab Lab Podcast on youtube now!

There is an emotional toll and mental strain that is overwhelming at times when selling a business.  In this episode, I describe the 3 most important ways to prepare mentally for “selling out”!   Make sure you visit the Fab Lab Youtube channel, so you can watch me flail around my office while I record. https://youtu.be/JmOhcsASXEU   And make sure you visit aaroncrowley.com if you’d like to connect...

In this episode you will hear how the buyer for my stone shop materialized and how the process unfolded…from the day we received the official letter of intent to the day we closed.   You can watch Fab Lab Podcasts on youtube now!   Link: https://youtu.be/E3tyaTnQ09M     Visit aaroncrowley.com and download the first 3 chapters of Less Chaos More Cash for free!

In this episode I share the 3 big reasons I decided to sell my stone shop.   You can watch the video on youtube: Ep: 116 "I sold my stone shop and why" on YouTube   Need help?  Visit aaroncrowley.com

After a very eventful year, the host of Fab Lab, Aaron Crowley, is back behind the mic!  

I am excited to announce that this week we have our first guest host of the Fab Lab podcast, Ed Young. The power of professional relationships and the power of trust is such a blessing and I am excited to have Ed host this episode.  Today's topic is a great one and I know you will enjoy what Ed has to say. Connect with Ed Young by visiting www. FabricatorsCoach.com or email him directly at  Ed@Fab...

If you’d like to reduce the chaos and move towards a calmer and more profitable shop environment, you will love this conversation between me and Ed Young.   He also has made his 6 video course available for a limited time to the Fab Lab audience, thank you, Ed! Click here to access Ed Young's course: https://courses.wereducechaos.com/offers/Td7nzumz If you would like to reach out to Ed, visit his...

Ready to geek out on stone shop talk?  Me too!  In this episode, I get to interview Ed Young, a long time stone fabrication professional.   Ed has helped, coached, and counseled many stone shop owners and helped them achieve maximum efficiency in their business and get their lives back.   Enjoy!   If you would like to reach out to Ed, visit his site: Fabricatorscoach.com or email him at Ed@fabrica...

How to Help Your Employees! Ever thought that giving your employees work to do actually helps them realize their full potential? It's true!  In this episode, I review how delegation helps your employees in 3 distinct ways and that in the end helps you and your company! Enjoy! Aaron Download the first 3 chapters of my book "Less Chaos More Cash" at www. AaronCrowley.com

Defining YOUR Success What is success?  Are you experiencing it?  Or is it vague and elusive and frustratingly just out of reach? In this episode we delve into the topic to better understand 1) why so many business don’t have a clear definition of success for themselves 2) the amazing power that comes from creating a clear definition of success for our businesses and selves 3) some tips on how to...