Articles
Insights for Business Owners
Deep dives on the topics we cover in our conversations. Lessons, frameworks, and honest takes on running a business.
Post Less, Plan More: The Case for Batch Content Creation
Daily posting doesn't require daily work. The owners who stay consistent on social media aren't doing it in real time. They're batching.
Stop Selling AI—Start Selling Outcomes
Nobody wants an 'AI receptionist.' They want no missed opportunities and more time back. Sell the solution, not the technology.
Time to Production Is the Only Metric That Matters Now
From idea to working product in days, not months. Companies that can't iterate at this speed will lose to those who can.
Why Big Software Companies Can't Keep Up
Legacy systems weren't built for AI. The companies that try to bolt it on are fighting their own architecture—and losing to startups that build AI-native.
Missed Calls Are Missed Revenue—And You're Missing More Than You Think
When a pipe bursts at 2 AM, customers don't leave voicemails. They call the next company. Here's the math on what unanswered calls actually cost.
The Hidden Cost of Talking People Into Things
You can convince almost anyone to buy. But the customers you have to convince become the customers you have to keep convincing—or lose.
Know Who Your Customer Isn't
Most businesses obsess over their ideal customer. The real competitive advantage is knowing who to walk away from—even when they're ready to buy.
They Don't Want to Talk to You—They Want Their Pipe Fixed
Stop romanticizing 'the human touch.' Customers don't call because they want conversation. They call because they have a problem that needs solving—fast.
Automate Your Review Requests at Job Completion
The window for getting a review is about 24 hours. After that, response rates drop by half. You can't ask fast enough manually—but a system can.
Simplicity Beats Complexity: Your Spreadsheet Might Be Fine
Before you pay for another software subscription, ask yourself: is the spreadsheet actually the problem? Or is it the process?
The 30-Minute Daily Time Suck You Can Automate
You're probably spending half an hour every day on tasks a computer could do for you. Appointment confirmations, follow-up texts, review requests—all of it can run automatically.
S-Corp Tax Advantages Every LLC Owner Should Know
If you're making decent money as an LLC and you haven't looked at S-Corp election, you might be overpaying the IRS by thousands every year.
Who Has Access to Your QuickBooks?
When's the last time you checked who can see your financials, issue payments, and access your banking information?
Separate Your Revenue Streams Before Tax Season
You might think you know which services make you money. But if HVAC and plumbing are all mixed together in your books, you're guessing.
Turn Your Crew Into a Content Machine
Your technicians are already at job sites every day. They're standing next to the content you need. They just have to press record.
Why Consistent Posting Matters Even With 100 Followers
You're not posting to build an audience. You're posting so that when someone searches your name, you actually exist.
Don't Drop the Ball: A Reflection on Time Management as a Business Leader
My approach to keeping the important stuff from breaking.
Free Marketing Channels to Max Out Before Paying for Ads
There's a lot of free stuff you can do that you probably haven't done yet. Max those out before you start writing checks.
Before You Pay for Ads, Can You Prove They Work?
The tracking infrastructure needs to exist before the first dollar goes out. Not after. Not 'when we have time.' Before.
It's Cheaper to Keep a Customer Than Find a New One (And How to Actually Do It)
Everyone knows this is true. But knowing it and actually building your business around it are two different things.
Stop Spending Money on Marketing You Can't Track
If you can't trace a lead back to the ad that generated it, you're not marketing. You're gambling.
One Chat to Rule Them All: Centralizing Your Business Operations
The average small business uses 89 different apps. Every login, every tab, every context switch is costing you time you'll never get back.
Why Your CRM Pipeline Is Useless If You're Not Using It
You paid for the software. You set up the stages. But if leads aren't moving through your pipeline, you're just paying for expensive digital clutter.
What Happens When It's -3 Degrees and Everyone's Furnace Breaks
When the temperature drops, everyone's HVAC system gets pushed to its limits. The marginal equipment fails. The calls flood in. How do you prepare for spikes you can't fully predict?
How to Take Over a Business That's Been Around 30 Years
Taking over a family business is different from starting one. The systems exist. The culture exists. Your job is to modernize without destroying what works.
Maintenance Contracts: The Annuity for Your Business
Geoff Farinha calls maintenance contracts 'the annuity for the business.' Then he said something that surprised me: 'We do it in a way where we're not looking to necessarily make money.'
Why Your Best Technicians Can Go Anywhere (And How to Make Them Stay)
Your best people have options. They can walk across the street tomorrow and get hired. The only thing keeping them with you is whether they want to stay.
The $80,000 Software That Paid for Itself
USI HVAC went from $2,500/year software to $80,000/year. That's not a typo. And it was worth every penny.
Why Small Businesses Can't Afford to Wait on AI
Big companies can afford to be late to AI. They have the capital to survive their own inefficiency. Small businesses don't have that luxury.
Find a Partner Who Can't Do What You Do
When I asked Ben Wespi for his number one tip for anyone thinking about starting or buying a business, he didn't talk about financing. He talked about partnership.
Small Businesses Aren't Afraid of AI – They're Flying Blind With It
Why tradesmen and owner-operators are already using ChatGPT for money decisions, and what has to change before it bites them.
Why Your Foreman Won't Use the iPad (And What to Do About It)
There are dozens of project management platforms built for construction. They promise real-time visibility. There's just one problem: your foreman won't use them.
I Built a SaaS Platform Without Knowing How to Code
I spent 18 years in military intelligence. I got an MBA. I never learned to code. In 2025, I built a full SaaS platform from scratch using AI.
The Contractor's Chicken-and-Egg Problem: Crew Size vs. Work Pipeline
Do I have enough work to keep my crew busy? Do I have enough crew to handle the work that's coming? It's a chicken-and-egg problem with real financial consequences.
Commander's Intent: The Military Doctrine That Makes AI Actually Work
Most people use AI like a vending machine. Specific input, specific output. There's a better model—one I learned over 18 years in the Marine Corps.
How to Buy a Business in an Industry You Know Nothing About
Ben Wespi had no background in construction. No experience in mechanical insulation. He bought a mechanical insulation company anyway. Here's what he learned.
The Window That's Closing: Why AI Costs Will Go Up, Not Down
The largest technology companies on Earth are spending money at a rate that makes no economic sense. They're subsidizing AI heavily—and that window won't stay open forever.
The Birthday Card That Saved Me $4/Hour Per Employee
A $25 gift card costs $25. The return on that investment is workers who stay, who care, and who don't demand above-market wages just to tolerate their job.
Why Veterans Make Great Business Owners (And Don't Know It)
Most veterans getting out don't feel like they have 'tangible skills.' They're wrong. Leadership and creative problem-solving are the two things that matter most in business.
Why We Started The Owner's Playbook
There's no shortage of business podcasts, but there's a shortage of honest ones. Here's why we're doing this differently.
Stop Trying to Use AI—Start Building With It
The conversation about AI is dominated by productivity. Write faster, research quicker. That's the appetizer. The real opportunity isn't productivity—it's capability.
The Chatbot Is the Free Sample—Here's What They're Actually Selling
Every AI company is giving away a chatbot. But chatbots aren't the product. They're the door. Here's what's really being built.
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