September 2024

My Book

I sent my book to an editor last Monday. Two and a half years is all it took. What an experience. I have started coaching other contractors, helping them create the business they desire. The book is about how to differentiate your home services business from others in your marketplace. Updates to come!

A little humor: Hopefully this doesn’t turn out to be me when I get the editor’s first notes…

Everyone thinks they can write a book these days. Sure, we all have stories to tell, but it’s like watching a cooking show and thinking, ‘Yeah, I could be a chef.’ Then you try it and suddenly you’re burning toast, crying over onions, and wondering how Gordon Ramsay ever makes this look easy!

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What I’m Watching

One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Steve Jobs

I was sent a video and it really hit home. Since watching this video, I have been really consciously trying to live by these principles, so change can lead to growth.

Love what you do. I really am close to having the business I always dreamed of. We’re opening an office in Cedar Rapids! This video reminded me that our time on earth is limited – don’t waste it on trivial matters. Every time I was interrupted over the last week I forced myself not to react like I usually do, and if feels so much better than going crazy. It’s a small example, but I remind myself by having a necklace around my neck with a skull, “Momento Mori”, which translates to “remember you must die”. As the video says, remembering that you’re going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. There’s no reason not to follow your heart.

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A Note to Parents: Continued

In the last blog I talked about my son going off to college and I can report he is doing great and living his best life. As for not rushing him on the golf course, I give myself an overall C+. But on one Sunday there was a four-hole time frame where I did it; which ruined those holes. We’re playing again next week, and I am going to get better.

About getting better, as you know I am an avid listener to The Huberman Lab Podcast. Blake and I briefly discussed his studying, and I opened Spotify the other day and Andrew Huberman did a podcast on studying and learning which I forwarded to Blake. I hope he listens to it because there were some pretty simple things that can make a difference. If you have a child looking to do better in school some of the practices could help. I would say 8+ years old could benefit.

Check out other episodes of the Huberman Lab Podcast, here.

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Doing Things Different

I frequently read Sahil Bloom’s Newsletter, Curiosity Chronicle and a section from his essay on September 18th, The Taxes of Life You Need to Pay, hit home.

Misunderstanding is a tax on innovation.

In 2009, Elon Musk had lunch with the late Charlie Munger. Munger, who was one of the smartest investors in history, delivered a monologue telling the entire table all of the reasons Tesla would fail. Musk listened, accepted the reasons as likely correct, but said that it was still worth trying given the impact if it worked.

This story is a reminder that doing things differently will always be met with misunderstanding. If everyone agrees with you, you’re not truly innovating.

True innovation is generally met with misunderstanding and ridicule. Enduring that non-belief is the price of admission for anyone who wants to alter the status quo. Innovation is about everyone agreeing with you… later.

This hit home because many of my new ideas are ridiculed when I am at contractor summits because they don’t fit the mold of old industry beliefs. But guess what? They work. Our growth was 66% in 2022 and 106% in 2023, landing us on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the United States. Additionally, we have already reached last years total sales the third week of September.

GRATITUDE TO ALL INVOLVED CUSTOMERS, VENDORS, TEAM MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND FAMILY! I hope I can take these experiences and help others get to where I am today.