July 2026 Blog

Today we are in a heat dome in Des Moines and Blake and I are going to play golf with an actual temperature of 98 degrees! So before that, I thought I would stay in the AC and get the blog done and not be late this month!

Listen to Your Gut

In Chapter 21 of my book, I talk about listening to my gut when it’s waving red flags. It’s something I believe in, but I still find myself asking: Why is it so hard to follow my own advice?

I’ve been meeting with customers and prospective customers for more than 23 years. Every once in a while, I’ll get that feeling in the middle of a conversation, that little voice saying, “Something doesn’t feel right.”

If one of my coaching clients asked for advice, my answer would be simple: Listen to your gut.

So why, when it’s me, do I sometimes treat it like a challenge instead?

Early in my career, I understood why. I needed every job I could get. But today, that’s no longer the case. We don’t need every project, and when I ignore my instincts, I’m doing a disservice not just to myself, but to my entire team.

Learning to say no is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. Sometimes, saying no is the best decision you can make.

Recently, I ignored my gut and accepted a project that I knew wasn’t the right fit. The stress that followed gave me plenty of time to reflect. At first, I was focused on how the mistake affected me. Then I had a realization:

“Hey, idiot. Have you stopped to think about how this affects your team?”

The truth is, not as much as I should have in the past.

This time has been different. I’ve been beating myself up over it because the situation was completely preventable. Every ounce of unnecessary stress, every difficult conversation, and every bit of wasted energy could have been avoided if I had simply trusted my instincts from the beginning.

To my team, I’m sorry.

Today, I’m making a commitment to follow my own advice. And I’m giving you permission to call me out if you ever see me ignoring those red flags again.

Going forward, we won’t waste valuable time and energy trying to satisfy customers who, deep down, we know we’ll never truly be able to make happy.

After 23 years in business, if we can’t occasionally choose not to do business with someone, then there’s something fundamentally wrong with what we’ve built.

No more ignoring our guts and intuitions.

Instead, let’s take all the stress and energy we save by making the right decisions upfront and invest it where it belongs—serving the great customers who appreciate what we do and allowing our team to do their best work.

Book Recommendation

One of the books that has had a significant impact on my thinking is The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson. The foreword is written by Tim Ferriss, host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, which has long been one of my favorites.

The book is a collection of Naval Ravikant’s insights on wealth, happiness, judgment, and freedom. It emphasizes the importance of leverage, developing specific knowledge, thinking long-term, finding inner peace, increasing self-awareness, and building a life and business that align with your personal values and desire for independence.

It’s one of those books that challenges you to think differently, not just about building wealth, but about building a meaningful life.

“Guarding your time isn’t rude; it’s how you get stuff done”
-Shane Parrish

Golf Tip

As you’re putting, take one last look at the line and the hole. Then take a deep breath in through your nose. As your eyes return to the ball, slowly exhale and pull the trigger.

This simple routine has helped me stay calmer and more relaxed at the moment of impact, leading to more confident, consistent putts.

The Modern Contractor Podcast

In this episode of the Modern Contractor Podcast, Ryan Heath of Right Hand Roofing and Gutter shares the systems and decisions that helped him move beyond the owner-does-everything stage. We cover trust and delegation, building demand without relying on storms, centralized estimating, protecting job margins, customer communication, CRM workflows, and why a small group of the right people can beat a much larger team chasing weak leads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9rakWfiiw0&t=39s