Read This If Your Business Won't Survive Without You
Read This If Your Business Won't Survive Without You
How can business owners delegate and use a coach to overcome blind spots?
Stop thinking no one can do the job as well as you. There are plenty of people with different experiences. Even if you hire someone who can perform at 80-90% of your level, you only need to bridge the remaining gap. That shift in mindset was huge for me.
Bringing a coach into my life just a couple of years ago has been a game-changer. People asked why I needed a coach after being in business for 18 years. But once I experienced it, I understood. A coach helps me see my blind spots and approaches problems from angles I hadn't considered because we often get stuck in a single way of thinking.
What systems can business owners use to solve problems efficiently?
Don’t throw money at a problem—throw a process or system at it. That was a tough lesson I had to learn. I once had an employee try to explain this to me, but I wasn’t listening. I was too focused on getting the jobs done and moving too fast to take advice. Eventually, I realized that creating systems and processes to solve problems is a game changer.
What early experiences shape an entrepreneurial mindset?
Looking back over the years and reflecting on my journey to becoming an entrepreneur, I often think about where it all began. Growing up in the Midwest, my dad encouraged me to get a paper route when I wanted money. So, I started delivering papers, collecting payments by knocking on doors—sometimes a bit uncomfortable, but it taught me a lot.
Eventually, my dad helped me grow that little paper route. We went from me delivering on my bike to us driving and handling three times as many deliveries. We would do this at 3:30 in the morning before my dad left for work, and it became a bonding experience.
From there, I expanded. I started cutting grass, raking leaves, and shoveling snow for people. I even came up with a company name and started marketing to the neighbors. Soon enough, I was cutting multiple lawns on the same street. That was the start of my entrepreneurial journey.
How have you aligned your goals with personal motivations?
I’m approaching 20 years since leaving my W2 job, a story many entrepreneurs share. I have three main "why’s" that motivate me every day.
First, my parents recently moved back to Chicago from Arizona, where I’m originally from. As they age, one of my goals is to have the financial freedom to be there for them as their health declines, whether it’s 20 years from now or sooner. I want to be able to jump on a plane and help them as much as possible.
Second, I aim to create time freedom for my wife and me. I want to build a life where she doesn’t need to work and can fully pursue her creative passions.
Lastly, I’m passionate about helping veterans. My military background has inspired me to create support systems for vets, especially since I’ve lost friends who took their own lives. I’m working on long-term initiatives to assist veterans in meaningful ways.
Why is a mentor important for scaling a business?
I’ve learned a lot the hard way. I never had a coach or mentor and never took a business class in my life. My background is in engineering, so I was very left-brained. I figured things out along the way, but I didn’t fully understand what scaling meant.
One of my biggest recommendations is to find a mentor or coach—someone who can guide you. When you're wearing all the hats, like doing the estimating, handling customer interactions, and managing finances, it's overwhelming. Back in the day, I even wrote checks by hand.
In the beginning, you have to hustle and grind, wearing all those hats. But eventually, you reach a point where you have to figure out your "who, not how." You need to bring in people who can take over those tasks so you can focus on working on your business, rather than constantly working on it.
What benefits do mastermind groups offer business owners?
It opens your eyes to so many things. I subscribed to the "University of YouTube" for a while, and that’s how I found the Mastermind group I joined. Eventually, I joined another one as well. The experience from both a business perspective and the spiritual side has really balanced my life. It has made me think in ways I never had before.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
