223 | Building a 7-Figure Business from the Ground Up with Derek Lyons

May 6

[00:00:00] Derek Lyons: Sounds good.

[00:00:02] Chaz Wolfe: What's up everybody? Chaz Wolf gathering the King's podcast today. I've got Derek Lyons on the King stage. My brother, my, my my fellow Missourian brother.

[00:00:10] Derek Lyons: How are you dude? I'm awesome man. Like thank you so much for having me on this. This is like when you first sent me an email asking if I wanted to be on this, I was like looking around.

I'm like, Derek Lyons like this, Derek Ly or is there another one? So dude, yeah, I'm excited to be on.

[00:00:26] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah, dude. I appreciate that humility and I think, I think, in the entrepreneur world, I mean there's always the ar. Ones that we all know about, but then there's, then there's this huge community of just real dudes.

some have hit larger revenue markers than others. but sure. What I have found is that there's a bunch of just really real guys just trying to make it happen, and that's what we're trying to do here. So I just appreciate you giving the time. Sure. Yeah, bud. What kind of business do you have?

[00:00:54] Derek Lyons: Yeah, so I own Garage Door Guy, out of Stratford, Missouri.

And I mean, it's just what it sounds. We do garage door repairs, installations, and maintenance. And, I lead a team of six people. and, that's what we do every day.

[00:01:09] Chaz Wolfe: I love it, man. and, and Stratford, Missouri is not, not too far from, from Springfield. and I played a lot of, lot of basketball there.

in my. Little Springfield Rockets, who I played against. Yes. You remember the Rockets? Actually that eight of you

[00:01:23] Derek Lyons: team. I've heard about 'em. okay. I don't, I've moved here. oh, that's right. Probably six, six and a half years. No, it's been actually over seven now, I think. where are you from again? well, I'm originally from Georgia, but I moved here from,

[00:01:37] Chaz Wolfe: Okay.

Yeah, I remember you telling me that. Yep. Okay, so let's, let's talk about bigger picture. you've been building for a while. I got a little bit of your history, you know, pre-business. We'll get into that a little bit, a little bit here in a minute. But I want to know what's, what's the why? Like, what drives you at this level, even after being successful,

[00:01:56] Derek Lyons: right?

Mm-hmm. What, what's the bigger picture? Man, I, you know, there's like this just inside driving me. that's just not okay with being just complacent, with being normal. I don't know if it's just a vision that I have in my mind, but there's just something that I could be sitting down and I feel like I gotta be moving, I gotta be doing something.

and I, you know, I often wonder if it's just like this chip on my shoulder, you know, that I've got something to prove. Man, I just, I, I do, I've just got an inward drive that I'm not okay with Boo being who I was yesterday, being who I was a year ago. I want to constantly be growing and becoming better for those around me.

and, yeah, I wish I, I wish I had a more eloquent answer, but man, the more I thought about it, I'm like, eh, it's just like this inward, just fuel that Yeah. Doesn't go out. No, I mean, I've had times of burnout, you know, I've had times where, you know, I might have a season of, you know, feeling low energy, but man, I'm still getting out there every single day and you're still hustling.

but, yeah, yeah. I

[00:03:04] Chaz Wolfe: mean, obviously there, it becomes a game really at that point. Mm-hmm. Right. It's, it's no longer about, Survival or, or even just a revenue number. It's, it's really more of a, of a game is what I'm hearing you say. And, and you're a winner. You wanna play the game to win. you're constantly looking forward.

What would you say to, or, or you said you've always kind of been like that, but what, how has that grown for you as you've gone from six, you know, to seven figures? Like what has that changed? Has it been more clear? Do you have any different thoughts now at this level

[00:03:37] Derek Lyons: than you did before? You know, that's, that's been a really tough thing because, you know, I grew up in, a family that was, I definitely lower than middle class.

You know, I'd probably put 'em lower class and they were all blue collar hard workers. My dad was a truck driver and did, you know, 60, 60, 80 hour weeks? my stepdad, he worked when I. When I was a teenager, you know, he was a manager at a grocery store working 60, 70 hours. And then man, he'd get off of there and he'd go straight to, night school to get his, degree in it.

Wow. Wow. And so I grew up around these guys that were blue, you know, more blue collar and hands in the dirt and just working hard. And so, you know, I think honestly that is, that mentality is what made me successful in business at first. You know, it got me up to that million dollar. Cuz I was in the business every day.

I was, man, I was in trucks with the techs. I was getting my hands dirty. I was on installs with them. and that's what got me there. But then I came to a realization of I can't keep, I can't keep doing this like my company's suffering. Because I'm actually in the truck every day, you know, working in the field with them.

Right. And so actually that's been the most difficult part, is retraining my brain that I've gotta start doing something different. Like I, yeah, I can't, not that I can't period, but I can, no, I can any longer be the guy in the truck with my hands in the field. I've now got to bring the energy to the team and I've got to lead the team to the next level and let them, you know, carry out that vision.

And so it's switched from being dependent on me to now it's dependent upon them, and it's dependent upon me, you know, bringing that energy to them. So yeah, I love that

[00:05:19] Chaz Wolfe: perspective of, of really support. I want to know in that transition. there's, there's, there's, A shift that you've described.

You know, where it, it become, it was originally about you. We call this the warrior stage, where really all you can focus on is maybe you and the guy to your left and right, maybe. Mm-hmm. You're in the battle, you're sweating, you're bleeding. All you can focus on is literally today. But at some point, like you said, you actually hinder the growth because you don't, you don't step away or pop.

to be able to see the whole entire kingdom. Obviously now we're talking about the king mindset and just being able to see the whole playing field. And so in that, did you experience or I, I'm leading on to, I'm sure some of the way that feel people are feeling right now, they're listening. Did you feel that by leaving the trade, the actual battlefield, that you were like leaving your guys stranded, that, that you were sending them off to battle by themselves?

And if you did feel that ultimately how did

[00:06:18] Derek Lyons: you overcome. Man, I can't, I honestly can't say that that ever that ever went away. Cuz there are days I still find myself showing up at the office in the warehouse and like, I'll want to go out there and rub shoulders with 'em because I'm afraid that if I don't, they're gonna think I'm just this, you know, I'm, I'm the guy running the company and I'm out, you know, golfing all the time and all this kind of stuff and so, right.

I can't say that that ever 100. When has gone away. but I just kind of control it in my thoughts more. Yeah. And know I've, I think mostly I've come to know that my team doesn't think that, you know, it's an unrealistic, it's like a voice in my head that's telling me that it's not real. so yeah, honestly, I'd say.

Talking with my team has helped a lot because they've told me what they thought I'd do and all this kind of stuff. And and also when I get down in the weeds of it, you know, you know, when I'm, when I'm golfing, when I'm, you know, running on the track and stuff like that, I'm working, usually I'm, I'm usually answering emails and, you know, running texts and calls and stuff like that and still working on the business even while I'm golfing.

yeah, so, and hopefully golfing with somebody that's

gonna bring you some. Yeah. Yeah. Networking. Yeah, absolutely. That's what we do. Yeah. Okay.

[00:07:30] Chaz Wolfe: So that, that transition, you know, like you said, maybe it never goes away, but the communication right around, and maybe, and then I'll just give you one more piece here.

As you were telling, you, were talking about this to your team, asking their opinions. For me it's been like when I share the vision of like, Here's the machine, here are all the pieces. If you own this piece and you own that piece, and I own this piece, then together, you don't have to worry about my piece.

I don't have to worry about your piece. But together we're all leaning on each other and it gets the result that we're all looking for. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Then,

[00:08:02] Derek Lyons: then that it, there's a freedom there. Yeah. Absolutely. Would you agree with that? Oh yeah, a hundred percent. Absolutely. How

[00:08:09] Chaz Wolfe: has, one last question here and before we move on, I'm digging on you here.

cause I think this is just a super applicable to a lot of listeners who want to go to the next level, but that are just in their own Yes. Way. yep. How, how did you facilitate that communication with your team? Was it a team dinner? Is it a everyday thing in a huddle? Is it both?

[00:08:31] Derek Lyons: Like, give us some thought.

Yeah. it's definitely, it's all the above. and if, if I could just one little side piece here, a lot of people, like you were saying, they get stuck in that, and they, they get stuck in that. Like, I, I meet a lot of, you know, blue collar guys that are in service, service industries that stay in the truck.

and the way I see it in my life, the pain of staying in the truck became so, That I had to change. Like I, you know, I was like, I'm missing my, I'm missing my daughter's swim competitions. You know, my wife's stressed out. I'm stressed out. My, you know, my health is going underway. And so the paint became so great to me that I was just like, man, I gotta do something different.

because you're in the,

[00:09:13] Chaz Wolfe: because you're in the truck and running the business. It's not in the truck that was doing it. It's the fact that you got, you're, you're playing both sides of the.

[00:09:20] Derek Lyons: Yeah, it was everything. but but yeah, it was everything with the team, you know, rubbing shoulders with them and talking with them.

But also, I think it was back in March I hired, a guy named Kevin. And, we kind of introed him into becoming our general manager, but really, He kind of brought new life into it to where like, we'd be talking and he'd be like, well, why are you doing that? Like, you don't need to be doing that. And I'm like, well, yeah, I know.

He's like, so why are you doing that? And it's like, yeah, well, because if I, if I don't then, and he's like, nobody thinks that man. Like there's nobody here that thinks that. And so like hearing that, hearing that truth from him, but also hearing it from my wife and from other people. It dawned on me that no, I'm the problem.

[00:10:08] Chaz Wolfe: That's so big, dude. yeah, I Everybody needs a Kevin.

[00:10:12] Derek Lyons: a hundred percent man. Absolutely. I've been, man, I've been so fortunate. we've got another, we've got a girl named Liz that works on our team. She's been with me for three or four years and, we kind of, race her up to be a general, kind of like an interim general manager.

and so she runs. All the office stuff. She knows the ins and outs of everything. The girl's been with us for so long, she knows everything about the company, everything about the business, I mean, even industry knowledge, sometimes some things she knows more to me about. And so with her there, and then now we've got Kevin at the helm, man, it's, it's awesome.

I ain't even gonna lie.

[00:10:47] Chaz Wolfe: Yep. That's awesome. Yeah. the, the gal on your team, I have, affectionately dubbed that position, the key holder. yeah, because I can't, I, I, in fact, I don't want the. I'm not, you can't trust me with

[00:10:58] Derek Lyons: the keys

[00:11:00] Chaz Wolfe: here. Hundred percent. I need you to keep the keys. I want you to label the keys.

I want you to keep 'em in a safe place. Like I, I can't be trusted. Yep. I know their keys to, I know they're mine. I, no, they're, I'm Give them to you, please. Yep. Absolutely. It's good stuff, man. Okay. Tell us, let's go back a little bit. How'd you get started? Was it this business? Did you get a business before?

I mean, I know a little bit about your history, but give us the transition.

[00:11:22] Derek Lyons: Yeah, no. so back in 2015, my wife, I, we were living in Arizona and I was actually working at a garage door company there, and my wife got a job here in Springfield. So we moved here for that. I started working for a company and man, I was there for about three months and it was just terrible management.

the worst I've ever worked in. I was there for about three months. I was working, man, probably 60 plus hours a week, working nights, doing garage door installs and things like that. And, After about three months, I had a seizure on a Sunday morning. Wow. Now, backstory here, I had seizures as a kid.

They went away for seven years, started having 'em again as a teenager, then they went away. And then I had this one back in 2015. Well, in Missouri, once you have a seizure, you can't drive for six months. So, lost my job, you know? and so, Anyways, thankfully, convoy of Hope, which is a local, nonprofit here in Springfield, they were kind enough to kind of gimme some part-time work cause they were about a mile from our house.

So I was working there part-time Anyways, I did my six months and then,my wife was like, what are you gonna do? I was like, well, garages is all. No, you know? So, but I don't know. I don't really want to go back to working in that. She was like, we should start your own company. And I was like, eh, I don't know.

She's like, babe, you're always talking about business. You've, you've, you've even got like a notebook of business plans, you know? And, I was like, yeah, I just like dreaming about, you know, I like, I like coming up with the ideas. I don't know that I'll want a business, but she kept pushing. And, but then what happened is, people knew I could drive again.

And so friends knew I knew how to fix garage doors. And so they were like, Hey, man, can you come look at my garage door? So I was like, all right. And it just, it, it became one of those things so many people were asking me. I was like, all right, fine. It was like, all right, God. Yeah. It was like, all right, God, I'll, I'll start a business.

All right. so literally we had $1,500 cash. and so I found a rust bucket, old at and t service truck. It was a 1990 F three 50. I paid a thousand bucks for it, and then I took $500 in bought inventory. And I started a company, and so it was super grassroots. I mean, I ran it out of that truck and ran it out of our little house for about a year, and I mean, just cash driven.

Everything. I would advertise on Craigslist. I was telling all my friends and just hustling, you know? Oh yeah. Hustling, man. I was making videos on Facebook. I mean, you name it, I was doing it. If there was a free avenue to do it, I was doing it. So that was kind of, How it began.

[00:13:58] Chaz Wolfe: That's incredible. I think that, especially in the service, space where you can just get a truck.

I've even seen guys start, in a car. I think good buddy of mine started a, started a security company. He came, I was one of his first clients. He came to my business establishment and installed my security company from the back of his like 1987

[00:14:17] Derek Lyons: hatchback. I love it. What is this? He's like,

[00:14:20] Chaz Wolfe: yep, it's what I got.

I'm like, good for you. I like you love it even more now tussle. Exactly. How, how can you not respect that, you know? And so, that's good stuff. Okay. So I wanna know, especially early on, maybe in that first year or two mm-hmm.

[00:14:35] Derek Lyons: what was a good

[00:14:36] Chaz Wolfe: decision that you made that can resonate with the listeners now that they can take away, as a note go implement in their

[00:14:41] Derek Lyons: business?

Hmm. In the first year? Yeah. First year or two before seven figures. Yeah. You know, honestly, I think just building it. Like I wasn't interested in, I wasn't interested in staying small. I wasn't interested in just, you know, having that same truck. I had a bigger vision in my mind. Like I had a vision of new trucks, I had a vision of uniforms, I had a vision of all these things.

And so, I wasn't satisfied with just, In that truck, in those uniforms. And so, man, as soon as I could, I went out and actually, I think within the first year I had a full uniform for myself. Like I went to uni first and was like, Hey, I want uniforms. And they were like, well, how many people are you in your company?

I was like, oh, it's just me. Who, no. And they go and they literally were like, yeah, we like, we need more people to do a contract with you. And I was like, I was like, okay. I said, well, I can come pick it. Like, you know, just tell me whatever I need to do, but I want uniforms. And so they actually worked with me too.

That's awesome. so I went and got uniforms from them, and then, you know, I, I went and got magnets for the truck. And then eventually once that truck broke down, I went and got a van and got, you know, lettering on it and Yeah. but I kept building, like, you know, it was like, all right, I got this, but I want more.

I want more. Yeah. And so I just kept chasing after that. So I don't know that there was one key decision. That I can think back to that, that was like, man, I'm glad I made that decision. But yeah, I'm just, I'm thankful, I just continued building it on that vision and just wasn't, you know,

[00:16:17] Chaz Wolfe: complacent with it.

Yeah. The, the vision that you had, I mean, obviously, as a visionary, you've even described that in your personality a little bit. Where that's gonna, you know, maybe flow a little bit more naturally to you. I think a lot of entrepreneurs are like that, obviously.

[00:16:31] Derek Lyons: Mm-hmm. But what would you say

[00:16:33] Chaz Wolfe: wa like the simple things that you did to keep that vision in front of you?

Did you have a vision board? Did you write down goals? Like, what were you doing to con, did you, did you have time in the truck where you were like, yeah,

[00:16:42] Derek Lyons: dreaming about it? What, what did it look like? Yeah. So real quick, I just thought, I did think of something, like, one of the things I'm glad I. Was networking.

I got involved in a local business networking group, and I'll be honest with you, I, I attribute a lot of the success of my company to those networking groups cuz there's still people to this day from that first networking group that I talk to and I see and, you know, do business for. But yeah,

[00:17:08] Chaz Wolfe: on that note real quick, I, I rarely share this.

[00:17:10] Derek Lyons: Mm-hmm. The, I

[00:17:11] Chaz Wolfe: just set up a guy for, the Gavin the King's mastermind two days. That I met 11 years ago when I was in a single unit edible arrangements guy, and I was going to a B and I event, and at that time I don't even know what business he had. Maybe he was just the roofer, but now he is got this huge roofing and solar and all this fun stuff.

And we got reconnected, and that was 11 years ago. So anyway. That's awesome. I I totally, I totally relate to that. Yeah.

[00:17:35] Derek Lyons: Relationships, man. Relationships and business are it, and you know, I hear people in business all the time that are like, you know, I don't, I don't like people. I mean, well, you don't need to be in business if you don't like people.

Seriously. But to an, to answer your question, as far as the dreaming and when, how did I do that? I'd love to sit here and say, man, I had this beautiful vision board and you know, all this stuff. And it was just, honestly, it was just thinking in a truck and a notepad is all it was. I mean, I had a notepad full and I still have it.

I have a notepad full of stuff that I wrote down. Like I'd just be sitting there thinking, I'm like, all right man, we, man, I want iPads. You know, I want, I want Apple computers in the office. You know, it was just like, just dream, just dreaming up stuff and, it just got me fired up and so I'd write it down.

yeah, that's really as simple as it was. and, I'd get fired up about it and then I'd want to do it. And my biggest problem is trying to do too much at once. You know, I get the vision, I get excited about it. I'm like, I wanna do it all right now. Right now, let's go in

[00:18:27] Chaz Wolfe: a hundred directions. Right now.

Yep. Yep. That's good stuff, man. I, I, I think that a lot of people relate to that. the writing it down man is so powerful and I, and I don't actually think a lot of people relate to that. thinking in the truck, you know, I looked at, you know, a property actually that we just built our, our, beautiful home on.

I looked at the, I literally looked at, dude, that's a beautiful place, by the way. Thank you. I appreciate that, man. I was mowing. I was mowing over there. Looking over here and, and doing what you just said, but the next level really is writing it

[00:18:58] Derek Lyons: down. Yeah. You know, I think there's just, you know, some people call it manifesting, I don't care what you call it.

There's just this applicable thing that when you write it down, man, it's, it's almost like, because you write it down, wrote it down, your mind's working on it, you know, in the, in the back of your mind without you knowing about it. Your mind's working on how to get there, and. I, I can't tell you how many times I've had an idea and later I'm like, oh my God, that was an amazing idea.

Like, what was it? You know? And I can't even remember. Yep. so I really try, my biggest problem is I've got 'em scattered over 15,000 notepads everywhere, and I've got 'em in notes in my phone and I've, you know, usually when I have your solution, that idea, you need a remarkable yes. Yeah, they there.

Remarkable.

[00:19:42] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah. They're a sponsor for this, this episode. Just kidding. That's exactly where I was going. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. In all serious. I, I'm just like you. I got books book, like, no books. Like, well, one Shelf Down actually. Sorry. yeah, it's like books and books and books have just, I was like, I wrote that down somewhere.

Let me find it, you know?

[00:20:01] Derek Lyons: Yeah. A hundred percent. Man. That's, that's me.

[00:20:05] Chaz Wolfe: I, you know, I wanted, I want, I want to, I. Hit this all the way home for the listener because we hear about writing our goals down and having a vision board or doing these things. And I think too, the, the high performing driver, right, not the dream.

The high performing driver that's in both of us, and the guy that's listening or the gal that's listening, we think, I don't have time for that. Or that just sounds a little cheesy, like, let me just, yeah. Yeah. But it's when we slow down enough, for me it was four situations. Like I had to mow the grass, so it gave me opportunity to think and dream about the property.

Mm-hmm. Or. You, you had to drive to the next job, and so you were thinking about this stuff anyway, whether it's the time or then, like you said, connecting the thought with then pen and paper, I take notes just on a regular phone call and not even notes. Like, yeah, I'm gonna reference them later. I'm just writing the stuff down that I'm saying that they're saying.

Yeah. And, and there is power in that and mm-hmm. I think the dreamer and then the, the driver then come together in that moment.

[00:21:05] Derek Lyons: Yeah. Would you add anything to that? No, absolutely. Yeah. You. One of the things I thought, there's so many people that when, when they hear ideas, They, they have something in mind that argues with it.

You know, they're like, well, you know, yeah, it's a voice. That's just some, that's just some, you know, stupid idea, whatever. But like, I'm pretty open-minded, to an extent. Obviously I've got morals and values and all that, but Sure. man, I'll always give something a thought. I mean, even when it comes to politics, like I do not consider myself tied down to very strongly to anything.

I'm always like, huh, okay, that's interesting. You know, let's dig into that. Right. And I think in. and what we're talking about, man, you gotta dig into things and, and there's no harm. It's almost, we act as if there's a harm in just checking something out, you know? Right, right. There's no harm in checking something out and doing some research and you know, who knows?

You might come to the end of it and be like, yeah, that's not for me. But you might come to the end for it and it's like, okay, I need, I need to do that. And it could change your life. And so I think we need to do a better job of being. more open and analytical things than actually, being able to be, I don't know, just open to things, you know, and consider them.

Just consider them cuz I can, I'll sit down. I used to be, I'll be honest with you, I used to be staunch Republican and, what challenged me is just sitting down and listening to people. Totally. I forced myself to just sit down and listen to people and I was like, huh, man. That's a good point. I've never even.

Taking the time to consider that. Right. so anyways, yeah. So I think

[00:22:36] Chaz Wolfe: to your point, politically or, or really

[00:22:39] Derek Lyons: anything it, anything, yeah. It's just

[00:22:41] Chaz Wolfe: you just, first off, you identify that the other person is a human, they're a person. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. I think that, and, and, and it doesn't mean that I have to expose what it is that I believe, or if we wanna have a conversation about it fine.

Or that I need to even come off of my beliefs, whatever they're. But I should at least be an adult enough to see you as a human

[00:23:01] Derek Lyons: and respect you and hear you. Yeah.

[00:23:04] Chaz Wolfe: Yep. So I think that that's, I mean, that we're, we're, we're so far away from business, but, but not really, because if you have the same principle in business Oh yeah, dude.

[00:23:12] Derek Lyons: You start seeing people for how the, who they are, you know? You know, I'm in a bunch of like my industry's garage, Facebook pages, like Garage Door Facebook pages, and Sure, man, I can't tell you how many times, you know, somebody that's, you know, they'll have a 50 million garage door company and they're literally just trying to help elevate the industry and giving ideas.

And there's so many guys that'll just jump on there and be like, ah, you're just, you know, that doesn't work. You know, all this. y'all, y'all actually might wanna listen to him.

[00:23:42] Chaz Wolfe: I was having this, this talk with a guy, it may have been last week, and he was like, I, I went to this industry conference of some sorts.

I, I, he may have been an H V A C guy, actually. That's what it was. Yeah, he's H V A C and you know, he's thinking he is hot stuff and he sits down at the con, one of the lunch tables. This guy, asked him, you know, Hey, how's it going? And they started getting into his business and he's like, yeah, you know, I got five trucks and da, da da da, and this, that, and the other.

And, and just went on and on and on about his business. And, later, the guy never, he never asked the guy, the guy never said anything. Mm-hmm. Later he found out that that guy. Had

[00:24:14] Derek Lyons: 150 trucks. Oh yeah.

[00:24:16] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah. And just felt like, you know, foot insert, you know, douche bag. Yeah. Type of feeling. Oh, yeah. And, and we, we get that way sometimes.

yeah. We do each one of us as well as then like, man, how can I inspire? Yeah. How can I aspire to be the ginormous guy in the room that says nothing? Yeah.

[00:24:33] Derek Lyons: You know? Absolutely. Or that helps. Right. That's really what it is. Yeah. Is that,I think I'm willing to, For me personally, the, the more success I've had.

And the older I've gotten, the more, the better I am at listening to people. it, it's almost like the older you get, the more wise you get, you realize how little you actually know. but you also realize it's less about airing your opinions and Yeah. I've I've had a lot of those times where, you know, somebody'll be bragging about something.

I'm like, wow. Yeah, that's, that's cool. And you know, I'm not gonna say anything.

[00:25:08] Chaz Wolfe: Thumbs up, thumbs up, and, and, and, and really not even thumbs up of like, oh, I see you. That's so cute. It's really like, it is actually like, dude, keep it, keep going. Like, I see you. Absolutely. Like, that's good, you know? Yep. it's not, it's not, facetious at all. And so, all right. Look, we gotta flip the coin.

I gotta know what bad decision that you made. we gotta get to the nitty gritty. My God, the

[00:25:26] Derek Lyons: bad story. Give it to me. I got so many, dude, you know, honestly, one. One. Really, I don't know. I don't even, I haven't, I don't even know that I've come to the conclusion that it was a bad decision. But, at the end of last year, we had a guy that'd been working with us for about three, three and a half years.

And man performance just kept just going down and we were having issues and issues and so come first of the year, I said, Hey man, listen, you know, we gotta get you on our performance plan, all this kind of stuff. And so we did. No improvement. And so finally it came down to me having to tell him, Hey, we're gonna have to let you go.

which he was like one of the beginning guys in the company, you know, that's tough. and so anyway, it was a very difficult conversation to have. And man, I gave him, I said, Hey, I'm gonna give you a month, you know, I know you got three kids at home, so I'm not just gonna cut you off, like I'm gonna give you a month to get your affairs in order and all this kind of stuff.

And so the worst part was, his last. or the week, that, was his last week. Our other main guy came down with Covid and then he had complications from Covid and was never able to come back. Oh. And so in a month I lost two of our main guys and I only had three technicians at the time. Yeah. And so I lost over half my workforce in a month.

and then that is kind of, created such a rocky first four months of the company. Cuz then I had to jump in a truck and I was like the only guy in a truck for three or four months this year. Right. But, you know, looking back, there were some things I would've done differently. You know, I might, I might have put more energy into coaching him a little bit more.

Um mm-hmm. but it's one of those things where it's like, you know, at the same time I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place cuz like there were issues, you know, we're having customers calling in with issues tonight, you know, you can't have that. Right. But I also had this mentality, I had this mentality back then, that, oh, well, you know, I can do it.

Like, you know, I can do it better than you. And, and so whenever there was a problem, I was like, yeah, exactly. I was like, oh, we'll just fire 'em. You know, we don't, we don't need them. And I had that, I had that, on it. The, the entire company, like anybody working there, it's like, well, if you're not for me, I don't need you.

Like, I can do that. and I really just came down to realizing after that it was a terrible four months fear. But I, I learned out of that like, oh man, I need people like, I need you. like, yeah, I do. I do need you to perform. I need you to produce and things like that. Yes, yeah. But I need you. And so I've became very clear in communicating with my people.

Not only do I need you, but what you do here is appreciated. and I want you, you know, I want you here. that's good. But you know, also, Out outside of that, I mean, I've, I've made tons of decisions with finances and stuff that I shouldn't have. I, you know, when I was in the beginning stages of the business, we decided to move into a warehouse.

I was running outta my house. We decided to move it into a warehouse so we could start ordering in bulk and get, you know, lower pricing on our product and everything. So, We did that Well, problem is, is when we did that, we started ordering a lot more from our suppliers, which meant bigger bills. Well, I'm not a finance guy and I'm, I'm better than I was six years ago.

But back then, I, I put it on a credit card and I'd pay it off each month. Well, I still don't know how it happened. I really don't. But, my wife was like, I wanna come help you. You know, you're so busy, you're working all hours of the day and night. Like, I wanna come help. And she's a finance like wizard, so I'll never forget the moment she calls me and she said, Hey, what's this $20,000 in this credit card?

And I'm like, huh, what are you talking about? We don't have $20,000 on a credit card. She's like, no, I've got this statement in front of me. Like the credit card's maxed out. It's, it's, you've got $20,000 on this credit card, and I still don't know how it happened, but it happened and I had $20,000 on a credit card.

And you know, back then I was probably only doing two to 300,000 a year. So 20,000 was a big deal. It was a big deal. Yeah. And so, well then that same week we got a call on Wednesday, from one of our main suppliers and was like, Hey, we've got a shipment for you coming out, but we can't deliver it cuz.

You're, you have past due, invoices on your account, so they're withholding product from me. And I was like, well, I can't do anything without that product, so if you want to get paid, I need that product. But they weren't gonna ship it. Nope. And so it was literally like a, we might have to, we might have to close the doors here.

Like, I, you know, if we don't have product, do. But, we winded up, actually craziest thing, it was my wife's idea. There was a church that came to us that wanted, they wanted like this full view glass garage door, in their kids area. And so we're like, yeah, let's, we'll do that. And so we went out and gave 'em a bid and it was like, I wanna say it was like four or five grand back then.

and my wife was like, you know, why don't we just give it to him? And I was like, You, you,

[00:30:30] Chaz Wolfe: you never run the finances now, right?

[00:30:33] Derek Lyons: Yeah, yeah. But, you know, bringing that, bringing a biblical aspect to it. She's like, yeah, but you know, like there's so many times in the Bible where people gave all they had, it was all they had left and they gave it and God blessed it.

And I was like, oh man, that's good. And I said, well, I'm like, we ain't got nothing else left. Like this is it. And so I said, yeah, let's do it. And so we did. We, we gave it to the church and I'll never forget that same week we did that, we needed a specific amount to pay off a bill so we could get some supplies.

I can't remember the amount, but I went out and did bid a job that week. And the bid was the exact amount we needed to pay that job or pay that supplier. And we got the job and got the check for it. Wow. but anyways, that was a long story to just say like, oh, that's so good. I've made some bad financial decisions, which is why I no longer handle finances.

So Yeah.

[00:31:27] Chaz Wolfe: I mean, right. Like, we gotta identify what we're good at and give away the rest.

[00:31:30] Derek Lyons: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

[00:31:32] Chaz Wolfe: I, I love, I mean, you, you passed over it a little bit. even though. Maybe finance wasn't the best for you. And, and there's other pieces of the business that the listener right now is like, oh, I'm not very good at that.

Or maybe it's finance for them or whatever. Mm-hmm. I love, I love the faithfulness of not only just your, your spouse, your wife in this scenario that's like, let me come alongside you, let me support you. That, that's been a story for you from the

[00:31:55] Derek Lyons: beginning. Oh yeah. She's the one that pushed

[00:31:57] Chaz Wolfe: you out. And so always, that's an incredible part of the story.

And then just to know that the Lord has been faithful to you, even in that moment down to the

[00:32:04] Derek Lyons: penny. Oh. And I love that. I love that. Yep. Okay,

[00:32:08] Chaz Wolfe: I'm gonna switch the angle of questions here. We're gonna go speed round. Ooh. Okay. This one, this one's the, by far, the most difficult. That's why I put it at the first.

So I wanna know if you dwindled the entire business down into one trackable metric, if you can only track one thing forever

[00:32:22] Derek Lyons: and ever, what would it be? Mm-hmm. Come culture. I know it's not a number. How would you track that? Yeah, I know it's not a number. And most people look at numbers, but I look at it as like employee satisfaction and performance.

when we are, when we are hiring the right people and we finally dwindled down, like what we're looking for in personality and all these things, when we are hiring the right people, when we are. Taking care of them when we're giving them, you know, we're giving them new trucks, we're giving them tools, and we're, we're giving them everything they need to succeed.

But also when we're making it a fun place coming to work, and they know we care about them, and we know they care about us. I just have this belief that everything else, not that it's just this magic potion where everything else is taken care of and we don't have to worry about anything else.

I'm not saying that, but they will. What they will be your biggest fans for the company, you know? Yeah. what do they call 'em? Intern. They're, they're your internal clients. Yeah. Yeah. And, and it's true man. our people, the people, we have an incredible team right now. And, they're out finding people to come work.

They're like, man, I got a buddy. He would be awesome here. And he's needing this and I know he'd be taken care of. and. And it, yeah, it just pre, it, it, they become ambassadors. so I know it's not a number, but that's just always been a biggie for me.

[00:33:50] Chaz Wolfe: Good. Derek, what, what book would you recommend

[00:33:53] Derek Lyons: for a six figure business owner?

Ooh, systemology. Ooh, okay. What's your takeaway from that? most people, Gets stuck at scaling, right? They keep hitting the same wall, bouncing back and forth, and they don't know how to get past it. And I have yet to hear a story yet where systems weren't the answer, right? Like, if you can build d right systems for your business there, it it'll scale for you.

And so Systemology is a book that. Will literally create, well, it won't create the systems for you, you gotta create the systems. But it be, it provides a very, very easy framework for creating the systems. and I truly believe that if you implement 'em, then you gonna be able to take a month off.

[00:34:45] Chaz Wolfe: Do you, do you know that from personal experience?

[00:34:47] Derek Lyons: I do. Yeah. I. That's incredible.

[00:34:50] Chaz Wolfe: obviously, as we continue to get to know each other, I want to hear more about that, but, we'll list that book in the show notes for sure. What's your next question here? What's your thoughts on intentionally networking? You've already already mentioned that a little bit.

Mm-hmm. And or masterminding with

[00:35:02] Derek Lyons: other entrepreneurs. I, I don't think it's even a question of should you, I think. It's literally the oxygen. cuz you know, you hear it all the time as a business owner that owning a business is a lonely journey. And it is, it's super lonely because very few people understand, but also, right.

You know, very few people can talk with you about it. and getting into a group where there's maybe a few people that are at that next plateau you want to get to and keep on. but they also become like when you're trying to make a decision and you're like, man, I don't know how to do. And you, you just talk to 'em and say, Hey, this is, this is what I'm facing.

What would you guys recommend? And they're gonna have answers. Sure. so I don't even think it's a question of should you, I think it's oxygen, honestly. And it has, it has been for me. I, there is no doubt I wouldn't be where I am today. And I don't think it's any different than reading a book, you know, a reading books and.

Listening to podcasts and also networking, like you're talking about, like what you do with your, gathering the Kings. I think it's so essential and it's, it's all the same. You're gleaning and learning from people that have been there and that are outside of your perspective. Yeah, a hundred percent.

Love that.

[00:36:20] Chaz Wolfe: Okay, last question. If you lost it all, Derek,

[00:36:26] Derek Lyons: what would. To be 100% honest with you. I almost lost it all this last year, so I know exactly what I'd do. I'd build it all back. but I know now, not shortcuts, but I see now a quicker road to where I got. Yeah. and so if I had to do it all over again, I would, I would do similar.

Do what? I'm similar to what I'm doing, but it would be a lot quicker and a lot. Yeah,

[00:36:53] Chaz Wolfe: I love the, the, the last word that you used. They're healthier. Um mm-hmm. Obviously with systems, with the way that you see people, that you're treating people, the way you're building people, I think that all the things that you've given to us in this show really emulate that, that, that word healthy.

Mm-hmm.

and I would venture to say that you would probably agree that. That came from a place of you as a business owner getting healthy. Yes. Not like in your body, but Yes. I'm sure that's part of it. Yeah. The mindset getting around other entrepreneurs, like you were just talking about, obviously being around your wife who's super encouraging.

Clearly she is. All those things that made you healthier. Yeah. Right.

[00:37:27] Derek Lyons: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. You know, I listened to Craig Rochelle a ton. And he talks about being a healthy leader and leading, like you can't lead your people to be healthy if you are not healthy. That's right. You can't lead your people to a place that you have not been.

And so you've got to keep exposing yourself, to new things, but also you've gotta keep building yourself so that you can take your people there. Cuz if you, if you think. Leading and owning your business is just about you going to the top. Then honestly, in my opinion, you're doing it completely wrong.

cuz for me, I think it's all about bringing everybody with you. I don't, I don't want to get up to the mountain by myself. I want to be surrounded by my entire tomb who are making six figures and, you know, winning at life and they're healthy and their marriages are healthy and their kids are healthy and they have the houses and the jobs and they can dream.

I don't wanna just dream by myself. I want everyone to be able to dream. so, yep.

[00:38:22] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah, it's the, the, the community aspect. but it's also the driver cuz it's like, Hey guys, come on, let's go. yep. I think we can all relate to that as well. Derek, how can the listener connect with you? They wanna get to know you better.

maybe they're in Missouri and they need a garage guy. I don't know.

[00:38:35] Derek Lyons: yeah. How can they find you? Yeah, absolutely. so my company is on Facebook as my garage door guy, or I mean, we're all over Google, so you can type in garage door guy and it should pop up outta Stratford, Missouri. Facebook find me under Derek Lyons, is d e r e k l y o n s.

and then on, Instagram, it's, the underscore garage door guy is what my, Instagram is on. And then honestly, If, if anyone out there ever wants to chat or whatever, I'll even give you my cell phone number. I don't mind. But it's, 6 2 3 2 6 2 4 7 1 5. I'll be glad to chat with anybody. and especially if anybody out there knows more than me, please call me.

cause I'd love to chat with you too.

[00:39:16] Chaz Wolfe: so that's good. That's a good plug. I think that that's well, well deserving. Yeah. you've been, you've been incredible. thanks just for being open about the up and the down and, and, I look forward to continue the relationship myself selfishly. yeah ma'am, just cuz I, I think there's a lot of benefit there, for both of us.

So anyway, thank you for being here. Things upon your family, your business, your team. Thanks

[00:39:35] Derek Lyons: for being here. Thanks brother. Thanks.

Join host Chaz Wolfe and special guest Derek Lyons, the Owner and Chief Problem Solver at Garage Door Guy, LLC, for an insightful discussion on the secrets to entrepreneurial success. With over seven years of experience in the garage door industry, Derek has built his company from scratch and now leads a team of highly skilled professionals. In this episode, Derek shares his tried-and-tested tips on being open-minded, cultivating a growth mindset, building a winning team, and staying on top of your finances. Tune in to learn about Derek's remarkable journey from warrior to king, how he leverages the power of systems to scale his business, and his top book recommendation for budding entrepreneurs. Discover how Derek's vision, determination, and commitment to excellence have propelled him to the top of his industry, and learn how you can apply these insights to your own entrepreneurial journey. So, whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this episode is packed with invaluable tips, tools, and strategies to help you achieve your goals and grow your business. Don't miss out – tune in now to Gathering the Kings and join the conversation!

Derek Lyons:

Website: https://mygaragedoorguy.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-lyons-0376a310/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_garagedoorguy/

Derek’s Cell: 623-262-4715

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