Amanda's real dad gave up his rights when she was little. Years later, she found out how he'd remembered her all that time: a Banksy print of a girl letting go of a red balloon. It's tattooed on her now.

This is the episode where you sent the questions, and she answered every one. The five last names, and why she and her brother finally chose their own. Why therapy doesn't make you feel better right away, from both sides of the table. The mornings she doesn't have it, and what she does instead of pretending.

Then the business questions nobody likes asking out loud, answered by someone who went from $2 million to $20 million with no playbook, then $20 million to $50 million with one. When do you finally get off the truck? (Her answer: not before $2 million, usually somewhere between 3 and 5.) Why does the P&L look fine when the bank account doesn't? How do you keep a good tech from walking for three bucks more down the road?

And why, for the first time in a long time, she's done living in fight or flight.

ABOUT AMANDA
Amanda August is the founder of Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical and the Founder and Senior Leader of Grasshopper Group, a women-owned home service movement. She grew Grasshopper from $2 million to $20 million with no playbook. Then she wrote one, The Forward Way, and used it to take Grasshopper Group from $20 million to $50 million in two years. She's a cofounder of CxC.ai and an active investor in short-term rental properties.

Hosted by Amanda August. Co-hosted by Jeff Miller. A Grasshopper Original.
Forward is a way of life.®
builthereshow.com

Amanda was hiring outside for an operations manager. The right person was already in her building, and Amanda had never asked her what she wanted. It took Dottie, an org chart, and one question to see it. That night Amanda texted Cait an apology and called it a fail on her as a leader.

Neither Dottie nor Cait came from the trades. Dottie went from answering phones to leading a sales team she wasn't ready for, and says she'd do it again. Cait went from the quiet one outside the leadership meeting to running operations. Five years in, they talk about the role that wasn't the fit, the boss who got it wrong, and what it takes to use your voice.

Hosted by Amanda August. Co-hosted by Jeff Miller. A Grasshopper Original.

Forward is a way of life.™

builthereshow.com

Jeff Miller had the safe version of a career. The title, the paycheck that showed up the same day every month. He walked away from it to build his own thing in real estate.

This week Jeff takes the guest chair and Amanda asks the questions. They get into the last safe paycheck, the deals that worked and the ones that taught him something, and Amanda's first house flip. Maxed out credit cards and a tree in the septic. Then the question nobody leaves without answering. What are you building next?

Built Here is a weekly reminder, from people in your own region, that forward is always the answer. Hosted by Amanda August. Co-hosted by Jeff Miller. A Grasshopper Original.

Forward is a way of life.™

Follow Built Here wherever you listen. builthere518.com