Sean Schmitt and Alexander Johns started A&S Construction in 2021 with $5,000 and two newborns at home, pivoting from currency exchange in the middle of COVID. Four years later: 2026 Inc. 5000 list, revenue approaching $9 million, a team of 20+, and a 2026 Best Culture Award.

Alan Melton sits down with Sean and Alex to talk about what it actually cost them to build A&S Construction — the 100-hour weeks, the newborns at home, the co-founder tension, the heartbreak of being taken advantage of, and the turning points that changed everything.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Pivoting to construction with $5,000 and a vision for $10 million
• What 100-hour weeks with newborns at home actually felt like
• Being taken advantage of — and how they chose to respond
• The personal SWOT that ended the co-founder tension
• The $4,000/month digital marketer they almost hired
• Going from $4.4 million to $9 million in two years
• Why the Culture Award means more to Sean than the Inc. 5000
• What Sean wants his kids to see in what he and Alex built

Whether you're a construction business owner, a co-founder navigating partnership tension, or an owner working around the clock wondering if it's worth it — this episode is for you.

🎙️ ABOUT BEYOND THE OWNER'S TRAP

Hosted by Alan Melton, founder of Small Business Coach Associates, 24-year coaching veteran and advisor to 1,100+ small business owners. Real owners share the unfiltered truth about what worked, what broke, and the difference between owning a business and being owned by one.

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📌 CONNECT WITH SEAN & ALEX

🌐 Website: www.ascoflouisville.com

📞 Phone: 502-614-5050

📱 Facebook | Instagram | YouTube: A&S Construction of Louisville

📌 CONNECT WITH ALAN MELTON

🌐 Website: smallbusinesscoach.org

📅 Book a free strategy session: smallbusinesscoach.org

💼 LinkedIn: Alan Melton

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:17 Meet Sean Schmitt & Alexander Johns

3:58 COVID pivot from currency exchange

6:46 Newborns and 100-hour weeks

7:36 What they thought owning a business meant

10:37 The hardest point: 4am starts and betrayal

12:25 Co-founder tension at 18 months in

13:19 Cracking $1M in year one

17:30 Reaching out to Alan in 2022

19:30 The $4,000/month marketer they almost hired

22:30 The personal SWOT: roles get defined

26:30 Finding the right-hand person and letting go

29:30 $4.4M to $9M: what drove the growth

34:23 What are you still holding onto?

36:53 What Sean wants his kids to see

38:58 Alan's reflection on their journey

41:36 Best Culture Award & Top Trex Builder in Kentucky

43:20 Episode wrap-up

📺 ALSO AVAILABLE ON

🌐 smallbusinesscoach.org/podcast

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