Danielle Warnert of Upskilled Consulting shares proven strategies to stop the revolving door of technician turnover and build training programs that create loyal, skilled employees who actually stick around.

• Including field experience from week one prevents tech disappointment and improves retention
• Building robust career paths and technician scorecards shows clear progression opportunities
• Creating training dashboards to track certifications, headcount, and employee tenure spotlights retention issues
• Asking technicians what they want to learn rather than assuming their training needs
• Gamifying training engages hands-on learners better than traditional classroom settings
• Technician turnover costs $50,000-$70,000 per employee when considering all factors
• Training strategies should differ for small companies versus larger organizations with academies
• Using Airtable or even Excel to create analytics that measure training effectiveness

"You're never too small to invest in your training. That is so true. You could be two-person and you're not too small. It'll pay dividends if you do it right and you invest in it."

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Matthew Eford transformed seasonal business challenges into thriving enterprises by creating complementary companies that operate year-round and positioning his services as premium offerings. He shares his journey from Mosquito Joe franchisee to founding Lighting Pros, now a successful franchise system focused on quality over price competition.

• Started with Mosquito Joe franchise providing outdoor pest control primarily to residential customers
• Created Lighting Pros to solve the seasonal employment problem and keep quality team members year-round
• Positioned both businesses as premium services with a "charge more and be worth it" philosophy
• Average lighting job now exceeds $10,000 by focusing on value over competing on price
• Leverages complementary seasonal businesses with mosquito control in warm months and lighting in cooler months
• Differentiates from "chuck-in-a-truck" competitors by specializing rather than diversifying services
• Builds strong company culture through monthly all-staff meetings focusing on professional development
• Implements clear "rules of engagement" defining what excellent service looks like
• Maintains employee retention through year-round employment and regular bonuses
• Created a board of advisors with experienced mentors who provide honest feedback
• Aims to grow to 100 franchise locations generating $100 million annual impact within five years

Head over to ProfitandGrit.com to book an intro session with me. We'll dig into your numbers and figure out how to turn your daily grind into sustainable profit.

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Dylan Caraway, Senior Loan Officer of Service Contractors at Live Oak Bank, shares insider knowledge on how trades businesses can secure financing for growth, acquisitions, and succession planning. His team specializes in understanding the unique value of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors, helping them access capital when traditional banks may not recognize their true worth.

• Live Oak Bank takes an industry-focused approach rather than regional, lending nationwide to specialized industries
• The bank has been the #1 SBA 7A lender by dollar volume since 2017
• They evaluate businesses primarily on cash flow coverage rather than tangible collateral
• The critical debt service coverage ratio they look for is 1.25X, meaning $1.25 of cash flow for every dollar of debt
• Existing business owners may qualify for 100% financing through the SBA expansion program
• Banks scrutinize both business financials and personal credit/financial management
• Clean books are essential – no "mattress cash" or handwritten cash additions to P&Ls
• Succession planning should start 1-5 years before exit to allow time for financial optimization
• Internal buyouts offer advantages as employees already know the business operations
• The LiveOak Express program can provide up to $500K in working capital with 1-2 week closing times

For questions about financing options for your service business, contact Dylan Caraway at 252-671-2427 or dylan.caraway@liveoak.bank.

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Jacob Lawson transformed from an offshore oil worker to founding a thriving commercial flooring enterprise focused on making life extraordinary. His journey from starting with a "Home Depot card and a prayer" to scaling a multi-million dollar operation demonstrates how strategic business decisions and personal development create sustainable success.

• Built a flooring business specializing in polished concrete and epoxy coatings with a 90-10 commercial to residential ratio
• Developed a personal brand and philosophy around "making life extraordinary" based on four pillars: health, wealth, relationships, and purpose
• Made a strategic pivot from residential to commercial work after 15 years to specialize rather than remain a "jack of all trades"
• Emphasizes the importance of knowing your numbers and pricing based on your cost structure, not competitors
• Explains that commercial work requires strong cash reserves with typical payment terms of 60-90 days
• Built a team of 23 people with core members who have stayed 15-20 years
• Identifies his "superpower" as the ability to carry stress mentally without letting it weigh him down physically
• Has a five-year goal of growing to a $20 million company before potentially selling

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Dallin transformed a pool maintenance startup into a premium brand through strategic marketing, team-first culture, and systematic growth while maintaining work-life balance.

• Starting at 21 with just basic pool equipment and door-knocking for clients
• Reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad as the catalyst for entrepreneurial mindset
• Creating distinctive branding with Flamingo Pools to stand out from competitors
• Developing subscription-based pricing model with no long-term contracts
• Rejecting the concept of "slow seasons" through diversified service offerings
• Implementing performance-based compensation (80% base, 20% incentives)
• Building culture that prioritizes results over micromanagement
• Using three-interview process with personality assessments for hiring
• Maintaining omni-presence across all online platforms and review sites
• Setting target margins of 50% on repair services
• Building systems that allowed remote management from Hawaii

Check out Dallin's Instagram @Dallinthepoolguy for more free strategies you can implement in your business.

Send us a text

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Gary Rodding transformed from aspiring musician to successful business owner by building companies that prioritize trust, quality, and people over aggressive sales tactics. His innovative approaches to sales training, cash flow management, and team building have created sustainable growth for Symphony Concrete Coatings and Symphony Home Improvement.

• Building businesses that prioritize customer education and trust over aggressive sales tactics
• Differentiating through consultative selling in an industry known for pushy tactics
• Hiring people without sales experience to avoid entrenched bad habits
• Using unconventional interview questions like "tell me a joke" to assess character and composure
• Creating a daily cash flow management system to reduce stress and improve planning
• Tracking key metrics like Cost Per Lead Issued (CPLI) and Net Sales Per Lead Issued (NSLI)
• Gaining competitive advantage through transparent pricing and exceptional quality
• Building an elite sales team focused on finding the right solutions for customers
• Using data to drive business decisions while maintaining strong company culture

Visit symphonyconcretecoatings.com or roddickconsultinggroup.com to learn more about Gary's approach to business growth.

Visit profitandgrit.com for the show notes with links.

Book a complimentary meeting with Fractiona CFO Tyler Martin at FixCFO.com

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Cinco Winston shares his journey of starting a line striping business with zero customers lined up, investing in equipment, and building a profitable company in just six months through determination and strategic relationship building.

• Left a construction job to start True Line Striping in Waco, Texas
• Identified market gap in parking lot striping services
• Invested in quality equipment including a $10k striping machine
• Works unconventional hours (often 3am-6am) to accommodate client needs
• Built client base through persistent door knocking and networking
• Developed relationships with property managers and decision-makers
• Now receiving more inbound leads than outbound marketing efforts
• Recently completed a 500-space distribution center project with a team of five
• Working to train reliable help to scale beyond being a one-person operation
• Enjoys marathon running with goal of completing races in all 50 states
• Values entrepreneurship as a way to show his children what's possible

Show Notes: https://profitandgrit.com/podcast_episode/success-trades-cinco-winston/

Want to be a guest: info@thinktyler.com

Check us out on social media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitandgrit
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@profitandgrit
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitandgrit

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting

Steve Griggs shares his journey of building a high-end landscaping empire in New York City through trust, unwavering quality, and strategic business partnerships over 40 years. He offers candid insights about entrepreneurship's brutal reality while revealing the winning formula that helped him thrive in one of the toughest markets in the world.

• Starting with a $500 truck that burned up in front of his first client
• Building a business one client at a time through trust and consistent delivery
• Transitioning from doing everything in-house to orchestrating teams of specialized subcontractors
• Weathering economic storms by adapting services to market conditions
• Setting clear expectations with clients and ensuring decision-makers are aligned
• Carefully selecting clients and walking away from potential problem situations
• Maintaining consistent communication and respecting clients' homes as sanctuaries
• Focusing on referrals as the most powerful form of marketing
• Looking clients in the eye and promising to deliver on time, on budget, with no excuses

If you're new to the show, I'd truly appreciate it if you'd leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners with these valuable stories and lessons from successful blue-collar business owners.

Full show notes: https://profitandgrit.com/podcast_episode/truck-landscaping-steve-griggs/

🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin
Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.

🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com
📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit
📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy?
Book a free intro meeting