Slow payment is one of the biggest threats facing contractors today. Even healthy, growing businesses can find themselves short on cash when the money they’ve earned arrives long after their bills come due. Tara Cristal is speaking up about the issue and shares her experience and where she's going with…
Slow payment is one of the biggest threats to small contractors, and it’s rarely about whether the money shows up. It’s about when. Subcontractor cash flow, payment terms, and net-60 or net-90 pay cycles can put even a profitable trade business under serious pressure. Catch more on this week's episode,…
Want to build stronger relationships and make a real impression? Stop trying to be interesting and start being more interested. When you focus on the person in front of you instead of listing your accomplishments, conversations get deeper, trust builds faster, and people remember you. Try it in your next…
You walk away from a conversation and nothing happens. No follow-up, no rapport, no real connection. What if the problem isn’t that you’re boring, but that you’re trying too hard to be interesting? In this episode, we break down why leading with your resume, credentials, and accomplishments can quietly sabotage…
You walk away from a conversation and nothing happens. No follow-up, no rapport, no real connection. What if the problem isn’t that you’re boring, but that you’re trying too hard to be interesting? In this episode, we break down why leading with your resume, credentials, and accomplishments can quietly sabotage…
What did the best listener you’ve ever met say to you? Probably not much. Most of us assume people like us for our credentials and our stories. But think of the people you’d call back in a heartbeat. You probably can’t recite their résumé. When we treat networking like a…
The people we remember aren’t the ones who talked the most. They’re the ones who made us feel heard. Next time you’re in a room full of strangers, try swapping your pitch for curiosity. Ask about the story behind someone’s work, what they’re excited about right now, or what brought…
Think about your last conversation. What did you learn about the other person? Not their title or their resume, but something real about them. If you came up empty, you’re not alone. Most of us walk away from conversations with a head full of what we said. There’s a simple…
Why am I not working on my dream? It might be the most critical question you ever ask yourself. In this clip, we talk about the moment Doug watched someone else pursuing their dream and turned the question on himself. Sometimes the push you need to start comes from seeing…
A “big zero” in writing credentials and a C in English. That’s how Doug Berry describes his qualifications, and he’s now a children’s book author, a sci-fi novelist, and a Josie Music Award nominee headed to the Grand Ole Opry. Doug is a recently retired Air Force veteran from South…
A “big zero” in writing credentials and a C in English. That’s how Doug Berry describes his qualifications, and he’s now a children’s book author, a sci-fi novelist, and a Josie Music Award nominee headed to the Grand Ole Opry. Doug is a recently retired Air Force veteran from South…
Stuck in “what should I do?” and “what if?” mode? Here’s the key principle: make the decision and take the step. If it’s the wrong decision, you’ll know, and you’ll adjust. If it’s the right one, great, because there are more decisions waiting behind it. Most of us get spun…
Overnight success? Not even close. Success rarely happens in a straight line or on a calendar. For Doug Berry, it started 26 years ago, with hot spots and cold spots, high-intensity seasons and quiet ones, and other priorities along the way. What mattered most is that he never stopped. If…
An Air Force airman sat next to a friend who was studying to become a pilot, and he realized something: his friend was building toward his dream. What was he doing to build toward his? That one question changed everything. It led to a NASCAR race team, children’s books, sci-fi…
He swore up and down he knew everything. Fresh out of university with zero internship experience, he told a 30-year safety professional that he wasn't legit because he didn't have a degree. Does a degree matter more than decades in the field? Catch the answer and more on this week's…
Fourteen years on the tools. About twenty in safety. A safety expert witness. An author. And a woman who got a 98 on her journeyman's test, better than the guys who did all four years. Kim Pierce is the kind of safety professional Jesse says he wishes he'd had on…
Fourteen years on the tools. About twenty in safety. A safety expert witness. An author. And a woman who got a 98 on her journeyman's test, better than the guys who did all four years. Kim Pierce is the kind of safety professional Jesse says he wishes he'd had on…
Thinking about a career in safety, or going back to school later in life? That can sometimes be an advantage because you've already been working in the field, and you can show the younger students what they'd actually face on the job, not just what's in the textbook. The biggest…
Did you ever feel pressure to produce over quality and safety when you were out on your tools? This safety professional gives an honest answer about the "just get it done" culture on construction job sites, and how that mindset shaped his risk tolerance today. Production pressure is one of…
Skilled trades pay well. Many young workers finish their apprenticeship, become journeymen, buy a new vehicle, and even own a home by 28 to 30. Here's what it takes to get there. Show up on time, do your job, and ask questions, and you'll get kept on or called back,…
Feeling pressure to have your next 5, 10, or 20 years mapped out? Here's a reality check: almost nobody has a black-and-white roadmap, and the people who did often went off the rails and ended up grateful they did. If you've ever felt behind because you don't have your whole…
Six years after episode zero, Jesse is back with his original co-host (and baby brother) Rene for a 250th episode full of laughs. They recorded at 6 a.m. on a Sunday, with Rene hiding out at his office so his four kids, the "raptors," wouldn't crash the interview. Rene explains…
Six years after episode zero, Jesse is back with his original co-host (and baby brother) Rene for a 250th episode full of laughs. They recorded at 6 a.m. on a Sunday, with Rene hiding out at his office so his four kids, the "raptors," wouldn't crash the interview. Rene explains…
Some conversations are an ice bath. Step in, and the first reaction is usually, "Oh my gosh, this is a lot." But discomfort isn't the point. The real question is why it's so uncomfortable in the first place. When something rattles you, it's often pointing at something you haven't looked…
