Episodes
570
Latest episode
Oct 2026
Language
EN
It's no secret that a large majority of contractors are too busy working "IN" their business instead of "ON" their business. As a 3rd generation painter, I've first-hand witnessed the struggle of a contractor (my father) as he attempted to manage all aspects of his House Painting Business while still painting and performing the jobs. My passion is to free contractors from the chains of their own business, and truly help them achieve greatness through creating systems, processes, and standards...TUNE IN! Follow @OfficialTannerMullen on Instagram!
What's up good people! As some of you may know, the 31-Days of Value challenge was born on this podcast. Since then, it's evolved into a new vision - Stronghold. New name, new vision, same powerful content. Here's the first 7 days of the audiobook - listen one day at a time - implement the ONE action - don't miss a day. If you want to read along, grab the Kindle version here
How do you build a painting business that runs without you? Justin Georgopoulos explains the systems behind his $6.5M painting company and how his team sold and produced $300,000 while he spent 11 days away in Greece. In this special episode of Contractor Secrets from the Routemize launch party, Tanner Mullen welcomes Justin Georgopoulos, founder of High Five Painting (formerly 519 Painters) and Trade Launch. Justin breaks down how he built a painting company where he no longer needs to personally handle estimates, customer calls, project management or payroll. Instead, his business operates through four key departments: → MARKETING: Consistent inbound and outbound lead generation → CUSTOMER SERVICE: Dedicated appointment setters, fast responses and structured follow-up → SALES: Trained closers, commission-based incentives and profitable pricing → OPERATIONS: Project managers, production handoffs, crew scheduling and accountability We also cover: How his team handled $300K in business while he was away The structure behind a $6.5M painting company How they generate approximately 100 estimates per week Their 10-call follow-up cadence over three days How they structure and compensate sales reps Their 60–70% gross profit pricing targets How AI helps match painting crews with the right projects The organizational chart behind the operation Why profit matters more than revenue How to get off the tools and stop being the bottleneck Justin also shares examples of how other painting contractors have implemented these systems through Trade Launch. The takeaway: Growing your painting business shouldn't mean creating a bigger job for yourself. Build the team. Build the systems. Create a business that can operate without you. 🎙️ Contractor Secrets with Tanner Mullen Subscribe for more conversations about scaling a profitable painting business. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #ContractorSystems #PaintingBusinessGrowth #ContractorSecrets
What's up good people! As some of you may know, the 31-Days of Value challenge was born on this podcast. Since then, it's evolved into a new vision - Stronghold. New name, new vision, same powerful content. Here's the first 7 days of the audiobook - listen one day at a time - implement the ONE action - don't miss a day. If you want to read along, grab the Kindle version here
Getting comfortable in business can be more dangerous than failure. In this episode, Tanner Mullen explains why business owners start playing small after they've finally built something worth protecting. When I started my painting business, I knew almost nothing. I was hungry. I asked questions. I took risks. I figured things out as I went. And that's what I've been reflecting on lately. Because there's an interesting thing that happens as your business grows: You finally have something to lose. The same person who was willing to risk everything to start the business can slowly become afraid to make the decisions required to keep growing it. In this episode, I get into: → Why getting comfortable in business can be dangerous → Why business owners start playing small → Remembering who you were when you started → Scarcity vs. service → Purpose over profit → Why your “why” matters when things get hard → Walking away from an $80K job → Starting a painting business with my father → Why your business was born from risk → Learning to operate in uncertainty → Why the nature of business is constant change → Making bold investments and decisions → The responsibility that comes with leadership → Building a business that can keep promises without you → Putting service ahead of self-preservation → Preparing your business before the next storm arrives CHAPTERS: 00:00 A Different Contractor Secrets Episode 01:45 Looking Back 10 Years 03:19 Purpose Over Profit 04:32 Scarcity vs. Service 05:35 Why Your “Why” Changes Everything 07:20 The Reason I Started My Painting Business 09:07 Walking Away From the Safe Path 11:06 Remember Who You Were When You Started 12:17 Faith Requires Action 13:13 Why Business Owners Stop Taking Risks 14:03 Business Is Always Changing 15:24 The Pressure of Leadership 16:49 Where Are You Playing Small? 17:27 The Danger of Getting Comfortable 18:40 Learning to Thrive in Uncertainty 19:45 Make the Bold Decision 21:33 Prepare Before the Storm Comes 22:58 Stop Making It About You 24:24 Operate With a Servant Mindset 25:13 Business Is Bigger Than You Your business was born from risk. You believed you could create something that didn't exist yet — and you acted on it. Don't let having something to lose make you afraid to keep moving forward. Don't get comfortable. Don't play small. Remember why you started. 🎙️ Contractor Secrets with Tanner Mullen Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #BusinessMindset #Entrepreneurship #ContractorSecrets
Painting contractors spend thousands generating leads — but how many painting leads are lost because nobody answers the phone, follows up, or properly manages the sales pipeline? In this episode of Contractor Secrets, Tanner sits down with Katie from Tech Brush Works to break down one of the most overlooked parts of growing a painting business: what happens AFTER the lead comes in. Answering the phone isn't just an administrative job. It's part of your sales process. Katie explains how her team helps painting contractors answer calls, follow up with leads, organize their CRM, revive old opportunities and create a better customer experience before the estimator ever walks through the door. We cover: → Why answering the phone is a sales function → The hidden cost of missed painting leads → Why old leads aren't necessarily dead → How to systematically follow up by phone, text and email → Why your CRM should tell you what's happening in under a minute → Turning cold leads back into appointments → Why contractors shouldn't be answering every call themselves → The difference between answering calls and creating a customer experience → When overseas VAs make sense — and where Katie sees limitations → Why premium painting companies need a premium customer experience → Getting your business phone off your personal cell → Delegating the phone without losing control → How better follow-up gives contractors their time back CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why Answering the Phone Matters 01:19 Meet Katie 01:58 From Corporate Customer Experience to Painting 03:38 The Gap Katie Found in the Painting Industry 05:02 Customer Experience as a Service 06:06 Fixing the CRM & Reviving Cold Leads 08:59 How Homeowners Prefer to Communicate 09:39 Your Pipeline Is Gold 10:33 Reviving Months-Old Leads 12:44 Why Old Leads Aren't Dead 15:18 Stop Letting Leads Slip Through the Cracks 16:20 Who's Answering Your Phone? 17:32 Overseas VAs vs. Customer Experience 20:08 Why Communication Matters 21:35 What Premium Brands Get Right 22:53 The Experience Has to Match the Price 23:39 Who Should Manage Your Phones? 24:58 How Outsourced Phone Answering Works 26:36 Get Your Business Off Your Personal Cell 27:15 Tanner's Biggest Phone Breakthrough 28:02 Getting Your Time Back 29:14 The CEO Shouldn't Manage the Phones 30:45 How to Work With Katie The big takeaway: Generating the lead is only the beginning. If nobody answers quickly, follows up consistently and creates a great first impression, you're potentially wasting opportunities you've already paid to generate. Build the system. Work the pipeline. Create a great customer experience. And get the phone off your plate. 🎙️ Subscribe to Contractor Secrets for more conversations about building and scaling a profitable painting business. Contact Katie: www.techbrushworks.com Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #ContractorMindset #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ContractorSecrets
Your painting contractor mindset could be the biggest thing holding your business back. Joel Mercado breaks down the limiting beliefs, leadership habits and systems that keep painting contractors stuck. In this special episode of Contractor Secrets from the Routemize launch party, Joel explains why changing your business often starts with changing the way you think. From struggling to make payroll to building multiple businesses, Joel shares the mindset shifts that helped him stop focusing on what couldn't be done and start taking action on what could. We cover: → Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset → The limiting beliefs keeping contractors stuck → Why higher prices can mean fewer headaches → Transferring your skills to your employees → Why you shouldn't try to fix everything at once → Focusing on one problem for 30 days → Why expanding too quickly can hurt your business → Motivation vs. discipline → How to scale from $1M toward $5M → Why people and systems need to come before growth → Developing better leaders → Why self-leadership comes first → Getting 1% better every day CHAPTERS: 00:00 Routemize Launch Party 01:27 Meet Joel Mercado 02:24 Fixed vs. Growth Mindset 03:35 From Nearly Losing a House to $2.5M 05:31 Destroying Your Limiting Beliefs 06:53 Empower Your Employees to Sell 08:21 Stop Competing on Price 10:13 Don't Expand Too Quickly 11:33 Focus on One Thing 13:13 How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed 14:04 Get 1% Better Every Day 16:55 Why It's Easier to Win Today 19:24 How Joel Pushed Through the Struggle 21:26 Motivation Is Temporary 22:10 Discipline & Consistency Win 22:43 How to Scale From $1M to $5M 24:25 Leadership Starts With You 25:48 The Law of the Lid 27:43 Become a Student for Life 28:48 Final Message The biggest takeaway: Your business can't consistently grow beyond your ability to lead it. Change the way you think. Focus on one thing. Develop your people. Build the systems. Stay disciplined. Then grow. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #ContractorMindset #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ContractorSecrets
After 4 years running a remodeling business, Joe Altobelli is spread thin, worn down, dealing with slow cash flow, and considering going back to work for someone else. In this episode of Contractor Secrets, Tanner sits down with Joe and breaks down what he would change if he were rebuilding Joe’s business from the ground up. The biggest recommendation? Simplify. Instead of trying to sell and fulfill every type of remodeling project, Tanner makes the case for niching down into residential painting and building a business around one repeatable service. They break down: → Why general remodeling can be incredibly difficult to systemize → The advantage of specializing in one service → Why repetition creates better systems → Sales, marketing, production & administration → Why painting can create a faster iteration cycle → How Joe could transition into painting → Using subcontractors when you're getting started → Why the owner doesn't need to do the painting → Building a business around your strengths → Creating predictable marketing and sales → How specialization makes training easier → Why focus matters when you're trying to build momentum → Tanner's “burn the boats” approach → Building a business around the life you actually want CHAPTERS: 00:00 “I’m Considering Working for Someone Again” 01:14 Meet Joe Altobelli 03:51 Why Joe Is Burned Out 05:50 The Problem With General Remodeling 08:09 You’re Not Starting From Zero 09:08 Why Niching Down Matters 10:11 The 4 Pillars of a Business 11:11 Why Tanner Recommends Painting 12:03 The Simple Painting Business Playbook 12:59 Can Painting Work in a Cold Climate? 13:55 You Don’t Need to Do the Painting 15:09 Why Specialization Makes Marketing Easier 17:00 Building a Repeatable Business 21:56 Starting With Subcontractors 24:53 Joe’s Bigger Reason for Building a Business 28:27 Fear, Risk & Starting Over 33:39 Turning Fear Into Action 34:58 Should Joe Keep Taking Remodeling Jobs? 35:17 Why Tanner Says “Burn the Boats” 37:35 Final Advice Joe has already spent four years learning how to work with homeowners, sell projects, manage construction and deliver great customer experiences. The question isn't whether he has to start over. It's whether simplifying the business could finally allow him to use everything he's already learned. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #PaintingSales #PaintingLeads #ContractorSales #ContractorSecrets
Painting contractors don't always need more leads — they need a better sales process. Jason Phillips explains how closing more painting estimates at higher margins can completely change the economics of your painting business. In this episode of Contractor Secrets, Jason breaks down why constantly spending more money on painting leads can actually hide the real problem in your business. If you're already generating opportunities but homeowners are ghosting you, shopping your price, saying “we need to think about it,” or simply not closing — generating MORE leads won't solve the problem. You need to fix sales first. We cover: → Why more leads won't fix a sales problem → How to make more money from the leads you already have → Why customers default to price when they can't see the difference → How sales affects gross profit → Revenue vs. gross profit → How better sales can fund your team and systems → Why your sales process needs to be repeatable and trainable → How to set better appointments → Why you should show up to serve instead of sell → The three costs every homeowner should understand → Building your quote around what the homeowner actually values → Why Jason recommends presenting your quote instead of emailing it → Presenting payment options alongside the price CHAPTERS: 00:00 Routemize Launch Party 01:27 Meet Jason 02:07 Why Sales Is the First Thing to Fix 03:00 The Problem With Chasing More Leads 05:26 Why Sales Changes Everything 06:32 Make More From the Leads You Already Have 07:41 Stop Competing on Price 09:18 Sales Pays for Everything Else 10:49 Why Gross Profit Creates Freedom 11:57 The Math Behind Better Sales 15:09 Are You Building a Business or a Job? 15:40 Fix Sales → Build Team → Build Systems 16:29 Real-World Painting Business Results 18:39 What Does “Selling Better” Actually Mean? 20:10 7 Practical Sales Tips 20:17 #1 Set a Better Appointment 21:47 #2 Show Up to Serve 22:59 #3 Explain the Three Costs 23:29 #4 Build the Quote Around Their Values 23:59 Present Your Price Under the Right Conditions 24:32 Present Payment Options 25:20 Put the Customer Before the Commission 26:08 Fix Sales and Get Your Life Back The big idea: you don't necessarily need more opportunities. You need to get better at converting the opportunities you've already paid for. Fix your sales. Build your team. Build your systems. Get your life back. Subscribe for more conversations about building and scaling a profitable painting business. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #PaintingSales #PaintingLeads #ContractorSales #ContractorSecrets
Painting contractor leads aren't automatically good or bad because they came from Facebook, Instagram, or another lead source. Jacob Ransom breaks down the painting lead strategy he uses to turn cold traffic into referral-quality opportunities. In this episode of Contractor Secrets, Tanner sits down with Jacob, founder of Monumental Growth and owner of a multi-location painting company, to break down his “Trust Stacking” system. The idea is simple: lead quality isn't determined by where the lead came from — it's determined by how much the homeowner trusts you when they reach out. Jacob breaks the system into three pillars: → MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE Show up consistently where your ideal homeowners spend their time. → MAKE IT EASY Remove friction with fast responses, flexible availability, texting, Messenger, and online self-booking. → MAKE IT REAL Use real people, reviews, authentic content, and raw videos to build trust before the estimate. We also cover: → Why “bad Facebook leads” may actually be a trust problem → Why price objections can be trust objections → How convenience can attract better customers → Why being first through the door matters → Evening and weekend estimate availability → Why your intake process could be filtering out your best customers → Raw phone videos vs. polished advertising → How Jacob approaches keeping marketing costs low enough to scale CHAPTERS: 00:00 Routemize Launch Party 01:27 Meet Jacob Ransom 02:16 Why Some Painting Companies Scale So Fast 05:00 The “Trust Recession” 07:10 Price Objections vs. Trust 09:06 What Actually Determines Lead Quality? 09:56 Turning Cold Leads Into Referral-Quality Leads 10:46 The 3 Pillars of Trust Stacking 11:44 Pillar #1: Make Yourself Visible 14:33 How Much Marketing Activity Is Enough? 17:19 Pillar #2: Make It Easy 18:29 Why Online Booking Matters 19:32 Jacob’s Self-Booking Results 22:08 Evening & Weekend Appointments 24:38 Why Being First Through the Door Matters 26:07 Convenience Attracts Better Customers 27:34 How Friction Filters Your Customers 28:55 Stop Making It Hard to Hire You 29:33 Pillar #3: Make It Real 30:47 A Better Way to Use Google Reviews 31:22 Raw Content vs. Polished Ads 34:25 Putting the Full System Together 37:15 How Lower Marketing Costs Enable Scale 38:37 Jacob’s Trust Stacking SOP If you're a painting contractor struggling with inconsistent or low-quality leads, this episode will change the way you think about lead generation. Subscribe for more conversations about growing and scaling a profitable painting business. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #PaintingLeads #PaintingMarketing #ContractorMarketing #ContractorSecrets
Painting contractor marketing isn't just Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and generating more leads. Glenn Williamson explains why building local brand and trust is one of the most overlooked marketing strategies for painting contractors. Glenn is a painting contractor on track for $8M this year, and in this episode he breaks down the strategies his company uses to become known and trusted in its local market. We cover: → Why relying entirely on paid leads is dangerous → Building trust through community involvement → Yard sign and charity campaigns → Vehicle wraps and local branding → Facebook groups and referral partners → Building a network of trusted local contractors → Using your brand to increase trust during the sales process → A completely different approach to door hangers → Turning community involvement into content for Google, YouTube, and AI The big idea: paid ads can generate leads today, but brand and trust give you something your competitors can't simply outbid you for. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Meet Glenn Williamson 00:32 Building an $8M Painting Company 03:44 Why Contractors Undervalue Brand & Trust 04:58 Do You Own Demand or Rent Leads? 06:42 Do Facebook & Google Ads Build a Brand? 08:06 Community Marketing That Actually Builds Trust 10:15 Charity & Local Event Strategies 13:41 Facebook Groups & Referral Partners 15:08 How Brand Helps Close the Sale 17:08 Building a Local Contractor Network 18:43 A Better Door Hanger Strategy 21:02 Why Trust Compounds Over Time 21:55 Building Trust for Google, YouTube & AI 22:48 How to Find Glenn If you're building a painting company and want to become the contractor people already know and trust before they ever request an estimate, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more conversations about building and scaling a profitable painting business. Start your Free 14 Day Trial for Routemize - https://routemize.com/ Coaching Session Signup: https://calendly.com/dripjobs/breakthrough Purchase the 31 Days of Value and build an EMPIRE: https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-Value-home-service-businesses/dp/B0FQSH32X7 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v0D0SNSBofqJJE6zApEE1 DripJobs Demo: https://calendly.com/dripjobsteam/dripjobsdemo Gusto: https://gusto.com/i/tanner269 OpenPhone: https://openph.one/referral/8Kc17aq Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173750747824373/?ref=share Follow me on Instagram: http://Instagram.com/officialtannermullen #PaintingContractor #PaintingBusiness #PaintingMarketing #ContractorMarketing #ContractorSecrets
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Alexander Spencer
