GROW by Design

Hosted by Jacob Godar

Business Entrepreneurship Management Leisure

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Episodes

220

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

Jacob Godar is an expert at scaling contractor-based businesses and the founder of GROW Comm, a private coaching group for contractors. Each week, he shares experiences, lends advice, and teaches strategies to help you achieve your next level in your life, relationships, and business.

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60 recent

November 5, 202617 min

Episode 219: How to Systemize Your Pricing and Grow a More Profitable Business

Are you still figuring out your prices as you go? Or are you the only person in your business who knows how to put an estimate together?In this episode of Grow My Design, we break down how to build a pricing system that grows with your business. From calculating your operating costs and understanding your profit margins to separating material costs from labor and creating repeatable estimate templates, you'll learn how to bring more structure and consistency to your pricing.We also discuss: How to calculate your real cost of running a business. Why copying competitors' prices isn't the right pricing strategy. Why material and labor costs should be tracked separately. How purchase orders can improve accuracy and prevent costly mistakes. How to use templates and historical job data to create faster estimates. Why pricing for the business you want to build matters more than pricing for where you are today. How to create a pricing process your team can follow without depending on you for every estimate. The goal isn't to make every estimate perfect. It's to build a repeatable system that gives you a reliable starting point, saves time, improves decision-making, and helps your business grow beyond the owner.If you're running a landscaping company or another service-based business, this episode will help you take the next step toward systemizing your operations.Listen, learn, and start building a business that doesn't depend on you doing everything.#GrowMyDesign #BusinessGrowth #PricingStrategy #LandscapingBusiness #BusinessSystems #ServiceBusiness

October 7, 202616 min

Episode 218: Keep Going: The Power of Perseverance in Business & Life

What if the challenges you’re facing aren’t happening to you, they’re happening for you? In this episode of Grow By Design, we dive into the power of perseverance and why the hardest seasons of business and life can become the greatest opportunities for growth. From completing a 100-mile ultramarathon to navigating business setbacks, we explore how changing your perspective, embracing difficult challenges, and simply refusing to quit can build the mental strength you need to handle whatever comes next. You’ll learn why setbacks are often “tuition,” how hard experiences build resilience, and why the goal isn’t to avoid challenges, it’s to become stronger because of them. Keep going. Keep learning. Keep building.

September 9, 202617 min

Episode 217: Prioritize & Execute: Focus on What Actually Moves the Needle

In business, it’s easy to get trapped in the daily to-do list and spend your time reacting to whatever comes next. But not every task has the same impact. In this episode, we break down the power of prioritization and execution, how to identify the work that actually keeps customers, creates new customers, solves problems, and moves the business forward. From responding to sales opportunities quickly and improving customer communication to building better systems, delegating effectively, and using the 80/20 principle, this conversation explores how business owners and teams can stop getting stuck in the weeds and focus on what matters most. The key takeaway is simple: you get what you prioritize. Learn how to ruthlessly identify the highest-impact priorities, execute on them, and continuously build your capacity to grow.

August 26, 202618 min

Episode 216: Solve Bigger Problems, Build a Bigger Business

Business growth comes from solving bigger problems. In this episode, we explore why entrepreneurs and teams must continually take on new challenges to increase their impact, create more value, and grow their businesses. From improving team compensation to tackling increasingly complex problems, discover why growth requires you to keep moving forward.

August 12, 20267 min

Episode 215: This Might Be the Moment That Defines You

When business feels overwhelming, it can be easy to see pressure, uncertainty, financial stress, and setbacks as signs that you're about to break. But what if those moments are actually building you? In this short, punchy episode, the focus is on reframing the hardest moments in business. The pressure you're experiencing isn't necessarily happening to you, it may be shaping you into the person capable of handling what's next. Every difficult situation you survive builds resilience. Every time you make it through something that once seemed impossible, you prove to yourself that you can handle more. The challenges become the layers that strengthen you over time. The message is simple: don't mistake the moment that feels like it's breaking you for the moment that's defining you.Learn to welcome the pressure, embrace the struggle, and shift your perspective from “I can't make it through this” to “This is what's going to make me.” Keep going. This too shall pass.

July 29, 202614 min

Episode 214: Take Control of Your Time: The Time Management System Every Business Owner Needs

Are you constantly busy but still feel like you're not making meaningful progress? In this episode of Grow By Design, we dive into one of the most powerful productivity systems every entrepreneur and business owner should master: time management through intentional prioritization. You'll learn why being busy doesn't equal being productive, how time blocking can transform your daily workflow, and the simple question that will help you decide whether every task is actually moving your business forward.

July 15, 202623 min

Episode 213: What My Hardest Client Taught Me | Business Lessons Every Contractor Must Learn

Every business owner will eventually deal with a difficult client—but the real value comes from what those experiences teach you. In this episode of Grow By Design, we break down the biggest lessons learned from one of the most challenging landscaping projects ever taken on. From identifying red flags and setting clear payment terms to handling change orders, improving communication, and standing firm with difficult customers, these are practical insights every contractor, landscaper, and service business owner can apply.

July 1, 202623 min

Episode 212: What My Hardest Client Taught Me About Business | Lessons Every Contractor Needs to Hear

Every business owner will eventually face a difficult client. In this episode of Grow by Design, Jacob shares the story of his most challenging project and the lessons it taught him about leadership, pricing, contracts, communication, and trusting your instincts. Whether you're in landscaping, construction, or any service business, these real-world experiences can help you avoid costly mistakes and grow with confidence.

June 17, 202627 min

Episode 212: What I’d Do If I Had to Start a Business From Scratch in 90 Days

What would you do if you had to start over with no employees, no reputation, and only $5,000?In this episode of Grow By Design, Jacob breaks down the exact 90-day plan he would follow to build a service business from the ground up. From finding your first customers and securing your first job to networking, marketing, hiring your first employee, and creating momentum, this episode is a practical roadmap for entrepreneurs ready to take action. You'll learn: • How to start with limited resources • The first services to offer when starting out • Low-cost marketing strategies that actually work • How to land your first paying customers • When to hire your first employee • The importance of networking and referrals • Why resourcefulness matters more than resources • How to overcome fear and take imperfect action Whether you're starting a lawn care company, landscaping business, home service company, or any service-based business, these principles can help you gain traction faster and avoid common mistakes.Success isn't about having more money. It's about taking action, solving problems, and staying committed when things get uncomfortable.What would be the first thing you'd do if you had to start over today? Let us know in the comments.

June 4, 202623 min

Episode 211: Route Density: The Hidden Growth Engine for Service Businesses

Growing a service business isn't just about getting more customers—it's about getting the right customers in the right locations. In this episode, we break down how route density increases profitability, strengthens recurring revenue, creates marketing opportunities, and boosts the long-term value of your company. Learn why maintenance accounts can become one of your most powerful growth assets.