Out of the Hourglass

Hosted by Nolan Consulting Group

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Episodes

295

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Out of the Hourglass, presented by Nolan Consulting Group, is here to help Small Business Owners and Contractors alike visualize their goals, develop their team & build sustainable growth. You'll hear from our panel of NCG Coaches on a variety of topics, guest speakers from top industry resources, Business Owners sharing best practices and a focus on strategies across sales, marketing, business planning, human resources and more. We're here to take you "out of the hourglass" and reach YOUR Summit.

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60 recent

October 22, 202646 min

Ep. 289: Buy It or Build It? A Different Approach to Growing Your Business

What if your next opportunity for business growth isn't something you build, but something you buy? Join Colin Nolan and Steven Lawton as they explore how strategic acquisitions can help business owners expand into new markets, increase profitability, and build long-term value. From evaluating potential purchases and navigating deal-breakers to deciding when to buy versus build, Steven shares practical lessons from decades of acquiring and growing businesses. Discover what it takes to make an acquisition work, and why the best deal isn't always about the highest price.

October 14, 202635 min

Ep. 288: The Thing That Matters Most – Why Net Profit Is Sanity

In this episode, Kathryn Freeman and Colin Nolan break down the financial number most trades business owners overlook: net profit. They untangle the differences between gross profit, operating profit, EBITDA, and net profit, and share industry benchmarks for roofing, landscaping, and heavy equipment operations. Kathryn and Colin also dig into how owners can use net profit to fund growth, when a bonus or profit-sharing program actually makes sense, and why "no margin, no mission" should guide every profit decision.

October 7, 202635 min

Ep. 287: Family Business with Brian Nolan

Discover how to navigate generational handoffs, resolve leadership friction, and protect your family relationships while scaling your company. In this episode, three family business owners reveal the practical frameworks they used to transition authority, manage through shared values, and set clear boundaries between the boardroom and the dinner table. You'll walk away with actionable strategies to create succession plans and decision-making clarity long before a crisis forces the conversation.

September 30, 202654 min

Ep. 286: “Just Do It” – Kosta Kritikos on Rebranding a Family Legacy Into Aieres Group

Some people wait their entire careers for permission to pursue the thing they actually want. Kosta Kritikos, CEO & President of Aieres Group waited fifteen years until he finally decided to take the leap and it’s changed everything. On this episode of Out of the Hourglass , Kosta shares how First Nick Companies became Aieres Group, a transformation a year and a half in the planning and fifteen years in the making. This is a story of the name, the people, the brand, the culture… it's all connected.

September 23, 20261 hr 0 min

Ep. 285: The Work Series | The Legacy Play – How Southedge Painting Committed to the W2 Model

This is the final episode of our Work Series - a three-part look at how painting companies are rethinking their organizational models. For Mike Sanchez, owner of Southedge Painting and Contracting in Greenville, South Carolina, the shift from subcontractors to W2 employees wasn't about fixing something that was broken, it was about building a lasting team and culture. Mike walks us through the decision, the commitment it took to stay the course, and what the W2 model has unlocked for his team, his customers, and the long-term legacy of the business.

September 16, 202656 min

Ep. 284: How Curiosity Built a Career in HR – Andrew Coelho's Journey at Lancaster Painting

Andrew Coelho walked into Lancaster Painting for a sales job interview and walked out with an HR career he never saw coming. In this episode, he shares how curiosity, ownership, and the freedom to fail forward turned an entry-level role into a seat on the management team, and how that same mindset now has him exploring AI, automation, and marketing. It's a conversation about what's possible when leadership bets on someone ,and that someone bets on themselves.

September 9, 202657 min

Ep. 283: The Work Series | How ACP Painting Made the Hybrid Model Their Competitive Edge

This is the 2nd episode of our Work Series, a three-part look at how painting companies are rethinking their organizational models. What if the right model for your painting business wasn't W2 or subs - but both? That's been the answer for ACP Painting in Maricopa, Arizona for over twenty years. Co-owner Russ Byers and Inside Operations Manager Shell Abbott walk us through how they deploy two different kinds of teams under one roof - the decision-making framework, the financial tradeoffs, and the cultural dynamics that make it all work.

September 2, 20261 hr 3 min

Ep. 282: Building What Lasts – Jon Meyer on Leadership, Succession & Building a Board at Nolan Painting

What does it look like to spend 30 years growing inside an organization and ultimately step into the top seat? In this episode, Jon Meyer, President and CEO of Nolan Painting, shares the story of his path from the company's very first estimator to leading an $18.5M business through its next chapter. Jon opens up about the deliberate, years-long succession process Kevin Nolan built, what it's meant to inherit a company in strong shape, and how Nolan Painting is now formalizing that same intentionality through its newly formed Board of Directors. Whether you're thinking about your own exit, your leadership pipeline, or what long-term stability really looks like, this one's worth a listen.

August 19, 202653 min

Ep. 281: The Work Series | Rethinking the Field: Austin Ilsley on Ai Painting's Shift to the Sub Model

This is the first episode of our Work Series - a three-part look at how painting companies are rethinking their organizational models. When the numbers stopped working, Austin Ilsley and his wife Lacie faced a decision that would change everything about how they run their field team at Ai Painting Plus . Austin walks us through the financial turning point that pushed them away from a full W2 model and what the shift to subcontractors actually looked like on the ground. From rebuilding their team to redefining where control lives in the business, he shares the real lessons behind a transition that's now producing financial health.

August 5, 20261 hr 1 min

Ep. 280: Mid-Year Marketing Check In – Same Tactics, New Steroids

Halfway through 2026, what's actually moving the needle in marketing and what's just noise? David Kryszczak, Founder & President of Spartan Digital, joins the show for a mid-year reality check on AI, search behavior, and where trades businesses should be spending (and not spending) their marketing dollars. From AEO and "robots tricking robots" to the return of direct mail and the truth about AI voice agents, David breaks down what's working, what's hype, and how to keep your business visible no matter how fast the algorithms change.