Success Unleashed: Beyond The Jobsite

Hosted by Gerritt Bake

Business Management

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Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Being a contractor is hard. Dealing with clients, employees, billing, managing jobs, and making money consume your every waking hour. Which leaves you no time for what matters most: your family. Success Unleashed was created to give you the frameworks and tools you need to be successful not just on the job site...but in your personal life as well. Gerritt dives into his wealth of experience helping contractors build seven figure businesses that support the personal life they want. His direct approach cuts through the BS of life and help you get results. So if you're ready to make that change and take that tool belt off for good...then strap on your seat belt and listen in.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

May 5, 20268 min

Stop Babysitting Your Employees

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:If your employees act like toddlers, it’s probably not their fault. In this episode, I explain why most contractors accidentally create dependent teams, and how clarity, standards, scorecards, and ownership transform average employees into leaders.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why your employees act helpless02:00 The electrician who burned through 7 project managers05:20 Treating employees like children creates children08:40 Role clarity and standards change everything12:10 Scorecards and accountability15:00 One owner per outcomeSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

April 28, 20269 min

You’re Not in Business to Make Money

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:You’ve been lied to. You’re not in business to make money, you’re in business to keep money. I walk through the biggest profit leaks I see in contracting: rework, estimating errors, material waste, labor inefficiency, and poor billing. This episode is about protecting margins, not chasing revenue.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why more revenue feels like less money02:20 Where profit actually disappears05:10 Rework, estimating, and material waste09:10 Labor efficiency and schedule drift12:00 Cash flow vs real profit15:30 Deposits, milestones, and job costingSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

April 21, 202610 min

Why Contractors Stay Exhausted at 7 Figures

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:If you feel exhausted, reactive, and constantly putting out fires, you’re paying what I call the Chaos Tax. In this episode, I explain where chaos hides inside seven-figure businesses, scheduling, estimating, materials, change orders, and lack of clarity. Here's how to finally take control with real systems.What’s in this episode:00:00 What the Chaos Tax really costs you02:23 Why most 7-figure contractors suffer more chaos06:10 Scheduling mistakes and material chaos09:40 Change orders and quality control failures12:30 Why hustle culture is lying to you15:10 How planning and systems eliminate chaosSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

April 7, 20269 min

Cheap Bids Are Killing Contractors

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:Most contractors are living in an illusion, thinking cheap bids and change orders will save them. They won’t. In this episode, I break down why rework destroys margins, how inaccurate estimating kills profit, and why knowing your breakeven number is non-negotiable.What’s in this episode:00:00 The illusion of making money02:40 Why being the cheapest is dangerous05:10 Rework eats your margins08:20 Understanding breakeven costs11:30 Profit-first estimating14:40 Change order disciplineSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 30, 202611 min

The 7-Figure Lie Contractors Believe

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:In this episode, I break down why hitting seven figures doesn’t make life easier for most contractors — it actually exposes every crack in your business. More jobs, more people, more problems. I walk you through why revenue doesn’t solve chaos, how decision fatigue kills momentum, and what you actually need to implement if you don’t want seven figures to eat you alive.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why seven figures feels like a bigger dumpster fire02:10 Revenue exposes problems instead of fixing them04:48 The contractor doing $5M at 3% profit07:30 Hustle doesn’t scale past your calendar09:40 People, process, and plan breakdown11:00 Structure is the shortcut to sustainable growthSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 30, 20268 min

The Only Way Out of Contractor Burnout

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:The contractors who win aren’t the hardest workers, they’re the most structured. In this final episode, I show you how systems, scorecards, role clarity, and ownership give you your time back and allow real scale.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why systems beat hustle02:30 Creating roles and expectations05:10 Scorecards and accountability08:20 Moving decisions off your plate11:00 Building a business that runs without youSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 30, 20269 min

Why Most Contractors Don’t Know Their Breakeven

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:If you don’t know your breakeven, margins, and job costs, you’re guessing, not running a business. I walk through the exact numbers every contractor must understand to stay profitable and avoid working for free.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why dollars in don’t equal dollars kept02:10 Understanding breakeven05:20 Labor, materials, and overhead08:40 Vendor terms and cash flow11:30 Job costing in real timeSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 30, 202612 min

It’s Not Your People, It’s Your Process

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:When things go wrong, contractors blame people. But most of the time it’s the process. I share why clear systems beat talent alone, and how one simple shift can instantly improve performance across your entire team.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why it’s usually not your people02:20 The office manager story05:00 Training vs assuming08:10 Building high-performing teams11:00 Process before peopleSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 30, 202611 min

If You Can’t Leave for Two Weeks, You Don’t Own a Business

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:I share a story from vacation that perfectly explains why most contractors don’t own businesses, they own very expensive jobs. If every decision still runs through you, your company is built on dependency. I show you how to move from being required to simply being involved.What’s in this episode:00:00 Why contractors can’t unplug02:10 The beach story that says it all05:00 How you train your team to depend on you08:30 Required vs involved leadership11:20 Creating roles, clarity, and ownership14:10 Building systems so your business runs without youSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.

March 24, 2026Episode 8031 min

Why Saying No Was the Best Business Decision He Ever Made - Thomas Wright

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vipSummary:In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Wright from Renovate Ease, and we break down what it really takes to grow without chaos. Thomas shares how getting laid off during COVID pushed him into entrepreneurship, why saying yes to everything almost broke his business, and how niching down into kitchens and baths completely changed his profitability, stress level, and freedom. We talk about why revenue is vanity, why focus creates leverage, how hiring the wrong people holds you back, and what finally allowed Thomas to step into the CEO role while his team runs the business. If you’re stuck doing everything and wondering why growth feels harder instead of easier, this episode will hit you right between the eyes. What’s in this episode:00:00 Why Thomas’s growth story matters for contractors01:26 Getting laid off during COVID and starting a business from scratch05:45 Saying yes to everything and why it kills profit09:40 Losing focus and the danger of having all your eggs in one basket13:45 Why niching down into kitchens and baths changed everything17:10 Revenue vs profit and the power of saying no19:55 Raising minimum job size and doubling average project value23:55 Why focus reduces stress and increases control26:15 Letting go of the wrong people to grow the business29:30 Building systems, processes, and a real leadership team31:00 Starting over with $1,000 and where Thomas would invest itSuggested Videos:📹 Proven Strategies to Grow Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/f9NE7ia7gDA?si=A3JFa1cus-CgnBS9📹 Is One Bad Hire Threatening Your Business? https://youtu.be/A0waQvno7Ms?si=-qmq9iXTdIU4GO5w📹 Is Your Contracting Business Costing You Your Family Life? https://youtu.be/G1KDIy4Q_Yk?si=KwyfkaTNQjSA8fAR📹 Why Hustling 60+ Hours a Week is Destroying Your Contracting Business https://youtu.be/vOC1OTdUzAo?si=f2-yw77QbbzE7cfu📹 From Hustling Alone to an 8-Figure Business: The Contractor’s Blueprint for Success https://youtu.be/NLvYE_jy9Ss?si=F5iMDs8DtcVU4TKxContact & Social Media:American Contractor Network: https://www.americancontractornetwork.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gerrittbake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerritt.bakeSubscribe me to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCewWukVmYzA7_fCVv4-UnKQThanks for watching my video! Stay tuned for more high-quality content that could change your life.