Success Unleashed: Beyond The Jobsite

Hosted by Gerritt Bake

Business Management

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Episodes

Latest episode

Aug 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

August 2, 202635 min

From Zero to $35M: The Brutal Truth About Scaling

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vip Summary: In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Dumas, who’s built a $35 million concrete company over the last 22 years and his story is nothing like what most people expect. Jeff didn’t come from construction, didn’t have a roadmap, and didn’t have a safety net. He got thrown into it, figured it out, got punched in the face during the 2008 crash, and rebuilt into what it is today. We talk about arrogance, hard lessons, why taking action beats having a perfect plan, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. If you’re a contractor trying to grow and wondering what it actually looks like at a high level, this one’s going to challenge how you think. What’s in this episode: 00:00 How Jeff built a $35M concrete business over 22 years 02:05 Starting at 16 years old with zero construction background 05:30 Why hard work early on changed everything 09:40 Getting forced into starting his own business with no plan 13:45 The reality of starting with nothing and figuring it out 17:50 Scaling to $2M in the first 3 years 20:10 The 2008 crash and losing major customers overnight 23:40 Ego, arrogance, and the lessons that almost killed the business 26:10 Why getting outside your bubble changes everything 28:30 The turning point that created real growth after 2017 30:45 Advice for contractors: hunger, sales, and customer focus 33:00 Starting over with $1,000 and how he’d rebuild today Suggested 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.

May 5, 20268 min

Stop Babysitting Your Employees

👉 Join BuildPro Now! https://buildprosystem.com/vip Summary: 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 helpless 02:00 The electrician who burned through 7 project managers 05:20 Treating employees like children creates children 08:40 Role clarity and standards change everything 12:10 Scorecards and accountability 15:00 One owner per outcome Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 money 02:20 Where profit actually disappears 05:10 Rework, estimating, and material waste 09:10 Labor efficiency and schedule drift 12:00 Cash flow vs real profit 15:30 Deposits, milestones, and job costing Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 you 02:23 Why most 7-figure contractors suffer more chaos 06:10 Scheduling mistakes and material chaos 09:40 Change orders and quality control failures 12:30 Why hustle culture is lying to you 15:10 How planning and systems eliminate chaos Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 money 02:40 Why being the cheapest is dangerous 05:10 Rework eats your margins 08:20 Understanding breakeven costs 11:30 Profit-first estimating 14:40 Change order discipline Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 fire 02:10 Revenue exposes problems instead of fixing them 04:48 The contractor doing $5M at 3% profit 07:30 Hustle doesn’t scale past your calendar 09:40 People, process, and plan breakdown 11:00 Structure is the shortcut to sustainable growth Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 hustle 02:30 Creating roles and expectations 05:10 Scorecards and accountability 08:20 Moving decisions off your plate 11:00 Building a business that runs without you Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 kept 02:10 Understanding breakeven 05:20 Labor, materials, and overhead 08:40 Vendor terms and cash flow 11:30 Job costing in real time Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 people 02:20 The office manager story 05:00 Training vs assuming 08:10 Building high-performing teams 11:00 Process before people Suggested 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/vip Summary: 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 unplug 02:10 The beach story that says it all 05:00 How you train your team to depend on you 08:30 Required vs involved leadership 11:20 Creating roles, clarity, and ownership 14:10 Building systems so your business runs without you Suggested 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.