Contractor Evolution
Breakthrough Academy
Breakthrough Academy presents Contractor Evolution.
In this show we unpack the systems, tactics, and skills you need to take your fast-growing contracting business to the next level.
If you’re here to learn what it takes to scale up, work less, and increase profitability, you’ve come to the right place.
Stay tuned to learn what separates the new breed of contractor from the old school, and welcome to your ultimate guide to the business of contracting.
In this show we unpack the systems, tactics, and skills you need to take your fast-growing contracting business to the next level.
If you’re here to learn what it takes to scale up, work less, and increase profitability, you’ve come to the right place.
Stay tuned to learn what separates the new breed of contractor from the old school, and welcome to your ultimate guide to the business of contracting.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 1, 2026 • 1h 8min
266. How to Run a Contracting Business With Your Spouse (Without Killing Each Other) - Caleb Auman
Caleb Auman, landscape design-build owner and Kid Contractor Podcast host who rebuilt after bankruptcy, shares hard-won rules for working with a spouse. They discuss defining clear roles, rebuilding trust after failure, setting work-home boundaries, fighting productively, and using relationship habits to keep business and marriage healthy.
11 snips
Mar 25, 2026 • 45min
265. How To Get Crews To Track Their Time (Without Babysitting) - Derrik Shakespear
Derrik Shakespear, Chief Revenue Officer at AlignOps and construction time-tracking expert, explains why labor is the biggest hidden cost. He covers digitizing time capture, comparing estimates to actuals, spotting silent productivity killers, incentivizing crews without micromanaging, and using time data for better bids and safety.
35 snips
Mar 18, 2026 • 1h 1min
264. How To Build a Modern Marketing Strategy - Matt Jones
Matt Jones, founder of Tradie Web Guys and former plumber turned marketer, shares how contractors can build a modern marketing machine. He covers aligning strategy with operations, screening and qualifying leads, using customer lifetime value, improving follow-up and conversions, and leveraging niching, reactivation lists, and paid priority programs to attract higher-quality clients.
29 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 1h 11min
263. 3 Onboarding Steps to Stop Employee Turnover - Mike Matalone
Mike Matalone, author and people-systems expert behind the XP3 talent system, breaks down why new hires leave and how to keep them. He covers the three onboarding objectives that make hires stick. He explains role clarity, career paths over jobs, and turning managers into performance coaches. Practical tips on first impressions, big-picture context, and relationship-building round out the conversation.
29 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 1h 2min
262. Accountability, Kindness, and Profit: Blake’s Path to 30% Net - Blake Butry
Blake Butry, owner of Churchill USA and former pastor turned roofing leader, built a people-first company that hit 30% net profit. He talks about pairing structural fairness with emotional generosity. Short-packed takes cover org charts and systems, trusting and empowering the team, tough staffing choices, and practical routines for leader well-being.
Feb 25, 2026 • 52min
261. Construction Project Management Fundamentals (Build Show Live Session) - Danny Kerr
Danny Kerr, founder of Breakthrough Academy who helps contractors scale, shares recruitment systems for hiring reliable project managers. He covers ideal candidate profiles, writing job ads that attract A-players, a 20-minute screening call, behavioral interviews, employment agreements with KPIs and bonuses, communication plans, GSNR coaching rhythm, and using PM software effectively.
Feb 18, 2026 • 1h 1min
260. Why Business Partnerships Fail (And How to Fix Yours) - Dr. Matthew Jones
Dr. Matthew Jones, a clinical psychologist and co-founder relationship coach, helps startups diagnose and repair partnership issues. He explains why partnerships fail and highlights the three languages cofounders use. Short, tactical talks cover decision-making styles, handling recurring conflicts, and practical rituals like scheduled syncs and co-founder dates to keep relationships healthy.
5 snips
Feb 11, 2026 • 39min
259. How To Systemize Your Business Without Killing Creativity - Jonathan Ronzio
Jonathan Ronzio, Co-founder and CMO of Trainual, builds software to document onboarding and business processes. He discusses why systems unlock creative freedom. He shares the mindset shift to stop being the bottleneck. He explains balancing long-term systems with short-term work and how to preserve creativity while scaling.
29 snips
Feb 4, 2026 • 54min
258. The Accountability System That Scaled Me From $4M to $12.5M - Nick Cloutier
Nick Cloutier, owner of Willie C. & Sons Landscaping who scaled his company from $4M to $12.5M, shares his shift from micromanaging to coaching. He discusses job descriptions that teach to win. He explains KPIs, org charts, production targets, LMN for reliable data, and 30-minute Goal Setting & Review meetings that drive retention and predictable growth.
24 snips
Jan 28, 2026 • 30min
257. 10+ Hours a Week Wasted: The Tasks Killing Contractor Productivity - Nick Sonnenberg
Nick Sonnenberg, founder of Leverage and author focused on operational efficiency, shares time-saving tactics. He explains why email is the best place to start. He outlines the RAD inbox framework and quick inbox wins like snooze and shortcuts. He previews AI executive assistants, when automation helps or fails, and why organizing data and SOPs turns AI into lasting capacity.
