Kid Contractor Podcast with Caleb Auman

Tim Furner is the Regional Manager of the East for Milwaukee Tool's equipment team, and he joins Caleb at EQUIP Expo to discuss how battery-powered equipment is transforming construction and landscaping by eliminating the frustrations and maintenance costs associated with traditional gas-powered machinery. The conversation highlights the MX Fuel and M18 platforms, emphasizing how innovations like rapid charging, rubber dampeners to reduce user fatigue, and specialized accessories significantly improve job-site productivity. Alman explains that while these advanced tools carry a higher initial price tag, their reliability and elimination of downtime ultimately increase revenue per hour for contracting businesses.  Key Takeaways: Relentlessly eliminate small sources of downtime and friction to compound your overall productivity and hourly earning power. Standardize your tools, equipment, and workflows around a single unified ecosystem to prevent operational confusion and streamline maintenance across teams. Reject the complacency of "we've always done it this way" by remaining open to testing and adopting new methods that can fundamentally improve your daily routines. Implement clear digital tracking and direct personal accountability for shared assets so resources are never misplaced, neglected, or wasted. Thoroughly document project milestones and agreements with photos and clear records to eliminate costly misunderstandings and protect professional relationships. Connect with Auman Landscape 📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AumanLandscape 🌐 All Links https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aumanlandscapellc/ 👷 👷‍♂️ 👷‍♀️ The Hardsacpe Academy https://www.thehardscapeacademy.com/  👫 👩‍❤️‍👨 Together In The Trades https://www.togetherinthetrades.com/  Episode Sponsors 📸 CompanyCam – Get 50% off for 2 months https://companycam.com/auman 💰 Cycle CPA – Save $200 https://cyclecpa.com Use code: AUMAN 🛠 LMN Software – Save on onboarding https://golmn.com Use code: AUMAN 🚜⚙️🛠️ Steelwrist https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 🛠 Leanscaperhttps://leanscaper.com/ 🚜 Equip https://www.equipexposition.com/Use code: AUMAN 💰 John Pajakhttps://johnpajak.com 🧠 🎯 💡 FRWRD Coachinghttps://www.frwrdcoaching.com/      

When Hurricane Helene wiped out roads and severed all communication across western North Carolina, contractor Harlan Jones raised $10,000 for fuel overnight, loaded up an excavator and Bobcats, and led a civilian convoy into ground zero before official disaster agencies even arrived. Caleb interviews contractor Jones about his experiences scaling his business, Jones Property Management (JPM). Harlan reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, noting how transitioning to better equipment, implementing structured systems, and utilizing professional financial services like Cycle CPA helped stabilize his operations. He also shares a harrowing account of leading a volunteer crew to provide free disaster relief in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Finally, Jones discusses his evolving leadership philosophy, explaining that he now prioritizes profitability, employee well-being, and family balance over ego-driven expansion. Part 2of 2.   Connect with Auman Landscape 📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AumanLandscape 🌐 All Links https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aumanlandscapellc/ 👷 👷‍♂️ 👷‍♀️ The Hardsacpe Academy https://www.thehardscapeacademy.com/  👫 👩‍❤️‍👨 Together In The Trades https://www.togetherinthetrades.com/  Episode Sponsors 📸 CompanyCam – Get 50% off for 2 months https://companycam.com/auman 💰 Cycle CPA – Save $200 https://cyclecpa.com Use code: AUMAN 🛠 LMN Software – Save on onboarding https://golmn.com Use code: AUMAN 🚜⚙️🛠️ Steelwrist https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 🛠 Leanscaperhttps://leanscaper.com/ 🚜 Equip https://www.equipexposition.com/Use code: AUMAN 💰 John Pajakhttps://johnpajak.com 🧠 🎯 💡 FRWRD Coachinghttps://www.frwrdcoaching.com/

Most contractors view an unprecedented 11-inch blizzard in Tennessee as a reason to shut down—Harlon Jones took five minutes of parking lot practice in an unfamiliar skid steer and turned it into $45,000 in five days.   In this episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, host Caleb Auman sits down with Harlon Jones, founder of Jones Property Management (JPM), to unpack how an impulsive gamble during an East Tennessee winter storm evolved into a lucrative six-figure seasonal revenue pillar. Armed with zero commercial snow removal experience, a brand-new Bobcat T76, and a single Facebook photo taken outside a friend's liquor store, Harlon transformed a quick favor into a non-stop, five-day emergency clearing blitz. Instead of treating the storm as a lucky one-off windfall, he aggressively doubled down: locking in zero-tolerance commercial accounts like outpatient surgery centers and corporate headquarters, staging entire semi-truck loads of ice melt in client garages, and pulling in over $100,000 in a single event to establish JPM as one of the region's premier snow operations. Part 1 of 2.   Key Takeaways:   Treat sales as an unrelenting numbers game where consistent, high-volume prospecting always outperforms relying on luck or raw talent. Never sell out of your own pocket by letting personal frugality distort the true commercial value of your services. When unexpected market opportunities emerge, act decisively and double down with professional systems rather than treating windfall events as mere luck. Actively target underserved, high-friction niche verticals to build predictable customer acquisition pipelines that bypass traditional competition. Structure your operations and client management early so that business growth relies on scalable, repeatable processes instead of personal heroic effort.   Connect with Auman Landscape 📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AumanLandscape 🌐 All Links https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aumanlandscapellc/ 👷 👷‍♂️ 👷‍♀️ The Hardsacpe Academy https://www.thehardscapeacademy.com/  👫 👩‍❤️‍👨 Together In The Trades https://www.togetherinthetrades.com/  Episode Sponsors 📸 CompanyCam – Get 50% off for 2 months https://companycam.com/auman 💰 Cycle CPA – Save $200 https://cyclecpa.com Use code: AUMAN 🛠 LMN Software – Save on onboarding https://golmn.com Use code: AUMAN 🚜⚙️🛠️ Steelwrist https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 🛠 Leanscaperhttps://leanscaper.com/ 🚜 Equip https://www.equipexposition.com/Use code: AUMAN 💰 John Pajakhttps://johnpajak.com 🧠 🎯 💡 FRWRD Coachinghttps://www.frwrdcoaching.com/

Running a landscape and construction business is unpredictable and chaotic. Rich Thiebaud joinds Caleb and together they emphasize that long-term success is built upon countless operational failures and hard-learned lessons. Thiebaud shares humorous job site anecdotes, including unexpected customer stress responses, bizarre equipment mishaps, and costly material errors. Ultimately, the conversation stresses the importance of implementing robust systems, clear procedures, and proper documentation to prevent avoidable business disasters. Key Takeaways: Establish documented procedures and operational systems to prevent recurring mistakes and maintain consistency across your team. Communicate clear timelines and job expectations up front to minimize anxiety and avoid misunderstandings with clients. Provide ongoing, practical training for team members to reduce workplace accidents and protect your equipment. Treat failures and setbacks as valuable learning experiences that pave the way for long-term success. Track your costs thoroughly and price your services accurately to ensure financial stability as you grow.   Connect with Auman Landscape 📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AumanLandscape 🌐 All Links https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aumanlandscapellc/ 👷 👷‍♂️ 👷‍♀️ The Hardsacpe Academy https://www.thehardscapeacademy.com/  👫 👩‍❤️‍👨 Together In The Trades https://www.togetherinthetrades.com/  Episode Sponsors 📸 CompanyCam – Get 50% off for 2 months https://companycam.com/auman 💰 Cycle CPA – Save $200 https://cyclecpa.com Use code: AUMAN 🛠 LMN Software – Save on onboarding https://golmn.com Use code: AUMAN 🚜⚙️🛠️ Steelwrist https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 🛠 Leanscaperhttps://leanscaper.com/ 🚜 Equip https://www.equipexposition.com/Use code: AUMAN 💰 John Pajakhttps://johnpajak.com 🧠 🎯 💡 FRWRD Coachinghttps://www.frwrdcoaching.com/

Equipment disasters, cyber scams, and the chaos of growing a family-run construction business—what could possibly go wrong? AJ and Alicia Brentzel from BREX Enterprises join Caleb and Brittany in the brand-new CompanyCam Studio for a conversation packed with wild stories, hard-earned lessons, and plenty of laughs. From costly mistakes and unexpected setbacks to the personal pressures of building a business in the heavy civil construction and earthwork industries, nothing is off the table. It's a candid look at what happens when business and life throw you a curveball—and why the ability to adapt, push through adversity, and keep moving forward can make all the difference. Key Takeaways: Focus on controlling what you can influence, and do not allow unpredictable events outside your authority to dictate your emotional state or actions. Establish standardized operating procedures and systems to bring clear structure, consistency, and scalability to your work and personal life. Proactively communicate and define distinct roles with your team or partner to ensure seamless collaboration and prevent misunderstandings. Directly verify any requested financial or administrative changes through a trusted secondary channel before transferring funds or updating sensitive information. Stay the course during inevitable setbacks, recognizing that an isolated failure or difficult day does not mean a failed overall journey. Connect with Auman Landscape 📺 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@AumanLandscape 🌐 All Links https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aumanlandscapellc/ 👷 👷‍♂️ 👷‍♀️ The Hardsacpe Academy https://www.thehardscapeacademy.com/  👫 👩‍❤️‍👨 Together In The Trades https://www.togetherinthetrades.com/  Episode Sponsors 📸 CompanyCam – Get 50% off for 2 months https://companycam.com/auman 💰 Cycle CPA – Save $200 https://cyclecpa.com Use code: AUMAN 🛠 LMN Software – Save on onboarding https://golmn.com Use code: AUMAN 🚜⚙️🛠️ Steelwrist https://linktr.ee/AumanLandscape 🛠 Leanscaperhttps://leanscaper.com/ 🚜 Equip https://www.equipexposition.com/Use code: AUMAN 💰 John Pajakhttps://johnpajak.com 🧠 🎯 💡 FRWRD Coachinghttps://www.frwrdcoaching.com/