Painter Growth Podcast

Hiring a sales rep can help you grow faster.It can also create a mess if you do it too early or without the right systems in place.In this episode, we break down what painting business owners need to get right before bringing on a sales rep: when the timing makes sense, what responsibilities the role should actually own, how to structure compensation, and why your first rep should be more than just an order taker.We also get into one of the biggest mistakes owners make: hiring before they’ve documented the process, built a real onboarding system, or defined what success looks like.If you’re trying to decide whether it’s time to hire, or you want to avoid an expensive mistake, this episode is worth the listen.

In this episode, Jesse sits down with Isaac from White Oak Painting and his new field marketing manager for a live coaching session focused on one of the biggest opportunities in a painting business: generating more leads from the neighborhoods you’re already working in.They talk through what the field marketing manager role should actually look like, how to use job site marketing more intentionally, and what it takes to turn nearby homeowners into real estimate opportunities. The conversation also covers flyer drops, door knocking, confidence in the field, tracking activity, measuring ROI, and setting realistic expectations for performance.If you’ve ever wondered how to make your marketing more local, more proactive, and more measurable, this episode gives you a practical look at how to build that system inside your painting company.

What does it really take to stop living paycheck to paycheck when you own a trades business? In this episode, Jesse Teron sits down with Kedma Ough, the financial genius behind Iron Books, to unpack the practical and psychological tools that help contractors, painters, and tradespeople finally get a grip on their money.Jesse opens up about a painful personal low: selling his car just to cover rent in December 2019. That rock-bottom moment sparked the creation of "Baseline 1", the concept of earning enough each month to cover both your business overhead AND your personal bills. It sounds simple, but hitting that number changes everything.Kedma brings the neuroscience and the numbers. She walks through the exact tools Iron Books uses to turn struggling businesses around, from Debt Schedules and Zero-Based Budgeting to Cash Flow Analysis and Turnaround Consulting, and shares why the words you use about money might be the biggest obstacle standing between you and profitability.In this episode you'll learn:What "Baseline 1" means and why hitting it is a game-changerHow language and self-talk directly impact your financial resultsThe Iron Books toolkit: Debt Schedules, Zero-Based Budgeting & moreWhy bankruptcy isn't the end and what it taught Kedma about resilienceHow to identify your "genius zone" and stop doing everything yourselfThe 15% net profit target and why anything below zero compounds against youWhether you're drowning in debt or just ready to grow, this episode will shift how you think about money, and give you real tools to act on.🔗 Take the Profit X-Ray Audit: https://www.paintergrowth.com/book-a-call

If your income has not moved in 3 years, if your business keeps hitting the same ceiling, if your life looks basically the same as it did 5 years ago, there’s a hard truth hiding in plain sight.Most of the time, it is not the economy. It is not the market. It is not your team. It is not your situation.It is your environment.Your results cannot outgrow what you tolerate. The standards you allow. The habits you repeat. The level of accountability you keep. The people and inputs you sit around every day.A lot of guys say they want growth, but they protect comfort like it is their job. They hit a new normal, then start living like that is the top of the mountain.If you want a new level, you usually need a new room. New expectations. New routines. New “this is who I am now” behavior.In today’s episode, we break down how to actually change your environment so your results finally have room to change too.What’s the biggest thing you’re tolerating right now that you know is keeping you stuck?

What happens when a homeowner nearly falls off her chair from your price, and still leaves you a 5-star review before you do the job?In this episode, we unpack a Momentum coaching call filled with real stories and real wins. From placing 350+ door hangers to unlocking $40K in builder work, these painting contractors are proving that consistent marketing, honest communication, and clear expectations can change everything. You'll hear from Josh, who locked in investor partnerships and scaled to a 16-man crew, and Rachel, who booked nearly $40K in one week using just one simple sales play.If you’re a painting contractor stuck in the weeds or wondering how to get higher-paying jobs, this conversation will shift how you think about growth.

In this raw Coffee Conversation, Coach Jesse gets real. He opens up about the moment he hit rock bottom while building his second painting company. He had four jobs open, no reliable crews, cash pressure mounting… and a full-blown panic attack on the side of the road.Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Didn’t know how he was going to get through it.What saved him wasn’t a new marketing tactic.It wasn’t better estimating software.It wasn’t hiring another salesperson.It was a lesson he learned years earlier during a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat, a mental discipline so simple it sounds almost ridiculous:In this episode, Jesse breaks down:The exact moment his painting business felt like it was collapsingHow overwhelm destroys decision-making for painting contractorsThe “10-Second Rule” that pulled him out of panicHow he went from chaos to running 6 painting crews in a matter of weeksWhy most painting company owners fail in the first 18 monthsAnd how to manufacture wins when cash flow, crews, and customers feel out of controlCrew issuesSubcontractor unreliabilityProduction bottlenecksCash flow stressCustomer communication pressureOr just the silent weight of running a growing painting businessIf you’re a painting contractor dealing with:This is not a tactics episode. This is about mental resilience for entrepreneurs. This is about emotional control under pressure. This is about how to survive the hard season so you can scale. Because every serious painting company owner will face a moment where the business feels bigger than them.The question is: will you quit or will you narrow the clock and win the next 10 seconds?If you’re in a season of struggle, uncertainty, or personal pressure while building your painting company… this is a must-listen.Press play.Then go win your next 10 seconds.

What happens when your painting business grows faster than your leadership systems?In this Brush Busters episode, Josh and Wayne break down real questions from owners running multi-million dollar painting companies who feel like they’re losing control. Jobs happening without visibility. Teams ignoring systems. High revenue with low profit. Managers burning out. Payroll crushing margins.This is not theory. It’s practical, field-tested advice for owners who have already “made it” on paper but are drowning operationally.You’ll learn:How to install structure when growth outpaces leadershipWhy systems fail without accountability and how to fix complianceWhere large painting companies actually leak profitHow to prevent estimator and production manager burnoutWhen labor becomes too expensive and how to restructure without blowing up the companyIf your business feels bigger but messier than it should, this episode will help you regain control and rebuild clarity.

Most owners think the only way to get their time back is to hire.But hiring is slow, expensive, and it often solves the wrong problem.In this episode, Mike breaks down a simple framework to buy back up to 10 hours per week using leverage you already have, before you add payroll.Here’s what you’ll learn:You’ll run a quick time audit to find where your hours are leaking. Then you’ll climb the Leverage Ladder: eliminate, automate, standardize, optimize communication, and batch your work so you can actually hit flow state again.If you feel like you’re stuck doing everything, and your days are getting swallowed by admin, texts, and constant context switching, this will give you a clean plan for getting your life back.Listen now, and if you want help installing this in your painting business, reach out to Painter Growth.

Ever finish a job, see solid revenue, and still wonder where the profit went?In this episode, we break down how painting contractors lose margin during production, even when the estimate “felt right.” From prep work that quietly expands (patch turns into skim) to the classic “while you’re here” requests that bleed hours, the real problem is rarely effort. It’s the lack of a system you can trust.Jesse Teron and Josh Eldridge walk through a practical approach to job costing that starts before the job begins. You will learn how to forecast profit to the dollar, set budgeted hours your crew can actually execute, and build production rates based on an average painter so your top performers can beat the budget and earn more.We also hit the leadership side: how to hold firm when subs ask for more money mid-job, how to stop doing extra work for free, and how detailed proposals and clear exclusions protect you from scope creep.Inside this episode:Why “trusting profit” is really about knowing your numbersHow to move from job costing in arrears to forecasting materials and labor up frontProduction rate examples (hardy board, fascia, second-level work adjustments)How to communicate budgeted hours and deadlines to your crew without dramaThe breakdown that makes it easier to say no to mid-job price changesA simple boundary system for change orders so you stop donating laborIf you want cleaner margins, fewer surprises, and a business that scales without chaos, this is the playbook.Submit your question for a future episode at paintergrowth.com.

If you’re building a painting company and it feels harder than it should, this episode is your shortcut.I’m breaking down five mistakes I made the hard way, from hiring the wrong way and leading with pressure, to working nonstop, waiting too long to hire key roles, holding on to the wrong people, and not paying myself a real salary.These lessons didn’t just save my sanity. They helped me create structure fast, including the shift that led to a production manager running three crews in 10 weeks and the business producing $20,000 to $25,000 per week.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to communicate expectations so your team doesn’t quit or driftThe boundary rule that keeps entrepreneurship from wrecking your health and relationshipsThe hiring order that stabilizes leads first, then sales, then productionWhen to fire faster (especially in leadership roles)Why paying yourself a salary makes you a better operatorIf you want a company that grows without owning your life, this one’s for you.

Description: Most painting business owners say they want freedom.But the way they run their week guarantees the opposite.In this Brush Busters episode, Coach Jesse and Coach Chris break down a simple truth that changes everything: rules create freedom. The owners who feel calm, profitable, and in control are not the ones with the most flexibility. They are the ones with the clearest boundaries.You’ll hear why “winging it” turns into chaos, why your phone is quietly stealing your focus, and how one small habit before you walk into an estimate can instantly raise your presence and your close rate. Then they take it deeper into leadership, culture, and hiring: how to define non negotiables, set core values your team actually follows, and stop carrying fear around as the default setting.This is not mindset fluff. It’s structure that gives you your life back.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why flexibility without structure creates burnoutThe “leave it in the car” rule that changes your estimatesHow to protect your attention at work and at homeThe boundaries that stop your schedule from owning youHow to build core values and non negotiables your team can live byA simple way to replace fear with clarity and confidenceIf you’ve been trying to grow while feeling stretched thin, this episode will give you the reset.

Are you trapped in your business? If you can't step away for a week without everything falling apart, you don't have a business—you have a job. In this episode, Michael Reitman shares exactly how he's preparing to take a 7-day vacation completely offline, and the framework you need to do the same.Michael breaks down the "vacation test"—a proven method to identify operational weaknesses, reduce owner dependency, and build systems that run without you. You'll learn the step-by-step process including the game-changing 15-minute time study that reveals where you're wasting your most valuable asset: time.In This Episode:Why you need to do this even before you're "ready"The 15-minute time study that will change your business (most won't do it)How to categorize your activities: delegate, dump, or hireSetting expectations with your team before you leaveWhat to do when things break while you're away (and why that's actually good)How this increases your business valuation if you ever want to sellWhether you're aiming for a weekend off or a two-week vacation, this episode gives you the roadmap to build a business that doesn't need you for every decision.Start small. Book the trip. Trust the process.

What if Elon Musk had to scale a painting business from scratch?In this episode, Mike breaks down a 5-step scaling framework inspired by how Musk builds and simplifies massive companies. The goal is simple: grow faster, cut the chaos, and stop optimizing work that should not exist in the first place.You’ll learn how to:Question every requirement so your business stops accumulating “busywork”Delete low-value processes, meetings, and services that steal profit and timeSimplify your offer and operations so scaling gets easier, not harderBuild urgency into your team so cycle times shrink and momentum compoundsAutomate systems and leverage talent so you are not the bottleneckIf you are stuck in the loop of inconsistent leads, inefficient crews, and doing everything yourself, this episode is your reset.

Does being physically fit make you a better leader?In the painting business, leadership is not just what you say. It is what you model. In this episode, I break down why fitness is often correlated with high performance, how your habits impact employee respect and customer trust, and how working out can sharpen your decision-making and emotional control.If you have not trained in years, do not overcomplicate it. Start simple, build consistency, and let the discipline carry over into your business.What you will learn:Why fitness can raise your leadership “credibility”How training builds discipline you can reuse in businessWhy working out early helps you make better food choicesA beginner-friendly way to restart your fitness routineSimple nutrition and meal prep habits that support your goalsIf you want a series on nutrition, meal prep, supplements, or how to train effectively, comment what you want next.Painter Growth resources: paintergrowth.comSubscribe for more: Painting business growth, leadership, systems, and owner mindset.

Most painting business owners hit the same ceiling for the same reason.Not leads.Not ads.Not pricing.It’s leverage.In this solo episode, Mike breaks down the one unlock that actually changes your capacity to grow in 2026: moving from “I delegate tasks” to “I delegate outcomes.”Because hiring another painter does not buy your freedom.Hiring a crew leader does.You’ll hear:Why “helpers” keep you trapped, even when you are busyThe real job of a crew leader and what you must hand them (and what you must keep)How to stop being the bottleneck without sacrificing qualityThe simple system that makes delegation work: standards, training, and checks and balancesHow to answer the fear every owner has: “Am I really getting ROI from my team?”If your business can’t run without you, it isn’t a business yet. It’s a job you own.This episode shows you the shift that changes that.Want help building your 2026 plan? Mike is running a one day business growth challenge: three hours of coaching for $47. Details are here:https://go.paintergrowth.com/1-day-coaching-challenge

Happy New Year! In this first episode of 2026, I'm pulling back the curtain on Painter Growth's journey to nearly $5M in 2025, and it wasn't pretty.This year was our hardest yet. We dealt with team issues, profit struggles, toxic employees, and some of the most expensive mistakes I've ever made. But we also grew 40%+ and set ourselves up for another 100% growth year ahead.In this raw, behind-the-scenes episode, I'm sharing the 5 biggest lessons that transformed how I run Painter Growth—lessons that will save you years of wasted effort:Lesson 1: Why keeping the wrong people is one of the most expensive mistakes you can makeLesson 2: How focusing on just 1-2 KPIs can 4x your results (we went from 1% to 4% conversion)Lesson 3: The forecasting framework that gave me emotional control as a CEOLesson 4: Why raising your standards is the only way to attract A-playersLesson 5: How to stop being the bottleneck in your own businessThis isn't about painting companies—it's about the real lessons from scaling a business, making hard decisions, and building leverage that doesn't depend on you grinding 24/7.If you're in a messy phase of growth right now, this episode will give you the clarity you need to break through.Comment "template" on Spotify if you want the monthly forecast template mentioned in this episode!

Want to 10x your team's output? The secret isn't working harder, it's aligning incentives.In this episode, Mike breaks down the most powerful leadership tool you're probably not using: AI (Aligned Incentives). Learn how to structure compensation plans that get your team thinking about your business even in the shower, and why paying someone more money might be the smartest financial decision you'll ever make.Mike covers:Why hourly pay actually incentivizes slower workThe difference between leading and lagging indicatorsHow to structure comp plans for sales reps, painters, and crew leadsThe "shower time" test: are your team members thinking about your business off the clock?Why you should never be attached to a salary cap for any roleWhether you're managing painters, production managers, or an entire leadership team, this episode will change how you think about compensation forever. Stop paying for time and start paying for outcomes.

The holidays don’t have to destroy your momentum. In this episode, Mike breaks down how painting business owners can stay effective over the holiday season without burning out or completely checking out. He explains why slowing down doesn’t mean disconnecting, the three common holiday traps that sabotage January, and how to use this time as a leverage window instead of a lost month.You’ll learn how to protect cash flow, reduce mental load, plan like a CEO, and position your business to hit the ground running in the new year. This episode is all about structure, clarity, and making smarter decisions now so January feels controlled instead of chaotic.If you want to enter the new year with confidence, focus, and real momentum, this episode will show you how.

In this solo Coffee Conversation, Jesse reflects on his personal journey through 2025 and the business framework that has guided him for years.He shares how thinking in quarters changed the way he ran his painting business and why each season of the year has a different role to play. From driving massive activity early, to optimizing production, to enjoying the payoff, and finally slowing down to reflect and plan.This episode is about patterns, clarity, and building a business that works on paper before you work yourself into the ground.If you want a more intentional way to plan your year and avoid repeating the same mistakes, this conversation will give you a simple framework to start with.

What if the secret to scaling your painting business isn't expanding to more cities, but dominating smaller pockets within your current market?Jesse Tarrin sits down with Wayne Scherger, co-founder of CertaPro Painters and 45-year painting industry veteran, to discuss the counterintuitive strategies that built the world's largest painting company—and how independent painting contractors can use these same principles today.Wayne shares how he went from painting 550 houses in a 2,800-home territory to scaling to $2M+ in revenue in just one year using territory managers (without traditional franchising).Key Topics:The "territory manager" model and how to implement it in your businessWhy targeting smaller geographic areas makes marketing, sales, AND production easierThe ROTOR framework: A proven system for recruiting, onboarding, training, and retaining top talentHow to break into light commercial work (condos, HOAs) for recurring revenueTime management and batching strategies that eliminate wasted drive timeWhat to look for when hiring leaders vs. paintersThe Community Association Institute (CAI) strategy for landing commercial accountsWhether you're a solo operator looking to hire your first employee or a $2M+ business ready to scale to the next level, Wayne's hard-won wisdom from building businesses in both the pre-digital and modern era will give you a clear roadmap forward.About Wayne Scherger:Wayne is a dual US-Canadian citizen who started with College Pro Painters in 1981, co-founded CertaPro Painters in the early 1990s (now the world's largest painting franchise), and currently coaches painting business owners on leadership, scaling, and operations.🎧 Subscribe to the Painter Growth Podcast for more strategies to grow your painting business!