64: Finding Success with the Unconventional Pumpkin Plan Strategies with Steve Dale

Steve Dale has a story that you very likely will be able to relate to. Steve had mentors but easily admits that none taught him how to run a profitable business. He missed out on hours of family time and vacation because he knew how to bring in work. The only problem...the work consumed his life. When Steve discovered The Pumpkin Plan and Profit First, he recognized a different, more effective way to run a business.  Steve is a Pumpkin Plan strategist and a big ambassador for How to Hire the Best - Contractors Edition. It’s important to Steve to show other contractors a better, more sustainable path as an entrepreneur. Will they listen? Steve Dale is the owner/operator of Angle Contracting, LLC in Idaho. After college, he worked as a truck dispatcher and then tried a cubicle with no windows for a short time. He quickly realized working for others was not his cup of tea. After marrying and purchasing a home, he dove into home projects. He merged his love of construction projects with his business skills to build Angle Contracting.  Listen in to discover the realizations that moved Steve from working too many hours, missing time with his family, and unable to juggle his workload, to learning some lessons and becoming a firm believer in the unconventional strategies offered in  Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, Clockwork and How to Hire the Best.  Show Highlights: How the “Special Sauce” in the Pumpkin Plan changed Steve’s business and family dynamics. Steve lists the negative health effects of working too hard and too long and not enjoying family time. There is a better way! Dr. Sabrina, Mike, and Steve discuss what to do when you have the desire to share these tools with family, friends, and business associates, and they aren’t seeing the opportunity. Steve shares a compelling story about letting go of a customer who would never become a “big pumpkin” and how he was able to retain that friendship. Respect and confidence are natural outcomes of this system. Burning out is whole-body: physical, mental, and spiritual. It is not sustainable to run a business that repeatedly burns us out.  Steve plans to coach and also work on his remodeling business to where he can have somebody run it for him. We must keep craft alive. There are a lot of people getting out of the trades because they’re aging out, and there are not enough people coming in. Dr. Sabrina shares a personal story about hope and the appreciation for the kids wanting to have a career in the trades. Mike addresses how bad companies generally produce bad employees, and how great places to work generally produce great employees. Being deliberate and intentional about the clientele you work with is a big part of creating a great place to work. When a business owner is not stressed out over dealing with a client that is not a good fit for your company, that frees up energy to focus on developing your team. Having both A-player team members and A-player clients is important in creating a great place to work. Links and Resources: If You’ve Been Wondering If You Can Take a 4 Week Vacation™, Check This Out!!! On Monday, December 2nd Mike Michalowicz is Joining Dr. Sabrina in the  4 Week Vacationer's Facebook Group for a FaceBook LIVE event! You Must Join the Group to Access the Live Event! Find Out How You Can Design Your Business to Run Without You Being There! Join this FaceBook LIVE event for more details on Breakthroughs in the Bayou Retreat coming in March 2020! Get Ready for 2020!! Are you on track to creating a highly profitable, great place to work that lets you take a 4 Week Vacation™? https://www.tapthepotential.com/assessment   Get  the Book!! How to Hire the Best - Contractors Editionwww.TapThePotential.com/book How to Hire the Best Toolkit www.TapThePotential.com/Toolkit https://www.tapthepotential.com For Resources & Tools from Sponsors - https://www.profitbydesignpodcast.com Subscribe & Share Podcasts! - https://www.profitbydesignpodcast.com/podcasts/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProfitByDesign/ Get Steve’s 7 Signals to DETECT RED Flag CUSTOMERS - PLUS A 10X BONUS TIP! It’s FREE! So Is a 1/2 Hour, FREE, no strings attached, Discovery Call!! https://www.yourcontractingbusiness.com/profitbydesign   Books Mentioned: How to Hire the Best, The Contractor’s Ultimate Guide to Attracting Top Performing Employees by Dr. Sabrina Starling Profit First - Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine, by Mike Michalowicz The Pumpkin Plan - A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field, by Mike Michalowicz Clockwork - Design Your Business to Run Itself, by Mike Michalowicz