How a High School Dropout Built a $2M Business (No Degree Needed)

Daniel Lackey dropped out of high school, worked the oil fields in North Dakota, and was homeless at 18. Today he owns CMD Claim Consultants, a public adjusting firm he scaled to almost 2 million dollars, and he just launched a general contracting company, RCF and Associates, with his father-in-law. In this episode we get into how he built his own firm in six months by giving an experienced adjuster 20% of everything he signed just for advisory help, why he believes starting your own firm is not rocket science, what is actually happening in the claims industry right now, how he uses authentic, unscripted content to build trust before he ever walks into a client's home, and his subscription model idea for general contractors. We also talk about his upbringing, becoming a father, competing in boxing and jiu jitsu, and his long-term plan to build a portfolio of businesses instead of staying trapped as the operator. Topics covered: - Starting a public adjusting firm from scratch, and the 20% advisory deal that made it work - Why most PAs never learn the back end of a claim, and how that gap becomes an opportunity - What is changing in the insurance industry right now, and why adjusters are walking away from more claims than ever - Turning a general contracting business into a home services brand with a subscription model - Building authentic, unscripted content instead of scripted content, and why that authenticity earns clients - Why he wants to build a portfolio of businesses instead of running one company forever Subscribe for more real conversations with people building real businesses, and share this with someone in the claims or contracting world who needs to hear it. Connect with Daniel Lackey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.lackey.54 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cmd_project/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lackey-a5b46b1aa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCzimoS-mdPElEeiiK6vWFkA Recorded at Elite Podcast Studio, Tampa Bay's premier podcast facility. Premium. Polished. Powerful. Website: elitepodcaststudio.com Email: [email protected] Instagram: instagram.com/elitepodcaststudio YouTube: youtube.com/@ElitePodcastStudio Facebook: facebook.com/elitepodcaststudio LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/elite-podcast-studio Everything about business. Nothing held back. All Business with Vince Perri is built for business owners who want straight talk about starting, scaling, and building something worth owning. New episodes every week. Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 🔗 Website: https://www.vinceperri.com 📊 Free Value Clarity Roadmap: https://go.vinceperri.com/vcr-yt 📅 Book a Call with Vince: https://go.vinceperri.com/calendar-page-yt-1 Connect with Vince: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinceperriofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinceperriofficial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VincePerri/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vinceperriofficial Listen on: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38621Yz Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3sbjPIs #BusinessOwner #Entrepreneur #SmallBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #Scaling #ExitPlanning #BuildToSell #AllBusiness #VincePerri