What's New!

The labor shortage — you can’t walk down the street without hearing someone complain about the struggle to hire any workers, much less skilled and qualified workers, for their small business. It’s no wonder, job openings have surged to 10 million in the United States, and the Labor Department estimates there are over 1 million more jobs than there are potential people to fill them, despite states ending unemployment protection programs instituted during COVID-19.

Nick May from the Pro-Painter Network, Tom Droste and Chris Shank from Estimate Rocket hopped on a quick session on August 11th to discuss the differences between a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) and a Customer Management System (CMS) and why you need one if you want to grow your business. Nick May's successful painting company Walls By Design is able to track, measure, and scale his business using Estimate Rocket and showed a few tips how he uses Estimate Rocket to have a solid process to get estimates into the field fast as well as track and measure the work so that nothing gets missed. Tom, CEO of Estimate Rocket, spoke about the many benefits and time-savings involved in using a Customer Management System including the idea that if you only save 1-2 hours per month getting more organized, you've more than paid for the cost of such a system.

Joel Shank of Fit To Champion joins us to talk about how maintaining one's physical health is every bit as essential to business success as profit planning and personnel management!

Corrie Leister of Inspired By U talks with us about how relationships and connections help business owners keep the stress low and the success high.  Having a strong network of people around you that inspires you can help you reduce the bad stress while channeling the good stress into a new vision and passion for creative solutions. Corrie will discuss methods to cultivate healthy family relationships,  improve employee and team engagement, and widen your network of industry connections Register for the workshop today!

Corwin Smith, from Transcend Growth Partners and certified Scaling Up Coach, joins Kathy & Chris in an episode talking about growing your company, time management, and why working harder isn't the answer. 

Tom Droste, CEO and founder of Estimate Rocket and Chris Shank, Education Manager talk about techniques for dealing with stress as a business owner crew, how stress differs from anxiety, how it affects your business and how to stay out of the spiral of doom.

Kathy welcomes Scott Palmer, Executive Director of the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston to Estimate Rocket Radio this week. Scott talks about how BRAGB helped its members weather the pandemic, plans for 2021 and discusses some can’t miss new legislation that may affect your business.

In this podcast on Estimate Rocket radio, Ryan Groth, founder of Sales Transformation Group, discusses all of the traits that help to make sales people successful. He talks about stripping away ego, building a great place to work and how a great company is about growth - not just sales growth, but growing every area of your life.

Eric Barstow, founder of Painting Business Pro, provides insight into how he got started, how he managed the growth of his business, and how he's teaching the business of painting to those in the field so that his clients can be more successful. 

Emily Howard, Editor-in-chief of American Painting Contractor magazine discusses the history of APC, resurgence of interest in the painting market, key results from surveys of painting contractors across the country, and the brand new virtual Contractor Tech Fest conference.  Important Links: American Painting Contractor Magazine Contractor Tech Fest  

Fully staffing your business and being ready when the slow season transitions to the busy season is a tricky proposition. There is a delicate balancing act between hiring too early and needing to float a few workers on your payroll until jobs start picking up and hiring too late and scrambling to train all the new employees even as more jobs come pouring in.

In cyclical industries, like painting, concrete services, and window replacement, cash flow is an ongoing concern. Keeping your business solvent even when your jobs slow down is the primary way you can keep growing and earning no matter the season.

In this episode, Ryan Parson, host of the Grow with the Bros podcast and founder and owner of Brothers That Just Do Gutters, talks about how to stand out in an industry where service isn’t always the best. Ryan discusses the steps he and his brother and business partner took to grow their company from one location to 13 and how they got ahead of their competitors when building their franchise. 

Ron Nezat from CTI of Acadiana and Decorative Concrete Engine discusses his fascinating start in the decorative concrete business. He also shares information about the training program he designed to help new entrepreneurs learn the ropes and get started.  As the owner of five businesses, Ron has unique insight into the type of commitment and determination it takes to be your own boss. Ron is an early adopter of Estimate Rocket and we love his commitment to his customers.

According to a study done by payment processor TSYS in 2018, 54% of consumers preferred paying for goods and services with debit cards, 26% prefer credit cards, and only 14% preferred using cash. So why don’t more small businesses accept credit cards?  A few misconceptions exist about taking credit card payments, and we’re here to sort those out.

Learn how to build a successful painting business from two industry experts! Nick May, (Pro Painter Network, The Business Brush) with Chris Shank (Director of Professional Development & Engagement at Pro Painter Network) cover all of the basics including how to love your work from day-to-day, why it’s important to build a team of like-minded people, and how strong and efficient systems are the keys to your business’ success.

The Art of Customer Contact in 2020

Zach Kenney, the owner of ZKPainting, is here to tell you how to use Instagram to grow your business. Zach has grown @ZKPainting following to 30,000+ and now makes more than half a million dollars a year on projects with leads starting from this social media platform. We discuss the startup basics all the way to making decisions about how much of your personal life to share on the platform.  ZKPainting Social Media:

A key feature of your business is cash flow. In order to pay your bills, purchase supplies, and fulfill your payroll, you need to have positive cash flow every month. So, how do you maintain steady cash flow? What happens if a client is late making payments? Let’s go ahead and examine some of these issues below.

This week's episode Jay Blanco, co-owner of Fillo Painting, knows going into business with family can be tough. He and his father started their company years ago, he learned a few tough lessons and has advice on how to do it better. Plus, his take on how their company pivots with speed to find success in any climate.  Fillo Painting Social Media:

Are you hiring for the "who" or for the "do"? Art Snarzyk of InnerView Advisors is an expert at helping businesses figure out how to get the right people in the door and create a team that sticks. In this podcast, he covers his hiring method of "Clarity, Attraction, and Selection" and provides guidance on how to approach your next hire differently.

Amanda Kelley, the owner of Kelley Painting Services, gives a no holds barred interview on what it's like being a female in the painting industry, why she thinks the trades have a place in high school education, and why her policy is always to put her employees first. Kelley Painting Services Social Media: Facebook Instagram YouTube

Nick Slavik, owner of Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co., breaks down how you can build your painting business to be stable and predictable. He believes in pushing the trade forward to be more professional and has some ideas on exactly how to do it. Why? Because business owners are seeking freedom and this industry can provide it. Nick Slavik's Social Media Profiles: Facebook Instagram YouTube LinkedIn TikTok

Young business owner, Noah Kanter of Nth Degree Painting and podcast host of "Advice from a Young Tradesman", stops in to share his story of how he found his way into the painting industry, his move away from being in the weeds to focus on building businesses, and his advice to those just starting out.

One of the few people in the world who loves change, everyone meet Chris Shank. Sure, you may have heard him host the Paint ED Podcast, but in this show he's sitting in the other seat and in a new role. Formerly with the PCA, Chris is now with iMay Media and ready to change it up. He's bringing a new perspective and outlook on how to view business right now and what you should be spending your time on.

Entrepreneur of 23 years, owner of https://www.firstchoicepropainting.com/, and Estimate Rocket customer for the last five years, Miljce Donev takes out time to share what he wishes he would have known as a beginner and even 15 years into owning his own paint company. We cover his original game plan - a professional soccer player - how he got into the painting industry, all the way through what his team and business are focused on to get through COVID successfully. 

Now that some states are starting to re-open businesses and move out of strict quarantine standards, you might be wondering what safety steps you should take to keep your business, your employees, and your clients safe. 

"Recessions do not make painting businesses weak, they simply expose the weaknesses and ill-prepared painting businesses that have crappy systems." - Brandon Lewis This week Brandon Lewis from paintersacademy.com and paintersweekly.com is here to help you move from the residential painting industry to the commercial painting industry. He doesn't pull any punches and brings extremely practical advice for moving to the commercial industry. Grab your pen and paper, you're going to want to take notes. From creating outbound campaigns to managing inbound commercial leads. He's got five simple pillars for you to shift your business.

Estimate Rocket Podcast 3: What do you do when the big vision for your company gets knocked off course from factors outside of your control (ahem...COVID anyone?). Bill Silverman of Springboard Business Coach is here to tell you how to get back on track with your goals, think big, and plan for the unforeseen future.

Estimate Rocket Podcast 2: Andrew Amrhein from the Nolan Consulting Group is bringing you the same advice he gives to his current clients: it's time to "execute on your lifeboat strategy." Listen to find out how to create your lifeboat strategy and gather the team you need to fight through this climate. Plus, helpful information on the Paycheck Protection Program, how to upgrade your team, and more on this week's Estimate Rocket Podcast.

Estimate Rocket Podcast 1: Tom Reber Shares How to Make Virtual Estimating Work for Your Business and Other Practical Steps to Grow Your Brand During COVID-19 

Our customers, our team at Estimate Rocket, and workplaces globally are in uncharted territory. The majority of states in the U.S. have enacted some form of shelter-in-place to slow the spread of COVID-19, challenging businesses universally. We're here to help you adapt and keep yourself solvent during these strange times. 

Economic Impact Payments:  The economic impact payments will start in the month of April 2020 and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment. For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000 and $198,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible.

Want to communicate with your customers without sounding like another COVID-19 broken record email? We’ve created easy to use templates to help you deliver useful information because now is not the time to stop talking to your customers.  We get it - there is lots of change happening fast, and you’re dealing with a lot: handling business, protecting your health, dealing with kids at home. But going silent on your customer base isn’t the way to go.

Hiring employees is one of the key areas that can most influence the success of your business. Having like-minded people on staff who are committed to outstanding client service and who are well-trained in their roles makes it easier than ever for you to reach your business goals.

One of the biggest challenges for any business is managing your customer base. You want to be sure that you’re staying up-to-date on their needs and requests while also providing outstanding service and exceeding their expectations.

Despite the fact that it falls on December 25th every year, Christmas and the holiday season always seems to sneak up on us. So, even though it’s the second week of December, if you haven’t finished your holiday shopping yet (or maybe even started), Estimate Rocket has got you covered.