Make Your Business Run Without You

Insights from the Home Remodeler Toolbox Podcast with Bob Vance

Running a business isn’t easy.

Most of the business owners I work with didn’t start out wanting to manage people, oversee numbers, or think about systems.

They started with a trade or profession.

They were good at it. And eventually, the referrals kept coming, and the business started growing.

But at some point, they all hit a wall.

That’s exactly what Bob Vance and I talked about on the Home Remodeler Toolbox Podcast—the shift from doing the work to building a business that works.

Want a business that works better? Change your role.

I often tell my clients: if your business isn’t working the way you want, it’s not because you need more tools or more hours in the day.

It’s because your role needs to change.

As the owner, your job isn’t to be the best framer, plumber, or cabinet installer.

It’s to build the systems and people that allow that work to happen—consistently and profitably—without relying on you to do everything.

In the podcast, I shared a story about a client who was pulling 70-hour weeks and still couldn’t get ahead. The solution wasn’t to hustle harder. It was to step back and look at the structure of the business:

• Who’s doing what?
• Where are the bottlenecks?
• What systems are missing?

Once we started working on delegation, time management, and structure, his hours went down and his profits went up.

Systems run the business. People run the systems. You lead the people.

One of my core coaching principles is simple:

Systems run the business. People run the systems. You lead the people.

If everything in your business relies on you—answering every client call, solving every issue, putting out every fire—you’re the bottleneck.

But when you start documenting how things get done, you give your team the tools to solve problems without you.

I talked with Bob about a client who trained a VA to handle part of their sales process. The key wasn’t just handing it off—it was building a repeatable process first.

When you do this right, you build what I call “the McDonald’s model”: people with zero business experience producing consistent, quality results—because the system is stronger than any one person.

Stop selling. Start showing.

Another trap trades business owners fall into is assuming that their results will sell themselves.

But prospects don’t buy the result—they buy the confidence that you’ll deliver it.

You earn that confidence by making your process visible.

Show your prospects:

• How you start the project
• What milestones look like
• How decisions get made
• What they’re paying for—and when

If you’re vague about pricing, timelines, or communication, it creates doubt. And doubt kills deals.

In the episode, I talked about a contractor who used a clear, step-by-step onboarding process. Just showing that roadmap made clients feel safe—and more willing to sign on.

Your business grows when you stop doing everything yourself

A lot of business owners wait too long to hire. They’re afraid more help means more chaos. But more often than not, the opposite is true—if you’re hiring intentionally.

I coach my clients to build what I call a “talent pipeline.” That means:

• Always having a few solid candidates in mind
• Documenting job descriptions and expectations
• Delegating with structure, not abdication

Abdication is when you throw someone a task and hope it works out. Delegation is training them, supporting them, and clearly defining what success looks like.

Don’t wait until a crisis to ask for help

Business ownership is lonely—especially in the trades.

One of my clients once told me, “It’s just nice to have a friend.” He didn’t mean a drinking buddy. He meant someone who could see the business from the outside, challenge him, and help him see what he couldn’t from the inside.

I’ve been there too. In 2011, I hit a personal rock bottom. I talk about it in my TEDx talk. That experience is part of why I coach today—because I know how hard it is to build something real without burning yourself out.

It’s not enough to be great at what you do. You also need to be great at business.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like your business is running you, it’s time for a reset.

You don’t need another tool or hack. You need a shift in mindset—from tradesperson to business owner. From technician to leader.

That’s what Bob and I talked about, and it’s what I help my clients do every day.

Watch the full interview on the Home Remodeler Toolbox

Or if you’re ready to talk about what it would look like to work together, book a free 15-minute call with me.