246. How 8 Years in a Community Changed My Contracting Business - Ryan Lermitte
Episode Details
Transcript
Landscapers! Learn how to build a killer annual strategic plan for your business at our free web class on December 9. Spaces are limited, so save your spot now. https://trybta.com/CE-SPL-Dec9
Take our five minute quiz and get a free custom roadmap to growing your contracting business: https://trybta.com/DL246
To learn more about Breakthrough Academy, click here: https://trybta.com/EP246
Entrepreneurship doesn't have to be lonely. But for most contractors, it is.
After years of grinding alone, Ryan Lermitte from Umbrella Property Services discovered something that changed everything: the power of real community.
In this episode of Contractor Evolution, Ryan shares his 8-year journey with Breakthrough Academy and reveals why he stayed long after learning the systems.
The deep connections, unexpected collaborations with competitors, and the emotional ROI that no spreadsheet can capture.
If you've ever felt isolated in your business journey, this conversation will remind you that you're not meant to do this alone.
🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Why entrepreneurship feels so isolating (and what to do about it)
How investing in community and connections can improve your wellbeing AND your profitability.
Why emotional ROI matters as much as financial returns
Practical ways to build meaningful connections in your industry
☂️Learn more about Ryan and his business: https://umbrellaservices.ca/
📈Learn more about how Breakthrough Academy helped Ryan double his revenue and make his goals a reality: https://youtu.be/Pa39XAcLRMY
Other stories from REAL contractors like Ryan:
🦾From Reactive to Streamlined: Cory’d Business Automation Journey: https://youtu.be/NykhB5J8cE0
✋STOP Losing Money to Poor PM: No Frills Project Management Tips (Contractor Roundtable): https://youtu.be/xIMb9X4A2Zo
⭐️More coaching success stories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGzGbmYmvpYonpJ_EAAUldCob7iimjgmc
00:00-Intro
01:46-About Ryan's journey in Breakthrough Academy
06:46-How do you build relationships beyond transactions?
15:19-How to "Be Real" with the people around you
17:55-The true ROI of community as a contractor
22:14-How to overcome imposter syndrome
26:24-Why give back?
31:05-Should you collaborate with your competitors?
34:03-Ryan's unforgettable moment from Winter Summit 2025
39:26-How to know if you're in the right community
45:38-Wrap up and how to connect with Ryan
Speaker 0
Landscapers who have an annual strategic plan are making sixty nine percent more profit per year. That's why I'm gonna be hosting a free strategic planning web class to teach you how to put your vision on paper using our tried and tested template. How to set goals that your team is actually gonna buy into and hit, and how to set monthly and quarterly benchmarks to keep everything on track. Look, twenty twenty five may have been a bit of a slog, but twenty twenty six, it doesn't have to be. So register in the link in the description before space runs out, and I'll see you there. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Contractor Evolution, the podcast by Breakthrough Academy. Let's be real here. Entrepreneurship, it can be pretty lonely, especially when you're busy grinding day in and day out, year after year, and it's kinda hard to make time for things like friendships and community. Today, we're joined by Ryan from Umbrella Property Services, a Breakthrough Academy member going on for over eight years now in the program. He came in for systems and resources and coaching, sure, but he stayed for the community. Today, Ryan is opening up about the power of surrounding yourself with like minded peers, about the deep emotional ROI that comes from real connections, and how collaboration, even with competitors, can unlock a whole new level of growth. This episode is a powerful reminder to all of us that we're not meant to do this alone. So let's dive in with Ryan. You're listening to Contractor Evolution, the podcast by Breakthrough Academy, where we systemize contracting businesses for growth. Keep listening to learn how the world's top contractors scale their companies, build killer teams, and make more while working less. Ryan, welcome to the show. Thanks for coming on, buddy. Thanks for having me. We really appreciate Speaker 1
it, Danny. Speaker 0
That's good. We got a good chat today on all things community and just, like, how this is an entrepreneur's, I think, secret weapon. You've been a member of BTA for seven years? Am I am I right? Speaker 1
It's a while. Two thousand seventeen. Speaker 0
Long enough that, yeah. Seven ish, eight years almost now. So a while. And you become a massive part of our community, become a big advocate of all things community, and you give a lot, actually. A lot, a lot. So I would love today just to speak to this, give all the listeners some insights on, like, how they can create community for themselves, how they can get the most out of it. Because I think as an entrepreneur, it's something that a lot of us miss, and we don't see the value in. So Yeah. Sound good? Speaker 1
Absolutely. I'm pumped. It's gonna be fun. Speaker 0
Let's do it. So let's just start. Like, how long you've been a part of BTA? It's eight years ish, seven years. Why are you still here? Because of you. But you only see me once a year. Speaker 1
Oh, man. The people. It's the people. It really is. You know, as I sat and reflected in preparation for this, it is about the people. And even this week earlier on, I I spoke to a new member of your team who's on the recruiting side, and I told him, he's like, why are you here? And I said, this is funny. I'm gonna be talking about this with Danny. And I told him the best part of BTA is the members and the fact that actually when I go to events, I have just as much fun with your team. BTA has curated such an incredible team of of member like, staff and members. Yeah. And so when I go to winter summits, I go to city and, the, you know, BTA and the city events. I'm more I'm just as pumped going to meet staff as I am to go see members, and I connect with them. And it's so good because we are all I think that you guys have I know you've curated such an incredible culture at BTA, and that is staff and member based. And it's just so much fun to be a part of it. Speaker 0
We've got a bit of a tribe. And we're all very, like, core values aligned. We're all on a mission together. We're all carried about each other's, like, lives and businesses, and we're kinda in it together. And we have these fascinating wild conversations about the universe and business and everything in between. So Speaker 1
Totally. Yeah. Yeah. And and the genuine good human beings are around. Right. And it's it's a lot of fun. Speaker 0
It's, it's become a bit of a rolling snowball. Once you get the right people in, which you were one of the right people in early on Mhmm. That vibe has definitely perpetuated itself all across North America, which is cool. Curious to know, like, before BTA Mhmm. What was different? I mean, you've stayed here for so long. You were a part of other groups prior too. Right? So what was life like before that? Is there anything dramatically that the this organization or the people here has really done for you? And what was it like before? Speaker 1
Yeah. It was good before. Like, I didn't come to BTA an absolute mess. I had sought out coaching from pretty early on in my business career, individual then seeking out more group based. What I found was most of the group based coaching groups that I was a part of, none of them did what I did. So I'd go to a session, and it would be me doing, property services and some guy who's selling widgets to other people. And, yes, there's lots there is crossover and there's overlap. But when you actually talk to someone who's experiencing a very, very, very similar situation as you that you can give feedback into and they can give feedback into you, it's different. It's next level coaching. And so that's what I was missing. I had I called it, like, the the big picture coaching, if you will. BTA brought to my life the I can apply this right now in a much different and more applicable manner. And that was huge. That was really big for me. So life was good before BTA. Life was much better as I acquired it started going through BTA. Speaker 0
We got into the details with you. Yeah. When you think about, like, the friends you've made and the actual, like, life commitment connections you've made, and I think me and you are probably one of them. Like Yeah. Is there something different here that's wasn't somewhere else? Like, why do we connect so well? I guess, is a really good question. And what what what's caused that? Speaker 1
Top down, baby. I mean, the curation of the people really is a big deal. You guys have spent you've been really intentional bringing in people that I believe are great human beings into the BTA tribe, and I'm really honored to be here and a member. And I've, like, always looking to give back in that way. And what I've saw in other groups was that there was a lack of leadership in the community building. And I think that that's where you guys have really excelled. I would go to one group, and I'm not gonna name it, but they you know, we would be there all day, quarterly session, really working hard together. And at the end of the day, if you didn't actually engage other people in that coaching group to go out, you would go home to your hotel room. The organization never put anything on after or before, frankly, or, like, the weekend because it was always a Friday. And I think that that's where, like, that miss of the community building, they could have been like, hey, guys. Come out Thursday because we're gonna do this, and then we're gonna do all of our session on Friday. Then on Friday, we're gonna go to this wicked spot and done it on. And Saturday, if you can make it, we're doing this extra stuff, which BTA has done really a good job of with, like, Winter Summit. You know? When I talk about Winter Summit, I always go at least one day before, and I always stay one extra day. Speaker 0
Yeah. Actually, we gotta go Speaker 1
And you guys always provide the opportunity to do that. Speaker 0
We gotta go windsurfing on the next one for, like, a few days after kite surfing. Speaker 1
Yeah. Love and Tana, baby. Here we come. Speaker 0
So the reason I asked this is I do think, and I think everyone knows this, but, like, entrepreneurship is somewhat isolating. Totally. We're we're we're at the top of the organization. We're kinda weird. We don't really fit in corporate. We don't really fit as an employee. We're in this weird space. And I find it's hard to connect with other people. And I and I've been to, you know, meet up groups, and I and I, you know, what's it called? BNI. And and actually, BNI is not bad. This is, like, there's certain, like, good things about all these these organizations, but I'm always I'm personally even blown away. I'm like, how are we connecting on this deeper level where we're, like, we're in life together? Speaker 1
Right. Speaker 0
What what what's causes that? How do you how do you get too intentional enough to be a part of that? And I will say, not all of our members do that. Right? Some do, some don't. And for those listening, I really wanna encourage everyone. It's like, we need to connect to even a deeper level than a transactional, like, here's my business card. Call me. We will be good in business together. It's like, no. Like, we're in life together. What how do you get to that place with people? Hey, guys. Quick question before we continue the episode. If you could get a custom roadmap for growing your business in five minutes, would it be worth your time? After tracking the growth of over one thousand nine hundred contracting businesses since twenty fifteen, we've put together a five minute quiz you can go take right now that draws on a massive pool of data. You'll get instant access to a personalized report that's gonna tell you which one of the four phases of contractor growth you're actually in right now, how your company stacks up in the six core areas of business compared with industry benchmarks, And what to go do next, including customized resources, tools, and templates you'll have access to right away. No waiting around for an email or filling out a million separate forms. A link is in the description, so go check it out. Now, back to the episode. Screw business cards. Speaker 1
I don't even have them anymore. Speaker 0
Tap my iPhone. Yeah. Hey. Speaker 1
Man, there's we get to unpack a lot here. First of all, it takes a bit of a crazy individual to be an entrepreneur. Like, it's just challenging. It's really hard. You have to constantly be pivoting. You need, the ability for others to come to you, seek guidance quickly, make decisions quickly. We're going this way. We're going that way. Oh, we're going down. Now we're going up. And you oftentimes do it alone because a lot of businesses are run by a single individual. There's not a lot of partnerships that last, unfortunately. It's just really hard because it takes a ton of work. And so naturally, I think that a lot of people just go in on their own because they just don't wanna have the hassle of that partner, the challenge of that partner, which then forces them to be alone even more in their head. And it's, it's tough. It's really tough. And then they don't know where to go to communicate that stuff. And maybe they're maybe they're they knew somebody who's a mentor who said, hey. You should go seek out coaching or you said you should go get a counselor because those things really help. Like, actually having somewhere that you can go to, the community, BTA. Hey, guys. I'm really struggling right now. This is my current situation. Has anybody dealt with something like this before? Or, hey, counselor. I'm just in the dregs right now. Like, what do I do? Yeah. How do help me get through this? I mean, I was in counseling session yesterday. Right? And one of the topics we talked about, Caroline and I, was, man, like, I need to work I need to continue to work on my ability to stay in that peak of the blade. Because when I fall off Everything else suffers. Everything else suffers. So how quickly am I able to right myself into that space to be right at the top again? Because then I fall. Right? And then I Totally. Climb back up. So how quickly can I get back up to that edge? And the edge is really difficult to maintain, but when you can get that consistency, everything else works so much smoother for your team, for your family, for your business, for yourself, and it just takes a ton of work. Speaker 0
Yeah. And it'll never end. I'm doing it. Speaker 1
Never end. Speaker 0
I'm always, like, even thinking about, like, I took that magic mind null shot. It's like, well, podcasters are doing it, and it and it helps. Yeah. And it helps. Yeah. But but so this is good. So this is kinda like how you stay optimal within your own performance. Think about the conversations that you have with, say, members in BTA versus the conversations you might have at a social or a networking event you might go for the Home Build Association or something. They're different. And and and and what allows for that deeper level of connection? What do you for those listening, like, what do they have to do to get to a deeper, more, like, raw level with one another than just keeping it surface level and business? Speaker 1
Yeah. Time. Yeah. Time. Intention. Right? Like, you need to go. You need to sidewalk check. This is a college pro thing. I mean, both of us did it. Right? Sidewalk check. Like, sidewalk check yourself when you go into event. Let those things that are on your brain out and be totally present in whatever situation, like the, you know, the networking group that you're gonna be a part of or wherever you are. Be fully present. Don't be on your phone. Don't be on your watch because we all have watches that we can do it too. Be totally present with people. I mean, the first time we talked about this, alcohol was the first thing that came to my mind. Like, I've had some of my best conversations with other b team members such as yourself when it was actually, like, a morning session and there wasn't it there was no booze around. There's no booze. It it's Speaker 0
just like a weird counterintuitive because a lot of people would say, well, if I drink alcohol, my intuitions go down, and I'm more social. Speaker 1
Totally. Speaker 0
Yeah. Speak to this then. Speaker 1
Well and that's the irony, right, is that you there I think everybody to some degree has a bit of that, like, oh, yeah. Like, I'm dancing, baby. Like, let's have some fun. But then at some point, it just gets too much. And, you know, you're chasing that little high that you had at the very beginning, which we all know alcohol does really well. Right? And then you for most people, myself included, if you go too far, that's done. Speaker 0
It is actually a downer. Speaker 1
And then you don't actually feel great, and then you're less likely to actually engage in conversation. And so when you when you enter a space and you're really intentional, you want to engage people, you're looking for relationship and connection, and you take away some of that other stuff and you have the space in true present and connection, you will create relationships at a deeper level because of that. Because you're present. Like, I joke with my my kids, but my I I'm dead serious about it with my family and my team. I tell this all the time. My number one number one thing that I did for an improvement in twenty twenty four and has made even much of it more difference in twenty twenty five, I turned my phone into a brick. Mhmm. Like, I have the new iPhone. And I pay a lot of money for it, and yet it doesn't show notifications. Speaker 0
You have that little, like, thing that sits by your phone and actually bricks it, or you have to Speaker 1
No. I just turn literally all notifications off. Yeah. I like, I don't even have the little badges. So when I open my screen, I don't see, like, there's messages happened. Took off WhatsApp. I put it on, like, the back page. I don't have Instagram anymore. It I don't have Facebook. Like, some of those things are tough logistically because you're, you know, like Facebook marketplace. I need to do this. Speaker 0
You have a business to run. Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. But I have to be focused. And breaking my phone, essentially, like, tracing my wife, she is full. You know, she can get through. My assistant, Jen, she gets through. Nobody at mom and dad. Nobody else. I don't see a notification. I'm, like, right with you right now. Danny, it's you and me. I don't have and it's so cool because what I've noticed is when having released the notifications, releasing the just, like, the plugged in Ryan, releasing that, man, I'm so much more present in everything, in every conversation. And that means that I'm engaging that person, then they think I actually care. I do care. I actually care. I'm not looking at my phone being like, hey, Danny. Yeah. Just one sec, man. Oh oh, I just got a buzz. Yeah. Right? Like, I'm here. And it's so cool to do that. Speaker 0
Which I find a lot like, if I I actually took coaching or I got a coach for two years to help me with presence. And the reason I did, and I think you might be similar, is, like, a lot of us have a very active brain. So it's I don't know if you find this. I live in the future. Totally. Always living in the future. And so I'm always thinking about what's coming next. And so to be present in the moment is a very intentional thing to do. It's not impossible. It's just, like you said, you have to check yourself at the door before you go in and be like, am I present? Let's not step in here until I am, which is which is cool. You're you're alluding on something else, which is, like, because I'm present, I can genuinely connect with people, which Mhmm. What do you think it takes one of our values at BT is be real. And and this was a value that I was very important to me early on because I always struggled going to networking events feeling like nobody's real. Right. And I'm always like, man, like, I don't want to get to know the the mask you. I wanna get to know the you you. And I've always strived to shake people a little bit out of that. How do you do that? How because you do it very well too, and and that's also probably why we get along so well. But, like, how do you not only do that for yourself, coming comfortably to be yourself, but how do you get others along so that you can get to the real core part of who they are by being real, basically? Releasing fear. Speaker 1
Mhmm. Let I mean, I this has certainly been something that I've learned as I've gotten older. My twenty year old self would laugh at my now forty year old self to be like, yeah. Right. Like, go crush it. Be the best. You know, seeking everyone's attention, desire, like, recognition, all that stuff. And I've had to release a lot of that to just be like, I am who I am. I make mistakes. I'm trying to be my best self. I'm trying to be my best leader to my family and to my business, to my community. And I'm going to make mistakes, and that's okay. And here are some of them. And here's also, like, some awesome things that I'm currently doing and am looking forward to doing in the future. Let's do this together. Let's engage. Let's inspire each other. Let's, like, be real. Because when you really have when you when you are real in a conversation, it's just so much better. Speaker 0
It gives everyone else permission to be real too. Totally. Speaker 1
Yeah. And we're all so scared of what other people think. Yeah. And when you release that, what does it give you? It gives you freedom to be yourself and then have those conversations. Speaker 0
Yeah. And it's not about here's all the reasons I suck and but it's but it's not also about here's all the great successes I have. It's just being able to speak to them objectively and in a very raw way. And I think, yeah, I think people understand when you go through challenges because they're going through them too, which I think gives them a bit of permission to be themselves in that. I think if it's all about wound bonding, it turns into a bit of a group, if I'm honest. So it can't always be that. But it's the opposite's true. It's like if it's all about here's all my successes, everyone else feels pressured to be like, well Right. Let me puff my chest up too. And it's like, no, like, here's what's on my mind. Yeah. And here's what's cool and exciting, and here's what's kinda like really Yeah. And let's talk about it. Yeah. And then they can share. Yeah. So Yeah. Cool. Okay. That's good. Let's talk a bit about you. So you you've you've given a lot to the BTAY community over the years, and you've also probably gotten a lot. And I would just love to know when you engage at this level, when you take it deeper, what are you getting from a strategic level for your business, from an emotional level for yourself, from an aspirational level? Let's just talk about what what what you get from community when you really connect and and dive in the way you have. Speaker 1
Yeah. I think back in university, and I first was approached by a man who was a teacher there, Rod. And he introduced me to the CEO, which was a Christian entrepreneur organization, which was this it was like his own community thing that he was building. And it was all about iron sharpens iron. And that's what I've continued to look for in my life as I've, grown older. And in BTA, it's so good to be in a place where iron is truly sharpening iron regularly. You don't know what you don't know. Like and I think that's where the move and the shift from more coaching university globally to a more trades focused coaching was the what you don't know, you don't know opens up so much faster. Like, oh, that trade person did a site visit and x y z. Like, I didn't even know that we did site visits because my background's not trades. I'm an accountant. Like, I'm a CPA. So I don't know a lot of stuff. And then being able to get insight and awareness in so many more things so quickly, others' mistakes and others' successes have helped me grow quicker and just be able to navigate in a better environment. Speaker 0
Do you think it's changed the way you see where you can go in business, what's possible? Is is there anything on the side of, like because actually, let's speak to this first. What you're saying is we can go and share as business people all day long and get lots from one another. But when you're in the same industry, you can go way deeper in that same concept. You know, you can get down to, like, the amount of hours you should be, like, billing for a certain type of work Charge out rate. Charge out rate. Stuff like that. I Answers come quick down to the minutia. Totally. Do you see and I know because I I watched Canada versus the United States actually a little bit, and I see what's going down with some of our members in the states. Do do you see anybody that you're like, I also, like, resonate with these people on a different level where I you know more where you wanna go. Has I done that for you in any way? I don't know. Speaker 1
I think that the one thing that's been the coolest about being a part of a international trade coaching group is that you see some of the the members down in the states doing incredibly large things for their businesses, and you're just like, wow. Those guys know how to take it to another level. Like, in Canada, we just Speaker 0
We have a different culture. We're one of our conservative. Speaker 1
I don't wanna be too no. You know, don't show off too much. They take that poppy thing. Right? I think the whatever that, like, cut off the the highest person. I can't the poppy. I think it's a poppy effect or something they call it. But it's just, man, they they're it's so inspiring. Yeah. People are doing some incredible things. They're doing in here too in Canada, but not at the level often they are down in America. Speaker 0
We just think about success differently. And that that's why I bring up that example because I I I notice it where I'm like, I have personally learned a lot from working people down with people down in the United States because the way I was brought up as a Canadian even as a Canadian entrepreneur, even amongst other entrepreneurs, I've Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaker 0
I've never seen somebody be so proud for the growth that they go after. Yeah. And sometimes it scares me because I'm like, capitalism at all costs can also be destructive. But it is I've been personally inspired by just watching our members grow. And it's not, you know, just people in the states, but I'm like, man, they just have a different way of looking at business, and it's changed me actually a little in my whole thing. Speaker 1
So It's inspired me to know that when I go to Winter Summit, I see some of these business owners and what they've gone through and where they've come from, and they're just you and I. Yeah. There's nothing different about them. They just their path has been maybe a little different, of course, but they're they're ultimately just people like us doing some incredible things. Speaker 0
Which is important because if you start to put everybody on a pedestal that you I think you also you lose that deep connection. And I I did wanna ask you about this too because, you know, we have you on the podcast. You you've, you know, been nominated for multiple awards at BTA. Like, people do look up to you. Do you ever struggle with impostor syndrome? Absolutely. And how do you manage that? Because that's a whole thing too that can block you from connecting at a deeper level. Speaker 1
I remember the first time that, BJ asked me to present, Winter Summit. My first response in my brain was, what do I have to offer? Genuinely. Yeah. I did I second guessed my ability to offer anything of value to the membership that was going to be at that group, that day. And it has now going through those exercises now a couple times, I I have a ton of value. I am a bit older, and so I do have experience. I have wisdom. I have the scars of some really challenging and negative events. I have presented to BTM members, about really challenging situations at my business. I've cried, in front of members. Like, I didn't think I would as a man, you're like, are you kidding me? I would never do something like that. And then I'm like, here I am presenting about a really challenging work situation that happened in twenty thirteen twenty twenty three, and I'm, like, balling about because I care. Yeah. I care so much about my team. I care about the members. I care I wanted my story to be heard. I just didn't think that that would, like, create that much emotion in me. And I wanna just push back on everybody to say, you do have value. Your voice matters and don't second guess it. Like, find it, figure out, navigate it. Like, it does take time and awareness, but it's there, and you have tremendous value to whatever community you're a part of. Speaker 0
Yeah. Because I think some people will be like, well, I just run a million dollar business. This guy runs a ten million dollar business. So what could I possibly teach him? Speaker 1
Totally. Speaker 0
And it's not true, is it? No. It's it's like, cool, man. But there's things that you've done in your life, in your business, in the way you treat people, in the way you lead others, in the way that you think, your philosophies even. Yeah. That could blow a guy away who's running a ten million dollar business, which, by the way, is just a number. Speaker 1
Yeah. So Yeah. Yeah. And and businesses are different. I mean, I, I won't forget the time I was in a coaching group session with a bunch of builders in BTA. This is a builders I just so happened in a leader circle session. It was literally me, a property service business that does an average job size about twelve to fifteen hundred dollars, job Yeah. With, like, a dozen guys doing mid their average job size was, like, five hundred thousand. Yeah. Right? And I'm describing how we use company cam and my remote team workers to remotely quote everything. Like, ninety eight percent of our work is quoted remotely, and they you could just see their faces being like, are you kidding me? Like, you did over two thousand jobs Speaker 0
on this job. How impressive that was. You're stuck. Speaker 1
I I thought that was nothing, Danny. I thought it was like what I had done was nothing special at all. And these guys' minds were just, poof, like, holy smokes. I have to go to every job. I have to do this. I have to do that. That's not impo that's not possible. And I was like, well, couldn't you at least, like, do x y z first in your introductory? Oh, yeah. I guess I could. And you're like, yeah. You could. Totally. And that would shave a ton of time off of your very busy schedule. Right? And and so, again, goes back to that, like, what you don't know, you don't know. So when you think that what you've developed or what you know only applies to you or to one little small core, get rid of that. Yeah. Because it it actually can apply to a lot of situations. Speaker 0
Yeah. It's like when you go out in these situations, stop pairing yourself up based on, oh, this this guy's got bigger revenue or this guy's stop doing that. Just let every I always look at people as, like, you got up this morning and brushed your teeth and probably wrangled your kids around and made some breakfast and took a poo or whatever. Like, you you did. You did. You did the same thing I did. Yeah. And it doesn't matter if you're Donald Trump or you're Elon Musk or you're we all did the same stuff in the morning, and we're all just humans. And we're all here to learn from each other. And it it doesn't mean that we don't have something to give to one another. I'm curious, like, overcoming that, which I know you you have, and you've worked on it. I work on it too. It's never perfect. But has allowed you to give back a lot, a lot, actually, to the BTA community. What do you get from that? Like, why why give back so much? Speaker 1
I have such a big ego. Well, I will say Speaker 0
there is no such thing as altruism. I don't know if you've heard that term before, but there's you know, I don't in altruism because I think that even when you give back, you get something back for sure. But I'm curious what you get from it. Like because you do it a lot. Speaker 1
I do. I do I do it a lot. And sometimes, Danny, I actually second guess myself in am I doing this because of my ego right now? Like Yep. On the way here, I'm in the There's always Speaker 0
a piece of it. I'm in the middle. Speaker 1
Over, and I'm, like, got my notes. I'm prepping. And I take a picture of myself, and and I send it to our team in, like, another in a in a BTA group. And I'm like, oh, am I, like, am I showing off here in this moment? When actually I'm just genuinely, like, excited to be here to be able to go and speak to you today on contract revolution. And I have to get rid of that because that's not true. Like, people are here to cheer you on, and you have value. And that to me is very important. Like, I wanna leave this Earth one day knowing that every moment of my day prior, I was trying to give value. I may not always give value, and I may like, the value I think I'm giving to someone may not actually be accepted in that manner. But dang, man. Like, I'm trying. Speaker 0
Yep. You always send me texts of good things to read and look at, and I'm always just like, awesome. One or two things I'm like, this is actually good, but the rest of it is awesome. But I I if anything, I appreciate the genuine interest you have and the things that you're learning to bring them to me, right, which I think is massive. And so yeah. What are you saying? You're basically saying, like, look, giving back is something that's just a part of who you are. You need to check your ego at the door to make sure it's not all about you. But after that, don't worry about that so much. Just go give back, how would you say it, liberally or, like, just, like, without without worry, and just let the world take it for what it is. And it could be a lot of fun. What what what what net benefit are you like, why do you keep doing it? Because I know sometimes you give back a lot and you don't get a lot back. So why do you keep doing it? Speaker 1
I I don't know too many people. Genuine, like, I was just I was actually thinking about this recently, and I listen to a lot of podcasts while I walk, while I work out. I walk every morning. My team it was my birthday recently, and they did this video, and it was hilarious. Like, you know, Ryan walks Trail Lake on purpose. You know? Like, I have people all the time will say, oh, what kind of dog do you have? And I say, I don't have a dog. And they're like, well, why do you walk around Trout Lake for thirty minutes every morning at six AM? It's like, because that's what I do. Like, I enjoy it. It helps me kick start my morning. Right? I listen to positive learning through it. Right? And then I send it. I I you're a recipient. Many people have been recipients of me in my brain thinking, oh, this applies to this person. Send it. And I will sometimes catch myself thinking, oh, they don't wanna hear it or they don't care or, you know, I've sent, like, a number of situate podcasts or readings to this person. They never respond or rarely. Who cares? Because you know what? God, I believe, gave me that moment. Not, like, right then and there, they thought that think was for that person. That thought was for that person. So just don't take it away. Don't take the, that thought away. Like, you never know when that that podcast might actually or that listen may need to be there six months from now. So I'm actually taking it away from that person to that point. Right? So, I just keep doing it, and and I don't care. And until someone's like, hey. You know what? Like, cool. I don't need them anymore. But no one has ever done that at this point. Speaker 0
And and what's good is it sets a tone for everyone else too. Like, that concept we're at Winter Summit where it's like, don't come to Winter Summit trying to take as much as you can. Come to Winter Summit trying to give as much as you can and watch as four hundred other people in the room. If we all do this together, we'll do the same to you, which means suddenly just by trying to help, you have four hundred people trying to do the same for you. Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaker 0
And I don't know if that's true in every environment, but by being the one that's doing that, you're at least starting the trend. Right. And you're at least getting the word the the way of being out there, which I think in today's entrepreneur world, like, collaboration wins all day long versus, like, I do think there is a bit of an old school mantra of, like, keep your cards close to your chest, don't tell everyone else what you're up to. Like, it's also your your trade secrets. It's like, bro, we got CHGPT now. We had Google before, and now we got CHGPT. Like, there is no Speaker 1
on steroids. Yeah. Like, Speaker 0
so It's wild. Just go help with everyone. Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 0
Okay. So let there's a bit of an edge on this one, which I wanna ask about competitors. So now there's somebody that's in your same industry, maybe even in the same city, and I know because there's some members here that are are like that with you. And you share Liberty with them too. All the time. So what's the pros and cons of this? Speaker 1
Why? Why not? Why not? You know? I I'm often inspired. I really I mean, I mentioned my pod the podcast that I listen to. Right? Like, I like modernism. I like contra tractor evolution. Some of the people that have been guests, like Alex from Mosey, Daniel Martel, these guys, David Goggins, Jocko, which we had in Winter Summit twenty twenty one or twenty two, they are, I find, incredible human beings in that they just give. Yep. They give. I'm sure like, acquisition dot com. Who who was he? Like, there's something there. He know like, but he's giving and he's giving and he's giving and he's giving. And it's so cool to be inspired by people who are doing really amazing large things, be okay with giving the the playbook, essentially, knowing that, yeah, somewhere along, maybe I'll make something off of this or maybe I won't. But it doesn't matter because, ultimately, I'm trying to provide value here. And giving is much better than receiving. And, I mean, we joked about this too, off camera, which was I give a lot. Like, I truly do. Agreements, SOPs, you name it. Whenever someone asks, I just give it. How many people actually implement it, actually take it, and then do something with it? It's it's actually pretty low how many people would do it. Speaker 0
Yeah. And if they do, they deserve to to have that success. Absolutely. Yeah. But the implementation side is is challenging. Yeah. And I think, like, just collaborating with competitors, especially locally, one one thing I've actually noticed with some of our members here in Vancouver is they create they level up the industry. They create a standard because there's six Speaker 1
of them. Speaker 0
And I see them all working together, and they're all holding each other accountable, and they're all making each other better. And then there's another twenty five that are like, woah. Wait a minute. Yeah. We gotta keep up with these boys. Totally. And you you level up the industry. Yeah. You start to professionalize. Speaker 1
It's the iron sharpens iron. Right? Totally. Truly. Yeah. Speaker 0
It's good. It's it's counterintuitive thinking for some, very natural, I think, for others. But I is there anything you would challenge people that are listening to this right now that are kinda like, I would never collaborate with my competitors? That is a that is a no go for me. Stop being scared. Speaker 1
Just take a little risk. Yeah. What do you have to lose? Truly, do you think that you have something so unique that no one else has thought about it before? Totally. For sure someone else has. And now probably Chachapiti knows about it already. Speaker 0
Right? It's kinda like give give it a try and see what happens. Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. A little risk goes a long way. Yeah. Speaker 0
They already take lots of risk. They're entrepreneurs. So Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Give this one a risk. Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaker 0
Any kind of cool stories you have? Just of, like, how the community has showed up in a powerful way for you or just, like, big moments from from the masterminds or winter summit where you're like, this changed me. Speaker 1
Yeah. I was I was fortunate enough to be in Dominican at Winter Summit twenty twenty five this January, and you were there, and a number of others were there. And we listened to Mike, and he was his topic was all about us and resiliency and vulnerability. And being in that room on that Sunday morning was incredible. I took so much away from, just being able to be there. And when we talk about being present, right, like, Mike was from LA. Speaker 0
Yeah. Speaker 1
They were dealing with fires. Speaker 0
All this was burned down. It was still there. Speaker 1
All friends were texting him nonstop about all the things they were challenged. They were going through from challenge perspective. Right. And we were raw. Like, we got down to a deep level in that conversation, people talking about how they've come overcome lots of things. And then you're like, oh, shoot. Like, I I'm pretty fortunate. I've not had to handle something like that in my life before. And that was an incredible morning. And then we, you know, went and played pickleball and went to the beach and hung out and had a ton of fun. But, like, that was when you look back, you're like, that was a really good memory maker. Right? Speaker 0
Yeah. And that was a year so the membership the group that was there were all long term BTA members. We had a lot of trust with each other. It was interesting the conversation didn't start deep. It actually started kind of like, we're just another seminar with another, you know, cool guy on stage. But quickly, it got down into all of us. We're just like, look. We're all kind of up. Yeah. And, like and that's okay. Yeah. And can we just get to that level quick so we can get to the real stuff? Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah. Could you imagine if you remove small talk from your just connections Totally. And went straight to something that's really mean something? Speaker 0
Which is jarring for some. Totally. And some people Speaker 1
don't know what to do. They'll they'll they'll freeze. Right? But you could have that mentality of when I meet with somebody, I wanna ask, how are you really doing? And don't give me the bull like, oh, Speaker 0
I'm great. Speaker 1
Because are you? It's part of Speaker 0
the beauty of being an entrepreneur. You get the freedom to do you. Yeah. You don't have a job with a job description that has to form you into a certain way of being. You get to create the core values for the company. You get to create the approach. And I don't know if that's important for everyone to be that way, but for those that crave it but deny themselves it because everyone else isn't like that around them, I I would challenge them too. I'd be like, just let go, man. Just Speaker 1
And and making being okay with it. Yeah. Right? Like, I I've tried really hard to, like, mold myself into this one. Like, I need to do this because this is what business owners Speaker 0
who are This is what business owners are talking about. Yeah. Speaker 1
You know? This is what you need to do to Speaker 0
I think a lot of people feel that. Speaker 1
And you struggle a lot. And, you know, I've had I've had many people kind of, like, really struggle slash criticize my all over the place. And can we just focus on this one thing until we do that? And, you know, I'm, like, already onto the next thing. Speaker 0
Like, I Speaker 1
can't and I'm okay the way I am. Now I have to find people that can help support me be my best. Right? And then put people who are really good at, like, consistency, stability, and management. Like, that's really important because yeah. Yeah. If I was always moving on to something else and no one was actually managing the day to day running, of the business, it would fall apart because I'm two shiny objects running around doing everything. Speaker 0
Okay. Yeah. Me too. Yeah. Speaker 1
So you you need to have a team. You need to have that team to support you so that you can do what you're great at, and they can do what they're great at. And then you guys can do some pretty cool together. Speaker 0
You can create your own create your own reality, I always call it. Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaker 0
Yeah. In so many ways. We talked a lot about, like, community and finding your tribe and and things like that. How so someone's listening. They're like, yeah. I'm part of a group, but it's not I'm not connected as much. Like, what does someone or just advice for someone? It's like, how do they go and find that connection with other entrepreneurs, and what what steps should they be taking to do this properly? Speaker 1
Just do it. Start. Like, don't wait around. Right? Because we can all find a lot of errands. Right? Wash the dishes, do laundry, like, get over yourself, go find talk to somebody, find a mentor, find just ask. Like, it's you can kinda call it dating if you wanna call it whatever you want. Like, your sales pitch, just find somebody. And then from that one person, you can go where they are or they can direct you somewhere else, but you gotta start. Speaker 0
You gotta start saying yes. Yeah. Is there a move there's a I haven't even watched it. There's a movie out there where Speaker 1
this guy or something. Speaker 0
Right? Like, forced to say yes. Yes. Speaker 1
All the time. Speaker 0
Yeah. Yes. Yes. Speaker 1
And it's tough because I I mean, my coach, Ian, amazing human being, introduced me to the one thing this year, and it's I've read it twice. I listen to the podcast now. It's great, great content, and it's all about saying no, actually. And you're like, oh, what? Speaker 0
Which one do I listen to? Speaker 1
I can't do it. I can't what do I do? Right? But the when you say no to things, you actually open up opportunity to other things. So you there is a balance. You have to have that edge. Speaker 0
Yep. But if if you're if you're being antisocial, if you're burying yourself in your office and your work, and you're just not getting out there anymore, it's probably and you're and you're interested in this idea of collaborating more with entrepreneurs, you're feeling a bit lonely, it's probably time to give a few more yeses to the to this side of Speaker 1
the equation. Speaker 0
Yeah. When you're in groups, when you're doing this with entrepreneurs, is there a way to kind of know whether this is the right place to stick around or not? Speaker 1
You know what comes to mind? So recently, back to Ian, he took it to holiday. Right? And he's been working really hard at BTA. And I my brain, it fires all the time. And I have great ideas and sometimes I have not so great. I thought this was a great idea. I'm like, I'm gonna figure out I know Ian really likes Lego. So I messaged, like, a dozen members who I know quite well, who also know Ian well. I'm like, hey. I bought Ian a pirate ship Lego set, and he's not going away and doing a whole lot, for his vacation. So let's all just buy him a bunch of Lego. And you know how many people said yes? Every single one. Speaker 0
How much Lego does he have? Because he shipped it. Speaker 1
I have no idea. Like, a lot. Speaker 0
He got a whole basement. This is he's got a Lego. Speaker 1
Yeah. Now he's like I mean, Chell is gonna be like, what the? That's the metric there. People stepped up. Now that's a tough metric to be like when you first join something, but you can quickly figure out when other people that are members care about things. Like, when you I call them ping penguin pebbles. Like, penguins literally will give pebbles to each other as care. Like, showing gifting and, like, just, hey. Are you gonna give me a pebble back? Like, cause if so, then we can keep doing this. This is great. Right. When your intentionality, is reciprocated. I hate that word, but like when people actually care back. Right. And they they're willing to be with you to give you time in your bids, if you will, to them, you know you're at the right place. Speaker 0
It's a really good way to put it. I I I always use this term, but I always think about, like, nontransactional relationships when you're starting to feel like that's the way we operate and we're good with it. But it's good. We're gonna wrap up in a few questions here, but, like, what is generally between business and personal just the biggest ROI of doing this? Because this does take time, and this takes it takes a lot of mental clarity and presence and all things we talked about today. What what is the ROI of this? Speaker 1
So, you know, the the stock answers, I made a bunch of money. It's great. The reality is my biggest ROI, having joined BTA and being a member for over seven years now, is my better self. Genuinely, I'm a better human being today than I was in two thousand seventeen through a lot of hard personal work and a lot of learning and growth through other members and coaches along the way in guiding and forming who I am today. Being vulnerable to be like, I need help here. Can you help me? What do I need to do? Because I'm I'm just really struggling. And I still struggle. Speaker 0
Yeah. Speaker 1
Don't get me like, I still make mistakes. I still have really crummy days. Had one a couple weeks ago, and my first place I went to was a BTA group chat. And I'm like, hey, guys. I'm just having a horrible day. I've lost, like, pretty much since last year, almost all of my team has turned over. And here's another one. Like, now in that moment, I'm super grateful because the individual that had just given me notice of, like, literally that day, he's going through health challenges. And I'm like, oh, I'm glad I don't have those health challenges. But, like, I really man, I'm just, like, struggling today, guys. And so that's where I went to. I went to those groups first because I know that they're there to listen. Maybe they don't even need to say anything because that's not really what I'm looking for at that moment. I just wanna be heard. Speaker 0
Yeah. I find this for myself even. Like, we we've been doing this for ten years now, and I know the human I was ten years ago versus today. And I feel not that I'm being held to a higher account, but I just feel more curious and inspired to see these types of people around me all the time. Because when I look at my friend group that I grew up with, I'm still really good friends with. They're amazing humans. There's just things that are different in this community at BTA. And it is because we're all entrepreneurs, I think, and it's and we're all getting older actually right now too. It's like we're growing from, like, these young twenty year old guys to these family building guys. And, you know, every everyone in BTA is different ages depending on where everyone's at, but it's I just find the longer I'm with my own company, but it's not really my company anymore. I feel like it's BTA's everyone's business, really. You guys all kinda own it together with me, and it's amazing to watch. Right. Speaker 1
I'll take the equity. Yeah. Speaker 0
I know. But I'm like, I I I'm growing up because you guys are growing up around me. And I'm like, I'm forced to, and I want to, and it, like what's that that term? It's like you are the five people you surround yourself with. Whatever. I don't wanna always just be around entrepreneurs. I actually really enjoy my family and my friends and but there's a piece of me that needs this to see what a mature entrepreneur looks like over time. And, yeah, I would say to this community, like, thank you guys because it's it's a part of what I get from it every day too. Speaker 1
Absolutely. It's so good. We we all make each other better. Yeah. Right? And being able to come and situationally, we are in very similar life paths right now. Right? Business owners, family, kids, last day of school today. Yeah. Here we are talking about last day of school. Like, yeah. Right? And what are you gonna do for the summer? All that fun stuff. These are seasons. And that we get to go through them together. And being able to have someone who cares genuinely in your best interest is so good. Because you don't want, like, we're at the age now where you do not want people around you that don't actually care or not care. They don't have your best interest Yeah. Interest in mind. Speaker 0
No. Yeah. It's exhausting. I don't have time, so I need to No. To be around. Yeah. Good humans that can build into me while I build into that. Yeah. Exactly. Speaker 1
Inspire you to do things that you didn't think you were capable of. Speaker 0
Yeah. Yeah. And and not through force, but through example and just through being in in being being in time together, being community together, basically, is the way to put it. So Speaker 1
You can't push, but you can pull. Right? And that's where that leadership perspective comes into play. Yeah. Speaker 0
Ryan, this was great. It was so good. It was, was Can Speaker 1
we do another? Speaker 0
Yeah. We can do another. We could do as many as you want. If people wanna reach out to you, especially the membership, they're gonna be listening to this. How do we reach out? I could probably put something down the description if you want people to directly connect with you. But how how does somebody reach out to you? Speaker 1
So I'm not really engaged in social media at all. So I email. K. Yeah. Ryan at umbrella services dot c a. Speaker 0
K. Yeah. Ryan at umbrella services dot c a. We'll put it in the description as well. Speaker 1
Or you can look you can follow our YouTube, like, company YouTube, umbrella property services. I'm very much okay with being a dork, and everyone is okay with it. And my marketer is taking full advantage of it these days. So, you can have some fun on my behalf all you want there. Speaker 0
Awesome. Thanks for coming in. Speaker 1
Thanks for having me. Bye. See you, Danny. Speaker 0
Yep. See you. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of Contractor Evolution. If you've already subscribed to our podcast, consider sharing this episode with another contractor that you think needs to hear it. 
