Success Beyond The Brush

Host Scott Lollar is a 35-year veteran of the painting industry and founder of Consulting4Contractors. The 'Success Beyond The Brush' Podcast serves as a touchpoint to painting contractors who have hustled, sacrificed, and worked hard to get their business to where it is today. Now, you need the guidance, expertise, experience, and team to make it into the multi-million-dollar company of your dreams. You'll hear stories and interviews from "Brothers of the Brush" and "Sisters of the Sprayer" who have been where you are and are charting a new course for their company's success. Listen in and go beyond $1,000,000!

Success Beyond The Brush is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 46 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Success Beyond The Brush, a business show with 46 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #46

  SBTB Ep. 27 | Contractor Time Management: Stop Solving Every Problem Yourself

  Aug 3, 202640 min

  Download the C4C Job Profitability Spreadsheet Here Contractors frequently blame their time-management problems on being busy. In reality, many of those problems begin with unclear scopes, incomplete job preparation, poorly defined roles, and owners who remain involved in every decision. Rick Holtz joins the conversation to explain how H.J. Holtz & Son has built a team of approximately 65 people without requiring every customer issue, employee problem, or operational question to reach the owner. Scott and Rick discuss how contractors can reduce time leaks before a project begins, determine when additional operational support is needed, and stop taking problem-solving opportunities away from their employees. In This Episode Why starting projects before they are ready creates constant emergencies How material runs and unclear scopes quietly destroy profitability Why four active projects may be the limit for an unsupported project manager How an office-based operations assistant can support field project managers Why pre-job scope reviews prevent costly misunderstandings How detailed notes and photographs improve the customer experience The “process and role” filter for deciding what deserves your attention Why owners should not automatically handle every customer complaint How solving every problem can prevent employees from developing Why important, non-urgent work must be protected on your calendar How owners can support field employees without becoming involved in every job Why becoming a better leader begins with working on yourself Key Takeaway Your company cannot become less dependent on you until you stop rewarding dependency. Create better systems, define who owns each responsibility, protect time for future-focused work, and coach your employees through problems instead of immediately solving those problems for them. Free Resource Download the C4C Job Profitability Workbook to calculate job costs and analyze profitability by: Service type Salesperson Project manager Crew leader Subcontractor Lead source Monthly revenue goal Download the workbook now Need Help Organizing Your Financial Data, Business Systems, or Solving A Business Problem That Is Beyond You? Consulting4Contractors helps contractors create accurate charts of accounts, receipt-management systems, timekeeping processes, payroll workflows, and QuickBooks reporting structures. Schedule a free strategy call with Scott Visit: consulting4contractors.com (00:00) - Coaches Don't Fix (02:05) - Welcome to SBTB Episode 27: Contractor Time Management (02:56) - Common Time Leaks (03:59) - Material Chaos (05:40) - When To Hire Help (09:20) - Scope Creep Calls (11:09) - Better Handoffs (15:50) - Document The Details (18:40) - Get Your Free Job Profitability Workbook Now! (19:33) - Protect Owner Time (21:46) - Roles And Processes (24:58) - Stay Out Of Fires (29:14) - Coaching Not Rescuing (33:26) - Block Your Calendar (36:29) - Lead Yourself First (38:42) - Thanks for Listening to Success Beyond The Brush!

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  Episode #45

  SBTB Ep. 26 | Stop Guessing Your Profit: How to Job Cost Every Project Accurately

  Jul 27, 202615 min

  Download the C4C Job Profitability Spreadsheet Here Most contractors know how much revenue a project generated. Far fewer can say exactly how many dollars—and what percentage—they actually made on that project. Without accurate job costing, business owners are forced to make decisions based on feelings, incomplete reports, or money in the bank. A company may look busy and profitable while missed labor, employee burden, equipment rentals, dumpsters, lodging, subcontractor changes, and other direct costs quietly eat away at its margins. In this episode of Success Beyond the Brush , Scott Lollar explains how to calculate a project’s true gross profit by subtracting its cost of goods sold from its revenue. He breaks down what should be included in job costs, how employee labor burden differs from subcontractor labor, and why seemingly small missing expenses can produce dangerously inaccurate results. Scott also discusses gross-profit benchmarks for residential repaint contractors, why commercial contractors operate under a different model, and how job-cost data can reveal more than whether an individual project won or lost money. When projects are categorized by service, salesperson, project manager, crew leader, subcontractor, and lead source, contractors can identify which parts of the business are actually producing profit—and which ones only feel successful. Key Topics Covered What job costing means and why it matters Comparing estimated costs with actual project results Calculating gross profit in dollars and percentages What belongs in cost of goods sold W-2 wages, payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, PTO, benefits, and employee burden Tracking subcontractor labor accurately Capturing materials, dumpsters, lifts, travel, lodging, and other direct costs The difference between direct costs and variable expenses Residential repaint gross-profit benchmarks Why commercial gross-profit targets may be lower Measuring profitability by service type Comparing results by salesperson, crew leader, project manager, and subcontractor Evaluating the real return from marketing lead sources Using data to diagnose production and personnel problems Organizing job-cost information inside QuickBooks Online Using QuickBooks Projects, QuickBooks Time, and QuickBooks Payroll Building a reliable receipt-management and timekeeping process Key Takeaways Revenue does not tell you whether a job was profitable. A contractor must capture every direct project cost before calculating gross profit. Employee labor costs more than the employee’s hourly wage. Taxes, workers’ compensation, PTO, holidays, health benefits, retirement contributions, and other benefits must be included in the company’s labor burden. Missing small costs creates inaccurate large decisions. A lost lift receipt, unrecorded dumpster, incomplete timesheet, or subcontractor adjustment can materially change a project’s final margin. Scott’s target for residential repaint work is approximately 50% gross profit. A result above 45% may be acceptable, while repeatedly falling below 45% can make it difficult to cover overhead and produce a healthy net profit. Job costing is a diagnostic tool, not merely an accounting exercise. It can reveal estimating errors, production-rate issues, poor crew combinations, unprofitable services, and weak marketing sources. Data must replace emotion. A business owner should be able to prove profitability—not simply feel that the company is doing well. Free Resource Download the C4C Job Profitability Spreadsheet to calculate job costs and analyze profitability by: Service type Salesperson Project manager Crew leader Subcontractor Lead source Monthly revenue goal Download the spreadsheet Need Help Organizing Your Financial Data? Consulting4Contractors helps contractors create accurate charts of accounts, receipt-management systems, timekeeping processes, payroll workflows, and QuickBooks reporting structures. Schedule a free strategy call with Scott Visit: consulting4contractors.com (00:00) - SBTB Ep. 26 | Stop Guessing Your Profit: How to Job Cost Every Project Accurately (00:05) - Welcome to Success Beyond The Brush (01:29) - Why Job Costing Matters (02:49) - What Counts as COGS (04:41) - Variable Costs Debate (05:21) - Gross Profit Targets (06:33) - Residential vs Commercial Margins (07:03) - Free Profitability Spreadsheet (08:18) - Marketing ROI by Lead Source (10:23) - Crew Performance Insights (11:54) - Systems to Capture Data (13:08) - Get Your Free Discovery Call With Scott Now (13:47) - Thanks For Listening To Success Beyond The Brush!

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  Episode #44

  SBTB Ep. 25 | Can You Afford That Next Hire? How to Build a Contractor Budget That Protects Profit

  Jul 20, 202614 min

  SCHEDULE YOUR FREE 30 MINUTE CALL WITH SCOTT HERE A contractor hires four new overhead employees and then asks a critical question: “Can I afford all these positions?” Without a real budget, the only honest answer may be, “I don’t know.” In this solo episode of Success Beyond the Brush , Scott Lollar explains how contractors can create an accurate financial roadmap based on their actual revenue, cost of goods sold, operating expenses, seasonality, and growth plans. Scott walks through his process for exporting financial history from QuickBooks, building the initial budget in a spreadsheet, projecting monthly revenue, and using percentages of revenue to model labor, materials, subcontractors, and other direct job costs. He also explains how to test future decisions before committing to them. Whether you’re considering a project manager, salesperson, administrator, new shop, or another major expense, your budget should show how that decision will affect the bottom line. The goal isn’t to create a document that gets filed away. The goal is to create a working financial roadmap that can be reviewed throughout the year, compared against actual performance, and adjusted before a small problem becomes a financial emergency. In This Episode, We Cover Why having money in the bank does not necessarily mean the company is performing well The difference between cost of goods sold and operating expenses Labor burden, including payroll taxes, insurance, workers’ compensation, benefits, PTO, and retirement contributions How to export monthly financial history from QuickBooks into Excel Why percentages of revenue are essential when planning labor and direct costs How to create realistic monthly revenue goals around seasonal cycles How to model future hires before adding them to payroll How to calculate the complete cost of adding a shop or facility Why a 1% net profit projection requires immediate changes The difference between net profit and the owner’s total return on investment How to compare projected numbers with actual results throughout the year Why inaccurate QuickBooks data makes meaningful budgeting nearly impossible Key Takeaways: Start With Reality A stretch goal can be useful, but it must still be connected to the company’s historical performance and production capacity. A business that has never produced $400,000 in a month needs a clear operational plan before placing that number in the budget. Account for Seasonality Revenue should not automatically be divided evenly across 12 months. Contractors need to consider weather, exterior-production cycles, holidays, residential buying behavior, and other recurring fluctuations. Separate Direct Costs From Overhead Cost of goods sold includes the costs required to produce a specific job. General company expenses that support the business throughout the year belong in the operating-expense section. Model Decisions Before Making Them A new project manager, salesperson, administrator, or facility affects more than one line item. Budgeting allows the owner to see the complete financial impact before making a commitment. Review the Budget Throughout the Year Your budget should be reviewed monthly—and sometimes biweekly—against actual results. This gives the company time to adjust revenue, spending, staffing, or expectations before the year is over. Final Takeaway A budget is not simply an accounting requirement. It is a decision-making tool. When your financial data is organized correctly, you can stop making major decisions based on instinct or the current bank balance. You can determine whether the company can afford its plans, identify problems early, and make deliberate adjustments that protect cash flow and profitability. Is your QuickBooks file accurate enough to guide important business decisions? Consulting4Contractors helps contractors organize their financial data, understand what the numbers are actually saying, and turn that information into a practical plan for building a successful and profitable company. Schedule a free strategy call with Scott to get started toward an accurate accounting system. Links from This Episode ✨ Free Discovery Call with Scott Lollar https://consulting4contractors.com/free-strategy-call/ ️ Consulting4Contractors Website https://consulting4contractors.com/ ⚙️ Operations Module Demo Video (YouTube) https://youtu.be/0IUmPWk4GRI ✌️ Operations Module 2.0 Update Video (YouTube) https://youtu.be/JTHtbLXyMBI C4C on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/consulting4contractors/ C4C Facebook Community https://www.facebook.com/consulting4contractors/ C4C on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/70241567 Want to Be a Guest? Send us an email → info@c4c.team Credits ️ Hosts: Scott Lollar — Founder, Consulting4Contractors Production: Siren Mastering https://www.sirenmastering.com (00:00) - Welcome To Success Beyond The Brush (00:40) - Financial Pillar Focus (01:40) - COGS vs Expenses Basics (03:04) - Export Reports to Excel (04:06) - Realistic Revenue Forecast (05:52) - Model Cost of Goods Sold (07:09) - Build the Expense Plan (08:03) - Fix Profit and Add Overhead (11:12) - Upload Budget and Track (12:20) - Clean Books and Next Steps (13:22) - Thanks For Listening To Success Beyond The Brush!

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  Episode #43

  SBTB Ep. 24 | The Profit Killers: Navigating Scope Creep and Change Orders

  May 25, 202633 min

  SIGN UP FOR A TASTE OF COACHING HERE 👇👇👇 Get coaching with SCOTT LOLLAR here Get coaching with RICK HOLTZ here ****************************** In This Episode Mark and Scott discuss: Why scope creep quietly destroys profit How one unapproved jobsite decision can erase an entire job’s margin Why crew leaders need to treat the work order as the source of truth The difference between great customer service and giving work away Why exclusions are just as important as inclusions How to precondition customers for unknown conditions Why contractors should document change orders before doing the work How to train crews to talk about added work without sounding combative Why time-and-material agreements can create customer frustration How photos, notes, and detailed proposals protect the company Why “clear is kind” applies to customers, employees, and profit margins Key Takeaways 1. Scope creep usually starts small One extra patch, one added coat, one unplanned repair, or one customer request may seem harmless. But when those little extras pile up, they can turn a profitable job into a losing job. 2. The work order needs to be clear enough for the crew to execute Scott explains that a properly written estimate should include enough scope detail, photos, notes, inclusions, and exclusions that a crew leader or project manager can understand the job without needing a second sales conversation. 3. Exclusions protect both the contractor and the customer A vague proposal like “paint living room” or “paint house” creates room for misunderstanding. Clear exclusions help the customer understand what is not included in the price. 4. Change orders do not have to feel confrontational Instead of saying, “That’s not in the contract,” crews can be trained to say something like, “We’d be glad to take care of that for you. Let me get you a price so you can decide how you’d like to move forward.” 5. T&M work still needs expectations Time-and-material work can be useful, but customers often misunderstand what they are approving. Giving a range of expected hours and material costs helps prevent surprise invoices and sour endings to otherwise successful projects. 6. Great customer service does not mean giving away profit Small value-adds can be part of a great customer experience, but contractors need to know the difference between going the extra mile and giving away hours, materials, repairs, or coats that were never included in the price. 🔗 Links from This Episode ✨ Free Discovery Call with Scott Lollar 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/discovery-call/ 🏗️ Consulting4Contractors Website 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/ ⚙️ Operations Module Demo Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/0IUmPWk4GRI ✌️ Operations Module 2.0 Update Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/JTHtbLXyMBI 📲 C4C on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/consulting4contractors/ 👥 C4C Facebook Community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/consulting4contractors/ 💼 C4C on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/70241567 📧 Want to Be a Guest? Send us an email → info@c4c.team 🎧 Credits 🎙️ Hosts: Scott Lollar — Founder, Consulting4Contractors Mark Black — Owner, Men In White Painting , Mt. Vernon, IL 🎵 Production: Siren Mastering — Original music, artwork, transcripts, show notes & audio engineering https://www.sirenmastering.com (00:00) - Nice Guy Profit Trap (00:37) - Welcome to Success Beyond The Brush (02:10) - Mold Surprise Story (05:11) - Unforeseen Clauses and Options (08:24) - Defining Scope Creep (09:55) - Crystal Clear Proposals (13:49) - Photos and Exclusions (15:24) - A Taste of Coaching Offer - Limited Time! (16:13) - Contractor Psychology (19:13) - Word Tracks for Upsells (21:05) - Quality Expectations and Check Ins (25:13) - Change Orders and T&M Risks (28:02) - Clear Is Kind Wrap Up (30:22) - Add Value Without Giving Away (31:53) - Thanks for listening to Success Beyond The Brush!

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  Episode #42

  SBTB Ep. 23 | Can Painting Contractors Actually Make Money Working With General Contractors?

  May 19, 202644 min

  SIGN UP FOR A TASTE OF COACHING HERE 👇👇👇 Get coaching with SCOTT LOLLAR here Get coaching with RICK HOLTZ here ****************************** General contractors often get a bad reputation in the painting industry. Many painting contractors have dealt with slow payments, unrealistic schedules, disorganized jobsites, scope creep, and pressure to do extra work without approval. But does that mean GC work should be avoided altogether? In this episode of Success Beyond The Brush , Scott Lollar is joined by C4C coach and Holtz & Son owner Rick Holtz for a practical conversation about how painting contractors can build profitable relationships with general contractors. Rick shares how his company began working with remodelers and builders as part of a broader strategy to protect territory, create year-round work, and serve high-value neighborhoods more consistently. He also explains the hard lessons learned along the way, including a costly $11,000 mistake that reinforced the importance of reading plans carefully and clearly defining exclusions. Scott and Rick discuss what makes GC work different from residential repaint work, why communication and trust are essential, and how contractors can avoid getting trapped by unclear scope, rushed timelines, and delayed payments. In This Episode Scott and Rick discuss: Why not all general contractors should be stereotyped as bad clients How GC work can help painting companies smooth out seasonal peaks and valleys Why trust is the most important part of the GC/subcontractor relationship How to find and develop relationships with good builders and remodelers How to vet a new general contractor before agreeing to bid Why jobsite cleanliness and organization reveal a lot about a GC The importance of clear inclusions, exclusions, and drawing dates How scope creep happens when teams get caught up in jobsite momentum Why touch-up work can become one of the biggest gray areas How to train field teams to stop and request approval for extra work Why GC projects require the right project manager and the right onsite lead How to support younger crew leaders so they are not left on an island How to break large projects into smaller, manageable sections How to handle accelerated schedules and overtime requests Why cash flow planning is critical when doing GC work Why painting contractors should discuss payment terms before accepting the job Key Takeaway Working with general contractors can be profitable, but only if painting contractors approach it intentionally. The right GC relationships can create steady work, open doors in valuable markets, and support year-round employment. But contractors need strong estimating, clear scope language, trained field leaders, active project management, and disciplined cash flow practices to make it work. GC work is not something to jump into blindly. Start small, vet carefully, set expectations early, and protect your company before the first crew ever arrives on site. 🔗 Links from This Episode ✨ Free Discovery Call with Scott Lollar 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/discovery-call/ ✨ Free Discovery Call with Rick Holtz 👉 https://calendly.com/rick-fjo/60min 🏗️ Consulting 4 Contractors Website 👉 https://consulting4contractors.com/ ⚙️ Operations Module Demo Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/0IUmPWk4GRI ✌️ Operations Module 2.0 Update Video (YouTube) 👉 https://youtu.be/JTHtbLXyMBI 📲 C4C on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/consulting4contractors/ 👥 C4C Facebook Community 👉 https://www.facebook.com/consulting4contractors/ 💼 C4C on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/70241567 📧 Want to Be a Guest? Send us an email → info@c4c.team 🎧 Credits 🎙️ Hosts: Scott Lollar — Founder, Consulting4Contractors Rick Holtz - President, H.J. Holtz & Sons, Inc. , Richmond, VA 🎵 Production: Siren Mastering — Original music, artwork, transcripts, show notes & audio engineering https://www.sirenmastering.com (00:00) - Taste of Coaching Offer (00:43) - Hard Lessons on Scope (01:23) - Welcome to Success Beyond The Brush (04:11) - Can GCs Be Profitable (05:46) - Finding the Right GCs (07:24) - Territory and Year Round Work (09:06) - Bumps Bruises and Red Flags (11:10) - Vetting New Contractors (12:52) - Jobsite Checks and Communication (16:16) - Touch Ups and Change Orders (17:05) - Training Crews for GC Work (19:27) - Check Out "A Taste Of Coaching" from C4C! (20:49) - Segue Into Bidding Contracts (21:04) - Exclusions Save You (22:28) - Avoid Vague Scope (23:38) - Track Drawing Revisions (25:07) - Scope Creep Reality (26:14) - Project Management Roles (28:04) - Soft Skills On Site (30:26) - Handling Schedule Crunch (31:34) - Standing Up To Bullies (33:12) - Support Young Leaders (34:56) - Break Big Jobs Down (36:32) - Cash Flow And Getting Paid (38:19) - Payment Terms And Cutoffs (41:21) - Start Small And Scale (41:57) - Final Takeaways (43:08) - Thanks For Listening To Success Beyond The Brush!

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