Ego Is the Enemy of Success (And How to Let Go of Control) | Charles Surber

The Wealthy Contractor

EPISODE 222: Many contractors find themselves taking on too much work because they don’t want to give up control. They’d rather work long hours in the business than hire the people to do it.

But this isn’t the way to run a successful company, no matter how talented you might be.

If you’re incredible at what you do, but find that your ego and need for control are holding you back from delegating and hiring the people you need to do the work, then you definitely want to give this week’s episode of The Wealthy Contractor podcast a listen.

In it, I sit down with my friend Charles Surber from Surber’s Windows & Doors, a family-owned home remodeling business with a 44-year history.

Since joining in 1994, Charles was able to successfully scale the business while also increasing his profit margins; but he wasn’t able to do so until he let go of certain responsibilities, hired and trained a great sales team, implemented a structured selling system, and found ways to remove the fear from making certain decisions

Make sure to listen in as Charles and I discuss his company’s phenomenal success, why he adopted the Profit First method, and the importance of letting go of control (even when you really can do it best).

He and I will also be talking about how he’s hacked customer loyalty, why the company is focusing on community engagement as much as profit, the importance of face-to-face marketing, his incredible open house strategy, and more.

Are you ready?

Let’s dive in.

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

Meet Charles (01:24)

How the need for control is holding you back (09:25)

Stop chasing revenue! (16:05)

Why financial discipline matters (19:42)

How high profitability allows you to make mistakes (23:55)

Why you should be engineering your success (36:57)

The importance of community engagement (41:57)

Why you need customer appreciation events (45:06)

Additional Resources:

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⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

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The Wealthy Contractor is a podcast for home improvement professionals who want to grow their business, work less, and make more money. Follow us for more!