Build to Win

Jonathan Weinberg & John Kolbaska
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

Tools and tech for the smart contractor that save time, win more jobs, and boost their profits. Do you feel like your home improvement business is stuck? Are constant delays and unexpected challenges creating chaos in your day-to-day? Some say it’s just part of the business. We know there’s a better way. Welcome to Build to Win—the podcast where industry veterans Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska share expert insights to help you thrive. Here, you’ll learn how to unlock new levels of efficiency, streamline operations, generate high-quality leads, and improve the quality of your work. Everything you need to create a trail of happy customers as you grow your business and drive higher profits. Make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode.

  1. Aug 7

    How to Stay Profitable When Leads Dry Up

    New leads are harder to come by, and the ones you do get cost more. Close rates are down five to six points from where they were. If business has felt tougher these past few months, you are not imagining it. In this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan and John talk through the summer slowdown hitting home improvement right now and what it means for specialty contractors doing $10M and up. Material costs jumped close to 10% this year. John's own close rate slid from around 32% to 27%. The market is cooling, and nobody knows yet if a real recession is coming. Here is the good news. The contractors who know their numbers and work the database they already have will come out the other side stronger, with less competition. John lays out the exact moves his company is making right now, from mining old leads that never bought to launching a repair division that feeds future replacements. If your leads have slowed and you want to stay profitable while the market sorts itself out, this one is for you. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 00:20 Summer Slowdown: What They're Seeing 01:10 COVID Boom Is Over 02:04 This Year vs. Last Year 03:26 Closing Rates Down and Costs Up 05:52 The Market Needs a Cleanse 07:30 How to Recession-Proof Your Business 09:00 Rehash: Mine Your Database 11:38 Adding a Repair Division 14:22 Repair Leads That Turn Into Replacements 17:50 Getting Back in the House 21:16 Market, Media, Message 24:16 Know Your Numbers 26:26 What If the Internet Went Away Tomorrow 28:34 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm

  2. Jul 24

    The Automated Emails That Keep Sold Jobs From Going Cold

    You closed the job. The customer is excited. Then they hear nothing for weeks while the order sits with the manufacturer, and that cold stretch is where jobs cancel and referrals dry up. In part two of their email and SMS series, Jonathan and John pull up John's live Men With Tools account inside Builder Prime and walk through every automated message it sends. You will see the exact emails and texts that fire from the moment a job is sold, through order updates, install day, the final walkthrough, and a one-year anniversary check-in. John explains why the system pays off. Lead times run two to six weeks, so the account keeps customers informed at every step instead of leaving them guessing. It recovers canceled jobs and books installs faster. And it turns happy homeowners into repeat and referred clients, which now drive 30 to 40% of new opportunities. Here is what you will learn: The "happy email" that goes out 24 hours after a job sells, and why early expectations prevent problems laterHow John recovers canceled jobs, and why he wants cancellations sitting at 8 to 10%The order-status emails that keep customers calm during a two to six week lead timeWhat to tell customers before install day so there are no surprises about prep or paymentThe post-install walkthrough and one-year inspection that bring customers back for more workWhy repeat and referral clients close at over 70% and cost almost nothing to reachIf your install calendar goes cold after the sale and your referrals feel like luck, this episode gives you the follow-up system that fixes both. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 00:16 Part Two: Inside John's Builder Prime Account 01:26 The Happy Email: Setting Expectations After the Sale 03:00 Embedding Video in Emails: The Workaround 04:06 Internal SMS Notifications and Team Reminders 04:42 Sold Job Canceled: Rehash Emails and Recovery Texts 06:02 Canceled Job Recovery Rate: 8–10% Benchmark 07:48 Order Submitted and Acknowledged: The Communication Cadence 10:24 Order Shipped and Product Received at the Warehouse 13:08 Schedule Install: Email and Text Reminders 15:06 Keeping the Warehouse Empty to Drive Install Revenue 16:02 Job Scheduled Email: Scope, Payment, and Day-of Prep 19:00 Afternoon Install Email: Managing Arrival Windows 20:40 Install Complete and Walkthrough Scheduling 22:06 Warranty Registration and Manufacturer Coverage 23:22 One-Year Anniversary Inspection and 30–40% Repeat and Referral 25:40 Referral Program: 90-Day Email Cadence 28:00 Google Reviews, Bagels, and the Customer Experience 30:28 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm

  3. Jul 10

    The Real Numbers Behind a $10.5M Coatings Company

    Growing fast feels like winning. Then you check your profit and your cash. Alosha Pederson built Endless Poxybilities from scratch into a $10.5 million concrete coating company in just four years, with five production offices and 65 people on the team. But hitting that number surfaced the problems most owners run into on the way up, from profit that stayed too thin to a sales team that could book more work than his crews could install. On this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska dig into the real numbers behind the climb. Alosha explains the year that working harder finally stopped paying off. He breaks down how he moved net profit from around 4% to 11%, and why John argues it should be higher still. There's also the cash flow crunch that hit even as sales kept climbing. He also shares the fixes, from getting real visibility into his numbers to bringing in a director of operations so he could stop running every day himself. This one is for owners in growth mode who can feel the cracks forming. If your top line is climbing but your profit and your cash are not, you will see a lot of your own business here. Here is what you will get from this episode: Why "work harder and longer" stops working around $4MHow to catch a production capacity problem before it turns into a backlogWhat hypergrowth really costs, and why 11% net profit isn't the win it looks likeHow to keep cash flowing when sales grow faster than collectionsThe plan behind building to $100M and selling to investors Follow Build to Win wherever you listen, and hit play to hear the full story. Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm

  4. Jun 26

    Your Production Capacity Is Your Profit Ceiling

    Most contractors plan from the top down. They set a sales goal, run the marketing, and hope production figures itself out. John Kolbaska did it that way for years. This episode is about what changed. In this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan and John break down the two most important numbers in your business: your break-even point and your production capacity. He breaks down how he uses his crews' install rate to set a production ceiling, works out exactly where his break-even lands each month, and plans every sales and marketing dollar around that math. Every dollar above his break-even converts to 55 to 60 cents of pure net profit. He plans his year from that number, not from a revenue target. They also cover accrual accounting and why it gives you a clearer picture of your real margins, what a healthy backlog actually looks like on your P&L, and the installer recruiting process John built from scratch. He applies the same speed-to-lead logic from his call center directly to job applications. Get them on the phone within a minute. Interview scheduled within 72 hours. Jonathan also walks through Bolt Insights inside Builder Prime, a business intelligence suite built directly into the platform. You ask your data where you're losing money and it shows you by lead source, by sales rep, by crew, by job type. No external tools needed. If you run a specialty home improvement company and want to know what's actually driving your margins, this is a good place to start. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:02 Why Most Contractors Plan Backwards 01:26 The Two Numbers That Run Your Business 02:18 How to Calculate Your Production Capacity 04:30 Break-Even Math. Where the Real Profit Starts 06:20 What Happens When You Oversell Your Capacity 08:56 When a Backlog Is Telling You to Hire 10:54 Accrual vs. Cash. Why It Changes Everything 12:38 Profit First. Why People and Process Come After 14:36 How to Recruit Installers Using Speed to Lead 20:00 Treat Recruiting Like Marketing. Short Bursts Win 23:02 Show Young Tradespeople a Career Path 27:22 Bolt Insights. Ask Your Data Where You're Losing Money 36:44 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook:   / builderprime   LinkedIn:   / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn:   / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn:   / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram:   / builderprimecrm

  5. Jun 12

    How to Scale a $2M Home Improvement Business to $15M

    Your pricing is right. The margin is built in. Your reps still give it all away. In Episode 34, Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska sit down to break down a $4M home improvement company that was losing $600K to $700K a year. The fix took two weeks and one set of controls most owners never run. John also walks through the launch of Core Ignite, his new remote marketing team and call center installed inside a contracting business. A trained marketing manager handles Facebook, Google Ads, and Google LSA spend. Remote reps apply speed to lead at a 50 to 60 percent target set rate on raw opportunities. It's the playbook he ran to scale Windows and Doors by the Men with Tools, now packaged for contractors trying to break $10M to $15M. Here is what you will get from this episode: How a $4M contractor lost $600K a year to over-discounting and missing post-install job costing checksWhat 3 remote call center reps can produce: 50 to 100 booked appointments per weekWhy profit has to come before people and processThe hiring profile of a roofing production manager who came in with his own crews and SOPsWho Core Ignite is built for and how it pushes contractors toward $10M+ If the leads are coming in but the bottom line isn't, this one names what's eating your margin and what to install next. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 00:42 Introducing Core Services and Core Ignite 03:56 Ideal Client: $2M–$5M Companies Looking to Scale 05:16 AI Agents, Graphic Designer, and Videographer 07:06 Future of the Call Center and AI Regulation 09:28 Sales Capacity and Remote Recruiting 13:44 KPI Tracking, Guarantees, and Replacing Underperformers 16:18 Lead Aggregator Strategy and Weekly Client Meetings 18:24 10–20 Set Appointments Per Day: What to Expect 20:46 Why John Started Core Services 23:50 Consulting Case: $600K–$700K Lost to Over-Discounting 27:06 Running Multiple Companies: Profit, People, Process 29:22 Adding Roofing: Hiring a Production Manager with His Own Crews 33:00 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm   — Build to Win is a podcast for contractors where we give you the tools to grow your home improvement business. Follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts!

  6. May 29

    RERUN: The Secret Email & SMS Workflow That Boosts Install Rates

    Eight to ten percent of sold contractor jobs cancel, and most go silent before they do. In this highlights episode, Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska open up John's live Builder Prime account and walk through the customer follow-up system running behind every Men With Tools project. John runs three locations doing eight figures in windows and doors, with over 1,000 five-star reviews and 30 to 40% of new opportunities coming from repeat and referred clients. The system you'll see inside is what makes that math work. Inside this episode: The happy email that fires 24 hours after the contract is signedHow to fill the 4 to 6 week production window without ever going silentThe rehash recovery process that pulls back roughly 10% of canceled jobsThe install day email that pre-handles payment, alarms, and weatherThe 14-day walkthrough that surfaces repeat door and window projectsThe 365-day anniversary inspection that drives referrals years later If your sold board has jobs going quiet on you, this episode shows you where the leak is. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 00:48 The Happy Email: Setting Expectations After the Sale 02:32 Internal SMS Notifications and Referral Touchpoints 03:06 Sold Job Canceled: Rehash and Recovery 05:00 Order Submitted, Acknowledged, and In Process 08:12 Order Shipped and Product Received at the Warehouse 10:06 Schedule Install: Email and Text Cadence 12:08 Install Revenue and Keeping the Warehouse Empty 13:44 Job Scheduled Email: Scope, Payment, and Day-of Prep 1 6:56 Install Complete and Walkthrough Scheduling 18:48 Warranty Registration and Manufacturer Coverage 19:44 One-Year Anniversary Inspection 20:16 Referral Program: 90-Day Email Cadence 21:44 30–40% of New Opportunities from Repeat and Referral 22:08 Five-Star Reviews and the Customer Experience 23:56 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm   — Build to Win is a podcast for contractors where we give you the tools to grow your home improvement business. Follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts!

  7. May 15

    How John Lifted His Closing Rate 10 Points in 60 Days

    Most contractors are running their sales reps into the ground and wondering why their closing rate keeps dropping. In this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska break down the lead distribution change that lifted John's net closing rate from 27% to 37% in 60 days. John caps his reps at 5 to 7 leads a week instead of the usual 10 to 15. Every appointment gets full effort, fewer leads get burned, and commissions stay the same because reps are closing a higher percentage. He walks through how to route leads by project type, lead source, and zip code, why hometown and showroom-area appointments close highest, and the day-of-week sit rate data most contractors are missing. The episode also covers a closing move John picked up at the Wealthy Contractor Success Society, where the owner gets pulled into the deal before the rep can leave the home. Plus a real story about how one discounting control fix is worth more than $500,000 a year to a contractor John has been consulting with. If your closing rate is stuck and your reps are burning out, this is the playbook. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:32 Recruiting Like an Inbound Lead 03:56 How John Went from 27% to 37% Closing Rate 05:44 Lead Distribution and Creating Scarcity 08:00 Why Overworked Reps Burn Leads 11:48 Weekend vs. Weekday Closing Rates 13:44 All-Party Sit Rate by Day of the Week 17:54 Routing Leads by Zip Code and Lead Source 19:06 High, Medium, and Low Intent Buyers 22:06 Scarcity Creates Leverage 24:28 Ticket Size and Adjusting Lead Volume 26:04 The "Burn It to the Ground" Drop Strategy 30:04 Consulting Case: $500K–$600K Lost to Unreviewed Discounts 32:06 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm   — Build to Win is a podcast for contractors where we give you the tools to grow your home improvement business. Follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts!

  8. May 1

    Lead Aggregators Are Costing You 50% in Marketing. Here's How to Flip the Game.

    A lead aggregator rep told John straight up: send you 100 leads at $75 each, you'll close one job. That's $7,500 in marketing spend for a single $14,000 sale. Fifty percent cost of marketing. She said it with a smile. That conversation kicked off the playbook Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska break down in this episode. John walks through the exact terms his team puts in front of every aggregator now: pay per issued lead at his real cost, pay per demo, or a flat percentage of the closed sale. About 40 percent of providers sign. The other 60 percent walk, and that filter is the whole point. Then John gets into a contact rate problem most owners haven't caught yet. Carriers are flagging outbound numbers as spam likely after roughly 50 calls in a day, and once a number gets flagged it stays flagged. In this episode: The three pay structures John uses with lead aggregatorsWhy 60 percent of providers walk away and why that's a good thingThe spam-likely flag killing your contact rateThe area code trick that lifted pickup rates 10 percentThe exact call cadence his team runs every day If you're a specialty contractor spending real money on leads, this episode hands you a system you can put in place this week. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:28 Why I Stopped Playing by Their Rules 04:06 How a Great Lead Source Got Ruined 06:24 The Strategy Meeting That Changed Everything 08:00 Here's Exactly What We Pay Lead Aggregators Now 10:04 Why 60% of Aggregators Walk Away 15:08 She Said 1% Close Rate Like It Was Normal 23:28 The Hidden Reason Your Contact Rates Are Tanking 26:00 What We Found After Counting Every Call 29:52 Two Small Changes That Are Adding Thousands Per Day 31:06 The Three Call Windows That Actually Work 36:00 Final Thoughts Additional Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: / builderprime   LinkedIn: / builderprime    Jonathan’s LinkedIn: / jonathanweinberg    John’s LinkedIn: / john-kolbaska-a271a757    Instagram: / builderprimecrm

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Tools and tech for the smart contractor that save time, win more jobs, and boost their profits. Do you feel like your home improvement business is stuck? Are constant delays and unexpected challenges creating chaos in your day-to-day? Some say it’s just part of the business. We know there’s a better way. Welcome to Build to Win—the podcast where industry veterans Jonathan Weinberg and John Kolbaska share expert insights to help you thrive. Here, you’ll learn how to unlock new levels of efficiency, streamline operations, generate high-quality leads, and improve the quality of your work. Everything you need to create a trail of happy customers as you grow your business and drive higher profits. Make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Weinberg & John Kolbaska
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Build to Win 2025
  • Show Website
    Build to Win

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