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. 2d ago

    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!

    24 min

  2. 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!

    33 min

  3. 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

    37 min

  4. Apr 17

    Why Financing is the Most Powerful Tool in Your Sales Process

    Most contractors know they should be offering financing. In this episode, Jonathan and John break down why it's the most powerful tool in your sales process, and exactly how to use it. The average home improvement job is $14,000. The median household savings account has $8,000. They walk through the math, the mindset, and the exact three-option pricing structure that makes payment options the default, not a backup plan. They also cover why offering cash discounts is one of the fastest ways to tank your close rate, and what to do instead. Here is what you will get from this episode: •Why the median household can't comfortably write a $14,000 check •How to present payment options without ever leading with the total price •The three-option pricing structure that closes more deals •What happens to your close rate the moment you allow cash discounts •How to get started with financing today if you're not offering it yet Stop leading with price. Start leading with payment options. Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:12 The One Thing Every $100M Home Improvement Company Has in Common 03:56 Never Say the Word "Financing" in Front of a Customer — Here's Why  08:22 The Real Reason Customers Say "I Need to Think About It"  11:52 How to Turn a $14,000 Price Tag Into an Easy Monthly Yes  14:46 Present These 3 Options and Watch Your Close Rate Climb  18:44 Why Giving Cash Discounts Is Slowly Killing Your Business  23:24 How to Handle the Customer Who Asks for the Total Price  25:28 The Hidden Remarketing Strategy Hiding Inside Your Finance Reports  30:50 How to Get Started With Financing This Week — Step by Step  35:10 Why Removing Cash Discounts Jumped Their Finance Rate From 35% to 78%  40:00 Final Thoughts Additional Links & Resources: Presentation Link: Why Financing is the Most Important Tool in Our Sales Process 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/ Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/ John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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!

    40 min

  5. Apr 3

    Why Your Competitor's Sales Reps Are a Trap (And Who to Hire Instead)

    Hiring sales reps from your competitors feels like a shortcut. It's not. In this episode of Build to Win, John Kolbaska breaks down how he grew his sales team from 7 to 12 reps — and why the best candidates aren't coming from inside your industry. You'll hear how he built a full-time training program, what it actually costs to onboard a bad rep, and the two things he tests in the first three days to weed out the wrong hires fast. If you're trying to scale a sales team and keep burning through recruits, this one's for you. 🎧 Listen now. Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:36 Why you need a full-time sales trainer 03:50 Recruiting is a marketing funnel 07:52 The real cost of a failed rep: $15,000+ 13:42 Early role-play and tech screening 17:38 Never hire your competitor’s failed reps 19:24 Recruit from lower-ticket industries 26:18 Always lead with financing Additional Links & Resources: 🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/ Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/ John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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!

    30 min

  6. Mar 20

    Why Your CRM Data Is Costing You Jobs

    Most contractors trust their reports. But if the data going into your CRM is wrong, every decision you make from it is wrong too. In this episode, Jonathan and John break down what bad CRM data is actually costing you. John found that 64 of his 300 zip codes drove 90% of his business. He also cut his speed to lead from 44 minutes to under a minute — and his appointment set rate doubled. If you're flying blind on your numbers, this episode will show you what to track and how to get it right. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 00:42 Garbage in, garbage out 03:23 Leads stuck in the wrong funnel stage 07:00 Hiring a data scientist 12:38 The zip code discovery 18:30 Speed to lead: 44 minutes to 40 seconds 21:33 Speed to issue and the 36-hour sweet spot 25:13 Booking rate and sales capacity 40:30 Bolt Insights overview Additional Links & Resources: 🔥 Watch our **FREE** on-demand webinar: https://www.builderprime.com/webinars/on-demand-webinar-drive-20-net-profit-with-systems-processes?utm_source=RedCircle&utm_medium=Audio&utm_campaign=28 ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/ Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/ John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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!

    35 min

  7. Mar 6

    The Real Reason Some Builders Scale Fast (And Others Don’t)

    Some builders scale to millions fast while others stay stuck for years. The difference is not luck. In this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan and John share the biggest lessons from Accelerate LIVE! 2026 and reveal why certain contractors grow from zero to five million and beyond in just a few years while others never break through. They break down the real playbook top operators use including profit first thinking, hiring great people before obsessing over process, and implementing what most attendees never do after events. If you have ever wondered why some companies explode with growth while others stay busy but small, this episode will show you what actually separates them. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Accelerate LIVE! Recap   05:16 Only 2% Will Implement These Lessons  09:29 From 0 to $5M 17:58 The Three P Framework for Scaling 29:55 Building Generational Wealth 38:41 Outro Additional Links & Resources: 🔥 Watch our **FREE** on-demand webinar: https://www.builderprime.com/webinars/on-demand-webinar-drive-20-net-profit-with-systems-processes?utm_source=RedCircle&utm_medium=Audio&utm_campaign=27 ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/ Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/ John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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!

    39 min

  8. Feb 20

    The RIGHT Way to Use AI in Your Home Improvement Business

    Most home improvement businesses are missing out on what AI can actually do for them. In this episode of Build to Win, Jonathan and John break down how contractors can use AI the right way to save time, close more leads, and run a smarter business. From using AI for content, emails, and texts, to designing lead follow-up sequences and analyzing your data, this episode shows how to treat AI like a junior-level employee instead of expecting magic. If you’re just copying and pasting AI content or relying on it blindly, this conversation will change how you think about AI in your business. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro  00:45 Moltbook drama 02:35 LLMs and their uses 08:31 Context windows and AI hallucinations 14:45 The proliferation of AI slop 25:04 The social network for AI agents 28:03 How home improvement companies can leverage AI 32:00 Builder Prime’s AI features 41:53 Outro Additional Links & Resources: 🔥 Watch our **FREE** on-demand webinar: https://www.builderprime.com/webinars/on-demand-webinar-drive-20-net-profit-with-systems-processes?utm_source=RedCircle&utm_medium=Audio&utm_campaign=26 ⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/  📱 Connect with us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/ Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/ John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/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!

    43 min
See All (33)

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
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Build to Win 2025
  • Show Website
    Build to Win

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