The Better Contractor Podcast

Brent Oberlink
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Better Contractor Podcast, where host and CEO Brent Oberlink invites you to join him in exploring the modern challenges facing contractors today. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the complexities of the contracting industry. Each episode, we dive into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies to help you overcome obstacles and elevate your contracting business to new heights.  Join Brent and industry experts as they share valuable insights, practical tips, and success stories that will inspire and empower you to become a better contractor. From project management and client relations to cutting-edge tools and techniques, we cover it all to ensure you're equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today's competitive market.  Tune in to The Better Contractor Podcast and discover how to turn challenges into opportunities, transform your business, and achieve greater success as a contractor.

  1. 5d ago ·  Video

    You're Addicted to Motivation, Not Execution

    In this episode of The Better Contractor Podcast, the hosts discuss the culture surrounding "Bropreneurs" and online influencers. They break down the drawbacks of disingenuous content, the importance of execution over endless consumption, and how to protect your time and attention to focus on genuine personal growth and business success. Key Topics Covered: What is a "Bropreneur"? Defining the online personalities who push flashy, hyper-masculine lifestyles and high-energy motivational content while often lacking real-world business experience. The Danger of Disingenuous Coaching: Why consuming content from coaches who haven't actually built real businesses can lead to false expectations and disingenuous imitation. Avoiding Information Paralysis: How endless consumption without action keeps business owners stuck, and why taking practical nuggets of wisdom to execute in your business matters far more than chasing motivational high points. Protecting Your Attention: Recognizing how selective news, social media algorithms, and online rage bait drain hours away from your family, health, and business goals. Winning the Day & Staying Consistent: Overcoming decision paralysis, avoiding "yo-yo" commitment cycles, and taking small, actionable steps every single day to build long-term success.Connect with Us: Follow Brent on Instagram: @BrentOberlink Join our community of over 3,400 contractors on Facebook: The Better ContractorDon't forget to subscribe for more insights on building and growing your contracting business!

    You're Addicted to Motivation, Not Execution

  2. Oct 15 ·  Video

    The Four Buckets for True Success

    Welcome back to another episode of The Better Contractor Podcast! In Episode 92, we dive into Brent’s core philosophy on life and business: his Four Buckets—Faith, Family, Fitness, and Business. In a world filled with "biz-bros" telling you to sacrifice everything for your hustle, Brent explains why you need to focus on 4 key items. We discuss why intentionality matters more than work-life "balance", cutting out "junk time", and how keeping your priorities in check will save you from burn-out, divorce, and regret. In this episode, we discuss: Faith: Why faith serves as the guide for how you run your business, treat your family, and view your life. Family: Being truly present and choosing high-quality time over screen distractions. Fitness: Using the gym as a mental health reset and taking care of the body you've been given. Use those endorphins. Forget the alcohol and screen time. Business: How you conduct business says a lot about you - how you operate, if your word means anything, and the level of grit you have. It's a black and white judge of your abilities. Episode 100 Callout: We are getting close to 100 episodes! Let us know what you want to see for our 100th episode celebration. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What do you want us to do for Episode 100? Drop your ideas and general feedback in the comments below!  Subscribe & Follow: Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode.  Join the Community: Connect with over 3,400 contractors and blue-collar professionals in our Facebook group to network, ask questions, and share insights: Search "The Better Contractor" on Facebook.

    The Four Buckets for True Success

  3. Oct 1 ·  Video

    The Couple Behind Lanracorp - How We Handle Marriage and Business Simultaneously

    In Episode 91 of The Better Contractor, Alex sits down with Brent Oberlink and Aney Bailor to answer a question many long-time listeners and younger followers have: Who is the couple behind Lanracorp? Building a successful company while maintaining a strong marriage is no easy task. Brent and Aney share their journey from the early days of long-distance dating, law school, MBA school, and midnight drives to building Lanracorp into a thriving enterprise. They break down what it really takes to work alongside your spouse, manage disagreements, navigate sacrifices, and align your core values across both personal life and business operations. In this episode, we cover: How Lanracorp started and evolved over the years Navigating long-distance relationships while launching a business Quality time vs. intentionality in marriage and entrepreneurship How Brent and Aney divide roles based on their unique strengths Handling personal vs. business disagreements Translating personal core values into company culture The real impact entrepreneurship has on a marriageIf you enjoyed this episode, please Subscribe, leave a thumbs up, and share it with someone who needs to hear it! Help us reach our goal of 25,000 subscribers before Episode 100! Join The Community: Connect with over 3,300 blue-collar business owners, operators, and CEOs in our Facebook community!  Join The Better Contractor Facebook Group Now

    The Couple Behind Lanracorp - How We Handle Marriage and Business Simultaneously

  4. Sep 25 ·  Video

    Keep an Eye on These Two Brothers. They're Hungry, They're Growing, and They're Just Getting Started.

    Avery and Owen are brothers who played football together at McKendree before turning a college side hustle into VIP Outdoors, a real lawn care and hardscaping company built around a model most people in the industry have never tried. Instead of billing customers differently every month based on what's actually happening outside (mowing in the summer, leaf cleanup in the fall, snow removal in the winter), VIP Outdoors charges one flat rate, every single month, all year long. Mowing, landscaping, snow removal, all of it, wrapped into one predictable payment so customers never have to think about it. No surprise bills, no seasonal price swings, just one number they can count on twelve months a year. In this episode of The Better Contractor, Brent sits down with Avery and Owen to talk about what it actually took to go from printing flyers in college to running a legitimate, scaling business, including the story of how one of their own customers, David St. John, became a mentor and eventually a co-owner. In this episode: How two brothers went from playing football together at McKendree to starting a company together The moment they realized VIP Outdoors could be a real business, not just beer money How a customer became a mentor, then a business partner Why they built a flat rate, year round subscription model covering mowing, landscaping, and snow removal, and how customers actually reacted What building a business with your brother really costs you Balancing marriage, a new baby, and a growing company Why they want to build something bigger than themselves Their 5, 10, and 20 year goals for VIP Outdoors, and how big they actually want it to getIf you're a contractor thinking about recurring revenue, scaling past being "just a lawn guy," or building a business with family, this one's for you.  New episodes of The Better Contractor drop every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

    Keep an Eye on These Two Brothers. They're Hungry, They're Growing, and They're Just Getting Started.

  5. Aug 27 ·  Video

    Leaving His Six Figure Career To Start His Dream Company

    Tommy took the traditional path to college and built a six-figure career in pharmacy—but along the way, he realized his real passion was building THE Landscaping Company, a high-end, full-service landscaping business that has already grown to nine employees. Now, he’s preparing to leave pharmacy behind and go all-in on taking his company to the next level. Tommy and Brent dive into what it takes to make that jump, covering sales, marketing, business growth, leadership, and the lessons Brent has learned from building his own company. Tommy also shares how much he’s grown personally throughout college and how that growth has prepared him for this next chapter as an entrepreneur. With plans to expand further into tree work and begin learning the ROW industry, Tommy is just getting started. Follow Brent: @brentoberlinkFollow Tommy: @fivetooltommy

    Leaving His Six Figure Career To Start His Dream Company

  6. Aug 13 ·  Video

    How to Delegate and Maximize Your Time as an Entrepreneur

    In episode 88 of The Better Contractor podcast, Alex, the host, asks entrepreneur Brent Oberlink how business owners can successfully delegate tasks to step back from daily operations while scaling their company. Drawing from personal experience with Lanracorp, Brent shares how outsourcing accounting and appointing a general foreman early on freed up valuable time to focus on the company's big-picture vision. The episode emphasizes that effective delegation requires high hiring standards, documenting natural processes into explicit job descriptions, and utilizing modern technology to automate redundant tasks. Key strategic hires, such as an executive assistant and a general manager, have allowed the speaker to confidently hand over responsibilities without micromanaging.

    How to Delegate and Maximize Your Time as an Entrepreneur

  7. Jul 29 ·  Video

    Contractor Q&A From an Eight Figure Business Owner

    Hiring the right people can grow your business, while the wrong hire can cost you time, money, and momentum. In this episode of The Better Contractor Podcast, Brent answers questions from our Facebook community about hiring, interviewing, determining pay, and knowing when it's time to let an employee go. Whether you're building your first crew or leading an established company, you'll walk away with practical advice you can apply immediately. Thanks to Forestry Rentals for sponsoring this episode, and don't forget to subscribe and join The Better Contractor Facebook Group to be part of future Q&A episodes.

    Contractor Q&A From an Eight Figure Business Owner

  8. Jul 23 ·  Video

    The Hardest Decisions Every Contractor Has to Make

    What should you do when you’re booked months in advance but customers keep calling? Are you experienced enough to start charging for your work? Should you lower your price to keep a longtime customer? In Episode 86 of The Better Contractor Podcast, Brent and Alex answer three real questions submitted by members of The Better Contractor Facebook group. They discuss when contractors should hire more employees, rent or purchase additional equipment, raise their prices, turn down unprofitable work, and walk away from customers who only care about receiving the lowest bid. Brent also shares advice for newer contractors who are still building their skills and confidence. You do not need to know how to handle every possible project before starting a business—but you need to understand your current capabilities, price your work appropriately, manage your liability, and continue improving. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction00:33 What to Do When You’re Booked Months in Advance01:23 Hiring More Employees and Adding Equipment01:48 When It’s Time to Raise Your Prices02:32 Using a Premium “I Don’t Want the Job” Price03:07 Turning Demand Into Business Growth03:44 Starting a Contracting Business With Limited Experience04:29 Managing Risk and Liability as a New Contractor05:18 Choosing the Right Services to Offer06:19 Building Confidence and Charging for Your Work06:39 How New Contractors Should Set Their Rates07:44 Starting Small and Growing Into Better Work08:39 How Brent Started Lanracorp10:00 Gateway Dealer Network Sponsor Message10:52 Should You Match a Competitor’s Lower Price?11:37 When to Walk Away From a Longtime Customer12:14 Why Contractors Get Stuck at Break-Even13:17 The Problem With Low-Barrier Competition14:13 Becoming More Specialized and Valuable15:17 The “Low-Low-Low Bid” Process16:04 Lowest Price vs. Best Value Customers16:42 Why Some Customers Come Back After Choosing the Cheapest Bid17:18 Join The Better Contractor Facebook Group JOIN THE BETTER CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY Website:https://thebettercontractor.com/ Private Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1D7WETCTXG/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085062039297 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bettercontractor/ FREE TRAINING & ONBOARDING VIDEOS https://www.youtube.com/@TheBetterContractor/featured LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1tjPd8zKXx2oXT8WpjTwir Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-better-contractor-podcast/id1728924279 CONNECT WITH BRENT OBERLINK Website:https://brentoberlink.com/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/brent.oberlink.9 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/brentoberlink/ LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-oberlink-0a70b3161/ ABOUT THE BETTER CONTRACTOR PODCAST The Better Contractor Podcast features real conversations about growing a contracting business, developing strong leaders, hiring and retaining employees, improving company culture, managing operations, and building a business that can succeed for the long term. Subscribe to the channel and share this episode with another contractor who is working through these same decisions. #ContractorBusiness #ConstructionBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #ContractorTips

    The Hardest Decisions Every Contractor Has to Make
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Better Contractor Podcast, where host and CEO Brent Oberlink invites you to join him in exploring the modern challenges facing contractors today. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the complexities of the contracting industry. Each episode, we dive into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies to help you overcome obstacles and elevate your contracting business to new heights.  Join Brent and industry experts as they share valuable insights, practical tips, and success stories that will inspire and empower you to become a better contractor. From project management and client relations to cutting-edge tools and techniques, we cover it all to ensure you're equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today's competitive market.  Tune in to The Better Contractor Podcast and discover how to turn challenges into opportunities, transform your business, and achieve greater success as a contractor.

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