The Contractor's Edge

Mike Stiers
  • 5.0 (5)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Contractor's Edge is your go-to podcast for scaling your home service business and maximizing your marketing investments. Hosted by lead generation expert Mike Stiers and business strategist Anthony Brown, who bring over a decade of combined experience in the home service industry, this show delivers proven strategies to help contractors dominate their market, generate high-quality leads, and build a business that scales year after year. Whether you're aiming for $3 million or $50 million, we've designed each episode to give you actionable insights, industry secrets, and real-world strategies, all in one place. Get ready to sharpen your edge as a Contractor and take your business to the next level.

  1. 1D AGO

    Demand Is Different in 2026: The Playbook to Win Leads and Market Share

    Demand is different in 2026, but contractors who stay intentional (and disciplined), will take market share.  In this episode Mike and Anthony recap what their seeing in the home service industry, how it's affecting clients, and how you can get ahead in your business if you play your cards right.  Service demand is still there, but the buyer is more cautious, and the contractors who tighten lead management, follow-up, and rehash will continue to win leads and grow year over year while their competitors panic.  Learn which operational leaks are slowly killing your ROI (missed calls, slow follow-up, weak objection handling), and why "cheap leads" can end up being the most expensive thing you spend your budget on. If any of these are happening in your business, this episode is for you: You're "getting leads" but your schedule is still light. Your team is letting calls ring 7–8 times, then calling back hours later. Homeowners are saying "we need to think about it" more often than last year. Your close rate is sliding and your sales cycle is longer. You're tempted to cut marketing or jump to aggregators because CPL went up. Timestamps: 02:10 Lead management is still broken (missed calls, slow callbacks) 06:30 Why call handling is not "easy" (it's revenue protection) 10:15 Homeowner behavior shift: more hesitation, longer sales cycles 14:10 Do not cut marketing too early (avoid emotional decisions) 17:20 Cheap leads trap + why aggregators hurt ROI 21:00 Do not overreact to short-term dips (headline-driven weeks) 24:00 Fix the sales process for hesitant buyers (education + trust) 27:40 Rehash: the market share lever most contractors ignore 33:10 Staying consistent wins 2026 (stop "day trading" your budget) 37:00 Contractors Edge Playbook: what's inside + who it's for 40:10 NFRA Conference plug (June 23-26) + live interviews *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69c43826-e070-832e-a185-20276190ee07-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-38" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> If demand feels choppier, leads feel inconsistent, and you're hearing "we need to think about it" more often, the Contractor's Edge Growth Playbook helps you pinpoint the real bottleneck and fix it with a step-by-step plan. Diagnose the problem (lead diversification, unclear offer and brand, weak website conversion, KPI confusion, and lead and call management leaks) and identify the next right move based on your revenue stage - because what works at $3M does not work at $5M, and what works at $5M breaks at $7M. For $99, less than the cost of another bad lead, you'll have clarity you can act on immediately and a repeatable framework to drive better leads and a better year. Ready to stop the leaks and win market share this year? Get the Growth Playbook now and install the systems that create leads and predictable growth.  https://yourcontractorsedge.com/growth-playbook Connect With The Contractors' Edge Hosts: Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored By: Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group The all-in-one marketing and growth solution for contractors and business owners looking to create predictable leads and revenue. Learn more about our services and approach at www.greenbaumstiers.com Visit The Contractors' Edge Website: www.yourcontractorsedge.com Visit us LIVE at The NFRA Annual Conference: https://foundationrepair.org/nfra-events/35-260623/main

    40 min

  2. MAR 16

    Contractor Review + Referral Hacks With Snoball: Turning Customers Into Your Best Sales Team

    If you're a home service company doing good volume, you already have something most contractors ignore: past customers who should already trust you. If you're not consistently turning those customers into reviews and referrals, you're missing revenue that lowers how dependent you have to be on your paid leads budget.  In Episode 20, we sit down with Landon Taylor, founder of Snoball, to break down the system that keeps working after the job is done. No relying on "ask when you remember." No sending one generic text and hoping for an outcome. They created a real follow-up process that helps you stay in touch, get more reviews, generate more referrals, and create repeat business without adding another task to your week.  Let's say you do $3M a year at a $10,000 ticket. That's about 300 customers who already have a relationship with your company. Even 10 referral jobs in a year is $100,000 in added revenue at that ticket size, and those referral jobs are usually the easiest close for your sales team.  Landon shares what to send, when to send it, how to avoid triggering negative reviews, and how Snoball handles outreach through text and email with real human follow-up for contractors and home service business owners. Timestamps 01:10 Common problem: no system for reviews and referrals 03:25 Why buying leads keeps getting harder (cost up, quality down) 05:10 Why referral programs fail inside companies 07:05 The sequencing that works: referral first, review second 10:05 How to plant the seed (3 to 4 touches) and why it matters 12:10 Why referrals, reviews, and repeat are one flywheel 14:05 Using Snoball for lifecycle messaging (non-transactional touch points) 16:10 Why human follow-up beats canned automation 23:10 Failure points: overpromise, underdeliver, broken payout trust 25:10 Escalation and triage: turning detractors into advocates 27:15 Unhappy customers are a 5-star opportunity 29:10 Building referral partnerships beyond homeowners 32:10 Keeping partnerships alive: stay top of mind + deliver experience 34:10 Simple 30-day action plan: map the lifecycle + list 6 partners 36:10 Video testimonials: how Snoball captures and edits them Want to fix this in your business? Get more customers from your happy customers through referrals, reviews, reputation assets, and video testimonials. Learn more about Snoball and schedule a free demo: www.snoball.com Contact Landon Taylor: landon@snoball.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/landonstaylor/ Connect With The Contractors' Edge Hosts: Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored by: Will Blake and his team at Perf4rmance.IO Sold the job? Great. Now keep the profit. Per4mance.io is a pay for performance platform that helps you recruit and keep top talent, motivate installation teams, and simplify the whole process with clearer bonuses and less labor chaos. Trusted by 50+ companies and 1,000+ tradesmen in North America. Exclusive Contractors' Edge offer: book your demo using this link to get 2 free months. Offer ends March 31. Tell Will's team you heard it on Contractors' Edge. https://per4mance.io/contractors-edge-demo Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: The all-in-one marketing solution for contractors and business owners looking to create predictable leads and revenue. Learn more about our services and methods at www.greenbaumstiers.com Visit The Contractors' Edge Website: www.yourcontractorsedge.com

    50 min

  3. MAR 2

    What Most Basement Waterproofing Contractors Get Wrong With BHA President Sean Worthington

    Homeowners are more skeptical than ever, and the competition in the industry keeps growing. Are you a basement waterproofing company still selling like it's 2005? Or have you adapted to stay at the top of your game? In this episode, we sit down with Sean Worthington, President of the Basement Health Association (BHA) and owner of Worthington Foundation Authority (PA), to unpack what most basement waterproofing and foundation repair contractors get wrong, and what actually builds trust, increases ticket size, and reduces callbacks. Episode Highlights: Why selling "a water problem" is outdated, and the fastest way to lose company credibility. Why homeowner trust breaks down and how contractors accidentally make it worse. Why "certified" doesn't mean what the homeowners think it means. How the BHA (Basement Health Association) is raising industry standards through education, relationships, and certification. The difference between BHA regional and micro-regional events (and which one you should attend) Sean's rapid-fire non-negotiables for inspection, installs, and reducing warranty headaches. The single KPI Sean tracks weekly that drives everything downstream If you want higher close rates without offer discounts, less callbacks, and a company differentiators that homeowners can understand, this episode is the play.  Timestamps: 03:10 The mindset shift: stop selling to the water, sell to the moisture problem 05:05 What most contractors get wrong about competitors (most are good people) 07:10 What is the Basement Health Association (BHA) and who it's for 09:10 The 4 engagement levels: membership, certification, events, on-demand education 12:20 How to get real ROI from BHA: relationships, showing up, bringing your team 15:10 Why bringing your team makes implementation easier (sales, production, even finance) 17:40 Where trust breaks down with homeowners today 20:10 "Certified" is getting diluted, why third-party certification matters 22:00 Planting landmines ethically (certs, warranties, and "25 years experience" games) 28:05 How to become a BHA member + membership year timing 36:10 How independents beat PE: community presence + owner face and name 41:10 Install non-negotiables 50:10 Sales discipline without discounting: educate without overwhelming, ask better questions 56:40 Weekly KPI that changes everything Connect With The Contractors' Edge Hosts: Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored by: Will Blake and his team at Perf4rmance.IO Sold the job? Great. Now keep the profit. Per4mance.io is a pay for performance platform that helps you recruit and keep top talent, motivate installation teams, and simplify the whole process with clearer bonuses and less labor chaos. Trusted by 50+ companies and 1,000+ tradesmen in North America. Exclusive Contractors' Edge offer: book your demo using this link to get 2 free months. Offer ends March 31. Tell Will's team you heard it on Contractors' Edge. https://per4mance.io/contractors-edge-demo Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: The all-in-one marketing solution for contractors and business owners looking to create predictable growth and revenue. Learn more about our services and methods at www.greenbaumstiers.com Visit The Contractors' Edge Website: www.yourcontractorsedge.com Connect with todays guest: BHA President, and Owner of Worthington Foundation Authority, Sean Worthington BHA: basementhealth.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanworthington/ Email: sean@worthingtonfa.com

    1 hr

  4. FEB 16

    How To Scale Without More Trucks: Productivity, Labor, and Profit Hacks With Will Blake

    An uncomfortable truth? There's no way to "market" your way out of operational chaos. In this episode, Mike Stiers and Anthony Brown sit down with Will Blake, contractor operator and founder of PER4MANCE.IO, to talk about scaling your company without adding trucks, crews, or more production problems.  Will breaks down why "sales is for the show, production is for the dough," and how contractors lose money when marketing spend gets ahead of operations. You will hear real numbers, industry  benchmarks, and practical ways to improve your install revenue, gross margin, labor efficiency, and net operating profit. This weeks EDGE:  Why top-line sales is an overrated KPI amd where to shift focus  How production efficiency directly changes your marketing percentage A simple framework for cost per lead, conversion, and installed gross margin The $120,000/month install crew benchmark (and what it means if you are under it) Why daily huddles and job photos prevent sloppy production How pay-for-performance can increase productivity and stabilize labor costs Timestamps:  00:26 Market Trends and Opportunities 02:37 Navigating Cost Challenges in Home Services 08:52 Sales vs. Production: The Core of Business Success 13:30 Optimizing Lead Management for Growth 15:40 Understanding Metrics and KPIs 18:47 The Role of Training and Specialization 22:23 The Importance of Data Tracking 25:08 Understanding Gross Profit and Operational Efficiency 29:16 The Path to Sustainable Growth 32:26 Navigating Business Efficiency and Lead Generation 39:34 Learning from Growth Challenges 48:36 Implementing Performance-Based Pay Systems 58:24 The Importance of Culture in Business Growth Connect With The Contractors' Edge Hosts: Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored by: Will Blake and his team at Perf4rmance.IO Sold the job? Great. Now keep the profit. Per4mance.io is a pay for performance platform that helps you recruit and keep top talent, motivate installation teams, and simplify the whole process with clearer bonuses and less labor chaos. Trusted by 50+ companies and 1,000+ tradesmen in North America. Exclusive Contractors' Edge offer: book your demo using this link to get 2 free months. Offer ends March 31. Tell Will's team you heard it on Contractors' Edge. https://per4mance.io/contractors-edge-demo Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group The all-in-one marketing solution for contractors and business owners looking to create predictable growth and revenue. Learn more about our services and methods at www.greenbaumstiers.com Visit The Contractors' Edge Website: www.yourcontractorsedge.com

    1h 11m

  5. FEB 2

    Contractors Edge Takes on Vegas (World Of Concrete Insights + Industry Talk)

    The World of Concrete wasn't just about "concrete". Mike and Anthony recap their time in Las Vegas, and break down what they saw across the halls, why networking after hours is where the real value lives, and what contractors can learn from how exhibitors position, differentiate, and pull people into their booth. If you've been thinking "I just need more leads," this episode will be another reminder to find the leak in your funnel first. Better close rate, faster follow-up, tighter lead management, and a sharper offer will beat "more spend" every time. Important Timestamps and Takeaways:  1:05 First time at World of Concrete, Anthony's Vegas culture shock 6:10 Best part of the show: branding, messaging, and booth "magnets" 10:30 The different halls and what contractors can learn from each in 2027 13:10 Networking after hours bringing more value than the expo itself 16:20 Chuck-in-a-truck to billion-dollar companies 20:10 Why trade shows are still alive and strong 23:00 What we heard at our booth: contractors think they need more leads 25:10 Fix the machine first: close rate, speed-to-lead, routing, margins 28:00 Differentiation: are you investing enough in how you present your company? 31:00 The "100 mph walk-by" lesson and booth energy 34:00 Karaoke, Fremont Street, and the fun side of conferences 37:30 Marketing trauma: why contractors say "Google Ads doesn't work" 40:00 Why Google Ads is still a good place to advertise (if ran correctly) 43:00 B2B can generate leads too, and manufacturers should build brand 47:00 Final thoughts: why contractors should attend WOC next year Connect WithThe Contractors' Edge Hosts:  Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored by: Will Blake and his team at Performance.IO Sold the job? Great. Now keep the profit. Per4mance.io is a pay for performance platform that helps you recruit and keep top talent, motivate installation teams, and simplify the whole process with clearer bonuses and less labor chaos. Trusted by 50+ companies and 1,000+ tradesmen in North America. Exclusive Contractors' Edge offer: book your demo using this link to get 2 free months. Offer ends March 31. Tell Will's team you heard it on Contractors' Edge. https://per4mance.io/contractors-edge-demo Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group  The all-in-one marketing solution for contractors and business owners looking to create predictable growth and revenue. Learn more about our services and methods at www.greenbaumstiers.com Visit The Contractors' Edge Website: www.yourcontractorsedge.com

    39 min

  6. JAN 26

    The Math Behind A $3M Contractors 30% Growth Year

    What does a real 30% growth plan look like for a $3M home service contractor? In this episode, Mike Stiers and Anthony Brown walk through the math behind taking a $3,000,000 business to $3,900,000 in 1 year using real KPIs, funnel math, and budget allocations. You will learn how to reverse engineer your numbers from your revenue goal, and build a marketing plan based on where you are going, not what felt comfortable last year. We break down the core "engine" KPIs every contractor needs visibility on (set rate, run rate, bid rate, close rate, average ticket), then we work the funnel backwards to show exactly how many sales, appointments, and leads you need to hit the target... Then we connect it to the money: cost per lead, average dollar per lead, ROAS, and what a healthy, scalable mix can look like across SEO, Meta, Google Ads, and LSAs. If you are around $3M and growth feels stagnant, this is your episode. Important Timestamps:  00:25 (The $3M to $3.9M plan) 01:20 The truth: "You don't have a marketing problem, you have a control problem" 02:20 The commitment rule: budget off next year's goal, not last year's comfort 03:30 Marketing % range for growth  05:15 The engine KPIs that actually steer the business (with formulas) 19:00 Where the money goes: SEO baseline (why it is pushups, not implants) 21:10 Meta as a support channel (branding, remarketing, lead gen realities) 25:00 Google demand capture: why Search + LSAs matter most at the bottom of funnel 28:30 When to reallocate between Google Ads and LSAs 34:10 The weekly dashboard contractors should actually watch 36:20 The warning: marketing does not fix missed calls or weak close rate 39:00 Forward-looking budgets: why "10% of last year" keeps you stuck 42:00 The payoff: when growth is done right, your marketing % usually drop Connect with the hosts: Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Learn more about the Contractors Edge approach to data-driven marketing and the home service industry at www.yourcontractorsedge.com. You can also plug your numbers into our KPI Calculator on the site to see exactly what your lead, appointment, and sales targets should be. Sponsored by Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing The all-in-one marketing solution for growth-minded home service contractors and business owners. Learn more at www.greenbaumstiers.com

    30 min

  7. 12/29/2025

    The In Home Sales Cheat Code For Contractors + The FRS Difference With Scott Llewellyn

    In Episode 15, we sit down with Scott Llewellyn, Director of Business Development at Foundation Rescue Supply (FRS), who's on a mission to change the foundation repair space, as well as help contractors improve their in-home close rates. Scott has spent more than 20 years inside the foundation repair and waterproofing industry, holding roles across sales, production, marketing, and operations. In this conversation, he breaks down why most companies have a massive gap between the number one rep and everyone else, and how a repeatable in home sales presentation becomes a cheat code for closing more of the leads you already have. We also cover what makes FRS different, including contractor training, operational support, and their consignment program that helps companies keep product on site and improve cash flow! Episode Takeaways: Why the top rep and number two rep usually have a huge performance gap What a repeatable in home sales presentation fixes immediately How to standardize the message across your team without forcing a rigid script Why empathy is a measurable advantage in the home The FRS approach to contractor support beyond products How consignment works and why it is a major advantage for growing companies What Scott is building next with the sales platform and training resources Timestamps: 04:30 Scott's journey through basement systems and contractor operations 06:52 Lessons from outside in home sales and coming back to waterproofing 09:18 Why Scott joined FRS and the vision behind contractor support 13:43 What contractors ask for most  25:14 The FRS competitive advantage, training and consignment 27:28 Why the in-home sales platform was created 29:51 Improving the in-home conversation flow and close rate 39:30 Why the sales training gap exists between the top rep and the rest 41:52 How to get the cheat code for improving your close rates 46:38 2026 event plans and upcoming training topics Connect with Scott at Foundation Rescue Supply: www.foundationrescuesupply.com Learn more about the in home sales platform/cheat code and training resources. Use the Contact form and mention "sales platform demo" in the notes.  Follow The Contractors' Edge Community on Facebook or LinkedIn for updates on marketing strategy, contractor-focused events, and more. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contractors-edge/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582854697608 www.yourcontractorsedge.com Connect With Your Hosts Mike & Anthony Want to know more about strategy, ask questions on your KPIs, or connect one-on-one? Reach Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Reach Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Podcast Sponsored by: Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group Helping home service contractors, non-profits, and local companies build stronger brands, maximize lead volume, and create a profitable business. Always data-driven, creative-centered, and strategy-focused. www.greenbaumstiers.com

    41 min

  8. 12/15/2025

    From Chuck in a Truck to $20M: Your Marketing Budget by Revenue Stage

    Most owners don't set a marketing budget. They pick a number that "feels okay" and hope it's enough to maximize their lead generation.  In this episode, Mike explains a simple way to stop guessing and start using math to decide how much to invest in your marketing at every revenue stage. From chuck-in-a-truck under $1M to $20M+ operators, the strategy is different when you're entering the next level.  He breaks your business into two gauges: Marketing RPM: the percentage of revenue you put back into marketing and advertising Revenue MPH: how fast you're moving in millions per year By the end, you'll know whether you're spending like you want to maintain, grow, or get truly aggressive, and whether that lines up with the end revenue goal you have in mind. Power Topics: Why 7%, 10%, and 13% are the three numbers you need to remember How "road conditions" (competition, economy, politics, seasonality) change how hard you need to push What marketing typically looks like at the 6 different revenue stages When "spend more" actually turns into waste, not growth Timestamps: 01:00 – Why flat marketing percentages don't tell the whole story 07:00 – Under $1M: chuck in a truck, rented leads, and early-stage priorities 11:00 – $1-3M: 5-7% vs 7-10% and why staying underfueled stalls growth 15:30 – $3-7M: building the machine & moving away from aggregators 20:00 – $7-10M: advanced SEO, heavy brand, and living in the right marketing zone 24:30 – $10-20M: saturation, efficiency, and when percentages can come down 27:30 – 20M+ companies: coasting, push years, and strategic expansion 31:00 – Homework: calculate your true marketing RPM & sanity check your goals Connect With Your Hosts Mike & Anthony Want to know more about strategy, ask questions on your KPIs, or connect one-on-one?  Reach Mike Stiers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelstiers/ Reach Anthony Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-brown-419009106/ Follow The Contractors' Edge Community on Facebook or LinkedIn for updates on marketing strategy, contractor-focused events, and more. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-contractors-edge/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582854697608 Podcast Sponsored by: Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group Helping home service contractors, non-profits, and local companies build stronger brands, maximize lead volume, and create a profitable business. Always data-driven, creative-centered, and strategy-focused. www.greenbaumstiers.com

    28 min
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out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Contractor's Edge is your go-to podcast for scaling your home service business and maximizing your marketing investments. Hosted by lead generation expert Mike Stiers and business strategist Anthony Brown, who bring over a decade of combined experience in the home service industry, this show delivers proven strategies to help contractors dominate their market, generate high-quality leads, and build a business that scales year after year. Whether you're aiming for $3 million or $50 million, we've designed each episode to give you actionable insights, industry secrets, and real-world strategies, all in one place. Get ready to sharpen your edge as a Contractor and take your business to the next level.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Stiers
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    The Contractor's Edge

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