Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Hirebus 

To connect with Mason Mimnaugh and learn more about Acrisure’s Risk Management Resources: MMimnaugh@acrisure.com

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by The Sherwin Williams Company 

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Protiv

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by PaintScout 

Guest: Pete DiStefano, President, DiStefano Brothers Companies
Website: dbcri.com | Nolan Client Since: 2013

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Busybusy

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Graco

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Acrisure

Have a business mess you'd like Colin & Brian to address? Drop us a note at info@nolang.com and we'll put it in front of our Coaches on an upcoming "Business is Messy" episode

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by ProfitWorks. 

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Safety Reports 

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Spartan Digital Marketing

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Red Key Solutions

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by The Sherwin-Williams Company 

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Boolean Automation

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Painter Marketing Pros

If you want real growth in 2026, Painter Marketing Pros will show you how to unlock $50,000 to $250,000 plus in hidden revenue already inside your painting company. Get a custom 2026 Revenue Expansion Blueprint, guaranteed to uncover at least $50,000 in new revenue over the next 12 months, or they will pay you $1,000 for wasting your time. That's how confident they are in this blueprint.

Visit https://grow.paintermarketingpros.com/blueprint-offer to secure your blueprint now. Space is limited.

With limited seats available starting in December, this peer-based workshop offers accountability, proven tools, and industry-specific applications that turn AI from buzzword into business advantage.

Summit Members - Check your Summit Weekly or connect with your Coach to register!

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Protiv

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Hirebus

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by PaintScout. 

To learn more, visit https://assetstreamproperties.com/ and check out the Upcoming Deal Room Event on December 4th

This podcast is sponsored by Busybusy

Register Here: https://sites.google.com/nolancg.com/grand-summit-2025-seattle/attendee-registration 

Be sure to check out the show notes for tools & hiring platforms below from the podcast!

Job Postings & VA Hiring Services

https://www.onlinejobs.ph/

https://remote.co/ 

ProfitWorks

Tools: 

https://www.tango.us/ 

https://www.notion.so/ 

https://vocaroo.com/ 

https://wise.com/us/ 

https://www.loom.com/ 

https://justcall.io/ 

https://www.ringcentral.com/ 

To listen to the first episode with Sheldon - 

Ep 110: A Member Story ~ Building Stewart Painting's Board of Directors

Click here to learn more about Safety Reports

To connect with Ryan :ryan.reber@busybusy.com 

For more Safety focused conversations, check out the Painters USA perspective

Ep.  237: The Dual Impact – Safety Focus as a People Strategy and Business Advantage featuring Paul Cook & Darren Lottes

To connect with Lisa or learn more about Utopia HR Solutions, visit https://www.utopiahr.com/

Summit Members interested in Safety Certification, please contact Jen Ware, Jen@nolancg.com

To learn more about Safety Reports by Align Ops: Click Here

Special Pricing Offer for Summit Members & Out of the Hourglass Listeners: 25% off User Fees for their 1st year of Safety Reports.

OR Visit Link
https://www.safety-reports.com/?utm_source=NCG_Pod&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=website 

Actually provides weight to the systems you’re looking to implement and the value of those opportunities

To access the Hourglass Scorecard Resources, connect with Molly@nolancg.com! 

To learn more about HFM Investment Advisors, check out https://hfmadvisors.com/

To learn more or connect with Sarah Adkins, check out https://bigsharkmarketing.com/ 

We released an episode focusing on Job Site Leadership as a workshop preview back in December 2023 for one of our upcoming programs at the time. As we think about getting our field teams in the headspace to manage jobs, customers and employees- it is the perfect time for a re-release!  Today we are revisiting that valuable conversation about Job Site Leadership with Colin Nolan, Sr. Business Coach. We delve into the core elements of effective job site leadership, explore who benefits most from understanding these concepts and why getting this role right is crucial for project success. 

Eric offers practical insights on how this mindset shift has enhanced both his leadership approach and Tilghman Builders' company culture Whether you're looking to enhance your leadership, improve work-life integration, or build a stronger company culture, Eric's candid experiences offer a blueprint for translating personal philosophy into leadership success.

Connect with Brandon: Brandon@paintermarketingpros.com 

Check out the Diagnostic Assessment: https://diagnostic.paintermarketingpros.com/  

In this episode  re-release, Brian Nolan, President & Co-Founder of Nolan Consulting Group explains what it means to be stuck in the hourglass, in a variety of scenarios, and how NCG helps owners transition out of the hourglass at different points of their business lifecycle. This intriguing discussion will leave you with renewed motivation and inspiration to pursue your own vision ...or to create one if you haven't yet!

Date: January 28, 2 PM PST (will be LIVE for Q&A and recording sent out)

Cost: $17 with tons of actionable tips for making short-form social media video. 

CODE for 50% off: CREATOR

Sign up Here: https://dashcontentco.com/think-like-a-content-creator-class/ 

This is a read that several of us here at Nolan Consulting Group really enjoyed, it was part of an internal Book Club  and we thought it was worthwhile to bring to the podcast table as an entry point for 2025. The book examines how Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX) are intricately intertwined and interdependent - and it’s those companies that recognize this and work to find success in both areas that see true growth and success. From stories of Chipotle and the Ritz Carlton to sticking data points from organizational research , it hits home the importance of how we approach and implement new strategies and process in the year to come. 

As he said in his speech and in today’s episode, it is time to pass the baton onto the next generation. This has been a well thought out, intentional exit from the business, something Kevin put in action 10+ years ago. He talks all about it Chapter 14 of his book Organizational Muscle, Exiting Well and I was curious to learn of his mindset now that this official date has passed and what he’s looking forward to in this next adventure of life. He doesn’t plan to be “too busy,” but he sure plans to have fun and live in the now. 

To learn more about the Reflected Best Self Exercise, visit: https://reflectedbestselfexercise.com/ 

From new employee attitude changes to confusing confidence vs. competence, leadership of people is hard and tools like the  SLII  framework used for diagnosing situations and providing the appropriate support can be a game changer for people management success. 

For a refresh of the SL2 Framework, we encourage you to check out the Podcast Series, episodes can be found here:  

https://www.nolancg.com/blog/situational-leadership-podcast-series/

For Weekly: Several spots remain in the upcoming Situational Leadership Workshop facilitated by Colin Nolan & Sydney Bates kicking off Oct. 29th. To learn more or register: Click here

Whether you're a startup looking to scale quickly or an established company aiming to break through growth barriers, you need the strategic framework, tools, and support to achieve your ambitious goals.

To learn more about the Fast Growth Planning Process, https://www.nolancg.com/fast-growth-planning-program-for-contractors/

With a professional background in the Excavation Industry, Christi has walked the walk and can talk the talk -  she knows first hand how important data and KPIs are to understanding the story of your business and how the slivers of change behaviors can make all the difference to the bottom line. 

To learn more about busybusy, visit https://busybusy.com/ 

Nolan Consulting Group Clients - want to connect for a demo? Reach out directly to Bracken Anderson, bracken@busybusy.com  or 385-404-6257,  for a platform review and partnership pricing. 

We are quickly entering the Fall Season and it’s going to be an interesting next few months with a lot of factors at play. This is a time where we focus on leaning into what we can control - and one of those things we CAN control is thoroughly understanding the financial management of our companies. This workshop and conversation is geared towards ensuring we are setting the foundational pieces for peeling back the P&L Report and being able to ask the right questions and read the story of what’s actually happening in the business. 

Summit Members: To register your spot for the Financials Fundamentals Workshop, click here to learn more information and complete registration. 

Today we’re continuing a discussion of the Fast Growth Planning Program, designed to give that framework to those with the fast growth mindset.  Joined by Jay Rogers, Nolan Consulting Group. Business Coach, we highlight stage two of the program - focusing on the growth fundamentals of Cash Planning, Externals Partners and SOPs.  

To learn more about the Fast Growth Planning Process, https://www.nolancg.com/fast-growth-planning-program-for-contractors/

This is a topic we’ve discussed in an early episode on Out of the Hourglass, but it’s been some time and so much has changed in the way of technology and how our operations are needing to adapt to be as efficient as possible. 

With desires to implement AI and Automation, you have to recognize that building and maintaining the blueprint of your company operations must come first. Sydney shares the Nolan Consulting Group approach and her insights on successful facilitation of this operational exercise. 

Today we’re introducing a new Program offered by Nolan Consulting Group, the Fast Growth Planning Program, designed to give that framework to those with the fast growth mindset.  Joined by Kathryn Freeman, Nolan Consulting Group Director of Operations and Sr. Business Coach, we highlight the program’s purpose, the structure of our approach and the mindset required. 

We’ll continue the conversation on future episodes walking through further stages, but today we start with the Program overview and Stage 1: The Groundwork

To learn more about the Fast Growth Planning Process, https://www.nolancg.com/fast-growth-planning-program-for-contractors/

AI Technology, process standardization and dedication to making the most of your Google Reviews. We walk through the 5 R’s to keep front of mind with actionable takeaways to leverage your visibility and ranking across a competitive digital landscape. It’s time to get serious about having the most reviews and best reviews to elevate your business and stay at the top. This is about dominating your market! 

To combat this, Tamara has focused in on the Power of the Pause, an intentional practice of disconnecting, recalibrating and reenergizing to be more efficient in her productivity and more in tune with what she needs to be the best version of herself. It’s 15 minutes of pause that can generate so much impact. And this isn’t just something Tamara is personally doing, she has embedded this into the culture at Chase Roofing. 

So what does it look like for you to disconnect for a few minutes, to step away from technology and responsibility for 15 minutes,  to connect with yourself or with somebody else? Give it a try and remember - consistency is key! 

Frustrated by high marketing spend without recognizable return and customer acquisition costs that seem unsustainable, George was determined to find a better way to increase leads through a cost effective avenue. Through disciplined sales behaviors, networking consistency and genuine relationship based outreach, George and his team are seeing the impact of face to face marketing more so than ever before and the momentum is only continuing to grow! 

To get us started, we’ll connect with Jim one-on-one for a check in on the state of Sales in this current environment, the challenges that are arising as a result and what he and his team are working on to give it their best shot at hitting their Sales goals. 

Some of the tools utilized by Textbook Painting highlighted in this episode:

Job Postings:

https://www.onlinejobs.ph/

https://remote.co/ 

Tools: 

https://www.tango.us/ 

https://www.notion.so/ 

https://vocaroo.com/ 

https://wise.com/us/ 

https://www.loom.com/ 

https://justcall.io/ 

https://www.ringcentral.com/ 

Today we’re talking to Chris Long, the VP of Marketing at Go Fish Digital, a full-service digital marketing agency that works with mid-market to Fortune 500 companies.  Chris is an SEO expert, a thought leader in this space and he’s helping us dive further into this world of understanding how we can better utilize tools and content to drive organic traffic to our website. We continue to emphasize marketing is a multi-layered approach and SEO is a critical part of that strategy. From creating educational content, service-specific and localized landing pages, to optimizing all components of your Google My Business Profile, we are hitting key areas that all small businesses should be implementing. 

 Check out Chris's LinkedIn for resources and SEO tips and content each week and sign up Newsletters like The Splash, Search Engine Round Table and Search Engine Land for aggregated, updated SEO content and strategies. 

Sign up for the Newsletter: https://gofishdigital.com/newsletter/

Follow Chris on LinkedIN:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-long-marketing/

Twitter: @gofishchris

When it comes to living their values, Bowman Painting is taking Growth & Learning seriously and the organization is better for it! Listen to Scott share his approach to the training, lessons learned and advice to others, as well as what  he hopes to implement in the future

Need a second opinion on your marketing plan? Book a time with Brittany to brainstorm your next strategy and implement! 
https://brittany.bloomconsultingfirm.com/ 

This episode aims to hit at areas in need of clarity, whether it's the pathway to share-holdership, employment agreements or family values, there is a framework needed to create boundaries and ensure healthy relationships, both in and outside the workplace. Remember, the business should SERVE the family… and not the other way around. 

This quote sums up the reason behind today’s episode! NCG Business Coach Jim Bradley joins us on the podcast to talk about a chapter in the Management Training Series, a program that he and Andrew Amrhein have been piloting,  that focused on developing leaders and creating access to tools for managerial success. This particular conversation today focuses on the characteristics of what it means to BE a team and a high performing one at that. There is statistical data showing that collaborative, high performing teams are most successful compared to those who operate in dysfunction- from better profitability, employee retention, and employee wellbeing. We talk about characteristics of an effective team, the role of leadership in fostering trust and psychological safety, and the significance of high-performance team characteristics such as sharing best practices, holding accountability, and vulnerability.

April’s Advanced Financial Management Workshop, facilitated by Andrew Amrhein will be held on April 24th, 26th and May 1st & 3rd. 

Any questions about the workshop, or if your team is the right fit please do not hesitate to reach out!

We often talk about Big Rocks on our channel but we want to hit on the Charter itself - a tool that works you through the big rock plan, identifying how exactly you aim to carry out the idea, including an evaluation of the strategic decisions. Jay gives us an inside look as to how he has used this charter himself and how he works through clients with the big rock plan.  If you're looking for the Charter exercise,  please reach out, we are happy to share. 

A facilitator of four Sales Rep Peer Groups and individual Sales Trainer, Chuck enjoys nothing more than connecting with people, understanding their challenges and helping them improve their numbers and their confidence. 

To learn more about Nolan Consulting Group’s Sales Coaching and Training Programs, reach out to info@Nolancg.com 

We’ve talked with Conal and Jim Falk, VP of Sales at Nplan Painting in a previous episode on how important the relationship dynamic between Sales and Operations is and the work their teams have done to improve systems and communications channels that continue to build on and maintain that bridge between the two departments. This is a continuation of that conversation and a closer look now as to how Conal walks that line using his operations experience with the need to find leads, close sales and keep the machine running.

We also get to hear from Josh Abramson, Chief Solutionist and President from ALLBRiGHT Painting in Los Angeles, California as he shares highlights from his team’s team’s Working Genius experience. Josh loved it - it was exciting to see his team embrace the exercise, be vulnerable and apply the framework to their personal and professional development. 

Working Genius is a framework created by Patrick Lencioni and the team at the Table Group. Sydney Bates is a Working Genius Certified Trainer. To learn more, visit workinggenius.com or contact Sydney Bates, Sydney@nolancg.com

To learn about Organizational Muscle and additional resources mentioned in today’s episode, check out the book’s website  https://organizationalmuscle.com  Order your copy  on Amazon.Com or if audio books are more your style - Organizational Muscle is now available on Audible! Follow @OrgMuscle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, book content and tips! 

To learn more about  Bring Back the Trades, visit https://bringbackthetrades.org or check them out on LinkedIN, Instagram and more! 

On a quick programming note, Out of the Hourglass will release bi-weekly episodes through January and will return with weekly episodes starting February 7th. 

Interweaving his own experience as a Sales Coach and Sales Manager, Mike reviews the outcomes behind the OMG data and significance of coaching frequency and coaching for commitment.

This is our final episode of 2023 - thank you SO much for your listenership. And to our podcast guests - thank you for sharing your insights and best practices.  

We will return with new episodes in 2024! 

Link to OMG Article:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yd7tnwEf1KehhF3llKpyI7pTwBdze2r0/view?usp=drive_link

Does PFP actually achieve what it was intended for?  Why does it not always work?  We often think that PFP helps to change behaviors or encourage and motivate, but what happens when that’s not the case? Andrew delves into this topic sharing his thoughts, what he's hearing, the impact on the Team Member contract  and gives us some new perspective on how we should maybe rethink shaping PFP in our organizations. 

January’s Job Site Leadership Workshop, facilitated by Colin Nolan and Conal Mulreany will be held on January 18th, 23rd and 24th. For more information and to register, click here

Any questions about the workshop, or if your team is the right fit please do not hesitate to reach out! 

Chris is passionate about this topic and we packed a lot of content into this conversation. If you are not using Ai in your business now, it’s time to get started. 

Shared Resources:  

Boolean Automation Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BooleanAutomation/videos

AI & Technology Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/920265796370898/

AI & Technology for Painters Mailing List: https://go.booleanreview.com/ai-technology-for-painters

Chris Kiefer is an engineer, entrepreneur, and thought leader. In 2013, he founded SkEye Media, a top medical marketing and branding agency, followed by the launch of Boolean Review, the highest converting Google review software in the market, and in 2022 created Boolean Automation –a consulting arm that helps residential and commercial painting companies implement no-code automation solutions. He is also the host of Pursuit of Purpose, a celebrated podcast that interviews successful entrepreneurs and inspirational people worldwide. 

Chris is passionate about exercise, CrossFit, adventure, and spending time with his wife and four kids in northern Idaho. To follow Chris, please visit chriskiefer.com, www.booleanreview.com and @pursuitofpurpose.pod

Nick Jones, Co-Founder  and Johnny Rooney, Head of Partnerships at Classet, joined us this week’s episode of Out of the Hourglass for a conversation on the need to help businesses grow their workforce and attract high-quality candidates, while also providing training and resources for the next generation of skilled trade workers

How can we close the career gap in the construction and trades industries? It starts with changing the message in education from the start, from the high school level and earlier, providing students with resources to explore trades careers and modern messaging that meets consumable technology. 

We all know this industry has so much career potential to offer and the more we can provide insights on opportunities, education on skills and training from a young age, the pool of talent can be built! 

To learn more about Classet: https://www.classet.org/land/nolan-consulting-group

Or connect for a one-on-one conversation Johnny Rooney: johnny@classet.org

To learn about Organizational Muscle and additional resources mentioned in today’s episode, check out the book’s website  https://organizationalmuscle.com  Order your copy  on Amazon.Com or if audio books are more your style - Organizational Muscle is now available on Audible! Follow @OrgMuscle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, book content and tips! 

Inspired by his 20 years of Coaching, his own challenges and Ryan Holiday’s “The Obstacle is the Way” , Brian shares his approach to dealing with the problems that exist and highlights the key points from Holiday that show us it’s the problems and obstacles that actually make us who we are. 

As the Haitian proverb puts it: Behind mountains are more mountains.

So let’s expect them, anticipate them, and be prepared to climb them.  

If you have a challenge, a unique experience or a story you would like to share on the Out of the Hourglass podcast with Brian Nolan, please connect via Molly@nolancg.com! We would love to hear from you. 

This cookbook is a tool designed to help build your revenue goals for the year, keeping in mind the various factors that impact actual revenue on a monthly basis - including Feet on the Street goals, your average sales price and the GAP that MUST be accounted for. We’re talking scheduled training time, expected field productivity,  PTO and non-productive time… we have to consider how these components will impact the expected revenue our teams are trying to produce each month. 

The Revenue Cookbook, like all other parts of the  budgeting process, represents a story for the year and the strategies to plan for. When addressed head on and and shared with the team, you are creating a line of sight to the vision for the year ahead and a more accurate representation of what’s to come. We think that is worth your time and attention… Don’t you? 

We talk about all things ranking, content creation, SEO resources, common mistakes, measuring results, and how Ai is changing the landscape. 

For those listeners interested in Dash’s “Simple SEO Workbook” as mentioned during the episode, the ladies at DASH gave us a promo code for 50% off via a CouponCode for NCG clients and Out of the Hourglass Listeners: Enter Nolan50off at checkout 

From ideation, activation and implementation, getting things done takes a village (of geniuses) and the more you know, the more efficient, cohesive and collaborative you will be. 

To learn more about Working Genius and Assessment Opportunities, click here.

Today’s episode highlights another chapter in his book, this time we are talking about money and Kevin shares the financial approach he and the Nolan Painting Team have taken when it comes to the numbers. We talk about bootstrapping, staying broke, sharing goals and the revenue and growth milestones that meant the most. 

Check out the book’s website  https://organizationalmuscle.com to pick up your copy,, follow @OrgMuscle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, book content and tips! 

We are talking about Decision Making & Problem Solving - employees within your organization need to be able to make decisions and solve problems at the levels of tasks in which they are working. How do we know the folks in our team are capable of making decisions? How do we test this, train this? The organization's success depends on this and all roads point to delegation. 

Kathryn and Brian had the opportunity to each lead two groups through facilitated discussions, challenges focusing on leadership, succession and primary aim and of course, crafted an agenda that incorporated the great outdoors. With intense work, comes intense play. With an underlying theme of sharing and engaging in vulnerability, inspired by Brene Brown’s work, Daring Greatly, we tapped in experiential learning, relationship building and  challenged our  personal growth through release of shared experiences and intentionality on the future. 

For those looking to tap into Brown’s perspective on the power of vulnerability,we would highly recommend reading (or listening on Audible!) to Daring Greatly, a #1 New York Times bestseller. 

THIS is the time to think about getting started - to get the meetings scheduled, the communication plan for the plan in place. 

At NCG, we are intentional about the planning process. We believe it is essential to devote time to strategically think about the year ahead, align with your vision, define the Big Rocks, and focus on goals.

No matter your company size - big or small, there are ways to approach this season with newfound energy, team participation, and excitement for the year ahead. Brian highlights where to start, different frameworks to work through and recommendations for getting the process started on the right foot.

But oh boy, is it a game changer that can help define success, engagement, opportunity, alignment… it IS A CORE strategy drive that kicks off the Cascading Planning Process! 

We hit the WHY of it all, obstacles that get in the way, where to start, guiding questions and communication channels that play a role in creation. 

Proverbs 29:18:  “Where there is no vision, the people perish”

Working Genius, a model developed by Patrick Lencioni of the Table Group, is a tool used to help individuals and teams identify in what aspects of the work lifecycle they find joy and fulfillment, and in what others they find frustration.

There are 6 Types of Genius - 

Wonder - Invention - Discernment - Galvanizing - Enablement - Tenacity 

Our conversation gives us an introductory look at the model, reviewing what each of these  geniuses mean, and how they fit into categories of working geniuses, working competences and working frustrations. By empowering individuals to recognize their personal genius characteristics, the positive impact of awareness on the greater team falls right in line.

To learn more about Working Genius and Assessment Opportunities, click here. 

for an important and eye opening conversation on the topic of mental health and well-being awareness in the workplace, specifically across the construction and trades industry. 

At the start of our conversation, Meg shared a shocking statistic: “1 in 5 Americans suffer from some sort of mental health condition at any given time, but more than half do not receive treatment or know how to access help.” When you break down these statistics by industry type, the outcome among the construction industry is staggering.  

Meg is looking to break this pattern and help end the stigma around mental health by putting energy towards education and connection of resources, incorporating them into the Painters USA Safety program and sharing this topic with third party organizations that are in need of this guidance. 

For Meg, this is about normalizing the mental health conversation, providing access and direction to resources and recognizing it’s essential to create a culture of caring across your organization. Fortunately, she is not alone in this fight… and you can join her in this mission. 

Every year, during September — National Suicide Prevention Month — the construction industry will dedicate a week to raising awareness about the unique challenges workers face in construction that lead to suicide and what we can do to prevent it. This year, Construction Suicide Prevention Week will take place September 4-8, 2023.  

To learn more, access resources and “tool box talks”, and register your company for participation in this awareness week, visit https://constructionsuicideprevention.com/ 

It’s time to STAND UP and Make a Difference. 

Prospecting and Business Development involve a dynamic blend of strategic planning, effective communication, and a keen understanding of market trends. Whether it's cultivating new leads through digital outreach or networking face-to-face, mastering the art of prospecting empowers businesses to establish a strong and reputable presence in their industries. 

So where to begin? Colin breaks down the behavioral needs, makes recommendations on getting a plan in place and reminds us that we need to reframe what success looks like. It’s time to incentive behaviors and make these conversations routine part of your weekly sales meetings. 

Kevin’s been joining us on the podcast sharing sneak peeks of some of those chapters within the book, and today, we are talking Compensation.  We cover the gamut on this topic, from his approach to the Compensation Model and how it’s evolved over the years, Nolan Painting’s take on Overtime, Pay for Performance,Top performers, and deferred  compensation, as well as the impact and power of transparency across the payroll ladder.  

Kevin’s Book, Organizational muscle will be released early Fall of 2023, check out his website https://organizationalmuscle.com/  and following Org Muscle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, book content and tips! 

Our Succession Process is a 3 Stage, 9 Step Program that was intentionally designed to help create a methodical plan for business owners who might be looking to transition their role in the business over the next 5-7 years. In the prior episodes, we gave a process overview and focus on  Stage 1: Exploration and Foundation and  Stage 2: The Next Chapter and Transition.

Today we wrap with a framework overview of Stage 3: The Development and Communication leg of the process. This is facilitating the transfer of skills, best practices and as well as governance planning and communication timelines. We are aiming for an effective flow of information at targeted times to keep the organization, and its stakeholders, aligned with the progressive steps of the SPP.

As always, If you would like to learn more about our Succession Planning Process and the program specifics, you can visit our website or contact me directly via email, Molly@nolancg.com

An understanding of the process Process – without Methodology = Inferior results

An awareness of Methodology – without Process = Inconsistent results

When you are able to combine a full understanding of process with the excellence of the methodology, that defines success. But how can you teach this methodology, or mindset?

Today, Andrew Amrhein and Mike Shannon join us to tell us that yes, while it can be taught, it does require an intricate understanding of one’s own weaknesses and strengths and finding the correct training to conquer the head trash, Developing "Closer Instincts",  and practicing the true the Behaviors that lead to Mastery of the mindset is critical. 

Safety matters every day of the year, but during June it gets the extra attention it deserves, June is National Safety Month and we are here to support!

At Nolan Consulting Group, we believe  Safety needs continual attention in your organization, throughout all departments and have continued to focus and build upon a certification program to ensure the organizations we work with hold safety practices with high regard. A few weeks ago, Kahtyn and two of our team mates joined some folks from the team at nolan painting at their 2023 Safteve captive event to learn and network with industry leaders.

On today.s episode, Kathryns shares her core takeaways  from that event , from compliance and After Action Reviews, with a wrap up on the status and strategic planning for NCG's safety focus. 

• Wouldn’t it be nice to know specifically where a Rep needs help?
• Or specifically why they are not a fit for your organization?
• Or that what you’re assessing your team against  fits the same process you are trying to coach?

We are excited to share that NCG is now certified to offer Sales Insights Assessments and Evaluations through the company Objective Management Group, a pioneer and industry leader in sales team evaluations and sales candidate screening.  This tool focuses on  providing insights and maximizing sales performance in companies of all sizes and from all industries. 

On today’s episode, Andrew walks us through the impact this tool can have on your hiring and team development process, how it’s helped our team to teach better, more focused sales content, and the opportunity to really peel back the unique attributes that make a sales person from good to exceptional. 

Interested in learning more? Take a listen to the podcast and talk to your coach for next steps! 

Our Succession Process is a 3 Stage, 9 Step Program that was intentionally designed to help create a methodical plan for business owners who might be looking to transition their role in the business over the next 5-7 years. In our first episode, we gave a process overview and focus on  Stage 1: Exploration and Foundations - a time of discovery and getting out og the hallways. 

Today, Managing partner brian Nolan and NCG Business Coach, Jim Bradly, join me to focus on the framework of Stage 2: The Next Chapter and Transition - what some may call the heart of the process and the roadmap to the future. 

As always, If you would like to learn more about our Succession Planning Process and the program specifics, you can visit our website or contact me directly via email, Molly@nolancg.com

Now - here we are at the end of May and it’s been an eventful time of highs and lows - fitting for the start to a busy spring season and well, just life itself. 

This time we hear about messes happening in both Brian’s and Kevin's worlds, their approaches to the challenges and a general consensus of leaning into perspective. When something happens, we can’t always be the judge of it being good or bad right away, we need to fully understand the situation and it’s impact.

One thing is for sure, when it comes to the mess of business (and life), the need for mental and emotional strength is a key part of finding a successful; resolution, or, just getting safely to the other side. Problems don’t get easier in life, as kara Lawason, head coach of the Duke Blue Devils Women’s Basketball Team once shared, “What happens is you handle hard better." 

Continuous improvement efforts that come with the LEAN concept, can only succeed when they become part of an organization’s culture, or  “the way we do things around here”.

It’s one thing to want to implement a change, hold a kaizen event, highlight value add or waste, but how do you sustain? It requires a Continuous Improvement Culture, or CI Culture as you’ll hear us refer to it, that is fully embraced by the entire organization, at every level. 

Jim shares his recommendations on how to breathe a CI Culture into your organization, from  leadership commitments to employee empowerment ideas, communication needs and  integrated improvement solutions that will be the key helping master the culture transformation. 

This episode is brought to you by Boolean, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group.

These are known as the Primary Aim, Strategic Intent, the Vision and the Action Items or goals set forth. These are the backbone of what drives personal and professional strategy, what moves the business and the business owner forward. 

On today’s episode, NCG Sr. Coach Andrew Amrhein reminds us WHY working through these intention setting directives is so important, it’s because they are our why... And as a result, must work in alignment with each other for progress to be achieved. 

Nolan Consulting Group can walk you through the process at a pace that is unique to your transitional needs and the trades industry. 

Today we’re  introducing a new Program offered by Nolan Consulting Group, the Succession Planning Process. NCG Managing Partner, Brian Nolan, joins us today to bring awareness to our new planning process, sharing the importance of creating a framework for succession and how we developed NCG’s approach of a 3 stage, 9 step process. 

We’ll continue the conversation on future episodes walking through each Stage, but today we start with the Process overview and Stage 1: Exploration and Foundations.

In our past episode we introduced the concept of lean thinking, reviewed  TIMWOODS, discussed Value added vs Non value added, reviewed DMAIC and discussed kaizen events - all of which are fundamental components nn making a lean transformation and a lasting impact on your continuous improvement culture.

When it comes to continuous improvement - how do we keep traction in the spaces and processes we have tarnstored and invested in? We have to have systems checks of control to ensure change management remains sustainable and flows through to our financial results. This is about holding ourselves accountable to execute the initiatives coming out of the change management process.

From Quarterly themes to KPIs, the 5S system and more, Jim walks us through a recommended list of control tools that will help keep the implementation process alive and well. 

This episode is brought to you by Penntek, our Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

We want to remind you to SLOW IT DOWN.This is not the time to be getting beat by the decision process!  On today’s episode, Andrew talks about team exercises and behavioral reminders  to keep us focused and reinforce our skills. We want to ensure we are keeping focus on the bigger picture and putting our best put forward with every lead that comes in the door. 

This episode is brought to you by Groundwork, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

This is about Building a Team, from the strategies of recruiting and understanding your hiring needs, to thinking about how to create a great place to work, and proving the need for investment in HR. 

No matter the time of year, the tools for building a high performance team should remain relevant, top of mind… and Kevin shares the approach he and the team at Nolan Painting have taken over the last 40+ Years to make Nolan Painting what it is today. 

This episode is brought to you by Boolean, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

Brian and I thought it was important to take some time to debrief the program -  as a team we worked incredibly hard to bring this event to life and utilize the opportunity to connect with our Members. When moments like this happen, we’ve learned to pause, reflect and appreciate. 

Join us as we highlight the program and theme of Building organizational Strength, applaud our fantastic speakers and the variety of  sessions, personal takeaways and thoughts about next year… 

This episode is brought to you by The Sherwin-Williams Company, our Premier Grand Summit Sponsor and supporting Partner of the Summit Member Group. 

As many of you are all familiar with, here at Nolan Consulting Group, we coach the structure of our planning model, the Cascading Planning Cycle(CPC). The cycle is a core set of planning activities from annual, quart and monthly meetings that  produce guiding documents for vision achievement at all levels in an organization. 

We do recognize, though it’s a familiar term in a broad sense to those who have been around for a while, the practice of implementing the cycle and the components within are sometimes overlooked.  Questions around …which meetings should I begin within, who to involve, how long should the meeting be, what are we talking about at that meeting, often become the barriers to implementation. And that is exactly why we are here today. 

We’ll focus on the Cascading Planning Cycle, specially on a handful of podcasts through this year, and to start - Colin and I want to focus on the Monthly Meetings. There are three core monthly meetings involved in the CPC and we’re going to give you the guidance to get these on the calendar, prepare your agenda, and share the impact structure can bring to your planning behaviors.

This episode is brought to you by Penntek, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

The Kaizen focuses on continuous improvement, the change for good. 

Having facilitated many Kaizen events over his career, Jim walks us through the approach and outlays the details of teaching lean thinking through this process, from the specifics of who should be involved, the timeline and preparation, and what type of issue or problem identified qualifies to be put through a Kaizen - this is about taking focused, structured time on site to identify and roll out a solution to a problem you want to fix. 

A reminder that we kicked off the series back in the Fall of 2022, so if you’re just joining us -be sure to jump back for an intro to the concept and the following 2 episodes highlighting process tools, TIMWOODS and DMAIC. (Link to those episodes)

This episode is brought to you by Groundwork, our Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

The NCG Team and an epic crew of Summit Members are heading to San Diego next week for our 2023 Grand Summit Conference where the theme of Organizational Strength is leading the charge of our sessions. Brian is kicking it all off with his Keynote:Building Mental Strength: Inside the mind of the leader and is going to empower our audience and listeners here with mental workouts to keep our minds strong and able to handle the daily mental challenges, belly punches and mental slumps that we will and do undoubtedly face as leaders.

In this episode, Brian taps into Kevin’s world on what most challenges him day to day, what he does to remain mentally strong and how he focuses on the bigger picture, all while using the power of his team and embracing what he can control.  

This episode is brought to you by The Sherwin-Williams Company, our Premier Grand Summit Sponsor and supporting Partner of the Summit Member Group. 

We’ve all had a first day at a new job somewhere… and let’s be honest, that first day stirs up with a mix of emotions - excitement, anxiousness, eagerness… maybe some confusion - should I really be joining this company?  The experience you had on that first day can often set the tone for your success within the organization and leave a lasting impression on your perspective of the company culture. 

Over the last year, we’ve connected the dots to how this new employee welcome experience impacts the overall retention of your team - and moreover, the greater macro and micro culture of the business. 

Today Brian’s run us through his recommendations for how to set the experience for success, shares some best practices and snippets of culture vision from some existing Summit Members and reminds us all that the first impression, is a lasting one. 

In this episode, Kathryn and Nicole dive into relationship dynamics at play between the Visionary and Integrator, a topic that we dove deep into here in 2022 and became the primary theme of several of our Fall mastermind workshops. 

For a quick recap -   Visionaries often focus on the big picture of the business, they dream and are the idea generator. An Integrator is the person who thrives on creating order out of those ideas, setting priorities, solving conflicts, removing obstacles,  to make the plan come alive. 

What we learned at these workshops? Both sides just wanted to be listened to and understood - can’t be so hard right?  As the integrator of a $40M+ Commercial and Industrial Painting Company, Nicole is no stranger to visionary integrator conflict and collaboration. OShe shares her experience in working through this role as the company has grown and how her relationship with Paul Cook, VP at Painters USA and primary visionary, has evolved. 

With 35 + years of sales experience as a foundation, Mike’s passion now resonates in helping companies and individuals maximize their potential. He recently joined Nolan Consulting Group as a Sales Consultant & Trainer and will be joining us as a Guest Speaker at our upcoming Grand Summit Conference in San Diego next month! 

When we were planning his session topics - there was one that particularly resonated that we thought warranted a sneak peek as an episode here on out of the hourglass. 

Mike has a particular strength in the area of Sales Management, and his session, “Managing to the DNA of your Sales Team” dives into the realm of the sales team dynamics and how utilizing particular tools and development approaches can be a game changer for your sales people and the organizations as whole. This is about shaping a team that can do more than just “try to sell”... they will sell. 

Want to hear more? Be sure to register for the Grand Summit, it’s not too late!

As you listen to this week's podcast, consider the safety culture in your company and where the gaps may fall. Are you Summit Safety Certified? Check out our certification process to get the standards in place! 

As you listen to this week's podcast consider if there are any employees in your company that may benefit from a well designed Performance Improvement Plan!

Kathryn and Andrew  discuss the framework of what defines a Level 3, and what kind of tasks and work capacity lives in that stage.  As you listen, consider what tasks and operational functions are Level 3 work in your company. Have you given appropriate tasks and roles to the correct employees? Are you setting them up to fail or to succeed?

Colin will walk you through the types of behaviors and profiles that make a great sales rep, as well as some proven strategies to implement during the hiring process to ensure you end up with the right person

Over the years, we have recommended many new books to Summit Members, and many Summit Members have recommended books to us. So why stop there? Now we're looking to different platforms such as podcasts, audiobooks and more to innovate and collaborate, personally & professionally. 

At NCG, we're always striving to keep ourselves sharp with new information and bouncing ideas off of one another. Holding regular Book Club meetings such as this one give us a great opportunity to continue expanding our knowledge, discussing it in theory, and then directly applying it to how we serve our clients.

Additionally, a conversation on employee development. How can you have an understanding of where your company will be by creating a vision for your employees to buy into? 

All of this and more to make sure you are prepared for 2021 both financially and strategically.