Richard Piendak: The Exit Strategy Most Contractors Never Prepare For

Richard Piendak didn’t just survive five decades in paving—he built, scaled, sold, and then kept working anyway. In this episode, Richard breaks down the hard-earned lessons most contractors only learn the expensive way: when to grow, when to slow down, and why simplicity beats size.

If you’re trying to build a business that actually lasts—and doesn’t burn you out—this episode will hit home.

Takeaways:

✅ Scale exposes cracks – Growth doesn’t fix problems; it magnifies them. Bad systems and weak leadership show up fast when you add people.

✅ Employees make or break the business – Richard explains how treating crews like family (and testing skills, not resumes) built loyalty and consistency.

✅ Debt isn’t the enemy—bad decisions are – He shares how avoiding smart debt early slowed growth, and what he’d do differently today.

✅ Build to sell, even if you never do – Clean books, solid processes, and real leadership are what made his exit possible.

✅ Be a warrior, not a worrier – One mindset shift that carried him through recessions, oil embargoes, and 20% interest rates.

Why It Matters:

This episode is a masterclass for excavation, paving, and hardscape owners who want long-term stability—not just more jobs and more headaches.

Links:

➡️ Check out Richard’s Paving Inc Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KingofPaving

➡️ Shop Attachments: Build your business with the right attachments. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.skidsteernation.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

➡️ Marketing Help: Marketing built for blue-collar contractors. ⁠⁠⁠https://getthrottledup.com/