HR compliance isn't just paperwork—it's what stands between your business and costly mistakes that can derail growth. In this conversation, Lisa DeMaria from Utopia Solutions breaks down the five most common HR misconceptions in trades businesses, from misclassifying workers to why your office manager can't do it all and the multi-state compliance traps that catch expanding companies off guard. This conversation gives you the roadmap to get HR right before problems show up at your door—protecting your business while creating the kind of culture that keeps great people around.

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Boolean Automation

Sydney Bates and Molly Nolan pull back the curtain on annual planning season, sharing key themes and lessons learned from the 20+ client site visits completed in recent months. Whether you've already done your 2025 planning or you're just getting started, this check-in covers what's working—from contingency planning and sales management structure to leadership development, geographic expansion, and the growing wave of business acquisitions. Discover why the most successful companies are heading into 2025 with both optimism and strategic backup plans in place.

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.

Bill Drysdale, Principal of the Taysa Group, and Ross Hartmann, Founder of Kiingo AI, introduce NCG's new 6-month AI Accelerator Workshop designed specifically for trades businesses who want to gain a competitive edge through practical AI adoption. They explain why AI is a people and strategy challenge rather than a technical one, sharing how the program helps leaders develop clear implementation roadmaps, save time on administrative work, and amplify their team's capabilities without getting overwhelmed by complexity.

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

When employees don't see a clear path forward, they leave—it's that simple. Dave Scaturro, Vice President & Director of Commercial Division at Alpine Painting shares how he & his team tackled this challenge by creating a comprehensive career ladder covering skills, safety, quality, culture, and leadership, then used feedback from his mastermind group of peer business owners to refine it over year and a half. The result: a system that's transforming how his team thinks about growth and retention in the trades.

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by Hirebus

Fresh off the 2025 Grand Summit Conference in Seattle, Molly sits down with Coach Eamon to debrief his first Summit experience with over 200 trades industry leaders. From Tiffani Bova's "Experience Mindset" keynote to the deeply resonant conversation on leadership and mental health with Rob Vallentine, they share observations on standout sessions, unexpected moments, and what makes this community so unique.

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

We're re-releasing our very first episode of 2025 for a special reason - author Tiffani Bova was keynote speaker at this week's Grand Summit Conference in Seattle! When Colin and I discussed "The Experience Mindset" at the start of this year, we had no idea she'd soon be joining us to explore our conference theme: "The Intersection of Leadership & Technology." Her insights on how Customer Experience and Employee Experience are intricately intertwined made this the perfect way to kick off the Summit, examining why companies that excel in both areas achieve true growth and success.

Today’s Podcast is brought to you by PaintScout.

Pete Schnepp, Real Estate Investor and Founder of both Envision Service Group and Asset Stream Properties, shares his journey from running a successful painting business to building and maintaining an expanding commercial real estate portfolio. In this episode, Pete discusses why he chose commercial real estate over short-term rentals, how he evaluates deals, and the importance of having both an income engine and a wealth-building engine. He offers practical advice for trades business owners looking to diversify into real estate investing, including the value of taking action and the role of leverage in building long-term wealth.

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

This podcast is sponsored by Busybusy

Kevin Muñoz and Kathryn Freeman dive into Dan Heath’s Reset, exploring why small, intentional resets often outperform massive overhauls. They discuss how to identify “bright spots” worth replicating, the power of giving your team ownership over change, and why the best time to reset isn’t January 1st—it’s right now. From Chick-fil-A’s drive-thru innovations to archery coaches who let athletes steer their own improvement, this conversation is packed with practical strategies for business owners ready to break the cycle of patching problems and start designing sustainable growth.