What do hundreds—maybe thousands—of today’s home improvement business owners have in common?

They have all been influenced by Rob Levin, who has helped shape the home improvement industry as we know it. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve either worked for one of his companies, learned from someone who did, or competed against them.

It all started back in the ‘80s, when Rob quit his CPA job to help grow AMRE (American Remodeling) from a single office surviving on an SBA loan to $300M in revenue across 56 locations.

Rob’s story isn’t just a nostalgic trip through time—it’s a blueprint for scaling a sales-driven, systemized, and profitable company.

Listen in as Brian and Rob discuss how he trained and led more than 600 salespeople, oversaw 2,200 employees, and created systems so effective that dozens of his former team members went on to start their own companies. He also shares how he did it all with the mindset and precision of a CPA-turned-COO who believed success wasn’t just about hustle—it was about math, discipline, and leadership.

This one is part history lesson, part MBA class, and part gut check. And it proves that while a lot has changed in the industry, the fundamentals haven’t. Whether you’re just getting started or running $20 million a year, there’s something in here for you.

Key Moments:

(0:00) Intro

(1:10) Meet Rob Levin: The Man Who Trained an Industry

(3:47) From SBA Loan to $300M Empire: The AMRE Origin Story

(8:43) Tips for Building a High-Performing Sales Team

(10:16) The Math Behind Million-Dollar Sales Teams

(13:07) The 3-Month Rule: When to Pull a Sales Rep Off the Field

(17:48) The Hard Calls Every Owner Must Be Willing to Make

(21:01) How Financial Discipline Built a Powerhouse

(24:47) Determining Your Marketing Costs

(30:41) Revenue Growth & Gross Margin: Where Most Owners Mess Up

(37:51) Rob’s Blueprint for Building a Sustainable Business

(45:11) A Cautionary Tale About The Power of Belief (And a Lost RBA License)

(50:39) Mentorship, Legacy & Lessons from Industry Giants

(54:41) Rob’s Final Word: What Really Makes a Business Work

👉 Subscribe to hear more stories, strategies, and secrets that top contractors use to grow their home improvement businesses and enjoy more success, wealth, and freedom.

Additional Resources:

⚡ Learn more about Discovery Day at The Wealthy Contractor Success Society: https://TheEntryDoor.info/

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/

What if every day you started with zero leads and still ended the week with a packed pipeline?

Sounds too good to be true, right?

Not according to this week’s podcast guest, Samantha McGuinness. On top of being a master of face-to-face marketing, she is also insanely good at “making leads out of thin air” (it’s kind of her superpower).

From knocking on doors and setting up booths to generating $100,000 from a peach festival, Samantha’s helped companies like Renewal by Andersen Toronto generate $10M+ in revenue from “make” marketing systems.

In this episode, Samantha and Brian dive into how elite companies create their own opportunities, the systems behind effective appointment setting (hint: get straight to the point), and why you should avoid gimmicks and “trinkets” that waste time and money.

🔑 Key Moments:

(0:00) Introduction

(1:28) Meet Samantha: From landscaping startup to $10M+ in face-to-face marketing

(5:18) Using social skills to get more leads

(8:22) Why tests like the DISC profile can be misleading when hiring

(11:20) How to make leads out of thin air

(12:54) How old-school gimmicks can hurt face-to-face marketing

(15:18) The controversy over “trinkets” (and why you should avoid them)

(17:24) Building a $10M+ department through systems and events

(19:37) Defining “make marketing”: events, home shows, canvassing, and retail partnerships

(25:29) Why every single person in your company should help find events (and how to incentivize them)

(29:15) What should (and should NOT) be on your booth table and displays—and why salespeople should never staff a booth

(33:01) Recruiting & hiring: Who thrives and who flops (Ever hire an actor?)

(43:50) The importance of make marketing in today’s market

(46:09) Best advice: Be 100% authentic in life and business

(50:55) Closing thoughts & resources

👤 About Our Guest

Samantha McGuinness is the founder of Enabled and the Face-to-Face Marketing Network, where she helps home improvement companies build profitable in-person marketing systems. Her systems and SOPs have generated millions in revenue for contractors nationwide.

👉 Subscribe to hear more stories, strategies, and secrets that top contractors use to grow their home improvement businesses and enjoy more success, wealth, and freedom.

Additional Resources:

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/

EPISODE 246: When Michael Flores joined Expo Home Improvement, they were under $20 million in revenue. Today? Over 300 employees, 5 locations, and a sales team of 75.

But here’s the twist… Michael says they actually need LESS leads. And that’s just one of the counterintuitive lessons he shares in this episode. 🤯

Listen in as we chat about:

• Why Michael recruits using the Predictive Index (and the personality types that crush it in sales)
• The 3 types of sales cultures (and which one you want in your company)
• The role of frontline leaders in coaching and mentoring reps (sometimes a pat on the back, sometimes a kick in the pants)
• Why personal style matters in sales presentations, and how his team tailors their approach to fit Texas markets (“a little more country, a little more city”)
• How Expo Home manages culture with 300+ people across 5 locations: daily huddles, monthly town halls, and value-driven leadership roles
• Two titles you’ve probably never heard before: Dream Manager and Chief Ministry Officer — and the impact those roles have had on retention and morale
• How they’ve embraced AI and the tech stack that fuels their sales and marketing machine
• Why fewer, higher-intent leads are now driving more sales
• Why “It’s all about relationships,” isn’t just a cliche— it’s the best advice Michael’s ever received.

If you’ve ever wondered how to scale with a winning culture, keep your sales team hungry but humble, and finally get marketing working for your reps, this one’s worth the listen.

Key Takeaways:

00:00 – Introduction

01:11 – Meet Michael

04:33 – Scaling from $20M to 300+ Employees

06:15 – Marketing is the Key to Contractor Growth

08:09 – Creating a Strong Sales Culture of “Humble Heroes”

13:11 – Recruiting Salespeople with Predictive Index

15:10 – 10-Step Sales Training Process Explained

18:20 – No Room for Bad Attitudes in Company Culture

20:03 – Managing Sales Culture Across Locations

27:05 – How a Profit First Mentality Allows Giving Back

29:30 – Dream Manager Program & Investing in Employees

35:58 – Using IT & Tech to Boost Marketing & Sales

38:49 – Why Michael Needs Less Leads

43:45 – Final Advice: It’s All About Relationships

👉 Subscribe to hear more stories, strategies, and secrets that top contractors use to grow their home improvement businesses and enjoy more success, wealth, and freedom.

Additional Resources:

⚡ Learn more about Discovery Day at The Wealthy Contractor Success Society: https://TheEntryDoor.info/

⚡ Learn more about The Profit Masters: https://www.TheProfitMasters.com/

⚡ Brian’s book, The 7 Secrets To Becoming A Wealthy Contractor, is now available. Visit https://www.TheWealthyContractor.com/ for a free copy (just pay shipping).

⚡ Follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWealthyContractor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheWealthyContractor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/TheWealthyContractor/