This Week on Contractors Compass:

Quick Tips: Learn how to spot hidden land traps, optimize your website for leads, and streamline follow-ups with automation.

Article: How my team hit record highs while I was stuck on a feeding tube—and what you can do to foster loyalty and motivation within yours.

Coming Soon: A brand new Skool Community for Contractors.

Quick Tips:

• Weekly Check-Ins Are Non-Negotiable: Keep everyone aligned and accountable with consistent, focused team meetings—even if it’s in a less-than-ideal location.

• Trust Breeds Action: Delegate tasks and let your team take ownership. They’ll surprise you with how much they step up when they feel trusted.

• Celebrate Every Win: From big milestones to small victories, acknowledging success keeps your team motivated and loyal.

The Power of Teamwork:

A few years ago, my body gave out on me.

I was stuck on a feeding tube, relegated to the in-law suite in our house because I couldn’t manage the stairs.

I should have been out of commission, but my team?

They had other plans.

I had acute pancreatitis, from years of abusing my body with toxic foods, far too much alcohol, and over 30yrs in construction.

I was stuck on a feeding tube that tied in through a hole in my abdomen straight into my intestines to bypass my stomach.

Held hostage in the in-law suite in our house because I couldn’t manage the stairs.

It was a real low point of life for me, I went from 245lbs down to 145lbs, suffered deep depression, and had nurse care coming to the house every week.

I should have been out of commission. My team had other plans.

While I was physically down, they were stepping up.

Realtors, project managers, superintendents, and my wife running admin like a seasoned quarterback.

They all took ownership.

We turned that in-law suite into a war room, holding weekly meetings in the living area while I was hooked to that feeding tube.

They’d bring me updates, solutions, and even a few jokes when I needed them most.

There were very few items I had to help with, so I think they came to the meetings just to see me, check on Tara, and mostly to humor me.

Despite the odds, we broke through to a record 8-figure year in new builds.

That success wasn’t about one person pulling the strings. It was about a team united by a purpose.

Everyone knew their role and trusted each other to deliver.

Systems and People.

The systems we had in place along with the team we had put together over the previous years was the glue that held it all together.

Motivated teams outperform not because of some magic formula but because they feel invested.

When a team feels ownership, they don’t wait for orders → they act.

They adapt.
They win.

Your Turn

5 ideas you can use right now to motivate your team:

1. Empower Your People: Give team members ownership over their tasks and decisions. People rise to the occasion when they feel trusted.

2. Build Trust: Weekly check-ins like ours created a space for accountability and transparency. Even from a makeshift office in my in-law suite, trust flourished.

3. Celebrate Wins (Big or Small): Recognize efforts in real time. A simple “thank you” or an acknowledgment during a meeting can go a long way.

4. Lead by Example: If you expect your team to show up 110%, you have to show up for them, even if it’s from the confines of a hospital bed. Leadership isn’t always about being on the front lines—it’s about being present.

5. Make it Personal: People don’t just work for money; they work for connection. Know your team’s strengths, challenges, and even a little about their lives. You’d be amazed how much more people will give when they feel seen.