From Addiction and Cancer to Contractor Freedom: Joe Carfagno’s Story
In this episode of the Contractor Freedom Podcast, Jason W. Phillips sits down with Joe Carfagno of Carfagno Professional Painting to unpack how Joe went from addiction, cancer, relapse, and starting over to building a growing painting business with real systems, team culture, and purpose.
Joe shares how his company grew to 10 painters, 3 office team members, and $1.8M last year. He also talks about his recent best month ever, closing $265,000 in April and hitting two $95,000 weeks after attending F7 Boot Camp.
This conversation covers the personal and business side of Contractor Freedom: getting out of owner-operator chaos, learning your numbers, improving your sales process, leading your team, building company culture, and creating a business that supports faith, family, freedom, and purpose.
Takeaways:
- The Contractor Freedom Podcast aims to liberate small business owners from the constraints of contractor prison, enabling them to achieve personal fulfillment beyond their business pursuits.
- Jason Phillips, the host, emphasizes the importance of life skills, love, leadership, and business acumen for entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their operational efficiency and personal growth.
- Guests on the podcast, such as Joe Carfagno, share their transformative journeys from adversity to success, highlighting the resilience required to overcome significant life challenges and build thriving enterprises.
- The discussion underscores the critical role of coaching and community in fostering a supportive environment for contractors, illustrating how collaboration can lead to personal and professional development.
- Business growth is often accompanied by the necessity of adapting to new systems and practices, which may involve relinquishing control and embracing delegation for improved scalability.
- The podcast articulates that true freedom extends beyond financial gain, encompassing personal wellness, spiritual alignment, and the quality of relationships in one’s life.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Carfagnum Professional Painting
- Teen Challenge
- Morristown Medical Center
- Paintcon
- John Mitchell
Transcript
Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast.
Speaker A:I'm your host, Jason Phillips.
Speaker A:This show exists to help small business owners like you escape the tyranny of contractor prison and enter the bliss of Contractor Freedom so you can have the time, money and freedom to live your life with purpose beyond your business.
Speaker A:As a certified human behavior consultant in disc personality styles and motivators, I'll be sharing with you skills for life, love, leadership and business.
Speaker A:I'll also be connecting you with experts that can help you scale your business and your life.
Speaker A:So if you want to build the.
Speaker B:Business and life of your dreams, then.
Speaker A:You are in the right place.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker B:Welcome to the Contractor Freedom Podcast.
Speaker B:I'm your host, Jason.
Speaker B:Something interesting.
Speaker B:Almost every business owner has a unique story and it's amazing how many, how many times people have overcome significant adversity in their life and now they're running amazing businesses and doing wonderful work, building teams and doing great work in their community.
Speaker B:And you're.
Speaker B:And you're going to meet one of those guys right now.
Speaker B:I have Joe Carfagno.
Speaker B:Joe, tell us, tell us.
Speaker B:Who's Joe?
Speaker B:Tell us about your company and the season you're in right now.
Speaker C:So my company name is Carfagnum Professional Painting.
Speaker C:Right now we're growing.
Speaker C:Um, I have 10 painters, we have three people in our office and myself.
Speaker C:And then my wife is the office manager.
Speaker C:So we're, we're scaling as we, we're scaling, you know, year by year.
Speaker C:But it wasn't always this way.
Speaker B:Well, you know, you, you just had a pretty good month in April.
Speaker C:Yes, I have.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:How was April compared to last April?
Speaker C:Oh, so 100,000 more.
Speaker B:A hundred thousand more.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So we closed this month out at 265.
Speaker C:And that was my best month ever.
Speaker C:As a matter of fact, after we left our first F7 boot camp, which was last month, I came back.
Speaker C:The first week was a little, a little slow.
Speaker C:And then I hit a 95,000.
Speaker C:Two $95,000 weeks in a row.
Speaker C:And then this week we closed out at 60.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker C:So it's.
Speaker B:Yeah, that is, that is fantastic.
Speaker B:So Joe, today I think you guys did like 1.8 last year.
Speaker B:1.8 Million.
Speaker B:You and your fantastic, amazing wife Lucy.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:You guys have a really cool dynamic going, by the way.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker C:Couldn't do it without her.
Speaker B:You know, you, you've overcome some pretty amazing things in your life.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Would you, would you mind?
Speaker B:I mean, I mean, today you're running, you're running, you know, a two million dollar business okay.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:But it hasn't.
Speaker B:Like you said, it hadn't always been that way.
Speaker C:No, no.
Speaker B:Can you tell us a little bit about.
Speaker B:About you?
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker C:So I'm 57 today.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker C:Right now.
Speaker C:I didn't grow up until I was 50.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker C:I spent 25 years of my life or more, and drug addiction going in and out.
Speaker C:Just.
Speaker C:Just a horrible, vicious cycle.
Speaker C: got married my first wife in: Speaker C:But that, you know, addiction didn't seem to agree with that either.
Speaker C: rriage, you know, and then in: Speaker C:But I went to this place in New Jersey.
Speaker C:It's called Teen Challenge.
Speaker C:So it was a Christian rehab.
Speaker C:And I went through the program.
Speaker C:And 10 months into the program, I was having problems swallowing.
Speaker C:I couldn't hold food down.
Speaker C:And I went to the doctor and I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
Speaker C:And they were giving me six months to live without surgery.
Speaker C:So that was another blow, you know, And I was like, wow.
Speaker C:You know, so did a lot of praying, and I was up there.
Speaker C:And a friend of mine, mother was a nurse navigator up at Morristown Medical center in New Jersey.
Speaker C:So she was able to get me a good thoracic surgeon, a good oncologist.
Speaker C:And, you know, I went about 7, 8 months through chemo and the surgery and then recovery.
Speaker C:And then I was supposed to go back to finish what I started, you know, but I'm like, no, I'm not going back, you know, because I was on so many painkillers after that, I was hooked again.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker C:You know, so, you know, I thought, wow, you know, God cured me of cancer.
Speaker C:Now I'm going to get sober, you know.
Speaker C:Well, that wasn't the case, you know, I went back out, you know, and that happened after I had cancer about three or four times.
Speaker C:And then the last time I was by myself, I had left Teen Challenge, and I was living with this woman in Lebanon, like, five minutes from Teen Challenge.
Speaker C:And it was about a year and a half we were together, and I fell again, and she asked me to leave.
Speaker C:And I was in his hotel room for, like, 77 days.
Speaker C:I'll never forget it.
Speaker C:I was every day.
Speaker C:And I thought I was going to die.
Speaker C:I woke up one day and I'm like, I'm not going to make it.
Speaker C:So whatever money I had left, I had no insurance at that time.
Speaker C:I scraped it up and I checked into this detox.
Speaker C:And while I was in the detox or like, look, we have a rehab right next door.
Speaker C:You can go in that for 30 days.
Speaker C:So that cost me like 24 grand total between a book.
Speaker C:But I'm like, look, I have to get sober.
Speaker C:So I did that.
Speaker C:I was in Tom's river at the time.
Speaker C:And then I went to a sober house for a while and then I started doing really well.
Speaker C:And then the sober guy, the guy from the sober house made me the house manager.
Speaker C:So I was house manager there for a while.
Speaker C:Things were going really well.
Speaker C:And then God has blessed me with the most precious gift was my wife.
Speaker C:I met my wife.
Speaker B:She is precious.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And that was a game changer.
Speaker B:So, Joe, what, what a lot of people would, would have just quit.
Speaker B:What kept drawing you back to recovery?
Speaker C:I just was determined.
Speaker C:I, I knew I can get there, but I just, every time I fell, I just, I, I, I, I had to get back up, you know, and each time I got back up, I got a little further, a little further, a little further.
Speaker C:And even this time, like, I, I could tell you that without my wife, I wouldn't be where I am now, you know.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker C:And without, well, first and foremost, God.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:I, I attribute everything.
Speaker B:God and God's gift from God.
Speaker C:Exactly, Lucy.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So going through that has that, how, how has that, those, those tough times, how has that helped you in business?
Speaker C:Well, I just, I'm very persistent and I'm determined and I don't give up, you know.
Speaker C: e and another guy and I had a: Speaker C:And yeah, me and him were, I was, I was, I had to pick him up every day because he didn't have a license.
Speaker C:So I picked him up and we went to work and, and then I got another guy.
Speaker C:I started getting busier.
Speaker C:Then I hired Justin, who's now is my, my right hand guy.
Speaker C:And, and we just started growing and you know, I, I think I took it as far as I could myself about a year and a half, two years ago, where I just, I didn't know, like, you don't know what?
Speaker C:You don't know?
Speaker C:You know, like, I thought maybe doing 600,000 a year was good.
Speaker C:I'd be like, well, I'm living pretty good, you know, things are good.
Speaker C:But I just, I saw something different, you know, and I started hanging around with or getting involved with different groups online.
Speaker C:And then I met a guy, Joel.
Speaker C:And then we met Lucas from Paintcon.
Speaker C:Remember I saw you with the first.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker C:In San Diego.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Where we met.
Speaker C:And then once I started getting around groups of like minded people, I'm like, wow, there's no stopping me.
Speaker C:If they can do it, why can't I?
Speaker B:That's exactly right.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:If they can do it, why can't I?
Speaker C:And I just held on, you know, and, you know, pressing in with God, my wife and just doing the next right thing, you know.
Speaker C:And now we're at a point in the business where like, kind of like the gentleman we have from 605 said, like, it's, to me now it's about our company culture and keeping our guys and their families fed.
Speaker C:Like, you know, I have 10 guys and we want to make sure that they're busy year round.
Speaker C:Like, I, like, if there's a rain day and we have exterior work, I fight like heck to make sure they have somewhere to go that day.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:If not, they'll be in my house doing something.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:You know, I keep them working, you know, and that's.
Speaker C:It's been going really well.
Speaker B:So early on you were doing what, around 400k somewhere in there?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And you know, what, what was, what was the hardest part of that season?
Speaker C:Not knowing the right way to scale.
Speaker C:Like, just not knowing, thinking, like, you know, I, I was, I was the appointment setter.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:I was the estimator.
Speaker C:I did social media, I ran production, I did the painting.
Speaker C:I was doing everything and I was just.
Speaker C:And now I look at, if I had to, I could never do it.
Speaker C:I can never do it.
Speaker C:And then like, you know, from being in coaching, you know, places like with you, like seeing how you build a team and how your team does it, like, you know, now that we're gone for a few days and a lot of times, Lucy and I were away a lot of the year.
Speaker C:Well, you know, a lot of the year doing events and stuff like that, and my team runs smooth.
Speaker C:You know, Justin said to me, sometimes, you know, Joe, sometimes it runs better when you're not here.
Speaker B:I've never heard that because I don't know if that is that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Is that a compliment?
Speaker B:How should I take that.
Speaker C:Right, right, exactly.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:But in reality, that's great that they.
Speaker B:They're telling you, hey, we've got it.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:We've got it.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:Yeah, man, that's.
Speaker B:Congratulations.
Speaker B:I mean, you're.
Speaker B:You're in a.
Speaker B:You're in a sober house one day.
Speaker B:You started the business while you were there, right?
Speaker C:Yeah, I had all my ladders, and I. I said to the.
Speaker C:The.
Speaker C:The guy who owned the house at the time, I have, like, you know, 12 ladders.
Speaker C:I mean, can I put them in your backyard?
Speaker C:You know, he's like, okay.
Speaker C:And then I. I rented one of these storage facility units that put all my stuff in.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker C:You know, when I was operating, it was.
Speaker C:It was a lot.
Speaker B:You had every reason to be down and out.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:But instead you're like, I can do this.
Speaker C:I knew I can do it.
Speaker C:I mean, before.
Speaker C:Before opening up my own business, I worked with a painter who was horrible.
Speaker C:Like, you know, he had just a van.
Speaker C:Everything in the van was a mess.
Speaker C:He just ran his business horribly.
Speaker C:And I. I was with him for a little while, and I quit.
Speaker C:And then I went to work for this gentleman by the name of John Mitchell.
Speaker C:He has since passed.
Speaker C:But he had an amazing business.
Speaker C:He had, like, five trucks.
Speaker C:He had an office, which I couldn't believe.
Speaker C:He had a secretary, you know, And I used to see him come in.
Speaker C:He never came in.
Speaker C:And whites.
Speaker C:He's like, you know, he was golfing every day.
Speaker C:I'm gonna do what this guy's doing.
Speaker B:Oh, that's possible.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:I didn't know that was possible.
Speaker C:No, no, I never did, you know, and today I believe it.
Speaker C:Like, I know I can get this business better than what it is now.
Speaker C:And, you know, my time is short.
Speaker C:I'm 57, you know, so I don't have a lot of time like these young men have.
Speaker C:So in the next 10 years, I have to try to amp it up to where somebody was doing.
Speaker C:20.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And I'm going to do it.
Speaker B:So what's been, you know, one of the biggest leadership lessons you've learned in recent years or months?
Speaker C:Well, there's been.
Speaker C:There's been quite a few of them.
Speaker C:One is just company culture, like how you treat your men.
Speaker C:You know, we have our meetings at the office, and we're pounding in our company values.
Speaker C:We're teaching them how to get along with each other.
Speaker C:You get a room full of 10 painters, right.
Speaker C:I mean, we're not.
Speaker C:They're not at the top of the crop, you know, so it's Kind of tough to get everybody to get along, you know, And I think we're, we're not 100% there, but we're really close.
Speaker C:And just my numbers, I learned that from, you know, your numbers, you know, and this last week, Lucy and I met with our accountant and bookkeeper and Lucy got us on QuickBooks.
Speaker C:We got our numbers from last year, what we're doing this year and getting some clarity.
Speaker C:We got some really, Some clarity, yeah.
Speaker C:Matter of fact, it wasn't looking pretty till Lucy came in the room.
Speaker C:But she's like, what about all this other extra money you had come in from the business that wasn't, you know.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:And I showed him how to go.
Speaker C:Oh, well, you went from 10% net to 20 just like that.
Speaker C:So you're good.
Speaker B:Nice.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:So where, where in the business are you still running things the old school way?
Speaker C:So I would say that I still, I still don't have like Justin, my production manager, he's still about 30% doing work.
Speaker C:So he's not 100% in production.
Speaker C:So I'm still doing a little bit of that as well.
Speaker C:I'm still estimating.
Speaker C:I have an estimator now who was my appointment setter, but we trained him in estimating and he's doing great.
Speaker C:He's doing the F7.
Speaker C:We're having coaching once a week at the shop.
Speaker C:So just those different areas.
Speaker C:I don't think I'll ever take myself out of the business.
Speaker C:I'll always be in the office.
Speaker C:I'll always do stuff and oversee things.
Speaker C:But I think now I can take more of a 10,000 foot view over the business and see what needs fixing, what needs tweaking.
Speaker C:And like my wife now, she goes in the office every day and she has a meeting with the, with Mike, with Alanis, you know, just, just a little ten minute huddle, you know, what's going on for today.
Speaker C:And I want everybody in the office kind of be like a hybrid so if somebody needs help, they can pull away and help each other.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:And that's, that's for the season we're in now.
Speaker C:When we get bigger, it'll be a different.
Speaker B:Be different.
Speaker C:Different what, what do you like as.
Speaker B:You guys, you guys are definitely growing now.
Speaker B:What do you feel like is stretching or breaking right now?
Speaker C:Besides me?
Speaker B:That's a good one.
Speaker C:I just think that I need more people.
Speaker C:So I think I'm pushing my guys to the limit.
Speaker C:You know, I'm pushing them to the limit.
Speaker C:I need more people and that's tough to come By.
Speaker C:Yeah, but you guys gave me some really good solutions the other day.
Speaker C:Lucy, she's fluent in Spanish or she's making up some, some, would you call them flyers and she's going to post them in some of the restaurants and like Spanish stores, you know, so we can get some people and I think that's going to help.
Speaker C:We're going to get on the drip.
Speaker C:Jobs chat.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Nice.
Speaker C:You know, so I think just, just getting my team better organized, you know, and, and filling in some of the gaps.
Speaker C:Yeah, that would be a filling in gaps where I need to be filled and just, I need to keep an eye on the leads, making sure that those leads are always coming in because, you know, without leads.
Speaker C:That's right.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker C:That's the foundation.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:Like our foundation is leads and appointment setting.
Speaker C:Once, once those leads are on the board and what you taught us at the F7 is I want, when they, when they make an appointment, I want to be put on that 50 yard line.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:I don't want to start from the 10.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:I have to work my way over.
Speaker C:I want to start on the 50 and if I'm there, I can get down to the.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:Oh, man, I love it.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:So, you know, you're, you're, you're, you're pretty new to the contractor Freedom.
Speaker C:Yes, we are.
Speaker B:Community.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:Love it.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:What's been the, what's been one of the biggest breakthroughs or values that you've gotten from.
Speaker C:There's been so many, but I could tell you that the number one thing.
Speaker C:Well, I can tell you two, one is the sales.
Speaker C:Like now when I go on our sales appointments, right.
Speaker C:I have that backpack with our name on it.
Speaker C:I have it filled with Joe's chew toys, you know, the different things.
Speaker C:I have a pack out kit, you know, so when I go on the estimate, you know, I give him the focus script, you know, and I, I have my backpack.
Speaker C:I'm like, can I put this by your kitchen table?
Speaker C:Because that's where we're going to sit down.
Speaker B:Beautiful.
Speaker C:And get there.
Speaker C:Beautiful.
Speaker C:And that's, I mean that's been a game changer.
Speaker B:Beautiful.
Speaker C:You know, and then secondly, the, the second most important thing is just knowing our numbers and I'm not 100% there yet.
Speaker C:Like we have to get, like you have TVs all around your office.
Speaker C:I, I'm not there yet.
Speaker C:We have whiteboards.
Speaker C:So I have everything written down.
Speaker C:Like our leads, our appointments Our sales.
Speaker C:So when I come in, I could look at that board and I could see it.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:This is what.
Speaker C:This is where we.
Speaker C:We're at on Wednesday.
Speaker C:We have to be here by Friday.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:You've got.
Speaker B:You've got those boards up.
Speaker B:You've got.
Speaker B:They may be manual, but you've got them.
Speaker C:They got them.
Speaker B:You've got them.
Speaker B:Yeah, you've got them.
Speaker B:You've got them.
Speaker B:So, you know what.
Speaker B:What made you decide to actually take the leap and join the.
Speaker B:The Contractor Freedom coaching program?
Speaker C:Well, Jason, I. I met you quite a few times.
Speaker C:We've been to two paint cons together.
Speaker C:That's right.
Speaker C:We were at two of the PCA expos.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:You know, and I just.
Speaker C:You have something that I want.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Like when we walked into your office and seen how organized that was and how you run things and how efficient they are, that's what our.
Speaker C:That's what our hopes are.
Speaker B:You want to build a freedom machine.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:That's what you're doing.
Speaker C:And, you know, freedom for me is just being able to do what we want when we want to, and not to an extravagant length.
Speaker C:I mean, just being free, you know, and for me, helping our team grow.
Speaker C:Like, you know, last time we sat and had a meeting, I said to the guys, the guys that are around this table now, I want to see ten years from now.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Like, I don't want you guys to have to get another job.
Speaker C:You stay here, you retire.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:And that's it.
Speaker B:Has.
Speaker B:Has.
Speaker B:Has.
Speaker B:Has the.
Speaker B:Has the coaching program helped you see something in a different way that you didn't see before?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Working on me.
Speaker C:Because if I don't work on me and if I'm not a good leader, I'm not going to be able to lead anybody else.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:You know, that's good.
Speaker C:And when I say work on me, there's.
Speaker C:There's a lot of different components to that.
Speaker C:Like.
Speaker C:Like my marriage.
Speaker C:If our marriage and Lucy and I are not getting along at home, that's going to show in the business.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:If I'm not get.
Speaker C:If I'm not spiritually sound and connected with God, that's going to shut business.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker C:If I'm not fit, if I'm not working out, if I'm not in shape, that's going to show.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:So if I have all those things in order, the business is going to do good.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker B:That's Good, man.
Speaker B:That's good.
Speaker B:That is.
Speaker B:That is good.
Speaker B:So in the past, where were you relying on maybe hustle instead of systems and teams?
Speaker C:Up until three years ago, that's all I relied on.
Speaker C:Just the power of Joe.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:And it wore me out.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker C:You know, wore me out, you know, and that's.
Speaker C:I think that's why I had so many relapses, you know, and just the stress.
Speaker C:Yeah, just the stress, you know, and.
Speaker C:And this.
Speaker C:And the limited self, the limited beliefs that I had, you know, because of being where I was for all those years, Like.
Speaker C:Like to this day, like, sometimes I feel like I don't deserve what I have, you know, And I squash them down.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:You know, like, I just have a pattern interrupt and I just squash it, you know?
Speaker B:Good.
Speaker B:What's been the most challenging truth that you've had to face as a business owner?
Speaker C:Well, the fact that I'm my age and kind of just ramping up now.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker B:It's easy to look at all the young guys.
Speaker C:That's hard.
Speaker C:That's a hard pill to swallow, you know, But I'm not going to let that stop me.
Speaker C:Well, you.
Speaker B:I mean, it's not stopping you.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And, gosh, your history says it ain't going to stop you.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker C:Amen.
Speaker B:So, you know, the.
Speaker B:There's.
Speaker B:There's.
Speaker B:There's.
Speaker B:Although there's a lot of young guys in industry, and we're the older guys.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker B:There's still a lot of older guys in this industry.
Speaker B:They're stuck.
Speaker B:Yeah, they're stuck.
Speaker B:What would you say to them?
Speaker C:So, as our friend from 605 said, I'll get biblical on this one, and I'll have a quote from Corinthians 5, 17.
Speaker C:It's therefore, if anyone's in Christ, he's a new creation.
Speaker C:The old is gone.
Speaker B:Oh, that's good.
Speaker C:And the new has come.
Speaker C:And I'm new, baby.
Speaker C:And I'm.
Speaker B:Oh, man, I love it.
Speaker B:Oh, I love it.
Speaker B:That's great.
Speaker B:That is great.
Speaker B:That is.
Speaker B:That is great.
Speaker B:So, you know what?
Speaker B:When you think of the word freedom, maybe a few years ago, what it meant to you, has it changed what that means to you now?
Speaker C:Oh, most definitely.
Speaker C:Like, freedom before was just about money, you know, And.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:And money to me now is just a tool.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:Money is a tool.
Speaker C:Money.
Speaker C:Money is not happiness.
Speaker C:Money is nothing.
Speaker C:Money is a tool to get me where I need to be.
Speaker C:You know, happiness comes from my heart, from my Home from God, from helping others.
Speaker C:You know, that's what freedom is to me now, man.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:Any advice to other contractors out there that maybe, maybe they've.
Speaker B:Maybe they've been caught in a vicious cycle like you mentioned?
Speaker C:I would say first is, you know, get right with God.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:Get right with God.
Speaker B:How do you do that?
Speaker C:You know, through prayer.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Join the church group.
Speaker C:You know, read the Bible.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker C:You know, do something you're uncomfortable with.
Speaker C:You know, you got to start being comfortable being uncomfortable.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:You know, and, and get a coach.
Speaker C:I mean, coaching has helped me.
Speaker C:I couldn't imagine my life without being with a coach now, especially in this group here, like being around like minded people who have the same ideas, the same values as we do and, and we help each other, you know, instead of trying to pull people down.
Speaker C:I, I see a lot of painters in, in my county, in my area, that they won't even give me the time of day.
Speaker C:Like when I walk into the paint store, they kind of just kind of look the other way, you know, like.
Speaker B:It's all about competition.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker C:But there's a few good painters down there that we collaborate with, and that's what we try to do.
Speaker C:It's like there's so much work out there.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker C:There's enough for everybody.
Speaker B:There's enough for everybody.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:Joe, your story is inspiring.
Speaker C:Well, thank you.
Speaker B:I'm proud to know you.
Speaker C:Well, I'm proud to be here.
Speaker B:Contractors.
Speaker B:If Joe can do it, if I can do it, you can do it too.
Speaker B:Do something like Joe said, do something uncomfortable.
Speaker B:And if you're, if you're.
Speaker B:If you're up in your 40s or 50s and you feel like all the young guys got it, think about Joe.
Speaker B:Look at what he's doing right now.
Speaker B:He just had his best month ever.
Speaker B:He's 57 years old.
Speaker B:He's on.
Speaker B:He's overcome addiction multiple times.
Speaker C:Cancer.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:And what, what an inspirational story your best days can be yet ahead as well.
Speaker B:And I want to invite you into the contractor freedom community.
Speaker B:Join us.
Speaker B:You'll meet.
Speaker B:You'll meet people like Joe and others that are on this journey building a freedom machine so that, so that they can live with greater freedom, purpose, and impact instead of just living to serve their business.
Speaker B:And you can make a big difference in this world if you'll run your business right.
Speaker B:So God bless you.
Speaker B:We'll talk to you next time.
Speaker A:If today's episode helped you, don't.
Speaker A:Don't do this journey alone.
Speaker A:Join thousands of other contractors inside the Contractor freedom community@contractorfreedomlive.com and start building the business, the team, and the life you really want.
Speaker A:We'll see you next time.
