Taking Over and Leading With Discipline | Cole Nelson, Maverick Construction #083

Hey everyone, it's Karissa from Shining Light on Minnesota. I'm super excited. I have Cole Nelson here today. Welcome. Yeah, thanks for having me. Really appreciate it. Looking forward to the conversation. Yeah. So, let's get started and tell everybody a little bit about how you got into your role and what brought you there. Yeah. So, I uh Cole Nelson, I grew up southeastern Minnesota. Um I started on the corporate journey. So, I actually worked for um some school districts, heavily in the construction, oversaw um all the construction in Rochester public schools down in our neck of the woods, 32 buildings, got to build new buildings, a lot of cool experiences. I then moved up to Northfield and I was the director of buildings and grounds up there. So, got to take a little bit different role. Um it was very uh you know, a lot of different things to manage. From there, I just kind of I call it my 30-year midlife crisis. So, um so we hit that. Um I went out on my own, started doing construction and uh from there it kind of evolved. Um we started Maverick uh that was a known brand in the cities. We took over that brand and then got that started in 2024 and then at the same time I started Legacy Skis which we make um water skis for professional athletes and then we also started our podcast ourselves here about over a year ago. So meant a lot of things here crammed in the last three years in particular. What's your podcast called? Um, so our podcast is the American Dream Podcast. Um, I do it with Blake Waters. Um, he was a colleague of mine. Um, we basically just started, you know, bouncing ideas off each other and before you know it, we'd be like sitting down in his office at, you know, midnight and we'd just be like chatting about business. It's like we just got to start, you know, recording this. Yeah, we got to start doing that. Um, I heard Gary Vee speak at a conference. Um, I was actually in the airport when I texted Blake. I said, "We just got to do this confus. Like, we just got to do And two weeks later, we were filming our first one and amazing rest is kind of I know a lot of people always say, you know, if you do the podcast and you make it past the first month and the first couple months and it kind of just keeps rolling with you, everything works out. But seems to be one more thing, but everybody likes it. It's catching on. It's kind of one of those things people want to hear people's story and that's the biggest thing about it. Yeah, absolutely. And it definitely has been something where it definitely there's hard times where it's like a we got to, you know, set up and we got and do that, but it it really does pay off and it's not that instant gratification. And it's really cool when you hear the impacts that you have with guests. That's been the biggest thing for us getting people that won't necessarily get in front of a camera or speak. Um, that could be very difficult for people. And that's been the biggest impact for us is it's like you hear those stories of like, hey, they'll text you two weeks later like, "Hey, I really appreciate you doing that." That was just like kind of the the tip of getting me the turning point to get me out of my comfort zone to do this. And we do a ton of social media um for our brands as well. So speaking on camera, turning the phone around, all that kind of stuff. And then people continue to see that and follow that. And it's just fun to see that. It's one of those they kind of mimic your footsteps, too. I mean, I know when I do it, obviously you always have the critiquers. Everybody's like, "Oh, you say this or you do I'm like, but I'm the one on the camera. I'm the one doing it. You're not. But it's it's the instant gratification, but it's the organic growth, too. I mean, it's a little bit of both. You know, it's me, my intentionality for getting to know people on a deeper level, too, cuz you're in front of people all day long, and it's like people know of me, they know a little bit about me, but I want to know about you. I want to know your story. So, let's let's hear that, and let's share that. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think that's that's you know that's how we started to do as well. Just building those relationships on a deeper level um to actually truly understand what that person does, you know, not necessarily that we have to do business with each other right away, but you just never know what you know listening. You just it's kind of one of those things. I'll help you out and I just want to see you grow and we all win together. Exactly. There's plenty of plenty of things to do out there in the world. Plenty of opportunities on all the different levels. Exactly. No, for sure. So, so who have been some of your mentors along the way that have really made a difference in your life? Um, so I would say along the way, um, my my my dad has been the biggest thing. He was a contractor for 40 years. Um, he did his own thing, was very in the field. He ran, he was a oneman show. Um, and that's why I took the corporate path right away. I just saw him and he's like, "Oh, you never want to swing a hammer like me for the next 40 years." And in my head, contracting was associated with that. I always loved it. I'd build stuff. I was on the job site. Um, and so that's kind of what got me away from it to start with, but now what's really, you know, brought me back and just kind of brought me a whole new um, level of understanding from the entrepreneurial spirit and world and all those things. So he he's definitely been the biggest one, biggest supporter, um, you know, through all of it. Um, for sure. So um, between that also uh, Lance Bachmann and the whole LB Capital team um, they're been huge. Started going to their conferences, went to a few of their mastermind groups. They are an extremely downtoearth. I've made some just really great connections through them was on his podcast and then from there just like created a thing. So that's been really great to continue to keep up with with that group. Um and again they they're a much much bigger business and myself but you would never know when you're in the room with them. They're very straightforward. You can talk to his whole entire um seuite team and they're they're amazing. So and those are the kind of people that you need in your circle. Sometimes when you associate your people or yourself with other people you bring yourself to that level, right? And then it's like, okay, now let's get the circle a little bit stretched out a little bit more so I can see how far we can actually go and what we can do. Yeah. And that was by far the biggest realization I had. I grew up in a town of uh, you know, it's Mazeppa, Minnesota. There's like 800 people there, right? So like people for the dirt bikes and they know it for, you know, racing and whatever else, but Exactly. And and so, you know, the world was pretty small or, you know, I thought it was big, but you don't really understand that. And as soon as I started going to these conferences, going to these masterminds, it was like a complete takeback of like, holy buckets, this is like a big world. There's a lot of opportunity out there. Um, you just have to be around those types of people. I've been around, you know, people and it's nothing uh illwilled against them, but it's just different. And uh so that really opened my mind to those being in those rooms, understanding those conversations and really the intentionality behind being a true operator in business besides just being just, you know, the guy that knows the trade. Hat, you know, and that's how I, you know, started Maverick. Like, yes, I was out there putting siding on. I've shingled roofs. I've installed gutters, windows, the whole nine. Um, which I'm thankful for. I'm glad to have those skills. You learn the process on the way up. That way you can if you can figure out everybody else's role, too. Right. Yeah. Exactly. And so so very thankful for that. But it's really my passion now is in that just like operator status. How can we do things processes um getting all that stuff you know dialed in so that you know there's other opportunities for salespeople for project managers for carpenters um and all the other roles that it takes to make the the business you know a true unit. Yes. Absolutely. And I mean the other side of that too is once you get those processes set if you want to replicate and say hey I want to open up a place in Canon Falls or I want to go a little further north. Let's go in of heights. Yep. You already have the core set. So you can just double it up and kind of keep popping around where you need to. As long as you don't go too fast. Yeah. Yeah. Too fast. That's always a key. Yeah. Too fast. But and that's where we've spent a ton of time. You know, last year it was just uh two of us. Well, three of us at this point in time and uh you know for the whole entire business. And so we spent a ton of time on the front end. many many evenings building a you know a CRM that was completely robust way overbuilt for like what we actually needed at that time knowing that now I can just insert more people into that ecosystem to make it continue to grow and so that that's been a huge thing for us that we're starting to realize and actually see this year it's like okay yes that's why I did spend all those you know times because we're adding salespeople um we're adding office staff we're adding uh managers and it's all able to be inserted in because of those you know core processes that we set up and and that infrastructure. So that's been well a lot of times people say too like you always want to work smarter not harder but at the same time you have to work hard in the beginning to get it to all flow so you can work smarter down the road and just be like okay this process is set here's the CRM so the people we hire here for their roles can just do what they need to do without all the micromanaging too yes exactly you can feel confident that they can be successful in those roles and we actually we're just bringing in a salesman now um from a very large um storm restoration group um and just the his feedback to us on the processes that we have in comparison to them. They're doing, you know, eight, nine figures. Yes. You know, we're not we're, you know, way smaller than that, you know, in the seven. We're getting there. Yeah. But it was just very uh it was definitely a light bulb that went on hearing his feedback of, hey, this stuff that you have is like way more sophisticated than than we've ever had. You know, there was no processes. It was just kind of, you know, two different CRM. you get around this off a laptop and then you had to do this work over here in your iPad and then um and all those types of things. So that's really where it's again where we're starting to see those fruits amazing, you know, continue to grow. So So what do you think have been some of the biggest obstacles getting to where you are today? Oh boy, where do you begin? Or where's one? What is one? Yeah. Yeah. Where do you begin? Um you learn from them though for you you learn from them and that's that's what I've truly you know right away it was a stressful of you know making sure you got it right the first time or or kind of that fear of failure mentality and you know I would say the biggest thing is just trusting the process and that you know you're you're continuing to do the right things for long enough the good things will follow and that's been I would say probably the hardest one um you know you see especially with social media now you can turn on and you see all the success and it's like everything is perfect right that's all people share but yes yep and so like in your head, especially when you're just starting a business, that's what you see and that's what you think, oh well, these people are doing it. Why can't I? It's like either a they're not sharing their whole story or b they're established and they've been doing this for a long time. Um, and it just doesn't thing. So, I would say that was definitely the the the hardest one is just to again be patient. Um, you know, again with kind of how we structure the business, social media, we do a lot of organic, so it's not again overnight. We're starting to see those fruits. It's been a year of posting, not every day, but pretty dang close, just organically. Um, and it gets to be a ton doing the podcast and and really reaching out um, you know, that way. So, I would say that's definitely in one of the failures that you see from people. They they get into this, it's a a light switch and they see your success and it's like, "Oh, yeah, that was easy." Seven episodes later, they're done. Or like, "I'm not posting anymore." It's just too much work. It's always too much because it is there's a lot of behind the scenes that people don't see and don't know. originally doing the podcast by myself, trying to get everything done and doing the editing and doing you do all the socials, you do all the things, and it's like, all right, I need to take a step back and just figure out an easier way to do this, smarter way to do this, but yeah, it all it all comes together. Yes. Yeah. And that's that's definitely the piece that again now we're seeing now and it's really starting to pay off um you know, for us and just continuing to to do the right things. But there's a lot of other you know, lessons you learn along the way for sure. But um I would say that's definitely the biggest and and honestly just not being you know afraid to to try something. My other business being in the ski business, Legacy skis um we took on a we're making water skis that have been made and it's a completely I never would have guessed it I' been in the water ski business like it's way oneoff um long story how we got involved with that but it was one of those like we had the opportunity was like well yeah why not let's just give it a shot and and just give it a try. So there's just a lot of that that you know just kind of believing in yourself and betting on yourself at the end of the day. So take on one more thing and let's try it. And you never know that could be the thing that could put you over to the next, you know? Yep. And there's just opportunities again. There's a whole another networking group that kind of feeds the whole ecosystem, right? People start to follow you as a brand, that personal brand that um people start to to follow and understand. And you know, again, you know, I met actually another guy. Um, we had a show for Legacy Skis. Um, and he was the mascot for the Spurs. He was the, um, he was the Coyote and like he's wrote a book, has an amazing story. Um, and you know, we're starting to do business together. And so, again, never would have guessed that opportunity would ever been there. And, and just that another connection, you know, that I never would have had if it wasn't taking that on, right? And people don't understand the other side of it, too. I mean, when you're doing the things like the other side ones, it all kind of comes together cuz you're all you're all one. You're all a person. You still have work to be done, still things that need to be done. In southern Minnesota, there are water ski shows and there is a lot of skiing. There are a lot of lakes and a lot of rivers and all the all the other stuff that people are always looking for them. So, they need those local resources that they don't always have either. Yep. Yep. And right down the road, Lake City is the birthplace of water skiing. And we've been involved in a lot of their local events and um their chamber of commerce is great and been a great partner for just kind of promoting skiing across, you know, you know, bringing people in from all over the country. So, what would be something that you would tell our viewers that they don't know or understand about having a business and getting out to where they need to be? Um, I would say, um, you know, getting out to where you need to be. I would I would say making sure that you're on the social media. That's the most powerful thing and not getting in buried in the ads and the and the um you know the actual um getting on with a marketing agency. That that I think is a huge misnomer misnomer out there. No offense to any marketing agencies out there. There is a time and a place that you need to be um to do that. Um but as a you know right out of the gates that's one of the last things that I would do. Um just get on that organic social media. the power of just turning that camera around, telling your story. Yeah. What you're doing, good, bad, you know, the hard days, good days, problems that you have. Every business, people want to hear hear the losses because they want they're going through the same things. That's how they learn. That's how they understand. Yes. What's on the internet and social media isn't always accurate, but you get a feel for who they are and what they did and how they did it. You know, you get you get the background of it. Yes. And that authenticity is what people just really really, you know, are looking for. So, I think that's definitely the the biggest one. And again, just kind of going through that, understanding it. I've fallen into the traps of the social media of like, "Oh man, I should be doing this." Or or you catch yourself looking at your competitor of like, "Oh, you're trying to keep up with them." And it's really it's just you versus you at the end of the day. Like, you have to be disciplined for yourself and making sure that you're taking on, you know, those things and doing it for the right reasons at the end of the day. And uh and again, they just want to hear your failures because there are failures in businesses. We make mistakes on, you know, different projects. the same mistake over and over and over again, then you'll be all right. Yeah, exactly. And just take care of the customer at the end of the day. Like you have to do the right thing for the customer. Um that is in my opinion the secret sauce. Like people have run into that issue where, you know, a window got put in wrong or the siding is falling off in this area or got, you know, something got screwed up with it. We It's no questions asked. If it's wrong, it's wrong. And just go take care of it. Yes. You take a loss at that point in time, but senior to sales like let's let's figure this out. Yes. Yep. and and taking care of your customers. We we're huge on just taking care of your current customers. So many people are so focused on, you know, how can we get more customers and and how can we do that? You know, you really have to leverage the current customers that you have, take care of them. Um we just implement the new system, refer pro. So just kind of making sure that we're leveraging um and just utilizing, you know, we do good work. Why wouldn't we ask our customers, our current customers to refer someone so they can have that same experience? That is a huge part of just taking care of their current customers and and everyone again chases that new customer and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. It's just like, you know, that's a dangerous game. You get into Google SEO and all these other things, it gets very expensive and you'll find yourself upside down extremely quick if you're not ready for that. Once you have the team set in place to follow up and do all the customer stuff and you have people doing their lanes for the SEO, that's great. As long as you have everything set and you're big enough to do it, don't jump in too fast, too hard, right? Yep. Exactly. And that's we've definitely learned that because there's a ton of follow-up that needs to happen and it's very robust system that needs to happen for that to work. Um I've I've heard the same feedback with like an Angie leads, right? You know, again, the people that I believe it does work. It will not work for me at this current stage. Um we we turn it on for a little bit and I just knew that we weren't set up for that kind of robust follow because it is it is crazy. And I think that's another misnomer that gets put out there a lot um in all these kind of um fan words if you will of you know SEO or have to be on these different things. Yep. I mean it's interesting in the social media world too. I mean I'm on I'm on it a lot. I do a lot of it when you post when you're leaving somewhere whatever you're doing post and ghost just be done to the next. And then you get those people that really follow along and you see them in person and you're like how are you? They're like oh good. How was I'm like how did you know that I did this and we were doing that? I'm like, it's great that people follow along. Even when you don't think that they are, whether it's the good or the bad, people will critique. They'll say things, but they're still watching, still noticing, they're still seeing you. So, any way that you can get out there, but you have to be yourself. And that's the biggest thing. You don't want to get on there and compare yourself to others. And if there's a company that's doing a really cool job, let's say they're putting on siding or they're making some cool water skis, don't get on and post the exact same thing that they did the very next day. Be yourself, be original, and make your own name. I think that's a big thing, too. Oh, 100%. And there is, you know, I think just kind of cutting out the noise for some of that stuff. I mean, it's it's great. We've been thankful to have a lot of like really good feedback, you know, people that reach out and and that's always the the kind of interesting part. You know, sometimes when you post something, you might only get a couple likes or whatever. And you don't really think like, ah, it just doesn't work. And like now after we've done it for, you know, over a year now, there's people that have reached out that I've never seen comment on anything. I haven't had any contact with in the last 3 years. send me a message out of the blue and be like, "Hey, you know, I really appreciate what you're doing. Um, I think your story is wonderful. I hope just keep killing it. Keep doing what you're doing." And it's just like those are the little pieces um that you might not get all the time when you don't need it or when you need it too. It's like, "Okay, I'm I'm really struggling on this job. I don't get it." And then all a sudden someone random will come out of the blue and be like, "Hey, you know, you're doing great. Keep keep doing what you're doing." I'm like, "Oh, where'd you come from? All right. All right. Let's do this." Yeah, that was the thing. I had one, you know, yes or last night actually that that they messaged me and it's just again it's kind of that little refuel that you need that I didn't even know that you were watching and you know it's just great that people are doing that. So I think that's you know you just have to trust the process at the end of the day with with a social media and being yourself people. Absolutely. Organic be you. Um that that's key. Don't try to be some perfect uh model on on it and and just kind of go with it. Yeah. I mean, I think it's one thing that's makes a lot of businesses stand out and a lot of people stand out is when they're there themselves and they don't try to replicate and be somebody else. I'm like, you know what, at the end of the day, I'm me and I'm going to be on there and if you don't like the way I said something or I say like a lot or absolutely a lot, that's me. You know, I'm doing it. It is what it is. Nope. Absolutely. What do you think's next for you? What is next? So, that's definitely been something um that's changed. Again, if you ask, three years ago, I was in the corporate world. ble to kind of climb that ladder and I was like, "Ah, I made it, right?" Like, "I did it and I made it and this is what I've always kind of like wanted or thought that I wanted and and but there was really nowhere left to go, right?" Um, so that's a cap. You're like capped there and like, "Okay, now what?" Yeah. Yeah. Now what? And so, you know, again, switching gears now, you know, it's pretty much unlimited what you can do. It's really up to you. So, um, you know, podcast, we're want to continue to do that. um continue to have guests, you know, all over, share people's stories, be supportive of their stories, do everything that we can to, you know, give other people that same opportunity. Um, you know, Maverick has continued to grow and we're really building that true brand, which I think is more important than ever, um, with AI and all these other, you know, buzzwords and and and just kind of the industry and market that we're in specifically. And so, you know, that we want to continue to grow. Um, we want to continue to serve, you know, all the homeowners. I think we do a a very good job about being different. Um, actual adding value to homeowners that most other people would not or have not done in the previous or they don't see. Um, so we're really trying to, you know, build that full customer experience. And then likewise bringing people in that fit. um just our culture because culture I think in an environment you know everyone's had some job whether it was you know right out of high school in high school that they didn't necessarily like or it was bad culture so everyone's experienced that so trul truly trying to um bring that culture to the workplace be able to give people freedom give opportunity that they might not have thought possible um and so just kind of creating those you know bring those dreams to life for everyone else in the in the ecosystem um so really trying to you know continue to build grow that business and and uh you know straight true to what we're doing. I think one thing that's important when you get into like having people bringing people on board sometimes they think hey you know I want to get out there and I want to side or hey I want to get out there and I want to do sheetrock or whatever they want to do and that might not be their lane. Maybe hey you get in there and they're like really great at social media but they're also good at framing. Like let's put you in the lane where you said but that might not be where you're going to end up. We're still a company. Let's mold you into where you actually should be and what we see you doing. Yeah. Yep. And I think another, you know, uh, benefit that I never would have ever imagined with just being organic on social media and really just being transparent is people will, you get employees from this on the on the backside because employees are able to understand how you are as a person and they get that true experience because they can watch that whole You're very human. You make mistakes, you do things, you you are who you say you are and you're going to follow through. As long as you say something and you do it, that's what counts. Yeah. Exactly. and and that's been a huge benefit for us because we've been very fortunate on everyone that we've brought on um to the company and the business and they've really molded well into the culture and and have wanted to actually work for us. They see what we were doing. They see the social medias, they believe in that and so I'm just extremely thankful for, you know, that opportunity to be able to give those um you know to the employees that we have. And that's really that's been one of almost debatably better than the the customers and the business we've grown is just the people we've been able to bring in um because of you know kind of what we've created with that with that true brand and the culture. So um yeah looking forward to continue to build grow that um and share share our story. Well being able to see their successes like hey they got their first car or hey you know I'm feeding their kids and their families and all those other people too. That's a stress in itself knowing, hey, I have all these moles to feed. But at the same time, it's amazing when you can go out there and say, hey, my employee bought their first house or they got their dream car that they've always wanted. Those little things that like get you through the day, too. Yeah. And just creating that, you know, pathway. This year, our our big thing was our word for the year was discipline. Yes. And so we created a full We tried two last year and it just got kind of lost in the sauce. But this year we created a budget for, you know, all of our sales, all of our um things like true something that we live by. every week and then we backtrack it for the month. Where did we end up and do that and you know as a smaller business that's not always like the key focus but I think the biggest thing for that is understanding what is possible because you put some of those numbers up on the wall and you're like how are we going to do that here's the big goal the 10x goal let's try to do this okay but it's January and we're going up against what we had last year which was a huge boom in the housing market you know whatever it may be Yep. Yeah, exactly. And then just, you know, generally speaking, we do exteriors. So, it's like, you know, it's January. How are we going to go sell a roof or gutters or siding? And then, um, it's been great this year. We've we've been very thankful to hit every single goal and be pretty significantly and above. And it just kind of it's like, wow, this is possible. Like, we actually can do this. It's Februarying and we have, you know, 40, 50 leads coming in. we have, you know, we're closing these jobs and that we're hitting the sales targets and and that I think has been the most powerful like putting those goals out there, making sure the entire team is on board with it. They understand the goals and they're all bought in and then being able to successfully hit them just is very for sure. I mean, yes, you can have the leads, you can have the goals, and you can have everything, but to be able to execute is the biggest thing. Like, we've got the flow coming in now. Let's make all this happen. It's January. How are we going to do all this stuff? We're going to make it work. We'll figure it out. You got the processes set for it. Yep. Yep. So, definitely been been cool there. Yeah. So, outside of work, you've got a family. You've got some things going on there, too. Tell everybody a little bit about what you like to do outside of work. Yeah. So, um I'm married to my wife, Christie. We've been together now or married for just over eight years. We're blessed with three beautiful children. It's a very busy time. They are 5, three, and and one. Um and so it's like I said, it's very busy. So, my wife is a teacher. Um so, we're thankful for that. gets the summers off and those types of things. So, um yeah, very busy there, but we we try to spend as much family time as we can together. It's definitely it's very difficult. That's I mean the the win is always on my wife. I mean, she gets put in a lot of tough situations, whether that's, you know, I'm going out to a business conference or I'm, you know, coming up the cities this morning to do podcasts or or all these different things. And she's always been extremely supportive of that. she understands, you know, what what the bigger picture is for all those things. And so I'm I'm very very thankful for for her and what she's able to do. Um we enjoy, you know, doing water skiing. I grew up on the water, so we do a lot of that. The kids love the water and doing those things. Um we also just like kind of just getting away in our own little space as we get older. Um you know, I just like spending time just with them. So, you know, whether that's a small little vacation up north, rent a little cabin and just kind of do our own little thing is being outdoors, you know, by the scenery. Sometimes all you need is like, okay, everything that we do here, let's just pick up and just go for the weekend and do what we do. Yeah. Just to get away. Yep. And I live in the business, so it's like and our shop is is right there at at the house. So, it's like, well% you can never I mean, it's a blessing and a curse. You never really get away. Phone's ringing 24/7. You do what you do. It's always a grind. It's always work. Yep. When in doubt, you you can't really put that phone down because you're in the back of your mind, you're thinking about all the other things, right? Yep. Exactly. So, it's it's it's uh Yeah, just really a simple We're very simple in that sense. Like we just get away for up in the cabin or wherever. Um we're very happy with that and very content to be able to spend time together doing, you know, pretty simple things. So, how important is it for your employees and for other people, too, to be able to just, hey, put the phone down for a little bit and just get back to where you're at? Yeah, I think that's something that um it's always double-edged because as you continue to set these goals and and kind of that expectation and build this culture around just being, you know, overly, you know, accountable um and all these things, there has to be that balance on the flip side to understand that you do need to spend time um with that. And again, with you know, our word in 2026 being disciplined, I think just being um very intentional of our time. Um we're all guilty of it. you sit at your desk, you're scrolling, you're not being efficient with your time. Um, that's kind of why we incorporated discipline is like when we're working, let's let's get to work. Um, because there are other things to do outside of these walls, outside of what we have to do, and then you can get home and do what you have to do with your family or whatever it is that you know they like to do. So, we try to be very intentional about kind of how we use our time because there's always plenty of work to do, but just being efficient with how we utilize our Funny, the people that are really busy always say there's not enough hours in the day, but but there's always more to make. And you always figure that out and I'm like, "Okay, now I'm going home and I'm working at home and I'm doing this and I'm doing that and I've got 50 pages going in my head and 50 pages going in front of me and it's like let's let's make it all work and make it all cohesive, but make sure everybody's doing what they need to do to get to the final goal too, right?" Yes. Yeah. And definitely and we're, you know, huge on the family thing. Like I by all means want, you know, people if they're having a, you know, their firstborn or they're having a kid or they have a family excursion or any, you know, family, you know, emergencies, like that absolutely comes first. We will figure it out on the back end. Like it is always family first. You figure it out. Business will will figure itself out on the back end. People will understand if we miss appointments and have those things like we will figure that out on the back end. So that's very very important. People understand that you're human and you have things that happen to and whether it's life emergency or something exciting, you have to make time to do those cuz that's only going to happen once in your life. Whether it's good or not so good, you have to make time and be able to be there for it. Yeah, absolutely. Life's too short and there's so many reminders. Um, and I'm sure everybody gets whether it's, you know, that family emergency or just that missed moment that you wish you could have had first steps or first words or birth of child or whatever it may be. Yeah. Yep. And and it goes fast. I mean, again, I I look at, you know, my three um you know, kids and it's like, wow, how where did the time go? I mean, my oldest will be starting kindergarten here. Um and youngest, she'll be two here in May and it's just like, holy bucks, I I don't have that baby I used to hold anymore. And we're you're running around and you're doing your things and Yep. Now, next thing you know, they'll be driving cars and all that stuff. Yeah. Don't say that. I know, right? Our two youngest of we have a blended family of seven. Our two youngest, we have seven kids, seven cars right now. like Yeah. Let's let's uh slow down just a little bit cuz they're going to be seniors next year. So, yeah. Sure. Sure. Yeah. Busy busy times, but it's fun. You got to enjoy the journey at the end of the day. Sure. Yes. What do you think has been one of the most successful things that you have in line coming out next or that you've had in the last year? Other than just having the word, the discipline, getting things, the processes set, things like that. Um, I would say just um it it's just all kind of like coming together and it's almost a surreal uh moment of like again just we we've been so patient. Um well we've been impatient as well along the way. We have to be kind of like hurry up and wait like let's get there, let's do this. Yeah. Yeah. But this year um it just really feels like we have a cohesive team. There's things that are happening process. All those things are just it really seems like again this year and we almost have to pinch ourselves cuz it's like last year at this point in time like how much has changed in that one year. And so I would say that's just been been huge like literally all the efforts that we've you know really gave it our all the last two years have really started to come to fruition where you know whether it's myself not being involved in every single phone call that some of those hats off and you you do your lane now. I don't have to be above it all. Yeah. Yes. and and and all from you know going even into the podcast like finally getting to the point where there's processes behind like you talk about the editing and all these other things that go into we've established a lot of those processes now that can work behind the scenes so that we're not editing and we're not doing every single post and all those things. So it's really just taken it just takes time and and struggles and you know try this nope that didn't work and you go back the other way. So well and when you think something's working it might work today but it's not going to work tomorrow. You've got to be able to push yourself outside that box and say, "Hey, let's try something a little different just to see what happens with it." Right. Yep. Exactly. And and there's been a lot of a lot of that happens and fer swim. Let's go. Let's do it. Exactly. And and that's kind of definitely behind, you know, I don't have those any like, yep, we're going to figure it out. Like we're going to go do that. See us now and figure it out later. Yep. Yep. Exactly. And so, so that's been been the biggest thing for us is just really like seeing the fruits of some of those and and just kind of that realization of like, holy buckets, like this actually can work. Like we did put in all that time. So that's been that's been really really huge for us on pretty much all the platforms. I started Legacy and Maverick at the same time. Both of now are finally kind of getting over that initial hump anyway of kind of that growth. Obviously, there's levels to everything. There's the masterminds. There's the levels that you want to get to to the next one, but let's make it to the first one so we can then start working to the next one. Yep. Yep. Exactly. So, so that's been been our biggest changes. What's been something or the biggest thing that you've learned from the masterminds and doing some of the things from some of the other businesses that you want to share with some of our viewers? I would say the biggest thing from masterminds first and foremost is networking. Um, I've met tons and tons of people. Um, even some of them up in the cities. Um, Vector Services, Tom and Karen have been absolute, you know, they actually reached out to me after the first podcast that I did with them. Um, and just wonderful people all around. like they they do HVAC, not in my industry whatsoever, but an absolute, you know, amazing resource. Um, I've met other people from, you know, North Carolina and all this stuff, and it's just amazing how you can stay in touch with these people. You run into them again at some of those. So, that is by far the best thing that comes from the masterminds. Again, you're getting yourselves in those in those rooms that you want to be in with people that are successful that have those similar, you know, ideas, goals as you. Um and just and it's amazing how um you can apply so many of the similar things from business to business. Yes. Uh it's you know Blake and I who do the podcast he does screen printing. like screen printing and construction are very very different things but there's so many things I mean he's came to a lot of the conferences with us and he's able to take those same things and apply it to his business which I think is like again right away there's just like that there's really no reason there no crossover but um just really taking you know getting in those rooms I think is those would be my top two for sure getting in the right rooms seeing what the potential is out there being able to apply them um and then just the networking you know opportun unities that you have to network with other people, keep in touch, learn from, get together outside of the communication is the one of the biggest things. I feel like there's some parts of some of the generations that are losing the communication. Getting out there and seeing someone face to face and meeting with them and asking how everything was and just the followup and the followrough instead of just here's my text sequence or here's my email sequence going out the door and they're not understanding it or they're getting to talk to like a chatbot or whatever it is. instead of going out there and just saying, "Hey, you know, let me bring you some coffee and donuts and let's let's chat and see how everything went or how it didn't go right and let's try to figure it out for next time or what we can do to make it right." Yeah. And and I think that's a massive point um you know that people have almost forgotten about that. Um and and haven't don't even understand how to have that kind of communication. Um and the other piece is too that is everyone they always want to hold on to what they have. So, if I if another contractor comes to me and wants to know, you know, how we're, you know, how do we do a typical roof build or how how do we do that? Like, there's so many people that want to hang on to all that information. Like, I got the secret sauce. It's like, nobody has the secret sauce at all. Like, I can mentor you and I can help you get there, but you have to do it organically and do it yourself and do it the way you want to do it. Like, I'm not going to have someone just come in the door and hand out, you know, our book of business, but let me help you get the steps to where you need to be to where you want to go. Yes. Yep. And and everybody when you go to these masterminds again, everybody's paying a pretty good chunk of money to be there and so they all have that same mindset. So like nobody is ever like hanging on to their thing. Like I'm sitting in a room full of 30 other roofers across the United States and there's not one of them that won't tell me anything about their business. The little nuggets that are going to help you get to where you need to be. It's not because someone's journey isn't going to be the exact same as everybody else's journey. So yes, they might have had a hiccup that you can learn from that hiccup. Or they might have something really great piece of advice like, "Hey, let's go out and let's try this with ours to see if it works cuz nobody in our town's doing this." You know, it's just the little things or the big things that might get you through it. Yeah. Exactly. And there's there is no business that's the same or grows the same or even works the same as you know. Some people mailers are like the best thing ever and they are extremely successful on mailers. And hey, that may work great today, but it's not going to work tomorrow. Listen to the podcast tomorrow. Let's try something else tomorrow. Yeah. Um, so there's just a lot of that feedback for them, them things that that's that has definitely completely changed my whole business perspective, changed my life. Um, just paying to be in those right rooms, conferences, masterminds, all the things like that's hands down. Um, my wife gets a little nervous when I go on them because usually when I come back like I did like let's do this like I'm just rewired like I'm just rewired and ready to go and it's it's just it's it's awesome. But it's all good things like all good takeaways from there. And a lot of those it's what you make of it. You know, I go to a lot of the conferences and I know they can some conferences can get um get a bad rap because of what takes place. Well, it's all the constant selling. You're walking in the door, you're going to see 50 million sales people that are going to come up to you wanting you to buy all the different packages and everything, but you've got to take things away from them that you can use for your own business. Correct. That'll get you to the next one. Yes. Exactly. and and being very intentional about taking those two, three takeaways. Um, and then just what you do outside of that. You know, it's not a huge party, whatever. I'm not a huge drinker. Definitely had my days in that, but it just changed about how you again network because that's when a lot of those great conversations happen is being very intentional about sitting down, having those conversations, being open, putting yourself in the right room in the right situations, too. I mean, if if you're going to hang around eight people that are out partying every single night, you're going to be out partying every single night. You know, if you hang around eight people that are, you know, billionaires and finding out the nuggets and the ways they do it, you're working your way to be that 10th billionaire, whatever it may be. Exactly. Yeah. You always, you know, want to be putting yourselves in those rooms and and uh and you have to kind of earn that, right, too. Like you are, you know, be very open of, you know, who you are, where you're at in your journey. Don't try to be someone that you're not, and be flashy. I'm making mistakes. I'm doing what I'm doing, but I just want to learn, you know, or whatever it may be. Or, hey, yes, I'm bringing something to what everybody else is down here, and I'm up here. Let's grow together and figure out how to make it to the next one, you know. Yeah, exactly. So, definitely very powerful in those rooms. Very, very. So, outside of work, you do a lot of skiing, you've got your family. What's your favorite food? Favorite food? Yeah, I was going to say that's a random one. Favorite food? I would say, um I'm a big, you know, steak guy, so a good, you know, steak for me um you know, going out to eat and getting a good steak is is definitely definitely where I'll sit um today. So, perfect. How can people find you and where can they find you at? Um, so you can follow us. Again, we're on all the social medias. So, um, on Facebook, Instagram, uh, Cole Nelson. You can also follow us American Dream Podcast as well. That's another one. Um, again, the other brands, Maverick and Legacy. We're pretty much on on all the platforms, so feel free to reach out. Um, I'm big being open, so if you ever wanted to, you know, reach out to me personally, have questions, anybody can help you out, I'm always happy. I'm open book. I get people calling me all the time. I'm more than happy to to give back into whatever industry. Any questions, if I can be of any assistance, I'm always open to do so. Amazing. And what would you leave our customers or our viewers with anybody that's listening right now? A piece of advice, you know, just be authentic, be disciplined, and just really, you know, keep moving. Um there's a lot of days that, you know, you really get down on yourself. Um it's hard, there's maybe problems, there is issues. It's just very important to keep going and do the right things um because there will be those really good days um and and doing the right thing that it has its pays off. Um Blake the um my partner with the podcast is saying is this a good day for a good day? Um I had that sign made and it's really just kind of the perspective in which you go about the day in every situation. Take it as a learn you know or uh take it as a opportunity to learn something not necessarily a negative. So what's your favorite saying? I follow that one as well. Yep. It's a good day for a good day. I said that that's kind of we live by that um you know by that saying just because it it really is important to it's all perspective at the end of the day. There's going to be problems. You have to understand that you got to move through them. Take it as an opportunity to learn, move forward. Um and the cup's half full, not a half empty. Let's stay positive and figure it out together. Exactly. 100%. All right. Well, we appreciate having you on today. Thank you so much for coming up. And if there's anything we can do in the future, let's grow together.