The Contractor’s Edge Podcast - Build Better Businesses

#13 - He Sailed 49 Countries Before Building a Construction Empire in Hawaii

On The Contractors Edge Podcast, host Nick interviews Eric Ernisse, founder and CEO of Coastal View Construction in Hawaii, about how adversity and personal development shape success in contracting. Eric shares his path from studying engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder to sailing with his family for seven years through roughly 49 countries, learning planning, patience, and how dealing with people can be harder than storms. Returning to Hawaii, he helped design and build his father’s home and then his own cottage, gaining hands-on experience that led to his contractor’s license and a 12+ year business focused on condo remodels. He discusses learning business systems, speed-to-lead, delegation, investing in coaching, screening for ideal clients, leading employees by understanding their “why,” and keeping perspective during lawsuits and difficult projects by remembering that “this too shall pass.”   💥 Eric's Links https://www.coastalviewconstructionllc.com/ [https://www.coastalviewconstructionllc.com/]   🔥 Book Your FREE Growth Audit → https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call [https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call] 📞 CONNECT WITH BETTER BOSS: 🌐 Website: https://better-boss.ai 📧 Brittney: brittney@mybetterboss.ai 📞 Phone: (720) 636-9500 📍 Highlands Ranch, Colorado ⚡ We only take limited clients per month. Every single one has given us 5 stars. You didn't start your business to be stuck in the day-to-day. You started for freedom, for family, and for something better. Better starts now. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on building systems that actually work for contractors. Better Boss | JobTread Certified Implementation Partner Highlands Ranch, Colorado https://better-boss.ai [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/]

#12 - AI Superpowers for Contractors - Claude Skills, JobTread Extensions & JT Power Tools

On The Contractors Edge podcast, the host interviews Nathan Zee Pepmiller, an operations manager in a Minnesota contracting business and creator of JT Power Tools in the JobTread marketplace, about using AI and Chrome extensions to scale contractor operations. They discuss treating AI as a thought partner and coworker, building repeatable workflows that get faster over time, and avoiding “magic bean” expectations by training and reviewing outputs. Nathan shares how switching from BuilderTrend to JobTread inspired him to solve internal “red flags” with extensions like a text formatter, dark mode, job switcher filter, and a budget change log, growing to hundreds of users. They go deep on Claude usage, including role-based “coach” skills tied to SOPs and orchestrator skills that chain focused tasks, plus the mindset shift from admin tasks to critical thinking so teams don’t get left behind. 💥 JT Power Tools  https://jtpowertools.com/ [https://jtpowertools.com/] Code 7K8K7SYfor 50% off life time!   🔥 Book Your FREE Growth Audit → https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call [https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call] 📞 CONNECT WITH BETTER BOSS: 🌐 Website: https://better-boss.ai 📧 Brittney: brittney@mybetterboss.ai 📞 Phone: (720) 636-9500 📍 Highlands Ranch, Colorado ⚡ We only take limited clients per month. Every single one has given us 5 stars. You didn't start your business to be stuck in the day-to-day. You started for freedom, for family, and for something better. Better starts now. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on building systems that actually work for contractors. Better Boss | JobTread Certified Implementation Partner Highlands Ranch, Colorado https://better-boss.ai [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/]

#11 - The Secret to Balancing Marriage and Construction Work w/ Jordan Rychlik

On this episode of Contractor’s Edge, host Nick interviews Jordan Rychlik of WES TEX Construction and Remodeling about transitioning from five years as a middle school teacher in Fort Stockton, Texas to joining her husband Jeremy’s business after moving to San Angelo. They discuss the dynamics of husband-and-wife teams, balancing risk and impulsiveness, setting role boundaries at work, and how trust helps partners cover for each other during burnout. Jordan shares why women often excel in operations roles, how she supports Jeremy with organization and tools like JobTread, and the value of investing in professional development, associations, and peer-to-peer communities. The conversation also covers imposter syndrome, “believe it while you brave it,” family life and kids on job sites.    -- Jordan's Links --  https://www.westexconstruction.com/ [https://www.westexconstruction.com/] --- 🔥 Book Your FREE Growth Audit → https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call [https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call] 📞 CONNECT WITH BETTER BOSS: 🌐 Website: https://better-boss.ai 📧 Brittney: brittney@mybetterboss.ai 📞 Phone: (720) 636-9500 📍 Highlands Ranch, Colorado ⚡ We only take limited clients per month. Every single one has given us 5 stars. You didn't start your business to be stuck in the day-to-day. You started for freedom, for family, and for something better. Better starts now. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on building systems that actually work for contractors. Better Boss | JobTread Certified Implementation Partner Highlands Ranch, Colorado https://better-boss.ai [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/] 00:00 Best Friends at Work 00:26 Podcast Welcome Guest Intro 01:18 From Teacher to Contractor 02:19 Joining the Family Business 04:12 Risk Balance and Mindset 06:36 Supportive Partner Advice 09:01 Tough Mudder Grit Lessons 10:58 Women as Operations Leaders 15:18 Power Couples and Boundaries 16:48 Burnout Buffers and Disconnect 18:55 Imposter Syndrome Reality 19:35 Imposter Syndrome Truths 20:56 Small Wins Flow State 21:52 Believe It While Brave 22:58 Investing In Community 26:39 Choosing The Right Partners 28:26 Peer Learning Power 31:03 Summer Updates Social Media 32:31 Parenting Work Ethic 35:21 Word Of The Year Expansion

#10 - We Built AI Agents That Run Contractor Businesses While You Sleep w/ DATAx

Today we interview Peter Rainey and Elliot Whitstruck of DataX about using AI, automations, and integrations to help contractors running JobTread. They discuss their backgrounds in construction and tech, how DataX began by sharing JobTread cost-group templates and grew into a toolbox of integrations (e.g., Quo communications logging, Zillow lead qualification data, Google cover photos, dashboards, and inventory). They explain commercial-style (AIA/702/703) billing PDFs and automated financial statement PDFs attached to invoices, including multi-job customer reporting. They introduce DataX’s MCP approach for efficient AI access to JobTread data versus brute-force API scraping, and share practical AI agent examples like daily PM status emails (budget vs actual, schedule variance, logs) and receipt-to-job-costing automation via forwarded emails. They also describe DX One, DataX’s own AI model for security, cost control, and team sharing, and emphasize starting with real business problems, solid processes, and customer experience. -- DATAx [https://datax.to/] --  🔥Get Your Free JobTread Prompt Bible →  https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/ [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/] 🔥 Book Your FREE Growth Audit → https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call [https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call] 📞 CONNECT WITH BETTER BOSS: 🌐 Website: https://better-boss.ai 📧 Brittney: brittney@mybetterboss.ai 📞 Phone: (720) 636-9500 📍 Highlands Ranch, Colorado ⚡ We only take limited clients per month. Every single one has given us 5 stars. You didn't start your business to be stuck in the day-to-day. You started for freedom, for family, and for something better. Better starts now. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on building systems that actually work for contractors. Better Boss | JobTread Certified Implementation Partner Highlands Ranch, Colorado https://better-boss.ai [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/] 00:00 Daily PM Agent Report 00:46 Show Intro and Guests 02:00 Peter Origin Story 04:28 Elliot Tech Background 08:16 Kids and Screen Time 11:10 Founding DataX 14:03 JobTread Culture and Early Adopters 15:41 Top Toolbox Integrations 18:42 Financial Statements PDFs 21:15 Commercial Billing 702 703 23:17 Hidden Modules and Ecosystem Value 24:38 Beyond AIA Templates 25:14 Building Contractor OS 26:04 MCP Buzz Explained 27:29 Prototype To Launch 28:34 Efficient MCP Design 32:44 AI Adoption Tips 37:21 Daily Reporting Agents 38:48 PM Agent Breakdown 41:05 Receipt Job Costing Agent 45:28 Solve Real Problems 46:50 DX One Private Model 48:44 Teamwide AI Rollout 50:03 Closing Advice Quotes

#9 - Home Builder Marketing that WORKS w/ Nicholas Cormier

Today Nick hosts Nicholas Cormier of Home Builder Marketers, an agency that has generated over $268M in revenue for builders. They discuss why builders don’t need to go viral on Instagram and instead should focus on trust, consistent content, ads, and systems that nurture long sales cycles (often 6–18 months). Nicholas shares his path from construction and car sales to building and restarting his agency, including earning a Forbes Agency Council spot after years of rejections. Key strategies include prioritizing SEO/AEO, building strong Google reviews, running Meta ads for awareness, using email/retargeting to stay top-of-mind, tracking real metrics beyond cost-per-click, and using value-first CTAs like downloadable resources. They also cover how AI tools like Claude can enhance existing expertise rather than replace it. -- Nicholas Cormier's Links -- https://nicholascormier.ca/ [https://nicholascormier.ca/] https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_cormier/ [https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_cormier/] ---- 🔥Get Your Free JobTread Prompt Bible →  https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/ [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/] 🔥 Book Your FREE Growth Audit → https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call [https://cal.com/mybetterboss.ai/jobtread-free-growth-audit-call] 📞 CONNECT WITH BETTER BOSS: 🌐 Website: https://better-boss.ai 📧 Brittney: brittney@mybetterboss.ai 📞 Phone: (720) 636-9500 📍 Highlands Ranch, Colorado ⚡ We only take limited clients per month. Every single one has given us 5 stars. You didn't start your business to be stuck in the day-to-day. You started for freedom, for family, and for something better. Better starts now. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on building systems that actually work for contractors. Better Boss | JobTread Certified Implementation Partner Highlands Ranch, Colorado https://better-boss.ai [https://better-boss.ai/jobtread-ai-prompt-bible/]     00:00 Viral Myth For Builders 00:14 Podcast Intro And Guest 02:59 Forbes Feature Perseverance 06:02 Agency Origin Story 10:00 Lead Gen Strategy Framework 11:57 SEO Long Game Advantage 15:20 Ad Spend And Tracking Metrics 17:10 Marketing Channel Tier List 19:10 Answer Engine Optimization 20:08 Google Ads Reality Check 22:51 Building a Marketing System 25:09 CTAs That Give Value 28:15 AI as a Force Multiplier 32:43 Builder Mastermind Event Idea 34:55 Clarity and Closing Advice