The Business Side of Building Nobody Teaches You with Deanna Lucas

The Business Side of Building Nobody Teaches You with Deanna Lucas

Most contractors, builders, and local business owners are great at what they do — but that does not always mean people can find them, trust them, or choose them online. In this conversation, Tim Holloway talks with Deanna Lucas about what it really takes to grow a business beyond word-of-mouth, bad leads, and the daily grind of doing everything yourself. Deanna grew up in the housing industry, came from a family of builders, and experienced firsthand how the housing market crash changed everything for contractors, realtors, homeowners, and local communities. After years in interior decorating, construction, and design, she transitioned into digital marketing to help contractors, ministries, and local businesses build stronger systems, improve lead quality, use social media, and create an online presence that actually works. This episode is for contractors, builders, tradespeople, church leaders, ministry owners, podcast hosts, and small business owners who want to grow their authority, improve marketing, get better leads, use automation, and build a business that supports their family, faith, and future. You’ll hear how Deanna went from growing up on job sites to helping contractors and local businesses master the business side of building through digital marketing, automation, social media scheduling, and lead management. Tim and Deanna talk about why every lead is not a good lead, how poor lead quality wastes time, and why business owners need more than names and phone numbers if they want real growth. You’ll also learn why podcasting can build authority, create powerful networking opportunities, and open doors to partnerships, referrals, and business growth. This conversation also goes deeper into faith, family, answered prayer, raising children, surrendering hard situations to God, and trusting that grace is secure through what Jesus has already done. 00:00 Intro and Deanna Lucas joins the conversation 01:00 Growing up in a family of builders 02:20 How the housing market crash affected contractors and realtors 03:30 Transitioning into digital marketing 04:45 Why churches and local businesses need to show up online 06:00 What people look for before visiting a church 07:10 The impact of the housing crisis on communities 08:50 Moving from physical work to online business systems 09:45 Helping contractors master the business side of building 11:40 Getting off the tool and growing beyond owner-operator 13:10 Why every lead is not a quality lead 15:40 Deanna’s podcast and the power of networking 18:10 Why podcasting builds authority 20:30 Lessons from interviewing family on a podcast 22:00 Building consistency with a weekly podcast 23:00 Networking, partnerships, and business opportunities 26:40 Faith, family, and putting God first 28:00 Praising God for answered prayers 30:00 Parenting, struggle, and surrender 32:00 What God has been putting on Deanna’s heart 33:15 Grace, salvation, and secure attachment to God 35:00 Where to connect with Deanna 35:40 Social media scheduling offer for businesses #ContractorMarketing #LocalBusinessMarketing #ChristianBusiness #PodcastingTips #DigitalMarketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

From Crash to Comeback: Jason Kerby's Entrepreneurial Journey

In this insightful interview, Jason Kerby shares his entrepreneurial journey, including overcoming setbacks, mindset shifts, and the importance of identity in business success and recovery. Discover practical lessons on resilience, growth, and the power of gratitude from a seasoned business owner who has navigated the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Key topics Entrepreneurial resilience Mindset shifts after failure Business exit strategies Identity and self-perception in business The role of gratitude in overcoming adversity Chapters 00:00 The Journey Begins: From Contractor to Entrepreneur 02:50 Navigating Challenges: The 2008 Crash and Its Aftermath 06:11 The Shift in Mindset: Embracing Coaching and Growth 08:58 Identity Crisis: Life After Selling the Business 11:48 Finding Purpose: Transitioning to Coaching and Helping Others 23:31 Facing Darkness: A Personal Struggle 30:07 Identity Shift: Building a New Life 32:30 The Power of Gratitude and Resilience 39:14 Navigating Change: Lessons Learned Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Are You Building a Business or Just Buying a Job with Mark Andersen

Mark Anderson Name: Mark Anderson Business: Know Your Numbers Location: Pearland, Texas Role: Owner of a small accounting firm In business since: March 2018 Specialty: Helping small business owners using QuickBooks Online keep accurate accounting records and use those records as a diagnostic tool to improve profit, cash flow, and business value. Mark helps small business owners: * Clean up messy or incorrect accounting records * Understand financial statements * Learn how to read a balance sheet * Use numbers to make better business decisions * Track profitability and cash flow * Identify sales, cost, debt, and profit issues * Build forward-looking KPIs * Prepare for loans, business partners, or selling the business * Move from owning a “job” to building a sellable business His process includes: 1. Start with clean accounting records Fix messy books or, in extreme cases, start fresh. 2. Educate the business owner Teach them how to understand and use financial information. 3. Meet monthly using real numbers Review financial statements and diagnose problems. 4. Layer in KPIs Create forward-looking indicators to help predict revenue, gross profit, and financial performance before the month ends. 5. Prepare for major business transactions Help owners get ready for loans, partnerships, or selling the business. Before starting his accounting firm, Mark was: * A golf professional * In public accounting for over 10 years * Performing financial statement audits * Doing CFO-type cleanup work for businesses He eventually moved into working with small businesses because he liked having multiple smaller clients instead of relying on one large interim CFO role. Mark typically works with small businesses that are: * Using QuickBooks Online * Revenue range of roughly $0 to $2.5 million * Often mom-and-pop businesses * Usually fewer than 10 employees * Cost-conscious but serious about improving their financial systems “If you want to create value in your business, you’ve got to get out of your business.” Mark emphasizes that if the owner is doing everything, they do not really own a business — they own a glorified job. YouTube / Podcast: Business on the Run Facebook: Know Your Numbers PL TikTok: Chasing Profit and Pups Phone: 346-320-1300 00:00 Intro and new group podcast format 01:00 Meet Mark Anderson from Know Your Numbers 02:21 Why small business owners struggle with financial information 03:30 What is a balance sheet? 04:46 Why entrepreneurs often avoid the numbers 08:03 Mark’s framework for fixing messy books 09:10 Using financial statements to diagnose business problems 10:22 Why separating business and personal money matters 12:49 Mark’s journey from golf pro to accounting firm owner 15:10 Why Mark chose small business accounting 17:32 Worst-case bookkeeping disasters 19:50 Why business owners need a financial mirror 21:00 From not knowing a balance sheet to improving gross margin 22:16 Helping a company grow into a full accounting department 24:16 Are you building a business or buying yourself a job? 25:20 Why business value requires getting out of the day-to-day 26:41 Buying back your time as a business owner 29:11 Money mindset, debt, and financial goals 33:16 Why boring business tasks create profit 35:00 Mental health advocacy, podcasting, and purpose 42:06 Finding the right accountant before growth breaks the business 45:34 Rebuilding after business setbacks 48:00 Where to connect with Mark Anderson 50:00 Final thoughts and closing #SmallBusinessFinance #KnowYourNumbers #BusinessAccounting #CashFlowManagement #EntrepreneurMindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

If Nobody Claps, Don’t Call It Humility; Fix Your Message

Stop hating applause and start earning it—because applause isn’t ego… it’s evidence your message is landing. If your content gets no likes, no comments, no amens, no shares, no feedback, that’s not “humility.” That’s a signal. In this episode, we break down why so many leaders, creators, speakers, coaches, pastors, and entrepreneurs secretly reject recognition—then wonder why they’re ignored. Applause is not the goal, but it is a scoreboard. It tells you whether your communication is clear, confident, and actually producing transformation. If your message matters, your brand matters, your mission matters—then you should care whether people feel it. This talk goes deep into the difference between approval addiction and healthy feedback, why “false humility” keeps you small, and how honor, excellence, validation, and appreciation can exist without ego. You’ll learn how to pursue impact without becoming a glory-hound—and why being impressive is part of the game when you’re trying to serve people at a high level. You’ll hear why applause is feedback—not vanity—and how to use it like data to improve your message, your systems, and your delivery. You’ll learn the difference between wanting recognition and needing it for your identity, plus how insecurity turns “I don’t care” into a mask. We also unpack faith-based “worm theology” and the idea that staying small makes God big—then reframe honor, affirmation, and excellence as part of a healthy, mission-driven life. Finally, you’ll get a practical mindset shift: if you avoid being impressive, you’ll keep getting ignored—so bring your best without making it about your ego. 00:00 Intro: Applause isn’t ego—it’s evidence 01:08 Applause vs approval addiction 03:06 If your work transforms people, feedback should show 04:00 Public speaking, TED Talks, and the “scoreboard” 06:05 When no one engages: what it might mean 08:04 “Amen” as validation and real-time feedback 09:00 False humility exposed 10:13 Why feedback matters (the “data” analogy) 12:05 Faith culture, identity, and “worm theology” 15:13 Glorification, honor, and worthiness 17:38 Honor one another: appreciation → honor 20:03 Co-laboring and agency (not passivity) 21:56 Excellence, impressiveness, and making an impression 26:24 Receive gratitude without ego 29:47 Empty cup syndrome and serving from overflow 30:07 Applause vs reassurance (seen, heard, known) 34:55 Wanting applause vs needing applause 38:01 Final reframe: applause is evidence #MindsetShift #PublicSpeaking #Confidence #PersonalDevelopment #Leadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

If You Hate Clout, You’re Choosing Invisibility (Here’s Why)

If you’re building a podcast, brand, coaching offer, book, speaking career, or online business—and you secretly hate “clout”—this episode is your wake-up call. Because if you’re allergic to clout, you’re choosing invisibility over impact. And invisibility kills influence, credibility, authority, trust, and cash flow. Real clout isn’t flexing. It’s being trusted before you enter the room—when your reputation and track record speak for you. In this episode, we break down the difference between fake influence and earned credibility, why your message gets ignored when you have no system for trust, and how consistency creates a reputation people can vouch for. You’ll learn how testimonials, proof, and daily showing up build the “no-like-and-trust” factor that makes people actually buy, follow, and refer you. If you’re tired of chasing crumbs, starting every conversation at zero trust, and watching people with less talent get more attention—this is the framework to build a reputation that precedes you (the right way).  * Why clout = trust, not ego or showing off * The track record principle: people trust actions, not words * Why no reputation can be as damaging as a bad one * How consistency builds credibility in content, business, and marketing * The “rearview mirror” test for reputation (and what it reveals) * The 2-step clout framework: pick what you’re known for + show proof * How testimonials, referrals, and results create real authority 00:00 Intro: attention → clout, credibility, reputation 01:08 Clout isn’t flexing—it’s trust before you walk in 02:06 The 2 problems: don’t know what to do vs. won’t execute 05:14 The ingredient metaphor: you can’t skip what you need 06:43 High school reputation + track record examples 11:38 Definition: credibility = reputation + consistency 16:01 Feedback, reviews, and transformation proof 19:19 The “people vouch for you” principle (testimonials/referrals) 22:03 Why “I’m above marketing” is pride (and costs you) 23:07 Be known for something—or be known for nothing 26:52 What you’re for vs. what you’re against 29:13 Why trust determines sales 30:06 You are allowed to be known 34:44 The 2-step framework: pick it + publish proof 36:19 Wrap up Hashtags: #Clout #Credibility #PersonalBrand #PodcastMarketing #OnlineBusiness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]