Out of the Hourglass (Nolan Consulting Group)

Welcome to 2023! We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are settling back into your routines with fresh perspective and optimism for the year ahead. The start of a new year is always an interesting time of transition, looking back at what was and looking ahead at potential opportunities. At Nolan Consulting Group, this means reviewing and resetting, looking at new Big Rocks to accomplish, and deciding how to approach our work with new energy, direction, and value for our clients, team members, and podcast listeners. That all being said, we thought it important to walk into the new year with a word from our partners here at NCG, Brian Nolan and Kevin Nolan, and bring you the first Business is Messy Series episode of 2023. Post holidays, we're back to the reality of new and existing challenges. Kevin and Brian dive right into 2023 by highlighting falling leads and marketing spend, discussing the need to be both data AND team-driven, and reminding us that we are adaptable. Join in on today's walk into the New Year!

We're back for the the final episode of the KPIs by Department Series with NCG Senior Coach & Director of Finance, Andrew Amrhein. We're moving into the Counting and Calculating of the Human Resources & Accounting Department. From recruiting and training analytics to the day receivables and job costing expectations, we highlight recommendations, the why behind them and encourage you to make tracking a focus to guide future decisions. This episode Out of the Hourglass is brought to you by GRACO.

Today's episode features a discussion between NCG Business Coaches, Andrew Amrhein & Kathryn Freeman along with some highlights from NCG Marketing & Program Manager, Molly Nolan. The team wraps up our Levels of Work Series in this episode focusing on the last level, Level 4. How do Levels 1, 2, and 3 support Level 4? How can you prepare someone for a Level 4 role? How do you utilize Level 4 work in your company? Listen to this week's podcast to find out - or start at the beginning of the series to gain foundational knowledge!

If you are an avid Out of the Hourglass podcast listener or are working with our team, "DISC" is a term you have heard frequently. In today's Out of the Hourglass podcast, Molly Nolan is joined by NCG's Business Systems Specialist Sydney Bates for an in-depth unraveling of DISC. Listen and learn as Sydney breaks down DISC concepts by highlighting the behaviors and motivators revealed through the DISC assessment, what they actually mean, and how they work together. Molly and Sydney apply these concepts to training conversations, hiring and recruiting, organizational role deep dives and communication. If you’ve taken the DISC before, find your results after listening to this episode and see what new insight you've gained!

Since we are about halfway through 2022, today's podcast features a Mid-Year Planning Status Check! NCG's Director of Finance & Sr. Business Coach, Andrew Amrhein reminds listeners of the importance of keeping a pulse of the metrics and reviewing where you stand in the plan that you set at the beginning of this year. During this crazy busy time of year, how do we take the time to make sure we’re not making decisions that are taking us off track? Andrew highlights the metrics to stay on top of, the conversations that need to happen and gives recommendations for working through the uncertainty of what the months ahead may bring. We hope that this mid-year status check helps you stay dialed on the health of your organization and sets the tone for a successful second half of 2022!

NCG's Senior Business Coaches Brian Nolan, Managing Partner & Andrew Amrhein, Director of Finance, connect for a conversation on how to get good at decision making! From highlighting the practice of the debate time, to the key elements of management team dynamics and the creation of a decision-making matrix, Brian and Andrew discuss the need to create a formal decision-making process for your company. You may remember this line from Kim Scott’s Radical Candor; “Debate Time does NOT equal Decision Time.” Are you systemizing the communication process within your team?

In today's episode we are joined again by Andrew Amrhein, Director of Finance and Sr Business Coach at Nolan Consulting Group for a follow up conversation on our Levels of Work series. It's been a year since we kicked off the original series yet this topic still remains crucial in its context to role clarity. Andrew discusses the importance of distinction between tasks and responsibilities at different levels and how people thrive off of clarity of vision and functions. If this is a new concept or if you're looking for a refresher you can find the Levels of Work Series Level 1-4 episodes in our podcast library (January - March 2021)

The Financial Fundamentals Workshop is coming up next month and we’ve got a preview ahead on this week’s episode of Out of the Hourglass with Kathryn Freeman, Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations at Nolan Consulting Group. 

We are quickly entering the Fall Season and it’s going to be an interesting next few months with a lot of factors at play. This is a time where we focus on leaning into what we can control - and one of those things we CAN control is thoroughly understanding the financial management of our companies. This workshop and conversation is geared towards ensuring we are setting the foundational pieces for peeling back the P&L Report and being able to ask the right questions and read the story of what’s actually happening in the business. 

Summit Members: To register your spot for the Financials Fundamentals Workshop, click here to learn more information and complete registration. 

Today’s episode is a discussion around Budgeting. Senior NCG Coach Andrew Amrhein joins Molly Nolan to discuss taking the necessary steps to having your 2021 budget ready with time to spare.

Additionally, a conversation on employee development. How can you have an understanding of where your company will be by creating a vision for your employees to buy into? 

All of this and more to make sure you are prepared for 2021 both financially and strategically.

Scalability and growth are top priorities for many, if not most, business owners. In today's podcast, Colin Nolan, Sr. Business Coach at NCG, dissects three barriers to scalability and growth, based on Vern Harnish's book, Scaling Up. Business is complex, and growth is even more so! At NCG, we work with clients through a variety of challenges - owners trying to get out of the hourglass, growth plateaus, succession planning, organizational and systems development, and more ... so this is a hot topic for us. If growth is the mission, our goal is to help businesses identify these roadblocks in their own organization and provide some insight to change. Listen in to see if any of these barriers could be halting the growth of your organization.

Sydney Bates, Project Manager at Nolan Consulting Group, is back to bring us into the world of Working Genius! Over the last several months, Sydney has facilitated several Working Genius team debriefs, helping different teams across a variety of organizations understand the needed differences and dynamics within their companies. 

We also get to hear from Josh Abramson, Chief Solutionist and President from ALLBRiGHT Painting in Los Angeles, California as he shares highlights from his team’s team’s Working Genius experience. Josh loved it - it was exciting to see his team embrace the exercise, be vulnerable and apply the framework to their personal and professional development. 

Working Genius is a framework created by Patrick Lencioni and the team at the Table Group. Sydney Bates is a Working Genius Certified Trainer. To learn more, visit workinggenius.com or contact Sydney Bates, Sydney@nolancg.com

Today's episode sponsored by Sherwin-Williams features NCG Senior Business Coach and Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman and our host Molly Nolan discussing the role of the Human Resources department in a business. No matter the size of your business, having a defined process for HR related responsibilities is crucial. You do not need to be an expert to start implementing HR processes! Kathryn explores some of the first steps to starting an HR department, when the right time to do this is, and how to find the right person for the job in this week's episode of Out of the Hourglass.

A conversation with Nolan Painting Field Supervisor Conal Mulreany with an update on new challenges and field operations in the current environment. We last talked to Conal back in early May when work was just about to resume. Now, after some time has passed, Conal fills us in on the new status quo- including the hiring plan, training and customer interactions.

This week we are talking about Advanced Financials,  also the topic of an upcoming virtual Workshop that we're hosting in April!  We asked Andrew Amrhein, Sr. Business Coach, Director of Finance here at NCG and the Primary Facilitator of this Workshop to join us to learn about the content of the program, who it's intended for and why it's so important to understand the impact of the balance sheet. From getting an understanding of the cost of growth, advanced KPIs, Job Costing and Benchmarking, we aim to dive into your Financial Workbook and go to the next level. 

April’s Advanced Financial Management Workshop, facilitated by Andrew Amrhein will be held on April 24th, 26th and May 1st & 3rd. 

Any questions about the workshop, or if your team is the right fit please do not hesitate to reach out!

Today's episode, sponsored by Shurtape Technologies, features NCG Managing Partner and Senior Business Coach, Brian Nolan accompanied by Terrance Nolan, Senior Project Developer at Borrego Solar. If you're afraid to fail, you will never win. Brian and Terrance continue their discussion around battling resistance, as well as, how we can all find ourselves on the Hero's Journey. The journey in which we strive to understand push back, embrace self awareness, and how to overcome mistakes to become the best versions of ourselves.

Our podcast today features a topic that is near and dear to our hearts, the role of the Coach. This powerful conversation with two respected leaders, Brian Nolan, Managing Partner at Nolan Consulting Group, and Paul Cook, VP of Painters USA, Summit Member and Member Coach, will challenge you to think about who is looking to YOU as a coach. At NCG, we have the immense privilege to work with many business owners and organizational leaders in a coaching capacity to help them achieve their desired visions and accomplish their personal and organizational goals. It’s a position that is both incredibly rewarding and challenging. This conversation centers on the skills and behaviors that are critical to succeed in the role of the coach. As you listen, consider who is looking to YOU as a coach. As a leader, business owner, or manager of people, you have a coaching responsibility - you just might not realize it.

Today's episode sponsored by Groundwork, features a new voice to the podcast NCG Business Coach, Vince Christy. Vince leverages his extensive experience in all realms of Property Management to give you multiple tips and tricks to maximize your relationship with your PM. Taking on a contract at a commercial property such as an apartment complex or hotel brings lots of unique challenges. Vince helps you better understand the roles and responsibilities of a Property Manager, while also sharing strategies on how to manage expectations, improve your communication, and even how to find commercial contracts.

Step into the Coaching Room with Sales Coach Mark Repkin and two high performing Sales Leaders, Mike Green from Fitzpatrick Painting & Josh Cornell from Kennedy Painting, as they share real-world insights on effective selling strategies. In this episode, we explore the importance of preparation, engagement, value of quantifying competency, utilizing coaching sessions, and creating tailored one-on-one coaching experiences. Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to sales management, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on elevating your approach. You’ll get to hear, in real time, the challenges that Mike & Josh are currently working through and Mark’s feedback and recommendations, a collaborative approach to mastering their sales tactics.

Nolan Consulting Group’s Planning Tool, the Cascading Planning Cycle (CPC) is defined by a core  set of planning activities from annual, quarterly and monthly meetings that produce guiding documents for vision achievement at all levels in an organization. Within these guiding documents are planning activities that derive core themes, directives and intention.

These are known as the Primary Aim, Strategic Intent, the Vision and the Action Items or goals set forth. These are the backbone of what drives personal and professional strategy, what moves the business and the business owner forward. 

On today’s episode, NCG Sr. Coach Andrew Amrhein reminds us WHY working through these intention setting directives is so important, it’s because they are our why... And as a result, must work in alignment with each other for progress to be achieved. 

This episode is the final installment in our SL2 Experience Series, finally discussing the highly sought after D4 and S4 level. Colin and Molly team up to talk about how to tell that someone has reached D4 in a particular area, how to keep them there, and effective ways of restoring their D4 status if they happen to drop back into D3. As always, we recommend that you scroll back and listen to our previous episodes in the series to catch up if you have not already.

Managing Partner, Brian Nolan and Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman take the mic on today's episode of  Out of the Hourglass for a highlights conversation on a recent Summit Retreat that brought our team and a group of engaged and dynamic business owners to  the beautiful, expansive final frontier. We’re talking about Alaska! 

Kathryn and Brian had the opportunity to each lead two groups through facilitated discussions, challenges focusing on leadership, succession and primary aim and of course, crafted an agenda that incorporated the great outdoors. With intense work, comes intense play. With an underlying theme of sharing and engaging in vulnerability, inspired by Brene Brown’s work, Daring Greatly, we tapped in experiential learning, relationship building and  challenged our  personal growth through release of shared experiences and intentionality on the future. 

For those looking to tap into Brown’s perspective on the power of vulnerability,we would highly recommend reading (or listening on Audible!) to Daring Greatly, a #1 New York Times bestseller. 

NCG Coach Colin Nolan with a discussion on Individual Development Plans, also known as IDPs. Now is the time where your employees need your attention more than ever, listen for more information about how you can help your employees perform to their full capability!

Today's episode features a conversation between NCG Business Coach, Colin Nolan and Jon Bryant, Chief of Color at Urban Painter and Founder of PaintScout. PaintScout is an estimation, sales, proposal, invoicing and work order software for painting contractors designed for you to take your painting business to the next level. Estimating is both a science and an art. Being a great estimator requires a ton of nuance and understanding of the industry. What are the qualities that you should look for when hiring an Estimator? Once hired, how can you test that your training process is giving the skills needed to be an effective Estimator?

Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting, joins us to discuss S.M.A.R.T. Goals and how he approaches setting goals for himself and his team.

Think about this - 

• Wouldn’t it be nice to know specifically where a Rep needs help?
• Or specifically why they are not a fit for your organization?
• Or that what you’re assessing your team against  fits the same process you are trying to coach?

We are excited to share that NCG is now certified to offer Sales Insights Assessments and Evaluations through the company Objective Management Group, a pioneer and industry leader in sales team evaluations and sales candidate screening.  This tool focuses on  providing insights and maximizing sales performance in companies of all sizes and from all industries. 

On today’s episode, Andrew walks us through the impact this tool can have on your hiring and team development process, how it’s helped our team to teach better, more focused sales content, and the opportunity to really peel back the unique attributes that make a sales person from good to exceptional. 

Interested in learning more? Take a listen to the podcast and talk to your coach for next steps! 

Have you ever heard, or said, " I wish my employees were more "accountable?" What is it we are really asking for? Is it accountability, or is it responsibility? On today's podcast, Molly Nolan is joined by Andrew Amrhein, Sr. Business Coach & Director of Finance at NCG for a conversational take on the difference between Accountability and Responsibility. How do we ask for action or improvement? If accountability is the goal, does asking for more accountability help? Or do we really want responsibility - the feeling of loyalty, commitment, or duty to the behaviors it takes to achieve the goal? Are we asking for what we want ...at work, and at home? We're talking about feelings today...get ready and listen in!

It’s been two months since we last connected with Brian Nolan and Kevin Nolan for our Business is Messy conversation - and it was due time to bring them back.  When we last connected with these two, it was Mid March and were just one week out from our Grand Summit Conference in San Diego

Now - here we are at the end of May and it’s been an eventful time of highs and lows - fitting for the start to a busy spring season and well, just life itself. 

This time we hear about messes happening in both Brian’s and Kevin's worlds, their approaches to the challenges and a general consensus of leaning into perspective. When something happens, we can’t always be the judge of it being good or bad right away, we need to fully understand the situation and it’s impact.

One thing is for sure, when it comes to the mess of business (and life), the need for mental and emotional strength is a key part of finding a successful; resolution, or, just getting safely to the other side. Problems don’t get easier in life, as kara Lawason, head coach of the Duke Blue Devils Women’s Basketball Team once shared, “What happens is you handle hard better." 

The NCG Book Club returns again! This month, we're discussing Part 1 of Coaching for Breakthrough Success ~ Proven Techniques for Making Impossible Dreams Possible by Jack Canfield and Dr. Peter Chee. In the book, Canfield & Dr. Chee deliver what they believe to be the Top 30 Coaching Principals that every coach needs to practice in order to succeed. The principals are all encompassing - from breaking down the critical steps needed to build relationship and trust, to what it means to have a coaching spirit, to the power of listening, intuition and asking the right type of questions. In the discussion, our team highlights what principals have the greatest impact on them and how they apply to their own practices. In sharing this book with you, our team encourages our listeners to apply these principles to strengthen your own coaching skills.

Today's episode brings you the latest edition of Lessons in Leadership with Brian Nolan & Kevin Nolan and our Business is Messy Series! Brian & Kevin unpack this month's (and week's!) current business messes at Nolan Painting including topics such as battling employee retention and competitive wages, managing difficult customers, handling lawsuits and more! As everyone in the contracting industry knows, a dull day never goes by. Pick up new tips on how to navigate these messes in your business and take on the week on this podcast episode.

Kathryn Freeman, Director of Operations & Sr. Business Coach here at Nolan Consulting Group joins on today’s episode of Out of the Hourglass to continue the discussion on a topic we’ve been chatting about recently - bringing focus on the Trades Career. We’ve talked to Classet and Bring back the Trades on prior episodes and now we want to give focus to  creating your career pathway, discussing the roles that exist and how you individuals and managers can build opportunities for growth and advancement. Managers - Tap into the potential of your team! And team - tap into YOURr potential in alignment with the company vision! 

It's no secret that the Operations team plays a critical role in making the wheels turn in a business. The head of the Operations Department is often the face of your business in the day to day. Juggling many roles and responsibilities makes it crucial to ensure that you have the right person for the job. Today's episode features NCG Managing Partner Brian Nolan for a fantastic discussion on questions pertaining to: What makes a person the right fit for this role... What KPI's can you set for someone in this role... and How should an Operational leader solve problems? As you listen to this week's podcast consider the Operational leaders in your company and how you can improve their impact on your business.

It’s budgeting season …. Are you in the planning kitchen yet?  The Revenue Cookbook is a key puzzle piece in building your annual budget and NCG Coach Kathryn Freeman is back on the podcast to remind us why this piece of the Summit Workbook is a key to your planning success. 

This cookbook is a tool designed to help build your revenue goals for the year, keeping in mind the various factors that impact actual revenue on a monthly basis - including Feet on the Street goals, your average sales price and the GAP that MUST be accounted for. We’re talking scheduled training time, expected field productivity,  PTO and non-productive time… we have to consider how these components will impact the expected revenue our teams are trying to produce each month. 

The Revenue Cookbook, like all other parts of the  budgeting process, represents a story for the year and the strategies to plan for. When addressed head on and and shared with the team, you are creating a line of sight to the vision for the year ahead and a more accurate representation of what’s to come. We think that is worth your time and attention… Don’t you? 

Kathryn and Colleen discuss the difficulty of managing HR in the various stages of COVID-19 and how Colleen is making sure that Nolan Painting stays on top of the HR game in the midst of a Pandemic. They touch on a number of topics from safety to culture and much more!

“In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profit. People come first. Unless you have a good team, you cannot do much with the other two.” - Lee Iacocca

This quote sums up the reason behind today’s episode! NCG Business Coach Jim Bradley joins us on the podcast to talk about a chapter in the Management Training Series, a program that he and Andrew Amrhein have been piloting,  that focused on developing leaders and creating access to tools for managerial success. This particular conversation today focuses on the characteristics of what it means to BE a team and a high performing one at that. There is statistical data showing that collaborative, high performing teams are most successful compared to those who operate in dysfunction- from better profitability, employee retention, and employee wellbeing. We talk about characteristics of an effective team, the role of leadership in fostering trust and psychological safety, and the significance of high-performance team characteristics such as sharing best practices, holding accountability, and vulnerability.

In this episode of Out of the Hourglass, Molly sits down with Ross Hartmann, founder of Kiingo AI, to explore the transformative potential of AI and generative AI for small businesses. They discuss practical applications of tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, emphasizing strategies to integrate AI into company culture, optimize efficiency, and maintain brand authenticity in AI-generated content. With insights into AI's capabilities, limitations, and the importance of hands-on training, Ross offers a roadmap for leveraging AI to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and elevate both customer and employee experiences. This conversation sets the stage for the exciting future of AI in business.

Today's episode features the NCG team discussing our June book club selection, The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin. Knowing how to balance the nuances of leadership is extremely challenging. The team unpacks their takeaways on some tough topics such as when to lead and when to follow, when is the right time to move someone into a different role better suited for them, how to grow through pressure, and much more!

We are welcoming back a  former podcast guest and Summit Member, Michael Murray, the Founder and President at Textbook Painting in Cleveland, OH to today’s episode! Michael shares his experience and insights when it comes to hiring overseas talent, more commonly referred to as Virtual Assistant (VAs)  for his organizational growth. From his approach on the strategy, to managing a global team, the importance of clear communication and documentation, compensation and recruiting, to building relationships with the local team, we lay it all on the table. 

Some of the tools utilized by Textbook Painting highlighted in this episode:

Job Postings:

https://www.onlinejobs.ph/

https://remote.co/ 

Tools: 

https://www.tango.us/ 

https://www.notion.so/ 

https://vocaroo.com/ 

https://wise.com/us/ 

https://www.loom.com/ 

https://justcall.io/ 

https://www.ringcentral.com/ 

In this week's podcast, NCG Sr. Business Coach, Colin Nolan joins Molly Nolan for a practical discussion of how DISC can be applied to customer relations. As many listeners know, DISC is a behavioral assessment tool that we often refer to in conversations on this podcast, and within our Coaching and Consulting practice. We've discussed how DISC can be used to understand behaviors & motivators, improve organizational communication and engagement, and provide valuable insight for hiring and management decisions. Today's application is all about the customer - Colin shares with us how we can apply our awareness of DISC and emotional intelligence to relate to our customers better - whether closing the sale, dealing with difficult situations, or enhancing the overall customer experience.

Today's episode sponsored by Graco, features NCG Senior Business Coach and Director of Finance, Andrew Amrhein for another episode of our KPIs by Department Series. This time we are focusing on both Inside and Outside Operations. These two departments prepare and carry out the work of the work. The data produced by these KPIs helps us better understand efficiencies in company processes, how effective your training program is, and more. Andrew provides wisdom on how to best implement and interpret these KPIs and encourages us to look at a different perspective when it comes to collecting and tracking the information for forward thinking.

On today's podcast, Molly welcomes back NCG Business Coach, Jim Bradley to continue the conversation on LEAN thinking and how to apply the concept to operational processes. LEAN is a concept that holds many tools in its toolbox that can be used to help us identify and overcome the barriers, problems, or interruptions to flow. You will quickly learn that FLOW plays a critical role in the LEAN concept. The first tool we're learning to use today is "TIMWOODS". (Yes, that is an acronym!) Listen in to learn what it is and how to help us identify forms of waste or "flow interrupters" in a process. A quick pro tip - be sure to listen to our intro to the LEAN principles episode released in October 2022 before jumping into this conversation.

This week we bring back NCG Sr. Business Coach Andrew Amrhein for a conversation on Diagnosing Problems. How do we fully understand an issue to address the specific problem? Andrew discusses his strategy of categorizing issues into three types - human problems, process problems, and systems problems. Listen in as Molly and Andrew work through getting to the root of the issue and the importance of valuing judgment. Surely this episode will leave you with insight on the challenges you are facing in your own workplace.

Today's episode, sponsored by Bookkeeping for Trades, features a discussion surrounding the power of a bookkeeper with NCG Business Coach, Kathryn Freeman. Understanding and knowing your numbers is vital to operating. Hiring a great bookkeeper is a tremendous asset to improving your business. In fact, hiring a bookkeeper actually saves you money in the long run. What should you be looking for when you are hiring a bookkeeper? How do you best create a relationship and integrate them into your business? All this and more on today's episode!

Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of Nolan Consulting Group, joins Molly Nolan in this week's podcast, for a deep dive into the core mission of NCG - getting small business owners Out of the Hourglass. Brian explains what it means to be stuck in the hourglass, in a variety of scenarios, and how NCG helps owners transition out of the hourglass at different points of their business lifecycle. From implementing systems and knowing your numbers, to creating scalable excellence and high-performance teams, Brian covers the key components of escaping the hourglass and building a "value business." This intriguing discussion will leave you with renewed motivation and inspiration to pursue your own vision ...or to create one if you haven't yet!

Brian Nolan and Kevin Nolan are back with a special edition of Business is Messy - we get a temperature read on the messes of the current business environment in tandem with a preview of the keynote theme of our upcoming Grand Summit Conference!

The NCG Team and an epic crew of Summit Members are heading to San Diego next week for our 2023 Grand Summit Conference where the theme of Organizational Strength is leading the charge of our sessions. Brian is kicking it all off with his Keynote:Building Mental Strength: Inside the mind of the leader and is going to empower our audience and listeners here with mental workouts to keep our minds strong and able to handle the daily mental challenges, belly punches and mental slumps that we will and do undoubtedly face as leaders.

In this episode, Brian taps into Kevin’s world on what most challenges him day to day, what he does to remain mentally strong and how he focuses on the bigger picture, all while using the power of his team and embracing what he can control.  

This episode is brought to you by The Sherwin-Williams Company, our Premier Grand Summit Sponsor and supporting Partner of the Summit Member Group. 

A conversation with NCG Coach Colin Nolan around Situational Leadership II, commonly referred to as SL2. This is a leadership model created by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, developed while working on Management of Organizational Behaviors. For those not familiar with SL2, this episode is a great way to become familiar with the language and foundational knowledge needed to implement it into the way you view and develop leaders and employees alike in your company.

As a Business Leader who has poured time and energy into building a business that has impacted the lives and careers of many, there will come a time when retirement is on the horizon. What happens to the business and its people when that time comes? We believe your organization deserves a thoughtfully curated and carefully executed exit plan.

Nolan Consulting Group can walk you through the process at a pace that is unique to your transitional needs and the trades industry. 

Today we’re  introducing a new Program offered by Nolan Consulting Group, the Succession Planning Process. NCG Managing Partner, Brian Nolan, joins us today to bring awareness to our new planning process, sharing the importance of creating a framework for succession and how we developed NCG’s approach of a 3 stage, 9 step process. 

We’ll continue the conversation on future episodes walking through each Stage, but today we start with the Process overview and Stage 1: Exploration and Foundations.

We are excited to welcome Chuck Winkles to today’s episode of Out of the Hourglass! Chuck is a Sales Coach at Nolan Consulting Group and the former President of New Life Companies in Santa Maria, CA. With over 45 years of experience, Chuck has grown passionate about the role of Sales in a  Business and the significance in investing in your sales professionals and their continued training as they are one of the core pieces of the organization that keep the engine running! 

A facilitator of four Sales Rep Peer Groups and individual Sales Trainer, Chuck enjoys nothing more than connecting with people, understanding their challenges and helping them improve their numbers and their confidence. 

To learn more about Nolan Consulting Group’s Sales Coaching and Training Programs, reach out to info@Nolancg.com 

On this week's episode of Out of the Hourglass, Kathryn Freeman, NCG Sr. Business Coach and Director of Operations welcomes a new guest: Nicole Hanik, Chief Integration Officer at Painters USA. In this compelling conversation, Kathryn and Nicole tackle the topic of Continuous Process Improvement and the need to incorporate technology. As the CIO of a 40 Million + Organization with 3 locations, Nicole thrives on the challenge to find efficiency opportunities. From technology analysis at different revenue sizes to implementation of new processes throughout the organization, Nicole is orchestrating all the required components of the strategy to achieve the short- and long-term business goals of the company.

NCG's Managing Partner Brian Nolan, takes over the mic to host a critical conversation on Labor Laws and Employer Protection with David Walton, an experienced Labor and Employment attorney at Fisher Phillips in Philadelphia. The conversation dives into the complicated world of employer/employee relations and covers a variety of tips for dealing with employee challenges. Documentation, setting expectations, separation agreements and objective facts are just some of the tools discussed to help you stay informed and equip you to mitigate risk

Today we’re talking about team and team leader performance, and more specifically how the role of PFP, Pay for Performance, comes into play. Andrew Amrhein,  Director of Finance and Sr. Business Coach, brought this topic to the podcast table after hearing this come up in his conversations with Summit Members in various discussions over the last several months. 

Does PFP actually achieve what it was intended for?  Why does it not always work?  We often think that PFP helps to change behaviors or encourage and motivate, but what happens when that’s not the case? Andrew delves into this topic sharing his thoughts, what he's hearing, the impact on the Team Member contract  and gives us some new perspective on how we should maybe rethink shaping PFP in our organizations. 

Today’s episode features 2 esteemed NCG Coaches; Kathryn Freeman and Jerry Block. Jerry joins Kathryn to bring his expertise and years of experience to the table regarding Behaviors & Accountability of Business Development.
 
This is all about relationship building; whether you have someone in your company devoted to Business Development OR you view it as a group effort amongst members of the Sales team and beyond.

For many of our listeners, Summit Members and sponsor partners who joined us in San Diego - it was an amazing few days of learning, sharing and engagement last month- you all came to this event ready to make the most of the experience!

Brian and I thought it was important to take some time to debrief the program -  as a team we worked incredibly hard to bring this event to life and utilize the opportunity to connect with our Members. When moments like this happen, we’ve learned to pause, reflect and appreciate. 

Join us as we highlight the program and theme of Building organizational Strength, applaud our fantastic speakers and the variety of  sessions, personal takeaways and thoughts about next year… 

This episode is brought to you by The Sherwin-Williams Company, our Premier Grand Summit Sponsor and supporting Partner of the Summit Member Group. 

On today’s episode, Molly and Colin Nolan team up to discuss Hiring a New Sales Rep. We know that hiring the right person can seem difficult, but that should never stop you from doing your best to pursue the right people. This is the time of year where many of you are looking to hire new Sales Reps in anticipation for upcoming busy season.

Colin will walk you through the types of behaviors and profiles that make a great sales rep, as well as some proven strategies to implement during the hiring process to ensure you end up with the right person

Conal Mulreany joins us to discuss the proper way to give your employees feedback. Knowing how to give praise and critique employees is a key catalyst in maintaining great culture in your business.

Recently, The Sales Guys, Andrew Amrhein & Jim Falk held a Virtual Advanced Sales Boot Camp. This week, they sit down and discuss some of the key points that were hit on over the course of the 3-Day Training. Topics on this episode include Identity-Role Theory, Parent-Adult-Child Model, The Closing Funnel & much more! Take a listen today and don't forget to share with your Sales Teams!

Sydney Bates, Project Manager here at Nolan Consulting Group is back  to continue the conversation on Working Genius, a concept from Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group . Now we  introduced this concept in a previous episode “Let’s Talk Geniuses” and wanted to take it a step further to really understand how our own geniuses, competencies and frustrations have a role within the dynamics of our team environments.

From ideation, activation and implementation, getting things done takes a village (of geniuses) and the more you know, the more efficient, cohesive and collaborative you will be. 

To learn more about Working Genius and Assessment Opportunities, click here.

Whether it be a tough conversation you need to have with an employee or  need to de-escalate an issue or job gone awry  with a customer, we are unlocking the tools to better prepare ourselves for the dynamic of crucial conversations. With a passion for this topic, NCG Sr. Business Coach Colin is here to share key points from “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when the Stakes are High” with practical application to the relationships and conflicts we often encounter. 

Last year in early October, Brian and I recorded an episode on Annual Planning and the framework involved and it’s a great conversation - it’s tangible and engaging. So I thought, let’s bring it back - but we need to be talking about this topic NOW - In September!! 

THIS is the time to think about getting started - to get the meetings scheduled, the communication plan for the plan in place. 

At NCG, we are intentional about the planning process. We believe it is essential to devote time to strategically think about the year ahead, align with your vision, define the Big Rocks, and focus on goals.

No matter your company size - big or small, there are ways to approach this season with newfound energy, team participation, and excitement for the year ahead. Brian highlights where to start, different frameworks to work through and recommendations for getting the process started on the right foot.

The NCG Book Club continues with a discussion on Daniel Pink’s, Drive, The Surprising Truth that Motivates Us. Facilitated by NCG Coach, Colin Nolan, our group highlights the major takeaways, and personal applications of Pink’s concepts - a step away from the traditional thoughts of motivational drivers. Pink describes the evolution of Human Motivation - one that began at the early need for survival (Motivation 1.0) to his most recent theory of Motivation 3.0 - a compilation of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. By understanding the intrinsic vs extrinsic desires of yourself, the people around you, and the environment best suited for your operating style, we are empowering each other with the tools to succeed and ultimately, generating the framework of our primary aims. Like what you hear on the episode? We highly encourage Drive to be added to your reading list for further concept exploration and personal application.

Today's episode features the NCG team discussing our September book club selection, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What you Don't Know. Each team member reflects on their biggest take away from the book and it's impact. From rethinking long held opinions to finding common ground with an opponent, Think Again challenges us to practice the critical art of rethinking.

This episode focuses on S.M.A.R.T. goals and how to implement them in your approach to not only your company as a whole, but the development of each individual employee. NCG Coach Colin Nolan answers your questions. What do S.M.A.R.T. goals stand for? How do I know if I'm setting S.M.A.R.T. goals for my team? Listen now to find out! Situational Leadership Theory, or the Situational Leadership Model, is a model created by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard

Today's episode sponsored by Reach Local features NCG Director of Operations, and Senior Business Coach, Kathryn Freeman, accompanied by another of our NCG Coaches, Colin Nolan. Having effective one on ones with your employees is crucial for employee development. From keeping employees engaged to the most appropriate time for scheduling, Kathryn and Colin share a recipe of sorts for maximizing the success of these meetings in this week's episode of Out of the Hourglass.

We're back with another highly requested Business is Messy Podcast Episode featuring NCG Partners and brothers Brian Nolan and Kevin Nolan. When we last heard from these two, it was mid-July, and there was growing uncertainty about the economy and potentially turbulent times ahead. Here we are 4 months later, and while uncertainty remains, there is clarity in having a plan A...and a plan B. Riding the rapids requires a heightened sense of alertness and excitement. Awareness, communication, and an action plan are essential for survival. Gather your team, stay alert and win the game!

Today we’re wrapping the discussion of the Fast Growth Planning Program, designed to give Business Owners with a “fast growth” mindset the framework to achieve. Joined by Jay Rogers and Kathryn Freeman, two Nolan Consulting Group  Business Coaches, we’re highlighting the final stages of the program - focusing on the Organizational Development of your scaling business and the Strategic Decisions needed to make it happen. 

Whether you're a startup looking to scale quickly or an established company aiming to break through growth barriers, you need the strategic framework, tools, and support to achieve your ambitious goals.

To learn more about the Fast Growth Planning Process, https://www.nolancg.com/fast-growth-planning-program-for-contractors/

Today's episode brings you the latest edition of the Business is Messy Series and the first of 2022! Brian Nolan, Managing Partner of NCG and Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Painting & Partner at NCG, come together to discuss the ever present challenges businesses are continuing to face and the current happenings at Nolan Painting! From snow storms, to labor shortages, continuing Covid impacts, sales rate challenges and more, we must remember to keep expecting the unexpected. This year is already looking like one for the books!

Today's episode features the third installment of our Entrepreneurial Spirit Series! NCG's Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman, is joined by Lori Delin, President & Co-Owner of Tru-Colors Contracting, 24 Hour Floor and My Stack Box Storage all located in beautiful Pompano Beach, FL. Lori shares how her entrepreneurial spirit started from a young age and grew into a passion for solving problems and growing businesses. Over the years she has never shied away from taking risks or being afraid to fail. Lori’s strategic decisions have paved the way for the growth of successful business organizations and allowed her to help others rethink their potential. If there is a challenge in her way, Lori looks for the opportunity.

This week, we are joined by Meg Cook, Chairman of the Board & President of Painters USA

for an important and eye opening conversation on the topic of mental health and well-being awareness in the workplace, specifically across the construction and trades industry. 

At the start of our conversation, Meg shared a shocking statistic: “1 in 5 Americans suffer from some sort of mental health condition at any given time, but more than half do not receive treatment or know how to access help.” When you break down these statistics by industry type, the outcome among the construction industry is staggering.  

Meg is looking to break this pattern and help end the stigma around mental health by putting energy towards education and connection of resources, incorporating them into the Painters USA Safety program and sharing this topic with third party organizations that are in need of this guidance. 

For Meg, this is about normalizing the mental health conversation, providing access and direction to resources and recognizing it’s essential to create a culture of caring across your organization. Fortunately, she is not alone in this fight… and you can join her in this mission. 

Every year, during September — National Suicide Prevention Month — the construction industry will dedicate a week to raising awareness about the unique challenges workers face in construction that lead to suicide and what we can do to prevent it. This year, Construction Suicide Prevention Week will take place September 4-8, 2023.  

To learn more, access resources and “tool box talks”, and register your company for participation in this awareness week, visit https://constructionsuicideprevention.com/ 

It’s time to STAND UP and Make a Difference. 

We are welcoming back Kevin Nolan, Former CEO of Nolan Painting & Co- Founder of Nolan Consulting Group to discuss a pretty momentous point in his life - On September 21st, Kevin celebrated his 65th birthday AND his official retirement from Nolan Painting. 

As he said in his speech and in today’s episode, it is time to pass the baton onto the next generation. This has been a well thought out, intentional exit from the business, something Kevin put in action 10+ years ago. He talks all about it Chapter 14 of his book Organizational Muscle, Exiting Well and I was curious to learn of his mindset now that this official date has passed and what he’s looking forward to in this next adventure of life. He doesn’t plan to be “too busy,” but he sure plans to have fun and live in the now. 

Today’s podcast episode features our special guest Jeff Wraley, Founder of Groundwork, a virtual sales tool for contractors. We initially met Jeff in early 2020 when Groundwork was in its infancy and prior to the COVID pandemic. The timing was impeccable as Jeff brought a virtual sales tool to the service industry right as a virtual world of interaction became a necessity. In this episode, Jeff looks back at his entrepreneurial journey and shares what current and future trends he and his team are seeing in the intersection of technology and the sales process. To learn more about Groundwork, check out https://www.hellogroundwork.com/

Today, we’re bringing you the latest edition of Lessons in Leadership, featuring Brian & Kevin Nolan, on the theme of “Cleaning up the Monthly Mess”. As everyone in the contracting industry knows, business is messy, there are always new problems and weekly challenges! How are you working through them? On this episode, Kevin shares with Brian some of the messes that he is currently dealing with at Nolan Painting. Everything from Covid related issues, OSHA, HR problems & much much more. Be sure to listen as Brian shares some tactical advice and they walk through the mindset of dealing with the onset of challenges.

Today we are talking about Family Business dynamics and to do that we've brought on Brian Nolan our Managing Partner here at NCG and Senior Business Coach  This is an important topic, and while most people know that here at Nolan Consulting, we are a family business, but we also work with a lot of companies that employ family members  - whether it's a husband and wife team, adult children or extended family joining the business - it's important to think about how that impacts the dynamics,  not only within your family but also within the organization itself.  

This episode aims to hit at areas in need of clarity, whether it's the pathway to share-holdership, employment agreements or family values, there is a framework needed to create boundaries and ensure healthy relationships, both in and outside the workplace. Remember, the business should SERVE the family… and not the other way around. 

This episode features two very special guests. NCG’s Managing Partner, Brian Nolan, as well as NCG Partner and Nolan Painting President, Kevin Nolan for another discussion on Lessons in Leadership. They'll share what they’ve implemented themselves over the Summer, as well as what they’ve learned from business owners around the country during this time. Additionally, we know the Winter months are coming. How are you preparing your cash reserves for the upcoming Covid winter and the uncertainty that it will bring? Brian and Kevin take a dive on this to help you envision your business for the rest of 2020 and into 2021.

Featuring NCG Coach and Financial Expert Andrew Amrhein, discussion topics include how to budget during an uncertain time, When to start discussing your 2021 Budget, how to approach meetings about the budget, who to include, and much more

Today we’re sharing a conversation with Scott Bowman, the Owner of Bowman Painting based in Ormond Beach, FL and a long-term Summit Member. Over the last couple of years, Scott has made Leadership Training a true focus within their organization, creating a formal program with bi-weekly training across a spectrum of content - from Job Site Leadership, to Situational Leadership Training, Crucial Conversations & more. He realized the Operations Team needed the right development and tools to be successful at their job - one that includes managing people! From the feedback that he's received from his team, it's clear that this is a win-win opportunity, with a positive impact on the employees, the customer experience and Bowman brand, as well as personal development outside of work. 

When it comes to living their values, Bowman Painting is taking Growth & Learning seriously and the organization is better for it! Listen to Scott share his approach to the training, lessons learned and advice to others, as well as what  he hopes to implement in the future

NCG Coach Colin Nolan joins to discuss the New York Times bestselling book, Crucial Conversations, and how you can approach them in your workplace

This time of year reminds us to take a moment to pause and reflect on the things that we are most thankful for. Today's episode features a few members of our Nolan Consulting Group team expressing their thoughts of gratitude both personally and professionally. We hope that after listening to this week's episode you are inspired to share your messages of gratitude with your family, friends, colleagues and teams.

Earlier this year, we invited Kevin Nolan, Partner at Nolan Consulting Group and CEO at Nolan Painting to join us on the podcast to announce the upcoming release of his new book, Organization Muse in the Fall of 2023. In the sprint of sharing, Kevin gave us a sneak peek into one of the chapters of the book - Problems, Change & Continuous Improvement…. And now we are back to discuss another! This time we are talking Hiring the Talent, or as Kevin so hiking refers to it as collecting brains and bodies.

This is about Building a Team, from the strategies of recruiting and understanding your hiring needs, to thinking about how to create a great place to work, and proving the need for investment in HR. 

No matter the time of year, the tools for building a high performance team should remain relevant, top of mind… and Kevin shares the approach he and the team at Nolan Painting have taken over the last 40+ Years to make Nolan Painting what it is today. 

This episode is brought to you by Boolean, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group. . 

The Sales Guys discuss how Nolan Painting is handling their approach to putting the team back to work, and what expectations are being made for the rest of the year. 

We’re thrilled to welcome Jaclyn Rogers, Client Relations Manager at Ai Painting Plus in Columbia,MO , to today’s episode for a conversation focusing on her transition from retail management to the painting industry and her emphasis on providing an exceptional client experience. Known for her organic authenticity, Jacyln thrives off intentional, genuine connections within the relationships she makes and continues to foster. This has catapulted her business development success, in the most natural way and I wanted to know how she does it all!  From balancing multiple networking groups and commitments, to generating leads for the business and making time for her family, she shows up each day with an adaptable attitude and a hope to make a positive impact with whomever she comes in contact. 

Description: This week's podcast episode features a topic that has been an ongoing challenge for businesses across all industries - Recruiting and Retaining employees. Molly is joined by Kevin Nolan, CEO of Nolan Paining and Colleen Nolan, Director of Human Resources at Nolan Painting as they share how they have been working to combat this issue at their organization, brainstorming and grinding in the day to day to make sure they have the team to in place to fulfill the high demand of work that keeps the phones ringing. The discussion reveals how they have shifted perceptive, learned to welcome new ways of thought and agility in decision making, leaned into creativity, invested in their people, and continue to go after the long game by focusing on bringing young people into the trades. They have finally found success in increasing their FOS numbers over the last few months and while they know they've tapped into a strategy that is working, they also realize the need to stay on their toes - since nothing is a constant in this environment!

Kevin Nolan’s New book, Organizational Muscle, is here! This is a project many, many years in the making,  40+ years of business experience can be found in these pages! A  personal account of the business he has built since 1979, detailing the lessons learned, strategies made and insights for building and growing a strong business that endures, Kevin is sharing it all. 

Today’s episode highlights another chapter in his book, this time we are talking about money and Kevin shares the financial approach he and the Nolan Painting Team have taken when it comes to the numbers. We talk about bootstrapping, staying broke, sharing goals and the revenue and growth milestones that meant the most. 

Check out the book’s website  https://organizationalmuscle.com to pick up your copy,, follow @OrgMuscle on Instagram and Facebook for updates, book content and tips! 

This week on Out of The Hourglass, we decided to give a look into what our team listens to in our free time. Whether we're in the car, out on a run, or even getting some work done, we're always looking for new content to absorb and share with Summit Members. 

Over the years, we have recommended many new books to Summit Members, and many Summit Members have recommended books to us. So why stop there? Now we're looking to different platforms such as podcasts, audiobooks and more to innovate and collaborate, personally & professionally. 

Today's episode of Out of the Hourglass features highlights from our recent CPP Planning Webinar. You'll hear from NCG Coaches Brian Nolan, Kathryn Freeman and Andrew Amrhein who will go into detail about your vision for 2021, how to manage your team moving forward, and preparing yourself financially today, for what lies ahead in the coming year.

Today's episode, sponsored by Groundwork, features a special guest, Peter Barber, Co-owner of Two Dudes Painting Company. When it comes to Brand Power - Two Dudes takes it to the next level. Their logo is a bright Orange Volkswagen Bus after all! Those who know the Dudes can attest to their fun, creative and unique take on what it means to run a business, but more importantly how deeply rooted they are in the community. It’s the drive to give back, be present and nurture the relationships with those in their neighborhood that has solidified their brand success. Peter gives us a glimpse into the Two Dudes World and shares some words of wisdom when it comes to building a brand for success.

CEO & Founder of Trifit Business Development, a sales training and recruitment firm and  author of Hooked on Hopium, Overcome the Biggest Obstacle to Your Sales Success, Mike Shannon lives and breathes the psychology of selling. 

With 35 + years of sales experience as a foundation, Mike’s passion now resonates in helping companies and individuals maximize their potential. He recently joined Nolan Consulting Group as a Sales Consultant & Trainer and will be joining us as a Guest Speaker at our upcoming Grand Summit Conference in San Diego next month! 

When we were planning his session topics - there was one that particularly resonated that we thought warranted a sneak peek as an episode here on out of the hourglass. 

Mike has a particular strength in the area of Sales Management, and his session, “Managing to the DNA of your Sales Team” dives into the realm of the sales team dynamics and how utilizing particular tools and development approaches can be a game changer for your sales people and the organizations as whole. This is about shaping a team that can do more than just “try to sell”... they will sell. 

Want to hear more? Be sure to register for the Grand Summit, it’s not too late!

The Sales Guys are back! This time, talking about what motivates people to seek you out, and what they may remember from past experiences that can help you earn their trust.

Nolan Painting CEO and Nolan Consulting Group Partner and Coach, Kevin Nolan joins us on Today's Podcast Episode, for Customer Issues & Crucial Conversations. Kevin draws on his 30 + years of experience to address a request about how to manage those tough situations where jobs don't go quite as well as promised and the fallout that can ensue. While these jobs are few in quantity, they can swiftly derail the team, suck the energy out of operations, and do serious damage to the company’s reputation if not handled well. A quick shout out to Brian McCracken, President of All American Painting Plus in Reston, VA for this episode request! If you have a podcast topic request, please reach out - we’d love to make it happen!

Kim Merryman, Vice President of Central Oregon Garage Door and Kyle Fetzer, President,  discuss their journey to becoming co-owners of Central Oregon Garage Door in April 2024. Highlighting the importance of trust, values alignment, and trusted advisors through this venture, Kim and Kyle share the timeline of closing the deal, the challenges and risks weighed and their future plans for the business. Their acquisition story is one of a roller coaster - ups and downs and unknowns along the way, it was their team of people and the culture of the organization that kept bringing them back every time.  

The NCG Book Club has been busy! We've read a lot of great books in the last several months and we have a new one to add to that list - "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan. Imagine a life where everything you do is YOUR choice...from how you spend your time, to how much money you make, to the quality of your relationships, to the amount of joy you experience. Sounds amazing, right? Dan Sullivan's book aims to shift your thinking so you can make this happen - through your connections with other people. Listen in as the NCG team shares key points and insights on finding the "Whos" to do our "Hows".

When was the last time... "you lost track of time, utterly engaged with what you were doing?" "you instinctively volunteered for something?" "you surprised yourself with how well you did?" These intriguing questions are from NYT Best Selling Author, Marcus Buckinghams's most recent publication Love + Work - the focus of this week's episode! Four of our NCG Team Members, Brian Nolan, Kathryn Freeman, Colin Nolan & Sydney Bates host this edition of the NCG Book Club for an engaging discussion. The discussion revolves around what it means to "love" what you do and understanding how you can use what you love to reveal your unique talents and pinpoint what makes YOU stand out from others. We're incorporating the strategies from Love +Work into our culture here at NCG's going forward... So if you hear us talking about the power of identifying our "red threads" and are looking for context, pick up a copy of the book and get in on the conversation!

Happy New Year!  We hope everybody had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to tackle the year ahead and the goals put in place.  WE are ready to kick off our new season of Out of the Hourglass with Brian Nolan, Managing Partner here at Nolan Consulting Group to hear his perspective on 2024 and what’s to come, the THEME that he is leaning into for the year and how he's coaching his clients with that mindset.

On a quick programming note, Out of the Hourglass will release bi-weekly episodes through January and will return with weekly episodes starting February 7th. 

The Sales Guys are back with some new faces! Today's episode features a discussion between NCG Business Coaches, Andrew Amrhein & Colin Nolan along with great insights from NCG Member Coach, Chuck Winkles and Nolan Painting Senior Estimator, Jim Falk. As the Spring rush arrives and the summer months approach, the team discusses the challenges surrounding selling in a high demand environment. Chuck and Jim weigh in with their experience from the field on managing customer expectations when you are scheduling out months in advance. How can you utilize different pieces of the Sales Process to overcome these challenges?

In our second installment of our Entrepreneurial Spirit Series, NCG's Sr. Business Coach & Director of Operations, Kathryn Freeman, is joined by Nate Anderson, Owner and CEO of Anderson Painting in Raleigh, NC. Nate shares his deep passion around mission based entrepreneurship and helping people reach their fullest potential. Over the years, Nate has assisted many refugees acclimate to the community and provided them a welcoming place of employment. This community work has positively impacted the business and the growth potential is high reaching - that’s what we call doing well by doing good! It’s an amazing story and we thank you, Nate for sharing your perspective on how utilize your skills and entrepreneurial spirit to change the lives of others

Colin Nolan takes over as host in this episode of Out of the Hourglass for  “How’d They Do That” conversation with George Apap, President of George Apap Painting based in Patterson, NY. 

Frustrated by high marketing spend without recognizable return and customer acquisition costs that seem unsustainable, George was determined to find a better way to increase leads through a cost effective avenue. Through disciplined sales behaviors, networking consistency and genuine relationship based outreach, George and his team are seeing the impact of face to face marketing more so than ever before and the momentum is only continuing to grow! 

Our last episode of 2021 features our December Book Club selection, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity. Scott defines the concept of Radical Candor as the intersection of Caring Personally while Challenging Directly. At its core, Radical Candor empowers us to give guidance and feedback that’s both kind and clear, specific and sincere. This book hit home for many of our team members and challenged our way of thinking and approach to the conversations we have with all audiences in our lives. Throughout the book, Scott provides tools to utilize, a framework for giving guidance and many personal examples of when she failed at or succeeded in practicing radical candor in her own life experiences. It's a great read and we would highly encourage it to be added to your reading list!

Are you a member of, or a leader of...a team? Yes - of course, and today's podcast is all about teams! Three members of the NCG Book Club join Molly for a discussion about Patrick Lencioni’s “The Ideal Team Player” ~ How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues. NCG's Book Club is a commitment to continuous learning, and to the application and connection of the work we do with our clients, and our own organization. We've delved into titles such as Love + Work, Coaching through Breakthrough Success, Think Again, Winning on Purpose, Radical Candor, and more. NCG Book Club members engage in lively discussions and share solid takeaways and new perspectives on our roles and responsibilities. This week's discussion is no different and lends insight into what makes The Ideal Team Player.

NCG is back for another sneak peek of Kevin Nolan’s soon to be released book, Organizational Muscle. If you are a routine listener of our podcast, you are familiar with Kevin. He is a Partner here at Nolan Consulting Group and CEO at Nolan Painting, a residential painting business he started over 40 years ago, back in 1979. 
Similar to Kevin's previous podcast topic Recruiting and Hiring of talent, Marketing is a constant. No matter the time of year, your marketing strategy needs to be aligned, focused and adaptable to the environment around us. We have to invest to stay ahead. 
Kevin’s Book, Organizational Muscle will be released early Fall of 2023, check out his website for more information and subscribe to his weekly blog posts and updates. 

This episode is brought to you by Boolean, a Gold Level Grand Summit Sponsor and a supporting partner of the Summit Member Group.

Andrew Amrhein, Sr. Business Coach and Director of Finance at Nolan Consulting Group is back on the podcast speaking to a topic he is so very passionate about - Levels of Work and Timespan! This is  a concept we’ve spoken to quite a bit on Out of the Hourglass, we have an introductory series and follow up episodes on interviewing and role clarity and today, we continue the conversation. 

We are talking about Decision Making & Problem Solving - employees within your organization need to be able to make decisions and solve problems at the levels of tasks in which they are working. How do we know the folks in our team are capable of making decisions? How do we test this, train this? The organization's success depends on this and all roads point to delegation. 

NCG Managing Partner, Brian Nolan, is joined by Nolan Painting CFO, Steve Nafranowicz. They discuss Steve's evolution as CFO, how a CFO should communicate with the field, Pay for Performance, how Nolan Painting is planning financially for the Winter and much more! This is a great listen for anyone looking for guidance into what the CFO role should look like, or could look like in their business.