Mastering the Wildlife Control Business: Strategies for Profitability, Efficiency, and Success

Summary

In this episode of the Living the Wildlife podcast, host Stephen Van Tassel interviews Dominic Rubino, a business coach from 10x BLT. As a former contractor himself, Dominic shares insights on how wildlife control operators can run their businesses more efficiently and profitably. He emphasizes the importance of tracking key operational numbers, such as lead conversion rates and customer acquisition costs, rather than solely relying on traditional financial statements. Dominic also stresses the significance of mindset and discipline in entrepreneurship, encouraging business owners to be curious, forward-thinking, and unafraid of discomfort. Through his coaching, he aims to help clients build companies that align with their personal goals and provide the means to live the life they envision.

Takeaways

• 😀 The host, Stephen Van Tassel, invites listeners to subscribe to his "Living the Wildlife" podcast and share feedback or ideas.
• 👨‍💼 The guest, Dominic Rubino, is a business coach from 10x BLT, and he discusses how he can help contractors and business owners with their businesses.
• 👨‍🔧 Rubino transitioned from being a trade contractor, like painting, to becoming a business coach, learning from his mistakes and lack of financial understanding as a contractor.
• 💰 Rubino emphasizes the importance of understanding operational numbers, like lead acquisition costs, rather than just accounting numbers, to effectively run a business.
• 📝 He suggests writing down the customer journey and attaching numbers to each step to identify areas for improvement.
• 🥅 Having the right mindset and discipline is crucial for business success, according to Rubino.
• 🤝 Building a relationship and rapport with a business coach is essential before committing to working with them.
• 📚 Rubino recommends reading Michael Gerber's "E-Myth Revisited" to understand the different roles of an entrepreneur, manager, and technician.
• 💻 Rubino offers free webinars and podcasts (Profit Tool Belt) for people to learn more about his coaching approach.
• 🚀 The goal of business coaching is not just about making more money but achieving what the business owner wants, like caring for family, being self-made, or having flexibility.

Q & A

Who are the guests on the podcast?

The guests on this episode are Stephen Van Tassel, the host, and Dominic Rubino from 10x BLT, who is a business coach.

What is Dominic Rubino's background?

Dominic Rubino was a trade contractor in the past, working as a painter and doing small renovations. He transitioned into being a business coach since the year 2000, after realizing he lacked knowledge about running a successful business.

What makes 10x BLT's approach to business coaching different?

10x BLT's approach to business coaching is different because they are business owners who also provide coaching. They focus on the numbers and operational aspects of running a business, not just tax mitigation and accounting.

What are some of the key numbers Dominic Rubino suggests business owners track?

Some of the key numbers Dominic Rubino suggests tracking are leads, estimates, jobs converted, and the acquisition cost of buying a new customer. He recommends mapping out the customer journey and tracking the numbers associated with each step of the process.

What is the mindset Dominic Rubino believes is essential for successful entrepreneurs?

Dominic Rubino believes that successful entrepreneurs have a curious and forward-facing mindset. They ask big questions, such as 'How can I...' and 'What if...' to constantly improve their business.

How does Dominic Rubino suggest business owners get started with his coaching services?

Dominic Rubino suggests that potential clients consume his free content, such as his podcast and webinars, to get a sense of his philosophy and style. If they still find value in his approach, they can reach out to him to discuss working together.

What is the significance of the 'E-Myth Revisited' book that Dominic Rubino mentions?

The 'E-Myth Revisited' by Michael Gerber is a seminal book that Dominic Rubino found extremely impactful in his entrepreneurial journey. It discusses the different roles an entrepreneur plays and the importance of transitioning from a technician to a manager and entrepreneur.

What does Dominic Rubino say is the motivation for many business owners, beyond just making money?

Dominic Rubino suggests that many business owners are motivated by what they can do with the money they earn, such as taking care of family, paying for their children's expenses, or having the flexibility to be present for their family without a boss.

How can listeners access more information about Dominic Rubino and his services?

Listeners can visit 10xblt.com to learn more about Dominic Rubino's business coaching services. They can also check out his podcast, Profit Tool Belt, to get a better understanding of his philosophy.

What is the host's email address for listeners to reach out with comments, suggestions, or criticisms?

The host, Stephen Van Tassel, can be reached at [email protected] for any comments, suggestions, or criticisms from listeners.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Introduction to 'Living the Wildlife' Podcast and Guest Dominic Rubino

This segment introduces the 'Living the Wildlife' podcast, part of the Pest Geek Podcast family, hosted by Stephen Van Tassel, a Wildlife Control consultant. Stephen encourages listeners to subscribe, reach out with comments or show ideas via email, and mentions alternative platforms like Rumble for accessing the podcast. The episode features guest Dominic Rubino from 10x BLT, a business coaching company. Dominic's background includes being a contractor and painter, and the discussion aims to provide insights on managing a business effectively, ensuring the business serves the owner rather than controlling them. Stephen's own experience of being overpowered by his business is shared as a cautionary tale.

05:01

📈 Insights from Dominic Rubino on Business Management and Growth

Dominic Rubino, from 10x BLT, discusses his journey from a struggling business owner to a successful entrepreneur and business coach. He highlights the importance of understanding business numbers and operational metrics beyond just financial statements. Rubino emphasizes the need for discipline and mindset in business, and explains how he transformed a side company into a highly profitable venture within four years. The conversation delves into the importance of tracking leads, estimating job costs, and understanding customer acquisition costs. Rubino stresses that business success often relies more on discipline and mindset than purely on financial acumen.

10:02

🛠️ Tactical Business Strategies for Wildlife Control Operators

Dominic Rubino offers practical advice for Wildlife Control operators on managing their business effectively. He suggests a simple method to understand the customer journey and operational numbers, like tracking leads and conversion rates, that impact business success. Rubino emphasizes the importance of knowing operational details like the cost of acquiring a customer. He also addresses the challenge of balancing business demands with personal life, suggesting setting clear boundaries on service areas and times. The segment underscores the need for entrepreneurs to qualify their customers and manage their businesses in a way that aligns with personal goals and values.

15:03

💡 Exploring the Mindset of Successful Entrepreneurs with Dominic Rubino

Dominic Rubino delves into the mindset necessary for entrepreneurial success. He shares his personal journey of learning from mistakes and gaining business acumen. Rubino suggests that entrepreneurs should be curious, forward-thinking, and focused on operational rather than just financial metrics. He stresses the importance of understanding the business's customer journey and operational processes. Rubino also touches upon the emotional aspects of entrepreneurship, such as the pride in achieving business milestones, and the importance of aligning business goals with personal values and aspirations.

20:05

🚀 Business Coaching Insights and Benefits with Dominic Rubino

The discussion with Dominic Rubino shifts to the role and benefits of business coaching. Rubino explains his approach to coaching, focusing on understanding each business owner's unique vision and goals. He shares anecdotes of clients who have experienced significant personal and professional growth through coaching, emphasizing the importance of aligning business operations with personal values and aspirations. Rubino also discusses his podcast, 'Profit Tool Belt,' as a resource for entrepreneurs seeking business insights. The segment highlights the transformative impact of coaching on business owners' lives, both financially and personally.

25:06

🔑 Final Thoughts on Entrepreneurship and Business Growth

In the concluding part of the interview, the focus is on understanding the true motivations behind entrepreneurship. Dominic Rubino highlights that the drive for business growth isn't solely about financial gain, but also about what the money enables, like caring for family or achieving personal goals. The segment emphasizes the dignity and self-fulfillment that come from building and growing a business. Rubino's insights underscore the importance of knowing one's limitations and strengths, and the realization that success in business often involves personal growth and adapting to challenges.

30:06

🌟 Closing Remarks and Contact Information for 'Living the Wildlife' Podcast

The podcast episode concludes with Stephen Van Tassel, the host of 'Living the Wildlife,' inviting listeners to engage with the show. He encourages feedback, suggestions for future topics, or criticisms via email. Stephen also reminds listeners of the various platforms where the podcast can be accessed, including Rumble. The closing message reinforces the show's theme of empowering listeners to effectively manage their businesses in the Wildlife Control industry, while also maintaining a balance with personal life.

Keywords

💡Business Coaching

Business coaching refers to the practice of providing guidance, support, and mentorship to entrepreneurs or business owners to help them improve their operations, increase profits, and achieve their goals. Dominic Rubino is a business coach who helps contractors and small business owners run their businesses more effectively. He emphasizes the importance of having the right mindset and discipline to succeed as an entrepreneur.

💡Contractor

A contractor is a person or company that provides services or performs work for another party on a contract basis. Dominic Rubino was previously a contractor himself, working as a painter and performing small renovations. His experience as a contractor gives him insight into the challenges and issues that contractors face in running their businesses.

💡Pests

Pests are animals or insects that are considered harmful, destructive, or a nuisance. The video focuses on wildlife control and pest control, which involves managing and removing pests such as raccoons, rats, birds, and other animals that can cause damage or problems for homeowners and businesses. The guests on the podcast offer advice and insights for professionals working in the pest control industry.

💡Numbers

Numbers refer to the financial and operational metrics that are crucial for understanding and managing a business's performance. Dominic Rubino emphasizes the importance of tracking numbers related to customer acquisition, lead generation, job estimates, and pricing to ensure profitability and efficiency. He advises business owners to focus on these operational numbers rather than just relying on financial statements.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a person's attitudes, beliefs, and thought patterns that shape their behavior and decision-making. Dominic Rubino believes that having the right mindset is essential for success as an entrepreneur. He emphasizes the importance of being curious, forward-thinking, and willing to learn and adapt as a business owner.

💡Discipline

Discipline refers to the ability to adhere to a set of rules, practices, or behaviors consistently. Dominic Rubino emphasizes the importance of discipline in running a successful business, such as sticking to a defined service area, setting boundaries, and following established processes. Discipline helps business owners stay focused and avoid getting pulled in too many directions.

💡Customer Journey

The customer journey refers to the step-by-step process that a customer goes through when interacting with a business, from initial contact to final purchase or service delivery. Dominic Rubino advises business owners to map out their customer journey and identify the key touchpoints and numbers associated with each stage to optimize their operations and improve customer experience.

💡Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is an individual who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk of a business venture. Dominic Rubino believes that not everyone is wired to be an entrepreneur, as it requires a specific mindset, grit, and a willingness to face challenges and discomfort. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and understanding one's strengths and limitations as an entrepreneur.

💡E-Myth

The E-Myth, or Entrepreneurial Myth, is a concept introduced in the book 'The E-Myth Revisited' by Michael Gerber. It refers to the idea that many entrepreneurs start businesses based on the belief that they are experts in their field and that this expertise alone will ensure the success of their business. However, the book emphasizes the importance of understanding the different roles an entrepreneur must play, such as the technician (doing the work), the manager (managing the business), and the entrepreneur (envisioning the future). Dominic Rubino credits this book as a seminal work that helped shape his understanding of entrepreneurship.

💡Customer Acquisition

Customer acquisition refers to the process of attracting and converting potential customers into paying customers. Dominic Rubino emphasizes the importance of understanding customer acquisition costs, which involve the expenses associated with marketing, advertising, and other efforts to generate leads and bring in new customers. By tracking these costs, business owners can optimize their customer acquisition strategies and improve profitability.

Highlights

The guest, Dominic Rubino, is the head business coach of 10x BLT, a company that provides business coaching services.

Rubino shares how he transitioned from being a trade contractor (painter and small renovations) to becoming a business coach since the year 2000.

Rubino's company stands out from other business coaches by focusing on the "business of business," i.e., the operational aspects of running a successful business.

Rubino emphasizes the importance of understanding the numbers that drive a business, such as the cost of acquiring customers and tracking the customer journey through different touchpoints.

He recommends writing down the customer journey, from initial contact to invoice payment, as a way to identify the numbers to track and improve processes.

Rubino highlights that accountants are not necessarily good business people, as they focus on counting and tax mitigation, while entrepreneurs should look towards the future and have a vision to build their businesses.

He emphasizes the importance of discipline and mindset, suggesting that curious entrepreneurs who ask "how can I" or "what if" questions are more likely to benefit from business coaching.

Rubino believes there is a temperament for being an entrepreneur, and those who have a burning desire for their business to succeed but feel alone can benefit from coaching and associations that provide like-minded connections.

He recommends reading Michael Gerber's book "The E-Myth Revisited" as a seminal resource for understanding the roles of an entrepreneur, manager, and technician.

Rubino highlights that people don't want money itself but rather what they can do with it, such as taking care of family members, paying for their children's expenses, or having the flexibility to be present for their kids' activities.

He encourages listeners to reflect on what they want to achieve with their money, whether it's taking care of their loved ones, being present for their children, or having the dignity of creating something for themselves.

Rubino emphasizes that some people are not suited for being employees and taking orders, so being self-employed allows them to manage their own destiny and align with their identity as self-made individuals.

Rubino invites listeners to check out his podcast "Profit Tool Belt" and attend his free webinars to learn more about his philosophy and coaching approach before considering working with him.

He recognizes that not everyone may resonate with his style, but encourages those interested to explore his content and reach out if they find a good fit.

The host, Stephen Van Tassel, mentions that this is part one of the interview and invites listeners to tune in for part two next week, where Rubino will provide a phone number to access his free webinars.

Transcripts

see pesky podcast living the wildlife

podcast Stephen M Van Tassel or there

are his Affiliates are not responsible

for followers use of the information

provided here hi everyone Stephen Van

Tassel here Wildlife Control consultant

bringing another episode of living the

wildlife as part of the past geek

podcast family do take a few moments if

you would subscribe to the channel ring

the bell and of course you could always

reach out to me at Wildlife Control

consultant gmail.com that's Wildlife

Control consultant gmail.com would love

to hear from you yes even criticisms

will take that too perhaps you have an

idea for a new show perhaps you have a

comment you'd like to make would love to

hear from you again that's Wildlife

Control consultant gmail.com you can

also get my podcast through Rumble if

you don't want to deal with YouTube just

go to Wildlife Control

consultant.com there at the rumble site

just put that search term in and my

podcast will show up there as well so

we're glad to have you on board we are

very pleased to have a guest today of

course his name is Dominic Rubino from

10x BLT which is an interesting

interesting title he is the head

business coach of that particular

company and he has some experience both

in being a contractor he was a painter

in the past and so we're going to talk

today about helping you run your

business so your business isn't running

you I know when I was in doing field

work uh I was not running my business my

business was running me in front of me

and so ultimately I I did not survive so

we don't want that to happen to you and

he's going to talk about some things

that's going to help you

get over that and how he can help you do

that both for the services that he he

provides so Dominic welcome to the

wildlife living the wildlife podcast

yeah I'm excited to be here thank you

very much hi everybody so tell us a

little about your yourself how you got

into this side of the business and then

get into what you can do for our our

audience

yeah

gee you know how I got into this is gray

hair and wrinkles

that's it okay

yeah no no no I've been a business coach

since the year 2000. okay a very long

time and I came out of the corporate

world and before that I was a trade

contractor right trade as you mentioned

I did painting and small Renovations a

lot of the things actually that the

professionals here would do where you

guys are patching a hole that a raccoon

made or you know that little stuff

sometimes I had to do as a painter as

well because the homeowner says well

you're up there with the ladder anyway

might as well do it yeah might as well

do it yeah because you can't get anybody

else to do it there's no yeah because I

don't have a ladder right but she still

complained about the price

it makes no sense

um and of course I was a kid so I got

pushed around a lot in on pricing on um

on callbacks on neighbors saying that I

oversprayed their house and now I had to

cut wax their vehicle you guys might not

have to deal with that but you probably

have that neighbor thing where why are

you removing that beautiful animal and

you know you're trying to do a job uh

you're trying to provide a service

you're trying to do it ethically and

within the you know the the state

federal rules but somebody has an

opinion and as you know opinions are

like elbows so everybody's got about two

of them two of them so there you go

that's that's a clever that's a clever

phrase yeah there's a there's a worse

phrase but I don't uh I don't cuss so

okay all right

and so you've got into this you got into

being a business coach so how does your

company differentiate from other forms

of business coaches that are out there

yeah you know that's a really good

question so today I want to talk about

everything that has to do with the

business of business and that's really

where we stand out there's lots of

business coaches out there Stephen as

you probably know you have to go find

the one that resonates with you and some

people are going to listen to this

interview and hate me and that's fine

you know you're still going to get great

info but you're going to leave it going

I'm never talking to Rubino or any of

his crew and other people will say well

that was interesting maybe I'll find out

more so everybody has to follow the path

they want first of all but

what makes us different is we're

business owners who also do business

coaching and that's very different and

can I tell you a little bit about my

professional absolutely oh absolutely

okay yeah absolutely almost none of it

is Pest Control unless you count my

house

okay so I'm under constant attack by

starlings rats which makes me feel bad

by the way yeah I don't like admitting I

have rats because it makes me feel like

I have a dirty house which we don't

right you don't have to have a dirty it

depends what part of the country you're

in but like with California it's normal

for a roof rats to be roaming through

people's backyards it's oh my God

perfectly normal yeah yeah we've got

we've got it and I live near a park one

and the park is across the street from

my house right so Pacific Northwest I'm

up okay the pack Northwest so we've cut

starlings we've got rats we've got

raccoons uh from time to time we have

coyotes I'm not sure if the coyotes eat

the raccoons or not I know they you know

the raccoons might win in that fight but

they might know right it depends on how

how skilled the coyote would be but yeah

there's

raccoons would just typically climb a

tree if they can find it fast enough

sure get out of there and then the worst

pest we have in my neighborhood are the

neighbors who feed said animals yes yeah

feeders and so I have to deal with that

and then you know we have bears but uh

not so much in my part of town but you

drive about 20 minutes and there's Bears

there's actually cougars in my town and

so but we don't deal with those you know

anyways

um

so my background though is I started in

painting and then I I was I sucked at

business I was horrendous at it and the

worst day of my life was a day that I uh

I had an anniversary with my girlfriend

you know this is college right

really nice girl I had this 77 Dodge

Tradesman van if you saw it now you'd

bring your children inside it was a

horrible looking van right it was just

horrible and um it broke down on the job

site and it was our anniversary and you

probably already know where the story's

going I didn't have the money to pay to

fix the van I didn't have the money to

take her to dinner so that night she

picked me up from the house we were

painting

and she took me to dinner and she paid

it wow and I got to tell you I felt so

small like like

I don't I mean I don't want over share

but I felt like a failure right you know

it just wasn't I was working so hard I

was getting referrals people loved me I

knew how to paint a house I thought I

could do it efficiently and make money

at it but I would I could not I could

not rub two cents together and save my

life and something was wrong so my uncle

I come from an Italian family so my

uncle's you know he's got one of those

Italian Uncle Julio okay I used to work

for him as a framer and I'm like maybe

I'll go ask my Uncle because you know he

must know about business he's a framer

and so he started asking me all these

questions about my business and they all

had to do with numbers like how much did

this cost you how much you paying for

that what's your overheads I'm like I

don't know I don't know now my favorite

uncle turns to me and goes look if you

don't know your numbers you're just a

dummy with an opinion

ouch how's that he's still my favorite

uncle but man he hit me in the head that

was that was some hard truth that was

some hard truth there yeah yeah anyways

I went on to take a bunch of business

courses and

um but entrepreneurship courses not at

school but what I took at school has

nothing to do with anything and I I

turned around a business that had

previously just been a side company and

in four years I got it up to 120 million

in sales and I sold it

yeah okay well you got my attention so

there you go what we're talking about

you know hopefully we talk about some of

these things here today yeah you're

you're going to be surprised it has more

to do with discipline and mindset okay

than it does anything else

so discipline and mindset so let's

unpack that a little bit

um because your uncle mentioned the the

numbers

and and I I'm totally on board with them

because that was certainly something

that I struggled with that I that I did

we all do we all do and so if you're so

in terms of the discipline and mindset

would you say that that's

what would be some of those numbers that

someone who's you know they're new in

their business or maybe they're under

five years you know that five year break

that's supposed to be like such a

cliffhanger there yeah what what numbers

should they should they begin to pay

attention to straight off like you know

what's the the quick the quick route

here that they need to start with yeah

this is probably going to surprise you

because it surprised the heck out of me

but it's actually not the accounting

numbers like the B the p l and the

balance sheet those are they are numbers

but those aren't the operational numbers

oh and it took me a long time to figure

out is that my accountant's job is to

reduce the amount of taxes I pay

right

my job as a business coach is to

increase the amount of profit you make

and so I care about different numbers I

care about the things my Uncle Julio

asked me about I didn't know at the time

because I'm a dummy right right uh or

has he said I'm a dummy with an opinion

um

I have to know how many leads how many

people called me that month how many of

those people became estimates right how

many of those estimates became jobs

and this is really what he was pushing

for is a number that I now call

acquisition cost what does it cost me to

buy a customer from the market

and that's all these people that you

know oh I do online marketing just for

Pest Control just for wildlife okay

they're selling you customers you're

gonna pay x amount of thousands of

dollars to run ads on Facebook or

wherever you do it they're trying to

help you buy customers

it doesn't matter if you do no marketing

at all or you spend Millions on

marketing you still have a cost to

buying customers that's it those kind of

numbers we don't think about they don't

teach us in school right at all

and so that's those are the kind of

numbers we have to follow

and so

as I as we before the show started we

talked about the time constraints that

are on our Wildlife Control operators so

what would be the way that they need to

generate that because they already have

paperwork was something that I certainly

hated to do and people that get into

Wildlife Control are not known to be you

know if they wanted to read books and

stare at a computer all day they would

have gone to a different career path

yeah you'd be an insurance agent right

exactly right so this is where so how do

how do they

gather that information to get the kind

of answers that you're looking to the

questions that you're asking so that's

that's efficient is there a software is

it can they do it freehand what is the

way that they would do that so first

keep in mind the numbers I just told you

are a couple of numbers right but no no

I got one if you if you want to know all

of the numbers then here's and this is

business coach talking so I'm going to

talk to everybody as if we're having a

coffee and sure we're huddle over table

and nobody's listening and we're working

at it right

get a blank piece of paper and a pen

leave the office get a cup of coffee

face the corner at a really nice coffee

shop and just sit down on your own don't

let anybody bug you

and write down your customer Journey

like how does the customer deal what you

know you would call it the sales flow

like I get a phone call or somebody

contacts me by email or text right and

HOA calls me doesn't matter right but

then I return that phone call

then I go have a meeting

then I give them an estimate then I do

the job put all those things down in a

list my friend you now have numbers

attached to each of those things right

your number is going to be different

than mine and you know we can talk about

the magic number everybody has a magic

number

um but now you've got your numbers

those are the numbers to track and at

the very very bottom of that list is

when you send the invoice to the

customer and you get paid hopefully

right at the same time or just before

yeah after that come the financials the

balance sheet and the profit loss okay

and that's the numbers we tend to we

forget I'm going to say this and I don't

care if there's any accountants

listening accountants are not good

business people they're good at counting

they're called accountants not business

people

so they're good at counting they're good

at tax mitigation they're good at being

very afraid of the sky is going to fall

on their heads

and and telling you what already

happened because their accountants right

right if you want to be an entrepreneur

you want to look towards the future if

you want to build your own and you don't

have to build a thousand vehicle

of pest control you can have one or just

you doesn't matter but you still have to

have some Future Vision you're working

towards something that pulls you more

than you're getting pushed and those

numbers help

so yeah that sounds very you know very

straightforward and then that per I

would have suspect as the person's going

through this list they probably could

find a couple places where they can make

that process less painful for themselves

and the customer yeah well can I

interrupt you for a second

I'm foaming like I'm like okay I gotta

say this you know how you mentioned now

two or three times that you get pulled

ahead of yourself like it's so busy

you're always busy you're running right

yeah

so at the very top of that process you

get a phone call and I'll just say phone

call whatever somebody contacts me right

and then oh I'm oh my God I got a lead

and you turn to your wife or your spouse

and you say honey I got a lead it's an

hour away can you take the kids to

baseball I gotta get this job and now

you drive an hour there

do whatever you got to do the little

dance which we don't want to do then you

drive an hour back and maybe you got the

job but what happens is your kid

is at bat yeah finally hit the hit and

Dad wasn't there or Mom I'm just you

know just sure

and this is where when I see those

numbers I have to realize hey I don't go

on every service call everybody you can

ask for me but I might not be available

and I have a service area that I work

within and I have service times that I

work within

uh I got ahead of steam here Stephen can

I keep going keep going absolutely so I

think you're in Montana right I am yeah

so I've I've had lots of ranching

buddies from my past in the business and

okay one of the best lines I ever heard

was from a Rancher friend of mine Aaron

Collins he goes look Dom if you stand

for nothing you're going to fall for

anything right

if I accept somebody saying you know

come by and look at our raccoon Problem

whatever the pest issue sure sure and I

just run off as if they're the most

important person in the world I'm not

doing a service to me my business or my

family

and so that's time to pump the brakes

and see does that customer qualify to be

your customers

so you qualify the customer so you have

you can help those Wildlife Control

operators and Pest Control operators

help them go through that process and

fine-tune that process now right because

I think it's a fair question you know

are you making money on that call I mean

I think some of the problems was is that

you're like

I knew I was making money on a job I'll

just use myself but you know some jobs I

lost I'm sure I lost money on and I

shouldn't have and and I would wonder

how often that's occurring for us in our

industry yeah I mean I just here's a

funny example but it's painful it's only

funny when we're talking about here

somebody listening is going to be

banging their head on the steering wheel

as they say it well we right we wanted

to be less painful for them than it was

for us but I'm gonna say it anyway right

you know I like the Joker you can

already tell them absolutely yeah it's

fine

we'll look at the pricing structure of a

company

and they'll say Dom you know what our

pricing is solid we're very confident in

our pricing and you know we'll start to

pick it apart I'm not trying to be

smarter I'm trying to be very very

curious

that's my job as a business coach to be

very curious and draw the question draw

the answers out with good questions and

so this is a typical thing that we find

is okay you've got great pricing tell me

how you come up with your price and so

there's obviously formulas for that but

we're ahead of ourselves a bit Yeah and

they'll say well you know what we're so

good we charge mileage

we charge mileage if they're outside of

our zone I'm like well that's fantastic

but then I come back with a question

don't you pay your guys by the hour

now that doesn't seem like a big deal

but if I saved you 10 bucks a day and

you work 250 days a year you just saved

that much money

and this game is a game of inches

just like it is I imagine when you're

trying to eliminate pests you try the

first things and then you get Tighter

and Tighter and Tighter in your controls

that's the same thing in business just

keep at it get Tighter and Tighter and

Tighter

yeah so I like your you know you're

going to help this you're going to help

this individual

you're gonna

start helping them question what they're

doing so that you can find hopefully

together find a better way of doing it

so they either save money or make more

money or buy a combination of both and

ultimately their profit is greater and

then their accountant can yell at them

about how many taxes they're paying well

that's the worst problem in the world

isn't it that's right and again there

comes the accountant after the horses

out of the barn that's right okay hold

on yeah yeah so so in terms of the

process so someone calls you how does

the how does the process start when

they're if they call you and say you

know I I like Dom I like the chemistry

because that's kind of what you

mentioned earlier the chemistry with the

coach I'd like to explore this I need

someone to help me walk through this

process what is the process for starting

that relationship with you you know yeah

at least for us we like to get to know

people and so as you know I have a

podcast it's called profit tool belt

profit tool belt folks there you go belt

podcast yeah or as my really good

friends like to bug me when I show up

with my branded profit tool belt vest is

that profit tool belt are you selling

leather belts like no

no no no they they love to take apart my

brand names but that's that's what good

friends do

um and then you know I I run free

webinars free trainings so you should

you should go consume everything you can

of mine and if you're still not sick of

it then send me a text or call me that's

I would say do your research right yeah

so this is so they can get a sense of

what your philosophy is your style is by

listening to your podcast you have an

idea of how many shows they probably

person should listen to to kind of get

the feel to say yeah this is a fit I

need to to go through I don't no I mean

you kind of know you know first of all

we work with people who are who have the

right mindset it has it has more to do

with mindset than it has to do with the

size of your company you know there's a

gentleman we work with in the Northeast

who's a one-man

um

handyman sorry he's a handyman

he came to us he was doing a couple

hundred grand a year but he was the guy

I was talking about couldn't get to his

daughter's baseball game and then when

he did

she said this to him Dad how come you're

always on your phone oh

right and that's

is that what you want is that why you

had kids right so anyways we had to get

in there and help him put systems in

place

and those systems were around putting

the having the right vision for where he

wanted to take the company which was his

vision it's not ours we don't give him a

vision right he asked the questions to

get his vision and then you build the

company around that well he's about to

sell that company

and not for nothing

that's yeah

I I was listening to a sidebar here I

think it's so important for the audience

to understand that your goal if you're

not handing your company off to your

children

and unfortunately so many children are

two let me just put this bluntly too

stupid not to see the opportunity

because of the family issues that they

have or where they're going to find

their own way blah blah blah but

nevertheless you want to be a good place

where you can sell your company that's

the goal and and so because that's what

you're building so you're not only

making money for a living but you're

building something that you can get a

big cash infusion from but do talk a

little bit more about that what are some

of the qualities that mindset is that

something you've mentioned a couple of

times already and what are some of the

elements of that mindset that someone

needs to have I've been thinking a lot

about this lately because I I asked that

same question on my side we're always

thinking about how people think right in

in business I want to think about my

customers conversation at the kitchen

table because that's where I want to

have the impact so that they make the

decision to work with us right

the mindset you're going to find it so

interesting and I'm trying to come up

with I'm trying to get data for this

I think if anybody's listening to a

podcast on improving their business they

already have that like they're already

facing north their feet and their nose

are facing the right direction now

whether they all want to do it you know

it's totally different but who is who

who would benefit from coaching is

somebody who's curious about it first

because you can't force somebody to get

coached right do you remember putting

your kids in little leagues or in entry

soccer and there's there's one kid he or

she can't wait to score there's another

kid that's making little castles out of

gravel and sitting there

spitting circles it's super cute but

they don't want to be a soccer player

right and then you got one kid he's like

I'm the greatest four-year-old soccer

player in the world well the other 19

kids are just standing there of course

you are

yeah so I think I I actually believe

that there is a a temperament

for someone to be an entrepreneur I

think that not everyone is wired that

way at least since I'm speaking for

myself I don't see myself as an

entrepreneur I I see myself as

the second in command of a company

and the problem is is no one hires the

second in command uh so that's certainly

a mistake on my part but the I do think

because when I see people that have been

successful in their business

um other than you know just happenstance

sometimes people just get lucky right

they're not really that skilled but I

see people in in Wildlife Control where

they were able to bring their business

to a place where they're able to hire

people they were able to

and have that that's a different skill

not everyone has that some people are so

I gotta control everything they're not

me and they're always going to stay

small and that takes a special skill and

I think there's a you have to have some

Grit

to go through the agony at times for

being an entrepreneur because customers

can be brutal to you and it's tough yeah

so this goes to your other question is

who who benefits from coaching and again

I don't not that I don't care if

somebody works with me I'm just saying

in general is somebody who realizes that

listening to this show that realizes hey

I'm a little bit different yeah I don't

talk the same as everybody else if I try

to talk to my employees about things

they don't care they're there for the

hour or the salary and quite often we

get business owners who have this

Burning Desire but feel like they're

alone how come I'm the only one who

wants this business to succeed and and

who do I talk to that also wants that

well of course you get somebody on your

team like that or you start to hang out

with other people which is why you would

join an industry Association Link in

your industry right you go you go hang

out with those people and you leave

energized right and that's what what

obviously business coaching is a lot

more formal than that but that's what

you do is you get around people who are

also forward-facing who are saying

they're asking the big questions and the

big questions you know you're asking the

big question when your question starts

with How can I

or what if

now I stole that from Michael Gerber's

e-myth Revisited and I've been using it

for 23 years great great book oh great

Stephen I call it the most painful book

I ever read yeah no you got to go back

to the year 2000 in my small little

townhouse I'm engaged to my beautiful

wife I love the time I was she was just

my girlfriend but

um I would read that book and I'm pacing

up and down the the living room she's

like what are you doing and I'm like

this book is so good but I would read

two pages and close it and smack it

against my head and let it open again

I'm like I'm not doing this and I'm not

kidding that book is seminal like it is

it it really is

it it really cuts to the core of the

entrepreneur the manager and the

technician and if we stay in that

technician like the guy baiting the

traps you're limiting yourself in the

company if you're listening to a show

like this you're in entrepreneur mode

how can we do mole control how can we

understand you know how can we have

better gloves for bats I was looking at

some of your previous episodes those are

the big questions that a leader has to

tackle yeah and I think that's and I

think that's the challenge you know the

transitioning from those different roles

takes it takes takes some pain and a in

a a comfortableness with on being

uncomfortable yeah that not everyone can

transition through I mean I think that's

certainly the case for me

uh which I guess the benefit would be

know your limitations that can be

important you know self-discovery but

the but that e-myth book I think is

imperative for people to read and I I I

couldn't agree with you more that book

was like I didn't I haven't read the

revised version but the old one was like

oh my gosh how many mistakes that I make

it was it was like this was wonderful

for me it was one per two pages and

that's why I kept smacking myself in

that minute I think I read it after I

sold my company so it was uh so I I

think was more so for me it was

reflecting back to what I did brought

did this wrong did this wrong you just

you just reminded me from jumping from

the e-myth to what people really want

not everybody wants more money

so if you're if you're not driven if

you're listening to this show for

instance going now that robino guy's

cool Steven's got a good perspective but

I don't really want more money I'm happy

it actually goes to this crazy name that

we have why is it called 10x built BLT

well as as you can already tell I like

to goof around even though I'm as

serious as Sin like I'm very serious but

I like to laugh along the way well built

it comes from people don't want money

they want what they can do with the

money now on the serious side you want

to take care of your mom because she's

sick and she took care of your whole

life and she's in a shared room in a

hospital and you want better for her on

the Goof and around side the B and the L

and the t is because you want to drive a

bigger boat to a nicer lake with a newer

truck BLT

right right it's not it's not I'll give

you an example there's a guy named Dan

who worked with us and he came in one of

our because we did coaching programs

right he came in this like put your toe

in the water kind of program yeah and

which is fine you know people you choose

your your experience right

this wasn't what he came in with but he

got on on coaching call one day and he

goes guys my daughter just needed braces

and I paid Seven Grand by writing a

check and he like he was standing so

tall because he paid for his daughter's

braces

he's just a dad he just happens to be a

Tradesman but he's a dad and that's you

know so when you go you know who does

coaching and what's the we know what do

I get I you tell me is it taking care of

your mom is to take care of your

daughter is it being there in the stands

without your phone on so you can watch

your your son or your daughter right

yeah no there's dignity there's dignity

in work and knowing that you've you've

built something for yourself and

you've there's dignity in that it's just

like whenever just when you're a kid and

you brought your

drawing home to Mom you made that for

your mom right something you created you

created it you're a crafter you did it

right yeah and I think there's and I

think there's a lot of value Yeah

because sometimes people I like the way

you phrase that you know because I do

think sometimes people get hung up on

money and it's not really about the

money it's what they want to do with the

money and for some people may just be

the flexibility

uh to to be with their to be with their

kid they don't have a boss I mean I had

I had a friend of mine he said I'm he

sold this company he was pretty

successful worked for somebody else and

finally left that and he I said well why

did you leave you you got this other job

with the new company and he said he said

I realized that was just a bad employee

he couldn't take orders

I'm the worst employee in the world he

couldn't take orders and so I was he's

doing fine we feel as he just wasn't

going to be he couldn't take orders so I

it felt obviously for him being being

self-employed was an important part of

him managing his own destiny that's

right his identity is wrapped up in I am

a self-made person and for a lot of us

that's it right

well that comes that brings us to the

end of part one of my interview with

Dominic Rubino of 10xblt business

coaching so you can visit learn more

about him at 10xblt.com and he also has

of course a podcast that's at profit

toolbell.com to learn more about him but

I hope you stay tuned for next week to

have part two of my interview the last

part of my interview with him and he'll

also have a little bonus there where

he'll have a phone number where you can

text him and get access to some of his

free webinars about helping you become

better at your business as he does help

entrepreneurs with business coaching of

course if you're listening to this

podcast chances are you are already an

entrepreneur so I might want to check

him out or listen to our next podcast

you've been listening to living the

wildlife as part of the pesky podcast

family my name is Stephen Van Tassel I'm

your host and hopefully you'll take a

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to all of our episodes you can also

reach me at or get my podcast I should

say at rumbles just go into Wildlife

Control consultant to download my

podcast there as well if you want to

reach out to me you can reach me at

Wildlife Control consultant gmail.com

Wildlife Control consultant gmail.com

would love to hear from you advice tips

perhaps you have a show that you'd like

me to do or interview I'd love to hear

from you or an even criticisms will take

that as well

you've been listening to living the

wildlife why do we want you to live the

wildlife because we want you to live the

wildlife not be the wildlife

take care everybody