Build It To Sell It: Home Service Secrets with Lance Bachmann

In this exclusive "Opening the Vault" episode, we are releasing never-before-seen footage filmed one year ago, just days before the monumental sale of SHOCK I.T.
Join business partners Lance and Scott in this time-capsule conversation as they sit in the home studio reflecting on an eight-year journey that began with a $15,000 investment and ended in a life-changing eight-figure exit.
This episode offers a raw look at the "grind" of entrepreneurship, the brutal stress of a 900-question due diligence process, and the candid reality of navigating deals with private equity firms. Discover how they pivoted through COVID-19 to find their biggest revenue spikes and what it truly takes to find a partner you can trust for nearly a decade.

In this episode of the Build It to Sell It Podcast, host Lance Bachmann sits down with Steve Baker, Vice President of The Great Game of Business. With 20 years of experience in open-book management, Steve shares his insights on building business value by investing in people.
 
The conversation dives deep into:
The Power of Open-Book Management: Learn the three simple elements of the "Great Game", understanding the rules, keeping score, and having a stake in the outcome.
Employee Ownership (ESOPs): Discover how teaching employees to think and act like owners can transform a company’s balance sheet and culture.
Quality Time Remaining: Steve discusses his latest book and personal journey, challenging entrepreneurs to evaluate how they use their most precious resource: time.
Mindset for Success: Shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset to achieve true freedom and scale your business.
Connect with Steve Baker:
Website: greatgame.com
Special Content: greatgame.com/steve

What does it actually take to sell a company for $36 million? In this candid, unfiltered conversation, FILMED in 2025, Bryan Toff sits down to discuss the grueling 20-month journey from shutting down a failing kitchen and bath business to a multi-million dollar exit. Bryan opens up about the "administrative nightmare" of his past, getting "robbed" by former employees, and the high-tension reality of partnering with Lance.
This isn't your typical success story, it’s a raw look at fist-fight-level frustrations, culture shocks through technology, and the unwavering standard required to win in the world of private equity.
Key Topics: Taking an $835,000 hit to save your reputation. The transition from "boss" to "managed salesperson." Why the deal almost fell through twice at the finish line. The "Broke and Hungry" mindset of a top-tier salesperson.

This episode of Build It to Sell It features host Lance Bachmann and guest Claudio Vilas, owner of The Roofing Biz Broker. Claudio shares his expertise in selling roofing companies to private equity firms, highlighting the importance of specialization and preparation for a successful exit. Key Topics Covered:
The Power of Specialization: Why Claudio transitioned from a general business broker to focusing exclusively on the roofing industry to create a more efficient network.3
Private Equity Realities: Understanding the low "hit rate" of private equity deals and how to pass the initial "sniff test".4
Valuation vs. Efficiency: Why buyers value a money-making machine over physical assets like trucks, which can often be liabilities.5
The Role of an M&A Advisor: Why having a "matchmaker" is critical to balancing the knowledge gap between a seller and professional buyers.6
Negotiating the LOI: Strategies for maximizing leverage before signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) and navigating the risky period before the final Asset Purchase Agreement (APA).7
The Pitfalls of Earnouts: Why Claudio and Lance prefer rolling over equity over earnouts, which can often be manipulated by buyers.
Build It To Sell It Conference is where serious business owners go to scale, systemize, and position their company for a profitable exit. This is not another motivational event. This is a real-world, operator-led conference built for entrepreneurs who want clarity, structure, and results.
 
Join us December 7–9 in Hollywood, Florida, for three days of real strategy, real numbers, and real execution. You’ll learn how to grow revenue, build leadership teams, clean up financials, and create a business that buyers actually want. This event is powered by the Build It To Sell It Movement, created by entrepreneurs who’ve built and sold multiple companies across home services, roofing, HVAC, and more.
 
🎯 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: • How to scale without chaos • How to increase valuation • What private equity actually looks for • Systems that make your business sellable • How to step out of day-to-day operations

In this episode of the Build It To Sell It podcast, Lance Bachmann sits down with Stephen Martinez, the visionary behind the American Dream Event and ISmart Roofing. They dive deep into Stephen's journey from Houston to semi-pro soccer in England and eventually to becoming a powerhouse in the roofing and event space.
They discuss the vital importance of financial literacy in the Hispanic community, how to apply high-level private equity strategies to blue-collar businesses, and why networking is the ultimate currency. Stephen and Lance also get real about their childhood struggles, the "Why Not Me?" mentality, and why they believe traditional work-life balance is a myth for those who want to win big.
Main Topic and Key PointsThe primary focus of this episode is the intersection of entrepreneurship, financial literacy within the Hispanic community, and the mindset required to achieve the "American Dream".
Financial Literacy and the Hispanic Community: Stephen Martinez discusses his mission to bring "white-collar" business strategies—such as understanding EBITDA and business valuations—to the "blue-collar" minority demographic.
The American Dream Event: Martinez details the creation and growth of his conference, which focuses on business fundamentals, networking, and purpose-driven impact rather than just sales or partying.
Overcoming the Victim Mentality: Both the host and guest share personal stories of traumatic childhoods, emphasizing the transition from asking "Why me?" to declaring "Why not me?".
The Myth of Work-Life Balance: The host argues that there is no true balance for those striving to reach the top; instead, one must prioritize family and business above all else.
Relentless Discipline: Success is attributed to three core pillars: discipline, work ethic, and consistency, combined with an understanding of "God's time".

In this episode of the Build It to Sell It podcast, host Lance Bachmann sits down with Kaela Reedy, founder of Elevated HQ, to strip away the sugar-coating of business ownership in the home services industry. Kaela, whose "love language" is P&Ls and KPIs, discusses the critical gap between what contractors think their business is worth and the "unattractive" reality of its actual market value.
 
The conversation dives into the "owner dependency" trap, warning that if your business can't survive a 30-day vacation without you, it isn't a premium asset; it's just a high-overhead job. Lance and Kaela also engage in a heated debate over dispatch fees, with Lance sharing how removing them tripled his bookings. From the psychological toll of "sellers' depression" to the staggering statistic that only 7% of listed businesses actually sell, this episode is a masterclass in financial readiness and operational excellence for contractors looking to exit on their own terms.
 
Key Topics Include:
The "Ugly Baby" Truth: Closing the gap between perception and reality in business valuations.
The Dispatch Fee Debate: Why charging for a "hello" might be costing you millions in bookings.
Financial Red Flags: Moving beyond revenue to understand true profitability and GP.
Personal Readiness: Navigating the identity crisis and depression that often follows a successful exit.
Special Offer: Kaela shares an exclusive 20% discount on Elevated HQ’s initial discovery package for Build It to Sell It listeners.

In this episode of the Build Sell It podcast, we sit down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group and co-founder of Just Start AI.
We dive deep into the massive shift from traditional Google search to AI-driven autonomous agents and what it means for contractors and home service businesses.
Jennifer reveals how she used AI to revolutionize her own agency—increasing speed and accuracy by 1,000x—and why she believes the traditional paid advertising model is dying. If you want to know how to outpace your competition using organic SEO, "agentic" workflows, and AI-first operating systems, this is a must-watch.
Learn why "following the recipe" is the difference between a failing business and a $20M powerhouse. YouTube Tags Jennifer Bagley, CI Web Group, AI in marketing, Home Services Marketing, Contractor Marketing, SEO vs PPC, Autonomous AI Agents, Digital Marketing Trends 2026, Build Sell It Podcast, Business Automation, Lead Generation for Contractors.

In this episode of the Build to Sell podcast, host Lance Bachmann sits down with Josh Crouch, founder of Relentless Digital, to strip away the "shiny object" distractions in home service marketing. They dive deep into why the majority of contractors are wasting up to 85% of their PPC budgets and how to reclaim that lost revenue by focusing on internal data ownership. From the "low-hanging fruit" of local SEO and Google Business Profiles to the power of raw, unscripted video content, this conversation provides a roadmap for contractors to stop chasing leads and start building a predictable, scalable brand.
 
Key Takeaways:
The 50% vs. 80% Rule: Why moving your call booking rate is more valuable than buying more leads.
PPC Accountability: How to audit your agency’s work and stop the "bleeding" of wasted ad spend.
The "Authenticity" Advantage: Why being the face of your brand is the cheapest and most effective marketing strategy you have.
Lead Aggregator Myths: The real truth about Home Advisor and Angie's List close rates.
 
Want to learn more about Relentless Digital & Josh, go to https://www.relentless-digital.com/ for more information!

Are you an entrepreneur or a "dentist"? In this high-energy episode, JT Foxx (owner of 84 companies) joins Lance Bachmann to break down the brutal truth about what is holding you back from generational wealth. They dive deep into: The "Personal Exertion" Trap: Why your business stops when you do. Billionaire vs. Millionaire Thinking: Why simplifying is the key to scaling.
 
The Art of the Exit: How to sell your business for 8x instead of 2x. Why "Winners Stay in the Room": The importance of discipline and professional networking. If you are a contractor or business owner looking to scale, systemize, and eventually sell your company, this conversation is a must-watch. JT Foxx shares insights from his interviews with billionaires and explains why "relational capital" is your most valuable asset.

In this episode of The Build it to Sell it Podcast: Home Service Secrets with Lance Bachmann, Lance sits down with Tom and Karen from Vector to talk about what it really takes to grow a home service business the right way. 
 
This is not one of those fake internet business conversations where everyone pretends they are doing huge margins while scaling like crazy. Tom and Karen break down the real story behind growing their plumbing, electrical, and HVAC business from roughly $2M to $9.3M in just a few years, while Lance gives his straight take on branding, operational efficiency, financing, hiring, and building for an exit.