3 Lessons from Leviton for Electricians
3 Things I learned about Leviton Longevity takes vision: Leviton has been in this industry for over 100 years. That doesn’t happen by accident. It takes resilience, smart pivots, and staying relevant to the people you serve. Innovation is constant: Their origin story ties all the way back to Thomas Edison, when gas lamps were being replaced with electric fixtures. And still to this day, they’re thinking ahead, building for what’s next, For example their new Load Centers with Smart Breakers. Preparation x Planning: Learning how they plan ahead for storms, outages, and supply readiness was eye-opening. They anticipate, so when people need them, they’re ready to deliver. I’m grateful for the experience and already thinking how we can apply those same principles to Energize Us EDU.I don’t really share this much —
I just passed the 100 contractors mark that I’ve been able to help through @buildnational. Now, a few of you have seen how I built a $1 million revenue electrical business in my first 4 years. And it had nothing to do with working harder. It’s actually the opposite. It came from securing long-term relationships/contracts, repeat/bulk work with service agreements attached. And the key to it all was understanding MY NUMBERS so I could stay competitive and still close the year at 42% NET profit. We’ve been featured in Forbes and, together, broken down stigmas around construction that keep contractors stuck. All of this—while traveling the U.S. sharing our story. At the end of the day, I just want to make sure you have everything you need to take full advantage of contracting. If you want to have a conversation or just connect, I’m here to serve.Contractors can build anything, but what about yourself?
Most contractors are masters of technical skill. We know the code. We know the tools. Even I know how to troubleshoot a issue in minutes. But here’s what I’ve learned: The business doesn’t grow unless you do. The plan only works if the person leading it has clarity. This graphic changed the way I approach leadership, not just as a contractor, but as a builder of people and systems.Set Goals & Be Honest About Where You Are
If you are going to take one thing away from this post, it will be this: You can’t set the right goal until you’re honest about where you actually stand. Remember please, if goals don’t come with clarity, accountability, and a real plan — they’re not goals. ... Their just wishes. We built this visual to help contractors including myself to focus before chasing anything new. Because growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by choice. What do you think? Agree to Disagree?Do Electrical Contractors own a business or job?
A lot of guys say they “work for themselves.” But when I ask who controls their schedule — it’s the customer. When I ask what happens if they take a day off — the work stops. And if they stop answering the phone — the leads disappear. That’s not a business. That’s a job with more pressure. I built this visual because I lived it. The truth is: most contractors don’t own their time, they just own the stress. So I came to the conclusion: If you stop working and your income stops too… You don’t own a business ... you just own your own job. How do you guys feel about that ?Most of Your Problems Are Communication Problems
I learned this the hard way - I always assumed people knew or understood what I needed, instead of communicating because I did not want to have the hard conversation. I wanted to be liked more than understood. But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: Most mistakes, delays, and drama on a jobsite don’t come from bad workers — they come from unclear instructions. It’s not that people don’t want to do good work. It’s that we assume they understood what we meant. And when assumptions lead the conversation, everything breaks down. So I built this visual to help myself, my team, and now other contractors get clear. What’s one breakdown you’ve had that could’ve been solved with clearer communication?The Crazy Path We Choose: Why Are We Really Doing This?
Let’s be honest, it takes a certain kind of crazy to walk away from a steady paycheck, health benefits, a pension, and 401(k)… …just to trade it for stress, uncertainty, no consistent work, and no safety net. And here we are. Every one of us who left a “sane” path to start our own thing made a decision that doesn’t make logical sense to most people. We chose the crazy path. Most people won’t understand that we didn’t choose this because it’s easy. Either way, When the stress hits, do you question it? When you look around at people with benefits and security, do you wonder if you made the wrong call?
