Most trades owners don’t fail because they make bad decisions.
They fail because they delay the right ones.

In this episode of Builders, Makers, Doers, Andy and Elliot tackle one of the most avoided — and most expensive — realities in the trades:

What actually happens to a business when the owner eventually steps away.

For many construction, manufacturing, and specialty trades owners, the business isn’t just what they do.
It’s who they are.
It holds their relationships, their people, and often 80% or more of their personal wealth.

That’s why exit and perpetuation planning isn’t a retirement conversation.
It’s a profit-protection conversation.

In Episode 2, we unpack:

✅ Why waiting too long destroys leverage and value
✅ How internal and family transitions break down without runway
✅ Why private equity often becomes the default — not the preference
✅ The emotional identity challenges owners face when letting go
✅ How founder-held relationships quietly become valuation risk

This episode is not about selling a business tomorrow.
It’s about thinking clearly long before decisions are forced.

If you own a trades business — or plan to someday — this conversation matters more than you think.
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Watch the full interview now and subscribe.

🔗 Stay Connected & Follow the Movement:
🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube
📲 Follow the Builders, Makers, Doers on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/ellerbrock-norris/

📘 Grab a copy of Andy's book: https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/book

Connect with the Hosts:
Andy Bassett, CPCU, CIC, CEO at Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-bassett-cpcu-cic-7711853/
Elliot Bassett, AIP, CPCU, President and Partner at Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-bassett-aip-cpcu-84499515/

https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/

If you own a business in construction, manufacturing, or the specialty trades, you already know this truth:

Every decision carries weight.

Not just financial weight.
But responsibility for your people.
Your family.
And the future of what you’re building.

That’s why we launched Builders, Makers, Doers.

This weekly podcast exists to talk about the conversations trades owners are already having — but rarely get to talk through out loud.

In this launch episode, Andy and Elliot explain:

✅ Why trades ownership is fundamentally different from most businesses
✅ Why resiliency isn’t built during a crisis — it’s built years before one
✅ How unseen decisions at the “ground level” shape outcomes later
✅ Why stories matter more than theory when it comes to leadership
✅ What this show will cover every single week moving forward

You’ll also hear a real-world story that illustrates how long-term thinking and intentional decision-making can change outcomes in seconds. That story isn’t the point of the episode — it’s proof of the philosophy behind the show.

This is not an insurance podcast.
This is not a motivational podcast.

This is a practical, real-world conversation for people building real companies.

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👉 Watch the full interview now and subscribe.

🔗 Stay Connected & Follow the Movement:
🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube
📲 Follow the Builders, Makers, Doers on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/ellerbrock-norris/

🧠 Connect with the Hosts:
Andy Bassett, CPCU, CIC, CEO at Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-bassett-cpcu-cic-7711853/
Elliot Bassett, AIP, CPCU, President and Partner at Ellerbrock-Norris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-bassett-aip-cpcu-84499515/

https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/

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New episodes drop every week.

If you’re a builder, maker, or doer — this show is for you.