The Modern Contractor | Micheal Hoy (Great Day Improvements)

Become a student of your business. Michael credits his early success to obsessively studying the retail and home-improvement business and constantly hunting for ways to make it better.

Emotional intelligence and self-awareness are leadership superpowers. Reading the room — and his own reactions — long before 'EQ' was even a phrase shaped how he led and grew teams.

On acquisitions, understand what already works before you change anything. Force yourself to stay curious about the acquired company's existing playbook rather than immediately imposing your own.

Meet customers where their expectations are. Those expectations have shifted dramatically, and coaching reps to match the right price point and experience is what wins the deal.

Stop saying 'my customers pay cash.' Building financing in as a simple monthly payment — 'less than your cell phone bill' — closes deals you'd otherwise leave on the table.

You've earned the right to ask for the money. Do great work across the whole job and you've earned payment; don't let one early mistake make the customer punish you forever.

Get out of your own way. A lot of businesses would be far better off if leaders set aside their ego and let the team execute.