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Hi Priscilla,
Gather ’round. It’s story time.
There was once a builder who was very good at building. Let’s call him Joe.
Joe invited me out to his operation because he wanted help scaling his business. From the outside, it looked like he was ready. The shop was impressive. The trucks were clean. The schedule was full. The business looked strong.
And in many ways, it was.
Joe was known for getting things done. If a job went sideways, he straightened it out. If a customer was upset, he calmed them down. If the crew had a question, he had the answer. If the schedule slipped, he found a way to keep the work moving.
People admired him for it.
But as I watched the operation, something became clear: the business was growing, but Joe had built a business like a wagon wheel with one heavy hub.
Every spoke ran back to him.
The team leaned on him.
Customers trusted him.
Problems found him.
Decisions waited for him.
And because Joe was strong, the wheel kept turning.
That is the danger of strength. It can hide strain.
Joe believed the answer was more.
More jobs.
More people.
More equipment.
More revenue.
But what I saw was a business that needed less.
Less variation.
Less guessing.
Less confusion.
Less rescuing.
Because variation is waste.
Too many jobs did not run the same way. Too many exceptions had become normal. Too many people had to improvise instead of following a clear process. Too many next steps depended on who happened to be available, rather than what should happen every time.
And if you try to scale on top of that, you will not scale the business. You will scale the problems.
He did not need a bigger business first.
He needed a steadier one.
And if you relate to Joe - reply to this email - let's grab a coffee, a beverage of choice - or, if you are local I'd love to see your operation for myself. Here's to Less!
Your Partner in Success -
Priscilla
Here's some NEWS you can use!
🤝 NETWORKING
More events!
The Maine Home Show circuit gives contractors a practical way to stay visible, walk the floor, and make local connections. The 2026 dates are Auburn: March 28-29, Portland: April 11-12, Augusta: April 18-19, and Bangor: May 15-17. 📚 EDUCATION
Classes & Training
- ICC G13 Class C License Prep
A fully online prep course for residential contractors working toward the National Standard Building Contractor Class C ICC G13 license. Classes run April 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, and May 1, 2026.
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April 16 | HBRAME Builders, Business, and Beer — My session, “Where AI Fits in Building Effective Systems,” will focus on where AI is useful, where it is premature, and how to apply it without creating more confusion.
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April 20 | FOR THE KIDS - April Vacation Elementary Architecture Camp by Mousam River STEM Academy
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April 29 | Choice of Two sessions: 9-11AM - 2-4PM Invitation-only Contractors Workgroup — Missed Priscilla's Profitable Processes session at IBS? OR - Were you there and now ready to put the strategies to work? Join this small group to watch the presentation together, pause throughout, and talk through what those implementation tools would actually look like in your operation. - email support@blazingtrailscoaching.com to apply.
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May 4–8 | Construction Safety Week 2026 — A good reason to revisit field planning, habits, and serious injury and fatality prevention before peak season gets rolling.
Worth a Read
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What does the term "Shovel Ready" mean anyway? My article featured in MaineBiz!
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Atomic Habits - James Clear - I just finished reading this for perhaps the 5th time, and every time I read it I am able to tighten my routines, habits and strategies. If you've read it before, read it again. If you've never read it - what are you waiting for? It's great on Audible too.
Worth a Listen
Audiobook - Beyond the Hammer - Brian Gottlieb - A fable style story that introduces us to George, a business owner struggling with burnt out employees, high turnover and frustrated customers. Adapting the authors five foundational pillars of leadership, he was able to build high performance teams and a thriving company.
👷♀️ SUPPORT
Free Resources
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SafetyWorks! Maine offers free, confidential safety training and consultation support for employers.
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Construction Safety Week provides free planning materials and downloadable resources that can support toolbox talks, stand-downs, and broader safety conversations.
Grants & Funding
Services
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Blazing Trails Coaching is now enrolling coaching clients for June —if you are ready to strengthen systems, improve operations, and build a business that is easier to run - click HERE to schedule a discovery session.
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