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RPA can help grow your business

Sept. 2, 2015
Heatspring, the RPA University portal, provides various educational offerings There are books, videos and other educational items in the bookstore on the RPA website Thirteen years ago, I had an entrepreneurial seizure, and found myself in business not knowing the first thing about how to do business What was really frustrating is that I had a CPA who worked on my books monthly who kept telling me I was making money, when in reality, I wasn’t We have partnered up with an organization in the business of teaching contractors of all types how to conduct their business in a profitable manner

One of the primary functions of the Radiant Professionals Alliance (RPA) is to help our contracting members grow their business and make it flourish as much as possible. We are constantly looking for new and better ways to help our contractors be — and remain — sustainable. This includes the educational offerings on Heatspring for the Radiant Professionals Alliance University portal.

If you haven’t been there, by all means swing by at your convenience and see what we have to offer. We are always looking for good topics, and are always interested in getting good instructors in place to deliver the content. You can reach the site by going to https://www.heatspring.com/partners/radiant-professionals-alliance.

In addition to these courses, we also offer books, videos and other educational items in the bookstore on the RPA website. These books are available to anyone, and some are discounted to our members only. All of the books and CDs are self-paced courses. Although they are a great resource, the books and CDs don’t come with the anecdotal information that comes along with having an experienced instructor presenting the course like you would experience with the RPA University setting.

As a part of our commitment to our members, we are always checking to see what our members’ needs are. One thing that always bubbles to the surface is the need for business education. It is extremely important to know what you are doing when it comes to pulling wrenches, and turning and burning on these wonderful systems, but if you don’t have a good handle on the business of doing business, you will suffer like the majority of the contracting members out there who really struggle with these concepts.

This is the voice of experience talking to you. I drove a company into the ground because I didn’t know how to “do business.” Like many of you, I had an entrepreneurial seizure, and found myself in business not knowing the first thing about how to do business.

I thought all I needed was a truck, some tools, and my knowledge, priced myself where I thought the consumers would be willing to pay, and went on my way. It took me roughly 13 years of beating my head against the proverbial wall before I suddenly woke up to the reality that although I was staying busy and making a relatively decent living, when it came to the bottom line, there was no money left for new vehicles, new tools, vacations, medical insurance, and all of those nice things that employees demand in order to go to work for you. That, and an IRS agent who was carrying a big gun and a bill for back taxes that I owed, convinced me that I really didn’t know how to run my business profitably.

She offered me two options. Option one was to pay the bill in full right then and there, and she’d go away. Option two was to shut the business down, dissolve the assets and pay off the federal tax lien with the proceeds from the sale of the assets, and absorb the balance due personally. I had no choice but to take the second offer. It was a real heartbreaker, but I knew all along that it was inevitable.

What is really frustrating is that I had a CPA who worked on my books monthly who kept telling me I was making money, when in reality, I wasn’t. I should have fired him and hired a business consultant instead. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

This brings up a very important and timely announcement. We have partnered up with an organization called Grandy and Associates. This company is in the business of teaching contractors of all types how to conduct their business in a profitable manner. We originally wanted to have this program set up for our RPAU classes, but it didn’t work out. As a result, you will have to contact Grandy and Associates directly in order to participate in their offerings.

They have an excellent menu of classes, webinars, seminars, and consultations that they can perform for your company. We are planning to hold our first “Planning for Profit” educational seminar in our offices in Mokena, Ill., March 8 and 9, 2016. Mark your calendars now, and plan on being there with up to three key company personnel. The cost to our members for this service is less than $3,000 per company, and if you actually put the information gleaned from this program to work, it will pay for itself in less than one year!

Grandy and Associates has ongoing seminars scheduled in different locations across the United States, and RPA members who let them know that they are members of the RPA will receive a discount on these classes.

RPA members can also gain access to the Planning for Profit Audio series through the members-only portal of the RPA website. There are a lot of training audio programs available on the site that are guaranteed to inspire you to become and remain profitable. Keep an eye out for announcements from the RPA regarding additional webinars planned for different venues with Grandy and Associates in the future.

If you are not yet a member of this excellent industry-supported organization, you should be. It is an organization of the members, by the members, for the members, with all members benefiting. Please join us today. To join the RPA go to: http://www.radiantprofessionalsalliance.org/Pages/Join.aspx.

Tune in next month as we provide another new benefit for our contracting members. Until then, safe, happy, and profitable hydronicing to you and yours.

Mark Eatherton material on this website is protected by Copyright 2015. Any reuse of this material (print or electronic) must first have the expressed written permission of Mark Eatherton and CONTRACTOR Magazine. Please contact via email at: [email protected].

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