I lost a deal this week. I think I was TOO friendly. Building rapport went too far. Got caught up talking about grandkids and pets (I don't even have a pet) Sometimes if we are TOO chatty, and become friends BEFORE we do business I think it makes it too easy for them to say "I'll think about it", "I'll do it myself" or "I'll do it later" Can you share a time this happened to you?

I’m Jeff Lockwood — founder of Lockwood Painting in South-Western Ontario, creator of PaintingBizCoach.com, and a lifelong student of what actually makes painting companies profitable. I started my painting business from scratch after being laid off right after Christmas — no investors, no safety net — just a credit card, a strong work ethic, and a determination to build something meaningful. Fast forward 18+ years, and we’ve grown Lockwood Painting into a nearly 7-figure, multi-award-winning company serving a large rural region. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of speaking at PCA Expo, mentoring fellow contractors across North America, and helping painters transform chaos into clarity. I’m also the author of several books for painting contractors, including: - Pitch, Paint, Profit (Painting Business Sales) - Paint Smart, Not Hard (Painting Business Start-Up) - Pro Painter Q&A ( over 80 questions asked and answered) - Mastering the Numbers (all about estimating) - Seasonal Shifts (dealing with sales slow-downs due to a change in seasons) Each one was written to solve real problems I’ve faced — and watched others face — in the field. Let’s grow. Let’s sell smarter. Let’s build profitable painting companies. Welcome to the Crew.