#40 - Navy Vet Builds $35M Mansions—GC Success Playbook

Can a broke apprentice really become the go-to GC for NBA superstars? Richie Breaux did—turning a beat-up pickup and a faith-driven work ethic into 8-figure luxury builds (including Zach LaVine’s $35 M Newport estate) while leading crews year-round under Hawaii’s blazing sun. 🌴🏗️ In this episode, Richie breaks down the exact frameworks that transform general contractors into generational leaders: Storms, Snakes & Smoke—his 3-part system for beating market shocks, sabotage & self-inflicted fires. The “buy-one-tool-a-week” rule that scales cashflow without crushing debt. How gratitude flips job-site chaos into sniper-level clarity. Pricing & selling like a premium builder—with zero guilt. Grab a notepad, bring your hustle, and become the boss every crew brags about. 🎯 QUICK LINKS FREE Roofing Growth Audit (contractor-friendly) → https://mybetterboss.ai/free-roofing-growth-audit/ Order Richie’s new book Builder of All Things (OUT NOW!) → https://www.richiebreaux.com/ Subscribe & hit 🔔 ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction & Island Hype 00:19 Living the Hawaii Dream 00:57 Midwest Roots → Island Life 01:29 Navy to Construction Pivot 02:27 Birth of a Building Empire 03:48 Early Struggles, Big Wins 05:27 Core Values That Print Cash 07:51 From Side Jobs to CEO 15:16 Faith + Integrity = Scale 19:11 Knowing & Charging Your Worth 22:38 Communicating Premium Value 23:10 Tesla Talk & Solar Smarts 23:39 $35 M Newport Renovation Story 26:44 Chaos-to-Clarity Sniper Method 29:50 Vision Casting Crews Follow 35:11 Storms, Snakes & Smoke Framework 38:28 Purpose-Driven Construction 41:29 Final Wisdom & Book Drop 💡 WHAT YOU’LL TAKE AWAY A plug-and-play leadership model to keep teams loyal & deadlines met. Tactics for year-round revenue—even when permits crawl & markets freeze. The mindset that lets you command premium pricing and still win bids. Faith-first habits that protect profits and peace of mind.

💥 That’s a wrap on another episode of The Roofing Operating System™—America’s top-rated podcast for roofing software and scalable growth.

If today’s insights sparked just one idea to scale smarter or grow faster, imagine what a full strategy could do for your business.

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Until next time—build better, lead stronger, and scale like a boss.