Stuck at $3M? Here’s Why (And How to Break Through)

Every custom home builder wants to scale their business, make more money, and get their time back. But I see the same pattern over and over—builders hit $3M a year, and suddenly… they stall.

** Note – $3M is the average I see nationwide – I have clients doing $40M with the same challenges.

No matter how hard they work, how many jobs they take on, or how many late nights they pull, they can’t seem to break through to that next level.

And here’s why: They didn’t build the right systems to start.

Now, they’re trapped.
🔹 Too busy keeping the machine running.
🔹 No time to step back and fix what’s broken.
🔹 Stuck doing the work instead of running the business.

💡 Until you reclaim your time, nothing else changes.

Why This Happens: The “Success Trap”

The problem isn’t lack of effort. The problem is lack of infrastructure.

Many builders hit $3M in revenue through brute force—working harder, taking on more jobs, and personally making every key decision. This works at first, but at some point, the weight of the business becomes too much to carry.

In psychology, this is called the Dunning-Kruger Effect—when early success makes us overestimate our ability to scale. We assume that because we built a $3M business through hustle, we can keep growing it the same way.

But what got you here won’t get you there.

Historical Proof: The Ford Assembly Line

Henry Ford didn’t revolutionize the automobile industry by working harder—he did it by working smarter.

Before the assembly line, cars were hand-built, one at a time. It worked, but it wasn’t scalable. Ford realized that he needed a system, not just more labor. By creating a repeatable, structured process, he was able to 10x production, lower costs, and dominate the market.

The same principle applies to your business.

At $3M, your business is still largely custom-built—every project, every decision, every problem-solving moment runs through YOU. That’s not scalable.

To break past that threshold, you need to build your own assembly line.

The Hidden Cost of Staying Stuck

Research backs this up—according to a McKinsey & Company study, companies that fail to implement structured systems waste up to 30% of their revenue on inefficiencies.

For a builder doing $3M a year, that’s $900,000 in lost profit—not because they aren’t working hard enough, but because they aren’t working smart enough.

How to Break Through the $3M Ceiling

If you’re stuck, here’s where to focus:

✅ Systemize Repetitive Work: If a task is done more than once, it should have a clear process that doesn’t rely on you.

✅ Track Labor Costs Accurately: If you’re not costing labor to each job correctly, you’re bleeding money without realizing it.

✅ Delegate Like a CEO: If every decision still funnels through you, you’re not running a business—you’re running a high-paying, high-stress job.

✅ Protect Your Time: Your biggest job isn’t swinging a hammer—it’s building a company that runs without you.

Your Next Level Isn’t About Working Harder—It’s About Running Smarter

Most builders tell themselves, “I just need to push harder,” but that’s a lie.

The ones who scale past $3M (and do it while reclaiming their time, sanity, and profits) stop running the business like a job and start running it like an actual company.

The question is—are you ready to take that step? If you made it to these words… you’re already one of the few who do versus the many who talk.

Book a Free 20 Min Blueprint Call HERE

Always in your corner,

Rodric

.

.

.

Photo Cred: My 32 Deuce Coupe outside a diner in Tennessee. 

Let’s cut to the chase—most of the problems in your business aren’t actually business problems.

They’re personal problems… just dressed up in a fancy suit and tie.

Entrepreneurs love to blame the market, the clients, or their team. But if you really dig deep, you’ll see that the biggest challenges in your business are just reflections of what’s happening inside you.

Here’s What That Looks Like in Real Life:

🚫 Struggling with delegation? → It’s not a staff problem—it’s a control issue and a lack of trust.

🚫 Clients constantly pushing boundaries? → It’s not a customer problem—it’s a lack of clear expectations and weak leadership.

🚫 Your team isn’t stepping up? → It’s not a hiring problem—it’s a leadership gap that starts with you.

💡 Your business will only grow as much as you do.

The Silent Killer of Business Growth

Most entrepreneurs hit a ceiling not because of external challenges, but because of internal ones.

It’s easier to blame employees than to admit that you haven’t given them the tools to succeed.

It’s easier to blame customers than to admit that you never set strong boundaries.

It’s easier to blame the economy than to admit that you’ve been coasting on outdated strategies.

But here’s the thing: Blame keeps you stuck. Responsibility moves you forward.

The Entrepreneurs Who Win Do This Differently

The top entrepreneurs—the ones who scale, reclaim their time, and actually enjoy their business—don’t waste time pointing fingers.

Instead, they look in the mirror and ask:

👉 Where am I the bottleneck? 👉 What habits, fears, or blind spots are keeping me stuck? 👉 What do I need to change about ME to get different results?

This isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about taking ownership—because the second you do that, you also take control of the solution.

How to Start Fixing the Root Problem

Instead of looking at surface-level business problems, start asking deeper questions:

✅ Instead of: “Why won’t my team take initiative?” ➡️ Ask: “Have I given them the authority, clarity, and trust to step up?”

✅ Instead of: “Why do clients keep walking all over me?” ➡️ Ask: “Did I set strong boundaries and enforce them early?”

✅ Instead of: “Why do I never have enough time?” ➡️ Ask: “Am I prioritizing the right things, or just staying busy?”

Your business is a direct reflection of your leadership.

The Question You Need to Ask Yourself Today

Are you ready to stop blaming external problems and start fixing what’s actually holding you back?

The moment you do, everything changes.

🔥 What’s one area of your business that you KNOW is actually a YOU problem? Drop a comment below—I read every response.

🚂💨

In the early days of steam-powered trains, scientists swore that if a train went faster than 30 mph, the human body would explode. No joke. They genuinely believed this.

And they were completely wrong.

The only reason we moved past that limitation was because some brave people decided to test it. And guess what? They didn’t explode.

But here’s the thing—most of us are still clinging to our own version of the 30-mph myth.

👉 “If I step back from my business, everything will fall apart.”
👉 “I have to be involved in everything, or it won’t be done right.”
👉 “Freedom, profit, and peace of mind at the same time? Not possible.”

What if you’re just wrong?

What if the only reason your life feels hard, chaotic, or out of balance is because you’re holding onto a belief that’s keeping you stuck?

I see this all the time with builders—hustling, grinding, believing that this is just how it is. But the ones who challenge that? The ones who ask, “What if this isn’t true?” Those are the ones who reclaim their time, their freedom, and their lives.

If you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them.

So my challenge to you today: What’s one belief about your business or life that’s keeping you stuck? Hit reply and let me know. I’d love to hear it.

To your freedom,
Rodric

.

.

.

.

#MindsetShift #BusinessFreedom #CustomHomeBuilder #BuildersBlueprint #Entrepreneur

I snapped this photo last weekend as we headed back from the NE. We spent 7 days visiting with clients in PA, RI and CT. Passing back through NYC at sunrise…I managed to catch this photo from the car window at 80mph…

For most of that drive home I was dwelling on one thing: time.

Here’s a hard truth that took me decades to learn: Time is the one thing you can’t build more of. ⏳

You can always make more money, take on more projects, or hire more team members. But once time is gone, it’s gone for good.

That’s why time is your most valuable asset, in your business and your life.

If you’re spending hours micromanaging, putting out fires, or stuck on-site every day, you’re not just burning out—you’re losing the one resource that actually matters.

Imagine what could change if you reclaimed your time:

✅ More freedom to spend with family or take a real vacation.
✅ More growth by focusing on the tasks that actually move the needle.
✅ More balance to create a life you truly love.

It’s not about doing more—it’s about working smarter. Protect your time. Invest it wisely. And watch everything else fall into place.

It’s counterintuitive in our hustle and grind culture…I get it.

If you’re ready to get your time back and start building a business that works for you, let’s chat.

Your time is too valuable to waste—let’s make every second count.

Always in your corner,

Rodric

.

.

.

.

.

PS: Struggling to Reclaim Your Time? Start Here.

Take the Builder’s Freedom Formula Assessment and discover exactly what’s holding you back. In just 5 minutes, you’ll uncover where to focus your energy to reclaim your time, scale your business, and finally step into the CEO role you deserve.

[Take the Assessment Now]

One day it hit me…

I remember a time when my days were spent in constant motion, running from one site to the next, fielding client calls, and micromanaging every project detail.

As a custom home builder, I thought that was just part of the job. But I was exhausted, and despite my hard work, I never seemed to have enough time for the things that really mattered.

That’s when I came across a quote from Steve Jobs: ‘It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.’ 💭

It made me take a hot minute there in my truck…stuck in traffic… heading to another site… and just think.

I realized that while I could always earn more money or take on new contracts, the one thing I could never get back was time.

Every minute spent buried in the day-to-day grind was gone forever—time I could have spent with my family, growing my business strategically, or simply living.

I knew something had to change. My time is my most valuable asset, and I had to protect it as fiercely as I would my profits.

What would it feel like to reclaim just 14 hours a week? To lead your business rather than getting trapped in the weeds of running it? It’s not a dream—it’s possible with the right systems, delegation, and strategic planning.

So, how much more time are you willing to sacrifice before making a change?

If you’re ready to invest your time in building a business that supports your life instead of draining it, I’d love to help. Let’s set up a call to pinpoint where your time is slipping and how you can reclaim it.

Just hit reply and say “TIME,” and I’ll personally reach out to schedule a chat.

Don’t let another week slip through your fingers.

Always in your corner,

Rodric

Are you running a business, or have you built yourself a job?

If you’re a custom home builder working 60+ hours a week, stuck in the daily grind, and handling every little detail, you probably feel like you can’t step away for even a minute.

You started this business for freedom, but somehow, you’ve ended up feeling like a prisoner to it.

HELL ISLAND

Think about it:

1. Are you missing family moments because you’re stuck on the job site?
2. Is every day a scramble to manage clients, crews, and fires that only you can solve?
3. Do you wonder how you’ll ever get ahead if you can’t even get out of your own way?

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Most builders are so busy running their business that they don’t have time to grow it – we call this HELL ISLAND.

But, there’s a way out.

HEAVEN ISLAND

Imagine your business running like a well-oiled machine, even when you’re not there.

Your team handles the details, your systems ensure high quality, and you can finally step into the CEO role—focusing on growth, strategy, and having the time freedom you’ve been working so hard for.

That’s what I call HEAVEN ISLAND—a business that works for you, giving you back your time and your life.

How Do You Get There?

That’s where I come in. I help custom builders like you put the systems and team in place so you can delegate, reclaim your time, and scale your business without sacrificing quality.

You’ll go from feeling overwhelmed to running a thriving business that doesn’t require you 24/7.

Ready to Make a Change?

Let’s start with a 20-Min Builders Blueprint Call to pinpoint what’s holding you back.

Click HERE to book your call. 

It’s time to stop being stuck and start building a business that finally works for you.

Sincerely,

Rodric (Time Master) Lenhart

P.S.

Don’t let another year slip by stuck in the grind. Take control now. Living the same year 75 times isn’t a life…

In the last 15 years, I’ve built 5 different companies, some well into 7 and 8-figure territory.

But I’ve also visited some 60 countries on six continents purely for fun: the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Daytona 500, the F1 Grand Prix at Monza…. the list goes on.

People ask, “How do you do it?”

I’ll answer, “Well, I book the flight and the hotel and I get on the flight and check into the hotel,” only said partially tongue in cheek.

I don’t share any of this to impress you… only to impress upon you that it’s possible.

The ability to travel freely around the globe has been a top priority for me for as long as I can remember, and as such, I have built companies, teams, and a personal schedule around that priority… so it allows me to do just that.

Your priorities may be vastly different… and that’s ok.

But if someome took a look at your life from the outside in… would they be able to tell what your priorities really are?

We always get what we prioritize. The problem is what we say and what we plan for and do often look very, very, very different.

Think back on a time in your life when you had an audacious goal. Perhaps you wanted to get back to your high school weight, or you had a business idea that you just HAD to see through to completion.

Who did you have to become to achieve that goal?

What did you have to give up?

Why was it worth it?

We always get what we truly want and deserve in this life. If you want to be fit, but you eat garbage and watch Netflix for four hours a night, telling your friends (and yourself) that you “just don’t have the time,”… you are getting the body and health you deserve.

The same goes for your business and the life you CHOOSE to design.

LISTEN to the whispers inside of you.

Having the courage to live the life you want is about embracing authenticity and defying others’ expectations. It means stepping confidently into your truth, even when it diverges from societal norms or the paths laid out by others.

It’s about listening to the whispers of your soul, even when they lead you down unconventional roads.

(“Listen to the whispers before they become screams”, as my friend Darryll Stinson would say.)

Courage is the willingness to take risks and pursue the life YOU want with reckless abandon. To stand tall in the face of doubt or criticism… especially from those closest to you.

It’s about recognizing that your life is yours to shape according to your vision, not others.

When you have the courage to live authentically, you empower yourself to create a life filled with purpose, fulfillment, and joy, and by living that life—your life—you inspire others to do the same.

What a gift.

Rodric