Cason Rawson didn’t just build Apex Excavating & Underground overnight — he did it while keeping a cool head through 90-day payment delays and the pressure of feeding twelve families every week.

In this episode, Cason opens up about:

✅How he bootstrapped from weekend septic jobs to multi-million-dollar bids.

✅The hard truth about government work: you’d better have four months of payroll in the bank.

✅Why loyal relationships with banks and insurers matter more than a cheaper quote.

✅Letting go of control — and why getting a good right-hand man and an accountant changed everything.

Takeaways:

✔️ Always have at least 120 days of cash flow ready.

✔️ Payroll comes first, profit second — crews keep you in business.

✔️ Stick with the people who stuck with you.

✔️ Get out of the paperwork and back into the field.

Why listen?

If you run equipment and carry the weight of a crew, these lessons will save you money, stress, and a few sleepless nights.

Links:🔹 Connect with Apex Excavating & Underground: https://www.facebook.com/ApexExcUnd

🔹 Shop American-Made Attachments: https://skidsteernation.com/

🔹 Need More Leads for Your Excavation Business? Visit Throttle Up Marketing: https://www.getthrottledup.com/

👉 Hit play and learn what most guys wish they’d known before bidding big.

She went through a divorce, shut down a business, and started over—seven months pregnant, running a skid steer, and refusing to quit. Stephanie Brooke isn’t just building driveways—she’s rebuilding her life, one load of gravel at a time.

In this real-as-it-gets episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, I sit down with Stephanie and her dad Richard—the team behind Precision Gravel and Earth Solutions. We talk about the hard lessons that come from business breakups, starting from scratch, and what it takes to grow a company that actually fits the life you want. If you’ve ever thought about throwing in the towel, this one will hit home.

Key Insights:

✅ Start Smart, Even When It’s Hard: Stephanie’s first business didn’t have a solid foundation—but her second one does. Learn how she approached Precision Gravel differently from day one.

✅ The Power of Business Agreements: Stephanie learned the hard way that even if you trust your business partner, you still need a clear, written agreement—especially if that partner is your spouse.

✅ Marketing with Vulnerability: From DirectTV sales to building a local brand, Stephanie shares how being authentic and showing your face online wins more trust (and work) than just polished photos.

✅ Bouncing Back with Clarity: After a painful business dissolution, Stephanie partnered with her retired father to launch a more focused, niche excavation business—with the aim of building not just driveways, but long-term client relationships.

Why This Episode Matters:

This episode is essential for professionals in the excavation and land services industry who are navigating challenges—whether relational, financial, or operational.

Stephanie’s journey demonstrates that clarity, structure, and authenticity are more valuable than perfection. If you’ve ever wondered how to come back from a setback stronger, this episode is your blueprint.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Precision Gravel and Earth Solutions’ website: https://www.precisiongravelandearth.com/

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: https://skidsteernation.com/

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: Build your excavation brand, automate your outreach, and generate leads: https://www.getthrottledup.com/

Join us next week as we bring you more stories from professionals shaping the excavation industry!

What pivotal moment—and painful lesson—transformed Michael Botts into a truly legitimate business owner and leader?

In this latest episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, Ryan Deemer explores Michael Botts' journey of building Botts Grading in North Carolina. From his early days in hotshot trucking to the pivotal challenge of firing his first employee and the profound self-reflection that followed, Michael shares how he built a strong and resilient business. Filled with practical advice and real-world examples, this episode is designed to help you strengthen your business foundation and grow with purpose.

Key Insights:

✅ From Hotshot to Heavy Equipment: Discover how Michael used hotshot trucking to acquire the necessary equipment to launch Botts Grading, demonstrating resourcefulness in the early stages of business.

✅ The Tough Lesson of First Hires: Michael shares his candid experience of firing his first employee just two months in, highlighting how this difficult decision became a catalyst for him to legitimately learn about running a business and setting clear expectations for others.

✅ Strategic Naming for Brand Identity: Learn why Michael intentionally chose "Botts Grading" over a broader name like "land management," focusing on establishing a clear brand identity and expertise in dirt work.

✅ Transparent and Detailed Estimates: Michael explains his disciplined approach to estimating, breaking down costs and providing itemized estimates to residential and commercial clients for transparency and to avoid common financial pitfalls.

✅ Faith and Business Parallels: Gain a unique perspective on how Michael connects his faith to his business, highlighting the importance of commitment, going "all in," and the belief that growth requires continuous effort, similar to spiritual growth.

Why This Episode Matters:

This episode is essential for excavation and land service business owners who are striving to build a profitable and sustainable company. Whether you're navigating challenges with hiring, refining your branding, or looking to improve your sales process, the practical insights shared by Michael Botts will equip you with the tools you need to succeed.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Michael Botts’ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/michael.botts.3

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: ⁠https://skidsteernation.com/⁠

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: Struggling to get your excavation or land service business noticed? With industry-specific expertise, we help businesses like yours build a professional web presence, automate marketing, and generate quality leads. Learn more at ⁠https://www.getthrottledup.com/⁠

Join us next week as we bring you more insights from professionals shaping the excavation industry!

Ever felt like rapid growth might be dragging your business under instead of lifting it up?

In this insightful episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, Ryan Deemer dives deep with Brandon Dimmer of Dimmer’s Precision Grading, who went from wrenching on transmissions to managing a 20+ person excavation crew.

Brandon unpacks the hard-won lessons from expanding too quickly and offers grounded wisdom on sustainable growth, leadership, and mental clarity in the excavation world.

Key Insights:

✅ Scaling with Purpose: Brandon reveals how explosive growth led to hiring missteps and why scaling deeper—not wider—can lead to long-term success.

✅ Grit Over Glamour: Learn how Brandon pushed through cash flow crises and quality control challenges by leaning into grit, not gimmicks.

✅ Building a Culture That Lasts: Discover the toll of hiring the wrong people and how culture shifts when original team bonds are stretched.

✅ Redefining Leadership: Understand why not every great operator should be a foreman, and how misplacing talent can hurt morale and quality.

Why This Episode Matters:

This episode is essential for contractors, excavation pros, and land management business owners who are navigating the highs and lows of growth. Brandon's candor about mental burnout, leadership missteps, and the emotional cost of building a business is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring guide.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Dimmer's Precision Grading on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DPG2018

👉 Skid Steer Nation – Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: https://skidsteernation.com/

👉 Throttled Up Marketing – Helping excavation and land service businesses dominate their market: https://www.getthrottledup.com/

Ever wondered what it’s like to run heavy equipment with your spouse every day — and still enjoy dinner together?

In this latest episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, host Ryan Deemer dives into a compelling conversation with Jeremy and Kellie Haggerty, the husband-and-wife duo behind Haggerty Dozing & Excavating in rural Cuba, Illinois. From sharing equipment to swapping duties mid-job, they’ve built a successful excavation business while raising a family — and doing it all without letting the job come home.

Filled with practical advice and real-world experience, this episode is packed with lessons for any contractor or operator looking to scale with intention.

Key Insights:

✅ Operate Together, Succeed Together: Jeremy and Kellie both operate equipment and manage the business, proving that a married couple can thrive professionally and personally — without losing their cool.

✅ Buy Smart, Scale Smart: Hear how Jeremy started with fixer-upper equipment, flipped machines, and eventually invested in brand-new gear — learning hard lessons along the way.

✅ Let the Work Speak: Without relying on ads or even a website, they’ve grown their customer base through finish quality and word-of-mouth — keeping a steady two-month backlog.

✅ Kids, Cabins & Career Balance: Learn how this family stays grounded in a small town, why their daughter’s been in a skid steer since age three, and how they still make time for Gulf Shores vacations.

🔥 Why This Episode Matters:

This episode is essential for excavation and land management professionals who value quality craftsmanship and are striving to build a strong business without sacrificing personal relationships.

Whether you’re a solo operator, part of a family business, or considering growing your team, Jeremy and Kellie offer hard-earned wisdom and a refreshing outlook on work-life integration.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Haggerty Dozing & Excavating’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/haggertydozingandexcavating

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: https://skidsteernation.com/

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: Struggling to get your excavation or land service business noticed? Learn more at https://www.getthrottledup.com/

How do you onboard six employees at once—without losing control of your business?

In Part 2 of this powerful Skid Steer Nation Podcast episode, Ryan Deemer reconnects with Cody Kubinak of Carolina EarthWerx to dive into the nuts and bolts of business growth. Cody reveals how he’s rapidly expanded his team while preserving quality, culture, and customer relationships.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies for operators ready to level up.

Key Insights:

✅ Systemized Onboarding: Learn how Cody plans to onboard six new employees with structure, speed, and clarity.

✅ From Field Work to Delegation: Hear how he’s transitioning from operator to leader — and the mindset shifts it requires.

✅ Building a Culture that Retains: Explore the daily rhythms and standards Cody sets to keep morale high and performance consistent.

✅ Leveraging GPS and Tech in Dirt Work: See how Cody integrates new tools and techniques to stay efficient on job sites and stay ahead of competitors.

Why This Episode Matters:If you're at the tipping point in your excavation or land management business — ready to grow but unsure how to scale without chaos — this episode will give you the blueprint. Cody’s military-inspired leadership style, paired with field-tested business practices, makes this a must-listen for professionals aiming to grow a durable, high-performing crew.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Carolina EarthWerx’ website: https://carolinaearthwerx.com/

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: ⁠https://skidsteernation.com/⁠

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: Struggling to get your excavation or land service business noticed? With industry-specific expertise, we help businesses like yours build a professional web presence, automate marketing, and generate quality leads. Learn more at ⁠https://www.getthrottledup.com/⁠

Ever wish you could tell exactly what your customer is thinking — before they even say a word?

In this special 2-part episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, Ryan Deemer explores how Cody Kubinak, owner of Carolina EarthWerx, used skills honed in law enforcement to accelerate his success in excavation. Filled with practical advice and real-world examples, this episode is designed to help you build stronger client relationships, close more deals, and grow your business faster.

Key Insights:

✅Mastering Nonverbal Cues: Learn how Cody applies interrogation techniques from his law enforcement days to sense customer hesitation and guide conversations toward a "yes."

✅Building a Business from a Trailer and a Dream: Discover how Cody stacked small jobs into a full-blown excavation company with 22 employees.

✅Scaling with Systems and Culture: Get tips on how Cody built a strong team culture that fuels loyalty and performance.

✅Relationships Over Transactions: See how focusing on genuine human connections instead of dollar signs led to Cody landing major subdivision projects.

Why This Episode Matters:

This episode is essential for excavation and land management professionals who want to level up their communication skills and turn more conversations into contracts. Whether you're closing your first job or managing multiple crews, Cody’s approach offers game-changing insights.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Carolina EarthWerx’ website: https://carolinaearthwerx.com/

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: ⁠https://skidsteernation.com/⁠

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: Struggling to get your excavation or land service business noticed? With industry-specific expertise, we help businesses like yours build a professional web presence, automate marketing, and generate quality leads. Learn more at ⁠https://www.getthrottledup.com/⁠

🎧 Join us next week as we bring you more insights from professionals shaping the excavation industry!

Should your skid steer come with a therapist?

In this episode of the Skid Steer Nation Podcast, Ryan Deemer gets into the real talk with Joshua Fecht of Fecht Custom Dirtwork—who opens up about why he's pulling away from residential demolition jobs. From clients breaking down mid-project to refund battles after emotional reversals, Joshua reveals the hidden mental load behind “simple” residential work.

If you've ever been on a job site wondering if you’re being paid to operate or counsel—this episode will hit home.

Key Insights:

✅ Emotions vs. Efficiency: Why Joshua prefers commercial projects—and how residential clients can drain profits and patience.

✅ $100K Mistake: A brutally honest story of underbidding and the price of ignoring your margins.

✅ Leadership Culture: How he rotates crews between machines to prevent burnout and keep morale high.

✅ From Farm to Field: Hear how Joshua uses ag tools like scraper pans to cut job time and crew size dramatically.

Why This Episode Matters:

If you’re a contractor tired of client hand-holding and last-minute changes, this episode gives you permission to draw a line and protect your business. Learn how to make the pivot from unpredictable homeowners to streamlined, profit-focused commercial projects.

🔗 Connect with Success:

👉 Visit Fecht Custom Dirtwork’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/fechtcustomdw

👉 Skid Steer Nation: Your go-to destination for American-made skid steer attachments: ⁠https://skidsteernation.com/⁠

👉 Throttled Up Marketing: We help you market smarter and grow your land service brand: ⁠https://www.getthrottledup.com/⁠

🎧 Join us next week for more raw insight from the field.