John Hill was lying in a hospital bed after surviving a massive heart attack when he faced a life-altering choice: give up, or stay and find a higher purpose. Choosing to stay, John walked away from his stable job with only one paycheck left, no safety net, and a yellow legal pad to map out a business idea that experts called "the worst model ever." He set out to clean up a dirty industry by doing the unthinkable—personally guaranteeing the work of contractors to protect homeowners.
In this interview, John sits down with Ryan Atkinson to share how he built The Good Contractors List, a company that has backed over $5 billion in work and paid out $127,000 in claims to fix bad jobs. He reveals why the "sell the lead" model is broken and how his unique approach of "giving more than you take" created a community-driven ecosystem that generates revenue without sacrificing integrity.
You’ll learn why ignoring "business experts" was the best decision John ever made, how to identify if you are a Visionary or an Integrator, and the crucial difference between self-promotion and community authority. We also dive deep into how faith fueled John through financial rock bottom and the practical steps entrepreneurs can take to build a business that prioritizes purpose over profit.
Takeaways:
- Purpose Beats Credentials: John didn't have a business degree or a safety net; he had a "hospital bed promise" to live with purpose. This intrinsic motivation fueled him through obstacles that would have stopped a purely profit-driven founder.
- The "Anti-Lead" Business Model: John disrupted the industry by refusing to sell leads. Instead of charging per lead (which incentivizes quantity over quality), he charges a flat membership fee, aligning his success with the contractor's reputation rather than their marketing spend.
- Validate with Sales, Not Software: You don’t need a website to start. John launched his business with a yellow legal pad and a pen, collecting checks and validating the concept before spending a dime on digital infrastructure.
- Ignore the "Experts": Multiple business consultants told John his model—personally guaranteeing contractor work—was "suicide." He ignored them, and that specific differentiator is what allowed him to back over $5 billion in projects.
- The Visionary vs. Integrator Dynamic: John struggled with structure until he recognized he was a "Visionary" and needed an "Integrator" partner to handle operations. Knowing your personality type is crucial for scaling past the startup phase.
-Crowdsourced Quality Control: Instead of just hunting for contractors himself, John built a referral program where he pays homeowners and other contractors to refer trusted pros, effectively letting the community build his vetting pipeline.
- Risk is Lower Than You Think: Guaranteeing work sounds risky, but the data proves otherwise. Because the vetting process is so strict, The Good Contractors List has only had to pay out ~$127,000 on $5 billion worth of jobs.
- Give More Than You Take: This isn't just a moral stance; it’s a growth strategy. By not nickel-and-diming contractors for every lead, John built a loyal community that self-polices and promotes the brand organically.
- Faith as a Stress Management Tool: John attributes his ability to handle the "Valley of Death" (running out of money) to a spiritual surrender. Removing his ego from the outcome allowed him to make clear decisions without panic.
- Community Authority: A single contractor saying "I'm good" is marketing. A third-party organization backing that contractor with their own money is authority. John built a business on selling trust, not just advertising space.
Tags: Home Services, Entrepreneurship, Business mindset, Faith, Startup, Leadership
Resources:
Grow your business today: https://links.upflip.com/the-business-startup-and-growth-blueprint-podcast
Connect with John: https://thegoodcontractorslist.com/contractor-listings-and-our-team/
The UpFlip Podcast