Richie Zook - Building a Trades Business That Can Run Without You

What has to change before you can move 2,500 miles away from the company you help run? THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ Richie Zook helps lead Keystone Gun-Krete in Pennsylvania from his home in North Idaho. Getting there meant learning which responsibilities to hand over, how to support the people taking them on, and what remote ownership actually costs. Richie joins Erick Loden to trace that work from the purchase of an established concrete business with seller financing to a team with capable managers and younger partners. They discuss hourly pay with job-level incentives, the demand test behind major equipment purchases, and why changing an ownership split cannot repair a weak partnership. Richie also shares how he learned to stand behind employees, protect company culture as the business grows, and measure success beyond his job title. WATCH & LISTEN Watch this full episode: https://youtu.be/8aRo_Vaba3k Subscribe to From The Ground Up Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen in your podcast app: https://pod.link/1846907140 SHORTER EDITIONS From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED — a roughly 20-minute focused version of the full conversation. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 From The Ground Up Show: Topics — complete 3–10-minute episodes built around one useful question or lesson. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVzToS_5Hj6o Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6808750058 GUEST & RESOURCES Richie Zook and Keystone Gun-Krete https://www.keystonegun-krete.com/ PARTNERS & SPONSORS This episode includes paid promotional material. OpenAudible https://openaudible.org MacArthur Company https://www.macarthurco.com Athlete Fresh https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/