Growth, Leadership, and the Hard Truths of Business with Kory Ballard

business kory ballard Mar 01, 2025

Hey folks, Caleb Auman here, back with another episode breakdown from The Kid Contractor Podcast. This time, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kory Ballard—an absolute legend in the Green Industry. If you’ve been around long enough, you know Kory built Perficut from scratch into a $25 million business before selling it. Now, he’s running Ballard Products full-time, and he’s got a wealth of insight on growth, leadership, and the tough realities of building a company.

This episode wasn’t just about business—it was about what it takes to win, what it costs, and how to protect what you’ve built. Let’s get into it.

Building and Selling a $25 Million Business

Kory’s journey started like a lot of ours—just a kid with a mower. By the time he was out of high school, he had crews running, and over the years, he built one of the most well-known commercial maintenance and snow removal businesses in the Midwest.

But here’s what stood out: Perficut wasn’t for sale when it got bought.

They weren’t actively trying to sell, but because they built such a solid brand and systems that ran without the owners, they could negotiate on their terms. That’s a big lesson—whether you plan to sell or not, build a business that could be sold.

When he finally did sell, though, the moment wasn’t what he expected. He described sitting in his truck, seeing Perficut trucks everywhere, and realizing that this thing he built was no longer his. Even with a massive payday, he wasn’t overjoyed—he felt empty. That’s a reality check for all of us: money alone isn’t fulfillment. You need something more driving you.

Growth vs. Quality: The Balancing Act

One of the main themes we dug into was how to scale a company without losing quality. Kory had some strong thoughts on this:

It starts with hiring. If you’re bringing on the wrong people, growth is just going to make your problems worse.
Your onboarding process matters. Kory emphasized that the first day is everything. If your new hires don’t feel like they belong and understand the culture from day one, you’ve already lost them.
Have clear processes. Whether it’s how you load a truck or how you finish a job, the best companies have set standards for everything.
Accountability is key. If you let one thing slide—late arrivals, sloppy work, bad attitudes—you’re setting a new (lower) standard for your company.

One of the best takeaways? Find your best trainer. It’s not always the most skilled person—it’s the one who best represents the company and can teach in a way that people absorb.

The Real Threat to Your Business? It’s Not Competition.

Kory made a great point about how he used to obsess over what the competition was doing—who had new trucks, who was growing faster—but he realized that was wasted energy. The real threats to your business aren’t outside forces, it’s what’s happening inside your company.

Are you training your people properly?
Are you setting the right culture?
Are you retaining good employees?
Are you focused on your business or just worried about someone else’s?

He put it bluntly: If you’re not leading your team, your competition isn’t the problem—you are.

The Cost of Success: Is It Worth It?

This conversation took a deep turn when we talked about what it really takes to build a multimillion-dollar company. Kory admitted that at one point, he almost worked himself and his marriage into the ground.

He shared a moment where his wife, Lindsay, was processing orders on Mother’s Day with tears streaming down her face, asking, “How much is enough?”

That’s a gut check right there.

A lot of the biggest names in business are divorced. Kory and I both wrestled with this question: Is massive growth worth the cost?

His advice? If you’re going to push hard, make sure your family is on board. Growth at all costs can break everything if you’re not careful.

Final Thoughts: Build Smart, Lead Well, and Play the Long Game

If you’re an entrepreneur, contractor, or business owner, Kory’s journey is a lesson in scaling with intention.

Growth is great, but only if it’s sustainable.
Your team is everything—train them, lead them, and set the standard.
Don’t let success come at the cost of your relationships.

At the end of the day, it’s not about building the biggest company—it’s about building a business you’re proud of, one that works for your life, not against it.

Big thanks to Kory for sharing his wisdom. If you haven’t already, go check out Ballard Products and The Green Grind Podcast—he’s always dropping knowledge.