Real Business Owners

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.com

In this episode of The Real Business Owners Podcast, Rick Trimmer sits down with Trevor Farnes to talk about what happens when everything falls apart—and what it takes to rebuild from nothing.

Trevor shares the story of losing nearly everything during the 2008 crash, starting over, building Mountain Ops from the ground up, eventually selling part of the company, and learning when to step away from something he had spent years building.

The conversation goes beyond business, diving into failure, faith, marriage, mentorship, delegation, and the responsibility that comes with finding success after going through hard times. Trevor explains how some of his biggest lessons came from the moments when he had the least control and why rebuilding isn't just about creating another successful business—it's about becoming the person capable of sustaining it.

Key Takeaways:

What losing nearly everything in 2008 taught Trevor about resilience
How to keep moving when the original plan completely falls apart
Why the people around you can make or break your ability to rebuild
How to build a company around a mission instead of just a product
Knowing when it's time to give up control and hand over the reins
Why delegation is necessary if you actually want freedom
How personal hardship can become an opportunity to serve others
The role faith, family, and mentorship played throughout Trevor's journey
What rebuilding from failure can teach you about business, leadership, and life

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.com

Most people want the result, but they don't want to live the process required to earn it.

In this episode, Trevor Cowley breaks down what it actually means to get lost in the process, why focusing too heavily on the end goal can become a distraction, and how comfort and complacency can quietly pull you away from the life you're trying to build.

Using examples from elite athletes and his own experiences, Trevor explains why the people who consistently perform at the highest level are obsessed with honoring the day, keeping their commitments, and constantly putting new challenges in front of themselves.

The goal isn't to become obsessed with the finish line. It's to become obsessed with doing what the day requires.

Key Takeaways

Why wanting a result means nothing if your daily actions don't align with it.
The difference between chasing an outcome and becoming obsessed with the process.
Why every day has a scoreboard—you either made the deposit or you didn't.
How comfort and complacency can destroy momentum after you've already achieved success.
Why elite results require eliminating distractions and unnecessary options.
How to stop negotiating with yourself when things get difficult.
Why constantly setting new challenges can keep you from falling back into old habits.
The importance of surrendering to whatever the process requires.
Why your behaviors today—not your intentions—ultimately determine what your life looks like.

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.com

Most entrepreneurs think growth means starting something new. Sometimes, the fastest way to grow is to buy what's already working.

In this solo episode, Rick Trimmer breaks down the 19 businesses he has started, bought, acquired, merged, or invested in throughout his career—and the lessons each one taught him about building wealth, scaling companies, and finding new opportunities.

From starting his first service business at 25 to building a portfolio of companies operated by multiple CEOs, Rick explains why he increasingly turned to acquisitions to gain customers, equipment, inventory, capabilities, and—most importantly—great people.

Rick also shares what he learned from losing everything at 31, why business owners choose to sell, how acquisitions can create win-win outcomes for buyers and sellers, and the importance of structuring partnerships correctly from the beginning. If you're interested in acquiring businesses or building a portfolio that doesn't require you to run every operation yourself, this episode is packed with lessons worth paying attention to.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Why buying an existing business can be smarter than starting from scratch.
The lessons Rick learned from losing everything at 31.
How acquisitions can help you enter new markets and accelerate growth.
Why the people you acquire can be more valuable than the business itself.
How to identify struggling businesses that could become growth opportunities.
Why business owners may sell because they want support—not because they want to walk away.
The importance of clearly defined agreements when entering partnerships.
How to structure businesses so you aren't trapped running the day-to-day operations.
Why due diligence and accurate valuation can make or break an acquisition.
How to build a portfolio of businesses without becoming the bottleneck in every company.

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.com

Most people have an idea of the life they want, but very few actually build a plan that gets them there.

In this episode, Trevor Cowley and Rick Trimmer break down what real planning looks like and why saying you want something means nothing if your daily actions aren't aligned with it. They discuss how to design your life around long-term goals, turn massive ambitions into measurable daily actions, make sacrifices in the present for a better future, and create non-negotiable standards that eliminate the need to constantly make decisions.

They also dive into the mindset behind Trevor's pursuit of a world record and why pushing yourself beyond what's comfortable can reveal what you're actually capable of. From business and finances to fitness and personal growth, this conversation is about creating a life by design instead of leaving your future to chance.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Why success has to happen by design, not by accident.
How to turn massive goals into specific daily actions and measurable benchmarks.
Why "want" shows up in conversation, but commitment shows up in action.
How small expenses, habits, and compromises can quietly destroy long-term progress.
Why extraordinary results require doing more than what is ordinary.
How non-negotiable standards can eliminate decision fatigue and keep you on track.
Why humility, mentorship, and proximity to the right people can accelerate your growth.
How to recognize when your current habits aren't producing the life you say you want.
Why every season of life eventually requires a new goal and a new challenge.
How to build a business that serves the life you want instead of simply building a bigger business.

The question isn't whether you want more.

The question is what you're willing to change to get it.

If you are ready to level up personally and professionally, go to joinrbo.com

The people you surround yourself with can either accelerate your growth or hold your business hostage.

In this solo episode, Rick Trimmer breaks down one of the biggest challenges business owners face: building the right team. He explains why keeping the wrong people can cost you far more than money, how to identify the right employees, and why sometimes the best decision you can make is moving someone into a different seat—or helping them find a different bus entirely.

Rick also shares how he has built teams capable of operating without him, why giving employees a path toward ownership can help you retain your best people, and why building a great team requires thinking far beyond the next 90 days.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

Why keeping the wrong employee can be more expensive than replacing them.
How to qualify potential employees faster and identify the right people.
The difference between having the right person and having them in the right seat.
Why great employees need opportunities to grow.
How to identify the people who belong on your personal bus.
Why your team should be built around where you want to be 10 years from now.
The four questions every business owner should ask about their team.
How ownership can help you attract and retain high-level employees.
Why building your team is an ongoing process, not a one-time decision.
When it's time to make difficult changes to protect the future of your business.

Your business is only as strong as the people helping you move it forward. Get the right people on the bus, put them in the right seats, and stop being afraid to make changes when something isn't working.