Podcast Episode #11 - with Andy Gittus
Andy Gittus
Owner - ReCreate LLC
Podcast Transcript: The Leadership Accelerator Impact
Guest: Andy Gittus, Owner ReCreate LLC
Transcript
Roger: Welcome to the No More Carbon Copies podcast. I’m excited to have a good friend, Andy Gittus, with me today. Andy has quickly become one of my favorite people; we’ve known each other for about five or six years—our kids are friends, and he even coaches my son’s football team.
The reason Andy is here is because he has a unique story about taking the challenge to join our Leadership Accelerator. We want to discuss where he was before the program, where he is now, and what that process looked like for him.
Andy: Thanks for having me, Roger. I’m honored to be here and excited to share my journey in case it’s helpful to others.
Part 1: The Breaking Point
Roger: Let’s start with where you were when we first began talking about the Accelerator. You were at a specific point as an entrepreneur and business owner.
Andy: I was at a very interesting point in my career. I was 10-plus years into owning my business as a general contractor and was the most burnout I had ever been. I was still doing what I needed to do, but just before joining, I had actually reached out to inquire about selling my business—something I’d never considered before.
I was doing every job within my company, working all hours of the day and night, and it was negatively affecting my home life. I had lost all joy in the work. I couldn't figure out why I felt that way, and it was creating bad habits that made it difficult to be present for my two growing boys.
Roger: Most people in the community probably didn't see that struggle because of your reputation. How did you carry that?
Andy: One of my traits—which I learned through the Accelerator—is that I like to shoulder the load and keep it hidden. I wanted to be "above the garbage" and didn't want anyone to know what was in my head. My wife was the only one who truly saw it; she often wondered how I could put myself through something so hard for so long. Under the surface, that survival mode was even starting to make some of my work relationships feel toxic.
Part 2: The Transformation
Roger: So, where are you now? You were ready to sell the company—what do things look like today?
Andy: I am still running my business, but it has transformed significantly. The biggest change is that I have learned to delegate the "heavy tasks"—the administrative, administrative-heavy things I used to procrastinate on.
I used to spend two hours every night on my computer after the kids went to bed. Now, I haven’t done that in a year and a half. The business is actually thriving; we have more large projects right now than we’ve ever had. Normally, I should be "burnt to a crisp," but I’m not. I feel great.
Roger: Get practical—what is actually different in your day-to-day?
Andy: I learned that my "sweet spot" is being on a job site running projects and having face-time with clients. I realized I am not a bookkeeper, an accountant, or an estimator. I now have five employees; some of them fill support roles that didn't exist before. Instead of hiring people just to "swing a hammer," I hired people to handle the non-revenue background tasks so I could focus on high-value, income-producing activities.
Part 3: The Accelerator Process
Roger: What did you learn during the Accelerator that gave you the confidence to make these changes?
Andy: It was a reframing of years of self-doubt. One of the most impactful parts was the interview process. We had to interview 5 to 10 people from our past—colleagues, employees, and even customers—and ask them specific questions about how they saw us.
I was hesitant to interview a client, but it ended up being powerful because they remembered positive things I had done that I had completely forgotten.
Roger: What did you do with that information?
Andy: We unpacked the meaning behind their feedback. I realized that the negative voice in my head—telling me I was a poor decision-maker—was wrong. Hearing consistent, redundant feedback from people I trusted helped me realize, "This is who I am". It allowed me to "fire myself" from the things I wasn't good at without feeling self-conscious.
Conclusion
Roger: You’ve moved from insecurity to what I call "humble confidence"—knowing your shortcomings but also knowing where you are an expert.
Andy: Exactly. It has changed the lens through which I view everything. For anyone considering the Leadership Accelerator, it doesn’t matter what phase of professional life you are in. My quality of life went up significantly. If you have a negative voice in your head, this is a great way to keep it quiet and move forward with clarity.