It’s been quite a journey and…

It all started with the famous words most husbands say, “Hey, Honey…”

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Unless you want the short, short version, scroll to the end for bullet points. 🙂

A Fateful Meeting

October 1st, 2008, Steve and I met online. I know, I know…I told my friends the same thing prior, “You don’t meet people online! You must meet in person!” 

Well, I had to eat those words after I spontaneously put up a profile on a website from a Facebook Ad I saw in 2008.

I did meet Steve face to face…at the airport!

Those Two Weeks We Dated

We met face to face October 31st when he flew up to meet my family, friends, and church family.

I flew down two weeks later to meet Steven II and Nadia, who were 8 and 10 at the time.

The Proposal

Steve proposed before I flew back, we were married 5 months later, a baby on the way one month later.

Then wam, bam, thank you man, we had catapulted into a busy family life with:

• home schooling Steven II (6th grade) and Nadia (4th grade)
• while Steve continued to build a small painting contracting company with a few employees (Burnett Painting), and
• my first pregnancy and home birth.

I was over the moon happy for all of it!

But wait, what happened? How did I get here—to own my own company?

It was all so subtle, starting with those famous words, “Hey, Honey…” Like boiling a frog, they say…

April Writes the Blog

“Hey Honey, will you write our blog for us (Burnett Painting)?” Steve asked.

My response was a very supportive, “I don’t know anything about painting! How can I write a blog?”

“It will be easy and fun!” (He sure knows my favorite words! He had my attention!)

“Start with the top 10 questions every client asks us when we are at the estimate. Just interview me for anything you don’t know.”

Okay, let’s do this!

April Learns Online Marketing (This is starting to sound like the “Amelia Bedelia” book titles…)

“Hey Honey, can you learn this program from my friend Brad Dohack, 33 Days to Online Domination?”

My response, “Sure! I’ll use it to teach the kids for home school as well! Win – win!”

Steven II had his lawn mowing company idea and Nadia had her car detailing business – each with a couple clients/friends/neighbors who let them work for them.

So, off we went! Steven II, Nadia, and I learning from our first online training program for online marketing!

As Samuel grew, he’d be playing in his Pack N’ Play right next to us and then later building his black tower and tearing it down right next to us at the kitchen table and, of course, taking naps when needed.

Then the next subtle step…

April Takes the Business Phone Calls

“Hey Honey, will you take over the business phone and start answering the calls?”

My response was, again, a very supportive, “I won’t know any of the answers to their questions! How can I answer the phone?”

“You can do this!” Steve said.

“Okay, let me give it a whirl.”

Turned out, I loved it! I loved getting to interact with our clients and get to know them a bit before, during, and after each project.

Then…

April Captures Clients, I mean Video Testimonials!

“Hey Honey, will you go capture video testimonials for us?”

Hesitantly…”Okay.”

See how Steve has always pushed me out of my comfort zone? It’s where the magic happens, you know!

He’s to blame for all our successful adventures together! 😀

Then…

April Becomes the Implementor (Steve is the Visionary)

(H/T Rocketfuel Book)

“Hey Honey, will you read this book, listen to this audiobook, and implement this CRM/SEO/Booking/Automation/Project Management software, ETC., for us (Burnett Painting)?”

“Of course! Let me at it!” (See how I was getting better at choosing my first response!)

Burnett Painting Takes Off in the Community

All the while, we were involved in the community through the chamber of commerce, BNI, holding our own local Young Entrepreneur Scholarships, our own Charity Paintball Tournaments with our good buddies, Dallas and Katie Council of AAMCO of Venice, and taking Paint It Forward to new heights in the 2.0 version Steve created.

In January 2014, we were honored to win Business of the Month and then Business of the Year in April of that year, from the local chamber of commerce.

I recall as if it was yesterday, the joy of sitting in the interview portion of the process and just loving being able to brag on Steve and tell them how amazing he is for not only what he was accomplishing with Burnett Painting, but the impact he was having in the community —including iClass -helping Senior Citizens learn how to connect with their kids and grandkids by learning to use their iPhone/iPads.

My face was glowing with pride as I was able to share how thankful I was for Steve and the wisdom God has given to him!

Now, before you think that I’m just too prideful, I want to remind you that Steve and I know from Whom all wisdom comes from and from Whom all these blessings truly come. In fact, let me tell you the story…

Steve Asks a Good Question to the Right One

Steve read in the Good Book, how we can all just ask God for wisdom and He will give it – without holding back!

Steve questioned, “Could it be that simple?”

He was willing to find out. He simply prayed for wisdom and kept praying.

Now, he’ll be the first to tell you that he’s still waiting for the wisdom, but what did come was an insatiable desire to read.

Did you hear that? Steve —

—a high school dropout,

—a man who had no desire to read prior,

—whose last book read was some kind of picture book in one of the 9 elementary schools he attended as a child

—while living in various women’s shelters, even a van at one point

…this guy!

He was given the desire to read and read he did! He read, on average, a book a week and still does.

But I digress,

Burnett Painting Helps the Trade Association

As we built up Burnett Painting to a streamlined, lead generating machine, our involvement in the trade association increased. Steve created “Rolling With Steve” videos sharing what we were doing that was having massive results to produce such a streamlined, lead generating machine, and how others can do the same.

He also spoke at their conventions. Here’s his audience from 2015:

Steve Writes the Book

In August of that year, 2014, Steve started getting the system or framework our of his head of how all these systems and worked together to create Network Effect and grew our business in massive ways by writing the DYB book, How to Double Your Business Without Making a Sale.

The whole point the book being, you’ll never have to “make a sale” when you implement the system outlined – of taking care of your clients by creating Raving Fans and doing the same in your community through various – very systematic – processes for community outreach.

I’m so proud and thankful for him! Way to go, Steve, my hero!

Steve Get’s Asked a Good Question

So, he wrote the book to get the system out of his head; then people started asking if he coached.

In October, he launched DYB Coach (called Burnett Marketing for a few months at the beginning).

April Has an Idea

He was a touch busy, I guess. 😉

I saw how much he was doing and the toll it was taking.

So out of my mouth these words came, “Why don’t I run Burnett Painting and you can run the coaching business?”

What a turn of events!

From feeling like I could not even produce a blog that would even be helpful to feeling confident that I could run Burnett Painting–

All because of Steve’s encouragement and tutelage over the years.

You see, by this time, Steve and I had built up Burnett Painting together, many days even riding together to all the estimates. Throw back to the early days of riding together and working together when I thought these were “Date Days” HA! Boy did I learn!

Because of this, it was an easy transition – but I have to admit, Steve made it look easy!

After a couple months of this, we ran into a BIG problem…

A Big Problem

We were like two trains going 100 miles per hour on a parallel track, but going in opposite directions.

I missed working with my husband!

We had considered the idea that summer of selling the painting company, but now, it was time.

Time to get back to working together.

I missed him!

He missed me! Who knows why?

Just in case you think at this point that we had the perfect marriage and worked seamlessly together…let me tell you, it was not!—Not at the beginning.

It is great working together —it just wasn’t at the beginning, but that’s a topic we discuss in the podcast, “How to Work With Your Spouse”.

I digress again…

The Selling of Burnett Painting

We sold the painting company in December of 2014. We traveled to the trade association where Steve presented and we met more great people who wanted to implement the systems Steve taught.

We created online courses on a membership platform for those who want to learn on their own, at their own pace.

Steve started mastermind groups for people who want accountability and group training on how to implement the DYB System.

Then there is 1-1 coaching where Steve takes a deep dive into individual businesses and helps them not only implement the DYB System, but get past individual bottlenecks and blind spots so that companies can grow faster once these are found and eradicated.

We built DYB Coach up, learning how to reach a global audience, much different from growing a local service business.

But then…a GIANT QUESTION…

Why Stop At Teaching? 

Done For You

Since we were teaching the DYB System, it seems only fitting that we offer “Done For You” services where we take the DYB System and implement it for you.

In 2017, Steve and Nadia teamed up to offer “Done For You” Services from the DYB System via DYB Virtual.

Easy peasy for painting contractors to be able to focus on what only you can do and what you do best – estimating and running the company.

Leave the procedures, marketing, blogs, automation, zap flows, painter training sites, customer map creation, monthly newsletters, quarterly cards to customers, implementing, admin, etc. to DYB Virtual!

A Hard Decision

It’s been a wild 4 years!

While we all have different strengths, it’s one thing is to know it and it’s another to do something about it and say, “This isn’t for me”.

It’s hard to say.

In December 2021, Nadia let me know how much she enjoys being around people in person and meeting online and communicating via email is just not the same.

I totally get it!

Nadia and I have very similar personalities! (High I —for those of you who know the DISC profile, yes. Nailed it! Great job!)

However, I have Steve and Samuel in my life, along with 3 kitties and a puppy dog to keep me from company.

It’s much harder for her as a single, young gal living on her own.

She made the decision to step down from DYB Virtual and pursue a career with a local company where she can be in the office with them while she works.

She is still a part of DYB Virtual and will always have a place here as long as she likes!

With this change, she is much happier and can do both – help people virtually as time permits and in person with her local job! We are really proud of her!

So, that’s my story and I’m sticking’ to it, as the song says!

Well, that’s just the beginning.

As I depart from this “Our Story” small, tiny, short story, really just a blurb…

I want to leave you with something that has been with me since attending Badger Girls State the summer of…well, we don’t have time to talk what year it was…sometime near, around, after I graduated high school…let’s not get bogged down with what year that was…there’s no time…

What I’ll never forget from Badger Girls State is this phrase they drilled into us in Madison, Wisconsin that summer…

“To be early, is to be on time.

To be on time, is to be late.

To be late, is to be left.”

I think this means so much to me because of one thing that I love to do. Learn something; then, figure out the best and fastest way to accomplish it. aka: streamlining systems, reduce wasted time, rinse and repeat. For those that have read E-Myth Revisited, doing just that!

I’m trying to teach this to Samuel – not that he is ever late, he is such a mini-Steve, very organized and prompt! If I need help to remember something, I ask him!

Still, want to teach this to him and infuse the entire DYB Virtual Team with it.

They have loved it and taken it to heart.

DYB Virtual Values

Other important values I have and am bringing front and center for DYB Virtual, you ask?

Yes, here they are, though we are still adding to it. 🙂

YOU Rock! Thank you!

In conclusion, if you’ve read all the way here, I congratulate you!

Well done! Way to stick to it and complete this!

I appreciate you and all our clients, whether you are a past Burnett Painting client, a DYB Coach client, or a DYB Virtual client.

You rock. Now, let us roll for you—but not paint. Okay, corny analogy.

Your Streamlined, Lead Generating Machine

You have a great company. Maybe it’s a great start of a company or a greatly established company.

Either way, there is no doubt in my mind that we can help you even further to streamline and reduce overhead by eliminating double entry (or even manual entry all together) into all of your systems and software.

Your “Life of Lead” process can cost you less than having an office admin and give you back more time – doing what only you can do. (Find out exactly what that is here.)

It’s not only possible, it’s true! We’ve done it again and again.

Let us help you make your great company into a streamlined, lead generating machine: reducing overhead and gaining life’s most precious commodity back: TIME.

Start by booking a call to outline your “Life of a Lead” and see exactly where we can reduce your overhead by skipping manual entry and streamlining your systems today!

Sincerely,

April Burnett

DYB Virtual/ Owner

DYB Coach/ Admin

PS – Check out our first leg of the journey in the old internet archives from Burnett Painting 2013 “Our Story” courtesy of the Wayback Machine.

PPS – Here’s the short version of our story:

• Met Steve
• Built up Burnett Painting Together
• Steve wrote the book
• Launched DYB Coach
• Sold Burnett Painting
• Built up DYB Coach
• Launched DYB Virtual with Nadia
• Nadia wanted to be with people more in person than online
• Purchased DYB Virtual at the end of 2021
• Helping Painting Contractors Reduce Overhead and Eliminate Double Entry By Creating Zaps and other Systems “Done For You”