If you don't own this, you don't own your business

Peter Murphy Lewis reveals what most contractors are building on borrowed land...

January 28, 2026

Today’s episode in 50 words:

AI is quietly rewriting the rules of how customers find and choose contractors. Peter Murphy Lewis (Strategic Pete) reveals why contractors who don't own their customer lists are building on borrowed land (and what happens when the platforms controlling your visibility change their rules overnight).

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
10 Lessons You’ll Get From This Episode

In this episode, you'll discover:

  • Why Google, Facebook, and lead platforms are making your marketing more expensive and less predictable every month (and the one asset that protects you)

  • The hidden risk most contractors ignore: how platform algorithm changes can erase your visibility in 24 hours—without warning

  • Why customer retention isn't just about repeat business anymore—it's about survival in the AI era

  • How one review can fuel 7 different growth channels (but only if you know how to repurpose it correctly)

  • The shocking truth about search engines: AI-powered answer engines are reducing visibility for businesses that don't control direct customer relationships

  • Why LinkedIn matters for residential contractors (even if you think it doesn't)—and how it builds referral ecosystems you're currently missing

  • The biggest retention mistake contractors make: finishing the job and disappearing instead of staying present in customers' worlds

  • How AI rewards businesses with strong first-party data—and why contractors with customer lists have a compounding advantage

  • Why contractors fail at retention (hint: it's not because they don't care—it's because there's no system)

  • The simple truth Peter Murphy Lewis learned about marketing: direct relationships beat digital reach every single time

"If you're not owning your audience, you're building on borrowed land."

— Peter Murphy Lewis (Strategic Pete)

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Talk soon,
Josh & Tersh