Turning a Side Hustle Into a Blue Collar Empire with Cornell & Wayne Mills
A snowstorm, a few shovels, and a willingness to do the work became the foundation of a multimillion-dollar enterprise. In this episode, we sit down with brothers Wayne and Cornell Mills of RNS Facility Services to hear how a seasonal side hustle grew into a full-service facilities management company.
We explore the moment they stopped trying to perform every job themselves, built a trusted subcontractor network, and shifted their attention toward sales, systems, recruiting, communication, and relationships. They also share how acquiring a cleaning company shortly before COVID-19 positioned them to meet a sudden surge in demand and scale their workforce.
At the heart of their story is cooperative economics. By partnering with local tradespeople and supporting entrepreneurs through the Blue Collar Academy, Wayne and Cornell are building opportunities alongside revenue. We also discuss working with family, using AI in a blue-collar business, investing for the next generation, and what it means to be the CEO of our last name.
We Talk About:
[00:00] The CEO of Your Last Name
[05:22] From Snowstorm to Startup
[08:35] Turning a Side Hustle Into a Business
[12:20] Dropping the Ego
[16:35] Letting Client Needs Drive Growth
[20:50] The Power of Cooperative Economics
[31:38] Stop Being the Bottleneck
[43:23] Building a Legacy That Lasts
Resources:
- Learn more at The Color of Money
- RNS Facility Services
- Become a real estate agent HERE
Connect with Our Hosts
Emerick Peace:
- Instagram: @theemerickpeace
- Facebook: facebook.com/emerickpeace
Daniel Dixon:
- Instagram: @dixonsoldit
- Facebook: facebook.com/realdanieldixon
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dixonsoldit
- YouTube: @dixongroupcompanies
Julia Lashay:
- Instagram: @iamjulialashay
- Facebook: facebook.com/growwithjulia
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julialashay/
- YouTube: @JuliaLashay
Bo Menkiti
- Instagram: @bomenkiti
- Facebook: facebook.com/obiora.menkiti
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bomenkiti/
Produced by NOVA
This podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.
