From Concrete to Capital: Darren Crotchett on Building, Scaling, and Selling a Business

What does it really take to build a business from scratch, grow it through unexpected challenges, and eventually walk away with the freedom to choose what comes next?

On this episode of the Mile High Success Podcast, Nick Elder sits down with Denver entrepreneur Darren Crotchett to talk about his journey from starting a concrete lifting company in 2012 to eventually selling the business.

Darren's story started with curiosity. After discovering polyurethane concrete lifting, he traveled across the country to learn more about the process. He returned to Colorado, built his own equipment, and began practicing on the driveways, patios, and porches of friends and family. He admits he broke plenty of things along the way, but every mistake taught him something.

Soon, those early experiments became a real company.

Darren shares how finding a business partner with complementary skills helped take the company to another level. While Darren focused on operations, services, and getting the work done, his partner focused on areas such as marketing, sales, and finance.

They grew steadily for years before COVID changed everything. Revenue grew rapidly, but Darren explains why more revenue did not automatically mean more profit. Fast growth brought hiring problems, higher overhead, mistakes, and new operational challenges.

One of Darren's biggest lessons is simple: invest in great people. He explains why he would rather pay one outstanding employee well than hire several lower-paid employees who may not stay. For Darren, great employees aren't simply an expense. They are one of a company's most important investments.

Darren also discusses how implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) helped bring greater accountability, organization, and clarity to the growing company.

After selling the business, Darren faced a new question: What do you do with the money you've spent years building?

He shares his personal approach to real estate, diversification, liquidity, passive income, and protecting capital for the future. Darren and Nick also discuss why transparency and communication matter when choosing the people who will help manage and invest your money.

Today, Darren has moved into a very different chapter. Instead of spending every day running a company, he's pursuing a lifelong interest in aviation — including building his own airplanes.

This conversation is about much more than concrete. It's about entrepreneurship, people, rapid growth, investing, life after selling a business, and creating the freedom to pursue what matters to you.

To connect with Darren, listeners can reach out to Nick Elder for an introduction.

Listen to the Mile High Success Podcast with Nick Elder on Apple Podcasts, and watch the full interview on YouTube.