We won Spray Foam Magazine’s Contractor of the Year (And here’s the 3 reasons why)

Jun 1, 2026

Curt Janzen

Why We Won Contractor of the Year: The Small Decisions That Build Great Companies

When people hear that a company has won an industry award, they often assume the recognition came from one big project, one breakthrough innovation,or one extraordinary accomplishment because that is the moment in time where they noticed the company exists.

The reality is usually much more simple.

Awards are rarely won because of a single moment. They're won because of hundreds and even thousands of small moments that happen every day behind the scenes.

Recently, our team was honoured with the Spray Foam Contractor of theYear award. While the shiny new trailer, the recognition, and being on the magazine cover are all exciting, the truth is that this award doesn't belong to one person (or two people in our case). It belongs to every estimator, project manager, coordinator, installer, and support team member who made the right decision when nobody was watching.

As we reflected on what led to this achievement, three key reasons stood out.

An Honour Shared With Many

Before diving into why we believe we earned this recognition, it's important to acknowledge the organizations that made it possible.

We're incredibly grateful to Spray Foam Magazine for recognizing Beyond Foam as the 2026 Spray Foam Contractor of the Year. Their annual award highlights companies that are pushing the industry forward through innovation, leadership, and excellence, and we're honoured to be included among the outstanding contractors featured in this year's show issue.

You can read Spray Foam Magazine's announcement here:
👉 https://www.sprayfoammagazine.com/foam-news/spray-foam-magazines-2026-show-issue-is-live/4633

We're also thankful for the support, coaching, and community provided by Breakthrough Academy (BTA). Over the years, BTA has challenged us to become better leaders, build stronger systems, and create a company culture that attracts great people. Their recent article highlighting our journey as the first Canadian company to receive this award is a reflection not just of our team, but of the mentors, coaches, and peers who have helped us grow along the way.

You can read their article here:
👉 https://www.btacademy.com/blog/breakthrough-academy-member-becomes-first-canadian-company-to-win-prestigious-award

No company succeeds in isolation. While we're proud of this achievement, we recognize that it was made possible through the support of our customers, suppliers, industry partners, mentors, and the incredible team members who show up every day committed to doing great work.

Success Is Built One Decision at a Time

Think about the challenges that happen throughout a typical workweek.

An estimator spends countless hours working through confusing plans, coordinating with architects, and ensuring pricing is accurate. A project manager navigates difficult conversations with clients or team members. An installer pushes through a physically demanding day, exhausted but determined to finish the job the right way.

These situations aren't glamorous.

They're often frustrating, time-consuming, and mentally draining.

Yet these are the moments that define a company.

The award wasn't won because everything always went smoothly. It was won because when challenges appeared, our team consistently chose to respond the right way.

They took the extra step.

They paid attention to the details.

They asked one more question.

They made sure assumptions didn't go unchecked.

They cared enough to do things properly.

Those seemingly small decisions compound over time. Eventually, they create a culture that clients notice, industry peers respect, and award committees recognize.

That's the real story behind any successful organization.

Reason #1: We Fix Problems

The first reason we earned Contractor of the Year is simple:

We fix problems.

That might sound obvious, but it's surprisingly rare.

Many organizations spend their energy explaining why problems exist, who caused them, or why they can't be solved. Others become experts at working around issues rather than addressing them directly.

The companies that stand out do something different.

They adopt a mindset that says:

"If there's a problem, we're going to fix it."

Small problem?

Fix it.

Medium-sized problem?

Fix it.

Massive problem?

Fix it.

This mindset creates momentum throughout an organization.

Instead of pointing fingers, people look for solutions.

Instead of waiting for someone else to act, they take ownership.

Instead of accepting recurring frustrations as "just the way things are," they work to eliminate them.

Clients notice this attitude immediately.

When customers hire a contractor, they don't expect perfection. Every project encounters obstacles. What customers truly care about is how those obstacles are handled.

Do you avoid responsibility?

Do you make excuses?

Or do you step forward and solve the issue?

Organizations that consistently choose the third option build trust. Overtime, that trust becomes a reputation.

And reputation becomes a competitive advantage.

One of the greatest compliments a company can receive is when people outside the organization say:

"Those are the people who get things done."

That's a reputation worth earning.

Reason #2: People Matter More ThanPaper

The second reason behind our success is the quality of our people.

Every company talks about people being their greatest asset. Far fewer companies truly operate that way.

Resumes are important. Experience matters. Technical skills matter.

But a resume only opens a door.

Character determines what happens after someone walks through it.

The best team members aren't always the people with the most impressive credentials. They're the people who show up consistently, solve problems, help others, and embody the values of the organization.

They're coachable.

They're accountable.

They're committed to continuous improvement.

They're willing to do what's needed for the team to succeed.

In many ways, the person someone is matters far more than what's written on a piece of paper.

This belief has shaped how we've built our organization.

We've focused on finding people who align with our culture and values. People who want to grow. People who care about doing meaningful work. People who are willing to contribute beyond the minimum expectations.

When you fill an organization with individuals who genuinely want to improve themselves and help those around them, something powerful happens.

Performance improves.

Communication improves.

Customer experiences improve.

The entire organization becomes stronger.

And perhaps most importantly, success becomes sustainable.

Long-term excellence requires great people.

That's why investing in people will always provide a better return than investing solely in processes, systems, or technology.

Great people make everything else work better.

Reason #3: We Share Who We Are

The third reason we earned Contractor of the Year is one that many organizations overlook.

We've become significantly better at sharing our story.

For years, many businesses operated under the assumption that great work should speak for itself.

While quality work is essential, today's marketplace is crowded.Customers have more options than ever before.

If nobody knows who you are, what you stand for, or how you help people, even exceptional work can go unnoticed.

That's why we've embraced transparency and authenticity.

We've chosen to show people what happens behind the scenes.

We've highlighted projects.

We've celebrated team members.

We've shared lessons learned.

We've educated customers.

We've allowed people to see the real personalities that make up our organization.

Sometimes that means being professional.

Sometimes that means being educational.

Sometimes that means being fun, quirky, or a little unconventional.

The key is authenticity.

People don't connect with polished corporate messaging nearly as much as they connect with real people doing meaningful work.

The most effective organizations today aren't hiding behind carefully crafted marketing language. They're opening the curtain and showing customers who they really are.

This approach comes from abundance, not scarcity.

We're not trying to keep secrets.

We're not worried about sharing knowledge.

We're not afraid to showcase our methods, our team, or our culture.

Instead, we believe that transparency creates trust.

And trust creates opportunity.

By sharing our story openly and consistently, we've allowed customers, partners, and industry peers to understand what makes our organization different.

That visibility played a significant role in earning this recognition.

The Goal Isn't the Award

While winning Contractor of the Year is an incredible honour, it's important to remember that awards should never become the ultimate goal.

The goal is excellence.

The goal is growth.

The goal is building a company people are proud to be part of.

Awards are simply a byproduct of those efforts.

If an organization becomes obsessed with recognition, it often loses sight of the behaviours that created success in the first place.

The better approach is to focus relentlessly on the fundamentals:

Solve problems.
Develop great people.
Share your story.
Improve continuously.
Serve customers exceptionally well.

Do those things consistently, and recognition often follows.

Even if it doesn't, you'll still build a remarkable company.

A Win Worth Celebrating And Sharing

Awards may have a company name attached to them, but they're never earned by a company alone.

We're deeply grateful to our customers who trust us with their projects, our supplier partners who help us deliver quality work, organizations like Spray Foam Magazine and Breakthrough Academy that continue to elevate our industry, and most importantly, the team members who bring our values to life every single day.

Winning Spray Foam Contractor of the Year is something we're incredibly proud of. But what makes us even prouder is how we got there: through thousands of small decisions, countless acts of ownership, and a group of people committed to making each other better.

We'll celebrate this achievement.

Then we'll get back to work.

Because the same mindset that earned this recognition is the mindset that will help us continue raising the bar for our customers, our team, and our industry.

And if we're fortunate enough to earn recognition again in the future, it will be for the exact same reason:

Great people, solving problems, and sharing their story.

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