Solution Building

This year marks 250 years of American independence, it's a time to remember the sacrifices that secured our nation's freedom and to appreciate the opportunities those freedoms provide. As business owners, have a responsibility to use our opportunities wisely, to work with integrity, to treat people fairly, to honor our commitments, and to leave things better than we found them.

Every builder knows the importance of having the right tool for the job, but the same mindset doesn't always carry over to running the business. Sales, production, and administration all have to work together to keep a business strong and growing. When each area is supported with the right systems and processes, everything becomes more organized, profitable, and sustainable.

Hiring isn't just about finding the right people, but giving them the tools and expectations they need to succeed. Without clear policies, job descriptions, and accountability, even good employees can struggle. Taking the time to define expectations up front helps eliminate confusion, improve performance, and create a stronger team culture. A few simple systems can make a significant difference in...

Why do some employees thrive while others struggle, even when they have similar skills and experience? The answer is that the best team members consistently demonstrate humility, hunger, and people smarts. These three qualities are what create stronger teams and better workplace environments. Understanding these traits can help you make better hiring decisions, develop existing employees, and buil...

When projects are piling up and help is needed, it's tempting to hire the first person who walks through the door. But great teams aren't built by chance. They are built through intentional hiring, asking the right questions, and finding people who align with the values and vision of the business. Great teams don't happen by accident. Taking the time to hire the right people is one of the most val...

Running a construction business can feel like trying to control a runaway train. Priorities and planning are important, but scheduling is what turns good intentions into action. Creating a schedule, setting deadlines, and consistently reviewing your plans can help bring order to the chaos and give you greater control over your business and life.

Running a business means constantly deciding what deserves your attention first. With so many responsibilities competing for priority, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and reactive. Having clear values, systems, and priorities in place ahead of time helps you make better decisions when pressure hits. The goal isn’t just staying busy, but focusing on the things that keep your business healthy and movi...

Running a business can feel overwhelming when everything demands your attention at once. The key to making progress is breaking big challenges down into smaller, manageable steps and simply starting somewhere. Just like building a wall one brick at a time, success in business comes from consistent action, not trying to solve everything all at once. Momentum begins when you stop staring at the whol...

Running a business starts with knowing who you are and what matters most. Core values matter because they influence your decisions, leadership, relationships, and priorities. Identifying your values takes intentional effort, but it gives you clarity, direction, and stability when challenges come. When your actions align with your values, you take greater control of your business, your time, and yo...

Feeling “too busy” is something most people deal with, especially in construction, but it’s not something we’re stuck with. Whether you're running a construction business or juggling life responsibilities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done. When you learn how to prioritize, take action, and focus on the next step, you start to take control of the chaos instead of l...

Running a construction business is more than just doing the work, it’s managing everything behind the scenes that keeps it alive. Many contractors start out focused on construction, but overlook the systems and processes needed to stay profitable and sustainable as a business. Through hard lessons and experience, I’ve learned that ignoring the business side can cost you everything. Success isn’t e...

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve probably felt this before: You stay busy, work is getting done, and the money comes in. But when it’s time to sit down and look at the numbers…there’s not as much there as you expected. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of tax season, tight cash flow, or not knowing where your business really stands, then the Savings Transfer tool was built for you. 

Over the past three weeks, I’ve shared how Gene struggled with money problems…He wasn’t getting paid, he couldn’t fix his truck, and he didn’t have the money to pay his taxes. Sound familiar? We’ve all been in situations where we needed money that we didn’t have. Because in construction, it’s never just one expense. If you’re tired of guessing where your money is going, this is where you start tak...

Gene’s first year in business brings in solid work and decent profits, but his lack of financial planning catches up with him. When he files his taxes for the first time as a business owner, he’s hit with a $17,000 bill he can’t afford to pay. With no savings set aside, he’s forced into a long-term IRS payment plan with added penalties and interest. What started as a promising business quickly tur...

A broken truck. A $3,800 repair. No cash to cover it. Gene’s story shows how quickly one unexpected expense can throw your entire business and home life into chaos when there’s no financial cushion in place.

Irregular income is one of the biggest struggles for self-employed construction business owners. Add in a customer who doesn’t pay on time, and things can get even more stressful.  In this podcast, we follow Gene, a contractor who finishes a project only to run into a payment disagreement with his customer. What should’ve been a straightforward final payment turns into a negotiation that leaves hi...

Success is often defined by external achievements, but true success goes deeper. It includes personal growth, relationships, purpose, and building something meaningful in both business and life. Many contractors fall into the trap of working harder and longer, believing it will lead to success, only to find themselves overwhelmed and out of balance. The key difference-maker is organization.

Scheduling often feels overwhelming because people try to fit more into their days than time allows. When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to spend the day putting out fires instead of focusing on what truly matters. The key to better scheduling isn’t finding more time, but gaining clarity about priorities. When the most important goals and responsibilities are clearly defined, decisions about h...

Missed timelines don’t just cost money, it costs trust. Schedules fall behind for many reasons. The difference between a satisfied customer and an angry one often comes down to how expectations were set and how communication is handled when things shift. Professionalism in construction isn’t just about craftsmanship, but managing expectations, keeping commitments realistic, and staying transparent...

DIY business building is even more common than DIY construction. Some lessons in construction and business are expensive. Learning on the fly isn’t the most reliable way to build anything. Construction skills are often passed down through experience, but business lessons usually aren’t. The result? Expensive mistakes that could have been avoided.

Another Saturday morning. More coffee. More builders around the table. This week, they gather to tackle more issues behind their business struggles: pricing, communication, and lost profit. What begins as a discussion turns into a turns into a challenge. Stay in the rut, or take intentional action to build something better.

Early on a Saturday morning, a few contractors gather around pushed-together tables, coffee cups in hand. What starts as casual conversation turns into something real. "What are the biggest problems you've dealt with in your business?" "Losing money on jobs, employees not showing up, unhappy customers, equipment breaking down, jobs falling behind schedule, not being able to find good help, not hav...

It’s 9:00 on a Saturday morning, and Gene is sitting in a booth at the local coffee shop having a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee. What should be enjoyable downtime isn’t. It’s hard for him to enjoy himself when all he can think about are all the problems over the past year. He can’t quit thinking about everything that he’s gone through, the projects that ran behind, the help that didn't show up...

I can’t do everything myself. That realization usually shows up right when momentum starts to build. There's more opportunities, more interest, which means more work. If I’m going to help construction companies build their businesses and continue doing construction… I’m going to need some more help. Delegating sounds simple, but hiring well is hard. Rushing to fill a role rarely ends well, yet sta...

"What should I do first?” “There are so many things to choose from.” Too often, days are spent fighting fires instead of making real progress. Firefighting feels productive, but it’s one of the worst ways to prioritize. With a limited amount of time, knowing what’s urgent, what’s important, and what truly matters requires clarity, preparation, and intentional decisions. Hot fires are a good way to...