The Contractor's Profit Hackz

https://www.foundationacs.com I’m going to say something that might make a few contractors mad: Most of you don’t own a business. You own a job. In this episode, I tell the story of a contractor I’ll call Bob. He did incredible finish carpentry, had plenty of referrals, and was making decent money. But there was one major problem. Everything depended on him. He eventually found himself working aro...

https://www.foundationacs.com I once completed a landscape project worth around $1 million. It had full-grown trees brought in from Oregon, custom stonework, water features, a pool house, outdoor lighting, a heated paver driveway, and just about everything else you could imagine. But ask me how much profit I made on that job? I have no clue. In this episode, I’m talking about one of the biggest pr...

https://www.foundationacs.com Is it really impossible to find good employees, or are contractors rewarding the wrong behavior? In this episode, I’m talking about the Cobra Effect and what it can teach us about building a better team. If you pay someone hourly, what are you technically rewarding? Hours. But what do you actually want? Quality work, efficiency, happy customers, five-star service, and...

https://www.foundationacs.com If you've ever wondered whether your Google Ads, Meta Ads, website, referrals, or other marketing efforts are actually making you money, this simple setup can give you the answer. I'll walk you through how to organize your customers inside QuickBooks so you can see exactly which marketing channels generate the most revenue and profit. It's a simple process...

https://www.foundationacs.com Is competitive pricing ruining the construction industry? In this episode, I share the story of my hydroseeding business and the expensive lesson I learned about pricing. We talk about what it really takes to become a low-cost leader, why being the second cheapest has no strategic advantage, and how contractors can win more profitable jobs by communicating value inste...

https://www.foundationacs.com Today I'm joined by Joe Mikitish and Mark Hanson from Blue Collar Connect for another great conversation about what actually grows a contracting business. We dive into why so many contractors waste thousands of dollars every month chasing leads through SEO, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other marketing services that rarely deliver the return they're promised....

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, I use one of my favorite childhood memories, building LEGO sets to explain why profitable businesses aren't created by chance. Just like following LEGO instructions leads to the finished model, following proven financial systems leads to consistent profits, healthy cash flow, and a business that pays you what you're worth. I also introduce the...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, I share a real text message from one of my coaching clients who was profitable on paper but only days away from running out of money. We break down exactly what was causing the problem, why paying bills too quickly can actually hurt your business, and the simple process that completely turned their cash flow around in just a few weeks. If you've e...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, Jeremy explains why posting prices online isn't as simple as it sounds and why every job is different. He also discusses price shoppers, communicating value, and why winning on price alone is a dangerous strategy. 00:00 Introduction01:00 The online pricing debate02:30 Why every job is different04:00 The danger of per-unit pricing06:00 Why square-f...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, I explain why accounting is actually simple and why government accounting rules are what make things confusing. You'll learn the difference between accounting for banks and investors versus accounting for running a profitable business. 00:00 Introduction01:10 Why Jeremy wrote "You Suck at Accounting"03:00 The 1929 stock market crash05:00...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, Jeremy explains one of the most common cash flow mistakes contractors make and how it slowly destroys otherwise profitable businesses. If you've ever used money from one job to pay for another, this episode could save your company. 00:00 Introduction01:20 A contractor's desperate text message03:00 Why profitability isn't enough04:00 The &q...

https://www.foundationacs.com Is the cheapest contractor always the worst contractor? Not necessarily. In this episode, Jeremy shares lessons from working for one of the largest landscape companies in the country and explains why some companies can charge less while still delivering outstanding results. You'll learn the difference between being a true low-cost leader and simply being desperate...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, Today’s episode is a powerful conversation with two industry experts as we break down insurance for contractors. What matters, what to watch out for, and how to protect everything you’ve built. From fleet insurance to workers comp, general liability, and even life insurance, this episode dives into real-world scenarios and mistakes that can cost...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, Today we shift from numbers to strategy and mindset — specifically, how to scale your business without putting yourself in a dangerous financial position. We walk through a real example of a company that grew too fast, added too many expenses, and ended up with negative cash flow. Scaling sounds exciting, but if your foundation isn’t solid, it ca...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, In this episode, we wrap up KPIs and talk about something even more important — tracking the right numbers for YOUR business . Not every KPI matters. In fact, most don’t. The key is identifying the right numbers that drive performance in each area of your business and focusing on those. We also introduce the concept of GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage O...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, Today we’re breaking down profit per truck (or per crew / per employee) and how to actually use it the right way. This is a powerful KPI — but only if you use it correctly. Most contractors make the mistake of looking at one or two jobs and assuming that’s their average. That’s where things go wrong. Instead, we walk through how to build a true a...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, Today we’re talking about one of the most important (and simplest) numbers you can track in your business — average job size . If you want to understand your marketing, predict your revenue, and build a system that actually scales, you need to know what each job is worth on average. Once you have this number, everything changes. You can finally c...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, we break down the Current Ratio, a number banks use to determine whether or not they should lend you money. This ratio compares your short-term assets to your short-term liabilities and answers a simple question: If you’re planning to grow, borrow money, or just want peace of mind, this is a number you need to understand. 00:00 What the current ratio...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, we talk about ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) and how to track your marketing in a way that actually makes sense for contractors. Not all marketing is billboards and ads. Sometimes it’s relationships, lunches, time, and effort. The key is tracking all of it so you know what’s actually producing results. 00:00 What is ROAS02:49 Grandpa’s garden story06:25 Co...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, we tie everything together and talk about the four most important numbers you should be tracking in your business. We recap: • Gross Profit Margin• Days in Accounts Receivable• Days in Accounts Payable• Net Profit (in dollars) If you want a simple, clear way to understand the health of your business without getting overwhelmed, this episode lays it ou...

https://www.foundationacs.com In this episode, we break down Days in Accounts Payable, one of the most overlooked numbers when it comes to managing your cash flow. I walk through how to calculate it step by step, what it actually means, and how it impacts your business. The goal is simple: understand how long it takes you to pay your bills and how that timing affects your ability to operate. We al...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackers, In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Michael Glassford of Legal Ink Estate Planning to talk about something most business owners avoid… until it’s too late. We cover estate planning, trusts, LLC structure, contracts, asset protection, and the real-world mistakes contractors make that can cost them everything. Michael has a unique way o...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackerz, In this episode, we break down Days in Accounts Receivable — one of the most powerful cash flow metrics you can track. I explain how to calculate it, what it tells you about your collections, and why faster payments mean stronger cash flow. Getting paid quicker gives you more flexibility, less stress, and more control over your business. If cash...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackerz, This episode is all about the most important number in your business: gross profit margin. I explain what gross profit really is, how to calculate your margin, and why it tells you immediately whether your company is even viable. If your margin isn’t strong, no amount of growth will save you. We walk through simple examples, how gross profit affe...

https://www.foundationacs.com Hello Profit Hackerz, Today we start diving into business ratios and why they matter if you want to scale without going broke. I explain how to think about your financials like a competition — some numbers are the champions you want growing (revenue, gross profit, net profit), and others are the bad guys you want shrinking (overhead, liabilities, truck costs). We also...