Built to Build: Blog

In this episode of the Profit First Professionals – Grow My Accounting Practice Podcast – Shawn joins the Profit First OG – Mike Michalowicz and the co-founder of Profit First Professionals, Ron Saharyan to discuss niche specialization, how not to launch a book, and the two things you need to…
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YOUR BUSINESS STARTS HERE Many construction business owners don’t have a marketing plan for their business. The reason many businesses don’t have a plan is because they don’t know where to start. Start with your Profit and Loss Statement (P&L) and reverse engineer your marketing plan from there. (Read this…
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CUSTOMERS ALWAY ASK THIS QUESTION You’ve talked about the budget with your potential customer, and they have agreed to pay you for the planning and estimating work. (What?!!! You’re giving this work away for free?  Stop. Get this free sales training program.)  The next question customers always ask is ,…
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NO ONE LIKES DELIVERING BAD NEWS You probably remember the last time you had to call a customer and deliver bad news.  It sucks.  Not just for you, but for the customer, too. The pain of disappointing your customers is compounded when you wait until the last minute to contact…
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YOU MUST MAKE A PROFIT WHEN THE MARKET SLOWS In a slow market, you need to identify the opportunities that generate a profit as soon as possible. You don’t have time for exploration.   WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS A PROFIT? When you get clarity on what generates a profit for…
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BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE BY DOING LESS We all have the same number of hours in a day. But why is it that some people seem to get more done or be more effective than others?  This was a question I struggled with for a long time so I started researching…
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WELCOME TO THE NEW AND IMPROVED SVD Now it is easier than ever for you to find the business tools you need, apply for a program in the Build to Build Academy, or book me for a speaking gig. DROP IN ON THE CONVERSATION: NEW PODCAST PAGE And, after being asked…
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RISING MATERIAL PRICES & SHUTDOWNS CAUSE DELAYS FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Lumber prices are higher than they have been since 2018, according to NAHB. In fact, the Random Lengths Framing Composite Price is up 50% since April 2020. Higher prices for construction materials, combined with the shutdown of manufacturing plants and…
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In Episode 12 of the Builtby Podcast, Shawn shares some of his proven tactics to turn managers and owners into true home improvement leaders. Listen and learn: Shawns experience in the industry and engineering that helped him become a better business manager. The proven five-step process that Shawn used –…
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HOW (AND WHY) TO SELL YOUR VALUE, NOT YOUR PRICE FREE ESTIMATES ARE NOT FREE Most construction business owners spend countless hours estimating, scheduling, and planning projects for people who never intend to actually buy. All those hours spent chasing clients add up. Free estimates are not free at all.…
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On Season 1 Episode 6 of the EXtreme Carolina Podcast, MichaelLevi Borkman and Shawn discuss Shawn’s path to becoming a construction business coach, his work as an author, as well as the most valuable advice he has received throughout his career.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PROFITS IN A COVID-19 WORLD ADJUSTING TO THE NEW NORMAL Mask wearing, social distancing, and zoom meetings are the new normal. These changes are minor in comparison to finding the new normal in your construction business.  How do you take care of your employees’ needs, maintain…
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HOW TO CREATE PREDICTABLE REVENUE FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS WHAT’S YOUR PLAN? Most construction business owners don’t have a plan when a crisis occurs or the market changes. We get so caught up in reacting to the day to day fires that planning for the future gets delayed.    JUST…
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In this Episode of the Contractor Growth Network Podcast, Shawn details the Craftsman Cycle, how a friend convinced him to run his business, and why every contractor should be charging for professional services. Plus, how you don’t have to have a contracting background to run a successful contracting business.

BUILDBOOK WEB APP: COMMUNICATION SIMPLIFIED FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS POOR COMMUNICATION COSTS MONEY Poor communication is the number one reason construction businesses lose money.  It’s hard to keep track of all the calls, texts, emails, and face-to-face interactions that happen throughout each project.  Forget one detail, and you may have…
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In Episode 96 of the Market Proof Marketing Podcast, Shawn discusses how trades and craftsmen are faring in the current business climate, and how, with the right construction risk management plan, they can build a recession-proof business for today and years to come. He covers: The biggest question… what have…
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BUILT TO BUILD ACADEMY OUTTAKES DON’T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY Nobody’s perfect. Watch the video to see what is usually “fixed in post” in our weekly videos. In the Built to Build Academy, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We save the seriousness for mentoring and creating confident construction business…
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BUILT TO LEAD: HOW TO RUN YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS ON AUTOPILOT THERE ISN’T ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT ALL A lot of construction businesses fail.  You might be tempted to think they fail because they ran out of money. But, running out of money is just a symptom of running…
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BUILT TO GROW: WHY YOU NEED SYSTEMS TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS ARE YOU THE BOTTLENECK OF YOUR BUSINESS? There are four phases in managing a construction business or, what I call, the Contractor Journey: Doer, Thinker, Communicator, and Leader.  If you feel like you’re constantly stuck on the treadmill of…
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BUILT TO START: HOW TO ACTUALLY GET YOUR BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND MOST CONTRACTORS ARE NOT PROFITABLE Are you really making a profit in your construction business? Can you prove it? Most of the time, when I ask that question, contractors struggle to answer. They don’t know how to run…
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ENROLLMENT OPEN! THE BUILT TO BUILD ACADEMY WILL GIVE YOU YOUR LIFE BACK ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS? If not, then the Built to Build Academy™ is for you. And, enrollment is now open for a limited time. Watch the video to learn more about the programs in…
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HOW TO SUSTAIN YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES TIMES ARE UNCERTAIN, BUT YOUR BUSINESS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE You need a plan for your business now more than ever in these uncertain times. So, I’m offering you a free resource, no strings attached. Check out this group coaching session…
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THE SECRET TO GROWING YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE DON’T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU POST ON SOCIAL Most construction business owners use social media as part of their business.  They sink a ton of time trying to build their social accounts, only to realize that no…
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DON’T MISS SHAWN VAN DYKE SEMINARS AT JLC LIVE NORTHEAST 2020 It’s that time of year again. It’s time to make your plans to attend JLC Live Northeast at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. I will be teaching 3 construction business seminars this year and speaking on a…
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Are you busy all of the time but not making any profit in your contracting or service business? If so, you are not alone. In this episode of Blue Collar Nation, Shawn discusses why that happens and how to stop it. This is a MUST listen to those wanting the…
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