Built to Build: Blog

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.

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 job site safety, and protect your profits in this new…
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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 REACTING TO EMERGENCIES STUNTS BUSINESS GROWTH This causes stress for the…
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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.

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 a dissatisfied customer and a bad reputation.    YOU…
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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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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 owners to start, grow, and…
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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 out of time.  A business owner who is doing everything the…
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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 the daily grind, chances are you are stuck in that first…
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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 a construction business successfully. They aren’t making a profit. When I started…
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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 the academy and how they will give you the confidence you need to…
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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 I led in the Built to Build Academy™. We talk…
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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 one cares about their content.  Their social isn’t driving sales……
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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 panel discussion, and I’d love to see you there. Here’s 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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OF COURSE, YOU WANT TO MAKE A PROFIT, BUT… The problem most construction business owners encounter when implementing the Profit First for Contractors system is that they try to go too big, too soon. They get excited about finally knowing how to increase their profit margin in construction and making…
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ARE YOU FINANCING YOUR CLIENT’S JOB FOR THEM? If you’re like most contractors, you have financed a customer’s job at some point. You’ve spent more money on producing and managing the job than the money you have received from the customer. When the projects were small, this wasn’t that big…
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ARE YOU UNSURE WHAT YOUR FINANCIAL REPORTS MEAN? Most construction business owners struggle to understand Profit and Loss statement analysis. They depend on their bookkeepers or CPAs to interpret what the numbers mean. Properly interpreting your financial reports takes time and can be confusing.   HOW TO TAKE ON PROFIT…
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Most contractors are people, pleasers. Serving your clients is a priority for you. And, you may be wondering how to sell construction services in an effective way to make you money and please your clients. You like to build things with your hands, show your clients the results of your craft,…
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ARE YOU SPENDING MORE THAN YOU RECEIVE? If you spend more than 100% of your income, then you are going to have problems in your construction business. I know it sounds simplistic, but many construction business owners violate this fundamental principle of financial planning. They spend more money than they…
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HOW TO RESPOND TO A CUSTOMER’S QUESTION ABOUT SAVING MONEY A problem for many construction business owners is that you believe your customers when they say they want to save money. I am not saying your customers are lying, but the idea of saving money makes your customers feel secure.…
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You Must Master Cash Flow Management to Make a Profit If you don’t understand the financial side of your company, you will continually struggle to turn a profit and grow your construction business. Yet, understanding your financial statements is confusing, stressful, and – depending on who does your reporting –…
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NAHB International Builders’ Show Speaking Schedule for Shawn Van Dyke It’s that time of year to make your plan of attack for the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, NV. If this is your first time, then my advice is: PLAN AHEAD. You’ll want to get familiar with the conference…
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3 THINGS BUILDERS CAN DO TO INCREASE PROFITS AND EFFICIENCIES  Bidding against other builders is a race to the bottom.  There will always be someone cheaper than you. If you chase after these “competitive bidding” opportunities, then you will waste time on potential customers who are shopping for a commodity…
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In this episode of the Lippert Academy for Leadership Podcast, Shawn discusses his weird morning routine and how it enhances his business and personal life. His morning routine led to the development of the Built to Build Academy’s® Effective Time Management System. Want to test it out? Join the waitlist…
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