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This Podcast Is Episode Number 519, And It's About Using Financial Reconciliation To Keep Your Construction Business On Track   As a small business owner, you're likely already aware of the importance of keeping your finances in order. Financial management goes deeper than paying your bills on time and collecting invoices (although those are also important). It involves regularly checking your financial situation to ensure your accounts are in order, your records are up-to-date, and you're spending within your budget. Among those activities, financial reconciliation is vital in keeping your finances and business on track. Force reconciliations can cause your net income to be over or understated, which means you pay too much in taxes now or too little now and the rest later with penalties and interest because the IRS can ask for a copy of your bookkeeping record.    Here's what you should know about financial reconciliation and how it can help your construction business. What is financial reconciliation? Fina

This Podcast Is Episode Number 518, And It's About How To Protect Your Construction Company From Bankruptcy   Starting a construction business is not for the faint of heart. A certain level of stress comes with ensuring your company's success. If things go wrong, it all falls back on you. That said, the freedom and sense of accomplishment of running your own business make the challenges well worth it. With good planning and strong business practices, you can avoid the pitfalls and drive your trade business to financial success. Learn the top reasons why small businesses end up in bankruptcy and what you can do to prevent that from happening to you. 1. Poor cash flow Not bringing enough money in is the main reason why businesses fail. You must have more money coming in than is going out, or you're on the express train to bankruptcy. This might mean increasing your prices, decreasing costs, or combining the two. There might also be different service models you can offer (such as subscription services) or way

This Podcast Is Episode Number 517, And It's About How To Weigh ROI Vs Cost When Making A Business Purchase Deciding to purchase something to help your construction business is a big decision. It can be challenging to part with hard-earned money, especially in the early days. To understand the right time to invest by purchasing something for your business, you must calculate whether the Return on Investment (ROI) would be profitable. The cost is the money you spend making the purchase plus any indirect costs (such as training costs) related to the purchase. The ROI is a calculation of financial gains or benefits that you obtain due to that cost. To determine ROI profitability, there is a simple formula you can use. If the purchase yields a positive return, it can be considered profitable. However, if the purchase does not earn back the money it costs, it would be considered a negative return on investment.   Return on Investment Formula Using a formula to calculate the ROI only offers a rough initial estim

This Podcast Is Episode Number 516, And It's About Construction Business Growth Through Networking And Having A Mentor Most business owners receive plenty of well-intentioned advice and 'helpful opinion' from family and friends. However, good business advice spoken from commercial experience is another matter entirely. That's not to say it's hard to find, but finding a reputable source in the Internet age is sometimes less than straightforward – especially if you have a specific problem to solve and limited time. This is why, for good times or bad, developing a network of peers or seeking out a business mentor can be a great idea. Networking Business owners shouldn't feel they need to operate in isolation. There are several options to consider, and you're not limited to only one or a few. Developing a network of peers and colleagues is an excellent way to keep in touch with new developments, and you'll have a great resource to access when you need input and advice. Your local chamber of commerce Your local

This Podcast Is Episode Number 515, And It's About What Every Trade Business Owner Should Know About Raising Prices Raising prices can be a sore subject. Many construction business owners like you assume doing so will spell the end of your competitiveness. But by not raising prices, you're simply letting inflation and your suppliers' maintenance of your margins quietly eat away at profitability. The bottom line is that costs will always rise long-term - at least with inflation. That means you have to pass on the costs to your customers or consume those costs yourself to the point where one day, you'll have to either suddenly raise prices or accept the eventual failure of your business. The worst thing you can do is avoid measuring your costs by sticking your head in the sand. Cost rises will catch up with you eventually, so take action to maintain your margins. Analyze and reduce your costs Regularly check the accuracy of the prices you use in your forecasts and break-even calculations. If you're using outd

This Podcast Is Episode Number 514, And It's About How To Attract Profitable Construction Clients  

This Podcast Is Episode Number 513, And It's About Seven Ways Your Construction Business Can Market Its Services When you go into business as a tradesperson, you often focus on performing your trade to the best of your ability – as it should be. With time, the quality of your work will speak for itself, which is the most valuable testimonial of all. Before the internet was commercially available, just as many experts advised contractors about the layout and design of yellow page ads and which books to spend money on, I say you spend money because that is what it was - Marketing. Many of us who owned and operated construction companies spent thousands of dollars on these experts. Based on their recommendations, we spent tens of thousands of dollars annually in full-page yellow page ads as close to the first position. Spending Money Is Easy, Investing Money Takes Work However, any trades accountant or bookkeeper will tell you there's more to it now. While your good reputation preceding you is undoubtedly esse

This Podcast Is Episode Number 512, And It's About Understanding Cultural Differences Within Your Company And Clients   We're in a dynamic, multicultural country with many different races of people from diverse origins, just within the domestic market; it's vital that you know who might be interested in your goods or services and how they could perceive particular messages. Whichever specialty your construction business is in, cultural differences can directly impact your profitability. If you try to understand your crew's and clients' cultures – their customs and differences – you'll have a better chance of keeping them and gaining more, respectively.   Suppliers, vendors, and service providers respect leaders who have a vision, mindful and considerate, and can power through every obstacle to achieve success. They will support you in ways you cannot even imagine because it is in their best interest. Decide how you want to lead, how you want to be respected, and the work culture you want to create.   Ensu

This Podcast Is Episode Number 511, And It's About The Difference Between A Construction Accountant And A Tax Accountant How often have you hired someone with the expectation that they know how construction works, and then you found out they did not know about it? You are a master in the construction industry, so you recognize what to look for in your particular field and quickly observe if someone has the skillsets, and you proceed accordingly. You know what happens when you send your best Rough Carpenter that you pay piece work for framing spec from the ground up in all kinds of weather and working conditions to install some custom-made cherry wood cabinets with gold plated pulls and knobs in the home of your best client (who happens to be in the wealthiest neighborhood in your town). It is not a pretty sight. Have you pictured a crew with muddy work gear and boots stepping onto your client's pristine floors? The dirty secret is that Tax Accountants operate like Rough Carpenters because they work fast and

This Podcast Is Episode Number 510, And It's About How To Protect Yourself And Your Construction Business From Fraud Unfortunately, fraudsters are out there. They want your money and identity, and they're getting more sophisticated. There's a wealth of opportunity for swindlers to take advantage of people because so much of what we do is now online. There are ways for you to protect yourself, both by taking action and being aware of what's going on.  While they might get less information from a small business, thieves will easily access it. If your construction company keeps any time-sensitive information on a computer network—personal information, credit card details, or other vital data—you need to ensure your cybersecurity is top-notch so you, your business, and your clients are fully protected.    As a small construction business owner, you may not have the significant security budget of a large company, but you can combat employee theft and protect yourself from financial losses if you can identify red

This Podcast Is Episode Number 509, And It's About Growing Your Construction Company Through Collaboration And Partnership Operating and growing your construction business requires more than functional and skilled employees, but it's an excellent start. You need a steady stream of quality, paying clients to keep your company afloat. Likewise, deciding on an online marketing plan can be overwhelming for company owners like you who are looking for affordable ways to nurture consistent, sustainable growth. With time in short supply, the key is to find one or two growth strategies that will get results at a minimal cost. Building a construction business requires collaboration and partnership. The deployment of employees in a way that allows them to work together to problem-solve and act with a shared sense of urgency; and increasing brand awareness through an alliance with people in the industry are simple, cost-effective ideas for building your company within, in the office or job site, or externally through re

This Podcast Is Episode Number 508, And It's About Seven Tips To Help Your Construction Business Adjust For Inflation Inflation has ballooned worldwide in recent months, and there's no question that small construction businesses are feeling the pinch. Supplies cost more, employees are hard to find, and your profits are shrinking. This can lead to operating at a loss - spending more money than you make. Otherwise, you will eventually run out of cash reserves and be out of business. And while it's not uncommon, especially for new companies, it's still not ideal and shouldn't continue in the long term.   Be aware of what's going on in your industry and adjust. Customers judge a business based on perceived value. If you're at the bottom of the pack price-wise, they're likely to skip over you to get a good deal. Price yourself accordingly to attract quality clients.   It's undoubtedly challenging, but you can weather the storm with the following tips. 1. Study your data You first need to identify why you're oper

This Podcast Is Episode Number 507, And It's About Starting And Operating A Small Construction Business On Limited Funds So you have a great business idea and are convinced you can make it work, but you don't have much capital to get your business off the ground. Juggling existing financial commitments such as a mortgage or bank loan could put a squeeze on your business plans. Many entrepreneurs use creative thinking and shrewd planning to get businesses off the ground with the smallest budgets. Freelancers in all industries deal with the same problems due to the nature of their work. Most of you came from the skilled craftsman trades; some worked as construction company managers and have now started or thought of starting your business.   If you just did, congratulations, you have decided to own and operate a construction company. Practically, solo contractors manage every aspect of their business, but we are here to help you navigate it. Here are the things you need to consider (especially when you are on

This Podcast Is Episode Number 506, And It's About The Advantages Of Paperless Payroll In Your Construction Company When you think of payroll, you might still envision paperwork and envelopes given to employees by hand. Even with direct deposit being the norm for years, there is still a significant paper component to manage. You won't find a contractor using inefficient tools on the job site these days. The hammer or the nail gun? No question. While every contractor recognizes the flaws of using ineffective tools, they may still be losing money due to inefficient payroll tools and processes. As with most things, payroll is going digital – for a good reason. There are many benefits to digital payroll for construction business owners and staff alike. Read on to learn why switching to paperless payroll could be right for you. 1. It empowers your construction employees Your employees can log in to the system and access anything they need – anytime and anywhere. Pay stubs, hours worked, and so much more. It's al

This Podcast Is Episode Number 505, And It's About Setting Construction Business Financial Goals For 2023 The new year is a natural time to decide what you want to achieve and how. Businesses tend to progress more consistently if the owner sets financial goals and makes a plan to achieve them.    Your construction business (and personal) budget is one area where you should keep your resolutions from slipping. While it’s true that there’s also next year when it comes to your financial goals, putting it off has real consequences that equal less money and more work. So here are seven steps you should take in January to start your 2023 budget.   1. Review and evaluate your 2022 goals You’ve got to see where you’re coming from to know where you can realistically go. At year’s end, review the goals you set last year and use your numbers to see how your business measured up. Whether or not you met your goals, that information is valuable. What circumstances enabled you to meet your goals or prevented you from doi

This Podcast Is Episode Number 504, And It's About Year-end Closing And Planning For Construction Business Owners The end of the year is typically a reflective time. Something about that lull between holiday festivities and New Year's Eve sets the stage for introspection and review. While you're busy reflecting on the year ending and making plans for the new one about to begin, make sure you take some time to consider your finances.  Preparing your End of Financial Year (EOFY) information often feels stressful—there are receipts to sort out and reports to review. You must ensure you have all the necessary information about your income and expenses. It can be overwhelming, and it can make the EOFY feel daunting. The end of the financial year isn't just a time to collect receipts and find invoices. It's also a time to reflect on how your past year went, what went well and what didn't, and what you can change for next year. Here are three tips to make the most of your end-of-financial year: 1. Consider redoing

This Podcast Is Episode Number 503, And It's About Reclaiming Your Time And Switching Off During The Holidays Small construction company owners like you already have a time-consuming and challenging job running your business. If you're working on weekdays, you usually need the weekend to catch up on paperwork, pay bills, and manage any tasks you didn't get to during the week.  But this weekend is Christmas, and with it comes time to relax, focus on family and friends and take stock of what is essential in life. Phone calls from employees dealing with a minor crisis will pull your focus from your family, or your Christmas dinner will be taken over by business talk. Like the merry bells of Christmas, your cell phone will constantly chime with the sounds of urgent text messages and emails that must be dealt with. Clients will need your attention. So, if you've been waiting for a sign or permission to pause, this post could be the one you're waiting for. It's easy to let the construction company take over your

This Podcast Is Episode Number 502, And It's About How To Prevent Your Construction Company's Yearly Cycle Of Chaos The year is almost over. Fourth-quarter and year-end deadlines are approaching. Most construction business owners who reach out to us describe this as their "Year End Madness" to prepare their documents for the tax accountant.  The end of the year tends to be chaotic for construction company owners, but it's an excellent time to get some extra housekeeping done for your business. If you're on QuickBooks, you can click the Help Menu; depending on the year and version you're using, you can access the Year-End Guide, which will show you how to wrap up your business year. It's not an easy process, but it's all worth it.  Why? Because tax preparers will take what you give them - they don't have the time, and it's much work that you've paid for, but a good tax preparer will know how much you can save if you can track your money. Bottomline - pay your taxes right, but it doesn't have to be more than

This Podcast Is Episode Number 501, And It's About Key Drivers To Improve Construction Profitability And Cash Flow Enlightened contractors like you understand the value of developing your own unique Construction Contracting System, a collection of documented repeatable processes and operation manuals. The key is continuously refining your construction company's practices and procedures. Your office ensures your contracting company has a steady flow of projects. Proper accounting and bookkeeping develop timely financial reports to show which jobs are profitable so you can pursue more. Thus, you can focus more on the following: Acquiring the right clients Doing the project as close to on time and budget as possible Get job deposits and timely progress payments Follow-up with clients to monitor satisfaction and line up new projects Boost profitability by recognizing your key drivers Identifying the key drivers of your business is critical to boosting profitability. A key 'driver' significantly impacts your spe

This Podcast Is Episode Number 500, And It's About Cost-Reduction Strategies For Construction Company Owners Cutting costs can be a quick and easy way to improve the profitability of your construction business. Introducing cost-control measures can bring immediate savings and ensure you remain profitable in the long term. But cost-control measures must be carefully managed. Eliminating errant expenses is beneficial, but indiscriminate cost-cutting could lead to a drop in quality or poor morale if staff fear being made redundant or are not given the tools they need to do their job efficiently. This risk is heavily reduced by identifying where you can safely trim costs, setting clear cost-reduction targets, and researching any cost-saving initiatives before making changes to your contracting business. Planning for effective cost-control The first step towards reducing costs is identifying your major cost areas. These are likely to include: Production Purchasing Sales and marketing Financing Administration F