Business Builders Blog

Category: Improve Employee Engagement

Ready to Plug Those Profit Leaks? Here’s How!

by Vicki Suiter | Aug 30, 2023 | Increasing Your Profits, Building Great Teams, Improve Employee Engagement, Increasing Production Efficiency | 0 comments

We’ve just wrapped up our eye-opening series on “Plugging the Profit Leaks in Your Contracting Business.” If you’ve been following along, you’ve got a clear picture now of the blind spots that can suck the profitability right out of your operations.

But knowing is only half the battle, right?

Now, let’s get down to the brass tacks. I’ve assembled a set of rock-solid, FREE tools designed to do one thing—help you identify and plug those pesky profit leaks in your business. This is about turning insights into real, tangible action.

In this video, I walk you through the two steps that will provide you with a clear roadmap for where to begin, and then provide the tools to move forward.

Your Business Health Assessment – A Detailed Overview

Take the time to evaluate key areas of your business using my FREE “Business Health Assessment” tool. This tool allows you to rate vital areas such as marketing, estimating, production, sales, finance, and project management, helping you identify where profits may be leaking.

🔗 Access it FREE at: https://suiterbusinessbuilders.com/business-health-assessment2/

“The Profit Bleed” – A Must-Read Book (FREE for a Limited Time!)

I’ve written a book that delves into the areas of your business where managing margins can make a significant difference in your bottom line. Told through a story of a contractor’s journey, it offers practical insights and actionable recommendations. AND, it includes a number of proven, no-cost, tools, and resources you can download and use right away.

🔗 Secure your copy: https://theprofitbleed.com/free

Your Path Forward:

Here’s how you can get started:

Assess Your Business: Use the free tool at https://suiterbusinessbuilders.com/business-health-assessment2/ to understand where you might need to focus.
Learn from Experience: Get the free book at https://theprofitbleed.com/free and apply the insights.

Time to Grab the Reins of Success

Drawing from three decades of working side-by-side with contractors like you, these resources are crafted to equip you with the precise insights you need to bolster profits and relish the work you do.

Don’t let this chance slip away. Dive into these tools, implement the strategies, and begin forging a path toward a thriving and prosperous business.

Navigating Difficult Conversations

by Vicki Suiter | Sep 10, 2020 | Increasing Your Profits, Building Great Teams, Improve Employee Engagement, Increasing Production Efficiency

Not sure how to get the client to sign that change order? Having a tough time getting that employee to work faster? This week I’m sharing an interview I did with Dominic Rubino about how to make having those conversations easier using a simple 4 step formula.

The formula:

Following this formula will give you more comfort in implementing change, AND, it will give you resources for overcoming resistance to the changes you are implementing.

Dominic and I role-play a few great examples of how to navigate a conversation that could otherwise be riddled with conflict. One with a client about a change order, the other with an employee. As it played out both parties were feeling good about the results.

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A Contractor’s Succession Plan – Part II

by Vicki Suiter | Sep 24, 2019 | Price for Profit, Get Confident in Your Numbers, Improve Employee Engagement | 2 comments

This is the second part of a two-part series on succession planning for a contractor, and the process of finding and developing a new leader for a business as the owner nears retirement. If you’re thinking of someday selling a construction company, wondering about the future of your business, or curious about what your retirement could look like, you don’t want to miss today’s interview.

In this video, we’ll discuss what succession planning is, what does it take to sell a business, what has worked really well for my guests, and what would they do differently after going through the succession process.

I’m talking to Tom and Barbara Weiher, the original owners and founders of Carmel Builders in Milwaukee, WI. Carmel Builders successfully transitioned the business from Tom and Barbara to their son, Louis, a few years ago. (You can watch my interview with their son Louis here.)

Tom started the design, build, and remodeling firm 40 years ago. Ten to 15 years ago, he started wondering, “How’s this going to end?” It seemed ideal to him and his wife, Barbara, for one of their five children to take over the business to keep it in the family. But at the time, none of them were working in the business or interested in taking it over.

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A Contractors Succession Plan – Part I

by Vicki Suiter | Sep 10, 2019 | Price for Profit, Get Confident in Your Numbers, Improve Employee Engagement

Today, I’m sharing part one of a two-part series about succession planning. In the contracting industry I see so many folks who have been working for 30 years, 40 years, and beyond, who want to transition out of their businesses but they don’t know where to begin and as a result, continually put it off.

Knowing how to plan for your phase out or complete succession from your business is the pathway to you being able to reap rewards from the hard work the you’ve put into it over these many years. And proper planning, as my guest today will share with you, can help you save money and increase your return as well.

One of the companies that successfully made the transition is Carmel Builders in Milwaukee, WI. Today, my guest is Louis Weiher, the owner and president since 2016. In my next blog post, I’ll interview his parents, Tom and Barbara Weiher, the founders of the 40-year old design build build firm.

Whether you’re on either end of a possible succession or just wondering about your eventual retirement, these two interviews will help you navigate your way to a successful transition.

Project Schedules that Make You Money!

by Vicki Suiter | Jun 12, 2019 | Price for Profit, Improve Employee Engagement, Increasing Production Efficiency

When three different clients told me about Robin and his brilliance around making money in scheduling, I knew I needed to interview him for my blog. And I’m so glad I did.

For over 30 years Robin Beauchamp has been increasing profitability on his projects by employing an approach to scheduling that has been key to getting teams to stray focused, subs to show up when needed, clients to make decisions quicker, and design teams to stay on track.

In my interview, Robin shared how he keeps project teams aligned on goals, delivering on promises, and working as a cohesive team. And he does it without having to cajole, threaten or throw anyone under the bus.

Listen to today’s video blog and learn how you can make your projects flow more smoothly, and have your schedule make you more money!

Hiring The Best / Maximizing Margins

by Vicki Suiter | May 30, 2019 | Building Great Teams, Improve Employee Engagement

If you ever hired someone who didn’t work out in the job, and not sure where you went wrong, you’ll want to watch this week’s video.

Jared Gossett has been a successful builder for many years, and a while back started a radio podcast that is all about helping Builders and Remodelers take their businesses to the next level. When Jared asked me to be a guest on his Building Optimal Radio show and talk about best practices around hiring and managing profit margins, I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with someone else passionate about helping contractors build successful businesses.

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