What if you could instantly turn your podcasts, books, and documents into usable business assets without spending hours reading or creating them yourself? In this practical demonstration, Martin and Khalil show contractors how to use Google's NotebookLM to transform content into infographics, slide decks, memos, and even complete SOPs - all while staying grounded in your original sources.

What You’ll Learn

• How to transform any document, transcript, or YouTube video into searchable knowledge
• Why NotebookLM is more valuable than generic AI for business documentation
• How to create instant infographics, slide decks, and videos from your content
• Simple ways contractors can turn business books into actionable implementation plans

Time Stamps

• 00:59 - Exploring Notebook LM
• 03:26 - Using Notebook LM for Business
• 05:10 - Practical Applications and Features
• 18:13 - Exploring AI in Business Applications
• 19:16 - Creating Effective Business Memos
• 21:17 - Understanding Accounts Receivable Insurance
• 25:30 - Leveraging AI for Business Insights

Snippets from the Episode

• "NotebookLM doesn't just search for information like Google does. It actually generates answers from your specific documents. It knows what you're trying to say before you even finish typing." - Martin Holland
• "You can put in your policies or SOPs and your team doesn't have to search for which one to follow. They can just ask, 'Hey, what step do I do after this?' and [NotebookLM] answers the question." - Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "I looked a lot of things up out of books and marked them in yellow. If I could put the book in [NotebookLM] and just go, 'Hey, what was that main quote about receivables?' It's easy." - Martin Holland
• "I don't know” is no longer an acceptable answer. [NotebookLM] takes four seconds to find the answer." - Martin Holland

Key Takeaways

1. Transform documents into interactive tools
2. Create SOPs from recorded meetings
3. Turn business books into audio summaries
4. Generate professional assets without designers
5. Build searchable knowledge bases
6. Extract insights from financial statements
7. Create custom learning materials for your team

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Checkout Quo

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Is your best talent slipping away without you even realizing it? In this episode, Martin and Khalil reveal the six critical warning signs that your contractor team is disengaging and exactly what to do about it before it's too late. Discover practical leadership strategies that transform team retention without doubling your effort.

What You’ll Learn

• The telltale signs your team is mentally checking out before they physically leave
• Why A-players leave first (and how to keep them without breaking the bank)
• Simple communication frameworks that rebuild trust and engagement
• How to transition from micromanaging tasks to truly leading people
• Practical leadership techniques that work in construction businesses

Time Stamps

• 01:01 - Episode Intro
• 02:46 - Understanding the Signs of Team Loss
• 05:54 - Addressing Communication and Leadership Issues
• 10:53 - Retaining Your Best Players
• 19:41 - Effective Communication Strategies
• 28:08 - Leading vs. Tasks

Snippets from the Episode

• "Your standards are reflected in what you tolerate. An A player who's watching you tolerate a C player is contributing because that's who they are. But they're gonna want to go places where they see a path to development."- Martin Holland
• "If you're having these problems, it's probably because you're not giving it the time and attention it needs. At a certain level, if you're going to be a business owner, you have to be in the business of leading people."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Everybody needs to know who's supposed to do what by when. If any of those three things are going to fall through, they need clear understanding that they need to tell people."- Martin Holland
• "You are needed in a leadership role, not in an operations role. You need to lead accordingly. If that's not you, if you're better at operations, get someone who can lead." - Khalil Benalioulhaj

Key Takeaways

1. Pay A-players before they ask
2. Establish clear communication channels
3. Celebrate people who bring problems forward
4. Connect individual roles to the bigger vision
5. Show the impact of each person's contribution
6. Create a "who does what by when" culture
7. Lead with clarity about the end state, not just tasks

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Ever feel like your contracting business is hitting every possible roadblock during the holiday season? In this festive yet practical episode, Martin and Khalil break down the "12 Days of Contractor Christmas" - a humorous but painfully accurate look at the common problems contractors face. From scope creep to unpaid invoices, they explore how these challenges drain your profits and what systems can prevent them.

What You'll Learn

• Why most contractor problems are influenceable even when they seem uncontrollable
• How to handle change orders profitably instead of losing margin
• That your business culture gets set by what you're willing to accept
• Why concessions typically come from a mindset of fear
• How proper systems prevent the domino effect of contractor problems

Time Stamps

• 00:00 - Episode Intro

• 01:41  - The 12 Days of Contractor Christmas: Days 1-4

• 11:00  - The 12 Days of Contractor Christmas: Days 5-7

• 18:40  - The 12 Days of Contractor Christmas: Days 8-12

• 28:12  - Reflections and Holiday Wishes

Snippets from the Episode

• "Control is an illusion. You can’t have full control but you can heavily influence. And everything we're talking about there, it can be heavily influenced by preparation and contracts and systems." - Martin Holland
• "The more that you concede and allow that behavior, the more that you've set the standard of what your culture is and you're gonna see more of it."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Change orders can be great because if you're doing change orders properly, you are bidding, it's almost a guaranteed bid. And you should be doing it at a much higher rate because the scope is changing."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "You’re setting the standard for your culture based on what you accept in your business. You can have conversations about this and include expectations to set the company's culture."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Concessions are a mindset of fear."- Khalil Benalioulhaj

Key Takeaways

1. Properly priced change orders should generate higher margins
2. Systems prevent scope creep and payment disputes
3. What you tolerate becomes your company culture
4. The real cost of callbacks goes beyond materials
5. Unfinished work is often tied to lack of clear scope definitions
6. Invoice promptly to avoid cash flow problems
7. Control may be impossible, but influence is always available

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

What if you could build a thriving $2M construction business by focusing on the right team structure and core values? Tom Bunn shares his journey from corporate burnout to successful contractor, revealing how his team-first approach and EOS framework transformed Bunn and Sons from a handyman service to a thriving design-build firm, without the chaos that typically plagues construction businesses.

What You’ll Learn

• How to transition from working IN your business to working ON your business
• Why core values are essential for qualifying both team members and clients
• How to structure and manage trade partner relationships for long-term success
• The importance of maintaining margin in your business decisions
• Why "table stakes" business practices can become a major differentiator in construction

Time Stamps

00:00 - Episode Intro

01:02 - Starting Bunn and Sons: From Corporate to Construction

03:43 - Building the Business: Early Challenges and Growth

06:04 - Team Dynamics: Assembling and Managing the Crew

09:27 - Core Values and Company Culture

25:31 - Building Long-Lasting Trade Partner Relationships

25:56 - Onboarding and Integrating New Trade Partners

27:15 - Maintaining Trade Partner Relationships

34:00 - Client Qualification and Vetting Process

40:20 - Challenges and Best Practices in Construction

42:16 - The Importance of Margin in Business

47:18 - Differentiating Through Basic Business Practices

49:26 - The Low Barrier to Entry in Construction

53:41 - Simplicity vs. Complexity in Business Operations

55:15 - Final Thoughts and Reflections

Snippets from the Episode

• "I've found that a lot of people we hire come to us in a state I'd loosely describe as 'battered wife.' This industry has just become far too commonplace for tradespeople to be undervalued, overworked, and stressed out."- Tom Bunn
• "When things get lean, there's a constant temptation to want to say 'maybe we could make this work,' but you have to be careful. It's very easy to burn a lot of relationship capital with your team when you bring a bad client on board."- Tom Bunn

• "Simple doesn't mean easy. Pricing is simple: direct costs, indirect costs, and margin on top. But if you don't know what those are, that very simple thing becomes tough."- Tom Bunn

Key Takeaways

1. Define your core values first, then hire to match them
2. Focus on coordination and client experience
3. Maintain long-term trade partner relationships
4. Pay invoices on time and respect trade partners' expertise
5. Qualify clients against your values and ideal client profile
6. Protect your margins by saying no to the wrong opportunities
7. Basic business practices can be your biggest differentiator

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Tom Bunn

• Linked In
• Bun & Sons website

• Bun & Sons on IG

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

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• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Ever wondered how to transform a simple service business into a thriving design-build company? In this episode, Amy Hayes shares her remarkable 9-year journey from painting cabinets as a mother-daughter summer project to scaling three successful companies, including her $3.5M design-build firm. Her story proves that with determination and the right mindset, you can build something extraordinary without formal industry experience.

What You’ll Learn

• How to transition from a service-based business to a design-build model
• Why niching down can accelerate your growth and profitability
• How to build and lead an all-female team in a male-dominated industry
• Strategies for solving the proposal problem in design-build businesses
• The importance of finding resources and support systems in the contracting world

Time Stamps

00:45 - Episode & Guest Intro

01:11 - About Bloom: The Business Overview

02:33 - Women-Owned and Operated

06:15 - Starting with Cabinet Painting

10:21 - Challenges and Growth in Cabinet Painting

22:02 - Transition to Design-Build

31:56 - Monetizing the Business

32:28 - Exploring the Venue as a Lead Generator

34:13 - Addressing the Proposal Problem

35:04 - Challenges in Pricing and Communication

39:54 - Lessons Learned and Future Strategies

Snippets from the Episode

• "I think I had a pivotal moment there, saying, 'Am I really gonna let this stop something that is moving forward because of this one man and how he treated me?' And I decided, no, I'm not."- Amy Hayes
• "You have to invest in your business in order to grow it. It was just a really good time for us to do that."- Amy Hayes
• "A phrase that we used a lot, we would say we were building the plane as we're flying it, because that's what it felt like."- Amy Hayes
• "Find your resources, find your support... Don't be afraid to ask for help."- Amy Hayes

Key Takeaways

1. Start where you are with what you have
2. Focus on serving clients exceptionally well before worrying about pricing
3. Learn to price appropriately by seeking industry guidance
4. Set clear budget expectations early in client relationships
5. Find peer support even among competitors
6. Surround yourself with people who complement your weaknesses

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Amy Hayes

• Bloom Kitchens
• Bloom Painting Company
• Linkedin

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Ever felt overwhelmed trying to track multiple jobs across your business? In this final installment of our three-part series on business function charts, Khalil and Martin demonstrate how to build a practical Kanban board system that gives you instant visibility into your sales pipeline. Learn how to transform your workflow chart into a visual tracking system that shows you exactly where your deals stand, without requiring technical expertise.

What You’ll Learn

• How to convert your workflow chart into a visual Kanban board
• The step-by-step process for setting up a deal tracking system in ClickUp
• How to create templates with subtasks that ensure consistent process execution
• Why mapping your business functions creates clarity for your entire team
• How to build process checklists that make delegation effortless

Time Stamps

• 00:37 - Episode Intro
• 01:04 - Mapping the Sales Function
• 02:40 - Understanding Kanban Cards
• 05:48 - Building the Sales Pipeline in ClickUp
• 11:46 - Customizing ClickUp for Sales Stages
• 25:51 - Core Activities for Specific Deals
• 26:50 - Lead Management Tasks
• 27:29 - Subtasks and Customer Qualification
• 28:33 - Creating Checklists for Core Activities
• 29:48 - Implementing Checklists in ClickUp
• 34:35 - Setting Up Task Templates
• 35:36 - Managing Sales Pipeline with Clickup
• 40:45 - Process Recap
• 55:52 - Final Thoughts

Snippets from the Episode

• "If you don't feel organized as a contractor, if you are curious what the status of your jobs are, if you feel like you don't have systems in your business and you don't know where to start... this is how you make sense of it."- Khalil Benalioulhaj

• "A pipeline is the critical path of a workflow. You're not going to say, 'I made a first call and a second call and then sent a text message.' We don't want that in our pipeline. We just want the critical path."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "One of the first things is just talk to it. Tell it what the hell you're trying to do."- Martin Holland on using AI

Key Takeaways

1. The Function Chart Is Not a Process Chart
2. Kanban Boards Create Visual Clarity
3. Templates Ensure Consistent Execution
4. AI Can Map Your Business Workflows
5. Checklists Remove Complexity from Delegation
6. Critical Path Tracking Beats Detailed Documentation
7. Your Admin Team Can Implement This System

Resources

• ⁠CFC 280⁠ - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 1
• CFC 283 - Building Your Business Function Chart with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 2
• ClickUp
• ⁠WisprFlow Referral Link⁠
• ⁠Claude Artifact - Sales Workflow⁠
• ⁠Claude Artifact - Sales Function Chart⁠
• ⁠Claude AI ⁠
• PowerPoint/⁠Google Slides ⁠
• ⁠HTML Flowchart Generators⁠
• ⁠Kanban board systems⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Struggling to visualize how your business actually functions? In this practical follow-up episode, Martin and Khalil demonstrate how to create comprehensive business function charts using AI tools like Claude. Learn how to map out your entire sales process, identify sub-functions, define core activities, and transform chaotic operations into clear, manageable systems for your contracting business.

What You’ll Learn

• How to create visual function charts that clarify business operations
• The difference between functions, sub-functions, and core activities
• Techniques for using AI to map and organize your business processes
• How to identify ownership of critical business activities
• Practical steps to transform abstract workflows into actionable systems

Time Stamps

• 00:39 - Episode Intro
• 01:27 - Visualizing the Workflow
• 02:56 - Detailed Workflow Breakdown
• 06:21 - Defining Business Functions
• 18:56 - Understanding Core Activities and Checklists
• 21:16 - Creating a Function Chart
• 23:42 - Exploring Wispr Flow
• 29:02 - Mapping Roles and Functions

Snippets from the Episode

• "When you think about SOPs and checklists, you really want to start with checklists at the core activity level. That basic level is where you create your checklists for the things you need to do."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "By having this function chart together, you can really start to map your business. You can map roles, identify who owns each activity, and figure out capacity issues across your team."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "How cool would it be for your business if you were thinking, 'Hey, I'm trying to work on my business. Where do we have the most problems? Which sub-function is causing us the most issues right now?'" - Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Unlike an org chart, in a function chart one person can own multiple sub-functions. You're not saying this is your role, you're telling people these are the things you need to do."- Khalil Benalioulhaj

Key Takeaways

1. Function Hierarchy Matters
2. Start With Visual Mapping
3. Core Activities Need Checklists
4. AI Can Build Your Framework
5. Assign Ownership to Functions
6. Focus on Problem Sub-Functions
7. Map Your Tech Stack to Functions

Resources

• CFC 280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 1
• WisprFlow Referral Link
• Claude Artifact - Sales Workflow
• Claude Artifact - Sales Function Chart
• Claude AI
• PowerPoint/Google Slides
• HTML Flowchart Generators
• Kanban board systems
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Is your service department draining profits instead of generating them? In this practical episode, Martin and Khalil tackle a real contractor dilemma: how to transform service calls from costly overhead into a profitable business segment. Discover why your current pricing model might be leaving thousands on the table and the straightforward systems you need to fix it.

What You’ll Learn

• Why mixing service and install teams creates hidden profit leaks
• How to properly calculate service call pricing (hint: it's much higher than you think)
• Simple systems to separate service operations for clarity and profitability
• Why treating service as a "loss leader" is destroying your margins

Time Stamps

• 00:52 - Episode Intro
• 01:02 - The Service Dilemma
• 03:23 - Exploring Solutions and Pricing
• 17:37 - Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Snippets from the Episode

• "If I can't figure out what something costs me and what I gotta sell it for, then I shouldn't be doing it." - Martin Holland
• "I think the way that this gets created is you start thinking 'If I can't service these clients, the builder's gonna get upset and not give me new jobs.' So we have it as a loss leader. That's a recipe for disaster."- Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Make some estimate and just make sure the estimate is high enough that it's worth it. If we get half of our estimated calls, we still make money."- Martin Holland
• "You gotta know your costs. That's the takeaway."- Martin Holland

Key Takeaways

1. Double your service department costs at a minimum when setting prices
2. Separate service from installation teams completely
3. Stop treating service as a loss leader
4. Understand the full cost of running a dedicated service department
5. Be bold with pricing until you get pushback
6. Service should have its own tracking and profit metrics
7. Service work requires specialized skills and dedicated resources

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

What if you could immediately add 10-20% to your bottom line without changing your sales strategy? In this eye-opening conversation with cost management expert Duane Deason, you'll discover why most businesses unknowingly waste thousands in unnecessary expenses and how implementing a simple cost management system can transform your profitability. Perfect for contractors who feel the cash flow squeeze but don't know where to start cutting costs.

What You’ll Learn

• Why most companies waste 10-20% of their budget on expenses that don't improve operations
• How to identify hidden cash flow issues without becoming a financial expert
• Simple strategies to create accountability for company spending
• Why cost cutting should be celebrated, not viewed as failure
• How to build a culture that protects your profit margins

Time Stamps

• 00:47 - Episode Intro
• 02:54 - Introducing Duane Deason
• 05:42 - Common Cost Issues in Businesses
• 22:10 - Identifying Cash Flow Issues
• 22:27 - Engaging Owners in Cost Management
• 27:05 - Implementing Cost Management Centers
• 31:04 - Incentivizing and Sustaining Cost Savings
• 39:36 - Signature Authority

Snippets from the Episode

• "Most companies I work with have 10 to 20% of their expenses that could be eliminated without changing how they operate, that's low-hanging fruit that goes straight to the bottom line."- Duane Deason
• "Learn to be comfortable with 'no.' You can't appease everybody. 'No' to things we can't afford yet helps us say 'yes' to what's truly important."
• - Duane Deason
• "If you want people to understand what the score is and they're responsible for the score, they need to know how to read the information."- Martin Holland
• "For every dollar of sales, you may pocket 10 cents. But for every dollar you save in costs, you keep the entire dollar."- Duane Deason

Key Takeaways

1. Start with Your Disbursement Journal, Not P&L
2. Create a Cost Management Center
3. Make Cost Savings Visible and Celebrated
4. Implement Clear Signature Authority Rules
5. Restrict Who Can Sign Contracts
6. Audit Utilization of All Resources
7. Reframe Cost Cutting as Opportunity Finding

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Khalil and Martin kick off a new series on building business function charts—starting with the foundational step: mapping your workflows. Using a real-world example from Martin’s sprinkler company, they walk through how to visualize your business processes, identify bottlenecks, and turn chaos into clarity. By learning to map how work actually flows through your operations, contractors and small business owners can improve communication, streamline execution, and lay the groundwork for scalable systems.

What You’ll Learn

• The difference between org charts and function charts—and why both matter
• How to map workflows that clearly show how work moves through your business
• Why visualizing processes helps you manage better and reduce confusion
• How tools like Kanban boards and AI can simplify workflow design
• Practical steps to turn mapped workflows into functional business systems

Time Stamps

• 00:54 - Episode Intro
• 02:20 -Understanding Business Function Charts
• 03:12 -Real-World Workflow Example: Sprinkler Company
• 17:54 -Job Scheduling and Preparation
• 19:49 -Execution and Completion
• 23:08 -Creating Workflows with AI

Snippets from the Episode

• “Everyone has workflows. Work is flowing through your business if you’re in business. But just like you said, the visual is so helpful for understanding where things actually are.” — Khalil
• “When we had the sprinkler company, we literally had a Kanban table before software existed. Every job was a packet that moved from one step to the next. You could walk in and see exactly where everything was.” — Martin
• “You can spend an hour with AI and map out your entire workflow—then clearly see what your business actually does.” — Khalil
• “You should be using AI in this capacity. It’s a thought partner—it helps you think through your processes, not just write emails.” — Khalil

Key Takeaways

• Map Before You Manage – You can’t improve what you can’t see.
• Visualize Workflows – Kanban systems make progress visible and predictable.
• Leverage AI – Use tools like Claude or ChatGPT to build, test, and refine workflows.
• Clarify Functions – Define what your business actually does, not just who does it.
• Lay the Foundation – Workflow clarity is the first step to scalable systems and future function charts.

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Discover how 29-year-old Shaun Sykes transformed from a labor worker dragging brush to the proud owner of Arbor Image, a thriving tree care company. In this revealing conversation, Shaun shares the exact systems that allowed him to cut $47,000 in monthly overhead, increase gross profit margins from 40% to over 60%, and structure a successful ownership transition—all while making both clients and team members happier.

What You’ll Learn

• How to identify and cut unnecessary overhead that's killing your profits
• Practical strategies to increase your gross margins by 20%+ within months
• Why your pricing fears are holding you back (and how to overcome them)
• How to implement pay-for-performance systems that make your team more efficient
• Ways to leverage global talent to multiply your business capabilities

Time Stamps

• 01:16 - The Glass Wall Incident
• 03:30 -Tree Talk: Assessing the Yard
• 04:37 -Meet Shaun Sykes: From Laborer to Arborist
• 08:35 -The Business of Tree Care
• 17:36 -Taking Ownership: The Journey to Becoming a Business Owner
• 34:16 -Legal Aspects of the Deal
• 37:56 -Cutting Overhead Costs
• 43:46 -Leveraging Virtual Assistants for Efficiency

Snippets from the Episode

• "My unique skill isn't being an arborist, it's aligning incentives. That is my number one skill. I love writing up incentive plans and working with the team on bonus programs." - Shaun Sykes, Owner of Arbor Image
• "We were paying out less money per job on labor than we ever had, and they are making more money than they've ever had." - Shaun Sykes on the pay-for-performance results
• "We made a 20% price increase, didn't see a drop in close rate. So we took another 20-30% increase, and then finally saw a small drop to about 50% close rate." - Shaun Sykes on pricing courage
• "The biggest thing that started the confidence to make changes was getting our marketing in order and having way more than enough leads." - Shaun Sykes on transformation catalyst
• "Nearly every change we were scared to make ended up getting us more customers because we came across as more professional."- Shaun Sykes on implementing systems

Key Takeaways

1. Start with your bookkeeping
2. Track every lead source religiously
3. Raise prices until you see resistance
4. Align incentives across your entire team
5. Cut overhead ruthlessly ($47,000 monthly)
6. Require deposits and payment methods on file
7. Leverage global talent for critical admin roles

Resources

• ⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

• Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠

• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Wondering if your contractor business is ready to sell for top dollar? In this eye-opening conversation with investment banker Christian Olson from Footprint Capital, we uncover why 7 out of 10 business owners accept offers without knowing their true value - potentially leaving millions on the table. Learn exactly how to position your business for maximum value with a private equity buyer.

What You’ll Learn

• Why standardizing systems creates higher valuations (not lower ones)
• How to become a "platform company" and secure a second bite of the apple
• The critical difference between business brokers and investment bankers
• Why culture is the hidden value multiplier buyers scrutinize most
• When (and who) to tell about your plans to sell

Time Stamps

• 00:14 - Discussing Business Deals
• 01:18 - Impact of Interest Rates on Business Buying & Selling
• 03:36 - Role of Investment Bankers
• 06:54 - Understanding Private Equity
• 10:59 - Steps to Getting Acquired
• 14:14 - Importance of Company Structure
• 17:13 - Standardization and Value Creation
• 22:33 - Culture and Management in Business Deals
• 28:06 - Understanding Business Valuation Multiples
• 28:39 - Importance of Due Diligence
• 30:49 - Case Study: Electrical and Plumbing Business
• 32:52 - Becoming a Platform Company
• 34:06 - Rollover Equity and Second Bite of the Apple
• 35:45 - Preparing for a Sale to Private Equity
• 38:41 - Common Mistakes in Business Sales
• 41:59 - The Role of Culture in Business Success
• 49:44 - Working with Footprint Capital
• 54:25 - Episode Outro

Snippets from the Episode

• "Seven to eight deals out of ten are sourced proprietarily, meaning no banker, no advisor. It's basically making that one-to-one handshake with the business owner." - Christian Olson
• "Being on ServiceTitan and being integrated across the board drives value because now you're trading expertise to the buyer. They're picking up something they may not have tried on their own." - Christian Olson
• "When you think you're unique, they're getting it from the guy next door. So you're standardizing that, but then it really boils down to execution. The software is just a tool." - Christian Olson
• "We've had several examples where the second bite of the apple is actually worth more than the first transaction." - Christian Olson

Key Takeaways

1. Start preparing for sale years in advance, not months
2. Standardization beats customization for maximum valuation
3. Financial systems and proper accounting drive buyer confidence
4. Culture and employee empowerment are critical value drivers
5. Becoming a platform company creates exponentially more wealth
6. Management team preparedness directly impacts final valuation
7. Having an advisor typically pays for itself many times over

Resources

• ⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠   

• ⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠

• Follow On Social:⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠

• Visit our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠Email⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Want to build a construction business that runs without you? In this episode, Aaron Mills shares how accurate financials and strategic systems can transform your company from owner-dependent to highly valuable and sellable. Learn how one electrical contractor grew from $30M to $90M in four years while the owner reduced his involvement from 60 hours to just a few hours per week.

What You’ll Learn

• How to transform messy financials into strategic tools for growth
• The importance of WIP schedules and how they reveal hidden profit opportunities
• Why pricing increases often meet less resistance than you expect
• How to strategically remove yourself from day-to-day operations
• The exact systems needed to triple net profits while working less

Time Stamps

• 00:55 - Episode Intro
• 02:32 - Financial Resource Optimization
• 04:15 - Challenges in Construction Financials
• 05:29 - Case Study: Electrical Contractor
• 06:48 - Growing Broke: Understanding Revenue Pillars
• 14:21 - Controller vs CFO: Roles and Responsibilities
• 22:25 - Exiting the Business and Personal Success Stories
• 28:51 - Understanding the WIP Schedule
• 31:41 - Dissecting the WIP Schedule
• 36:03 - Training Project Managers
• 44:28 - Challenges in Implementing WIP
• 46:03 - The Importance of Systems
• 49:16 - Daaxit’s Free Strategy Session
• 50:30 - Core Values and Asking for Help
• 50:55 - The Story Behind Daaxit
• 51:47 - Episode Outro

Snippets from the Episode

• "If your financials are on a roller coaster month to month—if you're making a whole bunch of money one month and losing a whole bunch the next—then your financials are inaccurate and you need some help."— Aaron Mills
• "When you're going to sell your business, it's so much more attractive if you're not in the business running it every day. You want a business that operates by itself."— Aaron Mills
• "A controller's reporting the history; the CFO bridges the history to the future with the business owner and the vision."— Aaron Mills
• "I just took my first two weeks off. I didn't answer my phone. This spring, this summer, I've been going to my kids' sporting events for the first time ever, and I have the best relationship with my wife ever."— Construction Business Owner (Client Success Story)

Key Takeaways

• Your financials should be strategic tools, not just tax documents
• WIP schedules reveal hidden profit opportunities when properly analyzed
• Raising prices on unprofitable clients is often easier than you think
• Building a business that runs without you increases its value dramatically
• Different revenue levels ($5M, $10M, $20M+) require completely different systems
• Project managers need monthly financial reviews to maintain profitability
• A business that runs without you provides both financial and personal freedom

Resources

• ⁠24 Things⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant

• ⁠Schedule⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call

• Check out⁠ OpenPhone⁠

• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠ GrowthKits⁠ 

• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠ Benali⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠

• ⁠annealbc.com⁠   

• ⁠Email Martin⁠

• ⁠Meet With Martin⁠

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠

• ⁠Facebook⁠

• ⁠Instagram⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠benali.com ⁠

• ⁠Email Khalil⁠

• ⁠Meet With Khalil⁠

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠

• ⁠Facebook⁠

• ⁠Instagram⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our⁠ ⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠

• Subscribe to our ⁠Newsletter⁠

• Follow On Social:⁠ LinkedIn⁠,⁠ Facebook⁠,⁠ Instagram⁠, ⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠

• Visit our ⁠website⁠

• ⁠Email⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

Discover why your hiring struggles might be a marketing problem, not an HR issue. Ryan Englin of Core Matters shares how treating recruitment as a marketing activity transforms your ability to attract and retain quality talent. Learn practical strategies to build a team that stays without constantly fighting the revolving door of employees that plagues many contractors.

What You’ll Learn

• Why recruitment is a marketing activity, not an HR function
• How to build a "bench" of quality candidates before you need them
• The true cost of a bad hire beyond just wages
• Why measuring behaviors instead of just hours leads to better team performance
• How to create systems that deliver on the promises you make to potential employees

Time Stamps

• 01:00 - Episode & Guest Intro
• 02:26 - Core Matters: Marketing for Recruitment
• 04:20 - Building a Recruitment Funnel
• 06:59 - Retention and Training Challenges
• 11:27 - Creating a Positive Work Environment
• 14:24 - The Importance of Growth and Reputation
• 24:27 - Measuring Behaviors, Not Hours
• 26:59 - Defining and Tracking Core Behaviors
• 28:04 - Behavioral Core Values
• 28:43 - Tracking Punctuality and Learning
• 30:55 - One-on-One Meetings and AI Assistance
• 33:10 - Immediate Feedback and Tough Conversations
• 38:23 - The Cost of a Bad Hire
• 42:08 - Profit Per Employee
• 43:33 - Owner's Role and Return on Investment
• 45:34 - Communicating Profitability to Employees
• 47:49 - Using Analogies for Better Understanding
• 49:32 - Establishing Daily or Weekly Huddles

Snippets from the Episode

• "Recruiting is not an HR activity. When you're looking to recruit people, you need to think of it as a marketing activity. It's putting your opportunity to work in front of the right people when they're ready to make a decision about who they want to work for."— Ryan Englin, Core Matters
• "Construction has five times the national average suicide rate. Why? Because they get beat up at home. They get beat up on the job site. Nobody values them. Nobody appreciates them. They have no one to turn to."— Ryan Englin, Core Matters
• "We do not have a labor shortage in the trades. What we have is a retention problem and a lack of training problem."— Ryan Englin, Core Matters
• "Why is it we always have time to do it over, but we never have the time to do it right?"— Ryan Englin, Core Matters
• "People should never be surprised at what you think of their performance. Ever."— Ryan Englin, Core Matters

Key Takeaways

1. Treat recruiting as marketing, not HR
2. Build an email list of prospective candidates
3. Focus on retention before recruitment
4. Create systems that deliver on your employment promises
5. Measure and reinforce key behaviors, not just hours worked
6. Provide immediate feedback instead of waiting for reviews
7. Establish daily or weekly team huddles

Resources

• 24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• Schedule a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out OpenPhone
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our GrowthKits 
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend Benali

Struggling to maximize your team's productivity? In this practical episode, Khalil and Martin share proven strategies for getting the most from your employees—from implementing effective morning huddles to smart incentives that actually work. Discover how simple changes to your team management approach can dramatically improve productivity and morale without requiring constant supervision.

What You’ll Learn

• How to structure effective daily huddles that take just 10 minutes but transform accountability
• Why the right employee incentives matter (and which common approaches to avoid)
• How choosing the right software impacts team performance and business profitability
• Ways to leverage AI for better team communication and knowledge management
• How to recognize what motivates different team members beyond just money

Time Stamps

• 01:17 - Morning Huddles: Structure and Benefits
• 04:54 - Feedback from the Team
• 08:43 - Implementing AI and Technology
• 18:11 - Language Barriers and Team Communication
• 27:55 - Generosity and Expectations
• 28:40 - Aligning Interests with Performance
• 32:23 - Recognition and Motivation
• 35:45 - The Pitfalls of Equity Incentives
• 39:43 - The Importance of Effective Software
• 42:46 - Challenges with Software Integration
• 47:48 - Behavior Change and Software Adoption
• 51:27 - The Role of Software in Business Functions
• 55:40 - Avoiding DIY Pitfalls
• 01:00:05 - Summary and Key Takeaways

Snippets from the Episode

• "What we're doing now: four people jump on for 10 minutes—no longer than that. It's every single day. One person leads it for the entire week. Their responsibility is truly understanding what every person says is their priority for the day."— Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Finding ways that work to incentivize employees is really hard. And it depends on what, well, it can be hard to do. It depends on your company, but mostly what I think about when I think about incentives is what not to do."— Martin Holland
• "People want to work for bosses that care, and people want to work for companies that treat them with respect and care about who they are and invest in them as a person, not just as a professional."— Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "Beware of software as a silver bullet because it's not one. It requires work. It's gonna take work to learn it, work to maintain it, work to actually get the benefits of it."— Khalil Benalioulhaj

Key Takeaways

1. Structure Daily Huddles for Maximum Impact
2. Match Incentives to What Actually Motivates Individuals
3. Avoid Incentivizing Basic Job Requirements
4. Invest in Better Software When Opportunity Cost Justifies It
5. Don't DIY Critical Business Functions Like Bookkeeping
6. Recognize Different "Languages" of Employee Appreciation
7. Consider Team Structure When Implementing Communication Systems

Resources

• 24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• Schedule a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out OpenPhone
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our GrowthKits 
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend Benali
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend Demandcast

More from Martin Holland

• theprofitproblem.com
• annealbc.com   
• Email Martin
• Meet With Martin
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

More from Khalil

• benali.com 
• Email Khalil
• Meet With Khalil
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Subscribe to our Newsletter
• Follow On Social: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X(formerly Twitter)
• Visit our website
• Email The Cashflow Contractor

Connect with Us

Want to transform your contracting business with less stress and more profit? Visit cashflowcontractor.com to access more resources and join our community of contractors building systems that create freedom. Subscribe to the podcast for weekly insights you can implement immediately in your business.

Is your business building your wealth, or just funding your lifestyle? In this eye-opening conversation with financial advisor Chad Hufford, we break down how contractors can define their "target number" for financial independence and create a clear path to achieve it—without sacrificing the present. Discover practical strategies to build wealth both inside and outside your business.

What You’ll Learn

• How to calculate your specific "target number" for financial independence
• Why creating a "work-optional lifestyle" is crucial for business owners
• The proven debt elimination strategy that creates momentum for wealth building
• How to balance business cash reserves with personal financial planning
• Why most financial advice fails (and what actually works for contractors)

Time Stamps

• 01:04 - Episode Intro
• 01:28 - Life Lessons and Reflections
• 02:58 - Guest Intro
• 04:05 - Importance of Having a Financial Plan
• 05:15 - Proactive Financial Strategies
• 07:59   - Creating a Closer Relationship with our Future
• 10:36 - Setting Financial Goals
• 27:39 - Living Within Your Means
• 32:54 - Debt Elimination Strategies
• 37:20 - Investing for the Future
• 38:02 - Customizing Your Financial Plan
• 39:07 - Mortgage vs. Investment Dilemma
• 40:58 - Consumer Debt and Long-Term Goals
• 44:08 - Business Cash Reserves
• 46:53 - Investment Strategies and Diversification
• 53:18 - The Role of a Financial Advisor
• 56:49 - The Importance of Adherence
• 01:00:58 - Building a Long-Term Financial Vision
• 01:05:49 - Final Thoughts and Getting Started

Snippets from the Episode

• "Nobody would ever buy a house that was built without a blueprint, but too often we let our futures unfold without one. We end up being a little more haphazard, sometimes aimless."— Chad Hufford
• "If you don't know where you're going and you start feeling lost, the tendency is to just go faster, to double down on everything you're already doing."— Chad Hufford
• "Education without execution is merely entertainment. If you are learning things without implementing them in your life, you're not gonna get much benefit."— Chad Hufford

Key Takeaways

1. Define Your Financial Independence Target Number
2. Reduce Personal Lifestyle Expenses Before Building Wealth
3. Pay Off Consumer Debt Before Aggressive Investing
4. Build Business Cash Reserves of 3+ Months
5. Focus on Investment Income, Not Principal
6. Diversify Like an Orchard, Not a Single Tree
7. Choose a Financial Advisor Who Holds You Accountable

Resources

• ⁠⁠24 Things ⁠⁠⁠⁠Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our ⁠⁠⁠⁠GrowthKits ⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend ⁠⁠⁠⁠Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Chad Hufford

• Chad Hufford - Financial Advisor, Veritas Alaska
• Website: Veritas Alaska
• Veritas Alaska Podcast
• LinkedIn: Chad Hufford

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from The Cash Flow Contractor

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

In this candid discussion, Martin and Khalil tackle the frustrating challenge of employees who do the bare minimum versus those who go above and beyond. They explore how contractors can set clear expectations, build a performance-driven culture, and address the difficult conversations most business owners avoid. Whether your team is underperforming or you're struggling with how to promote the right people, this episode delivers practical strategies for building a team that cares about your business as much as you do.

What You’ll Learn

• Why setting dual expectations creates confusion and poor performance
• How to hire for character and train for skills instead of settling for experienced mediocrity
• When to replace employees who don't align with your company culture
• Why promoting based on tenure instead of potential damages your business
• How to effectively onboard new employees with a two-week intensive approach

Time Stamps

• 00:55 - Episode Intro
• 01:52 - Balancing Business Leverage and Personal Well-being
• 04:23 - Real-life Examples of Employee Management
• 09:20 - Setting Clear Expectations and Performance Standards
• 16:55 - Hiring for Character and Training Newbies
• 21:33 - Promoting for Potential vs. Performance
• 26:43 - Employee Reviews

Snippets from the Episode

• "When you delay difficult conversations, they accrue interest. That guy that's been there for 20 years probably should have had a conversation 19 years ago."— Khalil Benalioulhaj
• "The only people available to be hired are either malcontent, unhappy, inexperienced, or incompetent."— Martin Holland (quoting his father)
• "When you hire people, you have to be absolutely crystal clear on expectations. And you have to self-examine and make sure you don't have dual expectations."— Martin Holland
• "Clear is kind. If you can start your conversation with what this is about and how it's going to end, then that's great."— Khalil Benalioulhaj

Key Takeaways

1. Don't Set Minimum Standards That Become Anchors
2. Lead By Example To Create A Culture Of Excellence
3. Hire For Character, Train For Skills
4. Replace Underperformers Quickly
5. Promote Based On Potential, Not Tenure
6. Have Difficult Conversations Early
7. Dedicate Two Weeks To Proper Onboarding

Resources

• ⁠24 Things ⁠⁠⁠Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• ⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our ⁠⁠⁠GrowthKits ⁠⁠⁠
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend ⁠⁠⁠Demandcast⁠⁠⁠

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Visit cashflowcontractor.com for more episodes and resources to help you build a contracting business with less stress, more time, and more money. Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform and follow us on social media for daily insights into growing your contracting business.

Business coach John Nieuwenburg reveals how contractors can escape day-to-day overwhelm by delegating low-value tasks and focusing on true leadership. You'll discover practical strategies for identifying what you should stop doing, creating time for high-impact work, and building a reliable talent bench—all without adding more hours to your already packed schedule.

What You’ll Learn

• How to identify the 5-7 hours of work you shouldn't be doing each week
• Why "attention" is more valuable than "time" for contractors
• How to properly delegate tasks using virtual assistants without micromanaging
• Practical steps for building a recruiting bench that gives you leverage with current employees

Time Stamps

• 00:55 - Episode Intro
• 02:51 - Guest Intro: John Nieuwenburg
• 03:50 - Challenges Faced by Business Owners
• 04:55 - Time Management for Construction Companies
• 05:40 - The Oh Shit List
• 07:06 - Delegation and Virtual Assistants
• 13:08 - Mindset and Personal Coaching
• 18:15 - Focus & Prioritization
• 22:44 - The Importance of Attention Management
• 23:51 - The Big Rocks Metaphor
• 24:38 - Implementing a Default Diary
• 27:01 - Handling Interruptions and Emergencies
• 30:52 - Building Your Bench
• 37:46 - The Role of Company Culture
• 39:22 - Conclusion and Contact Information

Snippets from the Episode

• "If you're listening to this call and you own a construction business, you're probably doing five to seven hours worth of work each week that you shouldn't be doing."— John Nieuwenburg
• "All business coaching is personal coaching in disguise. Often, business owners identify the problem as something in their business, but they don't hold up a mirror to themselves and recognize they're actually the obstruction."— John Nieuwenburg
• "The question isn't 'How can I get this done?' It's 'How can this get done?' And the only thing that changed is who's doing it. It isn't I."— John Nieuwenburg
• "You don't get the culture you want. You get the culture you deserve."— John Nieuwenburg

Key Takeaways

1. The Oh Shit List Delegation Strategy
2. Leveraging Virtual Assistants for Admin Tasks
3. Implementing a Default Diary System
4. Building a Proactive Talent Bench
5. Creating SOPs Through Delegation
6. Attention Management vs Time Management
7. The Leadership Mindset Shift

Resources

• ⁠Who Not How
• 24 Things ⁠⁠Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• ⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our ⁠⁠GrowthKits ⁠⁠
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend ⁠⁠Demandcast⁠⁠

More from John Nieuwenburg

• W5 coaching website
• Contact John
• John on LinkedIn

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Todd Hagopian shares his revolutionary Hypomanic Operational Turnaround (HOT) system that transformed multiple businesses in just 6-12 months. Developed after his bipolar diagnosis, this powerful methodology helps businesses break free from stagnation by implementing aggressive 80/20 strategies, continuous improvement cycles, and transformation team building—all without requiring superhuman effort.

What You’ll Learn

• How to apply the 80/20 principle to dramatically increase profitability
• Why grandiose goal setting delivers better results than conservative targets
• How to implement 52 improvement projects in 52 weeks without overwhelming your team
• A systematic approach to pricing that maximizes profits in your core business
• How to build transformation teams that drive exponential results

Time Stamps

• 00:45 – Episode Intro
• 01:31 – Guest Intro: Todd Hagopian
• 02:47 – Todd’s Career Journey and Achievements
• 05:28 – The Hypomanic Toolbox: Managing Bipolar Disorder
• 14:54 – Implementing the Hypomanic Operational Turnaround System (HOT)
• 19:02 – Grandiose Goal Setting
• 23:25 – 80/20 Matrix of Profitability
• 28:30 – Implementing Price Increases and Outsourcing
• 37:42 – Applying the 80/20 Rule to Services
• 41:32 – Continuous Improvement and Theory of Constraints
• 44:57 – Practical Examples
• 46:38 – Transformation Team Building
• 56:52 – Connect with Todd (Book Launch, Website, Socials)
• 63:48 – Inbound Accelerators (Sales Tactics)
• 68:09 – Episode Wrap-up & Final Thoughts

Snippets from the Episode

• "The addiction to yesterday is the worst one. If you want to transform, you can't transform the business by doing the same thing that got you to where you're in trouble."— Todd Hagopian
• "Lead time's a hell of a drug. If you cut your lead time and you're better than the competition, that 42% close rate becomes 100%. Nobody can touch you."— Todd Hagopian

Key Takeaways

1. Focus 100% on the vital 20%
2. Implement 52 improvements in 52 weeks
3. Price B-customers higher than A-customers
4. Never simply backfill vacant positions
5. Use the A-B-C-D matrix for profitability
6. Set grandiose goals to achieve better results
7. Cut lead time to dominate your competition

Resources

• ⁠24 Things ⁠Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• ⁠Schedule⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out⁠ OpenPhone⁠
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our ⁠GrowthKits ⁠
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠ Benali⁠
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend ⁠Demandcast⁠

More from Todd Hagopian

• The Hypomanic Toolbox 
• LinkedIn
• X (Formerly Twitter)
• The Stagnation Assassin on YouTube

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Ready to implement these strategies in your business? Visit cashflowcontractor.com for more resources or email questions@cashflowcontractor.com. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review if you found this episode valuable. For exclusive content and behind-the-scenes insights, follow Martin and Khalil on social media.

Discover how to ethically influence clients and team members using Robert Cialdini's seven principles of persuasion. Guest Tara Landes, a certified Cialdini trainer and business systems expert, breaks down these powerful psychological triggers that can transform your sales process, pricing strategy, and company culture. Learn how small, strategic changes in your communication can lead to significant improvements in customer acquisition and team engagement.

What You’ll Learn

• The seven principles of persuasion and how they apply to your contracting business
• How to ethically influence clients without manipulation
• Practical ways to raise prices without losing customers
• Strategies to retain valuable employees who might otherwise leave
• Simple techniques to differentiate yourself from competitors

Time Stamps

• 01:14 - Episode Intro
• 01:42 - Guest Intro
• 03:13 - The Basics of Influence and Persuasion
• 06:21 - Ethical Persuasion Defined
• 07:08 - Principle 1: Reciprocity
• 11:31 - Principle 2: Liking
• 13:53 - Principle 3: Unity
• 17:24 - Principle 4: Social Proof
• 20:05 - Principle 5: Authority
• 21:53 - Principle 6: Consistency
• 28:15 - Principle 7: Scarcity
• 30:50 - Applying Scarcity in Sales
• 33:32 - Core Motives in Persuasion
• 35:44 - Implementing Foundational Systems with Bellrock
• 39:53 - Addressing Toxic A-Players
• 41:54 - Retaining Sales Talent
• 45:16 - Raising Prices and Customer Retention
• 48:42 - The Power of Personalized Gifts
• 52:43 - Engaging with Bell Rock Consulting
• 54:39 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Snippets from the Episode

• If you're trying to get someone to do something that isn't in their best interest, I'd call that manipulation. If it's good for you and it's good for me, then it's ethical persuasion.— Tara Landes

• Instead of asking for people's opinions or feedback, ask them for advice. When you ask for an opinion, you're creating a critic. When you ask for advice, you're co-creating, and you're both wanting to win.— Tara Landes

Key Takeaways

1. The relationship principles
2. The uncertainty principles
3. The motivational principles
4. Making gifts personal and meaningful
5. Creating paths to ownership for employee retention
6. Activating scarcity by showing what customers stand to lose
7. Using authority in customer introductions

Resources

• Influence by Robert Cialdini
• Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• The Essential Guide to One-On-One Meetings
• 24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• Schedule a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out OpenPhone
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our GrowthKits
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend Benali
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend Demandcast

More from Tara Landes

• Website: bellrock.ca
• Tara on LinkedIn

More from Martin Holland

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More from Khalil

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor

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Ready to apply these principles in your contracting business? Visit cashflowcontractor.com to learn more about our coaching programs and resources. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow contractors who want to improve their sales process and team management.