Reece sits down with Chris Murphy of Breakaway CAAS to talk about why so many contractors struggle with bookkeeping, payroll, and job costing, and what better financial systems can unlock for a growing business. It matters because weak accounting processes do not just create messy books, they create bad decisions, wasted time, and unnecessary risk for builders.

They go over the warning signs of broken back office workflows, why day to day tracking matters more than only thinking about taxes, and how construction specific tools can reduce duplicate work and clean up reporting. Chris also shares a brutal real world payroll example and explains what builders should look for if they know their current process is holding them back.

https://www.breakawaycaas.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-j-murphy-cpa-498547123

Show Notes:
00:00 Show Intro
00:44 Meet Chris
02:59 Why Construction
05:55 The Opportunity
07:24 Wrong People
16:24 Taxes Vs Tracking
20:56 Discovery Questions
22:26 Worst Payroll Process
30:03 Best Software Stack
46:49 Signs You Need Help
47:56 Where To Find Chris

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Andrea and Brian Seymour of Springdale Custom Builders to talk about the systems, pricing discipline, and process thinking it takes to build a company that is actually worth something. For builders, this matters because bad estimating, weak operations, and owner dependence can quietly kill profit long before the work dries up.

They go over why the old three-bid mindset creates bad relationships, how Springdale qualifies clients and estimates more accurately, and what retained earnings and real financial visibility make possible. They also unpack the bigger play here: building repeatable systems, hiring the right people, and creating a business that can scale, sell, or survive without the owner pushing every button.

https://springdalecharlotte.com

Show Notes:
00:00 Show Intro
00:54 Meet Springdale
02:09 Starting On Honeymoon
05:09 Fixing The Bid Process
08:49 Sell As Advisor
10:07 Their Sales Process
15:12 Pivoting Project Types
17:03 Knowing Your Numbers
21:16 Lessons And Grit
26:12 Software For Builders
33:48 Build To Exit
37:27 Hiring The Right People
40:29 Peers Over Competitors

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Archibald McLellan of CBIS to talk about why weak process can quietly hold a construction business back long before the owner realizes it. For builders trying to grow without losing control, this episode gets into why better systems, cleaner numbers, and stronger communication matter more than ever.

Arch shares the hard lesson of losing leverage on a project because the paperwork, documentation, and financial visibility were not where they needed to be. Reece and Arch also break down job costing, cash flow planning, transparent communication, and why knowing your numbers early is what keeps growth from turning into chaos.

https://construction-integrators.com

Show Notes:
00:00 Show Intro
00:42 Meet Arch
04:05 From Marines To Construction
08:05 Private Equity Lessons
11:42 Proving His Value
16:00 Starting CBIS
18:21 Early Hard Lessons
22:02 Why Pain Matters
23:55 Strategic Partnerships
34:50 Process Starts With Numbers
41:17 Transparent Communication
43:55 Closing Thoughts

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with John Steiger of Wealth Planning Resources to talk about a problem a lot of builders avoid until it gets urgent: how to build real wealth outside the business before it is time to step away. For owners thinking about succession, retirement, or simply getting their financial house in order, this conversation is a practical look at what needs to happen long before an exit is on the table.

They cover grooming the next generation, why business development matters more than most owners realize, how phantom ownership can prepare future leaders, and why buying trucks just to save on taxes is not the same as building wealth. This episode will help builders think more clearly about profit, assets, succession, and what it takes to create options later. Check the links to connect with John and follow more Builders, Budgets, & Beers conversations.

https://www.wprplanning.com
email: [email protected]

Show Notes:
00:42 Show Intro
01:45 Meet John Steiger
05:35 Why Exit Planning Matters
07:32 Financial House First
16:44 Build Assets Outside
20:03 Start Planning Early
22:14 Phantom Ownership Explained
25:34 Teach Business Development
29:36 Retirement Plans That Work
37:24 Stop Buying Deductions
41:15 Make Planning Simple

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Julie Adams of Sage to talk about how AI is changing the way builders manage jobs, data, and decision-making across the business. They get into why this matters right now as builders face labor shortages, pricing pressure, and a market that still has real opportunity for firms that can see their numbers clearly. This episode covers the economic headwinds hitting construction, where firms are actually investing in AI, and how better visibility across estimating, operations, and finance can lead to smarter moves. If you want a clearer picture of how technology can help your business run leaner and make better decisions, this one is worth the listen.

https://www.sage.com/en-us

Show Notes:
00:00 Show Intro
00:54 Meet Julie Adams
02:15 State Of Construction
03:53 AI Builds Demand
06:01 Industry Headwinds
09:25 Better Decisions Faster
11:36 Why Builders Resist
13:01 Mindset And Adoption
20:18 Tech Provider Responsibility
27:09 Where AI Lands
31:14 Finance Gets Clearer
35:32 End To End Visibility
42:41 Final Takeaways

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Brad Robinson for his second time on Builders, Budgets, & Beers to talk about funding bigger projects without giving up the driver’s seat. They break down equity vs debt, what investors actually expect after you take their money, and how to choose the right partners for the deal. Brad also shares how he is connecting wellness-driven building with real estate strategy, plus the systems and SOP mindset builders need before they scale.

Website: https://bradfordbuilds.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfordrobinson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradfordbuilt

Show Notes:
00:48 Show Intro
02:04 Brad's Background
05:37 Owner Rep Model
10:28 Holiday Show House
12:59 Where To Follow
16:47 Capital Viewpoint
20:23 Equity Vs Debt
23:53 Picking Investors
28:27 JV Vs Fund
30:25 Wellness Strategy
35:59 Systems Before Scale
38:53 SOPs Save You

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Christian and Deanne Lawson of Lawson Development to talk about the real cash flow squeeze behind fixed price custom builds, and why draw schedules can quietly force builders to finance jobs. They break down deposits, milestones, profit vs. payroll, and how to spot loan officer red flags before they wreck a project. You will also hear how charging for quotes and tracking simple “life notes” helped them level up fast. If this helped, share it with a builder friend and follow for more straight talk money conversations.

https://www.lawsondevelopmentllc.com

Show Notes:
00:14 Show Intro
01:45 Meet The Lawsons
06:15 Bookkeeping Reality Check
11:31 How Draws Work
14:45 Floating Jobs Problem
17:25 Deposits And Leverage
23:44 Loan Officer Red Flags
34:43 Charging For Quotes
43:11 Life Notes System
46:46 Write Off Talk
48:42 Final Takeaways

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with David Werschay of Werschay Homes to break down how builders can punch above their weight in land development and spec building without blowing up cash flow. They talk strategic partners, exclusive builder agreements, and a creative spec home funding play that got subs and banks aligned. You will walk away with practical ways to reduce risk, build repeatable processes, and keep momentum even when the market gets weird.

https://werschayhomes.com

Show Notes:
00:00 Big land, shared risk
00:19 Show intro
00:54 Meet David
01:57 Werschay Companies overview
03:59 From code to construction
05:40 Starting Werschay Homes
11:08 Mentors and partners
13:46 Exclusive builder deal
20:30 Building community value
24:09 Risk and recession
30:21 The spec home play
36:46 Processes and feedback
43:00 Advice for builders
47:01 Wrap up

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Connor Watumull from Miter to talk about the biggest labor money leak most builders miss: getting every hour, burden, and benefit tied back to the right job. They break down what “contractor built” payroll and HR actually means, plus simple ways to level up onboarding, compensation, and performance without making it feel corporate. If labor is your biggest cost, this is the playbook for making it measurable, motivating, and profitable.

https://www.miter.com

Show Notes:
00:00 New generation
01:11 Connor’s path
03:21 Why construction
06:12 What is Miter
08:22 Labor tracking pain
11:00 Building great teams
15:21 How small matters
20:56 Values that work
26:08 Reviews that happen
28:49 Miter in practice
36:51 Who should call
39:33 Build better close

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media

Reece sits down with Trapper Roderick of Roderick Builders to talk about why most custom homes blow up on budget before they ever break ground. They discuss the broken “architect first, builder later” pipeline, and how to pull the builder into design early so the scope, the money, and the build reality actually match. You will hear how Trapper wins work through real estate relationships, design-forward content, and tighter processes so profit supports quality instead of fighting it. If this helped, share it with a builder friend who is tired of value engineering after the bid.

https://www.instagram.com/roderickbuilders
https://www.roderickbuilders.com

Show Notes:
00:00 Design and budget together
01:15 Trapper’s builder roots
03:43 Utah growth and demand
07:50 Why residential design
12:21 The broken bid system
14:59 Winning clients first
17:58 Networking and content
25:26 Profit funds quality
30:09 Systems and Adaptive
34:41 Principals on site
41:18 Invest in yourself

Find Our Hosts:
Reece Barnes
Matt Calvano

Podcast  Produced By:
Motif Media