Know Your Numbers with Craig Alexander Rattray

From Roofer to Real Business: Craig Talks with Jamie Taylor on Trades, Growth and Knowing Your Numbers

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In this episode of The Know Your Numbers Podcast, Craig Alexander Rattray is joined by Jamie Taylor, founder of Taylor Roofs and host of the popular Taylor Talks Trades podcast. Jamie shares his journey from apprentice roofer to building a multi-million-pound business – and the wake-up calls, mindset shifts, and financial lessons he learned along the way.

From realising he didn’t “own a business, just a job” to making the leap into serious financial control, Jamie’s story is one that will resonate with thousands of business owners in the trades and construction world – and beyond.

It’s an episode packed with practical insights, honest reflections, and powerful takeaways about growth, resilience, and what it really means to run a business that works without you.

 
Key Topics Discussed:
  • The turning point that made Jamie stop and start taking finance seriously
  • Why most tradespeople end up owning a job, not a business – and how to change that
  • What Jamie learned after working with three different accountants
  • How he uses data, scorecards, and forecasting to make better decisions
  • Why personal development matters just as much as process and pricing
  • Moving away from subcontract work and into a profitable, scalable homeowner model
    •  
    Key Takeaways:

    ✅ You don’t need to become an accountant – but you do need to understand your numbers

    ✅ If you can’t step away for 3 months without the business collapsing, it’s not a business
    ✅ Good decisions come from real-time data – not annual accounts
    ✅ You can build a multi-million pound business in the trades without selling your soul to subcontract work
    ✅ Progress starts when you stop running blind and start using numbers as a tool

     
    Memorable Quotes:

    📢 “You’ve not got a business – you just own a job. That was the best advice I ever got.”

    📢 “Once we had the numbers, I got obsessed – I realised I was playing a real-life game.”
    📢 “You don’t need to be an accountant. Just find a way to tell the story of your business in a language you understand.”
    📢 “Running by your bank balance is not a business strategy – it’s a gamble.”
    📢 “We built a business that works for us – and we’ve proved you can scale it in the right way.”

     
    Timestamps:

    02:48 The Importance of Trades and Apprenticeships

    06:11 Challenges in the Trades Industry
    08:17 Starting and Growing a Roofing Business
    12:41 The Role of Accountants and Business Coaches
    14:26 Networking and Mentorship
    19:01 Book Recommendations and Early Lessons
    19:34 Discovering Financial Tracking
    20:31 Importance of Knowing Your Numbers
    21:30 Transition to Management Accounts
    25:13 Challenges with Subcontracting
    28:06 Focusing on Private Homeowners
    28:49 Scaling the Business
    29:39 Cash Flow Management Strategies
    33:37 Final Advice and Contact Information

     

    Resources Mentioned:

    📌 Taylor Roofs – Jamie’s award-winning roofing business

    📌 Taylor Talks Trades Podcast – Interviews and insights for trades business owners
    📌 E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber – The book that sparked Jamie’s business transformation
    📌 Know Your Numbers Website – Craig’s programme for ambitious business owners

     

     

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    Know Your Numbers with Craig Alexander RattrayBy Craig Alexander Rattray