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

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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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

• Subscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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

• Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• 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

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

• 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

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• ⁠⁠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

• Titans of the Trades podcast

• Ryan Englin 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

• 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

Subscribe to The Cashflow Contractor podcast for more insights on building a profitable contractor business. Leave a review if this episode helped you rethink your hiring approach. Visit cashflowcontractor.com for more resources and past episodes.

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.