Toolbox Talk

Are you goal setting, tradie?

Many tradies and builders start their businesses without clear goals, focusing initially on just surviving. Without direction, businesses can become overwhelming, with more work, stress, and insufficient financial reward.

No one starts a business to be overworked and stressed, but without goals, you might end up there. The good news: it's not too late to change this.

You can set goals - start with these two:

1. A 3-year business vision

2. Short-term goals for the next 4–6 months

Use the Trade Business Lifestyle Ladder as a guide, focusing on money, time, and freedom. Identify specific steps to move up from your current position and tackle urgent problems first. Aim for realistic goals to ensure progress.

So get the Goal Setting worksheet and get started.

--------------------------------------

Get the "YOUR BUSINESS ASSESSMENT AND RE-SET." for Trades and Builders here: https://pages.smallfish.com.au/business-assessment-reset-setting-goals-dl

If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility)

Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/

FOLLOW US AT:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

Are you behaving like a Tradie or a Businessperson?

I’m talking specifically about becoming more conscious of your behaviour - how you act at work, as the trade business owner.

You should be aware that you need to act like a businessperson if you want your business to be better: more money, more time and more freedom.

How do you do this, though?

First, assess yourself, download the Tradie VS Businessperson worksheet.

--------------------------------------

Get the "YOUR BUSINESS ASSESSMENT AND RE-SET." for Trades and Builders here: https://pages.smallfish.com.au/business-assessment-reset-tradie-vs-businessperson-dl

If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility)

Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/

FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

Is Your Business Giving You What You Want?

Most tradies want the same three things: More Money, More Time, More Freedom. That’s exactly what the Trade Business Lifestyle Ladder measures.

It helps you assess how well your business is serving you across Money, Time and Freedom.

There are eight levels — from Problem Business at the bottom to Beautiful Business at the top — and they’re realistic: a few million a year, a four-day week, eight weeks' holiday, and a business that doesn’t need you every day.

What business do you want? Lots of tradies work hard for everyone else and don’t get the reward they could. The answer is to put more focus on your business, not just your trade.

If your business isn’t giving you what you want, it’s time to do something about it.

Start by grabbing the Trade Business Lifestyle Ladder and assessing yourself.

--------------------------------------

Get the "YOUR BUSINESS ASSESSMENT AND RE-SET." for Trades and Builders here: https://pages.smallfish.com.au/business-assessment-reset-dl

If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility)

Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/

FOLLOW US AT:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

Every year at this time, the same pressures show up:“Needs to be finished by Christmas…”“We need to hit lock-up before the break…”“We’re behind — can you catch us up?”It’s all pressure to cram work in before the holidays. It helps them, and it usually costs you — overtime that trashes your margins, a wrecked schedule, inefficiencies, and lost opportunities. And often it’s not even fair; they want you to fix their problem.Here’s the pitfall: if you cave to the pressure, you compromise your profitability.In the old days, behaving like a tradie, you might’ve copped it and taken the hit. But now, as a businessperson, you know better.Your job is to ensure every job stays profitable. Any scope change — including schedule changes and hurry-ups — changes the cost.So you either raise a variation and get it approved in writing… or you say, “No, not happening.”It’s a scary one. Then you get used to it.This is what good coaching is about — helping you resist other people’s bullshit because you know your numbers and the impact of rolling over.And if you want help with that, come find me.--------------------------------------If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility), Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

Tradie, are you ready for Christmas? (Do this now while there is still time!) Get the Quick Christmas Cash PlanYou need to be ready for the shutdown period - don't get caught out - get the template and get organised.--------------------------------------Get the Quick Christmas Cash Plan for Trades and Builders here: https://www.smallfish.com.au/tradies/christmas-cash-plan/If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility), Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

First, what NOT to do: Don't let them tell you how it's going to work (they understand bookkeeping, not your trade business).Don't let them batch process your stuff because it's convenient for them.Don't let them set it up the 'traditional' way (rather than the trade-specific way).What you SHOULD be doing: Accurate & timely information in your accounting system - data entered (correctly) & reconciled every week.Your Chart of Accounts (your accounting system) set up so it reflects a trade or building businessWages of techs / tradespeople / field operatives as costs of sale (like in your quotes)Wages of admin people under overhead expensesMaterials, rubbish removal, home warranty insurance, estimating, referral fees, and equipment hire as costs of sale (anything that you quote for).Your systems set up to use automation for the data entry (Dext & Hubdoc, for example + an email address for invoices to be sent to), including checking by someone who understands.A system for reviewing what goes into your accounts (approval) and for deciding which bills get paid when (+ bulk payments).A system for invoicing (preferably from your Job Management System).A system for payroll (a simple one!).A system for your tradies to get the info into the accounts when they buy materials (It can be done).A way to track which job purchases are for.I know that sounds like a lot, but it's quite easy to set up.https://breakingbas.com.au/ can help!I've made a guide that spells it out in a bit more detail—grab it if you want it. Comment GUIDE to get it.

Remember — you’re not just a tradie anymore. You’re a business owner.And it’s your job to make sure your business is trading profitably.A lot of people don’t do this properly. Don’t be one of them.Here’s a simple monthly money check-in I do with all my clients — and I want you to do it too.✅ Step 1: Log into your accounting software(Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks — I’ll use Xero as the example)✅ Check your cashYour bank balances. All business accounts. No hiding. Enough cash to pay wages? Good.My clients log these in our Big Numbers Tracker.✅ Check what you’re owed and what you oweIn Xero: "Invoices owed to you" and "Bills you need to pay".Make sure data is up to date. Are you owed more than you owe? Not too much overdue?✅ Check the month’s revenueLook at your P&L. Did you invoice much? If not, can you? If you can’t — why not?✅ Check your gross marginThat’s Gross Profit ÷ Revenue.Builders: aim for 20–30%Other trades: 30–40%If it’s outside the range — investigate. Materials bought but not invoiced yet? That’s fine, but fix it next month.✅ Check your net profitTarget: 10% of revenue (after paying yourself properly).If you’re not hitting it, ask why.Common culprits:- Underquoting or discounting- Inefficient team or poor scheduling- Travel/project management time not quoted properly- One-off expenses- Poor job setupIf your margins are off, something’s wrong. Fix it.This is your job now. Stay on top of it.Don’t put your head down and hope it sorts itself out.I can help, of course.If you’re not doing this and you need your arse kicked — come and find me.My clients use the Big Numbers Tracker. You can have it too — $39 to get started.--------------------------------------Get the Big Numbers Tracker for Trades and Builders here: https://www.smallfish.com.au/tradies/big-numbers-tracker/If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility) Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

I'm sure you're not but a recent encounter with a brush turkey when I was walking my dogs prompted me to prompt you to make sure you don't act like one.The turkey has built a nest near the path & chased us away, flinging dirt at us to deter us from getting to close to the nest. It's not very effective as a deterrent—we didn't care.I notice lots of tradies spend time on stuff in their business that's similarly ineffective.If your goal is to build a healthy profitable business & you're still spending lots of time on things like:being on the toolsdoing your own bookkeepingrunning errandsthen you’re acting like our turkey—you’re being busy doing stuff that’s not helping you achieve your goal.You run a business now, you’re not just a tradie any more. The work that got you this far won’t help you build that beautiful, profitable business you want.You need to put more of your energy into things like:finding & winning work for your team to domaking sure you win it profitablymaking sure they’re set up to do it profitably.Don't crowd out this work with ineffective busy-work.If you want my help, let me know.--------------------------------------If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility) Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/chatFOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

What is the TRUE COST of your TRADESPEOPLE?A lot of tradies and builders misunderstand how much their people actually cost their business, and, because of that misunderstanding, they undercharge for the labour they're selling.Labour is one of the biggest costs in a trades business, and if you don't charge enough, you won't be profitable. You have to put time and energy into understanding your business's numbers and making sure you run your business profitably.How do you do this? I've made a tool called the Tradie Labour Cost Calculator - it calculates the REAL cost of tradespeople. Get it and calculate the cost of your people for how you pay them, and how you charge your customers.And start charging enough to cover their costs to your business.That's your job now: to make sure your business IS profitable.--------------------------------------Get the Tradie Labour Cost Calculator for Trades and Builders here: https://www.smallfish.com.au/tradies/true-cost/If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility), Book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau

Bookkeepers and Accountants. I don't hate them, they are important & necessary.However, there's a problem with them.For most tradies and builders, they are the people you go to for advice, particularly advice about your money.But the truth is, they are not very good at that.Both bookkeepers and accountants have a focus on compliance & saving - saving money, saving cost or saving tax.Bookkeepers tend to be mostly concerned with making sure your accounts are compliant with the law so you don't get in trouble. They want you to lodge your BAS or GST correctly, pay people correctly, and don't overpay your GST.Accountants care about tax; making sure you don't pay too much, don't do something that's not allowed and then get in trouble, and they care about your business structure & protecting your assets.Those are good things.The problems come when they are your main/only source of advice and guidance in the area of money and the finances of your business.Because there's more to it than that.--------------------------------------Get the Bookkeeping Guide for Trades and Builders here: https://www.smallfish.com.au/tradies/bookkeeping-guide-for-trades-and-builders-2/If you want more money (profit), more time (off work), and more freedom (from work, stress, responsibility) book a Money Call: smallfish.com.au/tradies/money-call/FOLLOW US AT:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallfishcoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallfishcoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallfishbusinesscoach/YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/smallfishau