Margins, Money, And Messy Realities in Construction - Ollie Plastow - EP30

Ollie Plastow returns to SQ FT Stories for a second episode, but this time, the format is different. Rather than a full life or business journey, this episode is a candid catch-up between two people actively working in the Design & Build and construction industry, reflecting on what’s changed since Ollie’s last appearance and what’s really happening on the ground right now. We talk openly about the realities of running businesses in today’s market, the pressures across the supply chain, and the topics that keep coming up in conversations behind closed doors. In this episode, we explore: How Ollie’s business has evolved since his last time on the podcast. What good business development in construction actually looks like and why it’s still misunderstood. Why subcontractors continue to struggle with payment and where responsibility sits. How tight margins shape behaviour across the industry. The knock-on effects these pressures have on people, projects, and relationships. To finish, we switch things up with a quick-fire round, ten rapid questions each covering industry frustrations, opinions, and lighter moments that anyone working in construction will recognise. This episode is honest, unscripted, and very much rooted in real experience. If you work in Design & Build, construction, or the wider property sector, this one will feel familiar and probably spark a few strong opinions of your own.