Solution Building

Running a business means constantly deciding what deserves your attention first. With so many responsibilities competing for priority, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and reactive. Having clear values, systems, and priorities in place ahead of time helps you make better decisions when pressure hits. The goal isn’t just staying busy, but focusing on the things that keep your business healthy and moving forward.

Running a business can feel overwhelming when everything demands your attention at once. The key to making progress is breaking big challenges down into smaller, manageable steps and simply starting somewhere. Just like building a wall one brick at a time, success in business comes from consistent action, not trying to solve everything all at once. Momentum begins when you stop staring at the whole pile and focus on the next step in front of you.

Running a business starts with knowing who you are and what matters most. Core values matter because they influence your decisions, leadership, relationships, and priorities. Identifying your values takes intentional effort, but it gives you clarity, direction, and stability when challenges come. When your actions align with your values, you take greater control of your business, your time, and your future.

Feeling “too busy” is something most people deal with, especially in construction, but it’s not something we’re stuck with. Whether you're running a construction business or juggling life responsibilities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done. When you learn how to prioritize, take action, and focus on the next step, you start to take control of the chaos instead of letting it control you.

Running a construction business is more than just doing the work, it’s managing everything behind the scenes that keeps it alive. Many contractors start out focused on construction, but overlook the systems and processes needed to stay profitable and sustainable as a business. Through hard lessons and experience, I’ve learned that ignoring the business side can cost you everything. Success isn’t easy, but with the right tools and action, it’s absolutely worth it.

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve probably felt this before: You stay busy, work is getting done, and the money comes in. But when it’s time to sit down and look at the numbers…there’s not as much there as you expected. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of tax season, tight cash flow, or not knowing where your business really stands, then the Savings Transfer tool was built for you. 

Over the past three weeks, I’ve shared how Gene struggled with money problems…He wasn’t getting paid, he couldn’t fix his truck, and he didn’t have the money to pay his taxes. Sound familiar? We’ve all been in situations where we needed money that we didn’t have. Because in construction, it’s never just one expense. If you’re tired of guessing where your money is going, this is where you start taking control.

Gene’s first year in business brings in solid work and decent profits, but his lack of financial planning catches up with him. When he files his taxes for the first time as a business owner, he’s hit with a $17,000 bill he can’t afford to pay. With no savings set aside, he’s forced into a long-term IRS payment plan with added penalties and interest. What started as a promising business quickly turns into a stressful financial burden, leaving Gene questioning if it’s all worth it. That’s exactly why I created the Business Building Toolbox and offer coaching and consulting. If you’d like to learn more about the Savings Transfer Tool, join us for the Savings Transfer Tool Introduction on April 15th at 10:30 AM (CT). When you attend, you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of two prizes: One for a customized Savings Transfer Tool implementation ($997 value) One for a full year subscription to the Business Building Toolbox ($297 value) And if you want a quick snapshot of where your business stands today, take the 5-Minute Financial Health Review.

A broken truck. A $3,800 repair. No cash to cover it. Gene’s story shows how quickly one unexpected expense can throw your entire business and home life into chaos when there’s no financial cushion in place.

Irregular income is one of the biggest struggles for self-employed construction business owners. Add in a customer who doesn’t pay on time, and things can get even more stressful.  In this podcast, we follow Gene, a contractor who finishes a project only to run into a payment disagreement with his customer. What should’ve been a straightforward final payment turns into a negotiation that leaves him short on money he was counting on.  Poor communication and lack of financial systems can cost you. So what can you do to prevent it?

Success is often defined by external achievements, but true success goes deeper. It includes personal growth, relationships, purpose, and building something meaningful in both business and life. Many contractors fall into the trap of working harder and longer, believing it will lead to success, only to find themselves overwhelmed and out of balance. The key difference-maker is organization.

Scheduling often feels overwhelming because people try to fit more into their days than time allows. When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to spend the day putting out fires instead of focusing on what truly matters. The key to better scheduling isn’t finding more time, but gaining clarity about priorities. When the most important goals and responsibilities are clearly defined, decisions about how to spend time become easier, scheduling becomes more intentional, and reacting to every “fire” becomes less necessary.

Missed timelines don’t just cost money, it costs trust. Schedules fall behind for many reasons. The difference between a satisfied customer and an angry one often comes down to how expectations were set and how communication is handled when things shift. Professionalism in construction isn’t just about craftsmanship, but managing expectations, keeping commitments realistic, and staying transparent when plans change.

DIY business building is even more common than DIY construction. Some lessons in construction and business are expensive. Learning on the fly isn’t the most reliable way to build anything. Construction skills are often passed down through experience, but business lessons usually aren’t. The result? Expensive mistakes that could have been avoided.

Another Saturday morning. More coffee. More builders around the table. This week, they gather to tackle more issues behind their business struggles: pricing, communication, and lost profit. What begins as a discussion turns into a turns into a challenge. Stay in the rut, or take intentional action to build something better.

Early on a Saturday morning, a few contractors gather around pushed-together tables, coffee cups in hand. What starts as casual conversation turns into something real. "What are the biggest problems you've dealt with in your business?" "Losing money on jobs, employees not showing up, unhappy customers, equipment breaking down, jobs falling behind schedule, not being able to find good help, not having enough time to do everything…and on and on the list goes." Running a construction business can feel isolating. Sometimes the best clarity starts with a simple conversation.

It’s 9:00 on a Saturday morning, and Gene is sitting in a booth at the local coffee shop having a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee.What should be enjoyable downtime isn’t. It’s hard for him to enjoy himself when all he can think about are all the problems over the past year. He can’t quit thinking about everything that he’s gone through, the projects that ran behind, the help that didn't show up, the truck breaking down at the worst possible time, and the massive tax bill.  There would certainly be fewer headaches if he were working for someone else. Instead, all of it rests squarely on him. Even now, sitting there with a warm cinnamon roll and coffee, the weight of the business pressed down on him and he wonders if the effort is worth it. 

I can’t do everything myself. That realization usually shows up right when momentum starts to build. There's more opportunities, more interest, which means more work. If I’m going to help construction companies build their businesses and continue doing construction… I’m going to need some more help. Delegating sounds simple, but hiring well is hard. Rushing to fill a role rarely ends well, yet staying stretched too thin isn’t a plan either. Sometimes the next step forward isn’t doing more, it’s getting the right support in place so the business can grow without burning out the person running it.

"What should I do first?” “There are so many things to choose from.” Too often, days are spent fighting fires instead of making real progress. Firefighting feels productive, but it’s one of the worst ways to prioritize. With a limited amount of time, knowing what’s urgent, what’s important, and what truly matters requires clarity, preparation, and intentional decisions. Hot fires are a good way to get burned. The better prepared you are, the less intense the fire, and the faster it can be put out.

I Know, This Sounds a Little Backward Most people plan by guessing how much time or effort something will take and then wonder why they’re always rushed or behind. Planning backward flips that on its head by starting with where you want to end up and mapping the steps needed to get there. Whether you’re managing your time or building toward a major business goal, this approach puts you back in control. Start with the outcome, work backward, and take action today.

There are certain moments in life that split everything into before and after. For me, one of those moments came after my accident in 2012.   Before then, I had concluded that my bland, ho-hum life was simply what it was. I was just trudging through life with little hope that things would ever be different. Mentally, I felt stuck in a rut with no way out.  That feeling of being stuck was real, but it wasn’t the end of the story.

If you’ve ever looked at your to-do list and thought, “Where do I even start?” you’re not alone. Goal setting and planning sound great… until everything feels important and nothing gets done. Progress comes down to making a choice. You can only do one thing at a time, and prioritizing helps you decide what that next step should be. Learn a simple, realistic framework for deciding what deserves your attention so you can move your business and life forward with confidence.

A clear plan makes all the difference when it comes to building a life and business you’re proud of. Most of us have a picture in our heads of what our dream life looks like. It can be frustrating and depressing when things don’t turn out as planned or when our expectations exceed our accomplishments. Setting goals is easy. Staying the course for the long game is hard. When it gets difficult, it’s tempting to give up. Giving up causes goals to die. Don’t give up! Focus on the first next thing. 

Sometimes the biggest disruptions don’t come from major failures, but from small, everyday actions. One minor delay sets off a chain reaction of schedule changes, conversations, and adjustments for multiple people. And it's all because of something that seemed insignificant at the time. It’s a reminder that our actions, communication, and attention to detail matter more than we often realize. When we understand how small decisions impact others, we can lead better, plan better, and respond with more intention. This is about awareness, responsibility, and why the little things deserve more respect than we usually give them.

Find the Balance of Planning and Doing Planning feels productive… until you realize you’ve spent more time thinking about the work than actually doing it. If that sounds familiar, you’re in good company.  We’ve all had those moments when a simple task suddenly becomes way bigger than expected. Before you know it, you’re in over your head wondering how you got there. There’s a fine line between preparing wisely and overthinking your way into a standstill. The key is recognizing when preparation turns into procrastination and choosing to act anyway.

It Helps Cut Down on the Dizzy Running your business all by yourself feels responsible until it becomes the very thing holding the business back. Sharing the load can change everything, but only if the shovels are placed in the right hands.  And that’s the part most folks overlook…

Chasing Your Tail Can Make You Dizzy Getting subcontractors on the job, coordinating material deliveries, and lining out the order of operations…all while juggling other construction projects in various stages, working on new proposals, and helping customers with project designs. Add to that everything outside of work like family, church, community, you name it. Sounds like a pretty normal week in construction, doesn’t it?

This is Especially True for Saving Money Like anything else that’s worth doing, starting is the hard part. Saving money is no different. It’s like digging a hole. Over the last couple of weeks, we have discussed why it’s critical to save money to keep your business afloat and how having a tool for that can help you figure out how much to save and what you’re saving it for. The Savings Transfer Sheet is like any other tool: it doesn’t do you a bit of good if you don’t actually use it.

Most business owners don’t fail because they can’t find work. They fail because they run out of money. That's why it is so important to save intentionally, even when income isn’t consistent. That's where the Savings Transfer Sheet helps you plan ahead for big expenses, equipment replacements, and the unexpected costs that come with running a business. Whether you’re just getting started or have been at it for years, learn how to have a clear plan for setting money aside and keeping your business stable no matter what comes your way.

A “Rainy-Day Fund” Can Help Keep You Afloat It’s common for people in business to spend everything they make and not save for future investments or emergencies. For the most part, as a society we have become comfortable. There will be more, right? We have forgotten how important it is to save money. 42% of Americans in 2022 had less than $1,000 in savings, and 10% didn’t have any. Businesses aren’t doing any better, and saving is every bit as important.

There’s a big difference between building a house and building a home. A house is a structure. A home is a feeling— a place of warmth, safety, and belonging. That same idea carries over into business and life. BUILDing something meaningful starts with clarity, intention, and a willingness to take action. I share what it means to BUILD in seven key areas of life: spiritual, family, vocation, financial, personal well-being, ministry, and community, and how a builder’s mindset can help shape more than just walls and roofs. Because at the end of the day, BUILDing is about more than construction. It’s about creating the life and business you’re called to build.

This Can Be A Hard Question To Answer. If you’re anything like me, your to-do list probably never ends. Between projects, clients, estimates, and everything else that gets piled on your plate, it’s easy to feel like everything’s urgent and nothing can wait. In this episode, I’m talking about how to figure out what’s actually most important. I’ll walk you through a simple tool that helps me sort through the chaos, focus on what matters, and quit wasting time on things that don’t move the needle. We’ll talk about why prioritizing isn’t just about getting things done, but knowing your purpose, your “why,” and using that to make better decisions every day. If you’re tired of feeling pulled in a hundred directions, this one’s for you.

It Starts with Not Giving Up We all have big dreams for our businesses, our lives, and our future. But what happens when the results don’t match our expectations? In this episode, we'll dig into what it really means to stay productive when progress feels slow (or nonexistent). You’ll learn how to turn big, overwhelming dreams into practical, bite-sized goals, how to keep moving even when you’re discouraged, and why giving yourself grace is just as important as discipline. Whether you’re building a construction company or rebuilding your confidence, this conversation will help you dust off, refocus, and take your next step forward. If you’re ready to get clear and consistent in your construction business, I'm offering a free 30-minute consultation to help you set goals you’ll actually achieve.

Achieving Goals Doesn’t Happen by Chance It takes consistent review, accountability, and a system that actually works. We’ve all set goals and fallen short, and it’s easy to get frustrated or even stop setting them altogether. But progress isn’t about perfection. It’s about building habits and systems that help you move forward, one intentional step at a time. When you take time to regularly review your goals, prioritize what matters most, and stay accountable, you create the structure needed to actually reach them. It’s about being flexible enough to adjust when life changes, but rigid enough to keep your priorities at the top of the list. Whether you’re trying to build better habits, take more ownership, or simply get unstuck, consistent reflection and accountability are what turn goals from good intentions into real results.

So How Should You Do It? Unless you’re a millionaire … waiting until the job is complete to get paid is a sure way to go out of business. But it can be hard to ask a customer for a progress payment. Partially because there are too many stories of contractors asking for money upfront and then don't come back to complete the work for an extended period. So you can’t blame customers for being hesitant to pay, or for honest contractors being nervous to ask. This is why it’s important to have business tools and systems that communicate clearly and let all parties know what to expect.  

The Simple Thing We Did That Turned Our Finances Around One small shift can make a big difference. It wasn’t complicated. It came down to being aware, understanding the problem, and taking intentional action.  With the right tools to track progress, it became much easier to stay on budget, stay on schedule, and keep building for the future.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could tell the future? In this episode, I share the behind-the-scenes struggles of building my coaching and consulting business, and the doubts that creep in when the path isn’t clear. From the idea of a “genie in a bottle” to the lessons I learned after my 2012 accident, I’ll walk you through why persistence matters, even when you don’t have all the answers. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re on the right path or felt like quitting, this conversation will remind you that sometimes the uncertainty is part of the adventure.

But I Don’t Want To! We like the warm, safe feeling of our comfort zone. A comfort zone is a safe space where we don’t take risks, but we also don’t grow. It’s not simply a physical space, but a mental concept. It’s not just a wall we’ve built, but it’s also our daily routines and way of thinking. The danger is that a comfort zone becomes the perfect excuse not to do something, not to take risks, not to grow, and ultimately…not to really live.

And This Happens Way Too Often Nothing happens if you don’t show up. I saw it just the other day: rain in the morning, clear skies by afternoon, and still no crew on site.  It’s a good reminder that the same thing happens in our businesses and lives. We let distractions or excuses keep us from doing the important work. Clarity comes when you decide what your priorities are and commit to them.  You won’t always get it perfect, but even the wrong step moves you forward. If you want to build the life and business you want, you have to show up.

What Should I Do First?  We all get caught in the whirlwind of busy days, scrambling to fit everything in. But what if the problem isn’t time, but priorities? One of my favorite lessons from Stephen Covey is the “big rocks” analogy. Imagine a jar filled with rocks, gravel, sand, and water. The order you put them in makes all the difference. If you don’t place the big rocks first—the most important things in your life and business—you’ll never find space for them at all. This picture really hit me during a packed week, reminding me that without clarity on priorities, we burn hours on the small stuff and lose ground on what matters most.

Ever feel like your to-do list is so big you don’t even know where to start? Productivity isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about doing the first next thing. This is why it’s important to have a process for breaking big things down into smaller bitesize pieces.

So … Do the First Next Thing So much of the time being unproductive comes down to doing nothing. We get so overwhelmed by all the things on our to-do lists that our brains start spinning out of control. Should I do this? Should I do that? And then … we get stuck in limbo … and do nothing.

You Can’t Be Really Productive Without One Being productive starts with being aware. A list gives you direction. A calendar gives you a plan. But it’s the clock that helps you take action. When you start paying attention to how you’re spending your minutes, those minutes start working for you. Little bits of focused time, used consistently, snowball into big results. You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Just start by being intentional, and that’s how you get control of your time.

Productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most. A solid list keeps your priorities clear. A calendar turns those priorities into action. And when you build in urgency, things actually get done. With the right tools and a little intention, you can get more of the right things done every day.

OneNote Is One of Those Tools When we think of tools, we usually picture saws and nail guns… not digital notebooks. But productivity isn’t just about building stuff, it’s about staying organized. OneNote has become one of my favorite tools. It’s like a supercharged binder that keeps everything in one spot, syncs across devices, and helps me keep the chaos in check. Even if you aren’t a recovering perfectionist like I am, OneNote can help you be more productive.

Productivity isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about doing the right things with efficiency and excellence, for a purpose that matters to you. If you treat everything like it’s a top priority, nothing really is. This week, we'll break down how to shift your focus, set clear priorities, and stop wasting time on the wrong stuff. Start by asking: what’s the first next thing I need to do?

Here’s How I Do It I see my daily routine of journaling as one of the most productive things I do. My journal has evolved from simple prompts in 2013 to a tool that helps me look back to see what I did well and where I need to do better. If you’ve ever thought journaling was just a diary, this might change your mind. You don’t need to journal like I do. You just need to start.

Today was not the day I planned. You ever have one of those days where your calendar might as well have been written in disappearing ink? The reality of running a construction business is that your schedule will get hijacked, but you've got to keep moving forward anyway. If you don’t build flexibility into your plans, your plans will break. Learn how to shift gears without losing direction.

Ever feel like journaling is just another thing on a never-ending to-do list? You’re not alone. Most people never stick with it and I used to be one of them. But after a life-altering accident in 2012, everything changed. In this episode, I’m sharing why journaling became a daily habit, how it helped me get clear on my purpose, and why it’s one of the most powerful tools I use to stay focused and build a better life and business. If you’ve been feeling stuck, scattered, or just worn out by the chaos—this might be exactly what you need.

Here’s Why I Do It Journaling. What does it really mean to journal? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. I journal three times a day and I’ve been doing this consistently for a little over twelve years. But why? Before then, I had made a few weak attempts at journaling. But to no avail. There were always other things that I needed to do, keeping me from making it a habit. Then something changed.