If you’re like most small to medium sized construction companies, you learned a specific craft that you liked doing. At some point you decided to start your own business. The problem is that you knew the trade, not how to operate a business. I know because I was one of you when I started out.

With enthusiasm and independence what could go wrong? So, what if I had no clear plan or system for running a business? In the beginning I had no idea how to do a proposal, accurately invoice a customer for progress payments, prepare a budget for production or set money aside for things like taxes, tools and emergencies. As I built my business, I learned these things, but it was a slow and painful process.

Building a business doesn’t have to be slow and painful if you let someone show you how.

Or maybe you’re a construction customer and have no idea what to expect when doing a construction project. How the construction process should work, what a construction proposal should include, what you should expect from a contractor or what different construction terms mean.

The answers to all these questions come down to one answer – communication. When it’s done well it makes the construction process much more enjoyable for everyone involved. This was also learned by trial and error as I built my construction company. As a customer you just want and need to know what to expect. When buying almost anything else you see the finished product and know the price before purchasing. With construction projects this isn’t going to be the case without clear communication.

Communication doesn’t have to be difficult if you let someone show you how.

If I could do it over again, I would have done some things differently. I would have researched, studied and learned from the experience of others who had gone through the same struggles. I would have talked with other business owners who had dealt with the difficulties of bidding, budgeting, scheduling, invoicing, communication, taxes, marketing, sub-contractors, cash flow, regulations, planning…you get the picture.

My plan for this web site is to share from my years of experience and help you find solutions for building your dream business, construction project and life. My weekly solutions have three different focuses intertwined; the building industry, the building customer and life in general.