Built with Billd: Recent Episodes
Christopher Doyle and Jesse Weissburg
Built with Billd was started to help contractors navigate the uncertainties of construction payment cycles and provide tips and tricks for growth and sustainability.
We believe success in the construction industry is about managing cash flow, maintaining strong relationships, and leveraging the latest technologies.
In Episode 8 of Construction Chronicles, we interviewed Shane Beam, an Operations Manager at Grayhawk Construction, who has a talent for building new processes and improving his company's efficiency. In this episode, you'll hear how Shane helped his company transition off of paper timecards, and how he identifies the best opportunities for his company to become more efficient.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In Episode 7 of Construction Chronicles, we interviewed Manny Molina, a project manager at Doran Steel, who has been working in the rebar and concrete industry for over 30 years and is currently working on one of the largest construction projects in the world.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
Want to learn more about how slow payments from GCs and developers affect subcontractors?
Check out this episode of Built with Billd where we sat down with Stephanie Guttman from Rabbet to dive deeper into this industry-wide problem.
In part 2 of episode 6, we continue our discussion with Clyde King and talk through his best and worst projects, the similarities between construction and the military, and advice for companies to retain tradespeople.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 1 of episode 6, we sit down with Clyde King, a superintendent and 30-year construction veteran. Clyde has worked for GCs and subs during his career, and in this episode, he dives into some of his tips that both parties can use to continue stepping up to the plate and building great projects.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 2 of episode 5, we'll wrap up our discussion with Trey Thomas and learn how Hill Electric has been able to get in front of high school students and trade schools to recruit new talent to their company.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 1 of episode 5, we'll dive into Hill Electric's story with Trey Thomas. Ever wonder what goes into some of the mega manufacturing plants that provide goods to people across the country? Well in this episode we'll go into Hill Electric's niche of industrial electrical work, and into why their clients have continued to trust them for the past several decades.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 2 of episode 4, we wrap up our discussion with Matt DiBara — talking about everything from team building with dodgeball games to the brick escorts and additional oversight that went along with working on a historical preservation project.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
This week we're taking a short break from Construction Chronicles to bring you a very important announcement.
In part 1 of episode 4, we sit down with Matt DiBara, the 4th generation owner of DiBara Masonry. Hear how he moved his family's company across the country and scaled their masonry business, all while following the same principles that his family has continued to pass down through four generations.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 2 of episode 3, we wrap up our discussion with Donny Metcalf — talking about everything from exploding water mains to Donny's perspective on the future of clean energy and its impact on electrical contractors.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 1 of episode 3, we'll dive into how Donny Metcalf went from being a tradesman to an estimator, and how the construction bug got him within four hours of being on his first job site...
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part 2 of episode 2, we wrap up our discussion with Christian Birker from CMB excavation — talking about everything from getting shit done in sub-zero temps to recruiting a crew on social media that's crazy enough to dive in with him.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build the built world. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
In part one of episode 2, you'll get to hear why Christian Berker quit his job to run his own company so he could work 7 days a week, instead of just 5 (yup, he really said that) and how his business started and was on its first project in just one weekend.
Most podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, or celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build America. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for stories from the construction industry.
Some podcasts interview CEOs, athletes, and celebrities. We prefer interviewing the people that build America. Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for contractor stories.
How does a 20 something with one financed skid steer end up owning multiple successful construction businesses? Ask Luke Payne (real name). He's a weekend warrior with a unique knack for finding new talent – on Instagram.
In part two of our interview with Luke Payne, we talked about his unique management style that allows him to motivate and retain a team of hardworking, skilled 20-somethings – from setting five-year goals, to mapping out each employee's personal development path, to how he manages conflict when things go wrong.
Construction Chronicles is your podcast home for subcontractor stories.
How does a 20 something with one financed skid steer end up owning multiple successful construction businesses? Ask Luke Payne (real name). He's a weekend warrior with a unique knack for finding new talent – on Instagram.
In part one of two of our interview with Luke Payne, we talked about how he got his start in construction – from lying about his age to operate equipment at 10 years old, to deciding to start Black Iron Dirt, to bankrolling his weekend warrior excavation company by working sales at a power sports retailer, to hiring his first employee using social media.
There are two constants in life: death and taxes.
Podcasts die too. Say goodbye to Walkthrough Wednesday.
But we're not leaving you hanging or charging taxes on your weekly listening. The Built with Billd podcast will be back and better than ever with something new. The Walk Heads will keep on walking.
On this week's episode, Russ says goodbye to Walkthrough Wednesday and invites Walk Heads to join us in a new era: Construction Chronicles.
Don't miss your sneak peak into our upcoming edition of construction podcast greatness.
Commercial construction contracts can be overwhelming for many subcontractors, but it's incredibly important that you know what to look for before signing on the dotted line.
In some cases, a contract may not be favorable to the subcontractor should something happen during the project.
You need to know how to properly navigate them so you can ensure you're protected throughout the duration of a project.
On this week's episode of the Built with Billd podcast, Russ Briscoe sat down with Drew Boyd, Founder and CEO of Jefferson Maxey Consulting to talk about the three biggest things that subcontractors need to be on the lookout for in every contract.
This is an episode you're not going to want to miss!
Connect with Drew on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdrewboyd/
Connect with Russ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelljohnbriscoe/
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Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction
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If you'd like to be featured on an upcoming show, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com.
On Tuesday, the S&P 500 fell into a bear market with stocks falling more 20% Monday and Tuesday.
At the same time, the 30-year fixed mortgage crossed 6% for the first time since 2008, sending mortgage applications to a 22-year low.
The idea of a recession is getting stronger and stronger, but construction stocks are showing strong strength throughout this time.
Could construction stocks be a safe bet for investors to shed some risk?
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Construction Dive: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/commercial-construction-bear-market-good-stocks/625516/
Construction Dive: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/abc-chief-economist-anirban-basu-recession-later-this-year-or-2023/625578/
AGC Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blog/agc-data-digest-june-6-14-2022/2206151
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and great news in commercial construction
If you have a burning question that you would like answered on the show, send us an email at 'grow@billd.com'
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 36,000 new employees put on hard hats and reported to job sites in May.
However, that didn't come close to filling the 494,000 construction jobs that were open at the end of April.
Finding skilled labor is still a major problem for the construction industry despite hourly wages rising 6.4% year over year.
So, how do we attract more workers to join the workforce?
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Source: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/high-pay-attracts-workers-construction-jobs-employment-gap-widens/625218/
Source: https://constructioncitizen.com/blogs/ken-simonson
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
Have a burning question that you would like answered on the show? Contact us at grow@billd.com for a chance to be featured on next week's episode.
Recession...not inevitable?
According to economists, the U.S. economy is not headed towards a recession even though the Federal Reserve, aiming to squash the highest inflation in 40 years, has raised interest rates at the fastest pace since the 1990s.
However, despite these increased interest rates, there is plenty of extra cash to help consumers through thick and thin.
"Businesses are in great financial shape and they have never been so profitable." - Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's Analytics.
Tune in to this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday to hear Russ Briscoes take on this important subject!
Sources:
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/recession-not-inevitable-moodys-says/624919/
https://constructioncitizen.com/blog/agc-data-digest-may-27-june-3-2022/2206061
Follow us on social media at https://linktr.ee/billd
If you have questions/comments/concerns about today's episode, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com
On this week's episode of the Built with Billd podcast, Chris Doyle sat down with Susan Tanski, Co-founder and VP of Strategy at Sunstone Credit to talk about why - and how - small businesses should transition into solar-powered energy.
Sunstone Credit provides flexible financing solutions for businesses of all sizes, offering solar loans with borrower-friendly terms. They help businesses save money and reduce their carbon footprint by going solar.
Check out Sunstone Credit on Linkedin
Follow us on social media at linktr.ee/billd
If you have questions/comments/concerns, reach out to grow@billd.com
Vietnamese contractor Hoa Binh Construction has its eyes set on the American construction industry and they have ambitious goals to follow.
The company has a goal to increase its annual profits to $20 billion by the end of 2032.
How are they planning to do that?
For starters, they are looking at acquiring a number of large firms across United States and Canada.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to learn more about this story.
Article: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/vietnam-based-contractor-enters-us-canadian-markets-with-lofty-goals/624176/
AGC Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blog/agc-data-digest-may-10-19-2022/2205231
Follow us on social: https://linktr.ee/billd
If you have questions or comments about this week's episode, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com
According to Construction Executive, 2021 was the sixth warmest year on record with the average global surface temperature 1.5°F warmer over the 20th-century baselines.
Rising temperatures can have a massive impact on the construction industry due to a phenomenon called the “urban heat island effect”.
Cities and urbanized areas become much warmer during the summer because materials used for roads, buildings, sidewalks, etc.. absorb a lot of heat.
These materials then constantly release heat back into the air — thus increasing the air temperature.
That creates an extremely hot working environment for construction workers in metropolitan cities.
So, what solutions do we have to protect our workers and reduce the impact of heat on getting work completed?
Tune into this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Construction Executive: https://www.constructionexec.com/article/the-heat-is-on
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction
If you have questions or comments about this week's episode, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com
In this week's episode of the Built with Billd podcast, Ken Simonson joins Russ Briscoe to talk about the current and future state of the construction industry.
Ken Simonson is the Chief Economist with The Associated General Contractors of America. He also puts out a weekly newsletter breaking down the most important data around construction starts, employment, and spending so you can stay up to date on everything that's happening in the industry.
Ken is an incredibly smart and well-informed mind in the construction space and is the perfect person to speak on the current and future state of the industry.
We hope you enjoy!
AGC Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blogs/ken-simonson
AGC: https://www.agc.org/
Follow us on social media: https://linktr.ee/billd
If you have questions or comments about this week's episode, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com
As demand for multi-family construction begins to BOOM, you need to stay ahead of pricing and supply chain challenges so you aren't caught off guard next time you start a project.
In this episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, we talk about the five things you can do to ensure you're protected next time you need to order materials for a project.
"If builders don’t have processes in place to navigate recent price hikes and supply chain challenges, then a project can sink as black turns to red on the balance sheet." - Ripley Bickerstaff, Director of Business Development, Hoar Construction.
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Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
Construction Dive article: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/as-demand-soars-apartment-builders-battle-supply-chain-woes/622443/
AGC Data Digest May 2 - 9: https://constructioncitizen.com/blog/agc-data-digest-may-2-9-2022/2205091
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If you have questions or comments about this week's episode, please reach out to us at grow@billd.com.
In this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, we take a look at the hot and cold data presented in the AGC Data Digest, reach our hands into the viper-infested mailbag, and learn how robots are revolutionizing the modular building industry.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
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AGC Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blog/agc-data-digest-april-25-29-2022/2205021
Construction Dive article: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/robots-can-revolutionize-the-modular-building-industry/622796/
If you have questions or comments about this week's episode, please reach out to grow@billd.com.
In this week's episode of the Built with Billd podcast, Chris Doyle sat down with Sid Haksar, Head of Construction Strategy at Autodesk to talk about how technology is helping to level the playing field for subcontractors.
Subcontractors face a lot of challenges around material shortages, pricing volatility, and supply chain delays. Luckily, technology solutions are emerging that will help streamline and combat some of these challenges.
Check out the full conversation to learn more!
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
To learn more about Autodesk: https://autodesk.com
If you have questions or comments, please reach out to grow@billd.com.
In this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, we dive right into the AGC Data Digest from Ken Simonson, pry open the infamous mail bag, and talk about a few items that may put a further strain on supply chain recovery.
All of this and more that you don't want to miss.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction.
Today's article: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/economic-headwinds-threaten-constructions-spring-recovery/622188/
In this week's episode of Built with Billd, we sat down with Mike Wisnefski, CEO of MaterialsXchange to talk about how the process of buying and selling lumber has changed.
MaterialsXchange is a digital marketplace for lumber and panels. They offer a real-time look into current market prices so you can spend less time "shopping around" for lumber.
To learn more about MaterialsXchange: https://materialsxchange.com/
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction.
If you have questions/comments/concerns, reach out to us at grow@billd.com
What goes up must come down, right?
Not always.
Especially when it comes to the price of materials.
Recently, AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson issued yet another construction inflation alert.
In this report, he spotlights the climb of diesel, aluminum mill shapes, copper and plastic construction products.
Everything is on the rise with no end in sight.
It's important that you're taking the necessary steps to protect yourself from these readily increasing prices.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to learn about what steps you need to be taking.
Construction Dive Article.
Construction Inflation Alert
AGC Data Digest
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction.
More construction cranes in the sky could be a positive sign for the future of the industry.
According to a report by Rider Levett Bucknall, the crane count in North America's largest cities has increased by 4.74% since Q3 of 2021.
This is great news!
Los Angeles alone makes up 10% of cranes in the US and hospitality construction accounts for 24%.
Let's hope these numbers continue to rise throughout the rest of 2022.
Follow us on social media: https://linktr.ee/billd
Article Source: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/north-america-rlb-crane-count-construction-increases-2022/621806/
Article Source: https://www.constructiondive.com/news/contech-construction-tech-revenue-boom-pandemic-supply-chain/621632/
AGC Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blogs/ken-simonson
Top construction economists suggest that commodity prices are likely to fall by the end of 2022.
That's great news!
However, the supply chain issues we're currently facing will persist well into 2023.
That's bad news...
According to Anirban Basu, Chief Economist at ABC, 2022 will be a year of growth, but 2023 could look much different.
"Stagflation is on the horizon", Basu said.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday for the full story and to learn about what you can expect inflation to look like by the end of the year.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction
Subscribe to Construction Citizen Data Digest: https://constructioncitizen.com/blogs/ken-simonson
Safety is one of the most important aspects on a construction project. A simple mistake can cost a TON of money and bring an entire project to a standstill.
That's why creating safe jobsites is super important.
The best way to ensure that your workers are staying safe is by reducing unneccessary risks.
But, how do you go about doing that?
On this week's episode of Built with Billd, we sat down with James Benham, CEO of JB Knowledge, to talk about how you should be using technology solutions to reduce risk across your job sites.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on industry news.
JB Knowledge: https://jbknowledge.com/
James Benham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbenham/
Once you have secured a line of credit through a bank, what does that relationship look like going forward? There are some key things that your bank will like to see from you.
To begin with, everytime you pull on your credit line, the bank will require you to report your accounts receivable agings on a monthly basis.
Why?
Because they want to ensure that you're not pulling down more money than you are going to recieve in the next 60 days.
What else do you need to know?
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to find out.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction
The United States announced on Tuesday that they are partially lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum exports from the U.K.
As a result of this, the U.K. will lift $500 million worth of tariffs on U.S. products such as whiskey and blue jeans.
This is great news!
What does this mean for the price of these commodity items?
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billdto stay up-to-date on industry news.
If your ultimate goal is to have a large line of credit through your bank, you need to know what banks look for in a customer. For starters, you need to already be a customer of the bank. If you already have an established relationship with your bank, it's alot easier for you to obtain a line of credit later down the road.
What else should you be doing?
Listen to this week's episode of Finance Friday to find out!
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction.
According to experts, small to medium sized construction companies could be at an increased risk for a cyber security attack.
In a report by NordLocker, construction was the top industry hit by cyber security attacks in 2021.
Why?
Because often times they lack the technological resources that larger companies have access to.
What can you do to protect yourself?
Listen to this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news.
Your business should be investing in marketing.
You'd be surprised at the impact it can have when done right.
On this episode of Built with Billd, we sat down with Luke Eggebraaten, owner of Phaser Marketing, to talk about why it's so important to build a brand around your construction business.
For example, marketing helps you to get in front of potential clients and showcase your best work to them.
This can increase your bid win rate because new GCs are able to see the quality of work you do before you're even on the project.
Listen to the full podcast for more tips!
For more up-to-date industry news, follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd
Learn more about Phaser Marketing at https://www.phasermarketing.com/
Learn more about Luke Eggebraaten at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-eggebraaten/
Current world events can have massive impacts on the price of commodity materials.
Plus, these rising costs trickle down throughout the entire supply chain.
As the price of oil and gas increase, shipping costs have to increase as well in order to maintain a profit margin. These costs eventually get passed down onto the price of materials and you're stuck paying the higher prices.
How can you create a buffer and protect yourself from these rising prices?
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to find out.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest news in commercial construction.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction staffing has reached 99% of pre pandemic numbers.
This is great news!
Last month, contractors added 60,000 new employees and boosted the total workforce to 7.6 million.
The industry unemployement rate is still higher than the national rate, but things are starting to look positive.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday for the full story.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on industry news.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking to grow your business, leveraging financing responsibly will help accelerate your growth.
There are two main types of financing that you should understand; debt and equity.
Based on the current status of your business, one might be more beneficial than the other.
One this week's episode of Finance Friday, we talk about what you need to understand about each and how they may be beneficial to you.
Inflation, material delays, and labor issues are the trifecta of problems that the construction industry is currently facing.
In the midst of a 40-year inflation peak, labor shortages and supply chain delays could last for up to two years.
On this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, we dive into how this is going to affect the industry moving forward.
Follow us at https://linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
On this week's episode of Built with Billd, we sat down with Angela Taylor, Executive Director at Construction Career Collaborative to talk about how they're priming the talent pipeline of next generation construction workers.
C3 is on a mission to positively impact the future of the industry by strengthening the safe, skilled and sustainable craft workforce pipeline.
To learn more about C3 and how you can get involved, visit their website at www.c3.org.
Follow us at www.linktr.ee/billd to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest news in commercial construction.
Construction material prices have hit a 35-year high.
This is causing materials to be hoarded and stored in warehouse, even if they aren't being used on an upcoming project.
This is causing major problems for contractors.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to learn about what you need to do to combat this.
Follow us for more up-to-date industry news.
https://linktr.ee/billd
If you're leveraging financing from outside sources, what are you doing with all of your extra cash flow?
You should be using it to grow other areas of your business.
Where can you put your money to use?
To start, you could go hire more employees so you can take on larger projects.
Or, you could invest in updating your old or outdated equipment.
There are TONS of things you should be doing if you're leveraging financing.
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn more.
Follows us at https://linktr.ee/billd
The pandemic has left its mark on the airline industry and is fundamentally changing the way that designers are building airports.
Experts say that airports will prioritize touchless tech, protecting public health, cargo operations, and environmentally friendly designs, among other changes.
On this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday we talk about the five things that you need to know regarding these changes.
Follow us on social media for more up-to-date industry news:
https://linktr.ee/billd
The framework for effective productivity in construction 👇
Construction Scrum.
On this episode of Built with Billd, we sat down with Felipe Engineer-Manriquez, an international keynote speaker and best-selling author to talk about his recent book, Construction Scrum.
It's a step-by-step playbook for construction professionals on how to implement the Scrum framework into your business.
For more up-to-date industry news, follow us on social media at:
https://linktr.ee/billd
Connect with Felipe Engineer-Manriquez at:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/engineerfelipe/
Website: https://www.theebfcshow.com/
We're currently confronting the worst flare-up of prices in over 30 years.
Many companies are at risk of being burned out in the first half of 2022.
What should you be doing to reduce the stress inflation has on your business?
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn about four strategies that will help you weather the storm.
Follow us on social media for more up-to-date industry news
https://linktr.ee/billd
Construction industry experts report that inflation will persist through 2023 even if the pandemic fades.
According to Global Chief Economist Dana Peterson, "Some inflation is temporary, pandemic-related, but other pressures will remain."
What should you be doing to combat these industry pressures?
On this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, Russ Briscoe breaks down this report, talks about the most recent data in construction, and discusses how you should be thinking about inflation going forward.
For more up-to-date industry news, follow us on social media at https://linktr.ee/billd
Lines of credit have historically been based on your company's past financial data. Previous revenue, debt-to-income ratio, profitability, and current cash flow are all taken into consideration.
However, it's difficult to take on larger projects if your bank lines are based on previous data rather than projected data.
So, how do you get around this obstacle?
Project based financing.
Listen to this week's episode of Finance Friday to learn more.
The last quarter of 2021 saw a lot of repeat OSHA violations from different companies around the United States. With many of these companies facing fines well into the six figure mark, some even saw fines that eclipsed $400k.
On this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, we talk about the importance of following proper OSHA guidelines to ensure your workers are staying safe on the job site.
Worker safety is one of the most important aspects of a construction project.
Follow us for more up-to-date industry news
https://linktr.ee/billd
The construction industry was everything but predictable in 2021.
Inflation, labor shortages, and volatile material prices caused problems throughout the entire industry.
A lot of things happened.
On this week's episode, Russ Briscoe and Jon Katz go head to head to talk about construction in 2021, what changes should be made in 2022, and the future of Billd.
You're not gonna want to miss this.
Follow us for more up-to-date industry news.
Https://linktr.ee/billd
Despite all of the challenges in 2021, the construction industry has seen an uptick in construction starts since the beginning of 2022.
Lead times on materials have also began to shrink which leads to downward pressure on material pricing.
These are all great signs for 2022.
However, inflation and labor shortages are still creating challenges for many contractors.
Here's what you need to be doing in order to protect you and your business this year.
39% of construction families are enrolled in a public safety net program.
That's compared to 31% of families across all other industries.
Why?
Because more and more construction workers are being identified as independent contractors rather than full time employees.
This means that they're not receiving social security, unemployment insurance, Medicare or workers' compensation.
That's a problem.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday for the full story.
Follow us for more up-to-date industry news.
https://linktr.ee/billd
Slow payments affect more than the subcontractor.
Every one in the payment chain is impacted.
From the lender, all the way down to the subcontractor - no one is safe.
Slow payments lead to increased bid prices, unneccesary project delays, and rising material prices.
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn about other ways slow payments are impacting you.
For up-to-date industry news, follow us on social media
https://linktr.ee/billd
A lot of information about the infrastructure bill is still coming into focus at the start of 2022.
With $125 Billion of federal funds available, it's important for contractors to know where those funds will be directed.
Currently, there are seven key areas that we know of so far where funds will be emphasized.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday for the full list.
Follow us on social media for up-to-date industry information
https://linktr.ee/billd
Construction is a relationship-based industry - we all know that.
But are you giving enough time and energy to the relationships inside of your business?
By taking a people-first approach to construction management, you can hire better (and retain more) employees, which is especially important given the current skilled labor shortage.
Our friends at Bridgit are experts at helping contractors develop people-first strategies.
Bridgit CEO Mallorie Brodie joined us for this episode to discuss how you can do just that.
Most subcontractors have an average DSO of 90 days.
They're the first to pay, and the last in line to be paid.
If it’s taking you 90 days to be paid, that means your working capital is sitting in your accounts receivable and you can’t use it to reinvest into new projects.
How are you suppose to grow your business?
It's not easy.
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn about what you can do.
With COVID-19 still dominating into 2022, experts have forecasted 5 trends that they believe will drive the industry in 2022.
- The bounce back of commercial office space
- The rebound of the hospitality industry
- Finding solutions to supply chain issues
- Reallocation of popular asset classes
- The importance of having cash at the ready
What do each of these trends mean for the industry?
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to find out.
Having positive cash flow is imperative to the success of your business.
Without it, it’s very challenging to grow.
Why?
Because you won’t be able to expand into new geographical regions or hire additional labor to take on larger projects.
Unfortunately, when we talk to subcontractors, a lot of them are making the same mistakes and it’s hurting their cash flow.
We’ve identified 4 things that negatively impact your cash flow.
Payroll, retainage, paying for assets with cash, and paying your bills too early.
Listen to this week’s Finance Friday to learn about how you can avoid these mistakes.
Pennsylvania-based Balfour Beatty Communities, pleaded guilty to one count of defrauding the US Military.
For six years, they caused military families to suffer as they were forced to wait through lengthy and unnecessary delays of maintenance issues.
BBC employees were accused of closing work orders before maintenance had been completed.
During the December 2021 ruling, the U.S District Court ordered Balfour Beatty to pay $65 Million in fines and restitution.
Listen to the full story on this week’s Walkthrough Wednesday
In construction, a lot of time and energy is wasted in the communication process between the field and the office.
As our industry continues to embrace technology and innovation, purchasing and material management is an area that still lags behind.
But with the arrival of companies like StructShare, we will soon shift towards an e-commerce approach in order to enable efficient purchasing.
Building a strong positive brand around your construction business helps you stand out and not become a commodity.
The minute you become a commodity, you start competing on price and racing to the bottom.
That's not where you want to be.
So, how do you stand out?
By putting in quality, competitive bids, doing high quality work in the field, and developing strong relationships with your GC.
What else can you do?
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn more.
On August 29th, 2021, Hurricane Ida slammed into the gulf coast of Louisiana.
The hurricane left a lot of damage in its wake, specifically in the town of Barataria.
The main bridge that connected the 1200 person community to the mainland was destroyed; leaving the town stranded.
Thankfully, @Acrow, a modular bridge company, was able to quickly fabricate a modular steel span to reconnect the community to the mainland.
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday to learn more about this story.
During really high inflationary periods, you should be holding long term debt.
Why?
Because inflation brings down the value of the dollar down meaning you're technically paying less per month despite the payment being the same.
So, during high inflation periods, you should be taking out debt and amortizing it over a long period of time.
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn more about leveraging during high inflation periods.
UC Santa Barbara faces backlash on their proposed “Dormzilla” project.
In the proposed plans for Munger Hall, an 11-story, 1.68 million square foot student housing center, 94% of the bedrooms had no windows.
Plus, with a density of 221,000 students per square mile, Munger Hall would be the 8th densest neighborhood in the world.
However, despite the glaring issues and pushback from the community, the project has been pushed forward.
Listen to this week's episode to get the full story.
The number of students transitioning into the construction industry has steadily declined over the past decade. One reason for this could be due to the lack of vocational training in schools.
On this week's episode of Built with Build, we sat down with Dr. Patrick Suermann, department head of the construction science program at Texas A&M University, to talk about the future of education in the construction industry.
If you enjoyed the podcast please like, share, rate, or reach out with feedback!
Failures and inefficiencies in the 8-1-1 system are costing consumers $61 Billion per year.
Why?
Because 8-1-1 policies lack teeth and they don’t mandate the reporting of damaged utility lines.
Plus, utility companies and third party locaters are being sent to do work for projects that don’t exist.
Arkansa, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia accounted for 20% of the national waste; roughly $13 Billion.
Here's what we need to do to reduce this waste.
The construction industry has failed subcontractors. Why?
Contractors are acting like a bank and floating money for somebody else's project, but not getting paid back for it for roughy 90 days.
Except unlike a bank, you’re probably not charging interest on your money.
If you’re not paid for 90 days and then 10% retainage is withheld, your entire profit margin may be held for up to two years, depending on the size of the project.
Luckily, there are things you can do to combat this.
Brace for impact. The recent uptick in civil spending could put a serious strain on the current labor shortage.
As more and more jobs are coming down the pipeline, the demand for labor will continue to increase.
What happens when the supply of construction workers fails to meet the demand?
Hiring processes are expedited and companies may hire less experienced employees for supervisory positions.
However, this practice could compromise job site safety.
Workers must be trained properly for the position they’re filling.
It’s critical towards avoiding an uptick in serious injuries and fatalities.
The construction industry is risky for subcontractors because a lot of things are out of their control. Lack of labor availability, rising material prices, and supply chain delays.
On this week’s episode, we sat down with Grey Fry, VP of Marketing, at Esub, to talk about how subcontractors can effectively manage their risk.
What's one way you can do that?
By establishing repeatable processes that are consistent across every single project you work.
Leverage is an extremely powerful tool that can fuel your businesses growth.
By using other peoples capital to expand your business, your return on investment is much higher because you're not using your cash on hand to finance the growth; allowing you to reinvest it in other areas of your business.
However, leveraging debt is a double-edged sword and needs to be used responsibly.
On this weeks Finance Friday, Jon Katz, our VP of Marketing, gives insights into how you should be leveraging debt.
According to NordLocker, construction is the No. 1 industry hit by ransomware.
Victims have ranged from multi-billion dollar companies in Asia, all the way down to small family businesses in Texas.
Companies are most vulnerable through email, malware - and most recently - siegware through smart building technology.
Is this a new problem?
No. But due to recent government funding, construction has become a ripe target.
With a $500 billion market capitalization, we need to be more careful than ever.
You've probably heard this saying once or twice - "there is no such thing as a free lunch." Somewhere along the line you paid for it; either directly or indirectly.
The same applies to your business.
It costs money to grow and understanding how to leverage debt responsibly, is the key to long-term success.
However, before you consider exploring these financing options you need to understand the health of your business.
Listen to this week's Finance Friday to learn more.
Slow payment will cost the construction industry $136 Billion in 2021.
Slow payments drastically decrease your cash conversion cycle and make it impossible for you to increase the number of jobs you’re on.
When subcontractors are forced to cover the cost of wages and materials before being paid, the costs are passed on in the form of higher bid prices and project delays.
How are you suppose to grow your revenue if you’re constantly waiting to be paid for the work you’ve done?
It’s not easy.
However, there are a few things you can start doing today.
In the construction industry, surety bonds are put in place to ensure a project is completed within the terms of the contract.
Contractors who are eligible for surety bonds have greater opportunities to win state, federal, and municipal construction contracts.
GC's typically look for subcontractors that are bonded because it adds an additional level of verification on their previous work history.
What factors go into qualifying for a surety bond?
Strong balance sheet, positive cash flow, availability of working capital, and job performance; to name a few.
To understand the health of your business, you need to know how working capital relates to cash flow.
Working capital is the difference between your current assets and current liabilities.
The larger the number, the more leverage you have to grow your business.
However, a lot of contractors are unaware of their working capital position and this can hinder your businesses growth.
Listen to this week’s Finance Friday to learn about how you can get better insights into your working capital:
The largest federal spending package on roads and bridges in over 70 years has just been passed.
$550 Billion dollars will now be going into various infrastructure projects across the United States.
However, this new influx of civil work comes at a time when labor shortages are already plaguing the industry.
Due to demand exceeding the available supply, skilled workers will become even more valuable than they already are.
"No time in the past generation or past ages have employees had more power," - Tatenda Tazarurwa, Director for Turner and Townsend
Here's what you can do to combat this uphill battle
Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking to grow your business, leveraging financing responsibly will help accelerate your growth.
There are two main types of financing that you should understand; debt and equity.
Based on the current status of your business, one might be more beneficial than the other.
Ask yourself: what are your current goals? What are you trying to accomplish? Do you need money to start a larger project?
Here's how you can utilize each of these options.
The lean approach to inventory management helps businesses align their inventory with demand.
Industries have worked for decades to cut costs by keeping on-hand inventory low, but it requires a careful balance.
Just-in-time inventory management has caused major delays in commercial construction starts due to supply chain shortages across the globe.
So, how can you stay ahead of these material shortages?
Listen to this week's Walkthrough Wednesday
In commercial construction, marketing your business doesn’t come down to typical branding initiatives, like logos, websites, or brochures.
You build your construction brand by delivering quality work in the field.
However, you can only demonstrate that value once you’ve won projects where you can showcase that quality work.
For new subcontractors, it’s critical to understand how to submit accurate, reliable bids that set you apart from your competitors.
Money today is worth more now than the same sum in the future.
Why? Inflation.
Money can only grow through investments, and waiting to invest that same sum is an opportunity cost.
Understanding the time value of money helps you make smarter investment decisions by choosing the right projects to bid on.
So, how do you calculate time value of money?
Tune into this week’s Finance Friday to learn more.
The $1.2 Trillion infrastructure bill is steps away from the finish line.
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 228 to 206; sending the bill to the presidential desk.
Should the President sign the bill into law, it will allocate $550 Billion to civil works spending for roads, bridges, airports and rail systems.
What does this mean for the future of the job market?
Listen to this week’s episode of Walkthrough Wednesday to find out
A critical aspect of managing your construction business effectively is understanding liquidity ratios and how you can calculate them.
Current ratio, quick ratio, and days sale outstanding are important formulas that help you determine the strength and vulnerabilities of your business.
These should be calculated on a frequent basis so that unexpected expenses don't threaten the health of your business.
How are each of these calculated?
Listen to this week's Finance Friday episode to learn more.
The price for steel and aluminum products continues to increase as demand outweighs available supply.
This has forced many contractors to pay a premium for any materials they can scrounge together.
However, the US and EU recently reached an agreement to ease the tariffs on these products beginning December 1st, 2021.
With these tariffs lifted, a certain amount of steel and aluminum can be imported from Europe duty-free.
Here's everything you need to know about this agreement.
Manually tracking labor across multiple job sites is cumbersome and can lead to decreased margins if data is not recorded accurately.
In the US, businesses lose nearly $400 Billion a year from inaccurate labor tracking.
On this week's episode, we sat down with Workyard, a workforce management software, to discuss how they're helping contractors streamline and digitalize their labor tracking to improve project profitability.
So, how does this work?
Tune into this week's episode to find out
Supply chain challenges, rising material prices, and volatility are creating significant challenges in the construction industry.
As a result, supplier price guarantee periods are rapidly decreasing with prices only being locked for 3 - 4 days; compared to 30 days historically.
So, what should you be doing to combat these challenges?
Build strong relationships with your suppliers by giving them advanced notice on material purchases, talk to them about your projections, and pay them on-time, in cash.
It’s no surprise that the construction industry is still facing labor shortages and material pricing surges.
Despite these challenges, nonresidential construction starts rose to $281.8 Billion in 2021; compared to $244.1 Billion in 2020.
With low interest rates and high levels of liquidity in the market, contractors expect sales, staffing, and profit margins to expand over the next six months as demand for construction services remains strong.
Here's how you can take advantage of this opportunity.
Pay App Advance is finally here.
With a Pay App Advance through Billd, you get paid on your pay app right away to help improve your cash flow and expand business resources.
This exciting new product allows you to have more control over your cash flow, eliminate uncertainty in the payment cycle, and plan your projects with confidence.
It’s simple. Complete the work and get paid.
Here's what our CEO, Chris Doyle, has to say about the product.
Lines of credit have historically been based on your company's past financial data. Previous revenue, debt-to-income ratio, profitability, and current cash flow are all taken into consideration.
However, it's difficult to take on larger projects if your bank lines are based on previous data rather than projected data.
So, how do you get around this obstacle?
Project based financing.
Listen to this week's episode of Finance Friday to learn more.
Since the beginning of 2021, the crane count in North America has decreased by 4.5%.
Of the 14 largest cities, FIVE have seen a significant decrease in cranes; dropping nearly 30%.
High material costs, increased labor shortages, supply chain delays, and inflation could all be to blame.
Will this trend continue into 2022?
Find out on this week's episode of Walkthrough Wednesday.
Follow us for updated industry news: https://linktr.ee/billd
In an industry built on face-to-face relationships and trust, the idea of buying construction materials online, has been met with a lot of pushback.
Brokrete, an e-commerce platform for suppliers, is revolutionizing the way the industry purchases materials.
When materials are purchased online, contractors get real time visibility into material availability, 24/7 supplier communication, and increased project schedule efficiency.
Learn more on this week's episode of Built With Billd.
Cash flow restraints are among the most common financial challenges that subcontractors face.
Length of the repayment cycle, inadequate supplier terms, lack of support from traditional lenders, and high upfront costs are all to blame.
So, how do you overcome these challenges?
By having a variety of credit options.
Our VP of Marketing, Jon Katz, has some great recommendations for doing just that.
Follow us for updated industry news: https://linktr.ee/billd
In a study done by Bankrate, STEM majors make up EVERY spot on their list of the top 25 highest earning college degrees.
With an unemployment rate among college graduates of just 1%, construction services takes second place - surpassed only by architectural engineering.
Find out what this means for the construction industry on this week's Walkthrough Wednesday
Follow us for updated industry news: https://linktr.ee/billd
Developing positive relationships with lenders, suppliers, and general contractors, is essential for sustainable business growth.
As your business grows above $5 million in annual revenue, you can begin leveraging these relationships to get preferred pricing on materials, longer terms, and increased credit lines.
This allows you to take on larger projects more consistently, without having to utilize your cash or credit cards.
What else can you do? Listen to this week's episode of Finance Friday.
Construction projects have become more expensive than ever to complete, with prices rising 27.8% since April of 2020.
Although prices of labor, materials, and overhead continue to rise - bids are not reflecting this increase.
What should we be doing to proactively approach this decline in profitability?
Over communicate. Subcontractors AND general contractors need to provide project owners with timely and credible 3rd party information about changes in material costs and supply chain delays.
Growing too quickly and not having the appropriate resources to sustain growth can quickly become a financial burden on your business.
On the other hand, growing too slowly in a changing industry can negatively impact your financials too.
So, how can you manage risk AND drive responsible growth?
Josh Tinaglia of Soligent Distribution, says one way to achieve this is by using your financial tools to create leverage.
Learn more about a distributor's point of view in this episode.
Establishing a large line of credit with a bank needs to be a goal for your business.
But, how do you accomplish this goal?
You can start by utilizing a credit card. Consistent and responsible usage will help you build your businesses credit.
What else can you do? Listen to this week's episode of Finance Friday to find out.
The $1 trillion infrastructure bill could be fully passed soon, which will create huge opportunities for the construction industry.
Public projects, however, have become increasingly difficult to staff due to the ongoing labor shortage.
Median time to fill an infrastructure job, for example, is 23 days, compared to 19 days in other fields.
Let's explore what does the construction industry need to do to effectively navigate this opportunity.
Even if you build profit margin into your project bid, your cash flow may still be negative.
How?
Slow pay from a pay app, retainage, upfront material costs, and schedule delays, can all have an effect on your cash flow.
The construction industry is beginning to see signs of economic recovery. With that recovery, however, come many challenges.
Hyperinflation, for example, may continue to drive drastic increases in commodity prices.
So - what can you do to absorb these unexpected increases?
On this episode of Walkthrough Wednesday, Russ discusses what you need to know in order for your business to remain cash flow positive.
Supply chain issues, labor shortages, and outdated technology are negatively impacting the financial health of many construction companies.
Manually entering data slows down team progress and increases the likeliness of an error.
We sat down with Ron Goldshmidt, CRO and Co-Founder of Briq, to discuss how the industry is changing and what it means for your business.
Top Fortune 500 companies, like Apple and Nike, use debt to grow.
Why?
It's just not possible for them to grow only using the cash they have on hand.
The same rule applies in construction. If your goal is to grow your business, you need to get comfortable with debt and financing too.
In order to bring young talent into the construction workforce, it's imperative that the industry adapts to the needs of millennials.
So, what are a few ways this can be accomplished? Increasing wages and opportunities for career advancement confirms to your crew that they're valued within your company.
Join Russ Briscoe as he talks through an article published by Construction Dive to find out what else we can do to attract the newest generation of the construction workforce.
When you leverage financing responsibly, you gain the ability to utilize cash for other aspects of your business.
Vice President of Marketing, Jon Katz, outlines these areas for you in this episode of Finance Friday.
The best part? You get peace of mind because your cash flow is much stronger.
The COVID-19 Delta variant continues to negatively impact the construction industry. From his reading of a Construction Dive article on the impact of the virus, Russ (Billd's VP of Sales) identified four main areas of concern:
1) A continuing shortage of skilled labor 2) Further material price increases 3) Supply chain uncertainties 4) An increasing number of job owners delaying projects as they wait and see what happens
Listen along for Russ's breakdown - including his expectations for 2022.
Ineffectively tracking your labor productivity can have massive effects on your company's bottom line. Zach Sheel, Co-founder and CEO of Rhumbix, experienced this issue first hand.
In this episode, we discuss what labor tracking has looked like historically, where it stands today, and how it will improve in the future.
For example: Rhumbix is standardizing the collection of labor data to allow for more accurate reporting.
Amazon and Affirm have partnered to offer customers the option to buy now, pay later. In recent years, this buying option has taken over the e-commerce world.
So - what exactly is buy now, pay later? In the same way that a mortgage allows you to buy a house now and pay it off over time, buy now, pay later lets you do the same for common goods.
In construction, this applies to everything from new equipment, to company vehicles, and even materials, through the emergence of material financing.
You should be investing in construction technology early. Doing so positions your business to see a return on this investment, rather than using the same tech later as a bandage for some problem or broken process.
This Construction Dive article dives into the "why" behind the need to implement construction tech. In this episode, we're going to cover the "how."
Start by taking small steps that allow your team to adapt to the changes.
If you could use someone else's money to grow your business, you would do it, right?
That's exactly what you're doing when you leverage financing. Whether it's material financing, a line of credit from the bank, or supplier terms, you're creating the opportunity to use the capital you already have on hand to grow your business.
This is exactly how smart, large business are able to grow, and how you can do the same.
Stan Marek recently wrote an article in Construction Citizen titled "Workers Have Fled the Construction Trades. Here’s How We Get Them Back"
Today we're diving into our top 3 reasons why construction is facing a labor shortage, and what we need to do to fix this issue.
Here's the twist: it all started much earlier than you probably expect.
Let's talk about change orders - and the hidden costs they present.
It's no secret that it can take a long time to get paid for additional work resulting from changes in scope. This pay gap means that subs effectively finance large portions of most projects.
Cameron Page, Founder & CEO of Extracker, joined us to discuss how his company is modernizing the change order process to speed up processing times, increase profits, and help contractors maintain better customer relationships.
Establish lines credit for your business when you don't need them. If you wait until you need credit to apply, you won't be able to secure what your business needs.
Whether this credit comes in the form of a bank line, a business credit card, or material financing, establishing it now sets you up for success later.
Additionally, establishing credit now will help you build your business credit score, making it easier to obtain larger lines in the future when you do eventually need them.
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes $100 million, to be disbursed over five years, for the purpose of accelerating the deployment of digital technology in construction.
What does this mean for us?
Times - and technology - are changing. Your business needs to be ready to adopt and implement these changes, or you risk falling behind your competition.
"Cash isn't king" is a bold statement. But it's true.
Capital is the total accumulation of assets available to your business. Cash is included in capital, of course, but so are credit cards, bank lines, and material financing.
When it comes to growing your business, using cash alone just won't cut it. Project owners don't pay for high rises in cash - they leverage debt. GCs do the same to scale their businesses and take on more, larger projects.
That's what you should be doing too.
Analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors shows that national nonresidential construction spending declined 0.9% from May to June - and 6.6% year-over-year from June 2020.
Demand for construction remains high: many contractors are reporting longer backlogs than at this time last year. So what's the issue?
There simply aren't enough skilled workers available to fully staff every project.
Want to know how other contractors are planning to grow their businesses? We've got you covered.
The inaugural National Subcontractor Market Report examined general outlooks toward business growth & financing in the construction industry. This report was founded upon a survey conducted in March 2021, which queried contractors on their business growth goals, sources of capital they’re using to stimulate growth, and the role of supplier terms play in their overall financing decisions.
Join Billd's Cofounder and CCO Jesse Weissburg and VP of Marketing Jon Katz as they break down key takeaways from the report, and how you can put them into action today.
Welcome to our first Finance Friday episode, hosted by Jon Katz, Billd's Vice President of Marketing.
What is Finance Friday?
It's our weekly segment covering best practices, tips, and tricks for how you can leverage financing to grow your business responsibly.
Join us every Friday for new insights from Jon.
Welcome to our first Walkthrough Wednesday episode, hosted by Russ Briscoe, Billd's Director of Contractor Partnerships.
What is Walkthrough Wednesday?
It's our weekly segment covering the biggest news impacting the world of commercial construction. Here at Billd, we're passionate about staying informed and in the know about what's going on in the industry - and we want you to join us on that journey.
Join us every Wednesday for new updates from Russ.
How do you grow a construction business? According to Matt DiBara, owner of DiBara Masonry, there are two main things every contractor needs to do: create a strong brand that you deliver on every day, and prioritize relationships at all times. In this episode, Matt shares specific examples of how you can accomplish both of these (and more), and how these strategies directly contribute to growing your business.
Construction is a relationship-based industry - we all know that. But are you giving enough time and energy to the relationships inside of your business? By taking a people-first approach to construction management, you can hire better (and retain more) employees, which is especially important given the current skilled labor shortage. Our friends at Bridgit are experts at helping contractors develop people-first strategies. Bridgit CEO Mallorie Brodie joined us for this episode to discuss how you can do just that.
We’re all concerned about safety on the jobsite, but have you ever thought about turning safety into a competitive advantage? By making safety a top priority in your business, you can cut insurance costs, hire better (and retain more) employees, and win more bids by demonstrating to GCs that you can reliably finish projects in a responsible way. Our friends at Raken joined us for this episode to discuss how you can accomplish all of this and more by implementing technology designed specifically for construction.
Growing a construction business is hard - growing it responsibly is even harder. And because financing has had a bad rap from the construction industry for so long, many contractors don’t understand that it can be the best tool to help grow their company. The reality is this: if you find the right financial partners, you can increase the amount of work you're doing without over-leveraging yourself and disrupting your cash flow. Join Billd’s Jesse Weissburg (Co-Founder and CCO) and Robbie Reynolds (Director of Business Development) as they walk through how to identify the right type of financing for your construction business, and how you can leverage it to grow.
In construction, a lot of time and energy is wasted in the communication process between the field and the office. As our industry continues to embrace technology and innovation, purchasing and material management is an area that still lags behind. But with the arrival of companies like StructShare, we will soon shift towards an e-commerce approach in order to enable efficient purchasing.
Construction technology is an evolving ecosystem. Join Robbie Reynolds, Billd's Director of Business Development, as he explores the growth of construction tech in the past, present, and the future alongside Procore's Nate Tockerman (Partner Manager) and Kris Lengieza (Senior Director, Business Development). In an industry that has long been slow to adapt to technological advances, construction has begun to embrace new tech for project management, financing, job site safety, and so much more. Robbie, Nate, and Kris come together to discuss why these changes are happening, what impact we can see in the industry today, and where we should expect construction tech to take us in the future.
Payments in the construction industry are notorious for being late. These delays impact much more than just the subcontractors waiting for their cash: Everyone in the supply chain suffers. Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, and Will Mitchell, CEO of Rabbet dive into the intricacies and impacts of late payments across the construction industry, why these issues are so pervasive, and what the industry can do right the ship.
Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, sat down with Phil Ogilby, the CEO of STACK Construction Technologies, an estimating and take-offs software, and also the former CEO of iSqFt, a construction bidding software company. The two dove into the lack of innovation in construction and how utilizing technology can help young construction business grow and reach their potential.
The construction industry faces a crisis. There's a skills gap in the trades. Chris Doyle (CEO at Billd) sat down with Doug Donovan (CEO of Interplay Learning) to discuss how to tackle it.
Chris and Doug also discuss how contractors that start their own businesses are every bit as entrepreneurial as tech founders, and aren't given the credit, which isn't right.
This is one you don't want to miss!
Chris Doyle, Billd CEO, sat down with Alex Dunn from Levelset to discuss their new construction survey outlining payments within the industry.
How does everyone within the "Payment chain" feel about how quick they are to get paid, and whether they get paid according to their contract?
Does bullying have a role in speed of payment?
And what about the fundamental flaw in the construction industry?
Learn these answers, and more!
Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, sat down with the CEO of Dividend Finance, Eric White to discuss the state of construction loans and working capital requirements in growing markets.
Dividend Finance works with homeowners looking seeking financing for home improvements, specifically solar panels. Dividend has lent more than $1 billion in funds since inception and is the leading lender for home solar.
How do you become the "go-to" contractor in your area for a particular trade or project?
Check out this podcast for tips from top marketers who know how branding works and can guide you to a point where GC's are coming after YOU, not the other way around.
Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, sat down with Ernie Adams, VP at Southwest Construction Services to talk contracts.
Ernie has been reviewing construction contracts for many years and identifies several important parts of a construction contract that you need to be aware of.
Clauses like Pay When Paid vs Paid If Paid clauses, Liquidated Damages, Change Order Continuations, and more.
Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, dives into marketing 101 in a series titled Marketing for Contractors, coming up on the Built with Billd podcast.
Chris sat down with Jon Katz, Director of Marketing at Billd, and Kim Grennan, CEO and Founder of Axle Eight, an Arizona based marketing agency.
Marketing 101 starts with your website and basic social media channels. Are they up to par? It's key for building credibility and establishing trust, as well as helping you generate new customers.
Chris Doyle, CEO of Billd, sits down with Scott Wolfe, the CEO of Levelset to discuss ways contractors can get paid faster during times of project delays and slow paying customers.
If you've got "money on the street" you need to be proactive to ensure payment.
We sat down with Victor De Jesus of L&M Group, a Florida based sub contractor that does tile installation. How is Victor dealing with managing his crew, thinking about contracts, bidding on new projects, and what's ahead.
We believe success in the construction industry is about managing cash flow, maintaining strong relationships, and leveraging the latest technologies.