Top line growth represents survival to a lot of contractors. Without regularly signing new contracts most contractors would go out of business in short order. Growth isn't just an important thing, to some contractors, growth is the only thing. Every existing contract...

Growth Is Always Good

Aug 28, 2025 | Built Environment, Business Failure, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Growth, Growth, Leadership, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message

We begin this week with the first "belief" on last week's list - "Growth is always good ". The complex nature of the construction industry seems to lend credence to this belief. Since a construction business does not enjoy a "continuum" of business, contractors must...

More Unexamined Beliefs

Aug 21, 2025 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Leadership, Leadership, Weekly Construction Message

I introduced the concept of beliefs into my teaching about 20 years ago. I noticed during my years of research and countless interactions with contractors that there were a multitude of assumptions about the nature of the construction business out there that were...

Is Construction a Good Investment?

Aug 14, 2025 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Leadership, Weekly Construction Message

I’ve been a management consultant to the construction industry for 40 years. I have taught construction business management at some of the nation's best construction universities. I have spoken at literally thousands of construction industry conventions. In all that...

The Problem with the Construction Business

Aug 7, 2025 | Built Environment, Business Development, Business Failure, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Financial Management and Risk, Growth, Leadership, Weekly Construction Message

In last week's message I closed my eyes and dropped a bomb. Did you hear it? If not, I suggest you go back and reread last week's message. For me to admit to my readers that construction financial accounting is, to a large degree inaccurate, is I assure you, quite a...

The Problem with Construction Accounting

Jul 31, 2025 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Cash Flow (Getting Paid), Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message

The state-of-the-art in construction accounting has advanced over the years but continues to be an area of great concern. One of the most difficult and misunderstood processes in the construction business is capturing all the data accurately and in a timely fashion...