by Simplar | May 7, 2026 | Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Growth, Growth, Weekly Construction Message
Despite its vast size ($2 trillion in annual sales) and impact on the nation’s economy, the construction industry remains, at its core, a collection of small businesses. Unlike other American industries, construction has never become a darling of Wall Street,...
by Simplar | Apr 30, 2026 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Leadership, Leadership, Organization Transformation, Weekly Construction Message
My career as an educator and consultant to the construction industry has followed an unusual path through every aspect of this amazing industry. It is from a unique background that I evaluate our industry and am inspired to share some lessons learned. I quit high...
by Simplar | Apr 23, 2026 | Business of Construction, Cash Flow (Getting Paid), Financial Management and Risk
Last week we settled on this definition of business which bears repeating: Business is the purposeful pursuit of profit through the commercial activity of satisfying customer needs at a cost that is less than the selling price. To be classified as a business, an...
by Simplar | Apr 16, 2026 | Business of Construction, Weekly Construction Message
This week we will be discussing the distinction between construction activity and commercial activity. Many contractors start their careers working with the tools and because of the unique nature of the construction financial transaction (contracting for one new job...
by Simplar | Apr 9, 2026 | Business of Construction, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Leadership, Organization Transformation
We are discussing how unexamined beliefs about the nature and structure of the construction business transaction have had a corrosive effect on contractor profit margins for the past 50 years. The resulting standard business practices followed by all construction...
by Simplar | Apr 2, 2026 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Contracting Methods, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Organization Transformation, Risk Management, Risk Management
I have been haranguing the industry for years about what is wrong with the contracting business model. Many of you agree with my discomfort but ask, “How do we change the long-held structure of the standard construction financial transaction?” Let’s...
