by Simplar | May 21, 2026 | Built Environment, Financial Management and Risk, Leadership, Leadership, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Magicians only perform a trick once for the same audience. A second time and the trick loses its luster. The third time around the audience figures it out. The trick no longer fools the audience and the magic is gone. Legacy Tricks of the Trade We contractors start...
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...
by Simplar | Nov 28, 2025 | Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Dennis Birch, a well-respected construction accountant, argued that “many US contractors are watchers instead of managers of their financial affairs.” He claimed that “they do a lot of responding to things that happen to them but don’t have much...
by Simplar | Oct 23, 2025 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Leadership, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Businesses fail for any number of reasons but rarely is it a surprise to management. Only construction companies seem to experience sudden collapse when they unexpectedly run out of cash. The element of surprise expressed by most of the failed contractors I worked...
by Simplar | Oct 2, 2025 | Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Risk management begins with recognition, proceeds to evaluation, and ends with a detailed mitigation plan. This analytical process should begin at the project selection stage. After a contract is signed and a project is underway, if there is a negative impact from the...
by Simplar | Sep 25, 2025 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Labor & Labor Issues, Leadership, Leadership, Organizational Change Management, Project Selection, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Construction is a risky business. Diving from the springboard of project selection into the deep end of the risk pool immerses the contractor in a virtual ocean of risk factors. Like Football games, project financial risk can only be effectively managed before...
