Episodios

  • 287 - The 12 Days of Contractor Christmas: Every Problem You'll Face

    287 - The 12 Days of Contractor Christmas: Every Problem You'll Face
    Dec 25 2025
    Ever feel like your contracting business is hitting every possible roadblock during the holiday season? In this festive yet practical episode, Martin and Khalil break down the "12 Days of Contractor Christmas" - a humorous but painfully accurate look at the common problems contractors face. From scope creep to unpaid invoices, they explore how these challenges drain your profits and what systems can prevent them.What You'll LearnWhy most contractor problems are influenceable even when they seem uncontrollableHow to handle change orders profitably instead of losing marginWhere your business culture gets set by what you're willing to acceptWhy concessions typically come from a mindset of fearHow proper systems prevent the domino effect of contractor problemsTime Stamps[00:00:00] - Holiday Introduction[00:02:00] - Scope Creep (Day 1)[00:03:00] - Payment Disputes (Day 2)[00:05:00] - Callbacks (Day 3)[00:07:00] - No-Shows (Day 4)[00:10:00] - Change Orders (Day 5)[00:12:00] - Customer Concessions (Day 6)[00:17:00] - Supplier Delays (Day 7)[00:19:00] - Sick Employees (Day 8)[00:20:00] - Late Nights (Day 9)[00:23:00] - Dirty Job Sites (Day 10)[00:25:00] - Unpaid Invoices (Day 11)[00:28:00] - Missed Emails (Day 12)Snippets from the Episode"Control is an illusion. Don't ever control—but you can heavily influence. And everything we're talking about there, it can be heavily influenced by preparation and contracts and systems."— Martin Holland"The more that you concede and allow that behavior, the more that you've set the standard of what your culture is and you're gonna see more of it."— Khalil Benalioulhaj"Change orders can be great because if you're doing change orders properly, you are bidding—it's almost a guaranteed bid. And you should be doing it at a much higher rate because the scope is changing."— Khalil Benalioulhaj"People are always pressing you for something, and the more you give it to them—that includes subs who work for you, not just your customers."— Martin Holland"Concessions are a mindset of fear."— Khalil BenalioulhajKey TakeawaysProperly priced change orders should generate higher marginsSystems prevent scope creep and payment disputesWhat you tolerate becomes your company cultureThe real cost of callbacks goes beyond materialsUnfinished work is often tied to lack of clear scope definitionsInvoice promptly to avoid cash flow problemsControl may be impossible, but influence is always availableResources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallBuild a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    33 m
  • 286 - Solving People Problems in Construction with Tom Bunn

    286 - Solving People Problems in Construction with Tom Bunn
    Dec 18 2025
    What if you could build a thriving $2M construction business by focusing on the right team structure and core values? Tom Bunn shares his journey from corporate burnout to successful contractor, revealing how his team-first approach and EOS framework transformed Bunn and Sons from a handyman service to a thriving design-build firm, without the chaos that typically plagues construction businesses.What You’ll LearnHow to transition from working IN your business to working ON your businessWhy core values are essential for qualifying both team members and clientsHow to structure and manage trade partner relationships for long-term successThe importance of maintaining margin in your business decisionsWhy "table stakes" business practices can become a major differentiator in constructionTime Stamps00:58 - Episode Intro02:00 - Starting Bunn and Sons: From Corporate to Construction04:41 - Building the Business: Early Challenges and Growth07:02 - Team Dynamics: Assembling and Managing the Crew10:25 - Core Values and Company Culture26:29 - Building Long-Lasting Trade Partner Relationships26:54 - Onboarding and Integrating New Trade Partners28:13 - Maintaining Trade Partner Relationships34:58 - Client Qualification and Vetting Process41:18 - Challenges and Best Practices in Construction43:14 - The Importance of Margin in Business48:16 - Differentiating Through Basic Business Practices50:24 - The Low Barrier to Entry in Construction54:39 - Simplicity vs. Complexity in Business Operations56:13 - Final Thoughts and ReflectionsSnippets from the Episode"I've found that a lot of people we hire come to us in a state I'd loosely describe as 'battered wife.' This industry has just become far too commonplace for tradespeople to be undervalued, overworked, and stressed out."- Tom Bunn"When things get lean, there's a constant temptation to want to say 'maybe we could make this work,' but you have to be careful. It's very easy to burn a lot of relationship capital with your team when you bring a bad client on board."- Tom Bunn"Simple doesn't mean easy. Pricing is simple: direct costs, indirect costs, and margin on top. But if you don't know what those are, that very simple thing becomes tough."- Tom BunnKey TakeawaysDefine your core values first, then hire to match themFocus on coordination and client experienceMaintain long-term trade partner relationshipsPay invoices on time and respect trade partners' expertiseQualify clients against your values and ideal client profileProtect your margins by saying no to the wrong opportunitiesBasic business practices can be your biggest differentiatorResources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallBuild a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Tom BunnLinked InBun & Sons websiteBun & Sons on IGMore from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    58 m
  • 285 - From Cabinet Painting to Design-Build: A 9-Year Journey to Scaling 3 Companies with Amy Hayes

    285 - From Cabinet Painting to Design-Build: A 9-Year Journey to Scaling 3 Companies with Amy Hayes
    Dec 11 2025
    Ever wondered how to transform a simple service business into a thriving design-build company? In this episode, Amy Hayes shares her remarkable 9-year journey from painting cabinets as a mother-daughter summer project to scaling three successful companies, including her $3.5M design-build firm. Her story proves that with determination and the right mindset, you can build something extraordinary without formal industry experience.What You’ll LearnHow to transition from a service-based business to a design-build modelWhy niching down can accelerate your growth and profitabilityHow to build and lead an all-female team in a male-dominated industryStrategies for solving the proposal problem in design-build businessesThe importance of finding resources and support systems in the contracting worldTime Stamps00:45 - Episode & Guest Intro01:11 - About Bloom: The Business Overview02:33 - Women-Owned and Operated06:15 - Starting with Cabinet Painting10:21 - Challenges and Growth in Cabinet Painting22:02 - Transition to Design-Build31:56 - Monetizing the Business32:28 - Exploring the Venue as a Lead Generator34:13 - Addressing the Proposal Problem35:04 - Challenges in Pricing and Communication39:54 - Lessons Learned and Future StrategiesSnippets from the Episode"I think I had a pivotal moment there, saying, 'Am I really gonna let this stop something that is moving forward because of this one man and how he treated me?' And I decided, no, I'm not."- Amy Hayes"You have to invest in your business in order to grow it. It was just a really good time for us to do that."- Amy Hayes"A phrase that we used a lot, we would say we were building the plane as we're flying it, because that's what it felt like."- Amy Hayes"Find your resources, find your support... Don't be afraid to ask for help."- Amy HayesKey TakeawaysStart where you are with what you haveFocus on serving clients exceptionally well before worrying about pricingLearn to price appropriately by seeking industry guidanceSet clear budget expectations early in client relationshipsFind peer support even among competitorsSurround yourself with people who complement your weaknessesResources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallBuild a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Amy HayesBloom KitchensBloom Painting CompanyLinkedinMore from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    56 m
  • 284 - Building Kanban Boards with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 3)

    284 - Building Kanban Boards with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 3)
    Dec 4 2025
    Ever felt overwhelmed trying to track multiple jobs across your business? In this final installment of our three-part series on business function charts, Khalil and Martin demonstrate how to build a practical Kanban board system that gives you instant visibility into your sales pipeline. Learn how to transform your workflow chart into a visual tracking system that shows you exactly where your deals stand, without requiring technical expertise.What You’ll LearnHow to convert your workflow chart into a visual Kanban boardThe step-by-step process for setting up a deal tracking system in ClickUpHow to create templates with subtasks that ensure consistent process executionWhy mapping your business functions creates clarity for your entire teamHow to build process checklists that make delegation effortlessTime Stamps00:37 - Episode Intro01:04 - Mapping the Sales Function02:40 - Understanding Kanban Cards05:48 - Building the Sales Pipeline in ClickUp11:46 - Customizing ClickUp for Sales Stages25:51 - Core Activities for Specific Deals26:50 - Lead Management Tasks27:29 - Subtasks and Customer Qualification28:33 - Creating Checklists for Core Activities29:48 - Implementing Checklists in ClickUp34:35 - Setting Up Task Templates35:36 - Managing Sales Pipeline with Clickup40:45 - Process Recap55:52 - Final ThoughtsSnippets from the Episode"If you don't feel organized as a contractor, if you are curious what the status of your jobs are, if you feel like you don't have systems in your business and you don't know where to start... this is how you make sense of it."- Khalil Benalioulhaj"A pipeline is the critical path of a workflow. You're not going to say, 'I made a first call and a second call and then sent a text message.' We don't want that in our pipeline. We just want the critical path."- Khalil Benalioulhaj"One of the first things is just talk to it. Tell it what the hell you're trying to do."- Martin Holland on using AIKey TakeawaysThe Function Chart Is Not a Process ChartKanban Boards Create Visual ClarityTemplates Ensure Consistent ExecutionAI Can Map Your Business WorkflowsChecklists Remove Complexity from DelegationCritical Path Tracking Beats Detailed DocumentationYour Admin Team Can Implement This SystemResources⁠CFC 280⁠ - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 1CFC 283 - Building Your Business Function Chart with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 2ClickUp ⁠WisprFlow Referral Link⁠⁠Claude Artifact - Sales Workflow⁠⁠Claude Artifact - Sales Function Chart⁠⁠Claude AI ⁠PowerPoint/⁠Google Slides ⁠⁠HTML Flowchart Generators⁠⁠Kanban board systems⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallCheck out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    59 m
  • 283 - Building Your Business Function Chart with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 2)

    283 - Building Your Business Function Chart with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 2)
    Nov 27 2025
    Struggling to visualize how your business actually functions? In this practical follow-up episode, Martin and Khalil demonstrate how to create comprehensive business function charts using AI tools like Claude. Learn how to map out your entire sales process, identify sub-functions, define core activities, and transform chaotic operations into clear, manageable systems for your contracting business.What You’ll LearnHow to create visual function charts that clarify business operationsThe difference between functions, sub-functions, and core activitiesTechniques for using AI to map and organize your business processesHow to identify ownership of critical business activitiesPractical steps to transform abstract workflows into actionable systemsTime Stamps00:39 - Episode Intro01:27 - Visualizing the Workflow02:56 - Detailed Workflow Breakdown06:21 - Defining Business Functions18:56 - Understanding Core Activities and Checklists21:16 - Creating a Function Chart23:42 - Exploring Wispr Flow29:02 - Mapping Roles and FunctionsSnippets from the Episode"When you think about SOPs and checklists, you really want to start with checklists at the core activity level. That basic level is where you create your checklists for the things you need to do."- Khalil Benalioulhaj"By having this function chart together, you can really start to map your business. You can map roles, identify who owns each activity, and figure out capacity issues across your team."- Khalil Benalioulhaj"How cool would it be for your business if you were thinking, 'Hey, I'm trying to work on my business. Where do we have the most problems? Which sub-function is causing us the most issues right now?'" - Khalil Benalioulhaj"Unlike an org chart, in a function chart one person can own multiple sub-functions. You're not saying this is your role, you're telling people these are the things you need to do."- Khalil BenalioulhajKey TakeawaysFunction Hierarchy MattersStart With Visual MappingCore Activities Need ChecklistsAI Can Build Your FrameworkAssign Ownership to FunctionsFocus on Problem Sub-FunctionsMap Your Tech Stack to FunctionsResourcesCFC 280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts Part 1WisprFlow Referral LinkClaude Artifact - Sales WorkflowClaude Artifact - Sales Function ChartClaude AI PowerPoint/Google Slides HTML Flowchart GeneratorsKanban board systems⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallCheck out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    41 m
  • 282 - Are You Losing Money on Every Service Call?

    282 - Are You Losing Money on Every Service Call?
    Nov 20 2025
    Is your service department draining profits instead of generating them? In this practical episode, Martin and Khalil tackle a real contractor dilemma: how to transform service calls from costly overhead into a profitable business segment. Discover why your current pricing model might be leaving thousands on the table and the straightforward systems you need to fix it.What You’ll LearnWhy mixing service and install teams creates hidden profit leaksHow to properly calculate service call pricing (hint: it's much higher than you think)Simple systems to separate service operations for clarity and profitabilityWhy treating service as a "loss leader" is destroying your marginsTime Stamps00:52 - Episode Intro01:02 - The Service Dilemma03:23 - Exploring Solutions and Pricing17:37 - Final Thoughts and TakeawaysSnippets from the Episode"If I can't figure out what something costs me and what I gotta sell it for, then I shouldn't be doing it." - Martin Holland"I think the way that this gets created is you start thinking 'If I can't service these clients, the builder's gonna get upset and not give me new jobs.' So we have it as a loss leader. That's a recipe for disaster."- Khalil Benalioulhaj"Make some estimate and just make sure the estimate is high enough that it's worth it. If we get half of our estimated calls, we still make money."- Martin Holland"You gotta know your costs. That's the takeaway."- Martin HollandKey TakeawaysDouble your service department costs at a minimum when setting pricesSeparate service from installation teams completelyStop treating service as a loss leaderUnderstand the full cost of running a dedicated service departmentBe bold with pricing until you get pushbackService should have its own tracking and profit metricsService work requires specialized skills and dedicated resourcesResources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallCheck out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    20 m
  • 281 - Are You Wasting 20% of Your Business Budget? with Duane Deason

    281 - Are You Wasting 20% of Your Business Budget? with Duane Deason
    Nov 13 2025
    What if you could immediately add 10-20% to your bottom line without changing your sales strategy? In this eye-opening conversation with cost management expert Duane Deason, you'll discover why most businesses unknowingly waste thousands in unnecessary expenses and how implementing a simple cost management system can transform your profitability. Perfect for contractors who feel the cash flow squeeze but don't know where to start cutting costs.What You’ll LearnWhy most companies waste 10-20% of their budget on expenses that don't improve operationsHow to identify hidden cash flow issues without becoming a financial expertSimple strategies to create accountability for company spendingWhy cost cutting should be celebrated, not viewed as failureHow to build a culture that protects your profit marginsTime Stamps00:47 - Episode Intro02:54 - Introducing Duane Deason05:42 - Common Cost Issues in Businesses22:10 - Identifying Cash Flow Issues22:27 - Engaging Owners in Cost Management27:05 - Implementing Cost Management Centers31:04 - Incentivizing and Sustaining Cost Savings39:36 - Signature AuthoritySnippets from the Episode"Most companies I work with have 10 to 20% of their expenses that could be eliminated without changing how they operate, that's low-hanging fruit that goes straight to the bottom line."- Duane Deason"Learn to be comfortable with 'no.' You can't appease everybody. 'No' to things we can't afford yet helps us say 'yes' to what's truly important."- Duane Deason"If you want people to understand what the score is and they're responsible for the score, they need to know how to read the information."- Martin Holland"For every dollar of sales, you may pocket 10 cents. But for every dollar you save in costs, you keep the entire dollar."- Duane DeasonKey TakeawaysStart with Your Disbursement Journal, Not P&LCreate a Cost Management CenterMake Cost Savings Visible and CelebratedImplement Clear Signature Authority RulesRestrict Who Can Sign ContractsAudit Utilization of All ResourcesReframe Cost Cutting as Opportunity FindingResources⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallCheck out⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Duane DeasonEfficacy Group websiteDuane Deason on LinkedInOperationally Svelte: Manage Costs to Increase Profit and Enhance PerformanceWatch out for the Cost Management Center Podcast More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    49 m
  • 280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts

    280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts
    Nov 6 2025
    Khalil and Martin kick off a new series on building business function charts—starting with the foundational step: mapping your workflows. Using a real-world example from Martin’s sprinkler company, they walk through how to visualize your business processes, identify bottlenecks, and turn chaos into clarity. By learning to map how work actually flows through your operations, contractors and small business owners can improve communication, streamline execution, and lay the groundwork for scalable systems.What You’ll LearnThe difference between org charts and function charts—and why both matterHow to map workflows that clearly show how work moves through your businessWhy visualizing processes helps you manage better and reduce confusionHow tools like Kanban boards and AI can simplify workflow designPractical steps to turn mapped workflows into functional business systemsTime Stamps00:54 - Episode Intro02:20 -Understanding Business Function Charts03:12 -Real-World Workflow Example: Sprinkler Company17:54 -Job Scheduling and Preparation19:49 -Execution and Completion23:08 -Creating Workflows with AISnippets from the Episode“Everyone has workflows. Work is flowing through your business if you’re in business. But just like you said, the visual is so helpful for understanding where things actually are.” — Khalil“When we had the sprinkler company, we literally had a Kanban table before software existed. Every job was a packet that moved from one step to the next. You could walk in and see exactly where everything was.” — Martin“You can spend an hour with AI and map out your entire workflow—then clearly see what your business actually does.” — Khalil“You should be using AI in this capacity. It’s a thought partner—it helps you think through your processes, not just write emails.” — KhalilKey TakeawaysMap Before You Manage – You can’t improve what you can’t see.Visualize Workflows – Kanban systems make progress visible and predictable.Leverage AI – Use tools like Claude or ChatGPT to build, test, and refine workflows.Clarify Functions – Define what your business actually does, not just who does it.Lay the Foundation – Workflow clarity is the first step to scalable systems and future function charts.Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠24 Things⁠⁠⁠⁠ Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant⁠⁠⁠⁠Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠ a 15-Minute Roadblock CallCheck out⁠⁠⁠⁠ OpenPhone⁠⁠⁠⁠Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our⁠⁠⁠⁠ GrowthKits⁠⁠⁠⁠ Need Marketing Help? We Recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Benali⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Help with podcast production? We recommend⁠⁠⁠⁠ Demandcast⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Martin Holland⁠⁠⁠⁠theprofitproblem.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠annealbc.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Martin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠More from Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠benali.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meet With Khalil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠More from The Cash Flow ContractorSubscribe to our⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow On Social:⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X(formerly Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cashflow Contractor
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    37 m