4 Hidden Metrics Top Builders Use to Boost Profit and Freedom

📅 January 19, 2026 ⏱️ 29:35 🎤 Todd Dawalt

Chapters

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0:00

Introduction to Hidden Metrics

Todd introduces the common struggles of contractors and the importance of looking at hidden metrics to understand business issues.
1:47

What You Look At Improves

The concept that 'what gets measured gets managed' is discussed, emphasizing the need to actively monitor business aspects for improvement.
7:28

Owner Interruption Count (OIC)

Explanation of the OIC metric, how to calculate it, and its significance in revealing design flaws in a business.
15:09

Handoff Completeness Score

Defining and scoring the completeness of project handoffs from office to field, highlighting its impact on project efficiency and profit.
26:31

Dead Day Count

Introduction to 'dead days' – days with zero activity on job sites – and their significant impact on overhead and profitability.
36:27

Daily Overhead Burn

Calculation and importance of daily overhead burn, emphasizing how it puts a dollar value on inefficiency and waste.
40:27

Recap and Call to Action

A summary of the four metrics and an invitation for business owners to schedule a business evaluation call to address these issues.
47:42

Action Item and Farewell

Todd provides a 5-minute action item for listeners to immediately apply one of the discussed metrics to their business.

Speakers

Todd Dawalt

Host — founder and host

Key Takeaways

✦

Calculate your Owner Interruption Count (OIC) to identify how often your direct involvement is required, indicating where systems or delegation are lacking.

✦

Score your 'handoff completeness' for recent projects to see if pre-construction processes are sufficiently thorough, reducing field-based issues.

✦

Track 'dead days' on your active job sites to identify periods of zero activity, which directly impact overhead costs and project timelines.

✦

Determine your 'daily overhead burn' to understand the financial cost of operational inefficiencies and motivate improvements.

✦

Recognize that problems like high OIC, low handoff completeness, and numerous dead days are design problems, not time management issues, requiring structural business changes.

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