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234. Habits That Scale With Andy Skarda, Ahmed Yusuf, & Erick Villa

⏱️ 55:31 🎤 Will, Andy Skarda, Ahmed Yousef, Erick Villa
AUDIO EPISODE
234. Habits That Scale With Andy Skarda, Ahmed Yusuf, & Erick Villa
0:00
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Chapters

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  • 0:00
    Busy but Unprofitable
    The hosts introduce the common problem of builders feeling busy and successful, yet not confident about their financial position, often leading to a 'busy fool syndrome'.
  • 0:02
    The Cost of Growth
    Discussion on how uncontrolled growth can lead to lower markups, obliterated margins, and a situation where builders are using future project deposits to cover current costs.
  • 0:22
    Scaling Challenges
    Exploration of how complexity increases with scale, making it harder for builders to track project details and emphasizing the need for evolving systems and financial habits.
  • 0:36
    Profitability vs. Scale
    Analysis of data showing that net profit margins often drop during initial growth phases and the danger of scaling an unprofitable business.
  • 0:50
    Financial Clarity Needs
    The importance of financial literacy, understanding management vs. taxation accounting, and having competent financial support like bookkeepers and financial controllers.
  • 0:58
    Essential Financial Habits
    Practical habits for builders, including non-negotiable monthly financial reporting, understanding Work in Progress (WIP) adjustments, and tracking core financial metrics.
  • 1:04
    Daily & Weekly Practices
    The benefits of daily huddles, regular variance-to-budget reviews, and knowing the fixed cost per job per day to maintain financial control.
  • 1:11
    Proactive Financial Management
    The discussion concludes with the need for forward-looking forecasting, continuous job performance reviews, and transitioning from being a technician to a business owner and leader.

Speakers

W
Will
Host — head of marketing here at APB
A
Andy Skarda
head coach here at the APB
A
Ahmed Yousef
director at Wonderbuild
E
Erick Villa
customer success manager here at Wonderbuild

Key Takeaways

✦

Being busy doesn't equate to profitability; builders must shift focus from revenue to profit and margin to accurately assess success.

✦

Financial illiteracy becomes a significant risk as a business scales; implement non-negotiable monthly financial reporting and understand Work in Progress (WIP) adjustments.

✦

Do not scale an unprofitable business; address profitability issues first, as profit is the fuel for sustainable growth.

✦

Invest in competent financial support (e.g., bookkeepers, financial controllers) who understand the nuances of the building industry, differentiating between management and taxation accounting.

✦

Implement daily huddles and regular variance-to-budget reviews (weekly or monthly) to catch issues early and shift from reactive to proactive financial decision-making.

✦

Know your fixed cost per job per day and ensure your systems and capacity evolve with your business growth to avoid being overwhelmed.

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