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Building Margin For Construction

Building Margin For Construction

By: Steve Coughran
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Running a construction business shouldn’t mean working nonstop, chasing cash, or carrying it all on your shoulders. Building Margin is for owners who are ready to think bigger and start making smarter moves with their numbers, strategy, and team.

Hosted by Steve Coughran of Coltivar, this show delivers straight talk on the stuff that actually drives margin: pricing right, controlling costs, forecasting with confidence, and building a business that doesn’t depend on you for everything. No fluff. No filler. Just real strategies to help you earn more and lead better.


Building Margin: Strategies for Contractors Who Want to Think Bigger and Earn More

© 2025 Business Strategy Podcast. Coltivar Group, LLC
Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • 124: The 1 Thing That Transformed My Contracting Business
    Jul 31 2025

    The Cash Flow Blueprint every contractor wishes they had sooner: coltivar.com/cashflow

    Your brand, pricing, and portfolio are either setting you apart or silently sabotaging your business. Steve shares the gut-punch moment that exposed a painful truth about his sales process, and how that single experience forced a complete reinvention of his contracting business.

    You’ll hear the real story behind a humiliating client meeting, why that failure became the best thing that ever happened to his business, and what contractors must rethink if they want to charge more, win better work, and scale profitably. If your work is good but your profits aren’t—this one's for you.


    Disclaimer:

    The views expressed here are those of the individual Coltivar Group, LLC (“Coltivar”) personnel quoted and are not the views of Coltivar or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Coltivar has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.

    This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendations. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. Please see https://www.coltivar.com/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use for additional important information.

    www.coltivar.com

    www.coltivar.com

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    13 mins
  • 123: Making $10M? Here’s Why You Still Might Be Broke
    Jul 24 2025

    The Cash Flow Blueprint every contractor wishes they had sooner: coltivar.com/cashflow

    You can do $10M, $50M, or even $100M in revenue and still be broke. That’s the brutal truth behind many construction companies today.

    In this episode, Steve breaks down the critical difference between profit and cash flow—and why net profit on your income statement can lie. You’ll learn why even “profitable” businesses go bankrupt, how working capital and CapEx quietly drain your cash, and the financial benchmarks every contractor should know.

    Whether you’re trying to get a grip on your numbers, protect your margins, or stop stressing about payroll, this episode will help you avoid the most dangerous financial traps in construction.


    Disclaimer:
    The views expressed here are those of the individual Coltivar Group, LLC (“Coltivar”) personnel quoted and are not the views of Coltivar or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Coltivar has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.

    This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendations. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. Please see https://www.coltivar.com/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use for additional important information.

    www.coltivar.com

    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • 122: Why a 30% Markup Won’t Get You a 30% Margin
    Jul 17 2025

    The Cash Flow Blueprint every contractor wishes they had sooner: coltivar.com/cashflow

    Most contractors think a 30% markup means a 30% margin. It doesn’t, and that mistake could be costing you tens of thousands of dollars every year. In this episode, Steve shares the simple pricing math most builders and trades miss and how it wrecks your margins without you even knowing.

    If your jobs look good in the field but leave you wondering where the money went, this one’s for you. Because getting your pricing wrong doesn’t just hurt profit, it creates a ripple effect across the entire business. Don’t let a math mistake drain your cash flow.


    Disclaimer:
    The views expressed here are those of the individual Coltivar Group, LLC (“Coltivar”) personnel quoted and are not the views of Coltivar or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Coltivar has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.

    This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendations. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. Please see https://www.coltivar.com/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use for additional important information.

    www.coltivar.com

    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
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