A Simple Guide to Turning a Profit as a Contractor

Book excerpt: This is the book you should have bought the day you decided you could make more money running a construction company than banging nails for somebody else. It provides you with the answers to those business questions that plague contractors: what am I doing wrong and what's stopping me from making the money that I deserve? You'll meet Mike, a remodeler who thought he owned a business but actually had a low-paying job. Many contractors start out like Mike. This book, in a very simple and easy to understand way, follows Mike as he learns to understand his numbers, adopts new systems, and creates a repeatable process for profit. "Every contractor should read this book. It is the first and only book that makes the numbers game easy to understand, but, more importantly, easy to incorporate into a contractor's business. Bravo!" - Shawn McCadden, CR, CLC, CAPS, award-winning remodeler, columnist, and nationally recognized remodeling industry specialist. "The authors have distilled many of the mysteries of the small-business person who can no longer manage the business by quick thinking and fast actions." - Mike Gorman, CR, construction industry author and speaker. "Contractors love a good story, and that's what they get. All of the basics are covered, including cash flow analysis, distinguishing job costs from overhead expenses, and calculating mark-up." - Sal Alfano, Editorial Director, Hanley Wood Business Media. Melanie Hodgdon (Business Systems Management, Inc.) and Leslie Shiner, MBA (The ShinerGroup) both manage successful consulting and coaching companies. With over 40 years combined experience, they help contractors better understand and improve business practices and maximize profits. In 2007, they began to work on a series of joint projects that would capitalize on their combined talents. This book is one product of that collaboration.