Time and Material Woes
By Michael StoneTime and Material contracts are full of risk, especially on larger jobs.
Investing in Your Business
By Michael StoneConstant input from others is necessary if you want to stay on top of both your business and your personal life.
Business or Charity?
By Michael StoneIf you’re a business owner and you take on a project out of the goodness of your heart, recognize that you might not get paid and you’ll be the one funding the project.
Borrowing Jacks
By Michael StoneI recently had to face what I thought would be an uncomfortable personal conversation. I fussed all morning, then went to visit the person involved.
Payment Methods
By Michael StoneI don’t think writing a check is old fashioned, but there are so many advantages to using a credit or debit card that it’s become the preferred payment method for many.
What the Future Holds
By Michael StoneIf you were a mouse in my pocket, you’d hear the complaints I hear about both general and specialty contractors who don’t answer the phone or return phone calls.
Protect Your Time
By Michael StoneSome people are used to snapping their fingers and having others jump. It’s irritating, but you have to remember that they’re writing the checks.
Clear Sales Communication; It’s Your Responsibility
By Michael StoneI want to share a recent phone conversation with a contractor concerning a problem they were having with a client.
Hiring a Salesperson
By Michael StoneI’m a firm believer in treating salespeople well. When they’re treated well, they’ll sell. When they sell, you win.
Let’s Discuss an Acceptable Hourly Rate . . .
By Michael StoneThis note is a painfully perfect example of why you shouldn’t provide details on your pricing.
About Your Exorbitant Markup . . .
By Michael StoneFrom a contractor: “I am definitely going to do a better job in pre-selecting my clients after this one.”
What You Do in Practice
By Michael StoneWe want to see contractors build stronger businesses and in the process improve the reputation of our industry.
Year-End Planning, Part 2
By Michael StoneThis is part two of our year-end planning paper. We’re going to pick this up by continuing an indepth look at your overhead budget for the coming year.
Year-End Planning, Part 1
By Michael StoneBusiness planning isn’t exciting. But the effort you put into it has much to do with the results you’ll see next year and in years to come.
Words from an Expert on Hiring Contractors
By Michael StoneA contractor sent us an online article written by a real estate investor with the purpose of educating you on “how to develop a fair relationship with your contractor.”
Protecting Yourself from the Protector
By Michael StoneI’m not a fan of working with government agencies, but some situations are unique.
Final Payments and Guarantees
By Michael StoneMany clients think they can arbitrarily change the terms of a contract and you, as the contractor, have to go along. This is why a detailed written contract is so important.
Insurance Quotes – Getting Paid
By Michael StoneInsurance work can be good business, but it can also waste your time if the insurance company is playing the three bids game.
On Politely & Confidently Qualifying Leads
By Todd MiltonA guest article: How do you avoid going out on sales calls to look at jobs for folks who obviously do not qualify to purchase from your company?
Missing the Sale
By Michael StoneIs there anything you can do about the sales you miss?
A Yardstick for Success
By Michael StoneIt’s the last Wednesday of the summer, which is a great time to look back and see how your business fared.
What Happens To Your Business If You Can’t Be There?
By Michael StoneIf you own a business, your illness or death will create business problems for your families and your employees.
Why Do You Need To Make A Profit?
By Michael StoneDon’t confuse profit with salary or hourly wages. Your business needs a profit to survive.
Promoting Your Business: The County Fair
By Michael StoneIt’s summer, and that means community gatherings for people wanting to have fun. In our area, the main event is the county fair. I’m confident there is a similar event in your area.
Cell Phones on the Jobsite
By Michael StoneI am not opposed to the use of cell phones on the jobsite as long as the phone is used solely to communicate information about the job, and the calls are direct and to the point.
Overhead Differences: New Homes and Remodeling
By Michael StoneA construction company building both new homes and remodeling needs to calculate a separate markup for each type of work.
Honest Relationships
By Michael StoneThere are always at least two sides to any scenario, but if you want to stay in business, consider this a lesson on how not to treat a subcontractor.
Taxes and Profit and Markup
By Michael StoneMichael addresses a few different questions we’ve heard recently, primarily dealing with taxes and profit and calculating your markup.
When Success Looks Impossible
By Michael StoneAfter reading our books and trying to do things right, why is he still not making any money?
Focusing On Price
By Michael Stone“The #1 reason I lose jobs is ‘your price is too high’ or ‘competitor was 15% lower.’ What am I doing wrong?”
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