How to Not Hire Me as a Coach (And Still Build a Construction Business That Prints Profit)

By Liz Chism

Introduction: Why This Isn’t Your Typical Coaching Pitch

Most coaching blog posts sound like infomercials: “Hire me and your problems will disappear.” But if you’re here hoping for that, you’re in the wrong place.

Because I’m not here to sell you on coaching.

I’m here to tell you how not to hire me—and still win.

See, I’ve spent years helping contractors simplify, scale, and stop working 80-hour weeks just to keep the doors open. And what I’ve learned is this: There are a few levers that, if pulled correctly, can change everything for a construction business—even if you never hire a coach.

But here’s the catch.

Most contractors don’t do these things. Not because they’re not smart. Not because they’re not capable. But because they’re stuck in firefighting mode, putting out daily fires instead of installing fire prevention systems.

So today, I’m going to walk you through the three exact strategies that have helped my clients 10x their profits, reclaim their time, and build companies that don’t revolve around them.

Implement these, and you might never need me.

Ignore them? You’ll probably stay stuck.

1. The Hidden Growth Strategy: Simplify Your Services to Multiply Profit

One of the biggest myths in construction business growth is that more services lead to more revenue. It feels logical: if you offer kitchens, bathrooms, decks, garages, and ADUs, you have more opportunities to land jobs, right?

Not exactly.

Here’s the reality I’ve seen after working with hundreds of contractors: more services create more chaos. Each service offering requires its own workflow, its own set of tools, its own set of skilled labor, and its own set of problems. It stretches your team thin, scatters your focus, and complicates everything from estimating to execution.

Case in Point: The Overloaded Remodeler

One remodeling contractor I coached offered it all—kitchens, baths, sunrooms, basements, and the occasional full-home renovation. His calendar was full, his phone was ringing, but his profit margins were razor thin, and he was constantly overwhelmed.

When we dug into the numbers, we discovered a goldmine: bathrooms were consistently producing the highest margin with the least friction.

Why? They were:

• Smaller in scope (less risk)

• Highly repeatable

• Easier to systemize and delegate

• Completed faster, which improved cash flow

So, we made the bold move: eliminate everything else and go all-in on bathrooms.

Within months:

• His sales process was streamlined.

• Estimates got faster and more accurate.

• The crew became experts at their work.

• Customer satisfaction skyrocketed.

• Profits jumped.

Trying to Grow While Juggling Too Much?

Trying to grow a multi-service contracting company is like trying to bench press five barbells at the same time. You can’t focus. You’ll drop something. And in business, what you drop could cost you tens of thousands in mistakes, rework, or lost clients.

When you simplify, you can focus all your time, training, marketing, and systems on one service. This creates momentum, which multiplies results.

Another Example: The Pool Contractor Who Ditched Pools

A landscaping contractor offered hardscapes, pools, pergolas, and custom outdoor kitchens. On paper, pools looked lucrative—$100K projects! But beneath the surface?

• Permitting nightmares

• Sub delays

• Insurance complications

• Client complaints

• Profit margins of 10% (at best)

Meanwhile, the decks and kitchens were bringing in 30%+ margins, had shorter timelines, and were much easier to manage.

They dropped pools. The stress evaporated. Profits surged.

Your Tactical To-Do List:

1. Pull financial data from the last 6 months.

2. Break down gross profit % by project type.

3. Identify which jobs brought in the most profit with the least chaos.

4. Simplify your offerings. Eliminate what drags you down.

5. Build repeatable SOPs for your highest-performing service.

6. Market only that service. Watch your business scale.

When You Simplify, You Multiply

Simplicity is your secret weapon. It sharpens your sales pitch, clarifies your marketing message, accelerates your production, and makes your systems easier to follow.

Want to systemize your construction business without losing your mind? Start by doing less, better.

2. Know Your Numbers (No, Not Just What’s on Your P&L)

Most contractors think they have a grip on their numbers because they check their Profit & Loss (P&L) statement once a month.

Here’s the truth: your P&L is a history book. It tells you what happened—not what’s happening, and certainly not what’s coming. If you’re only looking at your P&L, you’re making decisions like a rearview mirror driver.

To grow a construction business that prints profit, you need forward-facing numbers. The kind of data that tells you how efficient, effective, and profitable your operations really are.

The Illusion of “No Marketing Spend”

I worked with a contractor who swore they didn’t spend a dime on marketing.

But when we actually listed out what they were doing, we found:

• Monthly lunches with architects and designers

• Branded truck wraps

• Yard signs

• Apparel for the crew

• Sponsoring a local little league team

They were absolutely spending money—it just wasn’t tracked. And because it was all buried in “Overhead,” they couldn’t calculate their true Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC).

Once we tracked everything and connected it to the number of leads and clients generated, we uncovered which methods actually worked—and which were a waste of cash. That shift alone increased their net profit by over $75K that year.

The Real Numbers That Matter

Here are the five key metrics you should track religiously:

1. Estimate Conversion Rate

   • Formula: Estimates Closed ÷ Total Estimates Given

   • Why it matters: Improving this without increasing leads = instant profit boost.

2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

   • Formula: Total Marketing Spend ÷ New Clients Acquired

   • Why it matters: Shows how efficient your lead generation is.

3. Average Job Size

   • Why it matters: Small jobs eat your time without moving the needle.

4. Gross Profit Per Job

   • Formula: Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

   • Include: Materials, subs, labor.

5. Net Profit (After Owner Pay)

   • This is the real number that matters.

   • If your business can’t pay you and still make a profit, you don’t own a business—you own a job.

Metaphor: Looking Back Doesn’t Help You Steer

Imagine checking your speed only after you’ve passed a cop. Too late, right? That’s what relying on your P&L is like.

You need to see your real-time dashboard if you want to make proactive decisions.

What You Should Do Right Now:

• Build a spreadsheet with:

  • Job Name

  • Revenue

  • Direct Costs

  • Time to Complete

• Add columns for margin %, CAC, conversion rate

• Track weekly or monthly

• Make business decisions from that data—not gut instinct

When you know your numbers, you stop guessing and start optimizing. That’s how contractors go from scraping by to building a cash-rich company that runs without them.

3. Don’t Just Hire Hands—Build a Team of Revenue Generators

Hiring is one of the most expensive decisions you’ll make as a contractor. Yet most hiring is done in survival mode—“We’re drowning. Let’s bring someone in to help.”

Unfortunately, help isn’t helpful if it doesn’t produce results.

A new hire should do one of two things:

1. Generate revenue directly (like a salesperson or estimator)

2. Support revenue creation (like a PM, admin, or crew lead)

If they’re not doing either, they’re not a good investment.

The Project Manager Problem

One client of mine had a project manager who could order materials like a champ—but he couldn’t schedule jobs, manage teams, or lead a project to completion.

As a result:

• Jobs were constantly delayed

• Team turnover was high

• The owner had to step back in constantly

We got honest. We wrote a clear job description focused on measurable outcomes:

• On-time job completion

• Low crew turnover

• High subcontractor satisfaction

• Zero rework

This PM didn’t make the cut.

The replacement did. In 12 months, that one hire saved over $200K in rework, delays, and callbacks.

Metaphor: A Football Team with No Positions

Hiring without defined roles is like recruiting a football team and never telling anyone what position they play. Everyone’s on the field—but no one’s scoring touchdowns.

You need clear outcomes, accountability, and ROI for every role.

Here’s What to Do Instead:

1. Define the Role Internally First

   • Don’t write job ads first. Write an internal job scorecard.

   • Ask: “What does success in this role look like 90 days from now?”

2. Set ROI Expectations

   • Every hire should produce 2x their cost in value by Day 90.

   • Long-term goal: 4x ROI per team member.

3. Hire Slow, Train Smart

   • Use question-based SOPs to onboard and empower.

   • Let them think—not just follow a checklist.

4. Audit Your Team

   • Who is moving the business forward?

   • Who is coasting?

   • Who is actively costing you money?

What Makes a Revenue-Generating Hire?

• Salespeople = obvious revenue drivers

• Admins = free up your time to sell more

• PMs = keep jobs on time and on margin

• Foremen = reduce waste, train new hires

• Customer Service = increase repeat and referral revenue

Hiring is Not Just Plugging Holes—It’s Multiplying Growth

If you treat hiring as “throwing bodies at the problem,” you’ll burn cash and slow down. But if you hire with clarity and ROI in mind, your team becomes the growth engine of your company.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need a Coach—You Need Clarity

Let’s recap the big 3:

• Simplify your services

• Know your true numbers

• Hire based on ROI, not just need

If you do these three things, you’re ahead of 90% of the industry.

But if you need help turning them into action, that’s where The Contractor’s Roundtable comes in. It’s where you get the systems, support, and strategies I’ve used to help contractors get their lives back—without burning down their business.

Want to scale your construction business without losing your sanity?
Let’s build your version of freedom. Head to lizchism.com/program to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can I really grow my construction business without hiring a coach?

Yes—but it requires serious discipline and implementation. This blog outlines three core levers (simplify services, know your numbers, and hire based on ROI) that I’ve used to help contractors scale. Most won’t follow through without support, but it can be done solo with intentional focus and execution.

2. How do I figure out which services I should simplify or eliminate?

Start by reviewing the last 3–6 months of completed jobs. Calculate the gross profit and operational complexity for each job type. The ideal service is high-profit, low-headache, and systemizable. That’s the one you want to double down on.

3. What are the most important numbers I should track in my construction business?

Beyond your P&L, focus on:

• Estimate conversion rate

• Customer acquisition cost

• Average job size

• Gross profit per job

• Net profit after paying yourself

These numbers tell the true story of where your business is headed—and what’s holding it back.

4. How do I know if an employee is a revenue generator or just overhead?

Ask: “Are they directly or indirectly contributing to more revenue or higher profit?”

If the answer is unclear, that’s a red flag. Define clear success metrics for every role. A good rule of thumb: each hire should deliver 2x their cost in value by Day 90.

5. Why is simplifying services such a big deal? Isn’t more better?

More services create more complexity, more staffing needs, more tools, more SOPs, and more ways for things to go wrong. Contractors who scale profitably do so by narrowing their focus—not expanding it.

6. I’ve written SOPs before, but nothing changed. Why?

You likely created “statement-based” SOPs instead of outcome-driven, question-based ones. SOPs must create clarity, not just checklists. I teach this method in my programs and workshops, and it’s one of the biggest game-changers for contractor operations.

7. What if I want to do this—but I don’t have time?

That’s exactly why most contractors stay stuck. They’re reacting, not leading. If you don’t make time to fix the systems, you’ll always be fixing the symptoms. Coaching, like what I offer in The Contractor’s Roundtable, creates accountability and clarity so implementation doesn’t fall through the cracks.

8. What’s the Contractor’s Roundtable, and how does it help?

It’s my group coaching program built specifically for contractors who are ready to simplify, scale, and get their lives back. We work on real numbers, create clear systems, and install accountability across your team. Learn more at lizchism.com/program.