Builders, Budgets, and Beers
The Builders, Budgets, and Beers Podcast is on a mission to make project financials less intimidating for commercial and residential builders. We aim to give builders the confidence to take control of their business’ cash flow by bringing on relatable guests who share real stories of financial wins and losses from their journeys in the building industry.
Produced by the team at Adaptive, this podcast is here to help builders build smarter—one budget, one story and one beer at a time.
Episodes
61 episodes
Successful Projects are Built on Clarity with PJ Antonik
Reece Barnes sits down with PJ Antonik of Oak Development to talk about the real difference between “having a gut feel” and actually knowing your job costs. PJ breaks down how he audits past projects, tightens his funnel, and uses budget vs act...
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52:52
Job Costing Mistakes That Break Trust with Joel Route
Reece Barnes sits down with Joel Route of Mark D Williams Custom Homes to talk about the real cost of messy job costing and how it wrecks trust with clients. They break down how miscoded invoices can turn into double billing, end of job surpris...
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46:51
One Bad Hire Can Break Your Culture with Paul Sanneman
Reece sits down with Paul Sanneman of Contractor Staffing Source to talk about the real cost of hiring mistakes, and why marketing and recruiting are no longer optional if you want to protect profit. They break down how AI is changing the game,...
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36:18
Protecting your Margins with Garrett Goldsberry
Reece sits down again with Garrett Goldsberry of Salt Creek Homes for round two, now that Garrett has been using Adaptive for a few months. They break down what changed after moving from Excel and QuickBooks into real job costing, and why it ma...
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44:39
Making Systems Stick with Matt Brill
Reece sits down with Matt Brill of Bauen Build to break down change management for builders, from new software to new build standards, without losing the team along the way. They talk about what actually drives buy in, how to keep craftspeople ...
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47:34
Fixed Price vs Cost Plus with Chris Kerr
Reece sits down with Chris Kerr of White Oak Home to debate fixed price versus cost plus, and what each model really means for risk, profit, and client trust. They get into the real reason fixed price feels simpler for a small team, why missing...
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49:35
WIP Reports That Tell The Truth About Profit with Miller Bradford
Reece sits down with construction bookkeeper and CFO Miller Bradford from Builder Bookkeep to talk about what WIP reports really do for builders and why they are the difference between real profit and fake profit. They dig into overbilling and ...
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1:00:56
Know Your Numbers Protect Your Margin with Shawn Van Dyke
Reece digs in with construction business coach and Profit First for Contractors author Shawn Van Dyke to show why clean job costs matter more than chasing big revenue. They walk through how Shawn helped a millwork company find its profit sweet ...
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54:03
Construction Accounting Success with Bill Mills
Bill Mills, experienced CPA specializing in construction accounting, discusses the critical role of embracing new technology, real-time financial data, and proactive tax and business management to improve profitability and decision-making for c...
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46:36
The Key to Project Success with Alex Molkentin
Alex Molkentin shares insights from his journey in the construction industry, emphasizing the importance of pre-construction as a means to set clear expectations and effectively manage project costs. The discussion highlights the value of trans...
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47:17
Systems, People, and Profit with Isabel Affinito
Isabel Affinito and Reece discuss the critical importance of having clear job descriptions, robust systems, and disciplined financial practices to drive success and minimize risks in construction businesses. They highlight the emotional challen...
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1:06:39
Building Financial Clarity with Per Pettersson
Builder and tech veteran Per Pettersson discusses how project management and financial clarity are essential for success and efficiency in the construction industry. Drawing on his experience, he shares strategies for better planning, cost trac...
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48:46
Why Most Builders Stay Stuck at $2M with Paul Atherton
Paul Atherton shares why most builders stall until they make an identity shift—from “in-the-field” carpenter to business owner—and how to use return on time vs. return on capital to scale. He breaks down hiring that first PM, simple systems, th...
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44:54
WIP, Job Costing, and Cash Flow with Andrea Gallion
Andrea Gallion shares how builders can use Work-in-Progress reporting, real-time job costing, and clean month-end processes to actually see where their projects stand and protect profit. She and Reece dig into invoices and pay apps, QuickBooks ...
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49:01
Stop Bleeding Talent
Suman Cherry shares a no-BS playbook for hiring in construction. We get into the real cost of losing A-players, the first hires that buy back your time, and how SOPs, EOS-style accountability, and regulated leadership create capacity - not chao...
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51:36
Profit by Design: CFO + CPA for Builders
Allison O’Baker and Priscilla Thomasevich share how a CFO–CPA duo helps builders organize their books, budget with intent, and protect margins. We dig into chart of accounts vs. cost codes, fixed vs. variable spend, tax levers and accounting me...
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51:19
Building a Business With Your Spouse with Cody & Kristen Dawson
Cody & Kristen Dawson share how Patriot Custom Homes grew from a COVID-era handyman hustle into a legit remodel-to-custom operation—with corporate skills, clear lanes, and real systems doing the heavy lifting. They get into the spouse-run d...
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49:21
Payroll Tax Savings Most Builders Miss
Operations pro Angie Aki joins Reece to demystify payroll tax savings, W-2 vs 1099 trade-offs, benefits that actually help retention, and the liability/insurance pieces builders overlook. We finish with a simple action plan—clean AR, right reti...
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36:40
From Grunt Work to Luxury GC
Brady Fenn shares how Fenn Rogers went from “tearing up floors” to a trusted luxury custom home builder in the Phoenix area by partnering with the right designers/architects and bidding to the actual spec, not the plan assumptions. He shares ha...
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47:17
Fixed Price vs Cost-Plus
Victor Rybak shares how he moved from “bags-on” to building systems that protect profit—covering fixed price vs cost-plus, change orders, retainers, and allowances that don’t burn you. He also breaks down the House Pro workflow for bids, select...
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56:03
Curiosity Over Ego: Specs & Real Margins
Gabe Joseph shares how getting past ego made him a better builder—leaning into curiosity, standardizing specs, and scaling without bloat. We dig into procurement, margins, architect fit, permitting, and the upstream moves that erase change orde...
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47:59
Know Your Numbers, Not Just Your Craft
Tyler Grace shares how he shifted from over-delivering to running a lean, profitable small-shop—tracking every hour, pricing for reality, and choosing lifestyle over headcount. He breaks down T&M vs cost-plus in plain English, why “good eno...
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1:17:37
Pre-Con Without the Chaos
Adam Copenhaver shares how Cope Grand scaled from small cottages to ultra-luxury builds in Charleston by systematizing pre-construction, translating “ankle-grabber” chaos into clear scopes, and making budgets readable to clients. He dives into ...
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1:14:49
Cash Flow Isn’t Profit: Job-Cost It
Trent Waldrop shares how confusing cash flow with profit can quietly sink a small builder—and why ruthless job costing is the only way to know if you’re actually making money. He breaks down moving from 75–80% cost capture to billing every line...
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52:09
You’re Flying Blind in Business (Here’s How to Fix It)
Would you jump on a plane if the pilot didn’t understand their cockpit dials? Randy Stanbury of 4 Level Coach shares how builders and remodelers can stop “flying blind” by mastering financial literacy, building systems, and creating a clear vis...
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53:21
