The Cash Flow Contractor
Each episode, Khalil and Martin will discuss different topics, strategies, and quick wins that can transform your business. We’ll also talk to with industry leaders from all different areas of contracting to discuss what it takes to become a Cash Flow Contractor. Listen, subscribe, and download free educational resources linked in the show notes.
285 - From Cabinet Painting to Design-Build: A 9-Year Journey to Scaling 3 Companies with Amy Hayes
Ever wondered how to transform a simple service business into a thriving design-build company? In this episode, Amy Hayes shares her remarkable 9-year journey from painting cabinets as a mother-daughter summer project to scaling three successful companies, including her $3.5M design-build firm. Her story proves that with determination and the right mindset, you can build something extraordinary without formal industry experience.
284 - Building Kanban Boards with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 3)
Ever felt overwhelmed trying to track multiple jobs across your business? In this final installment of our three-part series on business function charts, Khalil and Martin demonstrate how to build a practical Kanban board system that gives you instant visibility into your sales pipeline. Learn how to transform your workflow chart into a visual tracking system that shows you exactly where your deals stand, without requiring technical expertise.
283 - Building Your Business Function Chart with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts (Part 2)
Struggling to visualize how your business actually functions? In this practical follow-up episode, Martin and Khalil demonstrate how to create comprehensive business function charts using AI tools like Claude. Learn how to map out your entire sales process, identify sub-functions, define core activities, and transform chaotic operations into clear, manageable systems for your contracting business.
282 - Are You Losing Money on Every Service Call?
What if you could immediately add 10-20% to your bottom line without changing your sales strategy? In this eye-opening conversation with cost management expert Duane Deason, you'll discover why most businesses unknowingly waste thousands in unnecessary expenses and how implementing a simple cost management system can transform your profitability. Perfect for contractors who feel the cash flow squeeze but don't know where to start cutting costs.
281 - Are You Wasting 20% of Your Business Budget? with Duane Deason
What if you could immediately add 10-20% to your bottom line without changing your sales strategy? In this eye-opening conversation with cost management expert Duane Deason, you'll discover why most businesses unknowingly waste thousands in unnecessary expenses and how implementing a simple cost management system can transform your profitability. Perfect for contractors who feel the cash flow squeeze but don't know where to start cutting costs.
280 - Mapping Your Workflows with AI: A Guide to Business Function Charts
Khalil and Martin kick off a new series on building business function charts—starting with the foundational step: mapping your workflows. Using a real-world example from Martin’s sprinkler company, they walk through how to visualize your business processes, identify bottlenecks, and turn chaos into clarity. By learning to map how work actually flows through your operations, contractors and small business owners can improve communication, streamline execution, and lay the groundwork for scalable systems.
279 - Buying the Business You Work For: Turning Experience into Ownership with Shaun Sykes
Discover how 29-year-old Shaun Sykes transformed from a labor worker dragging brush to the proud owner of Arbor Image, a thriving tree care company. In this revealing conversation, Shaun shares the exact systems that allowed him to cut $47,000 in monthly overhead, increase gross profit margins from 40% to over 60%, and structure a successful ownership transition—all while making both clients and team members happier.
278 - Maximize Your Contractor Business Sale: How Private Equity Values What You've Built with Christian Olson
Wondering if your contractor business is ready to sell for top dollar? In this eye-opening conversation with investment banker Christian Olson from Footprint Capital, we uncover why 7 out of 10 business owners accept offers without knowing their true value - potentially leaving millions on the table. Learn exactly how to position your business for maximum value with a private equity buyer.
277 - Planning Your Exit: Building a Business That Doesn’t Need You with Aaron Mills
Want to build a construction business that runs without you? In this episode, Aaron Mills shares how accurate financials and strategic systems can transform your company from owner-dependent to highly valuable and sellable. Learn how one electrical contractor grew from $30M to $90M in four years while the owner reduced his involvement from 60 hours to just a few hours per week.
276 - The #1 Mistake Contractors Make When Hiring (and How to Build a Team That Stays) with Ryan Englin
Discover why your hiring struggles might be a marketing problem, not an HR issue. Ryan Englin of Core Matters shares how treating recruitment as a marketing activity transforms your ability to attract and retain quality talent. Learn practical strategies to build a team that stays without constantly fighting the revolving door of employees that plagues many contractors.
275 - Get the Most Out of Your Team: Daily Huddles, Employee Incentives & Smart Software Tips
Struggling to maximize your team's productivity? In this practical episode, Khalil and Martin share proven strategies for getting the most from your employees—from implementing effective morning huddles to smart incentives that actually work. Discover how simple changes to your team management approach can dramatically improve productivity and morale without requiring constant supervision.
274 - Finding Your Financial Independence Number with Chad Hufford
Is your business building your wealth, or just funding your lifestyle? In this eye-opening conversation with financial advisor Chad Hufford, we break down how contractors can define their "target number" for financial independence and create a clear path to achieve it—without sacrificing the present. Discover practical strategies to build wealth both inside and outside your business.
273 - Setting Clear Employee Expectations: What's The Minimum vs. What Drives Success
In this candid discussion, Martin and Khalil tackle the frustrating challenge of employees who do the bare minimum versus those who go above and beyond. They explore how contractors can set clear expectations, build a performance-driven culture, and address the difficult conversations most business owners avoid. Whether your team is underperforming or you're struggling with how to promote the right people, this episode delivers practical strategies for building a team that cares about your business as much as you do.
272 - Stop Juggling Everything: How Contractors Can Buy Back Their Time with John Nieuwenburg
Business coach John Nieuwenburg reveals how contractors can escape day-to-day overwhelm by delegating low-value tasks and focusing on true leadership. You'll discover practical strategies for identifying what you should stop doing, creating time for high-impact work, and building a reliable talent bench—all without adding more hours to your already packed schedule.
271 - What If You Could Double Profits Without Doubling Your Effort? with Todd Hagopian
Todd Hagopian shares his revolutionary Hypomanic Operational Turnaround (HOT) system that transformed multiple businesses in just 6-12 months. Developed after his bipolar diagnosis, this powerful methodology helps businesses break free from stagnation by implementing aggressive 80/20 strategies, continuous improvement cycles, and transformation team building—all without requiring superhuman effort.
270 - Stop Losing Sales: The 7 Principles of Persuasion Every Contractor Should Know with Tara Landes
Discover how to ethically influence clients and team members using Robert Cialdini's seven principles of persuasion. Guest Tara Landes, a certified Cialdini trainer and business systems expert, breaks down these powerful psychological triggers that can transform your sales process, pricing strategy, and company culture. Learn how small, strategic changes in your communication can lead to significant improvements in customer acquisition and team engagement.
269 - Fix Your Fuzzy Vision: A Vision/Traction Organizer Walkthrough
In this practical episode, Khalil & Martin break down the Vision/Traction Organizer (VTO) from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), sharing how Growth Kits is implementing this powerful framework. Whether you have a fuzzy business vision or struggle communicating it to your team, this actionable walkthrough provides contractors with a structured approach to clarify direction, align team efforts, and create accountability systems that drive freedom.
268 - Stop Working IN Your Business - Ask These 10 Questions Instead
In this thought-provoking episode, Martin and Khalil explore the 10 least asked questions business owners should be asking themselves. These powerful questions challenge contractors to shift from working in their business to working on it, helping you gain clarity, improve profitability, and reduce stress in your operations.
267 - Dangers of DIY: Why Doing Everything Yourself Will Kill Your Business
Think doing everything yourself is saving your business money? It might be costing you way more than you think. Martin shares real stories of business owners who learned the hard way why DIY isn’t always the smart move.
266 - The Cash Flow Mistake Killing Businesses
Plenty of businesses go under while showing a profit—and it all comes down to one deadly cash flow mistake. Martin reveals how money slips through the cracks, why your profit isn't the whole story, and what you can do to stop the bleed before it’s too late.

