BUSINESS RESOURCES FOR CONTRACTORS
Owning a construction business can be hard. Thankfully, we live in the age of information, and there are plenty of resources available to help guide you in different aspects of your business. Here I have compiled some resources so you don't have to go hunting for them. This will be a living page, so check back for updates!
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I've done my best to divide the list by general topics. Since some resources touch on more than one topic, you may see duplicates. Also, since I am a roofer, there will be some roofing-specific resources. That being said, I would still recommend for you to look at them because there's always something to be learned from other trades and even industries.
GENERAL BUSINESS
SBA
FREE general business information from planning to launching to managing and growing.
Website, Courses
Score
FREE general business information. They have lots of workshops and you can even work with a mentor as you create your business plan, take your first steps, and plan for growth.
Website, Webinar
Nolo Books
Their books have lots of great content at a very low cost and they are written in plain English. I highly recommend their books relating to taxes, small businesses, and law...ok so that might be all their books lol. They really are that good.
Book
NASCLA Business, Law, and Project Management
This is a great way to get general AND state-specific high level considerations in the areas of entity type, finances, taxes, management, and laws as they apply to construction businesses at a very low cost. There's not a lot of fluff, so you can learn a lot in a short time. I HIGHLY recommend reading the book that applies to your state.
Book
OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT
NASCLA Business, Law, and Project Management
This is a great way to get general AND state-specific high level considerations in the areas of entity type, finances, taxes, management, and laws as they apply to construction businesses at a very low cost. There's not a lot of fluff, so you can learn a lot in a short time. I HIGHLY recommend reading the book that applies to your state.
Book
Clockwork
Mike Michalowicz has a book for just about everything in your business. This one is about becoming more efficient so that you can step away without things falling apart, so your business can run like clockwork.
Book
TAXES & FINANCES
NASCLA Business, Law, and Project Management
This is a great way to get general AND state-specific high level considerations in the areas of entity type, finances, taxes, management, and laws as they apply to construction businesses at a very low cost. There's not a lot of fluff, so you can learn a lot in a short time. I HIGHLY recommend reading the book that applies to your state.
Book
YNAB
It's true that YNAB is generally used for budgeting finances, but it can be very effective for businesses as well. If you have trouble managing money, not only can it be a game changer, it can be a LIFE changer, and it is very reasonably priced. They have free webinars and great YouTube content to show you how to use YNAB and be successful with budgeting.
Software, Podcast, YouTube
Profit First
I think most people in the business realm have heard of the Profit First system, and with good reason. Many business owners pay themselves last. The principles of the Profit First system can retrain you to get a proper view of your financials.
Book
Tax Savvy for Small Business
This is a well-rounded book for anyone who owns a small business to gain general knowledge about business structure, tax deductions, and even how to deal with the IRS if you're in the hot seat. If you're only going to purchase one Nolo book, this is the most comprehensive.
Book
Taxpayer's Guide to LLC's and S Corps
If you want to dive deep into the LLC vs S Corp topic, this is the book for you. It's actually not a boring read. It is written in plain English and there is enough humor sprinkled throughout to keep you entertained. If you have already made the S Corp election, reading this book can help you to run your finances properly and benefit from the election.
Book
IRS: Independent Contractor vs Employee
I felt it necessary to include this specific topic because it comes up so much in construction businesses. In addition to the IRS' guidelines, please also check with your state's Department of Labor, since their criteria may be more stringent regarding who is a contractor vs an employee.
Website
Contractor's Keeper LLC Blog
We create bite-sized content for quick, easy reads regarding tax and finance topics related to construction businesses. Most of our blog posts also include video for those who prefer not to read.
Website
SALES & MARKETING
Business Made Simple Podcast
One of my all time favorite podcasts. There is a ton to be learned no matter what business you are in. The most valuable thing you will gain is being able to simplify your message and becoming clear on what it is that you do. If you want to dive deeper, they have a course at businessmadesimple.com that's only $275/year.
Podcast
Social Media Marketing Podcast
If you want to stay up to date with what's going on in the social media world, this is a great weekly podcast to listen to for any business owner or marketer.
Podcast
ROOFING BUSINESS
Roofing Insights
For literally everything roofing, this is the place to go. Dmitry talks about everything from roofing products to running a roofing business to sales and marketing, and everything in between. If you enjoy the content, seriously consider going to Roofing Process Conference too.
YouTube, Courses
Business411
They literally have training manuals for residential and commercial roofing as well as for getting SOP's in place. If you need help with branding and creating printed materials, this is the place to go.
Website
Nailed It! The Business of Construction
I like this podcast, because Joseph is very down to earth, and the focus is not just on the financial growth, but also personal growth. While the focus is on roofers, any construction business owner can learn from the topics covered. Contractor Dynamics also offers marketing training.
Courses, Podcast, Coaching
The Roofing Success Podcast
"On each episode, Jim will be sitting down with industry leaders to talk about their processes, the lessons they learned, and how to find success in roofing." Even though this podcast is for roofers, other trades can also benefit from the discussions. Also, take note of their brand consistency.
Podcast, Coaching
The Roofing Machine
What I appreciate about this book is the granularity and realistic viewpoint on building a team in your roofing business as you reach different stages. You can also take advantage of Reeva Impact conferences and coaching if you're looking to scale quickly.
Book, Coaching