Bidding more work doesn’t guarantee better results. This article explores why many contractors feel stuck in the low-bid grind—and how clarity, discipline, and relationship-building can shift the focus from chasing volume to winning the right work at the right margin.

Earlier this month, I spoke to a 20-something Estimating Manager who aced the numbers but froze when it came to leading people. She wasn’t sure how to get buy-in, hold her team accountable, or even know if folks wanted to follow her—and the anxiety was real. The good news? Three foundational practices—caring about your people, being authentically you, and simply doing your best—will help any new leader turn that fear into genuine confidence and start building a team that thrives.

In today’s construction world, digital-native Millennials and Gen Z are stepping into leadership roles as the Old School builders—Gen X and Boomers—retire, creating a critical skills gap. Discover why the future of your business depends on fusing hands-on field expertise with tech-savvy management, and how mentoring, servant-leadership training, and field-first onboarding can bridge generations and build lasting growth.

Impostor syndrome holds back more construction leaders than you’d think—and it’s killing their strategy.
Learn the 3 mindset shifts that help owners dream bigger, lead bolder, and finally get out of their own way.

Being tapped for an Executive role is exhilarating—and terrifying. You’ll work harder than you ever have, face self-doubt at every turn, and learn that true leadership means staying flexible in the face of change and speaking up when it matters. Nail those two habits—grace under pressure and a willingness to voice your ideas—and you’ll not only survive your promotion, you’ll thrive in it. Go get it!

Contractors: build a simple 1-year strategic plan in under 4 hours—craft your Vision, set realistic financial targets, sketch your org chart, plan hires, and define quarterly priorities for immediate impact.

The answer to every strategic question is simple: it depends on what you want. When you know your true goal—whether it’s staying small and profitable or growing into an industry giant—your path becomes clear.

Figure out how you win. It’s not enough to start a business. It’s not enough to say you’re different and better than your competition. You have to actually be different…

To me, the foundational element is care. Care is your ability to put the interests of others at the front of your mind. You are not focused solely on what is best for you.

In this series, I hope to help you, subcontractors, who want to increase your win rate. I also want to help general contractors understand what their subcontractors go through when pursuing a project.  

If you want to thrive in this environment, you must have an extremely well defined sales system in place. One where you walk clients down the path to partnership and it ends with them naturally wanting to negotiate…

…sometimes owners are extremely understanding as to why you’d want to award a subcontractor with a higher bid—they just need to really understand why it makes sense.

…the GC’s agreement with the owner greatly matters. Subcontractors can gain a competitive advantage by being smart about it…

…I never considered how a GC’s Agreement with the owner might change how we bid and win projects. In my mind, it didn’t matter!

….a 10%-20% win rate just isn’t enough! 

The more you can create a culture of gratitude, the more your people will start thinking about WE instead of I.

…business development is a key responsibility for almost every position because without finding and securing new projects, there’s no work to bill.

Every time you create, you express yourself deeply—no matter what it is that you’re creating.

In short, too many leadership teams manage through rules and authority…

If you are able to respond professionally and keep your team focused, you will avoid problems, prove that you are not like other contractors, and everyone will be a lot happier.