Why Australian Builders Need a Dedicated Business Coach for Builders Right Now
Introduction It’s Nathan Baws here. I have started 15 businesses, been on Shark Tank three times, held a Guinness World Record for sitting in ice, and still answer every single phone call and email myself. No assistants, no “client success managers”, no hand-balling you off to someone who’s never swung a hammer. If you’re reading this at 10:37 pm on a weekday because you’ve just finished reconciling last month’s retentions and realised you’re working harder than ever for less money-welcome. You’ve found the one business coach for builders who actually speaks your language. I’m writing this the way I’d talk to you over a coffee at the servo after knock-off: straight, honest, and with a bit of humour because if we can’t laugh at a 38 % jump in the price of LVLs, we’ll all cry. Key Takeaways: Let’s jump in. The Four Numbers Quietly Killing Australian Building Businesses Every week, I jump on a call with a new builder, and within ten minutes, we pull up these four numbers. Nine times out of ten, at least two of them are flashing red. Fix those four, and everything else-stress, marriage problems, Friday afternoon heart palpitations-starts sorting itself out. Why Most “Business Coaches” Are a Dangerous Waste of Money for Builders I get tagged in coaching ads daily. Shiny funnels, Lambos, “10x your business in 90 days”. Mate, if someone tells you they can 10x a building company in 90 days, run. The only thing that grows that fast is a variation claim from a difficult architect. A genuine business coach for builders has dirt under their fingernails (even if it’s metaphorical these days). They know what a PC sum is. They know why you can’t just “raise your prices 20 % tomorrow”. They’ve personally signed the front of a payroll tax cheque when it bounced. The Cash-Flow Fix That Actually Works Here’s the one that changed everything for a volume builder I work with in South-East Queensland. Old way: Invoice on the 25th → paid (maybe) on the 20th of the following month → 10 % retention held for 12 months → average debtor days 68. New way we implemented in one afternoon: Result: Debtor days dropped from 68 to 31. Cash in bank went from $42k to $229k in nine months. Same turnover, way less stress. Pricing Jobs in 2025–26 (The Formula I Use With Every Client) Material costs are still jumping, labour is tight, and insurance is through the roof. Here’s the formula we now use: Direct job costs × 1.62 (residential) or × 1.45 (commercial) = minimum tender price (That markup gives you 38 % GP residential or 26 % commercial before overheads) Then add contingency: 5 % wet weather buffer (QLD/NSW summer) 3–4 % for latent conditions on renos 2 % for “client changes mind” tax One of my Sydney clients thought he was being “greedy” quoting this way. Twelve months later he’s turning over the same dollars with half the jobs and banking triple the profit. The First Five Questions I Ask Every New Client If you can’t answer those quickly and confidently, we’ve already found the starting point. Marketing That Works When You Hate Marketing You don’t need dancing videos. You need phone calls. Three things that never fail: A chippy in Tamworth I work with gets 70 % of his work from past clients and referrals. Zero dollars spent on advertising last year. Building a Team That Stays A Good business coach for builders is rare. When you find one, lock them in. What actually works: I’ve got clients who haven’t lost a decent worker in three years using that exact recipe. The Sustainability Conversation (It’s Not Going Away) Clients are now asking for 7-star ratings before they’ve even chosen a builder. The ones who fight it are the ones who’ll be playing catch-up in 2028. Start with the easy wins: One of my Central Coast clients now brands himself “Future-Ready Homes” and charges a 10–14 % premium. He’s booked out until September 2026. When You Know It’s Time You’re ready for a proper business coach for builders when: If that’s you, let’s talk. Conclusion I didn’t get into coaching because I love Zoom calls. I got into it because I’m sick of seeing good trades people and sheilas who can actually build-go broke, or burn out. After all, no one ever taught them the business side. Everything I teach comes from doing it myself: the wins and the stuff-ups. If you want someone who’s going to shoot straight, call you out when you’re the bottleneck, and help you build a business that eventually runs without you being on the tools 70 hours a week, I’m your man as a business coach for builders. Visit my website at https://nathanbaws.com/ and let’s have a 15-minute chat. FAQs Do I have to be making millions to work with you as a business coach for builders? No. I’ve got clients with turnover from $700k right through to $38 million. The sweet spot is usually $1.2–$8 million because that’s when the problems are big enough to hurt but small enough for us to fix them fast. How much does a business coach for builders actually cost? Depends on what you need. Some blokes just do a one-day intensive with me ($4,800 + GST) and walk away with everything they need. Others want ongoing support-usually $2,500–$4,000 a month. We work it out on the first call. No locked-in contracts longer than three months. I’m busy. How do I find time for a business coach for builders? That’s the whole point. Most clients free up 15–25 hours a week within the first 90 days by getting rid of the extras they shouldn’t be doing. Can you help if we’re a husband-and-wife team and she does the books? Love those setups. Half of my best results are husband-and-wife teams who finally start speaking the same language about money. What if I’m in the middle of nowhere-Alice Springs, Burnie, Weipa?









