What: Construction Business Basics is a 12-week online course that covers all the essentials of running a construction business. With a focus on the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, and Prosperity), our facilitators help business owners assess where their company is today, create a vision for the future, and take action to make their business more efficient, productive, and profitable.
Who: Construction Business Basics is designed for small business owners and members of the management team who are looking for a solid grounding in the basics of running a successful construction business.
Why: Operating and developing a resilient residential construction business requires business skills that a builder well-versed in the production of houses doesn’t necessarily have. We developed the Construction Business Basics as an introduction to the most frequently asked questions we get from our consulting clients, in a format that allows us to share the knowledge and resources we’ve gained over the years with multiple companies simultaneously.
Agenda
Session 1: Your Business Vision, Mission, Principles
Session 2: Your Leadership Style & Your Vision
Session 3: Financial Planning & Reporting
Session 4: Sales & Pre-Construction
Session 5: Pre-Construction Phases
Session 6: Project Management Responsibilities & Strategies
Session 7: Estimating
Session 8: Job Cost Accounting
Session 9: Building Your Team – Hiring & Onboarding
Session 10: Operating Budget
Session 11: Communicating Your Vision
Session 12: Small Group Presentations
Presenters
Tia Garcia, Kate Stephenson, Paul Eldrenkamp
What to Expect
Sessions will be held weekly via Zoom, every Tuesday from February 4th through April 22nd from 3:00-5:00 pm. We ask that all participants plan to join the Zoom session 5 minutes before the scheduled start time so we can begin promptly.
Each session will be 2 hours long, with a combination of presentation, small group discussion, and Q&A. Each weekly Zoom session is paired with a homework assignment to help you apply what you are learning to your own business and develop your vision and action plan. Each homework assignment will take roughly one and half hours to complete.
At the end of the 12-week Basics series you will have:
A 5-year vision for your business, with goals and actions to get you started
A 2025 operating budget template to calculate the target gross profit margin for your business
Access to the HELM Resource Library, with articles specifically curated for construction business owners and templates to help you manage your business activities and improve your performance
Recordings and presentation materials from the Basics sessions for future reference
A personalized one-on-one session with one of HELM’s business consultants
Registration: $2,800 for up to three people per company
Accessibility: We offer closed-captioning and simultaneous interpretation upon request. Please email us if you need any accommodations to participate fully in the course.
Solidarity Scholarships: Scholarships available to participants from businesses owned by Black and Indigenous people, People of Color, Immigrants, LGBTQIA folks, and Women. Apply Now.
Tuition Assistance:
Massachusetts: 100% Tuition reimbursement is available for MA-based companies through the Workforce Training Fund Express Program.
Vermont: 50% Tuition reimbursement is available for VT-based companies through the Vermont Training Program.
Other States may have funding you can apply to this training as well.