If you’re leading a trades or construction business and it still relies on you for every decision, every fix, every “quick question”, you don’t have a team problem. You’ve got an operating system problem.

In this episode of Built. Trusted. Chosen., I sat down with David Forster (Dave) to unpack what it really takes to scale a trades business without burning out. We talked about the messy early days (hiring with no training plan, the box of receipts at tax time, and the temptation to buy gear before the numbers make sense), and the turning point where systems, SOPs, and decision frameworks stop being “extra work” and start becoming freedom.

You’ll take away:

• Why grit gets you to the first milestone, but structure gets you beyond it
• How to slow down and train properly so you stop doing everything yourself
• Simple ways to capture SOPs (written steps, screen recordings, job-site videos)
• How decision filters reduce owner bottlenecks and constant firefighting
• Why you should expect turnover and build onboarding that survives it
• Dave’s 3D Decision Loop: Diagnose, Decide, Direction (then commit and move)

Guest: David Forster
Dave is the founder of Systems Over Sweat, helping trades and home service leaders build decision frameworks, SOPs, and scalable operations. He’s also a senior operator in the landscaping world and brings real, lived experience from building and selling multiple service businesses.

https://systemsoversweat.com
https://www.instagram.com/officialdavidforster/

Host: Wes Towers (Uplift 360)
Wes helps trades and construction companies grow with websites that convert and content that builds trust. Built. Trusted. Chosen. is where he pulls back the curtain with operators and leaders on what actually works, so you can build a business that runs smoother, sells easier, and doesn’t rely on you for everything.

https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.?
Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

AI is flooding the market with “good enough” marketing. For trades and home service businesses, that makes it harder than ever to stand out and get chosen.

In this episode, I sat down with Kyle Bailey to unpack why storytelling is no longer optional for contractors, trade businesses, and home service owners who want to stay visible as search and AI evolve. We talked about how story connects directly to the sales process, how to audit your core values (including the uncomfortable bits), and how to weave your story through your website, content, team, and day-to-day operations so it actually feels real.

You’ll take away:

• Why marketing breaks when it’s not connected to the sales process
• How to use story to differentiate when everyone offers “the same service”
• A practical core values audit: you, your team, your best customers, plus the “negative gaps”
• Kyle’s “osmosis” approach to weaving story into every page and touchpoint
• How to use AI for the framework, while keeping the human element competitors can’t copy
• What it means to make your story operational, and how to collect feedback without bias

Guest - Kyle Bailey

Kyle is the owner of Front Burner Marketing in Austin, Texas, where he helps home service business owners communicate clearly and connect their brand to the real sales process. He’s also the author of an upcoming book titled What’s Your Story?

Guest links:
• https://frontburnermarketing.net/

Host - Wes Towers

I’m the founder of Uplift 360, a digital agency that helps trades, construction, and home service businesses be found, trusted, and chosen online. We build high-performing websites and run Search Everywhere Optimisation so your message stays consistent across Google, AI-driven search, and the places people actually make decisions. If this episode resonated, you’ll probably like how we work: we help you clarify your positioning, turn your story into practical website and content messaging, and align marketing with the real sales process so leads come in clearer, warmer, and easier to convert.

Want to connect with Uplift 360?
• https://uplift360.com.au/

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here:
• https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/

In construction, growth can look incredible right up until cash flow collapses. You can be flat out, fully booked, and still get sunk by payment terms, big material outlays, and poor forecasting.

In this episode, I sat down with Dustin Young, a fractional CFO who helps construction companies build financial clarity, stronger cash flow, and more predictable profitability so owners can scale without the stress. He partners with subcontractors and general contractors to put the right numbers, systems, and decision-making in place before growth creates avoidable problems.

We unpacked the cash-flow traps that quietly break contractors and what to do about them before they bite. We also talked about the shift from running jobs off your phone to building real systems, why “having a bookkeeper” isn’t the same as having financial clarity, and how to make smarter go/no-go decisions when bigger contracts start landing on your desk.

You’ll take away:

• Why owners get stuck doing everything, and how systems and delegation unlock growth
• The hidden danger in 60–90 day payment terms and the contract fine print that catches people out
• Why bookkeeping is the foundation, but forecasting is what prevents cash disasters
• The key roles that reduce chaos: bookkeeper, PM/superintendent, finance lead, admin support
• How a 3–6 month cash buffer helps you survive surprises and protect your reputation

Guest: Dustin Young (Fractional CFO for construction companies)
Website: https://www.ravencfo.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhyoung
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravencfo/

Host: Wes Towers
I’m the founder of Uplift 360, where we help trades and construction companies be found, trusted, and chosen online. We build high-performing websites and use Search Everywhere Optimisation to turn real expertise into visibility, trust, and leads across search and the platforms people use to vet you.
https://uplift360.com.au

Want to be a guest on Built. Trusted. Chosen.? Book here: https://uplift360.com.au/built-trusted-chosen-podcast-guest-booking/