Case Study: How an $85k Business Coach Failed This Construction Company (and How We Fixed It)

If you’re a construction business owner who’s spent thousands on business coaching with little to show for it, this case study will feel familiar. Learn what actually needed fixing, what coaching missed, and how commercial, operational and financial support helped rebuild the business.

The $85K Coaching Experience

Chris owned a residential construction company in South East Queensland. He employed five staff and worked with subcontractors to deliver renovation and new build projects. While the business was busy, margins were slim and operations were disorganised. Chris knew he needed help, so he signed up for a 12-month coaching program at $7,000 a month. The promise was clear – better team performance, stronger leadership, increased profit and accountability. It sounded like exactly what he needed.

What Was Delivered

Chris met with his coach every two weeks on Zoom. They worked through mindset, goal-setting, vision planning and team culture. Chris received templates for business canvases, role descriptions and a project management tool. He also attended a two-day live event interstate, costing an additional $2,500.

Six months in, there were still no operational or financial systems in place. Quotes were created manually. Margins were unknown. Subcontractors worked without written agreements. Apprentices had no job clarity. There were no admin processes. Cash flow remained unpredictable. Chris was still on site three days a week.

From our perspective

This isn’t uncommon. Coaching programs can offer insight and reflection. But they often miss what a construction business needs – clear quoting, financial structure, staff accountability and delivery systems.

The Emotional Cost

By month seven, Chris was frustrated and exhausted. Every time he brought up concerns about unpaid invoices or staff problems, the coach redirected him back to personal mindset. Instead of providing tools or solutions, Chris was asked to reflect on his leadership identity or beliefs.

Over time, Chris started to internalise the issues. He stayed late. He skipped weekends. He started drinking. Two apprentices resigned due to confusion over hours and wages. A senior tradesman left due to poor communication. Chris felt like he was the problem and stopped speaking up in sessions altogether.

From our perspective

This is what happens when structural business problems are treated as personal failings. Chris didn’t need more self-analysis. He needed someone to help him fix what was broken.

The Downturn

By month ten, unpaid invoices were stacking up. A QBCC dispute was delaying payment on another job. The coach’s advice was to reframe the situation and stay calm. No referral was made for legal or financial support.

Chris’s bookkeeper raised concerns that the company may be trading insolvent. After six months of warning signs and inaction, she resigned to protect her professional standing. Chris missed a critical tender submission while trying to handle everything himself. A developer client walked away.

By the end of the coaching program, the business was in worse shape than when it started. Cash flow was negative. Staff morale was down. The admin role was unfilled. Projects lacked visibility. A regulatory dispute remained unresolved. The coach’s final note praised Chris’s awareness and recommended joining their mastermind tier.

Chris declined. He later told us, “I felt like I’d spent $85K trying to fix myself, but my business was falling apart while I was trying to meditate and write affirmations.”

What Business Coaching Didn’t Fix

1. Cash flow management

Chris had no system to track cash inflow or forecast future cash gaps. Milestone payments weren’t enforced and overdue invoices weren’t being chased. Payment terms were either unclear or non-existent. The business had no buffer or plan to manage delayed income.

2. Job costing and profitability

There was no tracking of actual versus quoted hours or materials. Quotes were built manually in spreadsheets without margin targets or risk allowances. Subcontractor costs weren’t reconciled, and Chris didn’t know which jobs made money and which didn’t.

3. Employment structure and compliance

There were no role descriptions. Apprentices were unaware of their rights. Employment agreements were missing or outdated. There was no HR process for onboarding, timesheets or conflict resolution. Payroll risks were increasing with each pay run.

4. Business development and tendering

Chris didn’t have the time or systems to pursue new clients or tenders. There was no plan for lead generation or client retention. He missed key bids simply because there was no capacity or structure to respond in time.

5. Financial reporting and commercial visibility

There was no P&L, no budget, no cash forecast and no strategy reviews. There was no ability to make commercial decisions because there was no data or reporting process. The business was flying blind.

From our perspective

These weren’t advanced fixes. They were foundational. But ignoring them for 12 months let the damage compound.

What Chris Actually Needed

By the time Chris came to us, he needed more than a review. He needed direct, practical support to reset his business. Blaze Business & Legal advised on and helped implement a number of commercial, financial, operational and HR measures to stabilise and rebuild his business, including the following.

Rebuilding the Business

1. Business diagnostic and cash flow review

We reviewed 12 months of financials including P&L, job pipeline, and payment terms. We created a 13-week cash flow forecast and took immediate action to collect overdue invoices. We identified and addressed solvency risks in week one.

2. Employment structure and subcontractor compliance

We finalised employment contracts, created new role descriptions, and onboarded apprentices using updated documentation. Blaze Business & Legal prepared compliant subcontractor terms and aligned workflows to industry awards.

3. Operational systems

We implemented job costing tools, quoting frameworks, and project margin calculators. A part-time admin assistant was hired to manage documentation. We created variation templates and site folders to improve project handover and delivery quality.

4. Tendering and client re-engagement

We mapped out a tender plan and implemented a better CRM made specifically for the construction industry.

Blaze Business & Legal helped Chris reconnect with the developer who had walked away, and 5 months later the Construction Company secured a $420,000 contract.

5. Removing the owner from delivery

With our encouragement, Chris stepped off the tools. We put in place the processes to help Chris train a site foreman and put in place job checklists and margin reporting protocols.

Margin tracking was added to the end-of-week process, and Shannon Drew guided Chris on this every week.

6. Systemising the business for scale

We created standard operating procedures for quoting, onboarding, subcontractors, WHS and job delivery. Admin processes were documented and handed over to internal staff.

7. Embedding growth processes

We integrated budgeting into the 90-day planning cycle, scheduled recurring reviews with key clients, and helped Chris identify his next growth stage. Staff retention improved, and profit returned within six months.

Timeline Comparison

Lessons for Business Owners

1. Coaching is not always the solution

Business Coaches can support mindset or leadership development, but most construction businesses need operational support, financial structure and systems first.

2. Most business problems are structural, not personal

Mindset matters, but it will never replace quoting accuracy, contract clarity or margin control.

3. Delay costs more than taking action

Chris lost over a year in revenue and lost a key tender and an important client. The opportunity cost was far greater than the coaching fee.

4. Real progress requires external structure and internal clarity

Business owners are often too close to the issues to see what’s really broken. Commercial support helps clarify priorities and build long-term foundations.

5. If your results haven’t changed, your support model needs to

If you’re working harder and nothing’s improving, it’s time to reassess what kind of support you actually need.

Key Takeaways

• Chris spent $85,000 on a coaching program that didn’t address cash flow, quoting, compliance or staffing
• The business declined across every key area during the 12-month period
• Blaze Business & Legal delivered commercial, HR, legal, operational and financial strategy to restructure and stabilise the business
• Within six months, the business returned to profit and retained staff
• Twelve months later, the business was running independently and positioned for growth
• If this story feels familiar, you’re not alone!

We see this often. Business owners invest time and money in personal development but get no traction in their operations or financials. The real issue is often misdirected support, not lack of effort.

At Blaze Business & Legal, we work hands-on with construction and trade businesses to fix operations, create systems and restore financial control.

We don’t just advise. We help you implement.

Ready to take back control of your business

Call us on (07) 3063 3373 or contact us through our website.