We say it all the time on this show: sales first. But sales without financial controls is a mess waiting to happen, and that's exactly why we're launching our monthly money talk with Jim Emerich, founder of Backbone Fractional CFO Consultants.

Jim brought a story about a multigenerational contractor that doubled from 5 to 10 million and started losing money. Margins squeezed, line of credit maxed, wrong desk at the bank. The lesson for every business owner in the trades: scaling the top line without watching your pricing, cost structure, and cash flow is how good companies go under. We dig into the 13-week cash flow forecast, collecting receivables faster, and why the "real money is in commercial" mindset nearly bankrupts contractors who don't plan for those payment terms. This is practical financial management for blue-collar businesses, and it's a conversation I think every owner needs to hear.

Restoration, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, landscaping. If you build it, fix it, or maintain it, this show is for you.

Hope you enjoy,

Brandon and Chris

Why You Should Listen

[4:49] The ankle story: what pushing through pain costs you in your body and your business
[9:20] How a contractor doubled revenue, lost money, and ended up sideways with their bank
[14:28] The 13-week cash flow forecast: one weekly discipline that changes your decision making
[30:49] Making restoration cash flow predictable: collection time, TPA terms, and job duration
[34:05] Residential vs commercial: pricing for payment terms before they bury you

Need a fractional CFO partner? Find Jim and his team at BackboneCFO.com.

About the Show

Head, Heart, & Boots is for the men and women who build things for a living. Restoration, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, landscaping, and every blue collar trade in between. Hosts Brandon Reece and Chris Nordyke built and scaled real companies in the restoration industry, and they have carried those hard-won lessons into every blue collar trade they work with today. Every week they dig into the head (strategy), the heart (culture and people), and the boots (execution) of running a business worth owning.

This show is the front door to Floodlight Consulting Group, where Brandon, Chris, and the team help trades businesses find the money already sitting inside them and build companies worth far more than the day they started. Same people, same mission, whether you are listening or working with us directly.

Ready to see what that looks like in your business? Start Here!

Owning a business in the trades can be the loneliest job there is. Head, Heart, & Boots exists to change that, because the best leaders don't go it alone, and neither should you.