The $900K Hiding on your P&L
The Millionaire Contractor Coach™
Saturday Newsletter
March 14, 2026
Read on my website ⏱️ Read Time: 1 minutes 48 seconds
The $900K Hiding on your P&L
To all the contractors out there trying to grow revenue in 2026, READ THIS before you do anything.
Stop.
You're already sitting on a goldmine.
Figure out how much money you've already earned but is slipping through your fingers.
I know a $30M contractor taking home less than his $15M competitor.
Same market. Same trade. Same everything.
The difference?
Gross Profit Margin - The Most Important Number
Here's the math that'll blow your mind:
Every 1% improvement in GPM = $300K straight to your pocket.
For a $30M contractor.
Without bidding one more job.
Most of my clients find 3-5% improvement when we dig into their numbers.
That's $900K to $1.5MM.
Already earned.
Just not collected.
THE RULE OF 1%
You have 3 levers. Find 1% improvement in each:
→ PRICING — Leaving money on every bid?
→ LABOR — Inefficiency eating 5%+ of your margins?
→ MATERIALS — 3-5% waste plus theft from materials sitting around too long?
That adds up to a lot more than 3%, but let's just be conservative and aim for 3% total improvement = $900K for a $30M contractor.
Without growing revenue by a single dollar.
THE BIRTHDAY TEST
Do you know your GPM like you know your birthday?
Your crew should too.
Here's why:
Net profit lives in the office.
Gross margin lives on the jobsite.
Every field decision touches it:
- How long tasks take
- How materials get handled
- Whether rework happens
- Whether change orders get documented
- Whether crews push for one more productive hour
When your team knows the GPM number, everything changes.
It stops being "management's numbers."
Starts being "our performance."
THE TRAP
Most contractors chase the next million in revenue while 3-5 points of margin leak out of existing work.
Revenue hides problems.
Gross margin exposes them.
THE MILLIONAIRE LOOP
Treat GPM like a weekly operating number, not a year-end surprise:
1. Plan and estimate with margin targets
2. Monitor during the work
3. Review when complete
4. Adjust and repeat
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
Pull last quarter's GPM.
Calculate: What's 1% improvement worth in dollars?
Ask yourself:
- Which lever has the biggest opportunity?
- Does my crew know our GPM number?
- Can I see this job by job, not just company-wide?
THE BOTTOM LINE
Revenue for show.
Profit for dough.
That's the difference between grinding forever and becoming a Millionaire Contractor.
Want the 7 Numbers That Make You a Millionaire Contractor template?
Hit reply. I'll send it over.
P.S. — Builder to CEO Summit spots is filling fast. This is where we show you exactly how to stop leaving money on the table. We are limited to 30 contractors; some of the trades represented include: Heavy Civil, Commercial Drywall, Commercial Painting & Concrete, and Electrical.
See you in Tampa. 👷
Patrick Shurney, MBA | The Millionaire Contractor Coach™
Helping Contractors Become Bankable, Bondable, & Capital-Ready
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About Me:
As a veteran in financial coaching with over 30 years of corporate banking experience, my mission is to help you become a Millionaire Contractor by mastering just 7 numbers so you can keep more of what you earn and build generational wealth.
Ready for More?
Here’s how I can help you:
1. Profit Blueprint Program: Get your finances sorted and build out a 3-year financial roadmap in the next 30 days.
2. Loan Consulting: Get Bank Ready. With 30+ years of banking experience, I’ll make sure you're ready to approach lenders with a winning loan package.
