PROFESSIONAL BUILDER SECRETS PODCAST

Episode 230: Are Builders Actually Profitable With Russ Stephens & Sarah Biben

You can very easily appear profitable on paper, but broke in real life

Professional Builders Secrets brings you an exclusive episode with Russ Stephens, Co-founder of APB, and Sarah Biben, Director of Product Design at Buildertrend. Throughout this episode, Russ and Sarah dive deep into the financial blind spots that are quietly killing builder profitability, and what the most successful builders are doing differently to protect their margins and run cleaner, more profitable companies.

Inside episode 230 you will discover:

  • Why a busy schedule and healthy bank balance can mask serious financial problems in your building company
  • What the "construction Ponzi scheme" is and how to make sure you're not caught in it
  • Why over a third of builders had a discrepancy greater than 10% between their perceived and actual financial performance
  • How the Work In Progress Accounting Adjustment© can transform the accuracy of your monthly reports
  • The hidden profit destroyer that most builders completely overlook
  • And much, much more.

key moments

Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium

  • 05:20 The stat that should concern every builder
  • 12:45 The construction Ponzi scheme
  • 19:30 The Work In Progress Accounting Adjustment© explained
  • 31:10 The hidden profit destroyer: timeline
  • 38:45 Profitable on paper, broke in real life
  • 46:20 What the best builders all have in common

Heading

key moments

  • 05:20 The stat that should concern every builder
  • 12:45 The construction Ponzi scheme
  • 19:30 The Work In Progress Accounting Adjustment© explained
  • 31:10 The hidden profit destroyer: timeline
  • 38:45 Profitable on paper, broke in real life
  • 46:20 What the best builders all have in common

Heading

Apparatus Contractor Services

This episode is proudly sponsored by Apparatus Contractor Services

Russ Stephens is a Co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders, a business coaching company dedicated to improving the residential construction industry for both builders and consumers. Russ is a data analysis expert who has introduced data-driven decision making to the residential construction industry. Russ is also a proud member of the Forbes Business Development Council.

Sarah Biben is the Director of Product Design at Buildertrend, where she works with builders, product teams, and engineers to design workflows that connect financials with day-to-day project management.

“A specialised podcast made just for the owners of custom home building companies. Extraordinary guests, valuable content and  amazing stories from other builders.”

Cheri K

5-star review on Apple Podcasts

We Think You’d Also Like These

episode

230

Are Builders Actually Profitable With Russ Stephens & Sarah Biben

March 20, 2026

LISTEN NOW

episode

229

How Elite Builders Scale With Andy Skarda

March 13, 2026

LISTEN NOW

episode

228

Freedom Through Systems With Rob Swanson

March 6, 2026

LISTEN NOW

AS SEEN IN