From $4M to $11M+: The annual planning system that actually scales a construction company

Shoulder season gets a bad rap. Fewer jobs on the schedule, crews not running at full speed, a little more space on the calendar. But for high-performing builders, this slower stretch isn’t a setback – it’s a secret weapon.

It’s the rare moment in the year when you can step out of the daily fire drills and think about where your business is headed next. That’s exactly why Breakthrough Academy recently hosted the webinar “The annual goal-setting formula of a $10 million builder: How to make a one-page workback plan for hiring, cash flow and sales.”

In the webinar, they share exactly how to build an actionable annual plan during the off season that keeps your company aligned, profitable and firing on all cylinders throughout the year. Plus, the session featured guest builder and long-time Breakthrough Academy member, Tom Cummings, owner of SevernWoods Fine Homes, who shared how he scaled from $4M to $11M in annual revenue after joining Breakthrough Academy and using this exact method while managing his projects and financials in Buildertrend.

Watch the full webinar to see the complete one-page workback plan in action, or continue reading for the key takeaways and how you can apply them to your own construction business.

1. Start with your “why” before you touch the numbers

Most annual plans fall apart because they start with revenue targets instead of intent. When goals aren’t connected to why you started the business or what you want your elife to look like, they turn into empty numbers that are easy to abandon once the year gets busy.

High-growth builders anchor their goals to personal and business motivation first. That clarity makes hard decisions easier and keeps momentum when things don’t go perfectly.

Actionable tip: Write one clear sentence answering: Why did I start this business, and what does success look like for me in three years?

Use that sentence as a filter for every goal you set. If a goal doesn’t move you closer to that vision, it doesn’t make the cut. When your “why” is clear, the numbers stop feeling arbitrary and start feeling like they’re worth chasing.

2. Set a BHAG that forces better decisions

A BHAG – a Big Hairy Audacious Goal – is a long-term target that’s intentionally bold. It should feel slightly uncomfortable, but still believable.

The right BHAG inspires you, exposes broken systems, highlights capacity issues and forces you to make smarter decisions about people, processes and priorities.

Builders who scale don’t grow by accident. They grow because their goals demand a better version of the business.

Actionable tip: Define one BHAG for the next 3–5 years.

Your BHAG can focus on revenue, lifestyle or impact. For example:

• Build a $12M business while working no more than 45 hours per week
• Double annual revenue without increasing headcount
• Become the most referred custom home builder in your market

Pressure-test your BHAG by asking: “Who do I need to hire, and what needs to change in my systems to support this?” If your BHAG doesn’t force new decisions, it’s not big enough.

3. Lock in company values to guide hard decisions

As your business grows, decisions get heavier. Hiring, firing, pricing and even which clients to say no to all carry more risk. Clearly defined company values remove emotion from those moments.

Instead of relying on gut feel or stress-based reactions, you’re making consistent decisions rooted in what your business stands for.

For builders scaling past the owner-operator stage, values become a decision-making filter, not a motivational wall poster.

Actionable tip: Narrow your company values to 3-5 non-negotiables.

These values should describe how you operate, not how you wish you did. Use them as a checklist during hiring, internal conflict and client fit discussions.

When values are clear, the right decision usually makes itself.

4. Build a one-page annual workback plan

Complex plans tend to never get executed. The most effective builders keep their annual plan simple, visible and easy to explain.

A one-page workback plan creates clarity around what matters most and keeps the team focused on the handful of priorities that actually move revenue and profit.

When everyone can see the plan, alignment gets a lot easier.

Actionable tip: Set annual SMART goals for revenue and profit.

Define 3–5 core initiatives that will drive those numbers. Then, break each initiative into quarterly “rocks” with clear ownership your team can take responsibility for. For example:

• SMART goal: Increase annual revenue from $7.5M to $10M while maintaining a minimum 15% gross margin by Dec. 31.
• Core initiatives:
  • Strengthen preconstruction and estimating accuracy with software to protect margins.Increase close rate by tightening the sales process and vetting clients.
  • Add production capacity through a key hire, such as a project manager or superintendent.

If it doesn’t fit on one page, it’s probably too complicated to run all year.

5. Turn rocks into weekly execution

Quarterly rocks are only effective if they turn into action on a weekly basis.

Without regular traction, even the best plans stall out, and goals quietly slip to the next quarter. High-performing builders win by making progress visible and holding the team accountable week after week.

Execution is where planning either pays off or falls apart.

Actionable tip: Break each rock into weekly or daily tasks that move it forward

• Assign clear ownership and due dates, so nothing lives in limbo.
• Review progress every week, not just at the end of the quarter.

Consistency at the weekly level is what keeps annual goals alive.

6. Plan sales like a system, not a hope

Builders who consistently hit their numbers treat sales like a system with inputs, capacity and constraints – not something they hope works out during the busy season.

When sales are planned properly, surprises get smaller and decisions get clearer.

Actionable tip: Reverse-engineer your sales goal into leads, close rates and capacity.

For example: If your goal is $10M and your average project is $1M …

• You need 10 sold jobs
• With a 25% close rate, that means 40 qualified leads for the year
• If your team can only run 8 projects at a time, capacity becomes a planning constraint

Actionable tip: Identify bottlenecks before the busy season hits.

For example:

• You don’t have enough qualified leads entering the pipeline
• You’re stuck doing sales and you don’t have enough time to follow up
• Production capacity is limiting how much work you can responsibly sell

The earlier you spot the constraint, the easier it is to fix before it costs you revenue.

7. Review, adjust and repeat quarterly

No annual plan survives contact with reality. Markets shift, projects change and assumptions get tested. The builders who stay on track aren’t the ones with perfect plans; they’re the ones who review, adjust and keep executing.

Quarterly reviews create a built-in reset, so small misses don’t turn into big problems.

Actionable tip: Schedule quarterly review meetings for the entire year in advance.

Focus each review on three things:

1. What worked
2. What didn’t
3. What to double down on next

Consistent course correction is what keeps momentum moving forward.

8. Get your team bought in

Goals don’t scale if they live only in the owner’s head. When leadership holds the plan alone, execution breaks down and accountability fades.

The builders who grow sustainably make their goals visible, shared and owned across the team.

Buy-in turns a plan into a team effort, not a leadership burden.

Actionable tip: Host a goal setting and review meeting with your staff

Share the why and the plan, then clearly outline how each role contributes to the bigger picture.

When people understand how their work connects to the goal, commitment follows.

9. Progress over perfection

Waiting for the perfect plan is one of the fastest ways to stall momentum. The builders who scale don’t get everything right out of the gate. They move forward, learn quickly and compound progress over time.

Consistent action beats flawless strategy every time.

Actionable tip: Pre-block five hours per week to work on the business, not in it.

Use that time to:

• Review weekly rocks and remove roadblocks
• Refine your sales plan and pipeline capacity
• Check job costing and margin trends
• Develop your leadership team and future hires

Commit to execution over optimization. Make the plan clear, start moving and adjust as you go.

Small, consistent progress is what creates big results over the long haul.

Plan once, execute all year

High-performing builders don’t wing it. They slow down long enough to get clarity, commit to a simple plan and then execute with consistency.

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s having a visible framework that keeps the team aligned and decisions focused all year long. A one-page plan, reviewed regularly, is often the difference between a business that reacts and one that scales on purpose.

Watch the full webinar replay to see how Breakthrough Academy and an 8-figure builder walk through the exact one-page framework and real-world examples you can apply right away.

And if you want help putting these ideas into practice day to day, schedule a demo with Buildertrend to see how the right software can support planning, execution and accountability across your entire construction business.