Why builders need a game plan, not just grit
By Aaron Ng – Co-Founder & Co-Owner, The Good Builder
I’ve always loved sport. Played plenty of it growing up, still watch it religiously, and reckon it teaches you more about life and leadership than any business book ever could. So when Marti Amos from The Professional Builder dropped this line on our podcast, it hit hard:
“As a builder, you’re a business athlete.”
And he’s right. The longer I’ve been in this game, the more I’ve seen how much business mirrors sport. You’ve got pressure, performance, results, and high stakes. The only difference is most builders are trying to do it solo.
No coach. No game plan. No team in their corner. Just quoting at midnight, running on fumes, and trying to outwork the chaos.
It does not work. Not for long anyway.
The builders I know love sport
Most of the good builders I know love their footy. They love competition, they love pride in performance, and they show up with grit. But if the Broncos taught us anything this season, it’s that grit needs a plan. The boys didn’t just rock up and hope for the best. They had a system. A support team. Discipline. Accountability. And they got the win because of it.
Imagine trying to win the comp with no strength coach, no video review, no idea who you’re playing next week, and no plan to improve. That’s how a lot of builders are running their business.
You wouldn’t tolerate that on the field. Why tolerate it in your company?
Marti’s philosophy: performance is predictable
Marti has trained over three thousand builders across Australia, New Zealand, the US, and the UK. His approach is simple and sharp.
Learning is only half of it. The other half is implementation.
“Learning plus action equals transformation,” he told me.
He breaks it down into a structure that mirrors elite sport.
- A specialist coach to teach you the moves
- A performance coach to review your numbers
- An accountability coach to keep you on track
They’re not fluffy titles. They are builders who have done the work themselves. They know the feeling of cash flow stress. They know what it takes to lead a team. And they walk you through the systems that actually get results.
That’s Marti’s edge. He is not selling information. He is building high-performance programs for builders who want a better life. And he does it with the same structure a professional athlete would use.
Train like you build
Marti reckons every builder should start by carving out just five hours a week to work on the business.
That’s your training block.
You do not build abs overnight and you will not build a great company without consistency either. But if you do it each week, you will see change.
Here’s a sample weekly builder routine inspired by Marti’s playbook:
Monday morning (1 hour)
Check cash flow, pipeline, and schedule
What needs quoting? What is overdue? What is stuck?
Wednesday lunch (1 hour)
Sales review
Are you pricing with enough margin? Are you following your process?
Thursday afternoon (2 hours)
Systemise or delegate
Pick one task to automate or hand off
Write the system down, teach your team
Friday morning (1 hour)
Plan next week
Block your calendar
Lock in time for sales, client follow-up, and team leadership
It’s not rocket science. But it is routine. And it creates momentum.
Your business needs a captain, not just a tradesperson
Marti said something else that stuck with me. Most builders do not realise it, but they have built themselves a job. Not a business.
“You’re not buying time. You’re not buying freedom. You’ve built a job with overheads. And that can start to feel like a prison.”
And I’ve seen it. Good people who are flat out quoting till midnight, running to site, running payroll, putting out fires. All while wondering why the stress never stops.
The shift comes when you realise your business is not just about building houses. It’s about building a system that can deliver those houses without burning you out. That starts with a mindset shift. You are not just the builder. You are the captain. The coach. The high-performance manager.
A business that works without you
What I love about Marti’s approach is that he is not selling a dream. He is selling discipline. It is not about retiring on a beach in 12 months. It is about buying back one day a week. Then two. Then three. Until the business can run without you on the tools every day.
That starts by getting clear on your version of success. What does it look like in twelve months? In five years? What role do you want to play in the business? Who needs to be around you to make that happen?
As Marti puts it:
“If you do not define what success looks like, your business will define it for you. And you might not like the answer.”
Az’s Take…
If you’re a builder who loves the game, think about this.
You’ve already got the hard work ethic. You’ve got the drive. You’ve got the ability to lead.
Now add the systems. Add the coaching. Add the playbook.
That’s how you go from surviving to building something that truly lasts.
Because you are not just a builder. You are a business athlete. Start training like one.
Want to listen to the full podcast with Marti Amos?
Search The Good Builder Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen. You will walk away with real-world ideas you can use this week.
See Article:
https://thegoodbuilder.com.au/think-like-a-business-athlete/
