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Why Most Construction Family Partnerships Fail (And How to Avoid It) with Jake Lewendal | E388

Release Date: 05/05/2025

Why Most Construction Family Partnerships Fail (And How to Avoid It) with Jake Lewendal | E388

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

🚀Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment ☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team – EPISODE 388: Do you ever feel like your business is costing too much? Jake Lewendal of Momentum Development knows that pain too well. Jake, a Bozeman-based builder, grew up sweeping floors on job sites. He eventually co-founded a construction company with his father-in-law—-only to watch this relationship crumble under the pressure of a poorly-structured family partnership. In this week's episode of The Construction Leading Edge...

Feel Like Giving Up? 9 Proven Ways to Overcome Business Adversity | E387

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team – EPISODE 387: Does it ever feel like your construction business is sinking? That moment when you wonder, “Is this even worth saving?” You’re not alone. Every business owner hits that wall. But here’s something most people miss: It’s not your circumstances that are causing the problems—it’s the story you’re telling yourself. In this week’s episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, I’m sharing nine powerful strategies that will help you break free from a business slump. We’ll cover: → What most...

From Burnout to Balance: How the Franklin Brothers Beat Construction Chaos For Good | E386

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team – EPISODE 386: Do you feel like your construction business is running you instead of the other way around? Do you constantly bring your work home? For many construction business owners, weekends also mean emails and phone calls. Often, family dinners turn into business meetings. But not anymore! In this week’s episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, I sit down with two of my favorite Canadians—and students of our Systematized Your Construction Business (SYCB) program—Laughlin and Ross Franklin. Originally...

Avoid These Critical Mistakes When Building Your Construction Business with Alex Gregg | E385

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Join our free masterclass on how to get paid for estimates – EPISODE 385: Do you feel guilty charging for estimates when others offer them for free? Today’s guest believes you shouldn’t. In this week’s episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, I sit down with Alex Gregg, owner of Gregg Homebuilding—a Tennessee-based company specializing in both custom and spec homes. Today, Alex breaks down how he grew his business through strategic decisions, a clear vision, and robust internal systems. You’ll learn: ...

Secrets of Buying and Selling a Construction Business & Why Most Are Unsellable with Mark Powers | E384

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Watch our FREE masterclass: Get Out of Your Construction Business: How to Make It Run Without You – EPISODE 384: Have you thought about the future of your construction business? Most construction business owners don’t think about selling their businesses. But here’s the reality: One day, your business will either be sold, passed down, or shut down. And if you don’t plan for that right now, you risk walking away with nothing. So how do you make your business sellable? In this week’s episode, I sit down...

The Leadership Unlock: How to Delegate Without Losing Control | E383

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Download our free Strategic Planning Guide – EPISODE 383: Have you ever wondered how to stop micromanaging and finally take a break from your business? What if you could step away and trust your team to handle things? In this week’s episode, I sit down with our coaches, Leyah Hostetter and Monish Khadye, to talk about how to delegate effectively without losing control. We’ll break down a simple yet powerful mindset shift: Leadership isn’t about doing everything or being the best; it’s about building systems and...

7 Sales Pitfalls Costing You Profit and Freedom - And How to Fix Them | E382

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Help us by taking a 2-minute survey about The Sales Machine program – EPISODE 382: Are you struggling with closing deals? Do you think hiring a unicorn salesperson will scale your construction business fast? Well, if you believe you need a unicorn, you’re secretly sabotaging your success. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, we’ll dive into the seven sales pitfalls that are costing construction business owners their profit and freedom. I’ll break down the critical sales errors construction...

7 Reasons to Fire Yourself from Sales | E381

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Complete a 2-minute survey about The Sales Machine program – EPISODE 381: Are you stuck in the cycle of chasing leads, negotiating, estimating, and following up—while your team takes a back seat? It’s time to fire yourself from sales. In this week’s episode, I share seven compelling reasons why construction business owners should let go of sales to drive business growth. If you’re constantly handling all the sales in your business, you’re holding yourself back—whether you realize it or not. I’ll break down...

Boost Profit with the First Hour Principle: The Key to a Productive Construction Jobsite | E380

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Download our free Strategic Planning Guide – EPISODE 380: Studies show that 60% of a construction worker’s time is spent on non-value adding activities. Even more alarming? Productivity today is lower than it was 20–30 years ago. In this week’s episode, I’ll break down the concept of the first hour problem, and the common jobsite activities that kill productivity and profitability. You’ll also learn two practical strategies to cut delays and boost profits, whether you’re a trade contractor or a general...

Why Are You Stuck in Firefighting Mode? The Linchpin Syndrome | E379

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

☎️Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team 👉Enroll in the Get Paid for Estimates Masterclass – EPISODE 379: Do you feel like your business would fall apart if you took a real day off? Or just once, you’d love to eat dinner without late-night calls? Many construction business owners live in constant firefighting mode. In this episode, I’m breaking down the linchpin syndrome—the trap that keeps your business reliant on you. If your business grinds to a halt without you, you’re not just overworked—you’re stuck in a broken system. I’ll show you how to...

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EPISODE 388: Do you ever feel like your business is costing too much? Jake Lewendal of Momentum Development knows that pain too well.

Jake, a Bozeman-based builder, grew up sweeping floors on job sites. He eventually co-founded a construction company with his father-in-law—-only to watch this relationship crumble under the pressure of a poorly-structured family partnership.

In this week's episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, Systematized Your Construction Business (SYCB) coach Monish Khadye sits down with Jake to unpack a story of growth, failure, and redemption.

Listen in and learn:

What really causes family business partnerships to fail
Why Jake initially sought out business partners
Crucial things to set up in a family-run construction business
How your greatest strength can also become your biggest weakness
The power of handling rejections well

…and more!

If you’ve ever struggled with partnerships, leadership clarity, or scaling your construction company without burning out, this episode is for you.

Let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

From teen laborer to builder CEO (02:21)

Family business or family meltdown? (08:05)

Communication failure and festering resentment (14:28)

The fallout: firing family and losing contract (32:47)

First thing to do when partnering with family (36:00)

How to fix unclear succession roles (40:38)

When Jake's strength became his weakness (45:15)

Overcoming micromanagement and trusting the team (55:55)

The relationship-based growth strategy (1:03:58)

How to handle rejection like a pro (1:19:51)

Don’t just lead—design a role you love (1:27:11)

Key traits for successful partnerships and structured exits (1:34:15)

Episode wrap-up (1:42:55)

Additional Resources:

- Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment HERE

- Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team HERE

Connect with Jake Lewendal

- Reach out to Jake by sending your email to [email protected]

- Follow or DM Jake on Instagram HERE

- Follow Momentum Development HERE

The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.

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