They Doubled Their Business by Saying No, Building Systems, and Setting Clear Expectations with Ryan Brining & Tom Battersby | E409
The Construction Leading Edge Podcast
Release Date: 09/15/2025
The Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team EPISODE 436: John Springs has been in construction since 1991. For most of those years, everything lived in his head â no written systems, no pre-construction process, no clear handoffs. He was the first call for every problem, working 60-hour weeks, and couldn't step away without something falling apart. Three years ago, that started to change. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, Todd sits down with John Springs, owner of John Springs Construction in Glen Rock, New Jersey, to break down...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team EPISODE 435: There's a belief running in your construction business right now that sounds completely responsible. Maybe it's "now's not a good time." Maybe it's "when things calm down, I'll fix it." Maybe it's "we just need to hire more people." It sounds like you're being smart and protecting your business. And it's the exact thing that's keeping you stuck. That gap between what you tell yourself and what's actually holding you back â that's where the real problem lives. In this episode of The...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team EPISODE 434: There's a problem in your construction business right now that you've already identified â but haven't engaged with yet. A tough conversation with a client or employee, a financial trend you keep meaning to address, a hire you've been putting off. And every day you wait, it takes up more mental real estate. And that gap between recognizing a problem and actually engaging it is the breeding ground for fear, anxiety, and 2 a.m. wake-ups. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team â EPISODE 433: Construction business owner buried in reactive mode, watching your business grow while your stress grows with it? Working 60+ hour weeks, stressed about profit, team management, and scaling your construction company⌠and still feeling behind? If that hits a little too close to home, this episode is for you. Most construction business owners who feel overwhelmed assume they need more people, better software, or tighter time management. But thatâs rarely the issue. Whatâs really happening...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team â EPISODE 432: What if the reason your team is stressed, your projects feel harder than they should, and your profits aren't where they should be has nothing to do with labor shortages, material pricing, the market, your subcontractors, or even your clients? What if the real issue is that you've been letting your clients run your business and, without meaning to, have adopted what I call the Burger King philosophy? In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I break down why letting...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team â If youâve been listening to podcasts, reading books, going to conferences, and consuming business content for months, but your business still looks the same⌠this oneâs going to sting. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I break down how construction business owners use podcasts, webinars and âresearchâ as a way to numb the frustration of being stuck, instead of making the decisions that would actually change their business. I explain why waiting for perfect information is a...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team â EPISODE 430: If your construction projects feel chaotic before they even start, the problem isnât execution, itâs the handoff. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I explain how a weak preconstruction handoff creates scope gaps, delays, missed details, and profit bleeds long before work begins. He breaks down why many builders rely on âfiguring it out later,â how urgency addiction keeps owners stuck in firefighting mode, and why starting jobs with incomplete information...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team â EPISODE 429: If youâre hiring more people but your profit still isnât moving, this episode is for you. Many construction business owners assume the only way to grow profit is to add headcount. More project managers. More superintendents. More office staff. But in reality, hiring too early often creates higher overhead, more chaos, and flatter margins. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I explain how to increase profit without growing your team, and why talent density beats talent...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team đIs Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment â EPISODE 428: Trying to scale your construction business in 2026 but feeling stretched thinner than ever? Many builders, remodelers, and general contractors try to grow by hiring more people or chasing more work, only to see construction profit margins shrink and chaos increase. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, Todd DeWalt breaks down three construction business mistakes that quietly hold...
info_outlineThe Construction Leading Edge Podcast
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team đIs Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment â EPISODE 427: If it feels like something's off in your construction business, like youâre working your butt off, but profit isnât where it should be, jobs are dragging on, and you are always being pulled into every little decision, you need to listen to this episode. It might sting a little... but it could change everything. Iâm breaking down 4 simple, unconventional metrics that explain a scary amount of what...
info_outlineđDownload the How to Buyout a Construction Project Playbook HERE
âď¸Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE
â
EPISODE 409: What if the secret to doubling your construction business isnât about working harder, hiring more people, or saying yes to every project?
In this episode of the Construction Leading Edge podcast, weâre joined by Ryan Brining & Tom Battersby of White Maple Construction to share how they doubled their revenue in just one year, without adding more staff or working longer hours.
Hereâs what youâll learn in this episodeâŚ
-
Why fixing problems on jobsites shouldnât be on top of your list
-
How saying no to the wrong projects is actually a marketing strategy
-
The surprising mindset shift that stopped them from letting clients dictate their process
-
How setting clear expectations upfront can save you time, money, and stress on every job
-
Why itâs crucial to have systems in place before you start scaling (and what happens when you skip this step)
âŚand more!
If youâre tired of putting out fires and ready to scale your business without saying yes to everything, this episode is a must-listen.
Letâs dive in!
Key Takeaways:
Introduction (00:00)
From finance to hospitality to construction (02:21)
The chaos that comes with client-led projects (05:11)
Benefits of early selections for clients (12:27)
Pre-construction as a collaborative effort (15:32)
5 most impactful business systems for White Maple Construction (17:59)
Why cranking up your marketing engine first leads to chaos (20:00)
How their revenue doubled with less stress (27:15)
Whatâs life like now after implementing the right systems (29:06)
What the construction sector could learn from hospitality (31:09)
Saying no to projects as a marketing strategy (34:20)
Keys to implementing systems and making changes (40:23)
Construction advice for those just starting out (43:21)
How to attract larger construction projects (48:28)
Why saying no to the wrong projects is crucial (50:06)
Episode wrap-up (52:00)
Additional Resources:
âĄDownload the How to Buyout a Construction Project Playbook HERE
âĄSchedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE
â
âĄVisit White Maple Construction for more information HERE
âĄFollow White Maple Construction on Instagram HERE
â
⥠Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
⥠Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE
âĄVisit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE
--
The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time.
Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!