The Challenge

In construction, reputation is your currency. It is what keeps the phones ringing, keeps your bids in the mix, and determines who trusts you with the next big project. Yet too many contractors overlook how much their partners shape that reputation. For general contractors, the subcontractors you invite to your jobs are a mirror of your standards. For subcontractors, the general contractors you attach your name to send an equally loud message.

The uncomfortable reality is that your partners become an extension of you. If they cut corners, miss deadlines, or operate chaotically, you wear that stain too. Do this often enough and people start questioning your judgment. On the other hand, when you consistently build alongside reliable, disciplined partners, the industry begins to see you differently. Suddenly, you are not just another bidder; you are the company that delivers.



The Impact

Choosing poorly comes with a heavy cost. Weak subcontractors drag down production and chew up margins. A GC with disorganized leadership creates confusion, constant change orders, and eroded trust with developers. Estimators notice when projects are linked to unreliable names. Owners hesitate to award you work when they see a track record of missed schedules and sloppy execution. The damage stretches beyond profits. It strains your team, raises turnover, and creates an undercurrent of stress that follows you from job to job.

The reverse is just as powerful. The right partnerships lift you. Owners begin to associate your name with predictability AND quality. Other trades want to be on your jobs because they know the project will be well run. Strong alignment creates momentum, and in an industry built on referrals and relationships, those impressions directly shape whether you grow or stall.

Check out my latest podcast on “I’m the gaffer Podcast”

The Shift

This does not require reinventing your business. It requires discipline in who you allow into your circle. Start treating every partnership decision as a direct investment in your reputation. Put systems in place to vet partners the way you expect them to vet you. Review their safety record, financial stability, they are bondable (a huge indicator of their past performance), and their ability to communicate clearly. Ask yourself one simple question: Does standing next to this company strengthen my reputation or weaken it?

For GCs, prioritize subcontractors who guard schedule, safety, and quality as fiercely as you do. For subcontractors, align with GCs who value fairness, consistency, and leadership. Even a handful of disciplined choices can shift how the market perceives you within a year. And that perception is worth far more than any single job; it is the multiplier that compounds across every bid you chase.

As Warren Buffett once said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it”. So choose wisely!

The Closing

In this business, you become the builder your partners reveal you to be. Owners notice. Developers notice. Estimators notice. Each project is either sharpening your reputation or dulling it. Contractors who choose wisely do not just protect margins; they unlock doors to better projects, stronger teams, and lasting respect in the marketplace. Those who do not spend more time explaining problems than celebrating wins.

I was reminded of this when I coached a subcontractor who was ready to blow up a relationship with a general contractor. He was furious over a dispute and was seconds away from making the kind of phone call that burns bridges. After a few minutes together, I helped him step back and see the issue from both sides. My background as a GC gave him a perspective he had never considered, and it changed the way he approached the conversation. Instead of losing the relationship, he saved it. A few weeks later, that same GC approved a change order that added $100,000 in profit and several weeks later, awarded him a $4 million project with several hundred thousand more in margin!!! That is the power of coaching. 

If you see yourself in this challenge, let’s talk. Reach out to me at jerry@pro-accel.com to schedule a call. Whether through Executive Coaching, Operational Assessments, or Strategic Development Planning, I help contractors strengthen performance and build reputations that win work.

Jerry Aliberti
Pro-Accel, Owner



Webinar Announcement!!

On November 13th at 11 am EST, I’ll be joining forces with Patrick Shurney, Financial Coach and Owner of 3P Consulting, to host From Builder to CEO. This paid masterclass brings the financial and operational sides of contracting together.

This 90-minute session is built for contractors in the $5M–$100M range who want actionable steps, real deliverables, and immediate ROI. We’ll cover how to align your numbers and operations so you can step out of builder mode and into CEO mode.



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