Welcome to the Navigating Growth Podcast — the show where business owners become visionary captains of their own enterprise.
Hosted by the advisors at Being Associates, this podcast is your guide to building a more valuable business, preparing for a successful transition, and ultimately, navigating toward the freedom and legacy you’ve worked so hard to earn.
Each episode features real-world insights, expert interviews, and practical strategies on how to:
- Grow your business with intention
- Increase valuation through smart systems and strategy
- Prepare for succession, sale, or exit on your terms
Whether you’re five years out or already eyeing the horizon, you’ll find the tools and perspective to steer your business with confidence.
Chart your course. Grow with purpose. Exit with clarity.
Navigating Construction Finances: Leadership, Bookkeeping & Growth with Jenny Rost
Keywords
bookkeeping, construction industry, entrepreneurship, financial mistakes, leadership, business growth, AI in bookkeeping, tools for bookkeeping, team culture, women empowerment
Summary
In this episode of the Navigating Growth Podcast, host Joel Calkins speaks with Jenny Rost of Construct Bookkeeping, who shares her journey in the bookkeeping industry, particularly focusing on the construction sector. Jenny discusses the challenges small business owners face with finances, the importance of leadership and team culture, and common financial mistakes made by contractors.
She also highlights essential tools for bookkeeping, the role of a bookkeeper in business growth, and the future of bookkeeping in the age of AI.
Takeaways
Jenny Rost has 20 years of experience in construction accounting. She started her business to help small contractors manage their finances better.
Jenny emphasizes the importance of having no debt in business.
Her leadership style focuses on supporting her team, especially working mothers. Common financial mistakes include not reconciling books and not setting aside taxes.
QuickBooks Online is a recommended tool for bookkeeping. AI will not replace bookkeepers but will change their roles.
Team communication is crucial for effective financial management. Understanding financial needs is essential before choosing tools. Jenny advocates for a culture of transparency and feedback in her firm.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Construct Bookkeeping
02:50 Journey to Entrepreneurship 05:32 Leadership and Team Culture
08:25 Common Financial Mistakes
11:01 Essential Tools for Bookkeeping
14:11 The Role of a Bookkeeper
16:40 Team Collaboration in Financial Management
19:32 Growth Opportunities through Financial Insights
22:03 The Future of Bookkeeping and AI
30 Jul 2025
How to Keep Your Top Talent: Executive Bonus Plans with Gary Cassill
Episode Summary: In this episode of Navigating Growth, Joel Calkins sits down with Gary Cassill of The Leavitt Group to dive into a unique and often overlooked tool for employee retention—executive bonus plans using life insurance. Gary shares how these plans help business owners reward and retain top-performing employees while leveraging tax-advantaged financial strategies. If you're a business owner struggling to keep your best people from jumping ship—or planning your own exit strategy—this episode is packed with insights that could help you protect your talent and build long-term value. 🔑 Key Topics Covered: What executive bonus plans are and how they work Why life insurance is a powerful and emotional retention tool How employers can selectively reward key employees without needing to offer benefits across the board The "Velcro effect" of layered benefits: how to make your team more loyal Real-world cost ranges and ROI of offering executive bonus life insurance Using policies for succession planning and ownership transition The hidden cost of employee turnover—especially in leadership roles 💡 Notable Quotes: "Every bit of Velcro you add helps your employee stick to your company and not jump ship." – Gary Cassill "You're not just giving a benefit to the employee, you're giving peace of mind to their family—and they become advocates for staying too." – Joel Calkins 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: Business owners and founders HR and benefits decision-makers Leaders planning for succession or ownership transitions Anyone interested in retaining high-impact team members with creative benefits 📌 Resources & Mentions: The Leavitt Group Northwest – https://www.leavitt.com/northwest Contact Gary Cassill for more on executive bonus plans 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Make sure to follow Navigating Growth wherever you get your podcasts—and leave us a review if you found this valuable!
13 Aug 2024
Building Fiber Networks and Strong Teams: An Interview with Anand Vadapalli
Joel Calkins interviews Anand Vadapalli, who describes building fiber networks and strong teams through strategic acquisitions and cultural unification, emphasizing broadband's role in economic development in this insightful interview.
Who has been a guest on Navigating Growth Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Anand Vadapalli
Nathan Bossler
Meghana
Dan Giuliani
Michael Dix
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