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Hitting the $10M mark in construction isn’t about landing one big project—it’s about having the right capital plan in place.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, watching opportunities slip by because you didn’t have cash or equipment ready, you’re not alone. Many contractors assume that securing funding is a one-time fix. In reality, without a structured funding approach, extra money can create more stress than solutions.

Brasfort*, a construction firm we partnered with, faced this exact challenge. They wanted fast growth—but growing without a plan can easily overwhelm a business. Over 3.5 years, they carefully deployed nearly $5 million across ten strategic funding phases, each aligned with a specific operational goal. The payoff? Revenue doubled, margins improved, equipment ownership increased, and operational control stayed firmly in their hands.

In this article, you’ll discover 7 actionable steps to organize funding like Brasfort, helping your construction business surpass $10M while maintaining ownership, control, and clarity.


Step 1: Take a Clear Look at Your Current Capital

Before pursuing more funding, you need to know exactly where you stand financially. Consider:

  • How much debt is already on the books?

  • Which assets are leased, and which are owned?

  • Where are your cash flow gaps in the short and long term?

Why it matters: Without understanding your starting point, you risk borrowing money that doesn’t solve the right problem. Brasfort documented every asset, liability, and project expense, giving us a clear foundation for planning future rounds.

Actionable Steps:

  1. List all current assets and liabilities.

  2. Highlight recurring cash shortfalls.

  3. Rank funding priorities based on impact and urgency.


Step 2: Plan Funding in Phases

Rather than seeking a single large loan, split funding into phases tied to operational objectives. Brasfort implemented 10 rounds of Cash Flow Financing, each supporting equipment, projects, or internal systems.

Benefits of phased funding:

  • Limits the risk of over-borrowing

  • Ensures capital supports real operational needs

  • Makes business growth predictable and repeatable

How to start:

  1. Identify 3–5 growth objectives for the next 1–3 years.

  2. Assign a dedicated funding round to each objective.

  3. Align repayment schedules with project timelines.


Step 3: Focus on Cash Flow, Not One-Off Jobs

Funding is most effective when it’s strategically planned, not just reactive. Many companies borrow only when a big project arises, which creates stop-and-go growth.

Brasfort’s approach:

  • Rolling Cash Flow Financing allowed them to be ready for projects at any time

  • No downtime between jobs, fewer missed opportunities

How to apply this:

  • Maintain a 3–6 month funding reserve

  • Keep a buffer for equipment and unexpected project needs

  • Avoid using borrowed money for unrelated expenses


Step 4: Use Term Loans for Long-Term Improvements

Short-term loans solve immediate problems—but strategic, long-term growth requires deliberate investment. Brasfort used a Term Loan to strengthen internal systems, making operations scalable.

Actionable Steps:

  1. Identify gaps in core operations (project management, finance systems, HR, ERP)

  2. Estimate how much capital is needed to address each

  3. Invest in solutions that improve efficiency and sustainability, not just revenue


Step 5: Keep Ownership at the Center

Growth shouldn’t mean losing control of your business. Brasfort structured each round so funding supported operations without diluting ownership.

Tips to maintain control:

  • Use debt rather than equity for operational funding

  • Align borrowing with cash flow, not convenience

  • Set clear repayment plans to avoid surprises


Step 6: Track Outcomes and Adjust

Every funding phase should have measurable goals. Brasfort tracked:

  • Revenue growth

  • Margin improvement

  • Equipment ownership

  • Strength of internal systems

Actionable Steps:

  1. Assign KPIs to each funding round

  2. Conduct monthly or quarterly reviews

  3. Adjust future funding based on results, not assumptions


Step 7: Make Funding a Repeatable Practice

Sustainable growth comes from turning funding into a predictable, repeatable process. Brasfort’s phased plan became a blueprint for consistent, scalable expansion.

How to implement:

  • Document every funding round and its purpose

  • Create standard procedures for evaluation and approval

  • Share lessons internally to improve future planning


Conclusion

Scaling a construction business past $10M is less about chasing every job and more about structuring capital strategically. Brasfort’s success proves:

  1. Multi-phase funding reduces risk and supports sustainable growth

  2. Aligning funding with operational goals strengthens ownership and control

  3. Documented processes make borrowing repeatable and predictable

Provocative Question: Which area—capital, operations, or ownership—is holding your construction business back from $10M?

Ready to build a capital strategy that fuels growth? Refer a client to National Business Capital Partner Michael Fieger today and help them scale with confidence.

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