Finance at the Jobsite – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Finance at the Jobsite, host Rishi Srivastava sits down with Jennifer Murphy, CFO of Pleune Service Company and National Chair of CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association).

Jennifer shares how she helped transform a Michigan mechanical contractor into a thriving employee-owned (ESOP) business, leading with financial transparency, process discipline, and people-first culture.

You’ll learn:

• How ESOP ownership changes company behavior and motivation

• What makes WIP meetings accurate, fast, and valuable

• How to shorten the cash conversion cycle with simple reports

• Why field techs resist (and later love) mobile work orders

• Where Sage 300 + Timberscan + Field Ops excel—and where they fall short

• Why AI and succession planning are now boardroom topics for CFOs

Jennifer’s story combines financial rigor, leadership humility, and actionable tactics every construction finance leader can apply.

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From his journey at WeWork, Procore, and Occupier to launching Billy, Nyasha shares how missing one insurance clause or endorsement can derail cash flow—and why compliance lives between systems and teams.

They explore:

• Why construction compliance isn’t just paperwork—it’s profit protection

• How to reframe compliance from a cost center to a value driver

• What small contractors can learn from enterprise workflows

• The role of AI and real-time data in reducing friction between finance and the field

• His vision for compliance as a real-time control that protects margin

Whether you’re a CFO, controller, or operations leader, this episode will change how you think about risk, insurance, and collaboration.

🎙️ Hosted by Rishi Srivastava, Founder of Beiing Human.
📍 Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify — search “Finance at the Jobsite.”

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Cash Flow Management, Financial Risks & Tech in Construction

How can CFOs in construction manage cash flow, financial risks, and technology investments more effectively? In this episode of the Construction CFO Podcast, host Rishi Srivastava interviews Jordan Anderson, a seasoned construction CFO, on the evolving role of finance leaders and the future of financial strategy in the industry.

From navigating cash flow management and financial risks to leveraging automation and reporting tools, Jordan shares practical insights on how CFOs can become true strategic partners in construction.

• Jordan’s career journey shaped by the Great Recession

• Why the CFO role now includes technology & IT responsibilities

• The challenges of cash flow management in construction projects

• How to identify and mitigate financial risks like delays & retainage

• The power of automation and reporting for project performance

• Strategies to manage cost overruns and improve collaboration

• Why CFOs must be seen as strategic leaders, not just bean counters

• “You have to get started.”

• “The hardest part is getting started.”

• “What is that magic wand wish I had?”

Here’s the list with all timestamps removed:

• Introduction to Jordan Anderson and Career Path

• Evolution of the CFO Role in Construction

• Evolving Cash Flow Management Strategies

• Navigating Financial Risks in Construction

• Technology Investments: Successes and Pitfalls

• Envisioning the Perfect Construction Finance Tool

• Managing Cost Overruns: Strategies for Course Correction

• Misconceptions About the CFO Role in Construction

Would you like me to turn this into a bulleted YouTube description with chapter markers (so viewers can jump to sections)?

If you’re a CFO, controller, or financial leader in construction, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

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🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XT7tZ9sB8DcugbY85XlcA?si=VcUW1N6ET8uSsvN8syLn5w

#ConstructionFinance #CFO #ConstructionIndustry #CashFlow #FinancialStrategy #Automation #ProjectManagement

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In this episode of the Construction CFO Podcast, host Rishi Srivastava sits down with Matt Robinson, CFO of Swain Electric, to explore the realities of leading finance in the construction industry.

Matt shares his journey from public accounting and manufacturing into construction finance, and what surprised him most about the industry — from manual processes to the high level of collaboration among peers. He discusses:

• The toughest parts of cash flow management in construction, from retainage to “pay-when-paid” clauses.

• How he balances paying subcontractors promptly while protecting company cash.

• Why the CFO role is shifting from financial controller to risk manager, collaborator, and strategist.

• Lessons on leadership, hiring the best talent, and becoming a true partner across departments.

• The technologies transforming construction finance, including ERP tools and AI-driven AP automation.

• His vision for the future of the CFO role — and what will separate top performers from the rest.

  
  

  If you want to watch this recording in Video, here is the YouTube link:

  https://youtu.be/oFrnAuoIEPc?si=qPI2YhXq6_Dty2tG

  
  

Whether you’re a CFO, controller, or finance leader in construction, this episode offers actionable insights on cash flow, risk, leadership, and the future of technology in the industry.

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How do you grow from writing crystal reports in college to leading technology for one of the nation’s largest contractors? In this episode of Finance at the Jobsite, Rishi Srivastava sits down with Jerry Horani, CTO of VCC Construction, to explore his 21-year journey and the lessons he’s learned building scalable systems in a change-resistant industry.

Jerry shares how VCC’s culture of constant innovation shaped his leadership style, why “IA before AI” is essential for successful analytics, and what it takes to align technology with business strategy in construction. From e-forms and electronic signatures to data warehousing, AI, and even blockchain-driven ERP, Jerry explains how to balance failing fast with long-term vision.

If you’re a CFO, controller, or construction leader looking to understand how technology can transform field operations and finance, this conversation is packed with insights you can put to work today.

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About the Guest:
Luke Nelson is a seasoned construction finance leader who has served as controller, CFO, and now fractional CFO to contractors across the U.S. He helps owners and project teams align operations and finance, negotiate retainage, and make better decisions using real-time job cost data.

Episode Highlights:
In this Finance at the Job Site episode, Rishi and Luke dive into:

• Luke’s journey from public accounting → controller → CFO → fractional CFO

• Lessons on overcoming imposter syndrome and earning a seat at the table

• Cultural and regional differences in construction finance practices

• Why bank balance–based decision-making leads to cash flow surprises

• How to use WIP reports to stay ahead of revenue and margin slippage

• Practical strategies for negotiating retainage and avoiding fee fade

• Why project managers need to be financially literate to protect profit

• The importance of monthly project reviews — and how to run them well

• The future role of the construction CFO — and where AI fits in

📺 Watch on YouTube
🔔 Follow Finance at the Job Site so you never miss an episode!

📢 Hashtags:
#FinanceAtTheJobSite #ConstructionFinance #ConstructionCFO #FractionalCFO #Retainage #CashFlow #FeeFade #WIPReports #ConstructionLeadership #ConstructionPodcast #BuildBetterContractors

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About the Guest:
Jason Sain is the founder of One Degree, a consulting firm helping construction companies improve leaders, processes, and technology “one degree at a time.” Over his 25+ year career, Jason has grown revenues by more than $300M, opened four offices at D’Angelis Diamond, and led teams through ERP implementations, Procore rollouts, and major operational transformations.

Episode Highlights:
In this Finance at the Job Site episode, Rishi and Jason discuss:

• How early lessons on a survey crew shaped Jason’s leadership style

• Building better builders through people-first leadership and clear SOPs

• Turning job cost reports into actionable forecasts — like a weather report

• Strategies to avoid fee fade and manage project risk

• Why tech rollouts fail — and how to get them right

• Retaining top talent and preparing for the next generation of construction leaders

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
If you want to level up your leadership, improve forecasting, and future-proof your construction business, hit play now. Don’t forget to follow the show on Spotify and subscribe on YouTube so you never miss an episode.

📢 Hashtags:
#FinanceAtTheJobSite #ConstructionFinance #ConstructionLeadership #ConstructionTechnology #FeeFade #ERP #Procore #ProjectManagement #PeopleFirstLeadership #ConstructionPodcast #BuildBetterBuilders

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People > Process > Tech: AJ Waters (Kahua) on Real-World Digital Transformation in Construction

Construction isn’t “slow to adopt tech”—it’s struggling to integrate it. In this Finance at the Jobsite episode, AJ Waters (Chief Evangelist, Kahua; ex-Kiewit, Google) shares hard-won lessons from major ERP and project platform rollouts: why people-first change wins, how to meet the field where they are, and the true cost of doing nothing.

What you’ll learn

• Why the order of operations matters: People → Process → Technology

• How to involve the field early (and what to do if they hate the tool)

• The cost of doing nothing vs. subscription fees and implementation costs

• Where AI helps today (data entry, retrieval, predictive alerts) vs. where it’s overhyped

• Training that works: flip the classroom and go heavy on short, on-demand videos

• Why connected stakeholder networks (owner ↔ GC ↔ subs ↔ agencies) beat walled gardens

• How to balance speed with adoption and avoid sunk-cost death spirals

Memorable quotes

• “If the field hates it, you’ve failed. Adoption is the metric that matters.”

• “Stop counting the price of new software and start counting the cost of doing nothing.”

• “Innovation isn’t a project—it’s a culture.”

Guest
AJ Waters — Chief Evangelist at Kahua; former Kiewit training lead for enterprise rollouts and former program manager at Google for construction tech selection and deployment.

Topics
Digital transformation, change management, construction ERP, project platforms, AI in construction, field adoption, training design, connected data, risk & ROI.

Tags
#construction #constructionfinance #ERP #projectmanagement #digitaltransformation #changemanagement #AI #Kahua #Kiewit #jobsite #CFO #PM

Want more episodes like this? Subscribe and drop your biggest tech-adoption question in the comments.

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Construction finance is a different animal. In this episode, Kevin Jacobs, CCIFP—fractional CFO and longtime finance leader across construction, steel, and manufacturing—explains why the WIP schedule is the heartbeat of a contractor, how to stay liquid during growth and downturns, and what to prioritize when choosing and training on ERPs like Vista, SAP, NetSuite, and QuickBooks. We also dig into PM–finance communication, culture and M&A, and where AI helps AP teams move from data entry to decision-making.

What you’ll learn

• How to turn your WIP from “bonding requirement” into a daily management tool

• Cash flow playbook: reserves, lines of credit, bonding relationships, AR discipline

• The shift to fractional CFO support: when it makes sense and what changes

• Red flags Kevin sees repeatedly: no/poor job costing, underused ERP, weak forecasting, key-person risk

• ERP selection rule: fit over features—and why training often matters more than software

• Practical PM–finance communication (talk labor hours, utilization, mobilization—not EBITDA)

• AI in AP: freeing time for analysis and improving accuracy with human-in-the-loop controls

• The first advice Kevin gives a new construction CFO: be the best listener

About Kevin Jacobs, CCIFP
Kevin is a construction-focused fractional CFO who’s led finance for global manufacturers and contractors. He holds the CCIFP credential (via CFMA) and specializes in WIP reporting, cash flow, ERP adoption, and scaling finance teams.

Chapters

• Intro

• Kevin’s blue-collar roots & why construction finance

• Jobsite impact: from dirt moving to finished assets

• Lessons from global companies: discipline of scale & volatility

• Why fractional CFO; who should consider it

• Juggling clients = project management for finance

• Owner/operator lens from running a business

• Work–life balance for owners

• CCIFP: why it matters (via CFMA)

• WIP mistakes: treating it as a checkbox vs. management tool

• How to test WIP accuracy (tie to P&L, complete job list)

• Linking % complete to physical progress

• Speaking PM language (labor, utilization, mobilization)

• Cash flow in growth & downturns (reserves, LOC, bonding, AR)

• Recurring red flags: job costing, ERP underuse, forecasting, key-person risk

• M&A/restructuring: culture, backlog, under-billings, bonding capacity

• Aligning finance with ops: fixing estimating & margins

• ERP selection: fit over features; don’t skimp on training

• AI & real-time data: from entry to analysis

• AP automation in practice (human-in-the-loop)

• One tip for first-time construction CFOs

• Wrap

If you want to watch video of this podcast, here is the YouTube link:

https://youtu.be/xlPtT1Mkr-g?si=FoGuP8NCXxeczzWO

Resources mentioned

• CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association) and the CCIFP credential

• ERPs: Vista, SAP, NetSuite, QuickBooks

Connect

• Host: Rishi Srivastava — Finance at the Jobsite Podcast

• Guest: Kevin Jacobs, CCIFP — Fractional CFO

Like what you heard?
Subscribe for weekly conversations with construction CFOs, controllers, and operators tackling margins, cash, WIP, and systems. Drop your questions in the comments—we may cover them in a future episode.

#ConstructionFinance #CCIFP #CFMA #WIP #CashFlow #ConstructionERP #FractionalCFO #APAutomation #Vista #NetSuite #SAP #QuickBooks

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Construction contracts aren’t scary—if you know where the real risk hides. In this episode of Finance at the Jobsite, host Rishi Srivastava (Beiing Human) sits down with Eliot Wagonheim—construction attorney and founder of First Rule Contract Manager—to unpack the five most dangerous clauses, how to get paid on change orders, and where AI truly helps (and where it doesn’t).

What you’ll learn

• The big 5 risk areas: Flow-down, Indemnification, Warranty scope and timing, Price escalation with tariffs and supply chain, and Change orders

• The most misunderstood clauses (indemnification and definitions like “Contract Documents”)

• A practical script for starting work before a signed CO—without working for free

• When to walk away from a negotiation—and why that’s rare

• How AI contract review can speed risk spotting (and where human nuance still wins)

• Training non-lawyers: why consistency beats intensity for contract literacy

• One lesson you should never forget: read the documents (all of them!)

Chapters

• Intro

• Eliot’s path to construction law and First Rule

• From reactive law to proactive training

• Improv and public speaking → better negotiations (“Yes, and…”)

• What decades of deals teach about risk

• The 5 most dangerous clauses (subs vs. GCs)

• Most misunderstood: Indemnification and Definitions

• Change orders: how to ensure you get paid

• When is it worth walking away?

• AI in contract review: promise and limits

• Balancing AI speed with attorney nuance

• Tech, institutional knowledge, and team communication

• Training non-attorneys (consistency beats one-off workshops)

• “Here’s what happens in the field” (use your turf)

• Real-world $250k mistake from contract miscommunication

• How much contract knowledge CFOs and PMs need

• Biggest myth about construction attorneys

• Future of negotiation: people skills over tech

• Parting advice: read the documents

• Wrap

  
  

  If you want to watch video podcast here is the YouTube link:

  https://youtu.be/aPFnMLzgs0E?si=CVP7nNKoWaMfnpBv

Guest
Eliot Wagonheim — Construction attorney; founder, First Rule Contract Manager (AI-powered contract risk analysis plus contract training).

Host
Rishi Srivastava — Founder & CEO, Beiing Human (AI for construction finance and AP automation).

If this helped you:
👍 Like • 💬 Comment your biggest contract “gotcha” • 🔔 Subscribe for more CFO-level construction finance and contract insights.

Hashtags:
#ConstructionLaw #Contracts #ChangeOrders #GeneralContractor #Subcontractor #AIcontracts #ConstructionFinance #CFO #RiskManagement #ProjectManagement

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