AARON MARKEL BUILDS
Full course · Business · Specialty program

Foreman to Owner

Being great on the tools and running a business are two different jobs. This course takes you from one to the other.

I started Markel Home Improvements doing flooring and have run AIM Project Management since 2012. I made most of the mistakes in this course the hard way. You don't have to.

Join the founding cohort

The modules

In the order you'll hit them.

Every week you build one piece of your own business. By week 11, the binder is the business.

  1. Are you ready to own it?The honest money and time math before you spend a dollar.
  2. Pick your laneWhat you do, where, and who you walk away from.
  3. Set it up rightRegistration, HST, WSIB, insurance, licences, banking.
  4. Know your numbersOverhead, labour burden, markup vs margin.
  5. Estimating and quotingTakeoffs, allowances, and a quote clients understand.
  6. Contracts and getting paidScope, change orders, deposits, the Construction Act.
  7. Winning workReferrals, GCs, reviews, the site visit, follow-up.
  8. Running the jobStartup, suppliers, safety, daily logs, closeout.
  9. Subs and your first hiresSub vs employee, WSIB clearances, crew leads.
  10. Systems that run without youSOPs for a two-person shop and a weekly owner rhythm.
  11. Cash, growth and staying alive13-week cash forecast and when to grow.
The Business-in-a-Binder

You don't leave with notes.

You leave with your business set up. At the end you sit down with me for a 15-minute review. If it's not ready, you get a fix list and a second review.

Want the short version first? C10 How to Start a Construction Business is the 3–4 hour front door to this course.

  • Registrations and compliance done
  • A pricing model that covers your overhead
  • Contract, change order and invoice templates
  • At least one real quote out the door
  • A starter SOP manual
  • A 13-week cash flow forecast
Founding cohort

Small on purpose

The first cohort is kept small. Founding members get first seats, in exchange for honest feedback that shapes the course. Send me a note below with your trade and where you're at, and you're on the list. No payment until the start date is set.

Founding cohort

Get on the list.

Tell me who you are and what you're hoping to get out of Foreman to Owner. You'll hear back from me within one business day, and you'll be first to know when dates are set. No payment until then.

Emailaaron@aaronmarkelbuilds.com Response time

Within one business day.

A quick note

Email's the fastest way to reach me. There's no phone line on purpose, because I'm on site or in the studio most days and I'd rather give you a real answer than a rushed one. If it makes sense, we'll set up a video call.

Based in

Rockland, Eastern Ontario. I travel for the right program, and teach live from my studio anywhere.