CONTRACTOR.MBA
Build a business that runs on systems, not survival.
6 weeks
hybrid: virtual/in-person
5 toolkits
Business Operations Portfolio
Black Contractors Owners & Executives (BCOE)
Launch Partner
Founding cohort, launching in collaboration with
THE GAP
Why Successful Contractors Miss Larger Opportunities
CURRENT APPROACH
- Pricing is based on intuition or assumptions about competitors.
- Estimating methods vary depending on who performs the task.
- Processes are undocumented and exist only in the owner's knowledge.
- Cash flow issues are identified only after they occur.
- Growth requires the owner to take on additional responsibilities personally.
PREPARED APPROACH
- Pricing is set based on actual overhead and margin objectives.
- Estimating processes are consistent, regardless of who manages them.
- Systems are documented and function independently of the owner.
- Cash flow is proactively forecast rather than identified after the fact.
- Growth enables the business to handle increased capacity safely.
WHO'S TEACHING THIS
Meet Erick
Commercial Banker · Contractor · Entrepreneur · Economic Development
M.S. - Northwestern University · M.A. - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Erick Soderberg founded Contractor.MBA after building businesses from three distinct perspectives: as a commercial banker evaluating companies for financing, as the owner of a contracting business, and as an entrepreneur across multiple industries. This combination is rare. Most business coaches have not served on a commercial loan committee. Most bankers have not priced jobs, managed crews, or experienced the daily realities of running a contracting company. Erick has. His perspective shapes every Contractor.MBA Professional Certificate. Each framework, exercise, and business asset is built around a key question: how would a lender, general contractor, or procurement officer evaluate this business today?
"Your craftsmanship creates opportunities. Your business systems determine your potential for growth."
Through his work with contractors, municipalities, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and small business initiatives, Erick recognized that technical expertise alone does not build successful contracting companies. The businesses that consistently grow, win larger projects, and create long-term value are those with strong financial systems, disciplined operations, and the organizational capacity to support growth. This insight became the foundation for the Contractor Capacity Framework™, the methodology behind every Contractor.MBA Professional Certificate.
Contractor.MBA was not created to teach contractors how to build. It was designed to help contractors build companies that are financially disciplined, operationally organized, commercially competitive, and prepared for growth. The goal is not just to complete more projects, but to build a business that consistently wins larger opportunities, delivers them successfully, and creates lasting value for employees, clients, and the communities served.
FIELD NOTE
The Contractor's Reality Check
Each week, Erick challenges a common assumption contractors make and shares a real story from commercial banking, his contracting experience, or the businesses and organizations he has supported. These conversations connect theory to practice, reinforcing each lesson with practical insights contractors can immediately apply to their own businesses.
THE CONTRACTOR CAPACITY FRAMEWORK™
Your First Certificate in the Contractor Capacity Framework™
This certificate represents one stage in a broader development pathway. Each certificate builds upon the previous, contributing to your business’s growth.
BUSINESS FOUNDATION
Build the Foundation.
Establish the legal structure, business fundamentals, financial foundation, and operational essentials required for confident growth.
Build a business that operates independently.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS & FINANCIAL SYSTEMS
Build the Structure.
Develop financial systems, operational processes, pricing strategies, and management discipline to ensure consistent profitability.
Build the systems that drive profitability.
Current Certificate
COMMERCIAL READINESS
Build the Credibility.
Enhance documentation, estimating, compliance, and commercial capabilities to prepare your business for larger contracts and more competitive opportunities.
Build the credibility to compete for larger projects.
CAPACITY & GROWTH
Build the Future.
Develop leadership, organizational infrastructure, and growth strategies to scale your business, build high-performing teams, and deliver more complex projects.
Build an organization capable of growth beyond its owner.
Why Start Here?
Every contractor seeks larger opportunities. However, to compete for commercial, municipal, or institutional work, a business must first demonstrate the operational capacity to support growth.
That's why Contractor.MBA is structured as a progression.
Each certificate builds on the previous one, strengthening your business step by step until it can win, deliver, and sustain larger opportunities.
THE SIX-WEEK JOURNEY
Each week builds on the previous one.
Financial Awareness & Business Health
Know your numbers.
Clarify your expenses before pursuing growth.
Build: Business Health Assessment, Financial Reality Snapshot, Overhead Analysis
Pricing & Profitability
Price with confidence.
Implement a consistent and repeatable pricing system.
Build: Pricing Calculator, Job Costing System, Profitability Worksheet
Financial Systems
Take control of your finances.
Create systems to manage cash flow and support informed decision-making.
Build: Budget, Cash Flow Forecast, Financial Dashboard
Business Systems
Stop relying on memory.
Build: SOPs, Systems Map, Office Checklist
Operations & Client Management
Run smoother projects.
Enhance scheduling, communication, and daily operations.
Build: Project Tracker, Scheduling System, Client Communication Toolkit
Integration & Capstone
Bring it all together.
Finalize your portfolio and evaluate your progress.
Complete: Business Operations Portfolio, Operational Readiness Assessment, Certificate Presentation
By graduation, you will gain not only knowledge but also a business that operates more effectively.
- A complete Business Operations Portfolio
- Financial systems tailored to your business
- Practical operational processes
- Greater confidence in pricing and profitability
- A stronger foundation for commercial growth
FIT CHECK
Who this certificate is for
BEST FIT
- Established contractors with an operating business
- Small construction firms seeking to strengthen their systems
- Businesses planning to pursue commercial or government contracts
- Companies preparing to hire and scale
NOT INTENDED FOR
- Brand-new startups with no operating business yet
- DIY homeowners
- Individuals seeking trade skills or licensing certification
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
The Business Operations Portfolio
After six weeks, you will not leave with generic templates. Instead, you will have a comprehensive Business Operations Portfolio tailored to your business, your data, and your procedures.
These are not worksheets to complete once and set aside. They are practical business tools designed to support better decision-making, consistent operations, and ongoing company growth beyond the program.
01.
Financial Command Center
Gain control over your financial data.
This comprehensive financial toolkit enables you to price work accurately, assess profitability, monitor cash flow, and make informed financial decisions.
Includes:
-
Pricing Calculator
-
Job Costing Calculator
-
Break-Even Calculator
-
Budget Planner
-
Cash Flow Forecast
-
Financial Dashboard
02.
Business Systems Playbook
Establish a business that operates independently of individual memory.
Document essential operating procedures to create repeatable systems that enhance consistency and position your company for growth.
Includes:
-
Business Systems Map
-
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Templates
-
Office Systems Checklist
03.
Project Operations Toolkit
Manage projects with increased organization and confidence.
Integrate scheduling, project tracking, and client communication into a single, repeatable operating system that ensures steady project progress.
Includes:
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Project Tracker
-
Scheduling System
-
Client Communication Templates
04.
Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit
Lay the groundwork for a stronger team.
Develop a structured hiring and onboarding process that accelerates new employee productivity and maintains consistent expectations.
Includes:
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Hiring Process Checklist
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Interview Guide
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Employee Onboarding Checklist
05.
Capstone & Readiness Workbook
Consolidate all program components.
Assess your operational progress, evaluate your business with the Contractor Capacity Framework™, and complete a practical action plan for your next stage of growth.
Includes:
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Operational Readiness Assessment
-
Operational Scorecard
-
90-Day Business Action Plan
At Graduation You'll Leave With:
Five professional business toolkits. One complete Business Operations Portfolio. Each resource is tailored to your business. All materials are owned by your business. They are ready for immediate implementation.
PILOT COHORT PRICING
Build the operating systems your business requires at a significantly reduced cost.
Business Operations & Financial Systems
Professional Certificate Program
- Six-week hybrid learning experience
- Weekly live instruction with Erick Soderberg
- Five Professional Business Toolkits
- Business Operations Portfolio
- Professional Certificate upon successful completion
SPONSORED BY BCOE
Launch Window
Delivery
Cohort Size
Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.
YOUR SEAT WILL BE CONFIRMED ONCE REGISTRATIONS AND PAYMENT ARE COMPLETE.
Registration will close when the cohort reaches its 12-participant capacity.
