Keynote Speaker to Deliver Six-System Process to Boost Profits and Value
At AWCI’s 2026 Industry Leaders Conference on Wednesday, September 30, construction advisor and Well Built Consulting CEO Chad Prinkey will deliver “Well Built: How the Top 2% of Contractors Create Superior Value, Profits and Excellence.” Blending 18 years of industry experience with “radical candor,” Prinkey will reveal how elite contractors defy tight margins and talent shortages to consistently double or triple market profits and secure a lasting competitive advantage.
Chad Prinkey’s unique mix of industry experience, stage savvy and “radical candor” helps catapult contractors into the top 2% for a lasting competitive advantage.
As the founder and CEO of Well Built Consulting since 2021, and construction industry advisor for more than 18 years, Prinkey will deliver “Well Built: How the Top 2% of Contractors Create Superior Value, Profits and Excellence,” on Wednesday, September 30 during AWCI’s Industry Leaders Conference in Indian Wells, California.
Despite major industry challenges including fluctuating markets, attracting enough talent and unreasonably tight margins, some elite contractors consistently achieve double or triple the market profits.
Keynote speaker Prinkey will detail his step-by-step process that optimizes every area of the business to help contractors join the top 2% and gain enduring competitive advantages that increase profits for the long haul.
For contractors and project teams, the ultimate outcome is increased enterprise value—the overall worth of the business.
“Ultimately, the process helps companies grow both revenue and profit while becoming more resilient, scalable and valuable,” said Prinkey, who has addressed more than 120 construction companies and more than a dozen associations.
Prinkey’s Baltimore, Maryland, national firm works exclusively with hundreds of small to mid-size general contractors, construction managers, trade contractors, service contractors, owners and developers to improve companies and project teams.
Common benefits include improved gross profit margins, increased net profit dollars and profitability, greater operational efficiency, expanded capacity for growth, stronger leadership teams, better succession planning options, improved quality of life for owners and reduced key-person, client and market risks.
Rooted in Contracting
Prinkey’s career literally started from the ground up. As a teenager in high school and college, he worked as a laborer for a residential contractor doing framing, concrete, masonry and roofing work. “The work was physically demanding, humbling and challenging in ways that school never was,” he explained.
He believes everyone would benefit from the experience of working in the field to learn the value of hard work, respect for people who build the world around us, the discipline to tackle difficult challenges and the importance of consistent effort.
Simultaneously, Prinkey built a foundation that extended well beyond his growing years. He developed a deep respect for contractors and chose to dedicate his career to helping the people and businesses he believes are building America.
“That perspective directly influences Well Built Consulting’s mission to help contractors create healthier companies, stronger cultures and better career opportunities for their teams,” said Prinkey, who works to drive positive change in the construction sector.
Additionally, every solution is practical and proven to work with real contractors, their jobsites and busy construction offices.
Take 2%: Core Differences
Facing similar industry challenges, what do the top 2% do differently? “There is no single silver bullet,” Prinkey asserts. “It comes down to having the right systems and culture in place across the business.”
The best contractors optimize every area of the business—from operations and strategy to culture, sales and customer relationships. From improving team skills and compensation structures to strengthening communication on project teams.
Although there is no magic formula, the top 2% share three characteristics:
Complete visibility and control of their data: They understand their financial health in real time, forecast accurately, track key performance indicators and assign ownership of results.
A documented strategic business plan: They have a clear vision, strategic direction and alignment throughout the organization, which eliminates effort and improves decision making.
A highly accountable executive team: Their leaders trust each other, communicate honestly and consistently follow through on commitments.
The strongest contractors also develop unique strengths in areas such as operational excellence, customer relationships, technology or service delivery. Reinforcing why the right systems and culture matter, Prinkey compares business weaknesses to a “hole in the bucket.”
“Even if a company excels in most areas, one major weakness can drain momentum and limit results,” he explained. “Strong systems ensure that every part of the business works together effectively to create consistency, accountability and sustainable performance.”
Moreover, he said culture is equally important because it governs behavior when situations arise that cannot be covered in a manual.
“Culture is how we act every day,” said Prinkey. “An intentional culture ensures employees make decisions that align with a company’s values and objectives, even when no one is watching.”
Six Steps to Success
Prinkey’s proven step-by-step process helps contractors gain durable competitive advantages for lasting increased profits.
His methodology follows six practical systems that are built upon each other:
Install the foundation: Establish financial clarity, reliable data and meaningful metrics.
Create clear strategic direction: Define purpose, vision, core values, organizational structure and long-term goals.
Achieve operational excellence: Improve execution before pursuing growth.
Strengthen relationships: Invest in employees and customers to create loyalty and trust.
Power up sales, marketing and business development: Systematically generate more ideal opportunities and customers.
Top out and run up the score: Pursue advanced growth initiatives such as new markets, technology, service lines or geographic expansion.
“The sequence matters because growth amplifies strengths and weaknesses,” he emphasized. “Companies must build a healthy foundation before pursuing expansion.”
A Well Built Launch
In 2008, Prinkey’s lightbulb moment occurred after a Veteran construction executive attended his training session on business development. Three months after the session, the long-time industry executive shared the impact of Prinkey’s guidance: “I’ve been doing things the hard way for a long time…this stuff is changing my life!”
From that moment, Prinkey knew that consulting and coaching was his calling. It sparked a personal and professional transformation to dedicate his career to helping construction companies get a better return on their time, money and effort. He founded Well Built Consulting to fulfill his mission.
Prinkey’s company reflects his abilities in business strategy, leadership development, sales, marketing and relationship building while leveraging a broader team of construction experts. His hands-on approach is rooted in real-world experience.
The firm’s full-time staff comprises specialists with expertise in project management, estimating, finance, field operations and leadership to address contractors’ full range of challenges. He and his staff have participated in billions of dollars of construction projects across market sectors, including affordable housing, medical, data centers, educational, military and market-rate apartments delivered through both design-bid-build and design-build methods.
“The goal is to provide the most comprehensive consulting solution available to middle-market contractors seeking to become market leaders,” said Prinkey.
Earlier Endeavors
Prior to launching his company in 2021, Prinkey spent 13 years at a sales training and consulting firm building a construction-focused practice. Over time, he realized that contractors needed broader support than he could provide alone.
He also learned how to work with an audience.
Before consulting, Prinkey spent years performing professionally as both an actor and lead singer in a rock band logging more than 10,000 hours of stage time. His background as an entertainer and performer informs his practice with tangible skills.
He gained an ability to connect with an audience, read energy and adapt in real time, influence outcomes through communication, keep people engaged and facilitate meaningful conversations. He attributes those valuable skills to facilitate strategic planning sessions, lead workshops, deliver keynote presentations, and engage large groups.
And the beat goes on.
“I enjoy speaking because it combines learning, interaction and the opportunity to create meaningful change through human connection,” said Prinkey.
A Culture of Candor
Well Built Consulting practices “radical candor,” an approach informed by Kim Scott’s book of the same name. He believes in telling clients what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear.
“Meaningful business improvement requires difficult conversations,” he said.
Internally, Prinkey’s straightforward communication style and strong people skills help create a culture of trust, transparency, accountability, healthy disagreement and collaborative problem solving.
The company’s commitment to combine honesty with empathy and respect allows the team to address difficult issues without damaging relationships. This ability to drive real, positive changes rather than simply provide advice has become a defined characteristic of the company’s brand and success.
Creating a culture of candor and other practices arose from Prinkey’s collective journey. Throughout his career, he describes himself as a “selective mentee” whose mentors have primarily been clients.
“Instead of trying to emulate one individual completely, I focus on learning specific lessons from many different people and incorporating those insights into my own leadership style and business philosophy,” he said.
He believes every successful person has unique strengths worth learning from, whether in culture, operations, leadership, strategy or another area.
A Practical Guide
Prinkey intentionally wrote his latest book, Well Built: How the Top 2% of Construction Contractors Create Superior Value, Profits and Excellence to be highly practical and actionable.
Rather than focusing on theory, the best-selling book serves as a step-by-step guide that helps contractors immediately identify opportunities for improvement and make meaningful upgrades in how they operate, strategize, manage teams, win new business and deliver customer excellence. Readers describe it as a practical manual filled with examples, stories and clear instructions they can apply directly to their businesses.
“The goal is not simply to inspire new ideas, but to help teams get to work improving their companies right away,” he said.
Beyond the book, Prinkey’s concepts are shared across channels through a Content Hub (www.wellbuiltconsulting.com/industry-insights) including articles, videos, social media, publications offering construction leadership insights, the Morning Huddle Show discussing construction leadership and operations, the WELL BUILT podcast, whitepapers, webinars including live and on-demand training, bootcamps and newsletters with a full archive. CD
Lorelei K. Harloe is a freelance writer in Washington, DC, area.
