In this insightful conversation, Jeff Calabro, President of SDI Services, shares his journey of scaling a construction business post-acquisition by Solv Energy. He discusses the challenges of attracting skilled workers and the need for effective leadership in navigating market fluctuations. Jeff highlights the significance of empathy in the workplace and emphasizes financial preparedness for stability. He also provides strategies to avoid burnout and sustainably grow a business without sacrificing profit or control. A must-listen for contractors seeking balance!
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Make Work Attractive To Find Talent
Create an employee environment that attracts talent rather than blaming the market for shortages.
Design roles, travel expectations, and remote-work realities to make remote or desert jobs compelling.
insights INSIGHT
Leadership Grows From Experience
Leadership develops through experience and building confidence, not overnight authority.
True leaders seek buy-in because they need others to execute their vision and control outcomes.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Soften To Win Long-Term Buy-In
Adapt your leadership style from abrasive to collaborative to win long-term buy-in.
Soften communication and build consensus to avoid collateral damage and sustain teams.
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Steve sits down with special guest Jeff Calabro, President of SDI Services—a solar and drilling subcontractor recently acquired by Solv Energy. Jeff shares the raw truth about scaling a construction business without losing margin, control, or your mind.
From building a team that actually shows up, to pricing jobs right, to staying lean during rapid growth—this episode is packed with lessons from someone who’s been in the trenches. If you're a contractor chasing revenue but feeling the squeeze on profit, Jeff's story will hit home.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the individual Coltivar Group, LLC (“Coltivar”) personnel quoted and are not the views of Coltivar or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, Coltivar has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendations. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. Please see https://www.coltivar.com/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use for additional important information.
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