Field Notes

Real talk on
getting paid.

What we see inside contractor books. What works. What does not. What most owners miss when their unpaid invoices start piling up.

Apr 28, 2026 · 7 min read

The real cost of unpaid invoices for a trade contractor

Most contractors look at their aging report and see overdue invoices. The actual cost runs deeper. It compounds across cash flow, growth, and the cost of capital. Here is the math most operators never run.

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Apr 22, 2026 · 6 min read

Why sending customers to collections is the worst thing you can do

Collection agencies recover 18 to 30 cents on the dollar and torch the relationship in the process. For trade contractors who depend on repeat work and referrals, that math does not work. There is a better path.

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Apr 16, 2026 · 5 min read

The 60-day rule: why your odds of getting paid drop off a cliff

Every day past 60 cuts the chance of getting paid. The drop is not gradual. It is a cliff. Understanding why this happens is the difference between getting paid and writing it off.

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Apr 10, 2026 · 6 min read

Why your office manager will never recover your money

Asking your front office to chase old invoices is asking a sprinter to run a marathon. Different role. Different skill set. Different psychology. Here is why DIY recovery fails almost every time.

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Apr 04, 2026 · 8 min read

The trade contractor playbook: six moves to fix your invoicing

Six concrete moves that tighten up your invoicing process so fewer customers go past 60 days. None of them are exotic. All of them work. Most contractors are doing fewer than two.

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Mar 28, 2026 · 5 min read

Recovery vs collections: a difference most contractors miss

Recovery and collections are different jobs. Different goals. Different methods. Different outcomes. Confusing the two costs trade contractors millions every year. Here is how to tell them apart.

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