Why Most Construction Family Partnerships Fail (And How to Avoid It) with Jake Lewendal | E388

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EPISODE 388: Do you ever feel like your business is costing too much? Jake Lewendal of Momentum Development knows that pain too well. 

Jake, a Bozeman-based builder, grew up sweeping floors on job sites. He eventually co-founded a construction company with his father-in-law—-only to watch this relationship crumble under the pressure of a poorly-structured family partnership.

In this week's episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast, Systematized Your Construction Business (SYCB) coach Monish Khadye sits down with Jake to unpack a story of growth, failure, and redemption.

Listen in and learn:

• What really causes family business partnerships to fail

• Why Jake initially sought out business partners

• Crucial things to set up in a family-run construction business

• How your greatest strength can also become your biggest weakness

• The power of handling rejections well

…and more!

If you’ve ever struggled with partnerships, leadership clarity, or scaling your construction company without burning out, this episode is for you.

Let’s dive in!

 

Key Takeaways:

Introduction (00:00)

From teen laborer to builder CEO (02:21)

Family business or family meltdown? (08:05)

Communication failure and festering resentment (14:28)

The fallout: firing family and losing contract (32:47)

First thing to do when partnering with family (36:00)

How to fix unclear succession roles (40:38)

When Jake's strength became his weakness (45:15)

Overcoming micromanagement and trusting the team (55:55)

The relationship-based growth strategy (1:03:58)

How to handle rejection like a pro (1:19:51)

Don’t just lead—design a role you love (1:27:11)

Key traits for successful partnerships and structured exits (1:34:15)

Episode wrap-up (1:42:55)

 

Additional Resources:

- Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment HERE 

- Schedule your free business evaluation call with our team HERE 

 

Connect with Jake Lewendal 

- Reach out to Jake by sending your email to [e-mail]

- Follow or DM Jake on Instagram HERE

- Follow Momentum Development HERE

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