How to Build a Bottoms-Up Budget Your Team Owns (and Succeeds with) | Chris Hoffmann

Every January, businesses gear up for budgeting, a process often filled with stress and unrealistic goals. But what if there was a better way? A way that engages your team, builds buy-in, and sets you up for success?

Enter the bottom-up approach.

Traditional budgeting often starts with a top-down edict, a number plucked from thin air and cascaded down the ranks. This demotivates teams, fosters disconnect, and leads to missed targets. The bottom-up approach flips the script. It starts with the building blocks of your business: individual teams and departments.

In a recent conversation with Chris Hoffmann of Hoffmann Brothers, I delved into the critical aspects of effective budgeting for businesses.

Chris detailed their bottom-up budgeting approach, which begins with identifying the key building blocks for each business unit.

Using historical data, they analyze factors like booked calls, conversion rates, and average ticket values, looking at what worked and what can be improved.

Engaging different departments and teams, including sales, operations, and management, they collaboratively set realistic goals and improvements for each core driver.

By addressing operational constraints, improving training, and setting achievable targets, employees are motivated to contribute to the overall growth of the business.

Key Takeaways

Intro (00:00)

Private equity acquisitions and debt management (05:17)

Hoffmann Brothers business (10:11)

Budgeting in a tough environment (13:57)

Bottoms up budgeting approach (16:57)

Forget pre-COVID pricing levels (22:19)

Budgeting and cost allocation for multiple entities (23:23)

Getting everyone aligned on the budget (28:51)

Correcting misses in the budget (36:48)

Revenue and sales in home services (41:07)

Budgeting for your personal life (55:31)

Additional Resources 

Connect with Chris Hoffmann

Website: http://www.hoffmannbros.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoffmannbros/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoffmannBros

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoffmann-brothers/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hoffmannbros?lang=en

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/hoffmannbros

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Hoffmannbros

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To The Point Home Services Podcast is a home services podcast that gets to the point! Focused on helping HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and many other HS companies grow exponentially.