In this episode of our dis/agreed vodcast Patric Hellermann and Shubhankar Bhattacharya are debating on why Construction SMBs are sleeping Superpowers?
They discuss questions like:
- What is your thesis on SMB enablement for construction in general?
- SMB enablement for accounting, spend management and HR: Will horizontals win, or will specialists win?
- What is the role of construction distributors in SMB enablement?
SMBs make up the majority of the construction market, especially small GCs and trades. To truly modernize the industry, the focus must be on enabling these businesses with tools tailored to their needs. Generic horizontal tools like QuickBooks or Gusto often serve as entry points, but they struggle when faced with industry-specific challenges such as job costing or union payroll. This creates an opportunity for specialist tools that understand the nuances of construction operations.
In areas like accounting, spend management, and HR, the winner will be the solution that simplifies complexity without overwhelming the user. Simplicity, trust, and embedded workflows matter more than breadth of features. Construction distributors are emerging as critical players in this transformation. They already own the trust and cash flow relationships with SMBs and are well-positioned to offer value-added services like financing, procurement, and even referrals for labor.
Rather than building standalone software, the real opportunity lies in making existing workflows visible and more efficient. The most effective tools will integrate deeply into how work is already done on job sites and in back offices. Whoever delivers that simplicity in a construction-native way is likely to capture this massive segment.