In construction, many owners keep their financials locked away. Maybe a project manager sees the top-line revenue on a bid, or the office manager knows what invoices are outstanding, but the rest of the team rarely sees the big picture. The thinking goes like this: if employees know too much, they might worry or expect more.
On a recent episode of The Cost Codes Show, Knowify co-founder and CEO, Marc Visent, explained how his approach is much different.
As a growing SaaS business, Knowify has embraced financial and operational transparency inside the company. Sharing numbers openly has helped build trust, align the team, and hold everyone accountable. It’s an approach that trades business owners can learn from.
When employees are in the dark, they see their job in isolation. A carpenter may think their only task is to install drywall. A bookkeeper may assume their role is just to process payments. Without visibility into the financial picture, people can’t see how their work affects profitability or growth.
The result? Missed opportunities, lower morale, and in some cases, costly mistakes.
At Knowify, the leadership team shares not just revenue targets but also real performance updates. In a software company, this can mean metrics like monthly recurring revenue, churn, or even cash in the bank. The point is to be clear about where the business stands, even if the numbers aren’t perfect.
That level of openness creates accountability. If revenue is behind, the marketing team thinks harder about generating leads. If product deadlines slip, the engineering team feels ownership for getting back on track. Everyone understands how their role contributes to the company’s goals.
For construction companies, the parallels are easy to see:
When people understand the impact of their actions, they start making better day-to-day decisions.
Construction accountants can play a big part in helping their clients adopt this mindset. Instead of dropping off reports, take the time to explain what the numbers mean.
For example:
When owners and employees alike understand the story behind the numbers, accountability naturally follows.
You don’t have to hand your full P&L to every crew member. The key is to start small and consistent:
At Knowify, transparency has helped align the various teams in a software business around common goals. The same principle applies to trade contracting businesses. When your team understands the numbers, they don’t just work harder. They work smarter, because they know how their actions move the company forward.
For contractors, this could mean higher profitability, fewer mistakes, and less turnover. For accountants, it creates opportunities to become true advisors.
The lesson is simple: don’t lock your numbers away. Share them wisely, and you’ll build the kind of accountability that makes businesses stronger. That’s true whether you’re running a software company or a construction company.
Knowify is financially-focused job management software for the trades. With tools to help you stay profitable, stay on track, and stay organized, Knowify gives you everything you need to manage all of your project and service work from proposal to payment. Get started with a free 14-day trial today.
