Builders... Great at Building Houses. Not Always Great at Running a Business.
Mike Blackburn has been working in the construction industry for over 10 years. He's had a front-row seat to some remarkable construction businesses...and some spectacular business failures.
Construction is known for its boom-and-bust cycles. Most of those cycles are driven by forces well beyond the control of any individual builder. But what continues to surprise Mike isn't what happens during the bad times... It's how many building companies struggle—even when times are good.
In an industry where demand has often exceeded supply, too many businesses have failed not because they couldn't build quality homes, but because they couldn't build a resilient business. During this presentation, Mike will share a number of real-world stories—from small family builders to well-known companies—that ultimately ended in liquidation, along with a few cautionary tales that perhaps should have had happier endings.He will also provide a brief snapshot of where the construction market sits today, why the next few years will be very different from the last few, and why good business fundamentals have never been more important. It promises to be an honest, occasionally uncomfortable, and hopefully entertaining look at an industry that knows how to build almost anything...except, sometimes, a sustainable business.
Date:
Wednesday 22nd July, 2026
Time:
12.30 - 13.00pm Networking and refreshments
13.00 - 14.00pm Presentation (webinar starts)
14.00 - 14.30pm Networking and refreshments
Presenters
Mike Blackburn - Construction Sector Analyst and Management Consultant
Venue:
BDO Christchurch
4th Floor, Awly Building
287-293 Durham Street
Christchurch 8013
Pricing:
RITANZ Networking Events qualify you for CPD hours
The potential number of CPD hours for this event, for both Chartered Accountants ANZ and NZLS members, is 1 hour (if relevant to your identified learning needs).