This is Part 2 of Anthony’s transformation story. Missed Part 1? Read how Anthony learned to increase builder profit and fix cashflow problems
One builder’s journey from missing his kids’ lives to doing school drop-offs whilst achieving genuine builder work life balance.
Discover how getting off the tools strategically can give you a builder work life balance without your business falling apart.
The Cost of Poor Builder Work Life Balance
Last week in Part 1, you read how Anthony went from 8 years of losses to genuine builder profit in just 12 months.
But the financial transformation was only half the story.
For years, Anthony lived the builder’s curse: working nights and weekends, missing family time, always on call, never truly present even when he was home.
His wife worked full-time because the business couldn’t support them. His kids barely saw him. When he was with family, his mind was stuck on site problems or the next crisis waiting to happen.
Sounds exhausting? It was.
But here’s what many builders don’t realise: you don’t have to sacrifice your family life to run a successful building business. In fact, achieving proper builder work life balance makes your business stronger.
When Anthony transformed his business systems, something remarkable happened. He didn’t just get financially stable. He got his life back.
Read how he got his nights and weekends back below. Be sure to also subscribe to the Live Life Build YouTube channel.
What Real Builder Work Life Balance Looks Like
Within his first two years with ELEVATE, Anthony achieved a builder work life balance he previously thought impossible:
Present With His Family
Anthony now does regular school drop-offs and pick-ups. He’s actively involved in his children’s lives in a way that was completely impossible before.
His wife, who had been working full-time out of necessity, can now choose to work just a few days a week. She can be a stay-at-home mum predominantly in the early years of their children’s lives, exactly what they’d always wanted but couldn’t afford.
Nights and Weekends Returned
“I’ve become so much more present with my family and gained my nights and weekends back,” Anthony shared.
No more working until midnight on quotes. No more weekend site visits eating into family time. No more being physically present but mentally absent.
Getting Off the Tools Strategically
Here’s the part that surprises many builders: Anthony actually got BACK on the tools, but on his terms.
After successfully getting off the tools and working in the business properly, he identified what sparked joy for him: spending time with the team and training his apprentices.
So he structured his business to allow at least one day a week on the tools doing exactly that. Not because the business needed him there to survive, but because he chose to be there.
The world didn’t implode. In fact, it thrived.
I’ve become so much more present with my family and gained my nights and weekends back.
Anthony
The Systems That Create Builder Work Life Balance
How did Anthony reclaim his time? Through implementing specific systems:
Working Locally
He created a business that works solely in the inner west, no more than 10 kilometres from home. Less travel time meant more family time.
Weekly Site Meetings
By bundling all project site meetings on the same day, Anthony drastically reduced the constant interruptions and could actually focus during work hours.
A Strong Team Culture
With proper systems in place, Anthony built a team he could trust. He didn’t need to be everywhere all the time because his team knew exactly what to do.
VA Support
Putting a virtual assistant in place helped take the load off backend estimating and administration, freeing Anthony to focus on what mattered most.
The Personal Wins Beyond Work Life Balance
Some of Anthony’s wins went beyond typical builder work life balance:
The Dream Car
Anthony purchased his dream car, and did so strategically using the overhead calculator from ELEVATE. It wasn’t reckless spending. It was a calculated reward for his hard work.
The Family Caravan
They purchased and renovated an onsite caravan that the whole family loves. It’s their escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, creating memories together.
Tactical Travel
Using an Amex card tactically in the business, Anthony now reaps travel benefits, sometimes piggybacking family holidays off Live Life Build events. His kids get to experience a life he could have only dreamt of in his own childhood.
The Confidence That Comes With Balance
Perhaps most importantly, Anthony’s transformation gave him something invaluable: confidence.
He’s now confident in communicating with clients, designers, and building surveyors. He educates them rather than being intimidated by them.
He’s become someone who helps others struggling with similar challenges, sharing his story openly to support fellow builders.
He’s actively involved in sharing his mental health journey, always lending an ear to anyone needing to get things off their chest.
Breaking the Stigma
Anthony became a guest on three separate podcast platforms. These weren’t random appearances. They were bucket list items, opportunities to share his transformation and help other builders see what builder work life balance is possible.
He’s an A-Team captain in the Live Life Build community, using his challenges and understanding of pain and stress to connect with others. He helps them see that their current reality doesn’t have to be their permanent reality.
Building a Business That Works FOR Your Life
Anthony’s builder work life balance didn’t come from working less or caring less about his business. It came from building a business that actually worked properly.
When your business has:
- Proper systems and processes
- A strong team culture
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- A healthy pipeline of the right work
- Solid financial foundations
You don’t need to be there 24/7 for it to function. You can actually have a life outside of work.
From Survival Mode to Living Life
“I can’t thank you enough,” Anthony wrote to the Live Life Build team. “You haven’t just helped change my business but my life for the better.”
This is what transformation looks like. Not just more profit (though that matters). Not just better systems (though those are crucial).
Real builder work life balance is getting to do school drop-offs. It’s seeing your wife’s face when she realises she can spend the early years at home with your children. It’s creating family memories in your caravan on weekends instead of working through quotes.
It’s being present when you’re home. It’s having the mental space to actually enjoy your family instead of constantly worrying about the business.
Your Turn to Achieve Builder Work Life Balance
If you’re reading this thinking “I haven’t had a proper weekend in years” or “I can’t remember the last time I made it to my kid’s sports game,” you’re not alone.
Thousands of builders are stuck in the same trap, believing that sacrificing family time is just the cost of running a building business.
But Anthony’s story proves that’s not true.
The difference between staying stuck and breaking through isn’t working harder. It’s implementing the right systems, getting the right support, and being willing to do things differently.
Anthony succeeded in creating a business and life that allows him to be the father and husband he always wanted to be, whilst running a more profitable business than ever before.
You can too.
Live Life Build’s ELEVATE program provides the frameworks, systems, and support to help you build a business that works for your life, not against it.
If you’re ready to stop missing your family’s life and start actually living yours, ELEVATE can show you exactly how to achieve genuine builder work life balance.
Check out ELEVATE, learn more about the program, and hear from other members like Anthony who have reclaimed their nights, weekends, and lives.
Take the first step towards genuine builder work life balance today.
Read Both Parts of Anthony’s Transformation:
• Part 1: How to Increase Builder Profit and Fix Cashflow Problems
• Part 2: Builder Work Life Balance: Get Your Nights and Weekends Back (you are here)