In this episode of How They Scaled It, host Courtney sits down with Eric Fortenberry, Founder and CEO of JobTread, an all-in-one construction estimating and project management platform.
This is the story behind the software that is transforming an industry.
From Consultant to Construction CEO
Eric didn’t plan to enter the construction world. He was a software founder who had just sold his first company. But when a friend running a construction company asked for help, Eric stepped in to consult. What he found was a business buried under paper timesheets, disjointed spreadsheets, and chaos.
Initially, he searched for a software solution. “I made this massive spreadsheet comparing all the tools on the market,” Eric explains. But none were user-friendly, affordable, or modern. So he made a bold move—he’d build it himself. With three conditions: he’d take over as CEO, give one year of his time, and own the software as intellectual property.
By year’s end, Eric had transformed the company. Sales grew from $5M to $8M, and gross profit surged 43%. Even more impressively, the foundation he built helped the company eventually scale to $20M in sales across 15 states.
Why Most Construction Estimating Is Broken (And How He Fixed It)
The first, and arguably most critical, transformation happened in the sales and estimating process. “It was a total crapshoot,” Eric recalls. Estimators were using markup instead of margin, leading to wildly inconsistent pricing and missed profit targets.
The fix? Detailed budgets for every job and a pricing system based on target profit margins, not guesswork. “Put away the calculators and pencils,” Eric told the team. “We’re going to calculate pricing based on a real, detailed budget.”
This shift not only ensured every job was profitable, it also gave project managers clarity and structure, unlocking better change orders and stronger financial control.
From Time-and-Materials Chaos to Locked-In Costs
Eric’s second major breakthrough came in operations. When he realized that crews were getting paid by the hour regardless of how efficiently they worked, he knew change was needed.
“Crews were going to Home Depot three times a day. There was no incentive to be efficient,” Eric said. His solution was to implement bid requests, work orders, and purchase orders that locked in project costs from the beginning. Crews were incentivized to finish early, not stretch out work.
The result? On-time, on-budget projects and a dramatic improvement in field productivity without increasing costs.
Turning Resistance Into Advocacy (And Software Into a Movement)
Adoption wasn’t easy. Eric learned quickly that introducing new tech into a traditional industry requires empathy. Rather than forcing change, he listened: “I asked people what their biggest frustrations were. Then I solved for that.”
That people-first mindset is now baked into JobTread. Every customer gets a dedicated Customer Success Manager (with real construction experience), plus access to live trainings, certifications, and even in-person bootcamps.
This human-centered onboarding is one of the reasons JobTread has scaled to thousands of users across North America, with a thriving online community that supports each other in real time.
Who JobTread Serves and Why It Works for So Many
From remodelers to pool builders, JobTread works across construction verticals because it’s built around universal needs: accurate estimating, professional proposals, and tight project control.
Its flexibility is intentional. Whether you run a five-trade kitchen remodel or a single-trade roofing business, the platform adapts. As Eric says, “If you’re custom bidding construction jobs, JobTread will work for you.”
And while the platform can do everything from time tracking to invoicing, estimating is the entry point. “If we get them estimating quickly and correctly, the rest will follow. That’s our anchor feature.”
The Culture Powering the Platform and the Industry Ahead
JobTread’s success is more than software. It’s a result of Eric’s people-first leadership. The company has been named a Best Place to Work in Dallas four years running, and this year, they won the top spot.
From catered team lunches and peer-nominated shout-outs to full-team outings, JobTread invests in culture. Why? Because team motivation and customer happiness go hand in hand.
Looking ahead, Eric sees a tech adoption wave sweeping construction, and JobTread is ready. The focus isn’t just features, but transparency, community, and continuous feedback. The company even opened its internal roadmap and support materials to the public, creating what Eric calls “radical transparency.”
“If you’re not adopting tech, you will get left behind,” he says. But JobTread is betting that with the right tools and support, builders can scale smarter without losing what makes them great.
Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to Episode 27 of How They Scaled It on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YzxDiusg3CQSsTjxRcPhA
If you’re a founder looking to scale smarter, let’s talk. Right Left Agency helps brands like yours harness psychology-driven marketing for real growth. Get in touch today!
To learn more about JobTread, visit www.jobtread.com.
