Own The Build

In this episode, Paul is joined by Davin Dillon, founder of Clearnorth — known in the industry as “the QS people” — to unpack one of the most important career questions in construction:
What does it really take to become a Commercial Director?
Drawing on insights from more than 40 in-depth interviews with Commercial Directors, Davin shares the patterns, pitfalls and turning points that consistently shape the journey from graduate QS to commercial leadership.
The conversation explores three critical phases of the journey:
1️⃣ The Early Years — Accidental Beginnings & the Power of Mentorship
Most Commercial Directors never set out to become QSs. They fell into it. What separated those who progressed was strong mentorship, deliberate development and early exposure to responsibility. The message is clear: don’t drift — take ownership of your career.
2️⃣ The Middle Years — The “Glass Ceiling” Moment
Many technically excellent QSs stall at senior level. Why? Because the next step isn’t about technical competence — it’s about leadership. Delegation, emotional intelligence and developing others become the defining skills. As Davin puts it:
Delegation is the major career unlock.

3️⃣ The Final Step — Readiness, Not Recklessness
Chasing the title too early can damage credibility. Commercial Directorship requires strategic thinking, people leadership and self-awareness. The best leaders didn’t force the move — they built capability until someone else saw they were ready.
The episode also covers:
why curiosity consistently stands out in future leaders;
what Commercial Directors really look for in interviews;
the difference between managing projects and leading teams;
how to know when you’re genuinely ready for the step up; and
why honesty, humility and cultural fit often matter more than technical brilliance.
If you’re a QS aiming for the top seat — or a Commercial Director developing the next generation — this is a grounded, experience-led conversation on building a credible, resilient leadership career in construction. You can find the ClearNorth Road to Commercial Director eBook here.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success
For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads.
Send a text

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

Question Time is back for 2026! 🎉
In this episode, Paul is joined once again by regular co-host Chris Barber for a lively and candid discussion driven entirely by listener questions. Together, they cover a broad range of topics—from fantasy fixes for the construction industry, to spotting the next generation of commercial leaders, and the fine line between being “commercially astute” and just plain difficult.
Expect strong opinions, industry war stories, and the usual dose of friendly disagreement.
🧠 Topics Discussed:
If you had a government mandate, how would you fix construction?
Are we being held back by planning delays and building safety bottlenecks?
The role of project bank accounts and retention reform in creating a fairer supply chain.
How to spot future leaders in your commercial team — and how to retain them.
The hidden career value of being on-site early in your QS career.
What makes a QS commercially difficult versus commercially sharp?
Industry phrases we’d happily never hear again (yes, “progressing well” made the list…).
📣 Listener shoutouts include:
James (Commercial Manager)
Darren (Surveying Director)
Alexandra (Commercial Lead)
Alan (Senior QS)
💬 Got a question for the next Question Time? Email Paul directly at [email protected]
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success
For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads.
Send a text

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In the second episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Chris Hartley, former Commercial Director at McLaren Construction, a £1bn+ main contractor, and now a business change consultant and quantum expert.
Chris shares a deeply reflective account of his journey from early career QS to leading commercial teams of more than 50 people — and what that experience taught him about trust, detail, leadership and decision-making at scale.
Rather than a linear career story, this conversation focuses on the realities of commercial leadership: earning trust through technical credibility, knowing when to empower people to make mistakes, and why the best Commercial Directors never lose touch with the fundamentals of construction.
The discussion explores:
why mastery of detail is the foundation of commercial authority;
the transition from “doing” to leading — and why people skills become decisive;
building high-performing commercial teams in large, complex organisations;
how trust is given, earned and sometimes rebalanced;
the role of information quality in better commercial decisions;
freeing up QS time from administration to focus on commercial judgement; and
what world-class commercial leadership looks like in 2026 and beyond.
Chris also reflects on succession planning, developing future leaders, and why rushing progression without grounding ultimately limits long-term impact.
This episode is a thoughtful, experience-led perspective on Commercial Directorship — essential listening for QSs with leadership ambitions and senior commercial professionals looking to sense-check what good really looks like at the top.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success
Send a text

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Brandon Silver, construction solicitor at Bexley Beaumont, for a deep, practical conversation on where construction contracts most often unravel — and how QSs and commercial leaders can protect themselves before problems escalate.
Brandon works daily on adjudications, payment disputes, termination claims and delay arguments, acting for contractors and subcontractors across the UK. In this episode, he shares real-world insights into the contractual mistakes he sees repeatedly — many of which are entirely avoidable.
The conversation covers:
why most construction professionals fundamentally misunderstand their contracts — particularly JCT;
how poor contract administration quietly destroys entitlement;
termination under JCT: common law vs contractual termination, and why procedure matters more than intent;
the five-step checklist every contractor should follow before issuing a termination notice;
how easily an invalid termination can expose a party to loss of profit claims and significant financial risk;
why smash-and-grab adjudications are rising — and how simple diary failures are costing businesses millions;
concurrent delay explained properly: why true concurrency is rare, and why effect matters more than timing;
the difference between relevant events and relevant matters — and why time does not always mean money; and
record keeping in practice: what actually wins disputes, shortens arguments and protects cash flow.
Throughout the episode, Paul and Brandon connect legal theory with commercial reality, exploring how QSs can balance strong relationships with robust record keeping — and why being “commercial” without being contractual is one of the industry’s biggest risks.
This is essential listening for QSs, commercial managers and directors who want to reduce contractual exposure, protect entitlement and lead more confidently in an increasingly adversarial environment.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success
For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads
Send a text

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Amy Connor from Clear North — a QS-focused recruitment specialist who supports freelance quantity surveyors across the UK. Amy describes herself as “the QS agent”, helping QSs stay off job boards, understand the freelance market, and make informed, sustainable career decisions.
This is a practical, no-hype conversation about what freelance life really looks like in 2026.
Paul and Amy explore why more QSs are considering freelancing — from burnout and lack of control in permanent roles to the appeal of higher day rates, flexibility and autonomy. But they also unpack the realities behind the headline numbers, including the responsibilities, risks and trade-offs that come with running your own limited company.
Topics covered include:
the true financial comparison between permanent salaries and freelance day rates;
hidden costs such as holidays, pensions, insurance, tax, IR35 and business overheads;
the level of experience required before going freelance — and why most successful freelancers are senior QSs;
which sectors are thriving (infrastructure, utilities, data centres) and which are tightening;
why sector versatility is becoming essential for freelance security;
how IR35 has evolved from a blocker to a manageable reality;
when freelancing works as a long-term career move — and when it doesn’t.
The conversation also looks at freelancing from a commercial leadership perspective, including:
why more commercial directors are choosing to step back into freelance roles later in their careers;
how contractors are increasingly using freelancers as a core part of delivery, not just a stop-gap;
why hybrid teams of permanent and freelance QSs are becoming the norm; and
how smart resourcing can reduce burnout while protecting delivery and margin.
This episode is essential listening for QSs considering freelancing in 2026 — and for commercial leaders who want to understand how the labour market is shifting and how to adapt their hiring strategy accordingly.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success
For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads
Send a text

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.