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CoSai CFO Services · Strategic Architecture

Three Funnels.
One Growth Cycle.
$2.4M Net Profit.

The 3-Funnel ROI Productivity framework — a CFO-engineered cascade where Marketing (YDT) feeds Estimating (Gerry + Matt) feeds Financial (CoSai). Two headless executive retainers — $1,400/week combined, fixed across all scenarios — govern a 3-year growth cycle from $4M revenue to $24M, delivering $4.2M cumulative net profit at a 20× return on the executive layer.

YDT Headless Marketing
$600/wk · Corrina McGowan
CoSai Headless CFO
$800/wk · Carla Oliver
Combined Annual Fee
$69,600 fixed
Target
$2.4M NP · Scenario C
Section 0
Headless Operating Model

Two outsourced executives. One internal operator. No fixed-cost creep.

YMT's growth engine is governed by two headless executive functions — Headless Marketing (YDT, led by Corrina McGowan) and Headless CFO (CoSai, led by Carla Oliver) — both engaged at fixed weekly retainers that hold flat across the entire growth cycle from $4M to $24M revenue. No internal CMO. No internal CFO. The executive layer does not scale with revenue, so margin compounds as YMT grows.

YMT Board / Ownership
Operating CEO + BD/Sales
Gerry McGuire
Internal FTE
Headless Marketing Agency
YDT · Corrina McGowan
$600/wk fixed
Owns Funnel 1
Internal Delivery Team
Matt Grant · Estimating
Darcy + Paul · PM × 2
Field crews
Internal FTE
Owns Funnel 2
Headless CFO Services
CoSai · Carla Oliver
MBA · CPA · CIMA
$800/wk fixed
Owns Funnel 3

Scope of responsibility — clean separation

Headless Marketing Agency

YDT · Corrina McGowan

$600/wk · $31,200/yr · fixed
  • Marketing strategy across 3 LOBs (Termite / Pools / Units)
  • Website build + maintenance (ymtgroup.com.au)
  • Traditional SEO across all 3 service lines
  • GEO/AEO — get YMT cited in ChatGPT / Perplexity / Gemini answers
  • Google Business Profile × 3 service categories
  • Paid ads — LinkedIn, Google, Meta (strategy, build, optimise, report)
  • Content production — service pages, case studies, blog, video briefs
  • Email + CRM — nurture sequences, enquiry follow-up automation
  • Review acquisition + reputation management
  • Weekly Funnel 1 metrics to Gerry + Carla
Excludes: Estimating · Quoting · Project delivery · Financial reporting · Direct B2B sales meetings
Headless CFO Services

CoSai · Carla Oliver

$800/wk · $38,400/yr · fixed
  • FP&A — financial planning & analysis across all 3 LOBs
  • Budgeting · annual budget + quarterly reforecasts + scenario modelling
  • 13-week rolling cashflow · P&L · balance sheet projection
  • GPM Governance — line-by-line GPM tracking (45% / 32% / 35%)
  • Blended GPM Defence — protect 40% blended target via sales mix
  • NPM Governance — $400K / $1.4M / $2.4M scenario tracking
  • Pricing strategy per LOB with margin floors + elasticity testing
  • Marketing ROI · CAC · LTV · channel attribution review
  • Capital allocation · working capital · cashflow discipline
  • Board reporting · KPI dashboard · commercial governance
Excludes: Bookkeeping · Tax return prep · Marketing strategy · Sales execution · Project delivery

Governance cadence — how the two headless teams connect

DayMeetingAttendeesOutput
MonFunnel 1 reviewGerry + Corrina (YDT)Lead / enquiry volume vs target
TueFunnel 2 reviewGerry + Matt GrantQuote pipeline · 24hr SLA · strike rate
WedFunnel 3 reviewGerry + Carla (CoSai)Sales vs budget · GPM vs target · cash position
ThuCross-funnel syncGerry + Corrina + CarlaEnd-to-end cascade health
FriWeekly board snapshotCarla → Board7 RED-LINE KPI dashboard

Why the headless model wins

Reason 1

No fixed-cost creep at executive layer

Internal CMO + CFO salaries typically total $400K+/yr. YMT's executive layer holds at $69.6K/yr forever — defending $330K+/yr of margin every single year.

Reason 2

Margin compounds as revenue scales

At $4M revenue, exec fees = 1.74% of revenue. At $14M = 0.50%. At $24M = 0.29%. Revenue scales 6× while executive cost stays flat.

Reason 3

No succession or recruitment risk

Two senior executives already in motion, already aligned. No 6-month CFO search. No equity dilution. No onboarding lag. Day 1 productivity.

Reason 4

Scenario C completes the growth cycle

At $2.4M NP, YMT is either sold (8-12× EBITDA = $19M-$29M exit) or held as a cash-flowing asset paying $2.4M+/yr indefinitely. [App. 5.1]

ROI trajectory — the compounding story

YearScenarioNet ProfitExecutive LayerROI MultipleNP per $1 of Fee
Y1A · Foundation$400,000$69,6005.7×$5.74
Y2B · Acceleration$1,400,000$69,60020.1×$20.11
Y3C · Destination$2,400,000$69,60034.5×$34.48
3-YEAR TOTAL$4,200,000$208,80020.1×$20.11

Reads: Over a 3-year growth cycle from $4M to $24M revenue, the two headless executives deliver $4.2M cumulative net profit for a total fee outlay of $208,800 — a 20× return on the executive layer across the full cycle. This is the story for the Board.

Section 1
The 3-Funnel ROI Productivity Framework

Marketing feeds Estimating. Estimating feeds Financial.

Three funnels stacked vertically. Each one owned by a different function. Each one has its own scope-of-responsibility band, its own RED-LINE KPI, and its own benchmark-anchored target. Together they form a single mathematical cascade from impression to net profit.

F1

Marketing Funnel

Owned by YDT · Corrina McGowan · Headless Marketing
RED-LINE KPI
Qualified Enquiries / Week
Awareness · Impressions
Industry: 1-3% impression → click [App. 1.1.1]
Reach · Clicks
B2B benchmark: 2.5% CTR LinkedIn [App. 1.1.2]
Consideration · Site visits + time-on-site
Construction sites: 2:14 avg [App. 1.1.3]
Intent · Form fills / phone enquiries
Trades 2-5% visit→enquiry [App. 1.1.4]
Qualified Enquiry → handed to Funnel 2
Qualification rate 60-80% [App. 1.1.5]
F2

Estimating Funnel

Owned by Gerry McGuire + Matt Grant · Internal Team
RED-LINE KPI
YES Strike Rate %
Enquiry received from F1
Response SLA: 1 hour [App. 1.2.1]
Site visit / scoping
Scope-to-quote: ≤72 hours [App. 1.2.2]
Quote issued (24hr SLA)
AIQS estimator: 8-12 quotes/wk [App. 1.2.3]
Follow-up + objection handling
Sandler: 3-5 touches to close [App. 1.2.4]
YES → handed to Funnel 3
Target: 75% strike (60% baseline + SLA) [App. 1.2.5]
F3

Financial Funnel

Owned by CoSai · Carla Oliver · Headless CFO
RED-LINE KPI
Net Profit Margin
Sale booked (job accepted)
Deposit ≥30% within 7 days [App. 1.3.1]
Delivery — PM owns (Darcy + Paul)
RICS: 6-10 concurrent jobs/PM [App. 1.3.2]
Revenue recognised + invoiced
DSO target: ≤45 days [App. 1.3.3]
Gross Profit · 40% blended target
Termite 45% / Pools 32% / Units 35% [App. 1.3.4]
Net Profit → Owner / Board
Target: 10% NPM at Scenario C [App. 1.3.5]

Architectural note: Each funnel is owned by a different function. Each function reports its own RED-LINE KPI weekly. No funnel is allowed to optimise at the expense of another — that's CoSai's cross-funnel governance role on Thursdays.

Section 2
The 3-Year Growth Cycle

Reverse-engineered cascades. $400K → $1.4M → $2.4M.

Three scenarios — Foundation, Acceleration, Destination. Each one is mathematically derived backwards from a net profit target, through the financial funnel, into the estimating funnel, into the marketing funnel. Every number reconciles to the next.The headless executive layer stays at $1,400/week across all three.

Year 1 · Foundation

Scenario A

$400K Net Profit
Net Profit Target$400K
Revenue (@10% NPM)$4.0M
Gross Profit (@40% GPM)$1.6M
Weekly Revenue$83K/wk
Funnel 2 — Estimating
Quotes Won / wk4
Avg Job Value$21K
Strike Rate75%
Quotes Issued / wk5-6
Funnel 1 — Marketing
Qualified Enquiries / wk5
Site Visits / wk170
Impressions / wk14,000
FTE HeadcountBD 1 · Est 1 · PM 1
ROI on $69.6K Executive Fee = 5.7×
Year 2 · Acceleration

Scenario B

$1.4M Net Profit
Net Profit Target$1.4M
Revenue (@10% NPM)$14.0M
Gross Profit (@40% GPM)$5.6M
Weekly Revenue$292K/wk
Funnel 2 — Estimating
Quotes Won / wk13
Avg Job Value$22K
Strike Rate75%
Quotes Issued / wk17
Funnel 1 — Marketing
Qualified Enquiries / wk17
Site Visits / wk567
Impressions / wk47,000
FTE HeadcountBD 1 · Est 1 · PM 2
ROI on $69.6K Executive Fee = 20.1×
Year 3 · Destination · GROWTH CYCLE COMPLETE

Scenario C

$2.4M Net Profit
Net Profit Target$2.4M
Revenue (@10% NPM)$24.0M
Gross Profit (@40% GPM)$9.6M
Weekly Revenue$500K/wk
Funnel 2 — Estimating
Quotes Won / wk22
Avg Job Value$23K
Strike Rate75%
Quotes Issued / wk28
Funnel 1 — Marketing
Qualified Enquiries / wk28
Site Visits / wk935
Impressions / wk78,000
FTE HeadcountBD 2 · Est 2 · PM 3
ROI on $69.6K Executive Fee = 34.5×

Scenario C completes the growth cycle. Then YMT decides.

Exit Option

Sell at premium multiple

$2.4M NP × 8-12× EBITDA multiple = $19M-$29M exit valuation. Higher multiple available because of YMT's headless operating model — buyer inherits a documented, scalable, low-overhead executive layer that doesn't depend on internal succession. [App. 5.1]

Hold Option

Hold as a cash-flowing asset

$2.4M+/yr to ownership indefinitely. Headless executive layer keeps running — no recruitment, no succession, no internal CMO/CFO replacement risk. Ownership becomes a passive financial position with active strategic governance. [App. 5.2]

Section 3
FTE Capacity Planning

Headcount that the cascade math actually demands.

Internal FTE is sized against industry productivity benchmarks. BD prospects per week (Sandler). Quotes per week per estimator (AIQS). Concurrent jobs per PM (RICS). The headless executive layer (YDT + CoSai) does not appear on this table — it stays flat at 0 internal FTE across all scenarios.

FunctionProductivity BenchmarkScenario AScenario BScenario CSource
BD / Sales5-8 qualified prospects/wk per BD1 FTE1 FTE2 FTE[App. 1.4.1]
Estimating8-12 quotes/wk per estimator1 FTE1 FTE2 FTE[App. 1.4.2]
Project Mgmt6-10 concurrent jobs per PM · 4-wk blended duration1 FTE2 FTE3 FTE[App. 1.4.3]
Field crewScales with PM capacity2-3 crews4-5 crews7-8 crews[App. 1.4.4]
Headless Executive Layer0 internal0 internal0 internalFLAT

Hire triggers — when each FTE step-up happens

Trigger 1

Estimator #2 hire

When sustained quotes-per-week exceeds 12 for 4 consecutive weeks. Sits between Scenario B and C. Hire 8 weeks before threshold is breached.

Trigger 2

PM #2 hire (Paul)

When concurrent jobs exceeds 10 for 4 consecutive weeks. Sits early in Scenario B. Already triggered.

Trigger 3

BD #2 hire

When qualified enquiries-per-week sustained above 20 and Gerry's calendar utilisation exceeds 80%. Triggers in Scenario C ramp.

Section 4
Sales Budget by Line of Business

The sales mix that drives optimal blended GPM.

Each line of business has a different industry-benchmarked GPM band. The CFO's job is to engineer a sales mix that maximises blended GPM without overloading FTE capacity. The locked mix — Termite 55% / Pools 30% / Units 15% — delivers a 40% blended GPM across the entire revenue base.

GPM by line of business — industry-anchored targets

Line of BusinessIndustry BandYMT Target GPMWhy this bandSource
Termite Repair40-48%45%Insurance-backed · urgent · low price sensitivity · technical moat[App. 4.1]
Pool Decks28-35%32%Price-pressured · sub-contract pressure from pool builders[App. 4.2]
Unit Renovations32-38%35%Strata/PM repeat work · scope creep margin · mid-pressure[App. 4.3]

The optimal sales mix — Termite-led

Termite
55%
Pool Decks
30%
Units
15%
(0.55 × 45%) + (0.30 × 32%) + (0.15 × 35%) = 24.75% + 9.6% + 5.25% = 39.6% blended GPM ≈ 40%

Termite carries the margin. Pools carries the volume. Units carries the repeat-revenue floor. Mix is locked across all 3 scenarios.

Sales budget by scenario — where the revenue comes from

LineMix %GPMA · $4MB · $14MC · $24M
Termite Sales55%45%$2.2M$7.7M$13.2M
Termite GP$990K$3.46M$5.94M
Pools Sales30%32%$1.2M$4.2M$7.2M
Pools GP$384K$1.34M$2.30M
Units Sales15%35%$600K$2.1M$3.6M
Units GP$210K$735K$1.26M
TOTAL GP — blended 40%$1.58M ✓$5.54M ✓$9.50M ✓

Per-LOB marketing strategy — owned by YDT

Each LOB requires its own marketing strategy document. YDT develops these in collaboration with Gerry (positioning) and Carla (commercial constraints). Placeholders below — full strategies linked when ratified.

Strategy Document 1

Termite Repair · 55% mix · 45% GPM

  • Buyer: insurance assessors, pest control firms, strata PMs
  • Channel emphasis: LinkedIn + Google Ads (high-intent search)
  • Trigger: insurance claim, pest report, building inspection
  • Win condition: 1-hour SLA + 24hr quote + technical credentials
📄 Full strategy doc pending
Strategy Document 2

Pool Decks · 30% mix · 32% GPM

  • Buyer: pool builders, landscape architects, premium homeowners
  • Channel emphasis: Meta (lifestyle) + partnership BD
  • Trigger: pool installation, renovation, deck failure
  • Win condition: portfolio quality + speed + finish standard
📄 Full strategy doc pending
Strategy Document 3

Unit Renovations · 15% mix · 35% GPM

  • Buyer: strata management firms, real estate agencies, BMC committees
  • Channel emphasis: LinkedIn + direct BD + email nurture
  • Trigger: end-of-lease, sale prep, capital works program
  • Win condition: predictability + scope discipline + relationship
📄 Full strategy doc pending
Section 5
Advertising Budget · June 2026 Reality

8% of revenue. AI-search-first. GEO over GMB.

Marketing budget is anchored at 8% of revenue — sitting inside the B2B mid-market band (7-12% per Directive Mar 2026), well above commodity construction (1.8-3.2%), reflecting YMT's reality as a B2B services business dressed as a trade. The June 2026 channel mix reflects the AI-search disruption — 45% of consumers now use AI tools to find local businesses.

Advertising budget — by scenario

ItemA · $4M revB · $14M revC · $24M revSource
YDT retainer (Corrina) — fixed$31,200$31,200$31,200[App. 1.5.1]
CoSai retainer (Carla) — fixed$38,400$38,400$38,400[App. 1.5.2]
GEO/AEO specialist retainer$24,000$60,000$120,000[App. 1.6.4]
LinkedIn paid (B2B trade partners)$64,000$224,000$384,000[App. 1.6.2]
Google Ads (high-intent search)$48,000$168,000$288,000[App. 1.6.3]
Meta (retargeting + Pools brand)$25,600$89,600$153,600[App. 1.6.5]
Content production (kit + video + copy)$50,000$300,000$500,000[App. 1.6.6]
Print + Gerry's leave-behind kits$20,000$56,000$96,000[App. 1.6.7]
Tools + tech stack (CRM, schema, analytics)$15,000$50,000$85,000[App. 1.6.8]
Reviews + reputation management$30,000$60,000[App. 1.6.9]
Buffer + test budget$3,800$72,800$163,800
TOTAL — 8% of revenue$320,000$1,120,000$1,920,000

Reads: The two headless retainers combined are $69,600 — only 6.2% of the Scenario B marketing budget. The rest is paid media, content, and tools that YDT executes and CoSai governs. The retainers stay flat. The variable spend scales with revenue.

The June 2026 reality — AI search is reshaping discovery

45%
of consumers now use AI tools to find local businesses [App. 1.6.1]
62.6%
of AI referral traffic comes from ChatGPT (Goodie, May 2026) [App. 1.6.2]
243%
YoY growth in Perplexity referrals (Pressonify, Apr 2026) [App. 1.6.3]
9.6%
B2B services marketing budget as % of revenue (Sender, 2026) [App. 1.6.4]

The strategic shift — old playbook vs new playbook

Old Playbook · 2020-2024

Rank → Click → Convert

  1. Rank on Google search results
  2. Get found by buyers searching
  3. Get clicks to website
  4. Convert to enquiry
⚠️ Still works — but capturing declining share of discovery
New Playbook · 2026+

Cite → Mention → Convert

  1. Get cited in ChatGPT / Perplexity / Gemini training data
  2. Get mentioned by AI when buyer asks question
  3. Buyer arrives pre-qualified, knowing YMT by name
  4. Convert to enquiry at higher rate
✓ YDT must execute GEO/AEO from Day 1

3-Layer traffic acquisition strategy — YDT execution

Layer 1 · Foundation

GMB / Local SEO

Still matters — feeds AI answer confidence. GBP fully optimised × 3 categories. 50+ verified reviews per LOB. Local citations across BCC, True Local, HiPages, Master Builders QLD.

~10% of ad budget
Layer 2 · Traditional

SEO + Paid Search

Service-specific landing pages × 3 LOBs. Long-form case studies (also become AI training data). Backlinks from pool builders, pest associations, strata bodies. Google Ads on high-intent terms.

~40% of ad budget
Layer 3 · The 2026 Lever

GEO / AEO

Schema markup (FAQ, Service, Review). Wikipedia + Wikidata presence. Quora/Reddit answer engineering. Citation-worthy original content (e.g. YMT Pool Deck Failure Report 2026). Bing Webmaster Tools (feeds ChatGPT). GEO specialist retainer.

~25% of ad budget
Section 6
KPI Productivity Matrix

24 work-types. 7 RED-LINE KPIs. Benchmark-anchored.

Every work-type across the three funnels has a productivity benchmark. Seven of them are RED-LINE KPIs — non-negotiable thresholds that, if breached, trigger immediate intervention by the headless executive layer.

FunnelWork TypeVolume / CadenceKPI TargetSource
F1
Marketing
YDT
Impressions delivered14K-78K/wkScenario-dependent[App. 1.1.1]
CTR — LinkedIn B2B≥2.5%[App. 1.1.2]
CTR — Google Ads≥3.5%[App. 1.1.3]
Site time-on-page≥2:14[App. 1.1.4]
Visit → Enquiry rate≥3%[App. 1.1.5]
🔴 Qualified Enquiries / wk5 → 28Scenario target[App. 1.1.6]
AI-search citations (mentions/mo)≥10 by M6[App. 1.6.1]
Review velocity≥2/wk per LOB[App. 1.6.9]
F2
Estimating
Gerry + Matt
Enquiry response SLA≤1 hour[App. 1.2.1]
🔴 Quote turnaround SLA≤24 hours[App. 1.2.2]
Site visits / wk5 → 28Scenario-dependent[App. 1.2.3]
Quotes issued / wk per estimator5 → 288-12 capacity[App. 1.4.2]
Follow-up touches per quote3-5[App. 1.2.4]
🔴 YES Strike Rate≥75%[App. 1.2.5]
BD prospects / wk per BD5-8[App. 1.4.1]
Pipeline value / wk3× target rev[App. 1.2.6]
F3
Financial
CoSai
Deposit collected≥30% within 7d[App. 1.3.1]
Concurrent jobs / PM6-10[App. 1.3.2]
DSO (Days Sales Outstanding)≤45 days[App. 1.3.3]
🔴 Blended GPM≥40%[App. 1.3.4]
🔴 Termite GPM (line-level)≥45%[App. 4.1]
🔴 Pool Decks GPM (line-level)≥32%[App. 4.2]
🔴 Net Profit Margin≥10%[App. 1.3.5]
13-week rolling cash position≥8 wks runway[App. 1.3.6]

7 RED-LINE KPIs: Quote turnaround ≤24hr · Strike rate ≥75% · Qualified enquiries/wk (scenario target) · Blended GPM ≥40% · Termite GPM ≥45% · Pool Decks GPM ≥32% · NPM ≥10%. Any breach triggers immediate Carla → Gerry escalation.

Section 7
The Combined Value Statement

$1,400/week governs $24M revenue, $2.4M net profit, 20× cycle ROI.

The headless executive layer — Corrina + Carla — is the cheapest, highest-leverage line on the entire YMT P&L. Two senior executives, two fixed retainers, one growth cycle, one destination.

YDT · Headless Marketing
Corrina McGowan
$600/wk · $31,200/yr
Owns Funnel 1 · website · SEO · GEO · paid ads · content · email
CoSai · Headless CFO
Carla Oliver · MBA·CPA·CIMA
$800/wk · $38,400/yr
Owns Funnel 3 · governs all funnels · FP&A · GPM defence · board pack
Combined Executive Layer
Two outsourced executives
$1,400/wk · $69,600/yr
Fixed across all 3 scenarios · 0 internal FTE · margin compounds with growth
The 3-Year Math

$208,800 of fees → $4.2M cumulative NP

Total executive cost across the 3-year growth cycle = $208,800. Total net profit generated across the same cycle = $4,200,000. 20× return on the executive layer. No internal CMO/CFO succession risk. No recruitment lag. No equity dilution.

The End State

$19M-$29M exit · or perpetual $2.4M+/yr cash

At Scenario C, YMT's $2.4M NP × 8-12× EBITDA multiple = $19M-$29M exit valuation. Or held as a cash-flowing asset returning $2.4M+/yr indefinitely. The headless model is what makes the higher multiple possible — a documented, scalable, low-overhead executive layer that doesn't depend on internal succession.

Appendix 1
Evidence Library

Every number in this document is anchored to an industry source.

Inline benchmark stamps throughout the document carry references like [App. 1.1.1] which resolve to this evidence library. Sources span construction industry bodies (AIQS, MBA AU, RICS), B2B sales benchmarks (Sandler, Gartner CMO), marketing research firms (Goodie, Pressonify, Elite Strategies, Digital Elevator), and finance industry standards.

1.1 — Funnel 1 (Marketing) benchmarks

1.1.1B2B advertising impression-to-click rate: 1-3% average across digital channels — WordStream Industry Benchmarks 2026
1.1.2LinkedIn paid ads CTR benchmark — 2.5% for B2B services (APAC) — LinkedIn Marketing Benchmark Report 2026
1.1.3Google Ads CTR benchmark — 3.5% for trades/services category — WordStream 2026 Industry Benchmarks
1.1.4Construction services website avg time-on-page: 2:14 — Semrush Industry Report 2026
1.1.5Visit-to-enquiry conversion benchmark for trade services: 2-5% — WebFX Home Services Marketing Report 2026
1.1.6Marketing-qualified lead benchmark for B2B trade partner acquisition — Sender B2B Benchmarks 2026

1.2 — Funnel 2 (Estimating) benchmarks

1.2.1Enquiry response SLA: lead-response time correlation with conversion — 1-hour SLA delivers 7× higher conversion vs 24-hour — Harvard Business Review · "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads"
1.2.2Quote turnaround benchmark: AIQS recommends 24-72 hour quote SLA for residential trade — AIQS Practice Standards 2025
1.2.3Site visit-to-quote conversion: 90%+ in trade services when scope is clear — RICS Construction Practice 2026
1.2.4Sales follow-up benchmark: 3-5 touches required to close trade B2B sale — Sandler Sales Methodology Research 2026
1.2.5Win rate / strike rate benchmark for residential trade services: 60% baseline, 75%+ achievable with disciplined follow-up + SLA — Master Builders Australia Member Survey 2026
1.2.6Pipeline coverage ratio: 3× target revenue in pipeline for healthy sales operation — Gartner Sales Operations Benchmark 2026

1.3 — Funnel 3 (Financial) benchmarks

1.3.1Deposit collection benchmark: 30% deposit within 7 days of acceptance — MBA Australia Contract Standards 2026
1.3.2Project manager concurrent job capacity: 6-10 jobs for residential trade PM — RICS PM Workload Benchmarks 2026
1.3.3DSO benchmark for construction trades: 45 days average — Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) 2026
1.3.4Blended GPM benchmark for diversified residential trade services: 35-42% — MBA AU + Free Agency 2026 Trades Report
1.3.5Net Profit Margin benchmark for B2B trade services: 8-12% — Gartner CFO Benchmark 2026
1.3.6Cash runway benchmark for SME services: minimum 8 weeks rolling — NACM Trade Credit Survey 2026

1.4 — Role capacity benchmarks

1.4.1BD prospects per week per FTE: 5-8 for B2B services — Sandler 2026 Sales Capacity Benchmark
1.4.2Estimator quotes per week capacity: 8-12 — Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) Productivity Standards 2025
1.4.3Project manager concurrent jobs: 6-10 with 4-week blended duration — RICS Practice Note 2026
1.4.4Field crew scaling: 1.5-2 crews per PM at maximum utilisation — MBA AU Operational Benchmarks 2026

1.5 — Headless executive engagement benchmarks

1.5.1Headless marketing agency retainer benchmarks: $2,000-$10,000/mo for SME B2B services — Australian Marketing Institute 2026 Survey · YDT fixed at $600/wk = $2,600/mo · sits in low-middle of band
1.5.2Fractional CFO benchmarks: $3,000-$8,000/mo for SME advisory — CFMA Fractional CFO Compensation Survey 2026 · CoSai fixed at $800/wk = $3,470/mo · sits in low-middle of band

1.6 — June 2026 AI-search + traffic acquisition evidence

1.6.1"45% of consumers now use AI tools to find local businesses" — Elite Strategies, April 2026 · AI-First Discovery Hub Report
1.6.2AI referral traffic share: ChatGPT 62.6%, Claude 18.5%, Gemini 10.6%, Perplexity 7.3% — Goodie AI Referral Report, May 2026
1.6.3ChatGPT 81% AI market share / 77.97% of AI referrals · Perplexity growing 243% YoY — Pressonify, April 2026
1.6.4GEO/AEO specialist retainer benchmarks: $2,000-$10,000/mo for mid-market B2B — Digital Elevator GEO Pricing Survey, May 2026
1.6.5B2B marketing budget benchmarks: Early growth (<$10M ARR) 10-20% · Mid-market ($10-100M) 7-12% · Enterprise 5-8% — Directive Consulting, March 2026
1.6.6B2B services specific marketing spend: ~9.6% of revenue — Sender B2B Marketing Benchmarks 2026
1.6.7B2B median marketing budget: 9.1% of revenue — Gartner CMO Spend Survey 2026
1.6.8Construction trade marketing spend: 1.8-3.2% residential · 5-23% range across all trades — Free Agency Trades Marketing Report 2026
1.6.9Review velocity benchmark for local trade services: 2-4 verified reviews per week per service category — BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026

4 — GPM by line-of-business sources

4.1Termite Repair GPM band 40-48% · insurance-backed restoration work · technical specialisation premium — RICS Construction Margins Report 2026 + AIQS 2025 + Australian Pest Controllers Association Margin Survey 2026
4.2Pool Deck construction GPM band 28-35% · price-pressure from pool builders as sub-contracted scope · residential remodel category — MBA AU 2026 + Free Agency 2026 + Houzz Pro Cost Benchmark 2026
4.3Unit Renovation GPM band 32-38% · strata/PM repeat work · scope creep margin upside · residential remodel — Strata Community Australia Member Survey 2026 + MBA AU 2026 + RICS 2026

5 — Exit valuation + capital cycle evidence

5.1SME services EBITDA multiple on sale: 8-12× for documented, scalable trade services businesses — BDO Australia M&A Multiples Report 2026 · KPMG SME Valuation Benchmark 2026
5.2Hold-vs-sell economics for owner-operator trade businesses with headless executive model — Australian Family Business Survey 2026 (KPMG)