Today we’d like to introduce you to Gillian Schwab.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up around small business ownership, so from a young age I saw both the freedom and the pressure that come with building something of your own. Watching my parents run a business shaped how I think about work, money, risk, and responsibility. They also instilled in me the importance of faith, integrity, and using the gifts and opportunities we’ve been given wisely, and those values continue to guide how I approach both business and life.
Professionally, I got my start in accounting at Abbott Construction in Seattle and later moved into contracts management for a local land developer here in Washington. That experience gave me a deep understanding of the construction industry and the day-to-day realities contractors face.
One of my favorite parts of working at Abbott was visiting job sites and seeing projects come together. I always admired the pride contractors took in their craft, and that appreciation has stayed with me. Construction is full of incredibly skilled people who genuinely care about what they build.
From early on, I knew I wanted to build something of my own, much like my parents had. After earning my CPA license, I found myself drawn less to traditional tax work and more to the operational side of business — helping owners understand what their numbers were telling them and how those numbers connected to what was happening in the field.
That ultimately led me to develop my Job Profitability Snapshot, which helps contractors understand where money is being made, where it’s being lost, and what’s really happening inside their projects before the job is complete. My goal is to build around the systems and relationships contractors already have, rather than asking them to reinvent everything they’ve built.
Throughout my career, I’ve been struck by how many hardworking contractors are doing everything right operationally while still feeling financially overwhelmed. The businesses they’ve built represent years of sacrifice, talent, and dedication, and I want to help them protect what they’ve worked so hard to create.
Materials fluctuate, labor is expensive, and margins can tighten quickly. Without clear financial visibility, even small issues can become major problems.
That’s a big part of why I love what I do. I enjoy helping contractors gain clarity around their numbers so they can make better decisions, improve profitability, and feel less overwhelmed carrying the weight of the business on their shoulders.
I believe good financial decisions create opportunities not only for business owners but also for the families, employees, and communities that depend on them.
At its core, my business has always been about helping hardworking construction business owners better understand the financial side of what they’ve built and giving them the confidence to make wise decisions for the future.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely wouldn’t say it’s been a completely smooth road. One of the biggest misconceptions about starting a business is that once you’re experienced in your field, everything else naturally falls into place. Being good at your craft and building a business are two very different skill sets.
One thing I’ve learned is that your business only grows as much as you’re willing to grow yourself, and a lot of that growth requires getting uncomfortable. I’ve always felt very confident in the operational and analytical side of what I do — job analysis, systems, problem solving, and understanding financial trends — but marketing and sales have definitely stretched me outside my comfort zone.
At one point, I realized I had two choices: hire someone else to fill that gap or challenge myself to learn and grow in areas that didn’t come naturally. For me, learning was the right choice because my business is very relationship-driven. My clients work directly with me, and I believe trust, consistency, and communication are a huge part of what makes those relationships so strong over time.
Another challenge has been continually refining the business as I better understand where I can provide the most value. Early on, I offered more traditional bookkeeping and accounting support, but over time I realized the greatest impact came from helping contractors understand job profitability and the financial side of their projects before small problems become major ones.
I think true success in business is finding where your strengths, experience, and passions genuinely help other people.
Being a business owner has also given me a much deeper appreciation for the pressure and responsibility other owners carry. Trying to support employees, clients, families, and long-term goals all at the same time can feel overwhelming, and sometimes lonely.
Because I’m already helping clients understand what’s happening financially, our conversations often go far beyond reports and numbers. We talk about goals, stress, families, growth, and the realities of running a business. Being able to provide clarity and support during stressful seasons really matters to me.
At the end of the day, I genuinely love what I do. I enjoy solving problems, building systems, learning continuously, and helping contractors gain more confidence and clarity around their businesses. That makes the harder seasons feel worth it. Looking back, I can see God’s faithfulness throughout every season of the journey.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business is focused on helping construction business owners better understand the financial side of their jobs so they can make more confident and profitable decisions while projects are still in progress — not months after the fact.
While I provide bookkeeping and advisory support, the work I’m most passionate about — and where I’ve seen clients experience some of the biggest impact — is helping contractors gain visibility into job profitability through the Job Profitability Snapshot I developed. One thing that’s important to me is building around the systems contractors already have rather than forcing them to completely reinvent how they operate overnight. In my experience, meaningful improvement comes from making small changes consistently over time.
A lot of traditional accounting focuses on historical reporting, but in construction, waiting too long to understand what’s happening financially inside a project can become very expensive. I want clients to have the information they need while there’s still time to do something with it.
One thing that sets me apart is that I genuinely understand the construction industry beyond just the accounting side. My background working with general contractors, land developers, contracts, and job site operations gave me a deep appreciation for how construction businesses actually function day-to-day.
I also recently project managed a to-the-studs remodel of my own home and spent three years of nights and weekends doing hands-on work alongside my husband. Combined with the years I spent around jobsites earlier in my career, that experience gives me an even deeper appreciation for the amount of coordination, pressure, and moving pieces contractors manage every day. Managing even one project can feel overwhelming at times, let alone juggling multiple jobs at once.
I think that combination of industry experience and real-world understanding helps me communicate with contractors in a way that feels practical and relatable rather than overly technical or corporate.
Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud of the relationships I’ve built with clients and the trust that comes with them. Because my business is very relationship-driven, clients work directly with me, and over time those conversations often go far beyond reports and numbers. We talk about goals, stress, growth, and the realities of running a business in an industry that can be both rewarding and demanding.
At the end of the day, I don’t think contractors need more accounting jargon or more complexity piled onto their plate. Most of the time, they just need clearer visibility, practical guidance, and someone who understands both the numbers and the realities of how construction businesses actually operate.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was always very curious and analytical. I loved understanding how things worked, solving problems, and figuring things out step-by-step. My older brother and I spent a lot of time outside in the woods behind our house building forts and just learning about the world. Our parents always encouraged us to try new things and tackle whatever ideas or projects we dreamed up.
My dad also involved us in a lot of hands-on projects growing up — fixing cars, plumbing repairs, and building things around the house — and I think that’s a big part of why I’ve always felt comfortable diving into things and figuring them out as I go.
Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was. My parents really shaped who we are, not by constantly telling us we could do anything, but by instilling in us that we could do hard things. Even now, when something difficult comes up, my first thought is usually, “I bet I can figure that out.”
I also grew up around small business ownership, which probably shaped me more than I realized at the time. I saw firsthand what it looked like to build something from the ground up, work through challenges, and create opportunities for your family. It also taught me how valuable it is to intentionally build a life around the things and people that matter most.
My parents were very intentional about family time growing up. We ate dinner together almost every night, my dad coached my soccer team, and my mom always made our home a place where faith, family, and being together mattered. Looking back, I appreciate more and more how much work, love, and intention my parents poured into creating that environment for our family. I feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up with those experiences and that time together.
Personality-wise, I’ve never really been the bubbliest person in the room or someone who naturally gravitates toward sales or self-promotion. I’d say I’m more of an observer than a natural mingler, which can definitely make networking and sales feel uncomfortable at times. But I’m very relationship-driven, and once I connect with people, those relationships tend to become very strong. I genuinely enjoy understanding people, solving problems, improving systems, and helping others feel less overwhelmed by things that seem complicated or stressful.
I’ve also always been pretty competitive with myself and naturally hold myself to very high standards, which can be both a strength and a challenge. I tend to dive fully into the things I care about and push myself to understand and improve them.
I’ve always liked working with my hands and understanding the practical side of how things are built, which is probably part of why I connected so strongly with the construction industry. Even outside of work, I tend to dive into projects and want to understand how everything works behind the scenes.
Looking back, I realize just how blessed I’ve been, and I’m grateful for the people and experiences that helped shape who I am today.
Pricing:
- Job Profitability Snapshot engagements are customized based on project volume, business size, and existing systems.
- Most services are offered on a fixed monthly or project-based pricing model rather than hourly billing.
- Services are designed to build around existing systems whenever possible, rather than requiring contractors to completely overhaul their operations.
- Most clients are looking for visibility into job profitability, estimating trends, and real-time financial clarity while projects are still in progress.
- Initial conversations typically include a review of current processes and goals before recommendations are made.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prenticeschwab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prentice_schwab/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prenticeschwab/
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gillianprenticecpa
