Heather Waldenmayer, Vice President of Finance and Controller at DV Contractors and CFMA member since 2007, has been through thick and thin with the construction finance industry. From riding the waves of a recession to starting her own consulting business, The Construction Cash Flow, there are few with such a refreshing dedication to the craft as Heather.

Our latest profile piece sheds light on just one of the many talented individuals that make up the Orange County CFMA community.

From the “big four” to mom-and-pop shops

While still in college, Heather spent time working for a CPA firm. Although the firm served a handful of industries, one of them would kickstart Heather’s career and passion—building contractors. “I love the disaggregated aspect of the industry. Two friends can easily start a business together—regular folks who love construction,” she explains. “It’s incredible when two people can come together: one who doesn’t understand building, and one who doesn’t understand finances. That sort of partnership just works.”

Unfortunately, Heather's “honeymoon phase” with the industry abruptly ran into a huge roadblock. In 2007, Heather left her first CPA firm and went to work for KPMG—one of the four largest CPA firms. This country-wide economic downturn that came soon after was especially devastating to the construction industry.

“I recall having started my job at KPMG. When everything ‘went down,’ I knew the repercussions for us at a huge firm. But I couldn’t help but wonder what the experience would be like for the family businesses,” Heather somberly explains.

“The people I first worked with when I started my career—the ones at small companies—presented the opportunity to work one-on-one with them instead of getting lost at sea. At this moment, I realized that the bridge between finance and trade could make or break it for someone. I never wanted to stop helping small businesses, and people, ever again.”

The bridge between finance and trade

Having found her place in construction finance and her love for working closely with contractors, Heather knew that to expand her reach, she’d need to get busy making connections—and where better to begin than CFMA? “I started getting the same questions over and over, like how to set good KPIs.” Heather says. “This and a handful of other topics is practical education for contractors. I began to harness my love for presentations and translating data, creating webinars, handouts, or presenting specific topics at CFMA luncheons.”

It’s no surprise that the goal of any business is to make money, but sometimes those who love to build with their hands need a helping hand from an expert in translating data and “bottom lines.”

“What I want is to help contractors keep more of their hard earned money. When COVID hit, however, this became a challenge, as face-to-face consultation opportunities dwindled. I’d like to take my webinars and blogging more seriously.”

Don’t be scared to get into the mix

Often, we may assume that accountants or data enthusiasts stay behind a desk in an “ivory tower” of sorts, but it’s the exact opposite for Heather. “The sole reason I entered the construction sphere was my love for getting into the mix. It’s not my style to sit behind a desk and analyze reports all day—I love to see the transformation happening,” she says. “Accounting, by nature, isn’t always the most social career. But it’s so important, and you can’t separate networking from being a key ingredient of cash flows.”

Heather also goes on to explain that intel and relationships are the gateway to success. “Think about it this way: at DV Contractors, we love to create aesthetically appealing things, but that usually happens at the end of a build. All of the contractors who were there from the beginning can inform us what the client prefers, making our job more efficient. In fact, sometimes I can gather similar information about what is happening in our industry especially locally here in Orange County from other CFMA members at one of our meetings.”

Know where you stand. Stand with CFMA.

As former chair of the national CCIFP committee, Heather is well-versed in the benefits the CCIFP certification and CFMA provides. “The CCIFP was still brand new when I got it. I’m CCIFP #499. I believe in it more now even than I did back then,” Heather says. “This credential is something CFMA worked hard to produce as a means to certify people in construction accounting, and being a part of CFMA gives member access to amazing trainings to prepare them better for the exam.”

Passing a career-boosting exam is something many strive for, but the community that comes alongside this one is one of a kind. “Without CFMA, I’d have tunnel vision. Like I mentioned before, I love being in the mix with people, and CFMA is the best place to do that. There’s nothing super fancy. It’s all about the people.”

If you’d like to join an Orange County CFMA event for free, check out the special events page. You can also learn more about construction cash flows by visiting Heather's website or reaching out to her on LinkedIn.