Construction Genius

Contrary to the popular belief the construction industry is an innovative and forward thinking industry.   However, there are some risks inherent in construction that can slow the pace of innovation.    Brian Potter — a structural engineer, returns to Construction Genius to discuss why it's seemingly hard to innovate in construction and how construction companies can do it more effectively.   We also discuss: • What construction companies should focus on to make innovation happen, • The difference between the United States, Europe, and Asia in terms of innovation.   We also touch on some opportunities for innovation in terms of 3D printing, and the future of innovation in the construction industry for the next 4-5 years. Press that play button and let's get started!   Discussion Points:   • 0:00 Introduction   • 3:02 The construction industry is quite advanced than outsiders actually think it is   • 4:53 Why it's hard to innovate in the construction industry   • 7:25 Micro approach vs macro approach to innova

Your projects will be profitable if your field crews are efficient. How can you increase your crew's efficiency so that you can make more money? On this week's episode of the Construction Genius Podcast we are joined by the co-founder and CEO of Clue Insights Inc. — Oded Ran. Oded is obsessed with helping construction companies make more money by improving their field efficiency using data and AI.   We invited him over to share with us some insights into: What we need to look out for to make sure we're using technology in an effective way to better our organization What construction companies need to do to win every shift And lots more of valuable insights   Make sure to check out the video of this podcast episode for a clearer view of a very useful slide Oded shares with us halfway through our podcast. Lots of valuable lessons to learn so press that play button and let's get started!   Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 2:48 Biggest, most common problems of contractors that impact profitability 3:38 Wh

In the 1960s, President Kennedy set the goal of sending a manned flight to the moon. To achieve that goal, three programs were put in place — the Mercury Program, the Gemini Program, and the Apollo Program. Three programs which can be perfectly used for analogies with regards to growing businesses including construction companies.   Today, we have Doug Howard — Director of Consulting at Remodelers Advantage explain to us how we can relate these three programs to our businesses and use them to our advantage.   Other important highlights we include in our discussion are: Using your most valuable asset — time — effectively,   Moving from working in your business to working ON your business,   Achieving your goals by using your resources efficiently, and many more.   So go ahead and press that play button 'cause we've got a lot of valuable lessons to give away in today's episode!   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   3:21 Top 3 issues that limit a business' growth   4:03 The struggle between worki

Generation Z is the most ethnically diverse generation the United States has ever seen. Tapping into this pool of talent will be essential for your business's progress in the next 15-20 years.   Paul Robinson — the founder and CEO of ConstructReach — a company that focuses on diversifying the construction industry, is here with us today to explore diversity, and why it's important to your company's success.   Some of the highlights of our discussion include:   How leadership and construction companies can drive diversity initiatives,   How construction companies can sustain this over a period of time,   Some of the roadblocks to diversity and how to overcome those,   And many more.   Get some fresh perspective from today's conversation with Paul. Understand the issues and challenges around diversity that construction companies are currently facing and how you can overcome them!   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   2:55 Paul's background   4:31 Paul's journey towards ConstructReach   6:49

Marketing is one particular area of business I've always been fascinated about. Probably because of the fact that I've been involved in sales and marketing my whole life but I always feel like I'm just getting started. There's so much to learn and it's always a pleasure to get expert advice on the matter whenever given the opportunity.   So, I've once again invited Wayne Mullins — founder and CEO of Ugly Mug Marketing, Wayne is the first ever three-time guest on Construction Genius. Great marketing is essential to your business success, and I'm delighted to have him back on the show to share his expertise with us.   Today, we talk about the A.I.D.A (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) framework and break down why it's still relevant today. Here are some of the points we discuss in this episode that you may want to ponder on:   How the A.I.D.A. framework can fit with your marketing messages, and   How the A.I.D.A. framework can influence the way you communicate with clients   Make sure to take down notes

For construction professionals, the whole purpose of bidding work is to win work. But what are the elements of a successful bid? Some say most decisions heavily depend on the lowest price at the end of the bidding process.   But today, Dave Wagner — Vice President of Product Marketing and partner development at STACK construction technologies enlightens us with how you can increase the likelihood of winning a project bid.   Other important factors we discuss are: Why companies lose the projects they bid,   The key elements of a successful bid, and   Areas a company can focus on to make bidding more efficient   With all the practical details we discuss today, you'll be guaranteed to learn a lot. So stay tuned until the end for tons of golden nuggets we'll be dropping along the discussion.   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   2:13 Your initial assessment of projects is crucial to how your bidding will play out   5:03 Determining which client or project type is right for you   9:57 The 2 time

According to Listen Notes, there are over 2.5 million podcasts all around the world as of today. Big names in the podcast industry include Joe Rogan and Tim Ferris.   I'm not Joe or Tim but I'd like to share with you how I grew my own business through my podcast. Some of the key points I talk about in this episode include:   How you can market your business through podcasting,   What are the RIGHT reasons for doing a podcast?   How do you get your podcast off the ground?   How do you stay consistent in publishing episodes for your podcast?   We all have different strategies in marketing our own businesses, but you might want to consider podcasting as a marketing vehicle after listening to this episode. Tune in and discover what podcasting can do for your business!   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   2:01 Episode overview   2:23 Aligning your marketing strategy with podcasts   6:44 Building client relationships and delivering value to your listeners through podcast guesting   8:55 Kicki

Waste seems inevitable when it comes to construction projects. But why does it occur? And how can you reduce it?   Shane Saltzgiver — founder and CEO of VEC, joins us today to discuss how we can reduce waste in our construction projects with the use of technology.   We also talk about the following points:   Why waste occurs, Ways to reduce waste, Misapplication of technology, and how to address it Plus, relieving the tension between the office and field when it comes to expectations versus reality   This discussion is a very practical one, you'll surely get a lot of insights whether you're a subcontractor or a general contractor. Press that play button and let's get started!   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   3:26 Why does waste occur?   6:01 About the correlation between rework and safety   9:11 Practical ways to reduce waste   12:23 Why does misapplication of technology happen in construction projects?   14:40 Bridging the gap between technological advancements and your team's experience   16:

When you get appointed into new positions or get promoted to a new role, you may feel overwhelmed. Why is that? Weren't you hired or promoted in the first place because of your capability?   After getting off a call with one of my executive coaching clients, I decided to record this short video and talk about these important topics:   The reasons why you're feeling overwhelmed,   Beating overwhelm with simple tips, and   What you need to do in order to be effective in your role   Check out today's episode and discover practical tips you can apply to help you beat your overwhelm and start being effective!   Discussion Points:   0:00 Introduction   1:46 Why do we get overwhelmed in a new position?   2:23 Beat overwhelm by defining your role in the business   2:55 Beat overwhelm by understanding your priorities   4:04 Cascading your role and priorities into your schedule   5:00 Why you need to get used to chaos when you're in the construction industry   5:46 You need to log your time for a couple of weeks

One of the most dangerous things that a leader can say is "we've tried this before and it didn't work."   It's so crucial for an organization to have team members who are innovative enough to bring new ideas to the table. Especially if you're someone who's been inside the box for so long, it's refreshing to have people come in and help you take a look outside of the box.   One way to squash your team's innovation is through shutting them down by outrightly rejecting their ideas.   Today's guest, John Coyle is one of the world's leading experts in design, thinking, and innovation. So we talk about how leaders can foster innovation in their organizations all while maintaining decisiveness. It's not an easy feat as we know there are quite a few leaders out there who are so used to their old ways that they resist change and are unwilling to change, as well.   Some important highlights we bring into the discussion are:   How leaders can foster innovation within the organization while maintaining decisiveness, and

What does it take to execute an ESOP successfully?    To get a clear perspective about this topic, I talk with Herb Sargent, the President and CEO of an ESOP, Sargent Corporation, a construction company based in Maine. This podcast addresses some of the following essential points:   the importance of distinguishing your runway for ownership transition and management or leadership transition to execute an ESOP successfully; the importance of identifying the why and why Herb's "why" is unique; how you go about the process of exploring an Aesop and why understanding the mechanics of an ESOP is essential; identifying a mentor in your particular construction vertical so that you can look at the pros and cons of an ESOP structure I believe this episode will significantly benefit those interested in the mechanics in the implementation of an ESOP in their construction companies. Tune in to this today!     Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction  3:55 Herb Sargent's background and how he got into ESOP  6:09 Options whe

The General Contractor of the future will be successful based on their ability to identify, evaluate and implement new technologies.    In 2017, computing power became sufficient to open up the doors for some of the toughest challenges in Construction to be addressed by software solutions. Billions of dollars of venture capital poured into tech start-up companies and the Construction tech renaissance kicked into gear.    With the influx of technology available, though, construction companies have found it difficult to determine and implement what they need to build faster, high-quality, cost-effective projects.     How do shrewd construction companies avoid overwhelm and use tech to build better projects? This is what I discuss in this week's podcast episode with René Morkos. The son of a civil engineer, René grew up in the construction industry. He has worked on construction projects worldwide.    René is the founder and CEO of ALICE Technologies and teaches at Stanford University's Ph.D. program in Construc

Incentive programs are powerful tools for motivating employees to deliver amazing results. But they also have the potential to encourage bad behaviors that are harmful to your company.   What's key is knowing how to create a well-structured program that aligns what your employee wants with what's best for your company.   Today's episode is packed full with insights from my guest, Mark Brooks, the Managing Director at Permanent Equity. Mark covers many areas including how an incentive program can be a good starting point for crafting the job description and the benefits it has in reducing silos naturally present between the field and the office staff.    Listen and learn how you can give your employees what they want so that they'll get you the results you desire.   Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 3:24 The Importance of a Clear Incentive Program 6:04 The Connection Between Human Nature and Incentives 8:38 Tailoring Incentives to Different Parts in the Organization 11:34 Controlling Negative Behavior 17:18

A long term commitment to building relationships through networking will result in more sales. As a CEO or President, you play the main role in building your network and making sure the people in your organization continue to cultivate those relationships.  My guest today is a construction  company President and a tremendous networker. Austin Edwards of Emerald Site Services gives several practical pointers that can help construction leaders in not only expanding their network, but in nurturing those connections to encourage more sales. Find out how you can cultivate the right network that propels your business to success.  Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction2:39 The CEO's Role in Business Development 5:14 When Saying 'No' to Big Projects Is the Right Choice6:59 What Networking Actually Is9:53 Networking Vs. Selling12:33 The Right Way to Network15:56 The Mindset for Starting the Conversation19:21 Identifying the Person You Want to Get Introduced To21:08 The Importance of Being Top of Mind23:21 Cultivating Re

The pandemic has brought on the rise of "hybrid work environments", people working in the office and the job site and at home.  This new work setting has proven to be a double-edged sword as workers are given more time to tend to their personal lives while business owners struggle to keep productivity and happiness in check. Today's guest, Founder and CEO of L-12 Services LLC, Lizabeth Wesely-Casella, shares with us her take on this professional phenomenon. Learn insider tips on how to keep your employees and teams happy and understand what you can do to become a better leader to your people in a hybrid work environment. Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction2:48 What is a Hybrid Work Environment?3:51 Everyone is Overwhelmed6:31 Learning by Osmosis9:44 A Culture of Trust and Relationships16:52 Creative Problem-solving Frameworks19:55 Managing Performance23:42 Becoming a Good Listener28:44 Developing Trust as an Executive30:42 Steps to Making Hybrid Work More Effective33:10 BONUS: The Must-Visit Restaurant in DC

Every one of your clients started out as a stranger to you. Good Marketing is how you turn strangers into friends, clients and evangelists for your company.  Wayne Mullins, Founder and CEO of Ugly Mug Marketing, is back to share with us his approach towards The Natural Progression of Marketing. He shares that by having the right intentions and setting clear expectations you can use Marketing to turn strangers into friends, clients, and evangelists.  Take the time to listen to this informative episode today.  Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction2:07 Why Marketing Doesn't Work5:45 The Natural Progression of Marketing7:43 Identifying Strangers8:54 Strangers to Friends11:54 Assigning Marketing Pieces to Components17:13 Setting Expectations21:56 Exceeding Expectations About the Guest:  Wayne Mullins, Founder & CEO of Ugly Mug Marketing has scaled multiple companies & helped hundreds of entrepreneurs do the same with their companies for the past 20 years. He's worked with and inspired clients from 100 indus

I root for the San Francisco Giants. They are my favorite baseball team. In the past few years, they've been struggling, losing more games than winning. This year, that's started to change. They've strengthened their roster, and are on pace to win over 100 games.  Are you devoting time to evaluate your construction company's roster strength? Building winning teams starts with Construction CEOs taking the time to ask this simple question, "Do I have the right people in the right seats?"  In this week's Construction Genius episode, I talk about how Construction executives can follow the example of the Giants. I emphasize the importance of constantly evaluating the strength of your company's roster, and I take you through practical steps you can follow when the right person is in the wrong seat.  If you are committed to building a winning team, listen to this episode. Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 3:17 Do I have the right people in the right seats?6:04 Get out your organizational chart 8:15 The goal is to

The process of submitting and responding to RFIs is often a source of tension. In today's episode, my guest, Slater Latour, frames the challenges that the construction industry has in taking a concept and design and building it in the real world. He then explains how the whole RFI process can be managed effectively. Slater and I also discuss the software developed by his company, Newforma, and how they help companies have an efficient RFI process.  Stay to the end of the episode to understand how conflicts in the RFI process can be overcome. Check out this episode today!  Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction2:29 Why do RFIs cause tension in a construction project  3:46 People responsible for the efficient processing of RFIs4:35 Dealing with frustrations on rushed designs due to RFIs6:03 Reducing tension around RFIs without the blame game7:33 Information often missed in the RFI process 8:21 How to avoid wasting resources on inefficient RFI procedures11:06 Newforma and its project information hub system14:00 Ch

If you look at the statistics, you'll find that two-thirds of construction companies are unsaleable. If you are to gauge your current company's status, do you think it is structured in a way that it can be sold either internally or externally? Are you setting yourself up for success come sale time?  My conversation with my guests, Matt Drake and Scott Duncan, revolve around this very important topic in this week's Construction Genius podcast episode. Matt and Scott are co-founders of BaseRock Partners. We discuss three things in this episode that you'll find helpful. how to structure your company how to grow your company, and  the different options available to you for selling your company Join our discussion as we look into the best ways that you can set up your construction company for success. Tune in now! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction1:48 Why ⅔ of construction companies are not saleable5:07 Whether internally or externally, what distinguishes companies that are saleable?7:14 Matt and Scott share

Construction is risky. Insurance is one tool in a contractor's toolkit to help manage that risk. Savvy construction companies understand that purchasing insurance based solely on price is a losing strategy. They know that it is vital to establish long term relationships with insurance providers, and they focus on actively mitigating risk on every project. This holistic approach enables them to turn risk into profit. In this week's podcast episode, I'm with Mike Heffernan, EVP of Alliant Insurance Services, an industry veteran with decades of experience. We cover three major topics:  the biggest mistakes made by construction companies purchasing insurance,  the biggest mistake insurance companies make when selling insurance services to construction companies,  and how you can turn risk into profit. Contractors who are curious about boosting their bottom lines will benefit from listening to this episode. You'll learn and benefit a lot from the wealth of information here. Tune in to this today!  Discussion Poi