Construction Genius

There are many activities in the construction industry that keep your team doing growth-restricting busy work. And you know what? There's a simple solution:  Most busy work and inefficiency are caused by a lack of trust within companies. With the rise in labor prices and materials, this "busy work" can eat up your profits quickly.   But technological improvements like blockchain increases visibility of transactions and trust. If implemented correctly, this can increase productivity and fast track your growth (even if you are not tech-savvy).   In this episode Robert Salvador, CEO of Digibuild joins me to reveal how software can be implemented successfully. And how blockchain will revolutionize the construction industry.   Listen now.  Show highlights include:  Why construction companies lose 26% of productivity annually (and how to stop this from happening) (4:20) The "Old School" mindset that keeps companies growing at a turtleneck speed (2:50)   The simple "supply chain solution" to manage the 20% increase

When project managers shift roles to lead people, they get overwhelmed with their new responsibilities.   The main issue is mindset.  Most end up managing projects and do the same tasks as they did before.  This can quickly lead you away from your main goals as a leader and make you fail at your new job.       The good news is simply learning new strategies can excel your growth while letting other people do most of the work for you.   In this episode, you'll discover how to manage your day and tasks so that you can be more productive as a leader. You'll also get rapid results instead of being bogged down with building old projects.   Listen now.  Show highlights include:  The common mistake made by new leaders that keeps them "stuck" at their old role (1:20) The "builder of people" mindset shift that make you become a better leader and get better results (2:25) The "Monday Method" you can use to immediately improve your leadership skills (that you can implement right away) (2:36) A simple "time-block" strat

Some kids aren't cut out for the traditional educational path. Many students have untapped talents that are valuable in today's workplace but are overlooked because they are forced into the old-school framework.     The good news?  There is now another pathway for those kids who want to explore the possibilities of earning a living in a profession that interests and excites them. In this episode, founder of the Capital College & Career Academy, Kevin Dobson, joins me to chat about his free public charter school dedicated to accelerating high school students. He explains how getting into a trade is now a viable option and how you can do your part in showing them the new opportunities available within this visionary alternative. Listen now.  Show highlights include:  Why the educational powers-that-be label you as a thief when you challenge their long-held beliefs (3:18)  The secret to becoming an engineer (without ever going to college) (8:09)  How to enter the construction field (even if you have no idea

When you have a family-run construction business, passing it down to the next generation isn't as easy as just giving them the keys.  There's a lot of work you must do before passing your business down to the next generation. Otherwise, your business will crash and burn, you'll destroy relationships within your family, or both.  That's the bad news.  The good news?  In this episode, award-winning family business strategist and author, Nike Anani, joins me to reveal how you can pass down your business to the next generation (without wrecking your business or family).  Listen now.  Show highlights include:  The insidious way passing down your family-run construction business to the next generation can sabotage your family (and how to prevent this) (3:15)  How sharing your most humiliating business failures with the next generation ensures their success (6:33)  The "Lifetime Exercise" which prevents the next generation from making the same business mistakes you made (8:13)  How to make your children value money

Business owners have a lot on their plate at all times, which is an overwhelming job. This task can become more manageable through the decision cascade method. Eric Anderton delves deeper into this concept with award-winning entrepreneur and podcast host, Bessi Graham. She explains how to navigate through unnecessary noise, gain clarity with your goals, and understand the context of every decision you make. Bessi also discusses how to create a legacy you can be genuinely proud of and without neglecting your core values.

Maintaining a successful company is already a challenging task to accomplish. How much more if you run a multi-generational company with huge shoes to fill and extremely high expectations to meet? Eric Anderton discovers the secret to accomplishing such a feat with the Cullen Clan. This family's fourth and fifth generations now lead JP Cullen: Jeannie Cullen Schultz (Co-President), George Cullen (Co-President), Richard Cullen (Vice President Field Operations), Laura Cullen (Training & Development Manager), Dan Cullen (Yard & Shop Operations Manager), and Sean Cullen (Director of Business Development). They share how they uphold the company values first established by their founder and how they recruit the right people who exhibit them. The family also opens up about their approach to solving business arguments, the incredible blend of young and old generations, and the impact of having a years-old business in raising their kids – or the potential sixth-generation leaders of JP Cullen.

What if you can mimic your top performer's capabilities, multiply their productivity, and not have to worry about attrition or retirement. In this episode, author, speaker, and the CEO of YegaTech, Mehdi Nourbakhsh, Ph.D., goes into detail on the different branches and features of AI and shares insights on how artificial intelligence can solve problems in design and construction, and bridge the gap between these two different worlds.   A special offer for Construction Genius listeners: Mehdi is offering a signed copy of the book to the ten listeners who download the free book chapters or the workbook here: https://mehdinourbakhsh.com/free/. When they download, put "Construction Genius" in response to "Where did you hear from us?"

If you don't know the right persuasive writing methods, even one email can destroy relationships you may have tirelessly built for a long time. Joining Eric Anderton is written word expert Joshua Lisec. He explains how to solve the rampant misuse of adverbs that elevates wrong emotions and passes lies as truth. Joshua talks about how poor persuasive writing can make recipients feel under attack, mistrusted, or manipulated. He also presents his three-step process of creating well-written messages that invoke the intended emotions and actions without having to spend hours or days on writing.

The CEO of Harbor Capital, Levi Benkert, is this week's guest on Construction Genius. Harbor Capital is a hyper-focused class A and B industrial real estate investment firm operating in Texas. What's interesting about this is Levi's journey from a newly married eighteen-year-old who purchased his first home in Sacramento, California to growing a business that has a goal of getting to $1 billion in assets under management by 2030. He is crushing that goal. We discuss a development deal that he's doing with a construction company that you'll find very interesting. Think about how Levi frames his deals and the approach that he takes to real estate investment, and how that might influence the way that you look at real estate investment as you have grown your construction company and have these types of opportunities come up. We also get into some more personal aspects of life and how Levi has benefited from the ups and downs of life, the lessons that he has learned in therapy, in business, and even from having ch

How do you gain competitive advantage against your competitors in the construction industry? The answer is simple: talent and technology. In this episode, Eric Anderton sits down with Ronan Collins, Director Digital Delivery of BIM for Design and Construction at The Red Sea Development Company. In their chat, Ronan emphasizes how talent development and technology adoption can be and are interconnected. Organizations can create a win-win scenario by developing their people for management positions while they introduce new concepts and technologies that improve their operations. How? Listen in to their chat to learn more. Watch out for two key insights that will help propel your business to the next level.  

Public speaking is a vulnerable position because of the fear of judgment and rejection. But there is a way to conquer your anxiety and become a better speaker in public. Eric Anderton presents Laurie Gilbertson, the founder and CEO of Tribeca Blue Consulting. Laurie talks about how practice and preparation are huge factors in feeling comfortable on stage. Allow yourself to rehearse and figure out which words sound natural when you speak. Afterward, it's easier to turn your attention away from yourself and towards the audience during your presentation. If you want more practical tips on becoming a better speaker in public, this episode's for you.  

Want to build a home faster, better, and more sustainably? Prefabrication is the key. Today's guest is Garrett Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of Agorus, offering prefab offsite solutions that can transform how we build homes. He joins host Eric Anderton to explain prefabrication and clear up some misconceptions. Garret dives deep into the positive impact of the new tech on labor, cost, and time for contractors, developers, and homeowners. Listen as they discuss why leaning into this technology can also help issues surrounding housing and the environment. Stay tuned!

As the owner of a construction company, it's only natural that you focus on what you do. But it's also important to stay connected with the field. Your guys are out there working. It's good to get your bags on and join them, even if you're not too good at it. Join Eric Anderton as he talks to Ben Juncker about how he bridges the gap between office and the field. Ben is the co-founder and CEO of Craftsman's Choice, a leading exterior remodeling contractor in Minnesota. Listen in so that you can find out some tips on how to build team comradery. Learn how to have empathy for your employees so that you can achieve the best possible outcomes. Stay connected with your team today!

Every company follows a different sales process to build revenue. But some organizations don't want to keep an open mind. You can't scale if you don't want to do things differently. Learn what drives your revenue and how you can plug out all the leaks. Join Eric Anderton as he talks to Jennifer Aplin and Alice Chandrasekaran of Digital Magenta about increasing your revenue with data and intuition. Jennifer is the CEO and Co-Founder of the company, while Alice is the Co-Founder and Chief Intelligence Officer. Discover your key meetings, which can lead you to more revenue. Do things differently to scale and grow. Scaling doesn't always mean adding more salespeople. It's more about improving your sales process, data gathering, and systems. Start optimizing your sales process today!

How safe is your insurance claim? How do you ensure that any claim that you make is paid fairly by the insurance company? This is a discussion that Eric Anderton and CEO and president of Velocity Public Adjusting, Jack Hanks, take on in this episode. Jack has had deep experience since 1989 in the space of public adjusting. He shares his insights on how contractors can maximize their payout from their insurance companies. Tune in as they talk about how vital documentation is and how it's important to ensure that you have the right coverages in place for the projects you're building.

What's the secret to successful companies in the construction space? It's being able to tighten your estimates and make the right bids. Joining Eric Anderton is Paul McKeon, CEO of B2W Software. Paul's visionary leadership has driven continuous, cutting-edge product development and revenue growth. In this episode, he shares key tips on how to land more work and make bids that feed your growth. Paul also shares valuable insights on how to incorporate software successfully to optimize your systems and make better estimates. Stay tuned!

For a business partnership to work, you and your partner need the same values, vision, camaraderie, and strength in different areas. If you manage to find the right people to work with, success will come in no time. But not all partnerships are as straightforward as that. It takes time and patience to trust each. It's only growing pains; it happens to everyone. Learn how to build partnerships with Eric Anderton and his guest, Matt Stewart. Matt is co-founder and Co-CEO of National Service Group (NSG), which operates College Works Painting, Empire Community Construction, Home Genius Exteriors, and SMJJ Investments. He has been partnering with three other individuals for over 25 years. Join him as he talks about how they got through the rough times and how they communicate daily. Build strong partnerships today!

In construction, you need to be a leader who is compassionate and empathetic. You need to have those tough and difficult conversations with people. No one better than a Death Coroner to give you some insight into that. Join Eric Anderton as he talks to Deputy Coroner for the Yolo County Sheriff's Office, Harrison Furmidge about having difficult conversations. Learn how Harrison deals with having to tell a loved one that someone close to them has died. Find out how he deals with grieving families and why he never leaves them in an unstable position. Discover how he works with law enforcement and how to tell if someone is lying to you. Learn how to see the whole picture of the crime today!

The construction industry has been one of the most affected fields in recent years with supply chain issues, geopolitical pressures, rising fuel prices, to name a few. So how do you innovate and add/create value and give yourself a competitive edge? Jack Aspenson is the CEO and President of S3 Surface Solutions, a disruptive, client-driven organization that focuses on providing environmentally friendly, simple surface systems that are long-lasting and cost-effective. In this episode, Jack sits down with host Eric Anderton to share the key strategies he used for his business to stay afloat and come out the other end successfully during such a volatile time in the industry. Tune in as he shares his thoughts on the blue ocean vs. red ocean strategy, environmental impact, supply chain issues, and manufacturing back in the US. Jack also gives solid advice to leaders and business owners on innovation and relationship building. Stay tuned.