Surely you’ve done this with your family. And surely they’re eyes have rolled every time.For the month of February, we’re talking about love… The love of construction. Today we focus on the pride we all feel when we encounter projects to which we’ve contributed. Tyler talks about his Wawa work, which didn’t exactly overwhelm his wife. Eddie goes all the way back to his time in college in order to compare the tangibility of your work. We discuss the satisfaction of being able to point to a brick-and-mortar outcome of your invested time.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we trigger our PM friends.00:40 - IntroWe chat about our studio setup and Eddie’s perceived curmudgeonliness. Eddie insists that it’s almost always about expecting people to be a good roommate. 03:57 - Tyler is giddy. Tyler shares about the comment thread on one of his recent LinkedIn posts. The initial post asked people to make a project manager fly off the handle in five words or less. Here are some of our favorites:-“Cleaners erased your whiteboard.” We wonder if cleaners should carry insurance for this offense.-“As per my last email…” We have a hard time seeing this one used in a tone that is not passive aggressive.-“Rev 16 is being issued tomorrow.” We’ve seen the numbers climb even higher than that.-“That is excluded from my proposal.” This one always comes six months down the road.-“Why is the OSHA truck outside?” We throw Dad under the bus with a story from OSHA’s early days. -“You see the new plans?” We can all work together to make sure this one goes extinct. Eddie submits a plea that people don’t nudge elements when you’re tempted to.- “They’ve been scanned in.” …Meaning you can expect some coffee stains.24:15 - Our additions and some honorable mentionsEddie shares a trigger phrase that he didn’t share on LinkedIn: “Yeah, but you lost your slot.” He shares some thoughts about the chain of events that leads to this one. Someone is wanting to put everyone else on pause. We run through a few more responses: -“That’s above my pay grade.”-“I may not have said that, but that’s what the consultant’s intent was.” -“The permits were never obtained.”30:03 - ConfessionsWe also posted an invitation for people to share about bizarre project-manager-related stories you’ve experienced or heard. Here are some highlights from that one.-A traveling employee who angered his girlfriend by visiting a specific sort of club-A worker who went AWOL under suspicious circumstances-The contractor who demonstrated his objections to excessive meetings by painting figurines in the corner of the meeting roomWe invite you to share some more via DMs.36:52 - MeetingsWe discuss the merits and annoyances of meetings. Are they necessary? Well, yeah, for sure they are to a point. Can we all agree to manage them as thoughtfully as possible, though?Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We’ve reached our fourth and final episode focused on resolutions. This week, after we wade through some brotherly tensions, Eddie encourages you to identify someone who is “below” you in the business and take them out to eat. As he said last week, don’t make it weird! Just be intentional about creating space where trust can be established and advice can be shared. Make it clear that you’re available if they have questions. That’s all. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

How far up do you own? 00:58 - IntroWe chat about the naming of winter storms and make some subtle alternative music allusions. Eddie shares about how to increase your perceived IQ.03:30 - Bold projects Today we’re talking about two really ambitious projects: Big Bend, which is not currently underway, and The Line, which is. First, Big Bend: Eddie describes the shape of this unusual concept. The design was completed in 2017. The design seeks to sidestep the floor-area ratio limits of New York’s building code. Eddie raises the interesting philosophical question of how far into the sky a building’s ownership reaches. If an arched building spans over another building… How does that work? This leads to useful references to both the Bible and The Simpsons. We discuss what could happen if the issues of upward ownership could be resolved and buildings could begin to weave around over one another. We make a shout-out to Business Movers, one of our favorite podcasts.15:50 - The LineWe shift our focus to an even more ambitious project that is underway in Saudi Arabia: The Line.The Line is a mega city that aims to reach 110 miles long (170 km), 660 ft wide, and 1,600 ft tall.The target population for this structure is 450,000 people by 2026, 2 million people by 2030, and 9 million people by 2045.24:28 - Desalination, workforce, administrative issues We discuss the logistical concerns and resource issues related with a project of this scale in a somewhat inhospitable environment.The work crew for this project is currently right around 60,000. NEOM, the coordinating entity, claims that they’re investing heavily in safe, desirable work conditions. We explore the fact that the usual roadblocks disappear when a project is being sponsored by a monarchy and constructed in a remote location. We discuss the possible peripheral benefits that might spring from this project even if it’s not ever completed.We wrap up with a book recommendation: The Martian (the book rather than the movie). Track down the audiobook and listen to it while you work here on Earth.Links related to The Line: -Neom’s official site-A 30-minute Discovery Channel UK documentary -Articles: -DesignBoom The Line project update -Critical Popular Mechanics article -DesignBoom review of all Neom projectsCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

In this, our third week focused on resolutions, Eddie encourages you to seek an opportunity to learn. You probably already have in mind someone whose work or career you admire. Don’t make it weird. Just ask a couple questions about the things you’ve observed in their work lives. Then shut up and listen.If this person becomes a long-term mentor, great. If this just ends up being one session of learning for you, also great. Either way, you’ll come out of the situation with some insights that position you for greater success.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for li

We've reached our bicent...episodial?!01:58 - ReminiscingToday we’re looking back over more than three years of producing the CBP. Here are some our initial thoughts:-Our intro is still rocking a 2019 vibe. -Mom is usually pretty supportive, but… There’s an episode out there somewhere from those very first episodes, and we would really love for them to stay buried deep in whatever pile of digital debris. Tyler poses a challenge: If we get to 100 ratings on Apple Podcasts within two months of today’s episode, he’ll share this embarrassment. -Tyler flashes back to the studio setup for those earliest episodes: Just a couple dudes and a big-screen TV.-Eddie recalls and early episodes with Pete DuMont, Clifton Harness, and more.09:08 - Whitey Tighties, Pete Rose and Cannibalistic HamstersEddie gives a shout-out to his favorite episode title. Our middle brother, Andy, joined us for this episode, which consisted of brotherly recollections. Poor guy passed out quite often. We cringe as we look back at our early rhythms and quirks. Tough stuff. 11:48 - Favorite episodesHere are a few that we look back on most fondly:-Going Analog in a Digital World - (feat. Eric Reinholdt of the 30x40 Design Workshop on Youtube) -Eric Anderson and his leg lamp-Todd Dawalt (who has his own podcast, Construction Leading Edge) and our discussion about the labor shortage as we headed into the pandemic -David Smigel and an early conversation about Starlink on jobsites-Roy Underhill of The Woodwright’s Shop-Lego episode-The House that Sears Built-The RFI Blockchain-Matt Byrd of the Reality Capture Network-Donnie Williams and our conversation about supply chains19:15 - Surprise lessonsWe spend some time exploring what we’ve learned. Eddie shares that he’d thought he had the solutions that the construction industry needs. He has seen his understanding expand and has gained empathy.Tyler discusses leadership and the constraints that make it hard for higher-ups to do things the way that younger, less-experienced people think things ought to be done. We express our appreciation for the sometimes contentious discussions. We’ve seen growth result from the open exploration of points of disagreement. 28:00 - Echo chambersTyler dumps some thoughts about people pitching themselves as guests in order to discuss the fact that the industry is slow to accept technology. He disagrees. Eddie lists technologies that have been readily adopted because they increase our productivity and make us look more competent. He acknowledges that he’d look like an old man if he’d step back onto a residential-construction jobsite today with tools that didn’t exist when he was working in that world.We discuss the program features and the types of content that we’ve chosen to leave behind.39:43 - Megaphone messageWe share our thoughts for the industry. They’re simple:-Eddie: Treat others the way you’d like them to treat you.-Tyler: Say thanks. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

This week Eddie encourages us to look up and look down. Engage in a conversation to see what is required for the people “above” and “below” you to succeed. Tyler shares an example about his daughter’s perpetual curiosity and encourages us to demonstrate that with those around us. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Building for the Bulldogs00:47 - Introduction - Melanie’s backstoryMelanie Ford is the Senior Director of Construction for the University of Georgia Office of the University Architects. Before her move to the university, she worked for 20 years as a contractor and a Vice President of Whitsel Construction Services. She’s the Georgia Chapter President for the Construction Owners of America and one of the co-founders and current President of Athens Area Women in Construction. Melanie shares about how a stressful project in an architecture class drove her into building science. She shares about how the dean of a professor told her that a woman wouldn’t be able to tell “some 50-year-old, hard-hat-wearing man where the hell he can put his steel.” She shares about the challenges of finding a position in construction when she graduated, but a couple decades later, she is still happy with her choice to go into construction. She then tells us a bit about her family’s move to Athens, Georgia.10:37 - Melanie’s work at UGAMelanie explains what it is that she does at the University of Georgia. She oversees all construction on campus, including major capital projects and major renovations. She and her department are responsible for ensuring architectural and construction continuity across campus. She tells us a bit about the significant increase in sports-related construction, including large softball and tennis stadium projects. In addition to that, there are the ongoing renovations of buildings constructed in the 1950s. Eddie asks about how the challenges differ between different types of projects. Melanie talks about a few of her favorite projects. 19:25 - Project Managers Eddie asks Melanie to provide feedback to project managers from an owner’s perspective. She starts with thoughts about the importance of doing your research ahead of time in order to be aware of current conditions in a building set for renovation. She talks about timelines that were unnecessarily extended due to school-year schedules. She points out that many PMs tend to keep information and problems to themselves. This can be frustrating to people in positions like Melanie’s because they often have resources and connections to solve those problems.Eddie asks about the bidding process in the university domain, which leads to a conversation about task-order contracting. She explains how this approach works with smaller contracts and lists of pre-approved contractors. We explore the ins and outs of the approval process for this group of contractors and how it is used by various governmental entities. Melanie says that owner-contractor relationships result in task-order projects being completed on time more often than hard-bid projects. Melanie discusses the types of feedback she provides to contractors who ask what changes they could make in order to increase their chances of future work with the university.32:54 - Project initiation and design-buildEddie asks about the process a project goes through from the point of conception to completion. Melanie talks us through the process that sometimes involves legislators, wealthy donors. She gives an example of an unexpected connection between botanical gardens and a porcelain collection. She then walks us through the steps of a hypothetical project. Eddie asks Melanie for her opinion on design-build. She explains that she’s not a huge fan of this approach in most cases. She says that she feels like the owner loses a certain amount of control because of the chain of command that results. She prefers for the builder, the designer, and the owner to perceive one another as peers. She also mentions that the historical character of campus architecture can suffer as a result of design-build dynamics. Eddie shares about a complicated, somewhat messy arrangement he experienced in a project a few years ago and asks Melanie for her thoughts. She shares her insights about the vision-setting, information exchange, and communication complications that can arise with unusual arrangements. Melanie shares a humorous story about how she was introduced to Bluebeam. Eddie shares some thoughts about the importance of old-school communication: actual talking. We discuss the different outcomes of different forms of communication–email vs. actual voice conversations. 58:26 - Megaphone MessageWe’re all on the same team. It’s all about taking a team approach. If you have your best intentions, we don’t have to have adversarial relationships. Also, support each other. Melanie shares about the importance of mentorship, especially for women in construction.1:02:53 - Bonus ContentEddie shares some crazy facts about university protectionism regarding mascots and rivalries. Find Melanie Online: LinkedIn, Construction Owners of AmericaCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Happy New Year! Let’s talk about resolutions.Each week this month we’ll be focusing on one way to improve the way you do your job.This week’s resolution: Communicate. Be clearer and more deliberate in your emails, phone calls, texts, and conversations.Be self-aware. Take an honest look at your communication patterns. If you talk too much, consider trying to be more concise. If you tend to hide behind typed words when phone calls would be better, make more calls. Resolve to be just a little bit better in this respect as we head into this new year.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

NOTE: Scroll to the end of the show notes for info on a discounted subscription for Bluebeam and to find links to some of the video clips included in the Youtube version of this episode.Andrew and David brought us gifts! Chocolate and buckets full of Bluebeam tips! 01:00 - Chocolate Letters and Alaskan TroutWe start out today with some float-plane talk. Eddie shares about one of his trips to Alaska. Then we fess up to our lack of gift-giving etiquette and Tyler’s inability to wait when it comes to chocolate.Finally, we get into a few distinct buckets of Bluebeam tips.04:55 - Tips for Take-offs and EstimationDavid discusses the process of taking a Google Maps screenshot and pasting it into a blank Bluebeam PDF. Once it’s in there, you can calibrate and scale the image for use within your designs. He also talks us through photo- and map-overlay options that resemble augmented reality. Andrew shares about the Dynamic Fill feature, which allows users to do a take-off of an irregular shape. This tool allows you to easily apply custom measurement tools for dimensions including volume, which means that you can tag the area with fill materials, such as gravel in the case of a landscaping application. David mentions the Visual Search feature, which can identify every light fixture, doorknob, or anything else that might otherwise need to be counted manually. This can be applied on multiple files.Andrew describes some Excel-integration features that could save tremendous amounts of time.Tyler and Eddie mention a few ways they’ve used the simpler search and count features. 25:19 - 1+1=10 (Features That Combine To Be More Than the Sum of Their Parts)Although Tyler detests the word “synergy,” he was excited to hear the list of value-added combos such as these:Compare Documents + Overlay Pages + Cloud MarkupsCustom Statuses + Studio Sessions + ScriptsCover Pages + Custom Columns + Custom Tool Sets + Custom StatusesSnapshot Tool + Change Colors + Custom Tool Sets + Scaling43:44 - Delightful Little TipsAndrew and David share a few standalone operations that he’s noticed people really appreciate:Add a Leader LineAlign/StraightenCreate a CategoryAuto-mark/Page LabelsMultiplyEddie suggests that users experiment occasionally by just right-clicking on everything you can in order to see what options await you there.56:25 - Megaphone MessageDavid points out the need for everyone within the construction industry to take the initiative to mentor young people entering the industry. Don’t just watch them from a distance and hope they figure out how things work. Andrew builds on this by suggesting that everyone check in periodically with your peers to make sure they’re doing okay. He closes with a specific call for veterans to encourage young women who are entering the industry.Bluebeam Discount: For our listeners, Bluebeam is offering 20% off first year subscription on any of their three plans when you use code bluebeambros at checkout. Just go to Bluebeam.com and click on Buy Now. This offer is valid from now until March 31. Certain terms and conditions may apply.Video and Help Links:Compare with Overlay:-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aX7NVjI81Y-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RESsnjNmOnECustom Statuses via Scripting:-https://support.bluebeam.com/online-help/revu21/Content/RevuHelp/Menus/Document/Script/Using-Scripts.htmCover Page: https://support.bluebeam.com/online-help/revu21/Content/RevuHelp/Menus/Tools/Attachments/Attachment--MV.htm-Dynamic Tool Set Scaler: https://youtu.be/tM7xksl0Uio?si=ZiOsUMwPTag3r2EpAuto Page Labels: https://youtu.be/uA_SrgH-afE?si=JCbg7-8iG_2VVHogPinned Files/ Documents via Categories: https://support.bluebeam.com/online-help/revu21/Content/RevuHelp/Menus/Window/Panels/File-Access/File-Access-Tab-in-Recent-Files-Mode--TV.htmGet Line – fix skewed drawings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFP7SdJa8C4 (Old interface but the steps are still the same)Import Markups: https://support.bluebeam.com/online-help/revu21/Content/RevuHelp/Menus/Window/Panels/Markups/Markups-List--MTV.htmMultiply: https://youtu.be/vdmB3J-dGj4?si=cdx3LtRpO6-h_PgPFind David Online: LinkedIN, BluebeamFind Andrew Online: LinkedIN, BluebeamCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today we encourage you to face the tough choices. Every single day, we have numerous opportunities to show integrity or take the easy way out. There are easy ways to back out of commitments. It’s always possible to think about an excuse. When you opt for the excuse, though, you slowly erode your reputation. Trust decays unless you actively maintain it by following through and keeping your word. Take pride in your work. Know why you do what you do. In the long run, you’ll be thankful that you did.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

What if Santa decided to expand his operation? NOTE: If you’re interested in construction in extreme conditions, explore the links at the end of these show notes. 00:40 - IntroWe are dressed to the 9s and ready to help the Big Guy. Today we’re discussing what Santa would need to do to build a second headquarters at the South Pole in order to cut down on delivery times. As our template, we’re using the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station as our model. Here are some facts about that structure:It sits on a sheet of ice that is 9,000 feet thick.The temperatures range from -117 degrees to +7.52 degrees fahrenheit.The ice sheet on which it sits shifts roughly 33 feet per year.The project cost $175 million. In our Santa plans, we made some adjustments for inflation and settled on roughly $2,600 per square foot, which would put the total cost at roughly $3.14 billion.The center has 45 10,000-gallon fuel tanks for heating and vehicles.07:36 - Labor Costs and ComplicationsEddie rails against the millennial elves–their lack of motivation, lack of skills. It’s shameful. This is complicated by the fact that construction workers at the South Pole are able to work outdoors for only 15 minutes at a time due to the extreme cold. We discuss what infrastructure employee-relations efforts would be needed for the elves to work through the 110-day outdoor construction season. 14:20 - Materials and TransportationAgain using the Amundsen-Scott Research Center as a guide, we discuss what it would take to ship all of the construction materials needed. 25 million pounds of cargo was hauled to the build site at 26,000 pounds per trip over 12 seasons on an Air Force LC130 plane.20:52 - Other Facts about Antarctica and Amundsen-Scott South Pole StationWe review some political facts about Antarctica as well as the research done there. This research includes glaciology, geophysics and seismology, ocean and climate systems, astrophysics, astronomy, and biology. We discuss the complications of hiring people to work in an extreme environment like this. The structure is mounted on 32 vertical columns that are each six feet into the snow and designed to be able to be added to as the snow pack increases. These columns are mounted on a floating footing made of 2x12 members boxed with ¾” plywood.If you’re interested in learning more about real South Pole structures, explore these links: The B1M video Eddie mentioned about construction in AntarcticaA video of Jerry Marty, NSF project manager, discussing the construction of the Amundsen-Scott Research Center.The official NSF siteA 3-part Tour of the Facility (Link is to part 1)NatGeo video about construction at the South PoleArticle about Antarctic buildings and basesCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Yes, you’ve probably heard this story before. It’s one that’s worth hearing again. Here’s a link to the text in case you’re interested in following along or reading it again later.Merry Christmas, everyone. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - Sweater Talk and MoviesTyler’s the bloatiest in the middle. That’s today’s bit of TMI from the CBP. We start out today with a call-back to the episode with Dad. Tyler felt compelled to retroactively vote for Home Alone 2 as one of his favorite Christmas movies. We share a few others too. 04:08 - Rockefeller Center Christmas TreeWe wanted to know if there’s anything interesting that we can learn from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree –maybe even something about construction. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree tradition started in 1931 when a few construction workers pooled their money to get a tree in an attempt to raise the spirits of downtown visitors in the midst of the Great Depression. This year’s tree was in a standard old subdivision side yard in New York. 08:50 - The Tree Guy and the DecorationsTyler explains that each year’s tree is chosen and the delivery/installation process is overseen by Erik Pauze, who worked his way up from the position of summer worker at Rockefeller Center to the role of Head Gardener.Once the tree is in place, workers decorate the tree with 50,000 multi-colored LEDs. These are partially powered by solar panels atop Rockefeller Center. At the top is a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star covered in 3 million crystals.15:50 - What Happens After?For many years, the tree was mulched after the holiday season and the mulch used in New York parks. In recent years, the trees have been milled and dried, with the lumber being donated to Habitat for Humanity.We discuss what this topic has to do with construction, and… Well, to be honest, we’re not sure. But it’s the holidays. We’re trying to do our part in bringing Christmas cheer. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today Eddie relays 3 costs of leadership that he learned from Kirby Smart from University of Georgia.1) You will have to make hard decisions that negatively impact people you care about.2) You will be disliked despite your best attempts to do the best for the most. 3) You will be misunderstood, and you won’t always have the chance to defend yourself.Eddie’s advice: Write these down as a reminder to yourself. Leadership can be tough. It’s a part of the deal. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - Introduction01:38 - Bogus RFIsDad continues his thoughts from last week regarding industry inefficiencies and complications. He explains how many people use the RFI as a delay tactic. He’s seen this on the receiving side as a project manager, but he’s also seen members of his own team do it from the sending side. Eddie talks about how he’s seen people creating an unnecessarily adversarial relationship for their own advantage. We discuss how this is present in at least some pockets of every sector of the industry. We discuss the role of owners in establishing the company culture in these regards.Dad recalls some technology complications when working with Tekla required several extra steps.09:15 - Product ProblemsEddie discusses the economies and efficiencies of steel production and design. Then he shifts to an exploration of the complexities of seeking subcontractors that can produce exactly what you, as a designer or fabricator, need from them. Dad sees it somewhat differently. He sees the problems as arising primarily from lack of specialty knowledge on the part of the designers. When the subs push back, the GCs don’t know enough about the sub’s industry to know that some of that pushback is nonsense. He says no part of this industry is rocket science, and that anyone who is willing to invest the research time can become knowledgeable about their related specialties. Eddie chimes in with some recollections of market shifts and subcontractor complications at various points in the growth of the industry.18:32 - The Sheet Metal Mattered…Dad shares about a project in Tampa where the quality and production method of the sheet metal complicated a project. Eddie discusses how some effectively handled BIM work couldn’t smoothly lead to a satisfactory final product without lots and lots of extra communication with the subs. Dad talks about Tekla added a new kind of fastener as a result of one ABSI project. We explore the reality that boldness is required to stretch the capabilities of software, production, and application. 23:13 - BIM’s Nothing More Than a Tool…Dad talks about how BIM is one of many industry tools that is only really useful if it’s in the hands of an expert. We get into the importance of knowing the industry nuances of a particular region–the little construction dialects and ecosystem issues. Eddie asks Dad to advise up-and-comers general contractors and project managers who want to break out of the fray. He starts with a review of the ways that business comes to different positions at different times. Then he tries to get us to gripe about RTU frames and the disproportionate complications those create. Dad finally gets around to his advice: Learn how to build. Then pay attention to what the subs are telling you but don’t believe everything they say. Eddie translates, clarifying that subs don’t necessarily know more than you do. He compares it to the classic ham-butt problem.34:51 - Software EvangelismWe discuss the claims of supposed savings that subs say they could have provided. Are they just blowing hot air? Often that’s the case. Dad claims some credit for the growth of Tekla. We reminisce about software evangelism experiences. Eddie recalls a presentation to a skeptical group that became deeply invested as soon as they saw a 3D image. Then we veer into our contempt for lying and the bridge-burning that result from it. Tyler shares a story about RTU solution shared with him and about how he learned that the most powerful question in construction: “Why?” Significant inefficiencies can often be avoided by asking that question kindly and selectively. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Tyler’s lit up--not angry, just literally lit up. Check out the Youtube version if you’re interested in seeing an illuminated version of Tyler. (We’ll understand if you’re okay sticking with the audio.)Tyler shares today about coping when things don’t go as planned. His suggestions? Nod. Accept it. Adjust. Focus on a solution. Eddie contributes some thoughts about how personality styles fit into these situations. He also reminds us that the way you handle the unexpected will have a significant effect on the way people see you.Yes, it’s important to be sure that you don’t let people take advantage of your roll-with-the-punches disposition. That being said, people will be much more likely to seek opportunities to work with you show yourself to be flexible. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

01:23 - IntroductionWe start out today with a short round-table chat about Mom dressing Tyler. And cussing. And Gallagher.03:20 - MoviesWe list some of our favorite movies–Christmas ones and Schwarzenegger ones. Dad thinks most Hallmark movies should just move on down the road. But then he goes on to talk about the one he watched with Mom. We learn that Pierce Brosnan has lost all of Dad’s respect.When it comes to Christmas movies, Eddie shares that Christmas Vacation is one of his favorites. Dad hasn’t seen it. He is a fan of Scrooged, though–especially Bobcat. Tyler shares a vote for Daddy’s Home. Dad shares that he doesn’t want to have anything to do with Elf. 10:50 - ABSI and TraumaTyler executes one of the oddest segues we’ve seen, but that does get us around to a conversation we wanted to have the last time Dad joined us. Dad was working on a project in Florida. Dad’s team won the bid, but he believes they got it because the owners knew they could push his team around. Then came the RFIs. Then came the atrium–with fiber optic stars. Dad played multiple roles on this project, and he saw his schedule slipping and slipping because of work not done in the design stage. Long story short, he decided it was time to move on from that company and start ABSI.25:50 - Birth of BIM and our first exposure to TeklaEddie shares about the first times he was exposed to these new terms and software packages. Dad reminisces about the earliest computerized drawings he did. 30:47 - Lessons LearnedEddie airs some grievances about where the industry is compared to where it should be. It’s the whole Jetsons flying-car thing. We speculate about why we haven’t come further. Dad talks about critical paths and faxes and crickets chirping as he sought to drum up business. Eddie thinks it’s largely obstinance and risk-aversion.The rest of this conversation will be in next week’s episode. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

If you want to stand out in business, don’t be a whiner. It’s a natural human tendency, for sure. That’s why avoiding it will help you stand out from the crowd. Whining wastes time and strains relationships. The more you can suck it up and do the work when circumstances are tough, the better things will go for you and those around you. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:46 - IntroductionTyler shares a bit about Bill Holton and then starts us off with a few complaints about shipping shortfalls. 04:29 - Kubota HistoryBill reviews the background of Kubota in the US. In 1972, Kubota started selling tractors in the US. By 1978 they were selling excavators to construction contractors. The breadth of the Kubota line has been growing ever since. Over those 50 years, they’ve worked their way into just about every segment of construction. Tyler shares this thoughts about the stand-on skid steer 07:03 - The Present and Future for Kubota Bill drops a teaser about a new piece of orange equipment that will be announced at the World of Concrete. (We could tell he was tempted to spill the beans now.) He shares with us about his journey from safety inspector to his current position with Kubota. Then he tells us about the creation of Kubota University, the annual training program for sales reps and others. The program runs for eight weeks, providing playing/learning time for nearly 700 salespersons from around the country. He explains how important it is for sales staff to have hands-on experience. 17:40 - Kubota Ranch and KPathersTyler asks Bill to share about another hands-on opportunity that Kubota offers customers. He discusses the 300-acre space they’ve set aside to help people test the limits of the equipment. From there, Tyler shifts to the topic of Texas barbecue. Eddie asks Bill to share about the two-year KPathers program for recent college graduates. The purpose of the program is to provide participants with a sampling of direct experience in various aspects of the Kubota company. 30:35 - Megaphone MessageBill says he’d like to encourage the construction industry to be realistic and thoughtful about the transition to electric-powered equipment. Find Bill on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

When it comes to confidence and peace of mind within your business, there’s nothing that compares to having employees who actually care. Is this obvious? Yup. Still bears repeating.When your workers are thankful for their job, they’re going to bring creativity, responsiveness, and conscientiousness to their work. Everyone that your business touches will notice the difference. How do you make your employees thankful? Treat them well. Model gratitude. Show appreciation. Complain less. Take advantage of little opportunities to let every contractor, client, or customer you come into contact with that you’re thankful for the role they play in your professional life. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today’s episode includes a visual demonstration, so you may want to consider watching the Youtube version. This episode is a re-air from earlier in 2023.00:00 - Bloody Dumpling Shenanigans (and Introduction)Dumplings can be deadly. What a birthday… After that story, we shift to today’s guest, John Fay.John is the founder and CEO of Låda Cube (pronounced Lauda Cube). Låda Cube produces pre-fab cassettes that are used in the place of conventional stud-and-drywall walls. 04:25 - John Explains Låda CubeRecent refinements of production efficiencies has enabled Låda Cube to explore the benefits of standardization. This standardization yields multiple benefits:Final assembly is more consistent.Assembly can be handled by minimally skilled workersEntire walls can be disassembled and their parts reused–either when it’s time to reconfigure a space or in the case of a more complete demolition.Låda Cube modules are small enough to be easily handled, and they fit together with a cam-lock system that each has 750 lbs of carrying power. The cassette-built wall can then be covered with a variety of finish surfaces that can be switched out when it’s time for a change of decor. 10:15 - Timelapse Video John explains that specialized cassettes can serve customized features:Increased load-bearing capacityPlug-and-play electrical systemsSpace for plumbing accessThe goal is to have a system that never goes obsolete–that will be reverse compatible long into the future.John shares about one of Låda Cube’s large recent projects, a series of WalMart vision centers. If the work on these centers would have been done using conventional methods, it would have taken 16 days per center. With the modules, each center was finished in 3 days.15:30 - Cost and Production PaceWe explore the topic of cost. As you might expect, this type of product is currently a premium product. Låda Cube is currently priced at $4.50/linear foot. John believes digitization and production improvements will eventually bring that number below $2. The trickle-down benefits of standardization include faster estimates and reduced errors. John said his crew can generally give a phase-one drawing within just a few hours.The Låda Cube team is now working on software integrations that will populate modules in the design phase so that estimates and invoices can be almost immediate and also transparent. We discuss both cost and quality. John explains that the ½” MDF that is their current main skin finish material. He says that they’re occasionally using Avonite and, in the long run, would like to pursue partnerships with gypsum manufacturers to integrate small panels with easy seam solutions. 27:32 - Vision Center Cost BreakdownsTyler asks John to share some of the specific costs related to the Walmart vision center projects, including a large refund that the accountants struggled to process. John anticipates the development of a third-party market for exchanging components of this sort of system. He explains that there is no reason for any of their products to ever end up in a landfill.We hear about door integration when John explains that representatives from MillerKnoll contacted them to say that they’ve never hung a door on a truer wall. This is due to the fact that the Låda Cube cassettes are built to tolerances of 15/100”.Eddie addresses some of the mindset shifts that owners, contractors, and municipalities will need to consider in transitioning to this sort of construction. 37:50 - John’s Megaphone MessageThe Låda Cube team sees themselves as changers of environments. When they approach a worksite, they try to remove the fear and tension that might be there.They want to show compassion and to champion people well.Find John Online: LinkedIn - Låda CubeCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today Eddie suggests that we go to the person who has the hammer in hand. This is not only the best place to identify problems, but it’s also often the best place to formulate solutions. It’s the nip-it-in-the-bud mindset. Solve the problems right where they start. This is more logistically efficient, and solutions formed at this point in the system are also more likely to be supported by the whole team. Cynicism and eye-rolling will be less likely. Be sure to follow through, though. Don’t gather the input and then not sit still–at least not without clearly sharing a thoughtful Here are links to the Business Movers podcast that Tyler mentioned:-Apple Podcasts-Wondery Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:49 - Small TalkWe’re struggling. Tyler opens by sharing that his reading ability has been waning recently. We chat about his delinquency as far as following up on his eyeglass prescriptions. His knees aren’t doing so well either.03:30 - Getting into the ConcreteWe discuss our wives’ confusion about our fascination with the Roman Empire, but that’s where we’re settling today. We start out at the Pantheon. At 142 feet across, the dome on this temple is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. (If you’re interested in Tyler’s question about the Parthenon, here’s the answer.)We discuss the fact that it’s possible that some modern concrete structures will ultimately last as long as the Pantheon has lasted. Today’s concrete comes in various grades, and constructions have different budgets. The Roman government invested pretty heavily in their roads and structures. Eddie explains how ancient Roman concrete contained lime clasts, tiny clumps of powdered lime that would turn to concrete as water passed through it.15:30 - Caffeinated ConcreteWe shift from ancient Roman concrete to a modern phenomenon that is still in its experimental stages. In Australia, researchers have found a way to strengthen concrete by adding used coffee grounds. After trying a couple different approaches, they eventually found that baking the grounds and then substituting those baked grounds for 30% of the sand resulted in increased concrete strength. Eddie talks about the on-site decisions (and sometimes tensions) related to how much water to add. He also touches on superplasticizers that increase the workability of concrete with less water. 24:24 - LessonsFrom Roman concrete, we can learn the importance of knowing about the raw materials you’re using in your construction projects. Know the capacities and the tolerances. Then design with these materials in mind. In the design phase, consider how you can capitalize on the strengths and other traits of those materials. Another takeaway? Innovate. Look at the materials around you and think about how you can make creative use of the materials around you. Tyler gives the story of Play-Doh as an example of this.Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

You’ve encountered them. Can we just admit it, you might be one.To be fair, we all become one at one time or another.There are plenty of unreasonable people in the construction industry, but Eddie has a tip for how to deal with them. Don’t fight with them. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you just because someone else did so.Tyler chimes in with the comparison about children and parenting. Sometimes you need to just let the kid cool down. Doing so will increase the likelihood (though not the certainty) of a reasonable conversation just a little bit later. If you do engage, Eddie suggests that you consider apologizing. Sounds like he has some experience with it. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:56 - IntroductionBrent Wadas is an Army veteran who has also worked in finance and SaaS. In 2020, he and his two co-founders dove into construction automation with BotBuilt. He joins us today to talk about automated framing. 04:38 - BotBuilt OverviewBrent explains why he sometimes feels like a five-year-old. He and his co-founders found that most automated systems required almost complete uniformity. He explains The Panel Book that contains detailed breakdowns of components, designs, and costs. He talks us through how they use industrial robot arms from eBay to building out wall-panel systems. (Watch a video of the process.) The marked, labeled panels then simply need to be properly placed and nailed together. The contractors working with BotBuilt can complete the framing for a single-family residence in 2.5-5 hours using the panels assembled in their facility. Brent compares BotBuilt’s process to that of other automated-construction companies.08:48 - Ikea-style AssemblyEddie asks how BotBuilt lays out instructions for contractors to assemble their plans. Brent explains that the incredibly detailed plans they did for their first run-through ended up in the mud because the builder just wanted the simplest one-page overview plan. Tyler asks for some more details about the computer programming. Brent talks about the math involved and the challenge of regional code variations. Brent emphasizes that they can work up a schedule with just a PDF version of the plans. He talks about high school intern Joseph, whose fast work pace caught Brent off-guard. 18:26 - Growth, the Future, and RecruitingBrent talks about how far things have come in the last couple years and how quickly things are going to change over the next five years. He talks about his company’s work with Y Combinator. Eddie asks about the challenges of funding such an ambitious business. Brent talks through the way he and his co-founders process those decisions. This conversation includes some insights gained from buying and renovating fixer-uppers. We find ourselves talking yet again about the challenges of getting the younger generations interested in pursuing construction jobs. Brent ties in some thoughts from his time in the military. 35:10 - What to Consider Before AutomatingTyler asks Brent to outline the things that owners, contractors–anyone–should consider before automating. Here are Brent’s thoughts: -Reproducibility is the first thing to consider. If you’re looking at a process that repeats the same specs time after time, you might want to consider automation. -Ask yourself, “Is there a problem here?” Don’t automate just because you see other people automating. -Consider the personnel demands. Don’t set yourself up to pay the same people for the same number of hours just to solve a problem in a more complicated, new way.45:00 - Safety and LegacyWe talk about work site safety, and Brent says that you’re 10x more likely to die framing a house than on the battlefield in Afghanistan. He said that 35 service members died every year at the height of the war. 350 people die every year framing houses according to OSHA. He shares how BotBuilt’s consistency, standards, and simplicity can make a dent in these numbers. Tyler and Eddie discuss their experiences with safety practices (or the lack thereof) on their early-career worksites. Rarely if ever was there anyone designated to keep an eye on safety. We discuss how messed up that is. This leads us into a discussion about leadership.1:00:33 - Megaphone MessageBrent has a couple megaphone messages. He wants construction workers to keep hope alive, and he wants people from the tech industry as a whole to please come learn the culture of construction. He wants them to discover the wealth and satisfaction that construction has to offer. Find Brent Online: LinkedIn - BotBuilt Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Eddie’s stealing this week’s insight from Micah Piippo (See episode 180). That insight? Think ahead–way ahead. Plan long. Dad said it too. Don’t just think about this week, this month, or this year. Plan out 20 years. Where do you want to be? Tyler mentions how quickly you see time pass when you’re a parent. That’s part of the point, but not all of it. Eddie points out how few people there are who can stick with a plan of action in order to achieve five-year goals. Tyler said he feels like he’s a bit too obsessed with the long term. Stick with it. Think about the long game. Don’t just imagine the future; do what you can to plan for it. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Here are a few links related to today’s episode:Join the Bluebeam User GroupDownload a zip file with instructional videos and some of the tools Patrick mentions in this episodeContact Patrick McLaughlin on LinkedIn if you’re interested in more information about customizing BluebeamTry Bluebeam for free00:00 - IntroductionToday we’re visiting with Patrick McLaughlin and Steve Smith.Patrick is the Director of Virtual Design and Construction at Pond & Company (a full-service architecture, engineering, planning, and construction management firm). He is also responsible for managing and training Pond’s Bluebeam users and for helping those users develop time-saving workflows. Steve Smith entered the construction industry straight out of high school as a laborer for a general contractor. He held positions at Leica Geosystems and Hilti before joining Bluebeam, where he now works as Director of Partnerships. In this role, Steve looks for ways to expand the use of Bluebeam workflows through integrations with other technologies used by AEC professionals. 03:50 - Better Use of BluebeamPatrick gives us a brief overview of Pond & Company, which is on the large end of the spectrum, and we acknowledge that Eddie will be today’s representative from a small company. Tyler explains that our goal today is to save listeners some time, so he asks Patrick to kick us off with some of his favorite Bluebeam tools.Compare PDFs - This tool superimposes two versions of a layout.Cloud PDFs - This tool backs up changes to the cloud.Search - This tool can be used to locate and then strike-through words that become irrelevant in new versions. Tyler mentions that the history of those changes is stored for future reference.Tyler shares about his experience as a detailer dealing with the numerous tweaks that occurred while he was working on a series of Wawa gas stations. Patrick mentions that the alignment function would have helped with those problems.11:30 - Custom ToolsPatrick talks about how easy it is for users to create their own tools and then to organize those into a toolkit. Eddie talks about the sketching tools and lines that he uses, and Scott refers to how central that feature has come for some fabricators. We discuss metadata and filenames. Patrick explains how Bluebeam folder structures can increase the fluidity of the design and communication processes. Even on a small team, Eddie explains that thoughtful training helps to keep a team’s button layouts consistent. 20:10 - DashboardsPatrick talks about how the dashboards feature enables you to create buttons that open any file on your computer, take you to any website on the Internet, or goes directly to any folder on your hard drive or server. These buttons can then be saved as a dashboard template that others can use on their computer. Eddie explains that this versatility all the way up to the managerial level is one of the reasons that he loves Bluebeam. He asks Patrick to take us through the process of creating a dashboard, and he does so. He has gone so far as to develop entire landing pages for all of the departments in his company. 27:27 - StudioPatrick discusses the two features within Studio: -Projects allows you to upload a file of any type and share it with team members. -Sessions allows you to upload entire PDFs–even large ones–that multiple people can then edit simultaneously.-The creation of custom statuses that can then be color-cEddie shares his own experience with sharing of files and sessions even with people who don’t have Bluebeam. Steve talks through the extent to which that kind of sharing can take place. 37:55 - Field ReportsPatrick talks about using iPads during site visits. He uses voice-to-text to add notes on the PDF. These notes can then be synced up when he gets back to the office. These changes can then be compiled into a report to communicate changes to the relevant parties.40:15 - Right-click Apply All PagesPatrick shares this one final tip that you’ll want to use at the end of a long day. Then Eddie shares a little trick he’s learned to track those who’ve worked on the plans. 43:38 - BUGs - Bluebeam User GroupsSteve talks through the benefits of participating in one of various user groups that can help you increase your proficiency. 45:14 - Megaphone MessageSteve and Patrick share their excitement about the amazing things happening in the construction industry. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We all spend a good deal of time discussing how to improve the construction industry. Large problems don’t start out large. They’re usually a result of a long series of small problems. How do you reverse a large problem made of small problems? Yup, you seek a series of small solutions.Instead of getting discouraged, let’s start digging.An army of normal people can present a solution that is better than one high-level influencer. Take a look at what’s in front of you today. See what you can do to improve the part of the world that is right there within your reach. Together, we can solve the big problems, one small solution at a time.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Fouad Khalil is back! About 15 years ago, Fouad founded Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. Today he’s here to share some leadership insights.We jump right into the conversation today with some talk about liability. Tyler asks Fouad to repeat what he had explained in an earlier conversation.Fouad says that your insurance carrier will tell you…-Don’t say, “It will be done this way.”-Don’t get on the job site and direct other teams’ workers on how to do their job.When you do these things, you’re taking on liability.Eddie points out that general contractors get trained to shed liability. This leads to gray areas within the hand-off territory where information degradation occurs. Tyler mentions that some schools are unable to implement shop programs because of insurance costs.5:03 - Sweden and Building Robust TeamsFouad shares about his experience working on a project in Sweden. He recounts a conversation about potential leaks on structural wood components on the building. The answer about potential leaks was, “We’ll work on the solution together.”Fouad shares about the critical path and lead times. He talks about schedule compression and how every single step in the process can become critical. A shortage of screws can result in a whole project coming to a standstill. He mentions the insights he gained from the book Managing the Unexpected. This book focuses on high-reliability organizations like air-traffic control, NASA, etc. In manufacturing, you can burn through your cash in no time. Efficiency is everything. Fouad wanted to apply this knowledge in his clients’ projects.Fouad talks about the need for humility and honesty in regard to the planning fallacy. We underestimate. 20:36 - Key Lessons from the book We asked Fouad here today to discuss some of the lessons he learned from a book he mentioned to us recently. The book is Managing the Unexpected by Karl E. Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe.Here are the five traits that the authors saw in high-reliability organizations:Operational sensitivityPreoccupation with failureReluctance to simplifyCommitment to resilienceDeference to expertiseWe expand upon each of these briefly. Fouad quotes Churchill: “Plans are useless, but planning is essential.” Eddie discusses the confusion he felt when his college coach told him to work at 90%. His point was to be deliberate and have a reserve. Maintain a buffer. Fouad explains that these principles apply to managing crews of any size. If you don’t manage thoughtfully in these respects, your best people are going to burn out. He gives examples about how to institute quiet times throughout the day when there will be no meetings. Eddie talks about creative use of red Solo cups in the office. 33:20 - Debriefing to Avoid Repetition of the Same FailuresTyler asks Fouad to explain how effective review of failures can ensure improved performance going forward. He talks about the importance of categorizing and analyzing the failures. He refers to various historical failures that were addressed thoughtfully. Eddie connects this to recognition of safety failures even if those don't lead to serious injuries. We also discuss how the principle plays out in relationships with contractors who try to downplay mess-ups. 43:04 - Recognizing the ExpertsFouad talks about the distribution of responsibility in specific situations to the people most capable of making the best decision. It’s not about staying loyal to a flow chart. If the lower-ranking person is in a better position to make the judgment, let them make the judgment. Then hand that authority back to the conventionally in-charge figure once the situation has been addressed. It’s about dynamic teams.One more time, here’s the book Fouad brought to our attention today: Managing the Unexpected.Find Fouad Online: LinkedIN Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Finally! Tyler is finally getting on board with the baseball analogies. (Well… This one is borrowed from his pastor, but it’s a start.)You might know that the Atlanta Braves are having a pretty impressive season. Tyler points out that statisticians have done the math: When Ozzie Albies is on the field, Ronald Acuña plays 30% better than when Ozzie is not on the field.It’s not because of anything technical. It appears to be just the presence of a friend on the field. We’ve all worked on teams where there’s that one person who energizes us–that one person whose charisma or sense of humor lifts our spirits or causes us to produce better work. That’s the Ozzie Effect.Are you an Ozzie for your team? Does your presence on the job site or in the office result in everyone else upping their game just a bit? That can make a huge difference in your team’s overall effectiveness.Here’s an article that expands upon the Ozzie effect. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionTyler is excited about his visit to a Glossier shop. While his wife was exploring ways to look even prettier, Tyler’s makeup-free mug was recognized by another patient husband. He didn’t ask for an autograph, but it’s a start. 6:44 - Mulberry HarborEddie leads us into today’s topic: the two large harbors that were constructed in preparations for the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in 1944. We won’t go deep into the historical details of the D-Day, but the invasion of Normandy that started on June 6 of that year would involve approximately 858,000 troops and 150,000 vehicles. The British and American military officials knew that tides would create challenges for putting all of those people and equipment on shore, so they designed and constructed two large harbors to assist in the process. (Here is a ship-shipping ship like the one that Tyler referenced.)14:33 - The BreakwatersEddie describes a couple of the elements used as breakwaters. One class of these was called the Phoenix caissons, which were essentially concrete ships that contained compartments that could be filled with air to float or water to sink and sit on the ocean floor. Additional breakwater efforts came through a plan code named “corn cobs,” and it consisted of several “gooseberries,” obsolete military ships that were sunk at a depth where the superstructure would remain above water. These ships actually had crews that provided support to the smaller boats that were using the harbor. 20:25 - The Piers and the TimelineWe move on to discuss the modular piers constructed of what were called “whales and beetles.” Actual construction of the harbor (from the various components built in Britain) began on D-day, June 6. From there, Eddie outlines this timeline:By June 11, the breakwaters for Mulberry A were complete.By June 18, the piers were in place and the unloading of cargo began.On June 19, a severe storm began. It was said to be the worst in 40 years, with 4.5 meter waves. The piers and most of the breakwater elements on Mulberry A were completely destroyed. Many of the completed elements of Mulberry B escaped catastrophic damage because of a couple islands that served as natural breakwaters.The decision was made to shift all focus to Mulberry B, which then took the name of Port Winston.29:45 - Connections and Takeaways We discuss how the Mulberry Harbor project relates to construction principles:Complex construction can be completed without computer design.Modular construction has been around for a long time. When time is of the essence, simple, repeatable construction is a good way to go.When a project really needs to get done, a way can be found to get it done.There will always be unforeseen complications in big projects.Additional resources related to Mulberry Harbor:Real Engineering video (sponsored by Curiosity Stream)BritannicaImages: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3 - Google Maps view today, Link 4This D-day timeline gives a picture of the combat and movements that were taking place while the construction and repairs of Mulberry Harbor and Port Winston were being constructed.Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today Eddie doles out some wisdom for beginners.1) Don’t turn off the study habits that helped you in school (if you had such habits). Get to know the software, the terminology, and anything else that is a part of your job. 2) Don’t succumb to a whiner culture. Just learn. Just grow. (Tyler fesses up to having violated this tip.)3) Stay humble, and learn from your checker. They’re not trying to insult you (at least we hope they’re not). 4) Shoot for excellence. Don’t aim for “good enough.” 5) Put in the time. In a world where everyone says that you shouldn’t work too much, invest in some extra time in your early years. Paddle harder than the people with more experience. You can ease up a bit sometime down the road.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionToday we welcome two members of the team at DPR Construction. We dive in today with some multi-generational hard hat chat. If you’re interested, check out the helmet conversation we mention with Dr. Bottlang. 7:25 - DPR and Recruiting We ask Chris and Will to talk about how DPR is recruiting and training young workers. They talk us through the variations between states in regard to union training resources and the amount of on-the-job training that needs to be coordinated by construction companies. Eddie asks Chris and Will to discuss specific trades where the gaps are the greatest. Chris moves on from to explain how DPR has needed to make the case to prospective workers about how a job in the trades can be a great fit for them.14:14 - Catching Their AttentionTyler asks what employment factors have the biggest attention-getting factor with prospective employees. Chris explains that DPR pays 7 holidays and 2 or 3 weeks of PTO depending on the employee’s tenure. Eddie mentions that he didn’t see this sort of information as part of a path of career progression when he was working in the field. Tyler refers to this earlier episode with Lee Causey.Chris explains that DPR is different from many construction companies in the sense that it handles a broad number of trades. This enables them to offer opportunities for workers to step from one trade to another as they get a sense of what might be a better fit. Tyler discusses the value of transferability that he’s experienced in his life.21:55 - The Big PictureWe discuss how rare it is that we show new employees the plans that enable them to understand the big picture of which they are a small part. Unfortunately, technology has made this a bit more difficult in some respects. Tyler and Eddie discuss their dad’s and grandpa’s experiences in that respect. 24:55 - Mentorships and Open ArmsChris explains how central mentorships have become to DPR’s recruiting efforts. “Who we build is as important as what we build.” Will chimes in with some examples of how classroom learning relate to hands-on application of knowledge.Eddie shares some memories of the mentors that showed him how to tie, frame, and plumb. He explains that these mentorships can extend beyond construction skills to broader employability skills and life skills.34:20 - What if…Tyler asks Chris and Will to share about what they might have been interested in doing if they could go back and do their career over again. Chris hearkens back to his work with concrete. Will echoes that idea. They both found concrete work to be enjoyable and not as stressful as some other work. Will also mentions electrical work because of the fascination with electrical theory. 40:34 - Advice about ApprenticeshipsTyler asks Chris to share advice with other contractors, and Chris makes the strong business case for the ways that strong apprenticeship programs are good for the whole organization. Will mentions NCCR curriculum as a helpful resource for contractors in non-union areas. Chris mentions that these resources are available in Spanish as well as English. Chris and Will talk through the nuts and bolts of the DPR program, including book-learning components and on-the-job training. They share a bit about the ways that quality training programs lead to word-of-mouth recruiting. 01:01:35 - Megaphone MessageWe ask Chris and Will what they want to say to the construction industry. Will says he’d like to see the industry change the way it looks at mistakes. If we can look at mistakes as learning opportunities, people will come to work knowing that they can learn from mistakes. Chris says that he would like the workers to be proud. The things you do make a difference to people’s everyday lives. Find Chris on LinkedInFind Will on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We use Bluebeam all day every day at ABSI. Today, We talk about some of our favorite features. Favorite #1 - Tool Chest: On the left side of your screen, you look at the tool chest. Click on that icon and open it up. Inside, you’ll find tool sets. Favorite #2 - My Tools: If there’s a command you use frequently, you can put that command in my tools. It will be assigned a number and become readily available.Favorite #3 - Custom-built tool set: You can compile your own collection of tools that you use frequently. These custom sets can then be exported as a .btx file that you can share with other members of your team. We’re all about sharing tools, so if you’re interested in having our collection of favorite Blubeam tools, email us at contact@brospodcast.com. Did we go too fast for you? Well here’s the Bluebeam webinar that Eddie mentioned. For a free trial of Bluebeam, check out this link.Check out all of the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionThat’s a frickin’ cookie. We could do an entire episode on the beautiful construction of the cookie we’re eating. Shoutout to The Cookie Company in Milledgeville, Georgia. (Also, sorry, Mom, for talking with our mouths full).4:00 - The Crystal Palace - BackgroundWe review the steps that lead to the construction of the Crystal Palace. In 1840, a guy named Henry Cole suggested that England should host a huge event to encourage industrial innovation. He was able to get Prince Albert on board and then Queen Victoria, who put together a council to plan the event.For some reason, they set a target date that would give them less than a year and a half to design and build the structure that would host the event. After issuing a call for designs, the council decided that not a single one of the 245 submissions was acceptable. 8:42 - Joseph PaxtonOut of nowhere comes the respected architect Joseph Paxton. Wait, did we say architect? Nope. He was a respected gardener. He had designed a massive greenhouse that had caught the queen’s attention.Paxton was clearly a man of varied interests. (If you’re interested in checking Eddie’s banana claims, you’re welcome to explore this site.) Here are the specs of the building that Paxton designed:1851 feet long (apparently in celebration of the year) by 120 wide and 34 high-App. 1 million square feet of glass-3300 Columns-2224 Main Beams-20+ miles of wooden gutters-3800 tons of cast iron (poured into a mold)-700 tons of wrought iron (worked into shape with tools)-Cost: 80,000 pounds - Fully funded by public donations (including a few substantial gifts from the royal family)-27’ tall crystal fountain (the first glass fountain of any substantial size)By the time Paxton’s design was approved, he had 9 months to complete the construction. He completed it in 5 months. 14:26 - Materials, Technologies, and a MoveThe Crystal Palace included elements that were at the cutting edge for their time. One of those was glass in large panes. Check out this video to see what was involved in producing these. A specially designed wheeled cart enabled workers to install 18,000 panes of glass every week.After the exposition, the building is taken down piece by piece and rebuilt in Sydenham but with a significantly modified design. (See photos of the reconstruction.)19:42 - Reflections and TakeawaysWe spend some time talking about things we might be able to learn from the Crystal Palace project. Here are a few of our thoughts:-This project was designed and managed by a person with little or no construction training. Construction experience is important, but people skills are just as important. Common sense goes a long way.-Tactful self-promotion–salesmanship–is also important.-The public rallies behind big projects. The Crystal Palace was funded by donations from the public.-It’s important to innovate with materials.-Coming to the table with fresh eyes can lead to innovation.-Focus, sheer determination, and solid deadlines can really motivate.-The constraints we put on ourselves might sometimes be the greatest constraints we face. -Innovation breeds innovation.Explore a few photos of the Crystal Palace:-Architectuul.com -Variety of Pinterest collections (the Crystal Palace and the Great Exhibition)-Photos of the reconstructionLee Evey Episodes:At a couple points in this episode, Tyler refers to two Construction Brothers episodes featuring Lee Evey, who was the program manager for the 1997 renovation of the Pentagon in Washington, DC. You can hear those episodes here: episode 91, episode 92. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Tyler’s been doing some training lately. Eddie has been both working out and listening to ultra-runner Nick Bare’s podcast.Nick talks about running a 230-mile ultra-marathon. Tyler and Eddie are not doing that.During COVID, Eddie was set to run a marathon that ended up being canceled. The Campbell family stepped up and set up a one-man race. When he hit 16 miles, he hit a wall. He was determined not to quit in front of his kids, so he focused on just finishing the next mile. Then the next mile. Then the next mile.We all hit those walls. Sometimes you simply can’t take the long view. You just need to focus on the very next step. Slowly you’ll gather momentum. Eventually you’ll realize that you’re just three miles out. Then two. Then one. Then you’re done. Just do the next mile.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

You listen to us, and we listen to you. Today we welcome a guest who engaged honestly and thoughtfully with one of our LinkedIn posts.00:00 - IntroductionA while back, when Eddie posted on LinkedIn to say that he wanted designers to have more money and more time in order to produce a better product, Nick stepped up to say that he didn’t think that was always the answer. Nick said that collaboration is also key. Nick is an owner’s rep for an automotive group, and every day he observes the complex dynamics of the construction process. 3:20 - When You’ve Tried…Nick shares about times when he’s paid more for the “correct” design professionals. Sometimes it has panned out, and sometimes it hasn’t. We discuss some of the design and structural characteristics that are unique to the construction of automotive dealerships.Eddie asks Nick to describe the schematics that he hands to his architects. The plans are pretty detailed because space-planning and other elements are crucial to functionality of the space.Nick talks through the accumulating delays that occur in the design stage. He explains how essential it is that designers who are given more time produce designs that are really, truly ready to go.12:10 - Repeat Projects with Small AdjustmentsEddie talks about the unique challenges and advantages of working on projects that are essentially repeats of previous projects. Sometimes small differences in these repeat projects open the doors to slight cost savings–maybe using a 6” stud instead of an 8” one. When that happens, it can take an unreasonably long amount of time to get the designers to make that change.Nick explores the reasons that architects or engineers might not be able to jump on that change as quickly as one would like. Those people are usually working on multiple projects. He talks about how the navigation of this process changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He goes on to share about a massive beam that unexpectedly appeared on the worksite of a repeat project. He and the other parties were able to find a more affordable substitution because he was willing to ask everyone involved and push for a creative solution. 22:00 - Lessons Learned, Solutions FoundEddie asks Nick to share about some of the things he’s learned from years of encountering these kinds of challenges. Here are a couple things he mentions:-Get together with equipment vendors. Discuss how to replicate parts of the project even when there are minor variations in projects.-Take a close look at the process, including your role. See how you can tweak that process to minimize changes and increase the efficiency of addressing changes that do arise.-Make sure you’re working with designers who actually know how to build buildings–people who actually know about the physical construction process.-Make sure everyone is starting with the same vocabulary and reference points so that the content within designs can be easily understood by the workers on the jobsite.We go on to discuss the timing of change orders and the complications that arise when they’re not timed thoughtfully. Tyler asks Nick how he weighs the various variables in order to make decisions regarding change orders. Nick shares and Eddie contributes some thoughts from his experience.48:40 - Is There Such a Thing as…?Eddie asks if there is such a thing as a firm that can do top-grade work efficiently for a reasonable price? Nick says that the answer is yes but that it’s complicated. Since teams and partnerships are always changing, you might find your rhythm with one person or firm but then find that the chemistry with the entire team is not the same.Nick mentions that he has upward of 40 projects at a time that are at one stage or in the design or construction process. He talks through the communication principles that make it possible to manage that many projects at one time. Nick’s Megaphone Message: Communicate. We’re all trying to do the job. We’re all trying to do more with less resources every day. The more we can be concise and to communicate clearly, the more we’ll make everyone’s job easier. Find Nick Online: LinkedIn Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We promise no original thoughts today. We do, however, hope you’ll find our borrowed insights to be useful.Eddie shares today about something he read about traits common to students in Ivy League colleges. It’s one that we’ve probably all seen in elite performers in other arenas as well.Don’t mistake it for apathy. It’s not a “Whatever” attitude. It’s just about unflappability. It’s just about not getting caught up in the stress in a way that you can’t make good decisions when the pressure is on.When you demonstrate this kind of ease, you’re setting the example for every one of your workers. You’re showing them how we handle things on this team.Here's a link to the podcast from which Eddie got the idea for today's episode. The relevant section starts around 6:30Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

We thought about calling this first episode in our renovated studio “Between Two Fools,” because that’s where Dad is sitting today. 00:00 - IntroductionDad’s been in construction so long that he worked on moats. Well, okay, it was a moat in a zoo, but still… Today we ask dad to impart the wisdom and experience he’s gained over the last several decades in construction. We’ve had Dad on the podcast before, but we explore some new areas today. Then one day, his Dad woke him up and said, “Get up. You’re going to work.” Grandpa took him to the union hall for a card. Then he took him up to a worksite at Miami University of Ohio and the rest was history. One of his gigs under that first superintendent involved backfilling around an oil tank at a zoo, where he accidentally buried Mom’s class ring. Then he had an interesting run-in with a camel.02:20 The College YearsDad shares about the awkward challenges of those early years–learning hand signals for front-end loaders, etc. He explains how the Messer co-op program that gave him a substantial head start in the construction world. Dad’s dad had been through the same program.Flipper, a frozen Ohio River, and a general distaste for gloomy Midwest winters then sent Dad south. They loaded up all their possessions and baby Eddie and headed to Sarasota. 12:55 - Heading SouthThe community there was not particularly young-kid friendly, so they moved on to St. Petersburg. Dad shares a story about palmetto bugs leading to another move. Mom was having none of that. 21:10 - Roy and the Arrival of ComputersIn St. Pete, Dad worked in a satellite office of a top-300 company headquartered in Clearwater. There, he worked under the oversight of a supervisor, Roy, who came to be a significant mentor for him. As the “kid” in the office in the early 80s, Dad fell into the role of computer expert.As we discuss the perceptions of technology in those days, Tyler mentions that user interface is really all that has changed and the the basic process is still the same. 32:00 - Hatred of ComputersDad shares about the trials of early computer technology, including large stacks of greenbar paper and the tensions between data vs instinct. We review the various waves of computer technology that have come and gone since Dad stepped into the industry and discuss the glitches that have persisted through all of those changes. This conversation involves dual-floppy computers, monochrome monitors, Lotus 1-2-3, and printers that needed to be enclosed in boxes because of the noise they made. Dad discusses the F9 key that would trigger a manual recalculation in order to preserve processing power with large spreadsheets.38:11 - Interior Finishes and Long-term RelationshipsEddie shifts us forward to the period where Dad started working on interior finishes, when he was able to become more of a difference-maker. The pace picked up at this point, and relationships grew increasingly important. Dad tells about a large job for a company with a team of aggressive MBA grads who had high expectations for quick estimate turnarounds. Dad recounts some specific jobs, recalling the project parameters and completion times. He also talks about some of the colorful characters he encountered along the way. He discusses the efficiencies that came with long-term subcontractor relationships–including “trust that transcends generations.” Helpful Links:Eddie makes a reference to this episode with Chuck Colwill: https://omny.fm/shows/construction-brothers/an-electrical-engineer-speaks-feat-chuck-colwill Find Dad online: LinkedIn - ABSICheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

FMF: 4 Tips for Project Managers(While we remodel our recording studio for some exciting changes, we’re sharing this Five-Minute Friday episode that was originally aired in September of 2021.)You may or may not know that Eddie is not only a master of steel detailing. He’s also a seminary dropout (as Tyler is quick to remind him… frequently.) Today Eddie’s sharing some scriptural insights that could be useful for anyone, regardless of their theological perspective.We have conflict daily on job sites, but what is the best way to get a resolution? As usual, simple, lean solutions are better than complicated ones. Depending on the scale of the conflict in a construction context, litigation is a possibility. If you’re interested in avoiding legal action and would prefer to simply maintain smooth working relationships with your colleagues, here are some steps to consider:1) Go to the person one-on-one with a humble posture. Be prepared to receive a verbal punch or two, but keep your eyes on the goal of reconciling. 2) If that doesn’t work, take one or two people along with you–preferably an unbiased party. Present your concern. Lay out your appeal.3) This step is a bit more challenging to translate into the non-church context, but try to find someone who can serve as an “elder” figure–someone who is respected by both you and the other party.Eddie shares about a situation outside of the construction context where he experienced this process. It wasn’t comfortable, but the outcome left both parties feeling respected. In case you’re interested, here’s the Bible passage Eddie is drawing from for these insights. Matthew 18:15-20 - If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

(While we remodel our studio in preparation for some exciting changes, we’re sharing this conversation with Matt Haskins that aired in July of 2022.)Matt Haskins has been in construction for a very long time. When we talked to him, he was working in northern Minnesota on a small, 100-year-old apartment building. Lead pipes. Ugh. We start out with a discussion about early mornings. He completes yesterday’s daily reports during the hour or so before everyone else arrives.Once the rest of the team arrives, he likes to take 15 minutes or so bringing everyone up to speed on what’s happening on all parts of the site that day–just so everyone has the big picture and is aware of any heavy equipment that might be active in their area.Once everyone is active, he likes to be an active presence throughout the site. He likes to cut up with the various crews in a way that builds morale. Matt makes a point of not checking email on his phone. He’ll keep an eye on the notifications, but he doesn’t want to be distracted by electronic correspondence while he’s out and about onsite. We hear a bit about the frequency of his contact with his project manager. Unlike some superintendents, Matt likes to have a few conversations with his PM throughout the day. Matt explains that he’s easily bored. For that reason, he likes complicated projects that keep his brain busy. He shares a bit about the differences between “normal” projects like wind farms. Tyler asks Matt to share about the things that cause him frustration. His answer: communication. That is what makes it all work.Eddie asks Matt which previous project was the hardest that he’s ever done. Matt said that it would be his part of a $130-million renovation of high-voltage power stations in Bismarck, ND, that are the source of power for Minneapolis/St. Paul. Matt talks us through some of the seriously challenging aspects of this power-station project that involved extra-large components, unusually configured spaces, and carry-deck cranes doing work that should probably have been done by gantry cranes. We ask Matt to share a bit about different types of project managers, and he shares some that he’s seen, including those that come straight out of college with no actual construction experience but plenty of arrogance. Matt’s Megaphone Message: Try to work as a team. You’ve got to all work together. Find Matt online: LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today we share some multi-generational wisdom. These are useful tips and principles passed down to us from our dad and grandfather. Our dad and grandfather both reminded us not to be a project pilot… Actually, what they meant was not to be a project “pile-it.” Don’t just pass paperwork on to others. Don’t be the “please advise” monster. Just don’t. PLEASE. DON’T!Stay in front of the airplane. Think ahead. Know what’s coming so you can ask the questions today that will give you the answers you’ll need tomorrow.Don’t be a box-checker. See your work as more than just a to-do list. Know the why behind the tasks you complete throughout the day.Have integrity. Don’t lie to get your way. It’s not a sustainable way to function. Build trust into your relationships. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

We start out with a brief discussion about the mystery of lost files (due to some tech challenges we encountered today).Today we’re discussing inefficiency–specifically as it relates to the amount of time allocated to a task.We discuss the art (or the science?) of scheduling in a way that provides just the right amount of time–not too little, not too much.OVERVIEW OF PARKINSON’S LAW: Tyler shares about the book in which he discovered a name for one particular source of inefficiency. It’s called Parkinson’s Law, and it can be seen all over the place. We discuss how this law applies in the world of construction. We discuss the relationship between deadlines and hustle. And then, of course, there’s “fake hustle.” BACKGROUND OF PARKINSON’S LAW:We discuss the history behind the term “Parkinson’s Law.” The term was coined by British naval historian and author Cyril Northcote Parkinson. He discusses bureaucratic bloat in the British military and proceeds to name the pattern after himself. FRED AND THE BUREAUCRACY:Eddie talks us through a hypothetical scenario of someone creating bureaucratic bloat in order to compensate for either decreased ability or increased laziness. We compare this hypothetical business scenario with the military analysis in Parkinson’s paper. We acknowledge that a deadline you determined is a deadline you own to a much greater degree. The more you feel like a stakeholder in a deadline, the more motivated you’ll be to establish momentum toward that deadline.Tyler and Eddie both share about specific instances from our own professional lives where we saw Parkinson’s Law at work. We discuss the causes and the consequences.THE IMPORTANCE OF DEADLINES:We challenge listeners to contribute some thoughts about setting deadlines effectively. We discuss the massive inefficiencies that can result if deadlines are abandoned and the bloat of Parkinson’s Law begins to affect your project.So here’s our megaphone question for you: How, as a person–as a leader, are you helping the industry get better in this regard? How do you properly motivate a group of people to get done the amount of work that’s reasonable for them to get done? In case you’re interested in more details about Parkinson’s Law: -BBC article-Parkinson’s actual paperProgramming Note: We’ll be highlighting some especially interesting past episodes over the next couple weeks as we gear up for some big changes in the podcast. We’re excited! Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Stunned. Tyler is stunned that he is praising Bing. While scrolling through LinkedIn, Tyler encountered a mention of punching shear. His understanding of that phrase was reasonably solid, but he thought it might be interesting to see if AI could help him understand it just a bit better.Then he challenged Bing to explain it to him in an even simpler manner–at the level that a child could understand. Moments later, Tyler had been educated on multiple levels about this engineering concept. So, the ultimate prompt we’re recommending is “Explain … to me.” See if there are some gaps in your knowledge.Now go poke your finger through a cookie. That’s punching shear (according to AI-powered Bing).Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we’re flashing back to an episode from May of 2022. We start out with some banter about Eddie’s kids giving Tyler a hard time. Then Tyler signs up for a marathon… Oh, wait, no he doesn’t. What a slacker.Nate Patrick is facilities project manager for the Pennsylvania State University Office of Physical Plant. Before taking that position, he worked several years as a mechanical design engineer. Nate joins us today in the studio to share some practical tips for contractors, designers, project managers and others who need to coordinate with owners to handle the construction process more effectively.Nate manages between 15 and 20 projects at a time, ranging from $250,000 to $50 million. At the moment, he’s handing almost twice that load. He says that no two days are the same in his work. As you can imagine, it feels like juggling.We ask Nate to paint us a picture of what an owner’s life looks like. Here are a few of the insights he shares:-It’s about continuous reprioritizing.-There’s lots and lots of data.-It’s nonstop communication. -It requires a great deal of coordinating between numerous parties. -The calendar gets complicated because so many parties are involved–each of which might need you to communicate in a different way.-It involves a bunch of meetings.Tyler asks how project managers can be more proactive in communicating with owners. He says that it’s important to have a proposed solution before you share your problem. Thoughtful handling of RFIs is crucial. He also says that action/deadline dates, schedule impacts, and financial impacts should be communicated with each RFI so the owner can prudently prioritize.We discuss the risk of crying wolf when it comes to prioritizing requests. It’s easy to get too aggressive and trigger vindictiveness in the other party.Nate says that building trust takes time. It’s something we all have to work on. Here’s his recipe for building trust (which he credits to a source that he has since forgotten): -Tell someone what you’re going to do. -Do what you told them you were going to do.-Tell them that you did what you said you’d do.Tyler compares this to being a good assistant. Have the tool that the person needs when you know they’re going to need it.We wrap up with a discussion about the importance of clarifying expectations with all parties at the very beginning of a project.Nate’s Megaphone Message: Care for people. We’re all people. One of us is not more important than another. We all are a part of this. These projects will not be successful without all of us working together as a team. Respect other people for who they are–for what they bring to the table. They’re not resources; they’re people. Treat them that way. There might be things outside of work that affect the way that people react in a work situation. Show gratitude and respect. Find Nate Online: Penn State University Website Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Have you experimented with it yet? Well, we’re ready to nudge you into the future. Tyler shares some insights that he thinks will increase your efficiency. Here they are:“Rewrite this.” This can work if you struggle with clarity or style with your writing.“Summarize this.” This one can work when you receive a binder full of information. “Create an agenda.” Give ChatGPT a raw collection of info and have it organize it for you.“Create a daily report.” Copy and paste relevant notes and have ChatGPT make it more readable.“Create a list of…” Have ChatGPT create a list of possibilities for you when you’re stuck.“Time-block my calendar.” Type or paste in your tasks and have ChatGPT distribute those tasks throughout your week or day. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Dan Stine is Director of Design Technology at Lake|Flato Architects. You could also say he wrote the book on architecture–or at least the top-selling textbook on Revit. As if that weren’t enough, he teaches graduate architecture classes and is active with Committee on the Environment (COTE).We start out with a brief overview of Dan’s work with COTE. Then we ask Dan to share about some of the technology he has had the opportunity to explore in his various roles. Dan discusses Tonic DM, a tool for email management and file-sharing management. Dan explains that he has found the cloud-based service to be stable and reliable. It also assists with the handling of project-management information. Tyler asks about Revit plugins and other time-savers. Dan says that Enscape has become widely used within his firm. He also discusses Forma (formerly called Spacemaker), which is especially helpful with wind and solar installations. We explore generative AI software, and Dan mentions that Enscape integrates some AI. He geeks out on some processing core technologies. Dan shares about UpCodes, a searchable platform for building codes that dramatically expedites code research. UpCodes saves time by integrating amendments based on local jurisdictions. As we discuss AI, Tyler shares his exploration of Adobe Photoshop’s AI integration, adding lamps and furniture. He was impressed.Tyler asks Dan to discuss the challenges of integrating new technologies. Dan says that the most important thing is evaluating the software to ensure that it’s worthy of being added to the team’s repertoire. Once a tool makes it through that step, deployment and support becomes easier to systematize. It’s all about ensuring that qualified people are available to instruct and support those who will be using the tool.Dan shares a bit about the Dell Latitude tablets that he and his team used in a recent video shoot with Tyler. Then he runs through the array of equipment Lake|Flato uses to support its hybrid-work structure. Data-security geeks will be interested to hear the VPN/work-station/server configuration he describes. He shares about Lake|Flato’s hybrid structure and how it is supported by their use of FlowScape virtual office spaces.Tyler explains how the video editing for the podcast will be changing based on the things he learned during the video shoot with Dan.Dan’s Megaphone Message: Thanks for creating all the crazy stuff that architects design. He looks forward to developing new means and methods that can lower the carbon footprint of projects. He’s also eager to incorporate some cool technology in that process.Here’s the video Tyler produced with Dan. Find Dan Online: LinkedIn - Lake|Flato - His blog, BIMChaptersCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Micah Piippo has worked at Google, at a shipyard, and at a plutonium-processing facility. Now he’s a schedule and integration manager with Intel. He helps deliver projects on time. Micah describes the plutonium facility: “It felt like a James Bond lair.” (By the way, Dr. Brown does, indeed, pronounce gigawats as “jigawatts.” That movie was filmed before we all became familiar with the prefix giga in relation to bits and bytes.) You can’t get a college degree in construction-project scheduling. There are courses, but Micah says that most of the preparation for this position results from simply asking a lot of questions.He explains that curiosity is a key requirement for an aspiring scheduler. He sees at least two categories within the scheduling world:1) the analytical route with a focus on data crunching and2) the owner’s-assisant route that involves more soft skills. At one point he would have said that construction knowledge was needed, but he says that that’s not necessarily the case right now because the job market is so hot.Eddie asks if schedulers find themselves getting blame when things go poorly and minimal credit when things go well. Micah confirms that, yup, this is generally the case. He says that he needs to have several jobs where he finds millions of dollars in savings in order to compensate for the couple smaller oversights that result in worksite chaos.Scheduling is undergoing a shift right now, Micah says. The computer programs used in the past couple decades basically accelerated implementation of the algorithms that had been established in the 50s and 60s. Now, he says, a whole new world of potential is being unlocked.Micah mentions the two streams or approaches he sees currently:Capture (of progress status): Slap on a 360 camera and (if you’re loaded) Lidar - Software will then assist you in establishing the status of a project.Advance Computer: Employ large-language models, ML curves, and other computer programs capture massive amounts of data to optimize the scheduling process.The golden egg Micah longs for is full integration of the advanced mode described above with the design process, so the design-scheduling process becomes seamless. Micah mentions that many owners don’t have advanced scheduling software. Most of the scheduling gets done by a duo consisting of a project manager and superintendent. Owners struggle to see the value in bringing in a scheduling specialist. His favorite thing is when a GC comes in with a vision of how their project is going to go.When it comes to plan/schedule integration, Micah explains that there’s far more detail in the schedule than there ever needs to be in a plan. The challenge is closing that gap.Eddie mentions that some of the plan/scheduling-integration claims that companies make really function simply as marketing ploys. These tools and capabilities are often not truly employed when boots are on the ground at the worksite.Micah discusses what he calls the planning fallacy and explains three steps that are used to avoid them:Reference-class forecastingPull planningBreaking the large down to the smallEddie and Tyler follow up with their own thoughts about the planning fallacy, including a recent example about a home-improvement project. Micah advocates for the creation of a federally managed and openly shared data set of all construction projects. He believes this would dramatically increase efficiency.Micah’s Two-Part Megaphone Message: -Find the good in what people are doing, and promote it. You’re at work 8-12 hours a day. Be an advocate for the people who are there beside you.-Plan long. Think about your decisions and the long-term implications. Your attitude will change, driving your actions differently.Find Micah Online: LinkedIN - Micah’s podcast, Beyond DeadlinesCheck out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

It’s a problem–a very common one. When you’re trying to be consistent with just about anything, burnout on some level is likely to occur sooner or later. It takes a toll. Tyler acknowledges that he’s experiencing a good deal of creative burnout at the moment. Eddie has felt it in the past too. So, we discuss ways to fight it. Talk through it with someone. There’s a good chance that the people closest to you see the symptoms before you do. Get active. Do the things that bring you joy. Spend time with people. Recognize that your trajectory out of the burnout pit might be somewhat shallow, but try to be as consistent with the revitalizing activities as you are with the obligations that put you in the pit. We’ll carry on with some more thoughts about this next week. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we welcome Fouad Khalil to the show. Fouad calls himself a reformed architect. About 15 years ago he eased into offsite construction and founded Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. His focus is on helping owners and construction companies integrate manufacturing processes in the construction process. Tyler asks Fouad to unpack the category of industrialized construction programs (IC). He explains that it has to do with looking at the increased rates of productivity in manufacturing and bringing some lessons from that world into the world of construction. Efficiency and productivity within construction has remained largely stagnant during the last several decades, while those things have improved dramatically within manufacturing. This means that Fouad pursues improvements in quality, speed, and budget. Manufacturing programs are one way to handle that. He looks for areas where implementation of standards and repetition can gain the most traction. Tyler asks Fouad to talk us through the series of questions that he asks in order to determine which projects are good candidates for industrialized construction. Here’s what he shares: Volume: Is the juice worth the squeeze? Does it represent enough potential return to justify the effort? Fouad says that IC works best for serial builders–those who are aiming for consistency across a large number of projects. He gives examples including hospitals, data centers, and fast-food restaurants. Pipeline: Do I have enough of it spread over time? Will the pace of work be steady enough? If I’m going to do it only once and then not do it again for another six months, that pipeline isn’t robust enough to consider. Some owners want to have several dozen units produced as modules, but they want them all done at the very same time. This is unrealistic. Repeatability: Is every part of this project unique, or are there enough repeatable elements that my workers’ hands will be able to master routines? The construction world is used to sprints–going all out from start to finish. Fouad explains that factories take more of a long-distance running mindset, often aiming to run steadily at 80% efficiency. With a manufacturing mindset, the profitability horizon might be quite distant. You might need to make 150 modular bathrooms before you’ll turn a profit.Design: How can we ensure that design and production maintain an active feedback loop so that iterative cycles can be continuously active? Fouad describes the routine of morning and afternoon meetings that his team did with Walmart on their health centers. Sometimes you change the design to make it more buildable. Sometimes you need to redesign the production floor to fit the design.Optimization: At the production level, how can I improve margins on man-hours and other elements of cost. The goal is for unit costs to drop through a continuous flow of improvements in engineering and production. Projects that appear impossible in the early stages become lean and profitable because of a consistent focus on optimization.Eddie presents the idea of “demonstrable economy” and discusses an example of how optimizing and productizing applies in his world, and we explore the importance of defining the use of the term “optimized” within a team. If you have various silos optimizing in isolation, the overall outcome may be far from optimum.Fouad describes the IC process as the space program we need in construction. Through the application of these techniques, we’ll be able to see improvements across the industry. Surprise, surprise, Tyler brings us back to Formula 1 racing. We discuss the iterative process and the feedback loop between the race teams and the consumer world as it plays out in that world.Fouad’s Megaphone Message: Owners, explore the benefits of setting up a recurring IC program. Talk to your VP of construction and see if the commitment might exist to move forward with this approach. It requires everyone to pull together and work really hard, but the rewards are worth it when the situation is right. Find Fouad Online: LinkedIN Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

A question: Do you see yourself as the only competent one in your world? Are you able to hand things off to team members?It can be a hard mindset to release because it can feel so risky.Taking ownership is a good thing, but check yourself. Is there some arrogance there?Eddie says that “Gram” used to say, “If you want to know what kind of difference you’re going to leave when you’re gone, stick your finger in a cup of water and pull it out.” That feels pretty cold (the statement, not the water), but it’s also true–at least in the long run.Acknowledge that others can help you, and you’ll be better off if you do.If this is a struggle for you, print off the poem Eddie read today and post it in your workspace. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Terry Dussault is President of Yellowknife Consulting Services in Huntington Beach, California. His focus is conducting incident investigations and promoting safety programs. Many of the projects that require Terry’s attention involve waste-cleanup and pollution abatement.These sites often contain lots of piping and pumps, which means lots of ways workers can get hurt. (Tyler asks if scuba gear is ever involved. The answer is no, but here’s the kind of diving Tyler was referring to.)Tyler asks Terry to talk through an average day, and Terry said that a whole lot of it is about paperwork. There’s a massive amount of documentation. You need to know the protocols. Eddie asks for some of the good things in the world of safety recently. Terry recalls how little safety gear was offered or used when he started working in the field. It was pretty much just steel-toe boots–no helmets, no vests. Terry discusses the incredible importance of traceability when it comes to safety standards. It’s essential that an employer be able to provide documentation verifying that appropriate steps have been taken to keep the workplace safe. This helps in litigation and in providing employees with peace of mind. We explore the generational differences in perceptions of safety regulations. Terry says many veteran workers brush aside safety concerns because they’ve never had significant accidents or seen coworkers get hurt.He shares he confronted an older worker who had chosen to ignore the company glove policy. Terry pointed out to the guy that all of the incoming employees who train under him will likely follow his example. The Book of Gore: This is the title Terry’s brother, a paramedic, gave to the photo album he assembled to document the terrible things that can happen. He refers to this book when attempting to encourage the use of gloves and other safety equipment. erry says that the root cause of unsafe work conditions is when the shortcutting of procedures is positively reinforced or tolerated. On the topic of gloves, Tyler asks about how Terry has seen people deal with the increased presence of touchscreen-based technology on the worksite. Terry talks about reasonable exceptions that need to be made for people in specific situations. We discuss balance and practicality. Tyler mentions that excessive protocols can lead employees to want to stick it to the man. Terry talks about an oil company that required two layers of gloves. At first this struck him as ridiculous, but then he came to understand that they were dealing with contaminants that can be absorbed through the skin. If his skin had gotten wet, he’d have been absorbing serious toxins. Tyler asks Terry what safety protocols he’d like to see implemented. Terry says that it’s not so much which protocols should be added as it is about how management should get involved. He wants to see leaders becoming more active in supporting employees in their efforts to remain safe.Terry tells a story about a nightmare cleanup where a former owner had allowed various companies to fill a tank with a variety of chemicals. Terry had to lead a crew through the process of solidifying the liquid. That meant putting a few of his guys in direct contact with the chemicals. An executive in the company overseeing the project asked when they were going to be able to scale down the PPE budget, and Terry had to be really blunt with him. Eddie discusses whether we create a Chicken Little dynamic when we have excessive regulations like requiring two people to move a 16’ 2x4. This leads to another messy cleanup story that shows the complexity of assigning liability in multi-million-dollar projects. He talks about the fact that there are often two versions of incident reports after incidents like this one. Tyler asks Terry to share some wisdom with young people entering the industry. Here’s what he shares:Try to become the best you can be, but also think about integrating a level of safety into your practice. Learn it all.It’s okay if you don’t know something. Ask.Terry’s Megaphone Message: If you’re a worker and you see something that doesn’t feel right, stop and ask. You don’t have to proceed. Have some personal policies regarding safety. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Find Terry Online: LinkedIN - Yellowknife Consulting Services Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Well. It’s debatable.  What is the best day for project deadlines? Eddie thinks it’s Tuesday. For a long time, he thought it should be Friday, which makes sense in your head. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t usually operate in accordance with the vision in your head. Monday (according to Eddie’s work rhythm) is a very productive day, but it’s also a day that is overweighted with managerial duties.  On Tuesdays, almost everyone is still around, in contrast to a Friday afternoon. Tuesday leaves time for contingency.  So, there you go. If you have the opportunity to pick a deadline for your project, make it a Tuesday. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Yeshurun joins us today from San Francisco. Tom is Founder and CEO of Civ Robotics, a company that automates construction layout. Their robots drive themselves around a site and locate points by paint or laser so they can be marked by their human operators. Tom shares the names of a few of the robots they currently have operating: Betty, Ugly, and Joey… No #5 yet. Regardless of the name, each robot is a four-wheel drive unit customized for specific terrain. Several years ago, Tom was a contractor who hired surveying teams. As he talked to these teams, he learned about the limitations they experienced with some of the early survey drones. Within a few years, Tom had founded Civ Robotics and led a team in development of a drone that could drive stakes with QR codes linked to relevant information about that spot on the worksite. As they sought to generate interest in their drone, they discovered that many workers were intimidated by the drone in one way or another. After hearing this multiple times, Tom and his crew set about building a ground-based unit. They found that 8 of 10 contractors preferred the ground-based unit over the drone. Much of Tim’s team struggled with this change of direction, but the bold, painful pivot paid off. Three years later Civ Robotics has more than 40 machines in the field. Tyler asks Tim to talk through the mechanical functionality of the robots. Tim explains that the unit paints a spot or uses a laser to mark a spot where a worker can then drive a stake. Two people working with the robot can do the work of eight people with handheld equipment. Traditional two-person team places somewhere between 200 and 400 points a day, depending on the terrain challenges. With the Civ Robotics machine, one person following the machine can place anywhere from 700 to 3000 points a day depending on the accuracy needed. Accuracy is obviously a concern. The base model can mark spots within two inches, and the high-precision model can mark within 8mm, using a laser on a robotic arm. The unit then audibly tells the field crew worker which marker to place–red, blue, black, and yellow. Due to the addition of this vocalizing feature, some contractors are opting to have just a single human worker team up with the robot. Some job sites use multiple vehicles, most often two. That means that 1400 marks can be placed within an 8-hour shift, which requires a battery hot-swap at lunch time. (Everyone wants a lunch break.) Eddie shifts our attention forward to discuss what Tom has in mind next. Today most of Civ Robotics’ work involves horizontal work. Tom discusses possible expansion, including partnerships with Trimble, but he said that Civ Robotics’ focus for the moment is on outdoor, rough-terrain applications. Tyler talks about the promising job prospects for robotics operators. Tom confirms that the learning curve with their robot is generous enough that people can easily learn to operate it without any special training from the company. Eddie asks about licensing issues. Tom explains that you don’t have to be a licensed surveyor to do layout in most states. Licensing is required to measure the land and place control points, but not to mark where to build. He also mentions that on-the-ground robots capture more-detailed topographic data than drones do because vegetation won’t throw them off. We explore what “as-built” means in Tom’s world. He explains that it refers to measurements of what was actually built. It often relates to topographical elements. Different entities have different requirements for how this data is processed. Tom explains that the “topo” feature can toggle off and on to gather elevation data. This data can then be gathered at the same time as the X-Y data, resulting in substantial time savings. Tom advises people to evaluate new equipment before buying. He’s seen companies overcommit to specific technologies and waste loads of money. He shares about the various specialized robots he’d like to build or buy. (Here’s the luggage-carrying one Tyler mentioned.) Tom’s Megaphone Message: Construction automation is coming whether you want it or not. It’s going to help customers build buildings more efficiently and with greater precision. It will empower us to reach our goals as an industry. If you don’t adopt it, you’re going to fall behind. We’re here to build America. It needs to be a group effort. We need to have multiple technologies to meet those goals. Find Tom Online: LinkedIN - Civ Robotics Check out the partners that make the show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even if you’ve never been in the military or marched with a band, you’ve heard the pace-setting rhythm of a drum beat or the chanting troops.  Projects have a rhythm too. Each project has a unique feel. If you want to be a productive contributor to a project, you need to sense that cadence.  Know when to enter with your information–when to bring your concern to the table. You can’t just throw it out there when it comes to your mind.  Tyler shares a softball analogy: You’re at third base when the ball comes at you. The ball hits your mitt and you grab it with your throwing hand. You pause before throwing to let your eyes and muscles calibrate before you send it.  Those who fail to do this will often send the ball into the dugout or over the first baseman’s head.  Take a beat.  Ponder the context, the recipients, and the implications of your words or actions.  Then act.   Again: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon and an increasingly-ripped Zuckerberg in a cage match. And Threads. That’s where we start today’s conversation. But then we move on.    Today we're talking to Jacob D'Albora. Jacob is Director of Digital Building Operations at VIATechnik, LLC. His job is to serve as an owner’s representative in regard to digital plans and related VDC data.   Jacob says that he has seen owners who had to recreate the entire digital presence of their projects and repopulate databases because they don’t receive the assets produced by their designers and contractors. Yes, he means actually retyping room names and countless other details. Ridiculous redundancy.    Eddie recounts his own realizations about the lack of information-sharing among parties involved on a project, and Jacob shares about Danielle O’Connell’s team of “dumpster divers” who scours all project documentation toward the end of a project in order to assemble a cohesive data package.    We discuss how an owner’s interests differ from various other parties in regard to documentation. The owner will spend years–hopefully decades–engaging with various aspects of the building. Jacob’s team focuses on the costs of ownership over those decades and helps owners plan for smooth, efficient management.   The pace of construction is obviously a major concern for owners, so Jacob helps owners find the balance between construction pace and costs, including early-completion incentives. He says that most owners are willing to spend a bit more money if they know they can accelerate a project. This allows them to get the paying tenants into the space sooner.    We discuss the asset registries that Jacob helps owners create. These registries include shop drawings, warranties, and owner’s manuals. He explains to owners that using BIM will smooth the process of creating the “digital twin” they need.    Jacob explains how he dove deep into the facility-management realm, joining IFMA and doing everything he could to understand this world. He quickly learned that the best way to make building models usable for owners was to make it as intuitive as possible. Toward this goal, his company developed the Voyager digital twin platform.    We address the pace of BIM’s acceptance in the industry, including the effect of the COVID pandemic. Jacob explains that many companies had no idea how many anterooms they had and how these rooms played into the efficient, creative use of their facilities. This situation made it glaringly clear that digital models could be incredibly helpful.    Jacob connects digital plans to risk mitigation, using asbestos-removal as an example of something that could have been handled much more effectively if digital models had been universally available.   Tyler asks Jacob to predict some changes he expects to see in the next few years. Jacob said that owners are beginning to dictate which digital platforms general contractors should use on their projects.    Jacob shares some tactfully phrased thoughts about how inefficiently architects’ 2D drawings operate in a world of VDC and BIM. His teams have helped owners and contractors address this inefficiency.    Tyler asks Jacob to estimate the file sizes of average Tekla models. His estimate of 200-300MB is right on. These files are not that large. There’s room for more helpful detail.   Eddie explains that he’s noticed a decrease in recent years of the need for him to explain what it means when he says he works in BIM. We discuss how this is a promising indicator of the value owners are finally placing on thoughtful design and component integration.    We ask Jacob to discuss tensions that arise with design-assist. He says that the boundaries between contributing parties are still pretty fluid, with some people more willing than others to be flexible in defining scope.    Jacob’s Megaphone Message:  BIM has more value than we understand right now. We’ve seen other industries take data and do something big. There’s so much more that can be done within our industry. It’s just a matter of finding the right people at the beginning of a project to be your partners.   Find Jacob Online: LinkedIN - ViaTechnik   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie’s been thinking about our episode with Patrick Fernbach. Specifically, he’s thinking about the discussion we had about small changes.  Sometimes you get several steps into a project and discover that things just aren’t looking right.  Tyler recalls an experience that he encountered pretty regularly when he was still doing steel detailing. Someone would call to explain that one tiny thing needed to change. Maybe it was the size of a bolt or a plate.  The problem? That change meant that something else needed to change. Which meant that two other things needed to change.  On and on went the ripple effect.  How do we avoid this? Do your best to make sure that you’ve checked through things before considering them finished. Batch things wisely. Make sure it won’t need to be changed down the road.  Understand that changes involve risk–monetary risk.  Mitigate your risk by managing changes well. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love interviewing authors, and today we have a great one. Henry Nutt III started in the industry when he was 19 years old. He worked as general superintendent for 34 years. Henry has been with Southland Industry for 15 years, where he currently works as Pre-construction Executive.  All of this experience makes him eminently qualified to share some advice about building strong teams.  Henry spends a lot of time talking to students about preparing for careers. As he shared his experience, he discovered that common sense isn’t necessarily common. This is why he decided to collect his insights in a book titled Seven Principles: Creating Your Success in the Construction Industry (publisher’s site, Amazon). Here are Henry’s seven principles: Start where you areGet a mentorRefuse to be a victimWork hardLove what you doLearn how to followKnow the difference between being a liability and an asset Tyler asks Henry to expand particularly on #7. Henry says it's about exercising self-awareness. He discusses the importance of looking thoughtfully at the dynamics of the whole team and asking if you’re being given more responsibilities or being excused early. If you find that you’re not being viewed as an asset, it’s time to ask what you can do differently.  Eddie then shifts things toward #3–and, of course, baseball. Henry says that it’s essential to acknowledge the circumstances that might pose serious challenges for you but then to shift your attention to overcoming and adjusting in whatever ways you can. Break the patterns. Shift the narrative.  Mentors (#2) can help you make these changes. Invite insight that can accelerate your journey toward greater competence. Acknowledge that you’re an empty cup, and invite wise people to fill you with knowledge. We discuss how principle #4 is absolutely essential. If you have the right mindset about hard work and can align your practices with that mindset, your actions will speak volumes. Prove your an asset (back to #7). Tyler asks Henry to discuss how he got into construction. He explains that his dad, a sheet metal worker, encouraged him to take a skills/aptitude test. A short time later, Henry received a call that said a company was ready to hire him right away.  The road was not always smooth. Henry discusses the challenges and doubts that he faced in the early years. Now, though, he is tremendously thankful that mentors and encouragers along the way kept him on the road. Eventually he found himself in a position where he could influence the culture of a work crew.  Here are a few more highlights from this episode: “Bring the best version of yourself.”“Admit that you don’t know what you don’t know.”“When recognized that I was able to affect the people, it became a labor of love.” Henry’s Megaphone Message: This industry has allowed bad behavior to go on forever, resulting in the loss of many good people. That’s changing. Many people are trying to make this industry about people. We want you to join us. Bring your talents and gifts to the table. Show up. Work hard every day. Recognize what you don’t know so you can grow and learn every day.   Find Henry Online: LinkedIN - His book at Amazon - His book at KP Publishing   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know what we have to say about your positivity?  NO! Actually, today we’re talking about how this word can be a way to be positive.  Eddie explains that your nos are more positive than your yeses.  Both yeses and nos come in seasons. Tyler explains that he and the family are headed into a season of nos.  We discuss the feelings that come along with a good, solid no. Although there might be some intimidation and unease, Tyler said the dominant feeling for him is usually relief.  The unwillingness to say no can lead to grudgingly spoken yeses, which aren’t good for anyone. Be a good picker. Monitor your opportunities. Think them through. Don’t lock yourself in because of your people-pleasing tendencies.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We open today with a discussion about the latest epidemic in the US. Yes, we’re talking about the epidemic of pickleball-related injuries. Here’s the story in Bloomberg.   Then we move on to a topic that John Roach brought to Eddie’s attention recently. It’s all about architects and the pricing of their services.    It all goes back to the Sherman Anti-trust Act, which was enacted in 1890 to address the problem of monopolies.    In the 1860s, Richard Morris Hunt sued a client who failed to pay his 5% fee. In doing so, he unknowingly set 5% as the industry standard for architect fees.   By the 1950s, the AIA had formalized a somewhat complicated fee structure for various architectural services.      In the late 1960s, concerns arose that this fee structure was a form of price fixing. The Justice Department investigated and found that it did, indeed, violate the Sherman Anti-trust Act. In 1972, they issued a “consent decree,” which amounted to a settlement that outlined how the AIA could and could not behave going forward. (If you’d like to geek out on details, go here.).    Here’s the 2022 AIA compliance guide.    After reviewing this history, we discuss the complications of defining the scope of an architect’s work and getting clarity on that when it comes to the architect’s fees. It can become a race to the bottom. These complications have affected the way that contractors relate to owners and designers.    We compare these patterns to the patterns within fees for engineering services.    The question all of this leads to is this: “How do we argue for spending more money on design when it’s hard to know what I’m buying?”   We discuss the challenge of bank loans based on permit designs, as well as owners who don’t know how complicated the design process is.    Tyler really wants a Ford Raptor… What does that have to do with architecture fees? Well, when you buy a truck, you know what options you’re paying for and how they affect the price. Eddie explains that he’d like to see that kind of manufacturing mindset influence the designing and bidding process in construction.    We ponder the F1 price cap as an analogy for how things could play out if people were to spend more money on design.   Our Megaphone Message: Define value. Then buy value. Buy more design. Work with your lender and explain that this project can be much more successful if more money is invested in design. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start out today with a little Chicken N Pickle talk and some eye rolling about Tyler’s $150 pickleball paddle.   Then we move on to content most of you will find more substantial. Patrick Fernbach, our guest today, is Director of Mechanical Engineering at KLH Engineers in Kentucky.    Tyler asks Patrick what grinds his gears when it comes to the construction industry. Patrick discusses the fact that construction contract practices put the engineers and the trades at opposite ends of an unnecessarily complicated process. The long chain of contracts makes meaningful collaboration incredibly difficult.    Patrick acknowledges that he has not hung a single piece of ductwork, yet he’s designed miles of it. The closer he can get to the trades, however, the better he can do his job and the better those people can do their jobs.   He wants to hear from tradesmen who can provide some productive pushback on designs that cause complications where the screw meets the stud. He wants to know when his designs are a pain in someone’s neck.   Eddie asks Patrick to turn his thoughts in the opposite direction, toward the relationship between engineers on one end and architects and owners on the other end. He knows that the industry expects him to stay in his lane, but he doesn’t think that’s always the way it should be.    Eddie asks Patrick what kinds of things he struggles with in the process of doing his job. Patrick says that the most challenging thing is the ever-changing nature of the project. Architects and owners don’t always seem to understand just how many changes need to happen as a result of something that seems like a minor design adjustment.    The live nature of BIM360 makes this even more challenging. It’s difficult to track changes and determine which elements are locked and which ones aren’t.    Tyler discusses his experience with the ripple effect of small changes that seem to cause the unraveling of an entire project, and Eddie discusses how iterative design blurs the lines regarding completion of project elements.   Patrick raises the issue of meetings, and how the number of meetings seems to be continually increasing because of the dynamic nature of design. Although he doesn’t necessarily say that there have been too many meetings, he has definitely noticed that this aspect of the work is consuming more of the average engineer’s time.    Construction lacks some of the systems that manufacturing has, Patrick says. It feels like we’re in the process of putting those systems into place, which explains why things are kind of clunky at this point.   We ask Patrick to list some of the positives in construction-related engineering right now. Here are some of the things he lists: The increasingly smooth process of design-buildThe expectation for more detailed permit sets–detailed enough that the building could almost be built from themIncreased proactive interest from a variety of vendors and subs who want to make sure that their contributions to a project will work smoothlyVDC technology that increases efficiencies    Eddie asks about how fees have changed as approaches have changed. Patrick said that it varies from job to job because of varied expectations and services requested.   We explore how engineers like Patrick–those who seek to engage with the tradespeople–move the industry forward.   Patrick explains that siloed pricing structures that don’t involve upstream and downstream communication lead to some design elements being done multiple times.    Eddie piggybacks on this and contrasts the novice owner or general contractor from the experienced one. The experienced one knows that detailed design pays off in the long run. The bidding process is more effective. There are fewer RFIs. There are fewer complications. The guesswork is gone.    Patrick confirms what Eddie says with examples from a recent project.    Patrick’s Megaphone Message: Trust isn’t a soft skill; it’s a project multiplier. Build strong partnerships. Build strong teams. Show up with mutual respect for one another. Show up knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Don’t BIM for BIM’s sake. Be intentional when you model and design. It’s about creating value for the owner and the downstream consumer.  Find Patrick Online: LinkedIn - KLH Engineers  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes things get away from you. Today we discuss the ways we reduce the number of things that get away from us.    Eddie introduces the idea of a barricade.   His primary barricade for excessive scrolling or social media usage? Use a browser-based version that is clunky enough that he doesn’t want to keep staring at it.    We discuss the relentless attention suck that social media is for us and the whole family. Sometimes you need to treat yourself like a kid. “Sorry, but you can’t have your laptop today.”   Having a hard time getting consistent with that daily workout? Maybe leave your only stick of deodorant at the gym–or in a shoe box a couple miles from home.   If you have any examples of ways you place barricades to redirect your behavior, give us a call at 512-THE-BROS.      Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Note regarding intro: The film festival in France is actually pronounced “Can.” The “S” is silent, unlike Tyler.)    We start out today with Tyler’s church-league softball story and his related megaphone message: If you’re 6’2” and 260 pounds, don’t combine dehydration and intermittent fasting with an effort to prove yourself on the field.    Then, on to the substance of today’s episode. Fair warning: We’re getting into the weeds today. That’s because this stuff can profoundly affect your finances, timing, and relationships.    Delegated design is the approach to contracts in which the SEOR (structural engineer of record) limits himself or herself to elements that do not include connections and then expects those design services to be rendered by the fabricator or someone else.    Eddie explains that additional elements may also be delegated. Curtain walls, for instance, would be designed by someone with special expertise in curtain walls.    We’re talking about delegated design today so you can understand how it might impact the timeline and finances of your projects.    How do you look for delegation? Well, Eddie says that at the beginning of any project, he’ll look at the structural notes sheet and the specifications book. He’ll check for notes regarding delegation and make sure that these two documents agree.    We discuss the pros and cons of delegated design. Here are our thoughts:   Pros: -Fabricators are able to handle connections in a way that best fits their materials and design. -The need for back-and-forth communication is reduced. -Time can be saved because production teams can move according to their own well-oiled systems.   Cons:  -The SEOR’s knowledge and control is not as thorough as it is in other situations.   -There are more cooks in the kitchen, and that means more egos in the room (and we all know what that can mean). -There’s increased potential for the buck to be passed.   Eddie explains the 3 contract-structure options outlined in the AISC Code of Standard Practices:  1) The SEOR handles everything. 2) An engineer gives the basic criteria for the connections and then has a qualified engineer select from those connections. 3) The engineer fully delegates design of connections.   Over time, regional patterns have developed regarding the adoption of these three options: -Option 3 is prominent in the eastern part of the country. -Option 1 is most common on the West Coast (perhaps because of seismic concerns).  -Option 2 is generally fading from use.   It’s important that all parties be clear on which of these options is being used on a given project. The decision has additional ramifications as far as expectations about who will be doing the shop drawings and who will document various aspects of the official project record.    Eddie shares about a project his team worked on. Relatively late in the process, a concern was raised about the aesthetic effect of a large gusset. The architect wanted the gusset size reduced. The problem? The building was in a hurricane zone, where gusset size matters. He explains that tension resulted not from the need for change but from the fact that this concern hadn’t been explained in the plans from the outset.    Eddie discusses the idiosyncrasies of different parties–designers, fabricators, architects–with specific preferences. He also refers to this episode with Norine Bagate regarding risk and liability.    We ponder the impact of $50,000 paragraphs in contracts. If you’re buying design, know how much design you’re buying.     Our megaphone message: Anticipate the ripple effects of decisions you might want to change. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you place your loyalty with the wrong person. Good communication early can make a huge difference.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nobody likes a parasite. (Well, maybe Kelly Kapoor) When was the last time you asked yourself about parasites in your life?  We’re not talking about people. We’re talking about habits.  Maybe alcohol? Maybe social media (for sure social media)?  Maybe there are some activities that simply trigger anxiety for you but somehow still suck you back in.  Identify those and be ready for us to talk next week about “barricading” them.  And no, a remora is not a parasite. Eddie is correct. That relationship is symbiotic.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Today’s episode is a re-air from 2021, chosen in recognition of Fathers Day.)    It's time for some coffee with a splash of multi-generational wisdom.    Joining us today are our dad and our grandpa, aka “Pop.” These two bring a deep, wide reservoir of experience.    Pop started with Messer Construction all the way back in 1954, in part of a college co-op program. He moved on to the position of project manager and eventually senior project executive. As he tells us, though, he was just interested in building buildings.    Among the larger projects Pop worked on are Millett Hall at the University of Miami in Ohio and Sander Hall at the University of Cincinnati. (Here’s the video he mentions of the Sander Hall demolition.)   Dad started in construction the day after his last high school baseball game. In 1980, he moved his young family to Florida. A while later he Dad started ABSI and ran it until Eddie took over recently.    Pop talks us through the specs for the Millet Hall at the University of Miami in Ohio. The basketball arena was in this building, and also classrooms. This project took two and a half years.    Millett Hall was built on the site of an old golf course. Pop talks us through additional specs, including truss assemblies, 150-ton cranes, and a project-management staff much smaller than what we see these days.    RFIs? Well, there were none. If there was a question, the relevant parties talked on the phone. Monthly meetings also helped head off problems.   Distance between architects and engineers–there was almost none. They were partners.    Dad shares about how things had changed by the 70s and 80s. He witnessed the change from self-performing to bid-build. Subbing had begun on some of Pop’s jobs in the late 60s but hadn’t really taken hold until the late 70s.    As this change took place, the burden of liability began to blur. The change was propelled, however, by the need to keep specialty crews busy.    We discuss the training required for project management. Pop learned by doing, so he had a headstart on managers coming out of college with only classroom experience.    Pop shares about his bold prediction that he’d move from newbie to superintendent in five years, even though the company owner said it usually took 15. Pop proved him wrong, after establishing a reputation with other decision-makers.    We discuss mindset. Eddie recalls Pop’s adage “Make it a winner.” Pop recalls working on over 150 jobs, and he says, “If you can’t enjoy what you’re doing, do something else.”   Dad shares about Pop coming home from building at work just to build more at home (after a quick “brown pop,” aka beer).   Dad and Eddie discuss tensions between architects, engineers, and designers turning into trust built over time.    We discuss the fabric of expertise and insight that grows with generational experience.    Dad’s megaphone message: Most of the mess in the industry can be traced back to design. We’re so specialized that nobody knows anything about anything. We’re too fragmented.    Pop’s megaphone message: Family matters most. If you can take that family mindset into the workplace, it will make all the difference.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is a confession a confession if it brings you “a little sadistic joy”? We’ll let you make that judgment.    On the heels of last week’s episode about the importance of systems, today Eddie has a confession. A couple years ago he quietly dropped a subscription for Zapier, the management/automation software that Tyler loved when he was working at ABSI.     Eddie thought the software was really cool, but… not as cool as what Eddie could figure out himself.    It was part of a systems assessment that revealed him as an unnecessary pinch point.      We discuss Tyler’s oddly personal sense of attachment to particular software, and then we wrap up with a brief list of software packages that we’ve used and dropped. It’s pretty dang long.   Sometimes you have to drop a system when it’s not working.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're talking to Lee Causey, the East Coast Innovation Leader for DPR Construction. Lee’s job, as he explains it, is to remove roadblocks and connect dots. When someone hears about a technology they’d like to try, Lee kicks into action and makes it happen.    In this role, he noticed people often chased the shiniest things rather than the most useful things. In an effort to make a data-based approach Problem-based approach workflow  Collect problemsSort problemsPrioritize problemsSeek solutions for those problems   Lee shares about a pilot program they did at DPR’s Nashville unit. They sought input directly from the tradesmen about solutions they needed where the rubber meets the road.    The findings? The biggest problems on the ground were things that executives didn’t even realize were problems: water, PPE, breathable shirts. These were things simple enough that they should not be problems.    Other things that came to their attention were lighter concrete tools, anti-vibe tools.     “Little” things matter big time when it comes to team morale. Eddie reminisces about a new Carhartt shirt and feeling like he’d struck gold.     Simply letting people express their concerns and then acting in the simplest ways on those concerns.    Nobody can know everything about everything. That’s why it’s so beneficial to have a designated team like the one Lee operates to focus directly on identifying what dots are not being connected.    Lee’s team uses Bright Idea software to track and coordinate their research and planning. He said it’s a great, simple platform for this sort of work.    Tyler asks if the research turned up any employee mistreatment. Lee said that indeed there was at least one example of that. The innovation team was able to quickly escalate that concern to the point where it was addressed.    Eddie points out how clearly this kind of work fits with the common theme of so many of our podcast episodes. If we’re going to work as a team, we need to think about the psychological, human aspects of team dynamics.    Lee explains that the innovation teams are now capitalizing on the down time between projects to maximize quality improvement. It’s more than just sharpening the ax, it’s discussing the best way to sharpen the ax.    We discuss deployment of solutions. Lee explains that 100 problems can often be fixed with 5 solutions because those problems are the result of similar systemic shortfalls.   It’s all about identifying and addressing blind spots rather than telling people, as Eddie says, to “shut up and accept your fate.”   Lee’s Two-part Megaphone Message (for which Eddie gifts him an unprecedented 120 seconds):  Part 1: Look inside your head. Figure out how to do things in order to make it better for everyone. A rising tide raises all ships. Part 2: Go out in the world and tell the young people in your life to be unique. You can go and find the coolest job you’ve ever had in construction and change the world while simply being yourself.   Find Lee Online: LinkedIn - DPR Construction   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Systems are so cool… At least that’s how Tyler feels.    There’s a four-letter reason he loves them: ADHD. He has learned that systems hold him accountable.    Eddie is the grunt-and-get-it-done guy. This is often good, of course, but it can sometimes result in a failure to create a system early enough.     Tyler shares about automated folder-creation software that avoided organizational chaos.    Here’s the Craig Groeschel video Tyler mentions.     Sometimes a “system” can be little more than a scheduled meeting–having a time when someone will be waiting there for you. It forces you to stop and address a task or a set of issues you might otherwise ignore.    Tell us about the systems that keep you moving in your business and life: 512-THE-BROS.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The ConExpo Highlight Reel, starring Eddie and the Two Tylers! Yes, two is probably too many. We’ll make sure it doesn’t happen too often.   Tyler Williams joins us this week to share some of the. Tyler, who is Field Innovation Leader at DPR Construction, was on the podcast a few months ago to discuss new tech in construction, and that’s the focus again today.   ConExpo happens only every three years. Tyler headed to the Vegas show this year to see equipment that can reduce ergonomic strain on construction workers.    Here are the products and companies that caught Tyler’s attention at the convention:    Sarcos Robotics: Sarcos develops and manufactures construction robots that can be controlled by workers in a manner that is very similar to the movie Real Steel. The controller can stand in a safe space and manipulate the robot, which can be mounted at the end of a boom arm in order to execute dangerous tasks. See it in action here. They also produce an exoskeleton.   T1V Collaboration: This company helps teams share real-time planning and logistics. See it in action here. This platform helps contractors maximize visualization and share details.     Loris: Picture R2D2 with a shop light on his head. It’s more than that, though. Loris beacons can assist with security and documentation on jobsites. See it in action here. Distributed throughout a large jobsite, these units can also help establish a WiFi mesh network to increase connectivity.    Wingtra Drone: This vertical-take-off survey drone provides detailed, high-resolution imagery for large sites. Users can geo-tag elements in images and add annotations.    Moxion: Moxion is a mobile energy-storage solution capable of providing 75kw and 600 run hours. The unit is the size of a small tow-behind Uhaul trailer. Units can be daisy-chained   The Honda AWV: This autonomous work vehicle looks like the utility shuttles from Star Wars and other science fiction movies. It is capable of carrying heavy loads of bricks or tools to very specific spots using GPS coordinates.    Develon an Doosan Transparent Bucket: This technology stitches together images to make it seem that the bucket of your wheel loader is transparent. Operators can use this visual input to avoid obstacles and to more precisely drop loads. See it in action here.    Alaska Structures: These fabric structures are available in multiple sizes and can be easily assembled into strong structures that can withstand the elements. We discuss the various ways that these could be used on construction sites.   Nox-Crete: A chemical solution for concrete problems. This company produces solutions that keep concrete from sticking to forms and other surfaces that it might come into contact with.    We wrap up by asking Tyler to reflect on the ways that ConExpo leaves him feeling about the current state of industry. He explains that the biggest advancement that he sees is in the area of battery capabilities.    Find Tyler Williams Online: LinkedIN - DPR Construction    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie shares today about all the shoulds that plague our days. You know you should eat your vegetables, maintain a balanced diet, drink water…   Making that actually happen is much tougher than just knowing that it should happen.   The same pattern is true within construction. It’s easy to know that you should show empathy, consider other people’s mental/emotional health.    The thing is that it’s really, really tough not to send that snarky email and yell at that employee.    Keep on trying.    Work on routines. Work on habits. Work on boundaries. Work on your social media diet.    Tyler shares how this plays out in his business. He has a clear map in his mind of what needs to happen. Making that happen each day? Well, that’s a whole different matter. Execution is tough. Follow-through is difficult.    We’d like to hear from you on this. We want to know about the things that you’re struggling to take from your mind to your reality.  Give us something to talk about at 512-THE-BROS.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you work with concrete, you’ve probably dreamed of having the machines made by today’s guest.    Danielle Proctor is President and CEO of Construction Robotics, which makes two large and impressive rebar-related machines: IronBOT, which places rebar, and TyBOT, which ties that rebar.     Countless construction workers have put in their time tying rebar before moving on to other less backbreaking  and repetitive work. Eddie opens with a bit of nostalgia for his rebar-tying days and mentions this Dirty Jobs episode on tying rebar.   We move on to a discussion about the main challenge that comes with huge new tools like these: pre-purchase logistics. It seems like it would be incredibly hard to do a trial run with one of these things.    Danielle explains that the objections from rebar-tying crews is not as great as you might think. It’s really tough work, and many of the people who are doing it are more than ready to move on to a different set of duties. Due to labor shortages, that would often be helpful to a crew and a project.    We discuss the pride issues associated with the generational legacy of the old-school rod-busters and how they adjusted when the tie gun came along.     IronBOT can handle 5,000 pounds of rebar while executing its work. Handled by hand, Danielle says that a bundle of five 60’ bars requires “One bar for each man and one for the company.”    Danielle makes the case that these machines don’t eliminate the need for a crew of humans. You still need… A robot supervisor (just to watch the robot and provide a couple instructions)A rodbuster feeding the bar into the robot4-6 people behind tying the few pieces that the robot can’t tie1 guy frame-tying    Once the crew sees the robot as part of the team, the mindset changes. Danielle says she enjoys seeing companies move through the adjustment process and adopt the machine as part of the culture of the company. Then company leaders really begin to see the benefits. They start estimating jobs with the machine’s efficiencies in mind.   Tyler mentions this video about the toll that physically demanding jobs have on the body.   At first we laugh about the tool envy factor, but then Eddie raises the fact that it really is a thing among contractors and that it’s part of what moves innovation along.    We discuss capabilities and setup time. Danielle explains that the TyBOT comes in on a 40’ trailer. The crew assembles it on its rails, choosing gantries that can handle widths from 9’ to 107’. This process takes about an hour. Then you simply turn it on and let it do its thing. It looks for intersections and ties them. There’s no programming, no BIM. It carries 15-pound spools.    IronBOT, on the other hand, takes 6-8 hours to get it in place. Then you load the specs (spacing, etc.) and it does its thing.   “Certified innovators” look at the project plans and try to configure optimized “bundle plans.”  These people are also the ones who work with contractors during the estimating process.     We discuss the comparisons between human team speeds and machine speeds. Danielle says that a project isn’t a good fit for these machines unless it would be a 1-week job manually for TyBOT or 2 weeks manually for an IronBOT/TyBOT project.     Danielle explains that her company’s focus is optimization for productivity to free up human crews to make better use of their time.    Danielle’s Megaphone Message: We are in the middle of a robotic renaissance. Take the blinders off and have some fun. Go see what’s out there. Ask yourself where automation can help. Support the companies that are innovating with technology that’s here to help.    Find Danielle Online: LinkedIn -  Advanced Construction Robotics Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Ah yes, freshman year.    Today we’re talking about things we remember learning in our first year on the job.    Eddie starts us off:  His first lessons were about pacing. When you’re tying rebar, you don’t want to be starting at a sprint.    He discusses the home-life manifestation of this principle with the phenomenon of The Lowe’s Trip. When he enters a project slowly and deliberately, he avoids the four-trip day.   Measure twice, cut once. Think it through. Think about the long game.    (Here’s the Daniel Labelle video Eddie references.)    Then Tyler shares: His early discoveries had to do with complaining.    Pretty simply, he came around the understanding that he had to complain less.    Now you share:  We would love to hear about lessons you learned either in your first year or within the last year (even if it wasn’t your last-last year. Give us a call at 512-THE-BROS and let us know what wisdom you’ve gained.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everybody’s talking about it, so today we are too. In this episode, we’re exploring the implications of AI for construction. (And yes, we know it's not Friday.)   (We touched on this topic in our conversation with Norine Bagate a couple weeks ago. Check out that episode if you missed it.)   Tyler shares what he’s read and seen about AI virtual assistants that can identify potential candidate (for podcast guests, for instance) and then write emails customized to each of them. He goes on to discuss some interesting insights from the Marketing Against the Grain podcast.    Eddie shares about a dismal experience with Shopify’s AI DJ, which acted confusingly on his love of the Interstellar soundtrack and also gave him some wonderfully mellow Jon Foreman tunes right as he was ready to work out.    As we shift to construction, Tyler asks Eddie where he thinks the greatest amount of disruption will occur. He suspects that the first significant impact will be on research-based tasks, such as those involved in architecture and engineering.   Tyler predicts that the changes will be huge but that it may also be a bit slower than expected. He’s guessing that today’s kids will expect AI. They’ll integrate it intuitively into their daily activities.   With this in mind, we discuss the “generational” difference even between the two of us (who are only 13 years apart):  Eddie’s knee-jerk reaction is not to use technology. His first instinct is to figure it out with his own two hands and with books. If he has a question, he goes for the manual.Tyler is likely to just Google it. That will likely bring him back to digital versions of the same source, but the way a person engages with it is different.   We compare AI/ChatGPT with Google search as far as how they may affect our approach to questions, problems, and solutions.    We discuss exclamation points as a generational identifier.    Eddie discusses the hesitations he continues to feel in the shift toward paperless documentation. Tyler entered the industry when that shift had already taken place.    Is it all doom and gloom? Tyler hopes not. He’s hopeful that AI will speed up processes that are currently unnecessarily slow.   Eddie’s prediction is that the first big change will involve crawling models for codified deficiencies as well as code compliance. As municipalities come on board, the movement will grow.     Tyler speculates that insurance companies may soon require that plans go through an AI check.   Today’s 10-year-olds, such as Eddie’s daughter, can design entire homes on their tablets. They’re deeply immersed in technology that even some architects are still struggling to adopt.    Design, Tyler thinks, will become less intense. The collection of options and modules available to meet a specific use will be much greater.    We don’t want to quit having ideas. We want buildings to continue to have a personality. We want people to continue to have to solve problems.    This won’t be easy. It won’t be quick. There’s an intuition that comes with being human. We hope it will enhance and facilitate imagination rather than    You’ve likely heard about the AI-generated song that was originally claimed to be by Drake and The Weeknd.     We close by pondering: Is there any chance that this will all go the way of 80s synth? Ten years from now, might there be nostalgia for long-form blog posts?   Our request: If you have some thoughts or if you have seen anything in the field regarding AI, we’d love to hear from you on our phone line: 512-THE-BROS.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re different.  Okay, that’s not news. Today we explore the differences in our routines, but then we talk about the value of routine--and the ways in which routines can go too far. Eddie shares about his effort to stay in routine despite the craziness of life. He’ll just get a routine going, and then something throws it off.  We talk about emotional/relational withdrawals and deposits. Tyler’s weeks away on work are withdrawals from the family energy levels, so he makes an effort to be truly present when he is home. Eddie mentions that he’s oddly encouraged to hear that things don’t go perfectly smoothly when he’s not home. We discuss the value of trying and trying and trying some more even if the outcomes are not consistent.  Life happens.  Don’t beat yourself up. Listen to our Balance is a Myth episode from a couple years ago.  Sometimes it’s okay to sleep in. Sometimes it’s okay to get a big ol’ bowl of ice cream.  Be purposeful about adjusting to your current demands. Break routines that are keeping you from flourishing in your current situation.  It’s okay to let go of a routine that isn’t working.  At the same time, look out for routines that begin to work their way in without intention.  Routines are good. Routines can be good.  If you have some thoughts to share about routines, call us at 512-THE-BROS.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not quite what it sounds like, but it's just as cool.   Angie Simon, former CEO of Western Allied Mechanical, joined us last year to talk about baseball analogies that can strengthen your construction game. Today she’s here to talk about an exciting youth-oriented construction-recruiting program that came up in that conversation: the Heavy Metal Summer Experience.    (Before we get to the substance of Angie’s visit, we discuss one of the best recent construction-related movies, Lego Movie. If you haven’t seen it, you really, really should regardless of your age.)    Right out of the gate, Angie shares with us some amazing growth numbers about the HMSE program: First year: 1 location and 28 kids Second year : 11 locations and 170Third year: 22 locations and 400 kids   This program is designed for kids who are approaching high school graduation and don’t want to go to college. Angie explains that the 30 hours of hands-on experience that this program beats the pants off of a simple booth at a career fair.    She sees kids quickly become excited about sheet metal work, welding, and more.    Angie outlines the elements of the of the program in the order: A discussion about the importance of safetyA tour of the shopDiscussion about construction models (BIM, etc.)  Hands-on work with sheet metal, pipe fitting, solderingProgramming of a sheet metal laserHands-on work with electrical (new this year)   Tyler shares about his visit to the Allied Mechanical shop and mentions that construction is the new Silicon Valley.    Angie talks about the significance of word-of-mouth in the recruiting game. She shares about a pair of brothers and a friend who all came for mock interviews.    Eddie asks Angie to talk about her HMSE playbook. This book dramatically reduces the load for hosts by compiling all kinds of useful information:  Forms (permission slips, content-release forms, etc.)PermitsInstructions for several projectsLessons learned from past sessionsA detailed schedule   Angie shares that several students have been hired by contractors directly from these summer programs. She shares a story about a student who had been dealing with depression before starting the HMSE program. That student is now in her second year of apprenticeship.    Eddie talks about the value of this sort of training opportunity for the trainers–increased pride and purpose. Angie talks about the challenges of growing the program with a combination of paid people and volunteers.    Angie’s megaphone message: It’s not about your butt-crack plumber anymore. No, actually that’s not her megaphone message, but it is something she said. Here’s what she really said: It’s our industry. We made the industry, so we need to take responsibility for it. Get the word out there about how great the trades can be. We need to share our stories about the secret of a great life in the trades.    Find Angie Online: LinkedIn -  Heavy Metal Summer Experience   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Tyler shares with us about his routine. Well, Tyler has a four-year-old and a two-year-old, so "routine" might not be quite the right word. Still, there are some patterns.    Two-year-old Hank is an early riser, but Dad needs his coffee, which means that Hank often starts his day with some TV.   Then there might be some reading (social media posts count as reading, right?) before helping his wife get the kids out the door.   Then it’s time to run–usually a mile or two. Or it could be a longer trip but at a walking pace with the dog. Whether it’s a run or a dog-walk, he’ll likely be consuming some podcasts before returning home to consume some oatmeal and peanut butter.    The work day starts up around 9, and then it’s quite simply a matter of tackling whichever tasks pop up.    The coffee keeps flowing all day long, to the tune of probably 3 or 4 cups a day.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Scott Peper is not being overwhelmed with the duties of parenting three daughters, he’s focused on his work as CEO of Mobilization Funding. He also wrote The Big Book of Cash Flow, which aims to help commercial subcontractors and general contractors to navigate the financial aspect of successful projects.    Cash flow in the construction world is not like it is in most other businesses. Scott’s focus is helping clients get a grip on the math of it all–capital, expenses, margins, contingencies.   He says it’s all about knowing how much money you have in your pile of cash. But some of that pile might not be just profit from a given project. Among other things, it might be… a line of creditcash you’re infusing from your own pocketlong-term debtshort-term debt   Scott explains that traditional financing institutions sometimes fail to understand the dynamics that are unique to construction.    Tyler asks Scott to list cash-flow mistakes. He lists a few:   people living out of their checkbook rather than thinking ahead.not having accurate financial statementsfailure to consider forecasted expenses   Eddie points out that “cash flow can eat you.” Plenty of businesses go bankrupt due to a lack of attention to cash flow. Scott builds on that insight and says that cash flow is also key to positioning your company for growth. Scott suggests focusing on a 13-week cash-flow forecast, and he talks us through some hypothetical scenarios.   We discuss a variety of considerations that must be made before bidding on upcoming projects.    Eddie asks how big a cash pile should be in order to keep a business in a good place. Scott talks through an example scenario of a contractor facing growth opportunities. He says that most contractors are solid on the bidding process and executing over a work schedule. What many of them don’t know is how to invest in the job at the beginning of a project vs. the point where they’re cash-flow positive.    Tyler shares that he has recently experienced a version of this disconnect when he neglected to familiarize himself with the payment terms before signing a contract with a client. Luckily he has a buffer that has been sufficient.    Scott follows up by suggesting the idea of pricing a job a few percentage points higher to take financing costs into consideration. Your bid must take cash-flow and financing costs into consideration.    We discuss the trickle-down effects of failures to consider cash flow. A sub won’t order materials when they should if they don’t have the money to pay for them. Then, if the contract considered such contingencies, extra fees may worsen the situation for that sub.  As we shift our attention to solutions, Scott lists these things: Have a good finance mind somewhere in your business–a readily available person with meaningful insights. Have a cash-flow tool for each project, and examine reports daily to keep tabs on the small and big pictures.Communicate proactively with the other parties as circumstances change.   Just getting started? Scott suggests that you learn to leverage–leverage your experience, your expertise, your credit cards, and more.    Scott’s megaphone message: Performance is the one thing that will separate you from the competition. It will bring you a variety of rewards. Make yourself so undeniably great that contractors won’t want to work with anyone other than you. Don’t sell yourself short. Do not sacrifice the price that you need in order to perform well.   Here is a link to the free resources that Scott mentioned toward the end of the episode.    Find Scott Online: LinkedIn - Mobilization Funding - The Big Book of Cash Flow   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, in the first of a very short series (if two episodes can be called a series), Eddie talks us through the daily pattern that keeps him going.  Eddie is a man of routine. You’ll hear about a day that kicks off with a 5:30 alarm and includes a healthy supply of coffee among other things. There are some smoothies in there, as well as some ice cream. (Of course there’s also a collection of thoughtful leadership practices.)    We discuss how routines provide momentum and structure for our day–as well as which elements have the most harmful effect when they’re forgotten. Here is the David Goggins on Mars video we mention (in somewhat censored form). Enjoy! Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode includes a visual demonstration, so you may want to consider watching the Youtube version.   After a short story about deadly dumpling shenanigans, we shift to today’s guest, John Fay.   John is the founder and CEO of Låda Cube (pronounced Lauda Cube). Låda Cube produces pre-fab cassettes that are used in the place of conventional stud-and-drywall walls. John starts out with a review of how the cassettes function and the benefits they offer.     The refinement of production efficiencies has enabled Låda Cube to explore the benefits of standardization. This standardization yields multiple benefits: Final assembly is more consistent.Assembly can be handled by minimally skilled workersEntire walls can be disassembled and their parts reused–either when it’s time to reconfigure a space or in the case of a more complete demolition.   Låda Cube modules are small enough to be easily handled, and they fit together with a cam-lock system that each has 750 lbs of carrying power. The cassette-built wall can then be covered with a variety of finish surfaces that can be switched out when it’s time for a change of decor.    John explains that specialized cassettes can serve customized purposes: Increased load-bearing capacityPlug-and-play electrical systemsSpace for plumbing access   The goal is to have a system that never goes obsolete–that will be reverse compatible long into the future.   John shares about one of Låda Cube’s large recent projects, a series of WalMart vision centers. If the work on these centers would have been done using conventional methods, it would have taken 16 days per center. With the modules, each center was finished in 3 days.   We explore the topic of cost. As you might expect, this type of product is currently a premium product. Låda Cube is currently priced at $4.50/linear foot. John believes digitization and production improvements will eventually bring that number below $2.    The trickle-down benefits of standardization include faster estimates and reduced errors. John said his crew can generally give a phase-one drawing within just a few hours.   The Låda Cube team is now working on software integrations that will populate modules in the design phase so that estimates and invoices can be almost immediate and also transparent.    We discuss both cost and quality. John explains that the ½” MDF that is their current main skin finish material. He says that they’re occasionally using Avonite and, in the long run, would like to pursue partnerships with gypsum manufacturers to integrate small panels with easy seam solutions.    Tyler asks John to share some of the specific costs related to the Walmart vision center projects, including a large refund that the accountants struggled to process.     John anticipates the development of a third-party market for exchanging components of this sort of system. He explains that there is no reason for any of their products to ever end up in a landfill.   We hear about door integration when John explains that representatives from MillerKnoll contacted them to say that they’ve never hung a door on a truer wall. This is due to the fact that the Låda Cube cassettes are built to tolerances of 15/100”.   Eddie addresses some of the mindset shifts that owners, contractors, and municipalities will need to consider in transitioning to this sort of construction.    John’s Megaphone Message: The Låda Cube team sees themselves as changers of environments. When they approach a worksite, they try to remove the fear and tension that might be there. They want to show compassion and to champion people well. Find John Online: LinkedIn - Låda Cube    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago, we talked to Dr. Michael Bottlang about the rotational force that causes the majority of severe head injuries.   This got Eddie thinking about an earlier experience where we purchased hard hats for a demo and ended up with Type I hard hats when we’d intended to get a Type II.   Many contractors have chosen to shift to newer styles of helmets without looking at the protection data. They might be making these decisions to look like they’re cutting-edge or, frankly, because those wearing the helmets think they look better. The Type II helmets look a bit better, but Dr. Bottlang’s research suggests that the Type I helmets might actually provide greater protection.    Perhaps we (the larger, collective “we”) should examine the decisions we’ve made. Perhaps we should have the humility to admit that it’s time to turn back.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norine Bagate is a teacher–not by profession but in practice. Professionally, she’s the founder of NWB Consulting, a technology-based firm that develops software aimed at helping owners ensure that projects are completed as smoothly as possible.    Here’s a quick rundown of Norine’s professional history:  Earned an architecture degree from University of Texas at AustinMoved to New York and worked in construction as a project managerManaged capital projects in the corporate world, which included working with an in-house design team Worked in the realm of construction law (in a non-lawyer role)     During her time in various aspects of construction, Norine came to realize that there was a problem with “Spearin risk,” which relates to the burden of legal liability in relation to owners and contractors. (If you’d like to learn more about the technicalities of Spearin doctrine and risk, read this article. If you’re not up for that adventure, you can just call it scope risk.) She decided to do something about that.   One way to look at it is that Norine helps people define the boundaries of responsibilities. This means planning thoughtfully in the earliest possible stages of projects. She recites a quote whose original source is uncertain: “The best plans rarely survive first contact with the enemy.”   Norine believes that the burden of discovery rests with the owner. The owner is the source of the financial incentives for all other parties in the construction process.   Norine shares a vivid analogy involving a shotgun and owners who are at risk of shooting themselves in the foot. Norine offers to hold the shotgun safely. She anticipates problems that nobody else sees or wants to face. She brings those to the front and addresses them proactively.    Norine says that owners need to digitalize their contracts, not just digitize them. Here’s an explanation of the difference.    Meta-governance helps in this process. It sets up a situation where you can share information without accepting risk from another party.    She helps companies work toward a content-based information system where information can be shared across silos while maintaining proper liability links. It’s about thinking in more than 2 dimensions and seeing a web of connections.    Why take so much time in advance to do this? Because it prevents battles. It makes everything move more smoothly and predictably.    Eddie asks Norine to discuss the dynamics of information silos. She argues that silos are healthy as long as governance is handled properly. Her company’s software translates structural engineers’ insights so they can be understood by architects and vice-versa.   We discuss the role that Ai might be able to play in this pursuit of increased communication and efficiency.   Norine believes “we have too many [software] applications of very low value.” She sees way too much time and energy being spent on cross-platform interpretation and believes we should work toward a more seamless solution.    We discuss these concerns from the perspective of wasted intellectual energy. So much time is spent figuring, comparing, and arguing.   Norine’s Megaphone Message: Building-project risk does not begin or end with construction. If we can internalize that, we’ll understand that you have to push discovery upstream to the earliest stages of planning. If there’s an unknown that can be made known, it’s best to know it and address it as soon as possible. Start interrogating early. Start doing robust due diligence early. Continue that culture of observation, interrogation, and validation throughout the entire process.   Find Norine Online: LinkedIn - NWB Consulting   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long-time listener, first-time caller–like the actual, very first caller! A couple weeks ago we announced our new Construction Brothers call line and invited you to leave a voicemail with a question or insight. A few of you stepped up, and today we address one of those questions. The question: In regard to leadership, which matters more: relationships or results? We discuss the fact that the clear answer is both. As we know, though, that’s often not possible.  Eddie presents two answers to this question–one from his 28-year-old self and one from his today self.  28-year-old Eddie was driven mostly by his competitive tendencies and was focused almost exclusively on results. He was trying to determine whether the construction field was where he belonged.  Over the years, he hasn’t necessarily grown less competitive. He has, however, experienced a decrease in the need for everyone to look around and see Eddie Campbell in the front. As a result, he’s come to value building a team that enjoys each other’s company.  Tyler finds that his focus fluctuates throughout a project and within a given day, being much more task-oriented at some points and more relationally oriented at other times. He gives an example of how he navigates conflict with greater consideration of his team members’ humanity. We wrap up with Tyler setting up Eddie for a demonstration of humility. Eddie steps up and graciously compliments Tyler’s leadership style.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start with some light chat touching on “the crud,” night-snacking kids, and nosey people who tell you to eat salad.    Then we get to today’s substance: how to fix a stalled project.   Smooth progress determines profitability. So we try to work ahead, but before you know it… here come the RFIs.   Next comes a list of items that can hold a project hostage:   Operating-room lights Operable partition walls Decorative curtain walls  Design elements tied to seismic regions Grid lines that disagree Then the questions arise:  Who gets the last look?  Which teams can start early?  Who already did start early and got the cart before the horse?  What can team x do while waiting for team y to do their thing? So why do these tensions and timing misalignments occur? Of course, the exact answer to that is different every time.    The effect of these stalls goes beyond logistical havoc. It drains motivation and trust. It affects how likely you are to work with a given contractor.    Our guess as to how often this happens? At least 1 in 5–at least 20%.     Eddie talks about the popular contractor-grudge game he calls “You Gave Me an Excuse.” Projects that aren’t moving forward smoothly end up being pushed even further to the back burner because. Most contractors are looking to spend their time on something that brings in money.    And thumb-twiddling doesn’t bring in money.    This means that there’s the legitimate stall and there’s the “snow job” stall, when one party is just not even trying to get you back on the front burner.    Eddie discusses the different types of project managers and which ones simply know how to get things done.   So, what do we do?  Pick your people very carefully.  Get to know your people–know them well enough that you can read their stress levels and navigate problems together.  Use finesse. In other words, know where the questions need to go; know who's back needs to be scratched.  Communicate about communication. Ask people who have the answers you’re seeking. Work on developing instincts. Start with humility; then study interactions and learn.  Be a helper. When you’re helping those above and below you in the project, you’ll generate an atmosphere of smooth progress.  Evaluate yourself when you’re about to ask a question. Measure the importance of your request before you proceed. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we start out by stepping into our time machine and looking at contrasting growth spurts in the Campbell home. We see 4-foot-11-inch teenager Eddie diligently chucking up those three-point attempts.   Then we fast-forward a few years. There we see 14-year-old, Tyler, making the most of his 6 feet and 2 inches not on the driveway basketball hoop, but on the violin.    Nature’s timelines can seem unfair. The same is true of professional timelines. It can leave you feeling left behind.   Our message: Cut yourself some slack! Stay the course! Don’t rush it!    Keep learning, and watch for opportunities to combine your passions, skills, and experience into something meaningful.     That’s the nugget of insight we offer in today’s Five-Minute Friday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(This episode contains several visual elements. Although we’ll provide some links below, consider watching the Youtube version if possible.) Welcome to The Headbanger’s Ball, where we talk about the fashion, the price, and the effectiveness of construction headgear.    Between 2003 and 2010, 2,210 construction workers died because of a traumatic brain injury (CDC.gov).   Dr. Michael Bottlang was born and raised in Germany. He then moved to the US to attend school, and went on to start a research lab in Portland, Oregon, where he explores brain-injury prevention. Dr. Bottlang reminds us that we have one brain, and it affects everything we do.   When it comes to helmet research, Dr. Bottlang says there has been a serious disconnect: The data shows that the vast majority of brain injuries occur through rotational force, but all testing is done with straight-line impact. He compares it to the agitator in a washing machine, which does its work through a long series of quick surges.   Slips, trips, and falls cause the greatest number of injuries on the job site. With these kinds of accidents, the head often hits the ground or another surface and then the neck flexes, resulting in rotational force to the brain.   To discuss this rotational force, Dr. Bottlang often used computer animations. After being disappointed with audience responses to the animations, Dr. Bottlang followed the recommendation of a friend and created a physical simulation with egg yolks in a simulated skull.    OSHA reports more than 54,000 cases of severe head injury a year, but this doesn’t include the cumulative effects of repeated small traumas to brains in sports and on worksites.   With government funding, Wavecel has been able to develop tests that more accurately simulate the dynamics of an actual head impact--including the tiny bit of rotation that often does the most damage.   Dr. Bottlang explains that the foam inside of a type II hard hat protects your skull effectively but can actually increase the rotational force that causes damage to the brain inside of that skull. That’s why he and his partners developed the Wavecel technology that allows the head to rotate slightly upon impact. The cushioning material inside a Wavecel helmet resembles the bendy part of a plastic drinking straw.    Of course, we touch on the topic of style. Wavecel material can go into any style of helmet. As far as construction workers, though, the vast majority still prefer the traditional brimmed style of helmet.    Dr. Bottlang discusses the surprising research results that says the climbing-style helmets are not as effective as type II hard hats when it comes to side impacts. He recommends that you turn your helmet over and see if it’s rated type II.    We proceed to talk about price. Dr. Bottlang draws an analogy to buying a car for your child and said that most of the employers who see the egg video are happy to shell out a little extra money for the Wavecel technology.    Dr. Bottlang’s Megaphone Message: Question what no one else questions. Don’t just assume. Check the rating of your helmet and then dig into what causes most brain injuries. Watch the egg video and realize that most brain injuries are caused by rotational force.    Find Bottlang online: LinkedIn -  Legacy Research Insititute - WaveCel    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we take a break from our usual Friday routine to talk to Ken Flannigan and welcome Dell as a partner of the podcast.    Ken worked in construction for several years before transitioning to work on the software and work stations that enable the industry to do what it does.    Eddie shares about the computer choices he’s made as a small business owner. He’s always aimed to keep the best equipment possible on the desks of his employees.    Ken discusses the challenges of software demands leap-frogging hardware capabilities. He touches on the multiple profiles of employees who need different things from their computers.    We discuss some specific challenges we’ve encountered with GPU capabilities that aren’t properly aligned with the task and the software, whether it’s Enscape or Twinmotion.   Our experience with these challenges is the reason that we’ve decided to welcome Dell as a sponsor. You can check them out here! Dell.com/Precision   Find Ken Online: LinkedIn   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rich Racz has been working as an engineer within the construction industry for seven years. He started out in Massachusetts and then jumped over the entire continental US to settle in Portland, Oregon.   We start today’s conversation with some talk about engineering classifications. Rich is a PE working on an SE. This means his license is in professional civil engineering, but he is on his way to qualifying as a structural engineer.    Most of Rich’s projects involve steel, concrete, and masonry. These projects are usually broken down into two phases: The design phase, in which you work with the owner and architect to design the frickin’ thingThe construction-administration phase, in which the engineer works hand-in-hand with the contractor to  build the thing   Rich works closely with the architect on each project, who usually hires him to help pursue the owner’s vision. Often, the owner and the architect have a rough vision that requires a great deal of clarification with help from the engineer.    Rich points out that architects’ desires for structures are often focused on “spanning further with a thinner profile.” The job of an engineer is to help the architect achieve as much of that vision as possible safely.   We discuss the value of questions going both ways in the engineer-contractor relationship. Rich says he likes it when contractors ask questions. He appreciates the desire this shows to synchronize efforts.    We ask Rich to share some advice with contractors. Here are his thoughts:  Preparing RFIs: Have a possible solution in mind before you point out a problem. Submittals: Be sure to do your due diligence during the submittal phase. Avoid the need for a revise-and-resubmit. Prioritizing RFI’s and issues onsite: On this point, Rich is more interested in hearing a designer/contractor’s perspective rather than sharing his own insights. Eddie says that he would find it helpful to have a more honest, forthright project schedule. What is truly critical. How can we reduce the sense of false urgency. (Easy rule: If there’s a crane onsite, it’s truly hot.)Pick up the phone: If the engineer fails to acknowledge a truly hot RFI, pick up the phone and talk to him or her about it. You might be surprised at how this builds relationships.   Eddie asks if engineers are “trained in the art of ‘no’.”  Rich shares his thoughts, leading to a discussion about billable hours, profit margins, and hundred-year accountability.    Eddie asks if the scope of design needs to grow and expresses his support for a shared-savings model. We kick around some possible different approaches to pricing engineering and design work (including consideration of PITA fees).   Rich’s Megaphone Message: Don’t be afraid to branch out into your areas of weakness. Attack those in order to become a more well-rounded professional. Don’t pigeonhole yourself because you’re scared. (Tyler’s paraphrase: “Discomfort=growth.”) Find Rich online: LinkedIn  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You used to call me on my cell phone…” Well, you didn’t “used to,” but you can now.   The Construction Brothers are now available by voicemail!    “By voicemail?” You say?    Yes, by voicemail. Here’s what we have in mind with this dedicated phone line: We want to hear from you. We want to know… What problems are you dealing with on the jobsite?What’s causing headaches in the office? What industry trends have you excited–or concerned?What funny workplace situations have you experienced recently?     The number is 512-THE-BROS (512-843-2767) Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of Andrew Brown’s life in construction starts on September 11, 2001. Andrew was a 23-year-old IT worker on Wall Street. When the towers fell, Andrew and a friend decided that they had to help. They headed toward Ground Zero and somehow made it through all of the checkpoints.    After watching so many tradespeople pour themselves into the rescue efforts–most of them with little PPE, Andrew found himself wondering what he could do to support these hardworking people. A couple months later, Andrew put in his two-week notice and started a business with his brother. Together, they started an online tool company.     Last year, Andrew decided to post some videos sharing what he’s learned over two decades of behind-the-scenes work in the construction industry. The videos gained more and more views, and then one went viral. He realized he was on to something. Tyler shares his appreciation for the simply informative, non-promotional tone of Andrew’s videos.   We ask Andrew to share some thoughts about the labor-shortage issue within the construction world. He says that the narrative needs to change in homes and schools. We need to flip the script on the old-school threat that poor academic performance will sentence you to a life in the trades. That outcome needs to be seen as the reward that it is rather than as a punishment.   We ask Andrew to outline what he thinks can increase the number of young people who aspire to learn a skilled trade. Andrew suggests giving them the bigger picture of where construction fits into the big picture. Then it’s important to help them see the opportunities for working your way up the ladder—possibly toward owning your own business.   Tyler points out that a significant number of people who are currently in the field of construction didn’t even zhead that direction purposefully. Many have kind of stumbled into it from peripheral fields or through jobs they thought would be temporary.   Andrew piggybacks on that idea and emphasizes the importance of looking for people who might enter the skilled trades through unorthodox routes. The various in-roads must be made clear. Construction companies need to make a concerted effort to sell young people on how a career in construction contributes to society.    Eddie shares about a recent high school event he attended where 30 high school seniors shared their career plans. He got the sense that most of them had simply Googled the salaries for various jobs. There was an inordinate number of nurse anets… nurse aneth… nurse anesthetists. (Why don’t they just change that term, for Pete’s sake. Even some of these people who work in the field struggle with it.)    Tyler says that it’s important to help people see not just a promising salary but to also help them see a positive workplace experience. Andrew shares his opinion that most young people want immediate gratification. He says that the challenge is for the industry to communicate a cohesive message about the opportunities. He also makes the argument for returning shop class to school.    Eddie refers to the sense of pride, confidence, and long-term comfort that comes with mastering a broad range of basic construction skills. When you know the basics of plumbing, electrical, framing–all of these things position you not just for employment but also for self-sufficiency.   We step away from the skilled trade conversation for a minute and ask Andrew about the coolest tool he’s seen recently. He mentions a robotic rebar-tier.    Andrew’s Megaphone Message: We have a skilled trades gap. We can’t be reactive. We need to be proactive. We need to be out there discussing the benefits of plumbing, welding, and the other trades. From teachers and guidance counselors to parents and industry representatives, we need to show young people the picture of what success can look like in the skilled trades.   Find Andrew online: LinkedIn - Toolfetch - YoutubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Tyler shares about a specific moment that sticks in his memory. Numerous tasks and deadlines were bearing down on him, and the pressure culminated in a mysterious leakage from his eyes.    Nobody’s immune to being overwhelmed. What matters is how you decide to cope. Tyler’s advice: Talk to someone. Acknowledge the weight you’re feeling. List the parts of the load that’s creating the overwhelm. Listen openly to the objective insights that person can share about how you can address your current challenge. Pick a lane. Address the one element of the load that can most easily be addressed.Put systems in place to prevent the return to the state of overload. There are ways to avoid it.    We wrap up this episode with a debate about whose analogy works best for the sensation of being overwhelmed. Feel free to share your own analogy if you are unimpressed with ours.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Wies is the president of Wies Drywall and Construction, a St. Louis company that has been in his family for three generations. He also enjoys contributing to the community–by providing quality service customers as well as training and growth opportunities to employees.   Dan sees it as his job to make the general contractor the hero. “My name should never be in your mouth in a bad way,” he says to general contractors.    The key to staying effective, profitable, and safe, Dan says, is having a really solid team that can execute consistently. This is the key to owners and contractors who are not frustrated.   We ask Dan to discuss some of the pain points of drywall work. He touches on these things: Ensuring that you aren’t just treated like another bidder on bid day - This means being clear about the scope of bids.  Standing out in an increasingly complex construction landscape - This means being clear and consistent about their focus. It also means innovating–creating systems that are more efficient.Timing production runs to ensure that storage space doesn’t overflow before a site is ready for the parts.    We discuss panelization and modularization. Dan explains that these approaches help him help general contractors move projects along at a faster pace. Having a Revit specialist on the team enables him to respond quickly when a contractor needs to plan a change.   Dan explains his company’s use of FRAMECAD, a roll-forming machine (See a video here). Dan compares it to the equipment used to form eavestroughs–but with substantially greater capabilities. Their machine can form anything from a 2” stud to a 50-footer. And it can do this while operating at an almost zero-waste level.   Eddie points out that the average person–even someone who works in the construction industry–doesn’t have a clue how complex the work is that is done by larger drywall operators like Wies’s company. Our perceptions are seriously outdated and simplistic.   Dan shares a bit about how they’ve recruited and trained designers and computer operators. Then we move on to discuss the challenges of sourcing roll-forming equipment from New Zealand in the middle of the pandemic. Surprisingly, Dan said it didn’t take them as long as it’s taking some people now.    Fitting that cool new machine into the workspace, though… Well, Dan just decided to buy a whole new facility. That facility is now so busy that it’s just busting at the seams. That creates a storage issue, since this material can’t sit outdoors for long periods of time. This means their space is totally overloaded–and then it’s suddenly empty.   We discuss the advantages and challenges of new technologies such as laser scanning. It’s important to weigh the huge number of pros and cons before integrating a new system. It’s also important to keep quality and consistency at the forefront of the decision-making process.   Dan’s Megaphone Message: If we, as an industry, don’t start adopting digital processes, we’re doing ourselves an extreme disservice.   Find Dan Online: LinkedIn - Wies Drywall and Construction   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well. It’s debatable.  What is the best day for project deadlines? Eddie thinks it’s Tuesday. For a long time, he thought it should be Friday, which makes sense in your head. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t usually operate in accordance with the vision in your head. Monday (according to Eddie’s work rhythm) is a very productive day, but it’s also a day that is overweighted with managerial duties.  On Tuesdays, almost everyone is still around, in contrast to a Friday afternoon. Tuesday leaves time for contingency.  So, there you go. If you have the opportunity to pick a deadline for your project, make it a Tuesday. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It feels like this episode should come with an image of Max Headroom in a hard hat. (If you’re younger than 40, we’ll let you research that reference.)    Our guest today is Marty Beard, founder of alwaysAI, a company that uses AI to expand the functionality of basic video cameras. To see a more detailed overview of alwaysAI technology, see this article, which includes a video with Marty. He and his founding team saw what was happening in AI in relation to voice and realized that vision was likely to have an even greater connection with AI.   Marty explains that an AI model can be built that is able to identify helmets, goggles, vests, and anything else visually identifiable. Rather than directly programming the computer through code, their approach uses machine learning. The operator presents the computers with as many varied images as possible of the objects to be identified, allowing the computer to recognize patterns after asking, “What’s this?” dozens, hundreds, or thousands of times.   Each safety-centered application of this technology has its own “safety index” connected to a metric. A construction company, for instance, might have a threshold of 75% compliance. If safety-gear compliance drops below that point, action must be taken.    Marty gives an example of a timber-processing facility that needed AI to distinguish between single boards and stacks of boards. It was also able to spot knots that might cause saws to bind and kick, giving operators a helpful heads-up.   Getting into the nuts and bolts of the process, Marty explains that most of the video footage they work with is gathered by inexpensive IP cameras. That visual data is then gathered on a computer for analysis. The algorithm that does the learning (technically called inference) exists either on this computer or in the cloud. The data is analyzed in accordance with customized programming, and then the software pumps usable output data to the user and issues notifications.    Eddie asks for some of the most interesting applications of this technology. Here are a couple that Marty mentions: Mining companies that analyze how long it takes to go through all of the phases in the entire mining cycle - Amazingly, this can be done with just a couple cameras watching … This data enables them to improve their efficiency by maybe 1% each day, which could translate to $100,000 a day. Fast food companies that analyze their burger-assembly process in order to cut wasteful stepsA defense contractor that does night-time object detection to assess threatsBody-movement analysis in sports–comparing positions and movements to scoring outcomes   Tyler raises a question that is an obvious one from the ground-level perspective: What do workers think about this? Marty explains that privacy concerns are most directly addressed by blurring faces and communicating actively with workers. He also shares thoughts about how automation in construction has been accelerated due to the labor shortage that started during the pandemic.    Not surprisingly, Eddie brings the discussion back to sports, and Marty explains the various ways that AI is being used to help high-end athletes avoid injuries. We then relate this to construction, speculating about how repetitive-motion injuries and long-term back injuries can be avoided.    We discuss what Silicon Valley calls “virtual perimeters,” boundaries that can be set on the software so that alerts can be triggered when workers or customers enter an area of danger.    Tyler asks Marty to make some predictions. He makes a couple speculations. Then Tyler shares about his wife signing him up for the vehicle-tracking program that allows them to save a few bucks on insurance if they manage to implement safe driving practices.    We get down to money. Here are some ballpark figures that Marty gives us:  5-10 cameras would cost up to $1500.The analysis device for this would run $600-$1000. The SAAS platform (which the customer can then program to their specifications) might be $50,000.     Marty’s Megaphone Message: The coolest thing about the construction industry is that it’s real stuff. It has this image of not being “techy.” People heading into a new career should consider exploring the interesting new tech aspects of construction.    In case you’re wondering, Tyler can’t remember if dog food ads showed up on his phone feed after this episode, but a sample package of dog food did show up on their doorstep randomly a week or so later…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve seen the title. What would you guess we’re going to say? The planning? The signing of the deal? The groundbreaking? Well, we believe that the most important part of most (if not all) projects is the finish line. At the beginning of a project, it’s usually relatively easy to be optimistic.  The during part certainly has its frustrations. Deadlines loom, though. And people–especially owners–care about them. That’s why the end, matters the most. The end is the part of the project that most customers will remember most clearly.  There’s no feeling like being handed the keys to a sparkling new, beautifully finished building. Giving that feeling to your customer will set you apart from the competition.  The End  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So… Sometimes we get going and we just can’t stop. This episode was supposed to be a Five-Minute Friday. Oh, well. It’s important stuff.    We recently posted on LinkedIn about how difficult detailing is. Clearly, we tapped into a deep reservoir of discontent. Dozens of people shared about the results of stress they experienced as a detailer.     Employees are human. Humans make mistakes. Even the best detailers will occasionally miss something.   If you get 100 things right and miss one thing, the one thing is what you’ll hear about.    Eddie discusses two movie scenes and a recent NFL incident that serve as analogies for effective and ineffective leadership in reaction to failures:  In the movie They Were Soldiers. One of the younger soldiers makes a mistake while calling in coordinates for a strike. This mistake results in the death of some of his fellow soldiers. Immediately, his superior officer comforts him and tells him to keep doing what he’s been trained to do. In The Pacific, a similar situation occurs. As the soldiers are examining the results of this mistake, this supervising officer fails to lift up the soldier who had made the mistake. In the Chiefs-Bengals AFC Championship game, Joseph Ossai pushed Patrick Mahomes just after Mahomes had run out of bounds. (Trigger warning - If you’re a Bengals fan, we don’t recommend watching this clip.) In the press conference, one of Ossai’s teammates serves as the watchdog, ensuring that reporters don’t hound him excessively about that mistake.   In each of these situations, the leaders and the peers of the person who had made a mistake. The fellow player in the Bengals press conference and the superior officer in They Were Soldiers made the same crucial decision: They chose to recognize the vulnerability of the person who had made the mistake.    We all know this. We know that personal encouragement is important. But acting on that knowledge requires effort and resolve.    Change comes one person at a time. One mindset at a time.    It’s tricky because a competitive atmosphere can sometimes be helpful. If it’s only competition, though, that’s a recipe for trouble.    Eddie comments on the number of overseas detailers who chimed in on that LinkedIn post. We discuss how workplace conditions may be even less hospitable in some of the places that handle offshored work from US companies.    We discuss the shifts that have taken place over the last several decades–specifically as it relates to the amount of face-to-face human interaction within our physical spaces. And all of this is now accessible to us 24 hours a day. Many detailers have gotten up during the night to check something that’s keeping them from sleeping.   Today, the velocity of the industry and the amount of information we have to deal with daily have increased significantly. Our mental bandwidth, however, has remained the same. That increased volume in a pipe with limited capacity–that’s where the anxiety comes from.    So what can we do about it? We discuss a few simple steps that can help:  Be disciplined about your morning routine. Set a mindset that reduces the likelihood that you’ll turn to junk food, caffeine, drugs, or alcohol to cope with the inevitable stress. Be that teammate that stands up for the guy next to you.When you see stress ramping up and can tell you’re about to lash out at someone, detach. For just a short time, step away physically from the workspace and cool down before you speak.    We mirror the behavior of the people around us. If the atmosphere of your workspace is miserable, make a difference. Treat people the way you want to be treated. If you want the benefit of the doubt, then give your coworkers the benefit of the doubt (as Wally says).    If you’ve really screwed up and mistreated a coworker, consider attempting to address that situation.    So, anyway… There’s today’s 40-minute Five-Minute Friday.   Have a good week, and treat somebody awesome!   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yup, it’s another baseball analogy.  Catchers are seen as the capital–almost a quarterback–because they have the whole infield in front of them. They’ll tell the pitcher things he already knows.  More than anything, this extra communication is intended to train the players’ brains to be able to respond without thinking. It’s a group rehearsal of what needs to happen reflexively.   In business, deliberate communication is equally beneficial. If you’re the leader, it’s your job to keep the important stuff in the forefront of your team’s minds. Make sure they’re preloaded for the thing that you know is just around the corner.  You may feel like an old man repeating himself, but that’s a heck of a lot better than dropping the ball on an project.  This is not to say that you should ramble. Be deliberate. Be concise and repetitive about the essentials. A team that communicates in this way is much more prepared for success than a team that assumes everyone is clear on the expectations.  For those of you who are less baseball-literate, Tyler wraps us up with a parallel from The Office.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Scroll to see loads of links to videos of the tech mentioned in this episode.)   Tyler Williams is an innovation man. Within the first couple decades of his career, he worked as a union carpenter, estimator, project manager, and superintendent. Then he reached the point where he felt like he was losing passion for his work. He wanted to make an impact.   This drive to make a difference prompted him to set a goal of making it onto DPR’s innovation team. It took a couple years of proving himself and pitching the decision-makers, but he eventually got there.     You can imagine how satisfying it would be to test equipment in the field and then advise the maker on improvements. That’s one of the things Tyler gets to do.    But when Tyler shows up on the worksite, he’s not trying to keep his boots clean. He gets mucky. He’ll grab a rake and help a concrete crew. He knows that you have to show what you know in order to get the trust of your audience.    We ask Tyler to share about new tools in the field. He’s ready with a list. Here are a few we discuss: Smart Tag trackingThe exoskeleton suitThe JaibotDusty the layout robotVita spin control, which has gone from… helicopter rescue applications to construction cranesMilwaukee’s battery-powered trowels, and concrete vibratorsJLG’s self-leveling boom lift (not quite as new as some of these others but still interesting.)Hyperframe metal studsLive-Dig Radar (It’s as amazing as it sounds)   Tyler shares about the importance of having street cred when introducing new technologies to the people who might be able to make use of them. Eddie recalls how the Dusty (layout robot) team needed to put eyes on the robot in order to keep workers from getting annoyed and angry and kicking the robot on the worksite.    We discuss the massive benefits of industry crossover, starting with a conversation about a helicopter-rescue technology that has now worked its way into construction cranes. (See link above)   He shares about a skeptical boom-lift foreman who reluctantly tried a VR training program and literally fell off of his chair before calling it the best thing he’s ever seen.    These technologies open a door for prospective employees who might not otherwise think about getting into construction. They both lower the barrier of entry in some respects and bring greater diversity to the forms of work to be done.    Tyler touches on some QR-code-based information/instruction that can dramatically increase the ease of information-sharing. We also discuss the possible intellectual-property tensions that arise with this sort of tech.   The last technology we discuss is live-dig radar. (See the link above.) Some municipalities are already requiring all excavators to use this technology.   Tyler’s Megaphone Message: Let’s partner as an industry–even with competitors–and work together to adjust the direction of construction. Let’s work together to help people see that construction is freaking cool.    Find Tyler Online: LinkedIn    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We could have called this episode “Leave me the heck alone!”    If you’ve ever… Well, if you’ve ever had a job, you’ve probably gotten tired of a manager breathing down your neck. Nobody wants to work for a helicopter manager.    Then again, if you’ve ever worked as a manager, you’ve probably dealt with employees who don’t know what they’re doing–at least at first.   The secret is to provide guidance thoughtfully and then check for understanding. Remind yourself what it was like to be in the newbie’s spot–both in the need for guidance and the need for autonomy.   Be deliberate in your leadership in order to build a solid, competent team.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“When one door closes, another one… Well, it doesn’t necessarily open unless you have it programmed that way.” This is the kind of portal-related wisdom that Benji Bolick and Mia Merrel bring to the table, and it’s why we asked them to join us today.   People don’t generally think about doors unless they fail to function properly. Doors are just 1-3% of the construction cost, but they cause a huge percentage of the construction headaches. There is so much involved in the way doors play into security, access, and design.   Benji shares the backstory to his door doorkdom. He discusses the school-guard glass demo video (similar to this one).   We discuss the peace of mind that doors give us (although, as Tyler points out, it might not be quite as much as a 20-gauge under your bed).     The door fails that stand out most to Benji are the ones that disregard or violate building codes. He shares about the events that led to the requirement for egress doors to be open outward.     Mia and Benji list some recent trends in doors:  Single-occupancy restrooms with vacancy indicators Wireless doors on short-term rentals Smart garage doors that enable owners to check door status from their phonesIntumescent foam as a fire-prevention door filler Blast-rating requirements on military bases   We explore the central role doors play in the path of egress from any building–something which of course becomes incredibly important in the case of a fire or other emergency.    Benji explains the importance of doors in preventing building damage from tornadoes and hurricanes. Mia refers to tests like this one that simulate the forces of such storms.     Mia talks through the testing procedures, and Tyler tries to persuade her to take a demotion to return to her job in the testing lab.    ADA compliance is arguably the most significant factor in doors over the last few decades, so we discuss its effects on door design. Although these measures are required by code only on public buildings, Mia explains the benefits of considering ADA design features in homes.    We discuss the fact that architects are sometimes annoyed by doors but that door-design must be considered very early in the process in order to ensure full functionality and code compliance. Benji and Mia have whole teams who consult on these issues with architects, designers, and contractors. Benji mentions the Norman door. (See a journalist complain about it here and then track down the original Norman.)   Benji shares a nightmare story about the Luxor hotel that incurred a million dollars in extra last-minute door-related cost overruns due to a single error repeated a couple thousand times.    Megaphone Messages:  Benji: Contractors, if you value-engineer something, please don’t value-engineer the hardware. There are a lot of design and accessibility issues involved there. You want people to have a strong handshake with your building.Mia: If you have questions about how to install something, call somebody who knows what they’re doing.   Find Benji and Mia online: The Door Hardware Nerds Youtube Channel - Benji on LinkedIn - Mia on LinkedIn    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JFK knew the importance of alignment and clarity. When he set a vision for how the US would beat the Soviet Union in the space race: put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Not all leaders are so clear. It’s easy to assume that your team has the same clarity you do about your goals. It’s essential to communicate clearly and often about your vision and the goal.  Tyler shares the Belgian draft horse analogy that you’ve probably heard but that is still a very powerful one. A team that is clearly focused on a shared goal can be substantially more powerful than a mere group of individuals. Eddie discusses macro-alignment and micro-alignment as it relates to picking and cultivating the right people for your team.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions of tons of lumber goes to landfills every year. Eric Law is out to change that. Eric and his team at Urban Machine have designed a machine that automates the removal of nails and screws from reclaimed lumber, making that lumber usable again.      Eric explains how he settled into this niche. He spent 20 years working in various parts of the technology and construction industries. He was leading a sustainability initiative when he noticed that steel and concrete get recycled but the lumber was all going to the landfill. What kept it from being reused or recycled? Well. It was the nails, of course.    He approached Andrew Gillies and Alex Thiele about using automated robots and computer vision to address this problem. The three of them decided this was a solution worth pursuing, and they launched Urban Machine.    Here’s the process:  Humans take out the big, ugly fasteners.They polish up the remaining fasteners to help the machine spot them.A device resembling a bird beak removes those remaining fasteners.The piece goes through a metal detector to ensure that the piece is clean.   Eric shares about the first few iterations of the machine. After a mishap with the first large stationary model, they decided to make the unit mobile. It is now mounted on a 40’ flatbed truck.   Computer vision enables the operator to see a cross-section of the wood and provide several data points not usually available for individual pieces purchased from the lumber yard. The team is working toward the inclusion of a QR code that will share this info with the end user and take them to a website that shares the wood’s back story.    Eric explains that their equipment enables them to do extensive examinations of reclaimed glue-lam pieces in order to ensure its structural integrity.    We discuss Urban Machine’s business and pricing models. Sometimes they work with owners who want to reuse lumber during a remodeling project. In this case, they receive a dollars-per-board-foot rate to process lumber to be reused onsite. In other cases, they partner with demolition companies and then resell the lumber.    The machine has an impressive design volume of 2.5 million board feet per machine per year. That’s 16,000-20,000 board feet or about a truckload a day for each machine.   As the team handles more projects, they’re working toward formulas to more accurately estimate the amount of reclaimable lumber in particular types of buildings based on the building’s construction and age.   We discuss Urban Machine’s future. By 2024 they plan to have 12 trailers ready for different markets around the country. Beyond that? Well, it would take 6,000 of their machines to capture 50% of the wood that’s thrown away in the US each year.    We discuss the massive sustainability benefits of reducing dependency on virgin lumber that needs to be kiln dried. Then it needs to be trucked across the country. We also touch on the possibility of carbon credits. “Every metropolitan area is a forest for us,” Eric explains.    Eddie asks about how the demolition process needs to change in order for the wood to remain intact enough to be run through the machine.    We wrap up with some speculation about the ripple effects of this kind of reclamation into peripheral businesses for distributing and using reclaimed wood.   Eric’s Megaphone Message: We can create a circular economy for wood. And we can do it in a way that doesn’t just save money but also reduces environmental impact and includes the back stories and historical connections of wood.   Find Eric Online: LinkedIn - Urban Machine’s Website  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we welcome you to join us as we revisit some family drama. Tyler shares about reaching the point in the family company where he felt like he had no more room for growth. This resulted in him losing a sense of purpose.   This experience is not an unusual one. In fact, it’s almost universal. If you’re a leader, it’s important to recognize this reality and figure out how you’re going to address it.   Titles are a part of the picture, but title bumps and even pay bumps without substance can leave people feeling unmotivated. Most people want new challenges and new opportunities.    Talk to your employees–those who are joining your team and those who have been around for a while. Get a sense of the trajectory they’re picturing for themselves.   (And, since Milton was mentioned, here’s a highlight reel.)   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For several years now, the shift toward a design-build approach has been gaining momentum. Today we talk to Brian Skripac, the director of virtual design and construction at the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).   Brian’s training is in architecture, but he has worked as a BIM leader for almost 20 years now. He enjoys the opportunities to collaborate and share with the goal of increasing efficiency.    Brian lived through the shift from 2D with AutoCAD to 3D with Revit. He shares about a couple large projects that epitomized that shift and its effects on the relationship between owners and design-builders.    This shift is still underway, of course. You may have observed or experienced the array of concerns that people have when sharing designs. Sometimes it can border on paranoia. Eddie asks Brian to talk about managing risk, and Brian goes straight to a recurring theme from the podcast: trust. He shares his own experience in getting over the road blocks that slow the flow of information among stakeholders.   Brian talks us through an experience he had helping Ohio State University transition from 2D blueprints to BIM models for more than 40 million square feet of their buildings. OSU has tied in site information and a whole range of other elements, all of these linked into a spreadsheet. This required a change-management process that included a plan for converting native files.   We discuss the difference between design-bid-build and design-build. Brian says that design-build is targeted to be 47% of all construction projects by 2025. That’s up from 42% in 2021. This approach is quickly becoming mainstream.    The main difference is that with the design-build approach the owner has a single contract with a design-build team rather than multiple contracts with architects, designers, and builders. This integration–at least when it works well–can streamline the process substantially.    There is an evolution that has to take place in individual roles with design-build. Brian presents examples of how this approach enables designers to spend more time designing rather than communicating. A good design-build team can more efficiently solve a greater number of problems. The cohesive we can function much more nimbly than a group of separate individuals.    We discuss project size and how design-build can work with small projects as well as large projects.   On the education/training side, DBIA is all about design-build done right. They establish universal best practices and then share those in a number of ways. They have a blog, webinars, and an annual conference.  The membership of DBIA is vast and diverse, so there is a rich flow of knowledge and insights.    Brian talks through some of DBIA’s upcoming projects, including exploration of AI.    Brian’s Megaphone Message:  Don’t continue with business as usual. If we can break ourselves from the way we’ve done things in the past, there is great potential for improved communication and increased collaboration. We have to transform.    Find Brian Online: DBIA’s website - DBIA on LinkedIn - Brian on LinkedIn   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s critical in any organization. And it doesn’t come naturally for everyone. All it takes is just a few words. Just take a few seconds to speak up when you see someone do something well. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, your acknowledgement of others' contributions can make a world of difference in workplace dynamics. Let it be simple and organic: a sticky note here, an affirmative head nod there, a single sentence of encouragement after a meeting.  Do it today! Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we talk to Ben Patton of TreeCycle, a Vancouver-based company focused on helping construction companies use more repurposed wood.    While working as an arborist, Ben noticed that 90% of the wood he dealt with was either turned into firewood or wood chips or just thrown in a pile. He found himself wondering why more of this wood wasn’t being used as lumber. One day he dragged a log behind his van and milled it down himself in order to make a coffee table.   This experience and these concerns drove Ben to find some partners and start a company to facilitate the recycling and reuse of wood waste from construction sites. TreeCycle now recovers wood from demolition projects and repurposes it into structured lumbers, dimensional lumbers, raw timbers, siding, and more.   Sometimes Ben’s company handles the process directly, and sometimes they consult with companies who want to handle the process themselves. In those cases, TreeCycle will coordinate site-source separation, clean up the wood, categorize the boards by size and type, and store them for future use.    We explore the financial aspect of reclamation and recycling. An increasing number of customers are willing to invest in reducing their environmental and climate impact. To be sure, this requires some extra time, effort, and money. The cost can be reduced, however, with careful planning. TreeCycle aims to offset the time and expense by saving companies money on lumber.    We discuss how the 2021 spike in lumber prices added some momentum to their operation. Then Ben mentions a few specific products that his company produces:  Cross-laminated timbers (CLD)Dowel-laminated timbersGlue-laminated timbersSubstitutes for pressure-treated wood (including a non-toxic solution that is still being developed)We talk about LEED certification and other efforts toward documenting carbon footprint and discuss approaches that seek genuine change rather than just checking boxes for looks. TreeCycle’s business is aimed to take companies and projects beyond greenwashing and into authentic investment in reducing waste. It’s about sourcing something from 4 miles away rather than 100 miles away.    Anyone who has attempted to repurpose lumber knows that boards can be filled with nails and screws. Ben discusses how TreeCycle addresses these issues and talks about a pending partnership with Urban Machine.   Ben’s Megaphone Message: We need to look toward reducing as much waste as possible. It might take just a little more time and a little more effort, but it is a lot better for the planet if we start making these efforts.    Find Ben Online: LinkedIn, Treecycle Canada Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“In my day, you could get a candy bar for a nickel!”    Different generations have different reference points when it comes to money in general and compensation in particular. And those perceptions play a big role in recruitment and retention of employees.     It’s wise to be aware of your own bias when it comes to matters of compensation. This is true whether you’re in a position to set pay rates for others or you’re simply in a position of working for pay that is set by others.   The market matters more than your feelings. Also, demonstrated competency matters more than your feelings.    Take a look around. See what the fair market value is for your work or the work you’re hiring others to do.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we start out with a little chat about the way that our generational media tastes have influenced us. We touch on Seinfeld (who had a thing or two to say about construction) and radio-recorded cassettes of Frogstomp. Tyler shares what song smashes him emotionally when it interrupts his Hank.   In our 149 episodes, we’ve talked to specialists from just about every step in the commercial construction process. One specialty we haven’t addressed yet is steel detailing.    “Wait,” you say, “Isn’t Eddie a steel detailer.” Well, as a matter of fact he is. How convenient. (If you’re not familiar with Eddie’s company, check it out.)   When someone asks a steel detailer what they do for a living, the answer can be a tricky one. To a layperson–and even to some construction-industry people–the work of a steel detailer sounds like the work of an architect or engineer.    When did the term BIM come into use? Make your guess before listening for the answer.    Eddie shares about his entry into this line of work and learning that steel detailers are not supposed to make the smallest step in a direction other than what they’ve been told to do. An entire project can be brought to a standstill if a single detailer is working on an RFI.    We discuss the actual job description that guides steel detailers: They take the drawings from the structural engineers and turn it into a highly specific deliverable that tells the boot-wearing. They count out the shear plates, the nuts, the bolts. They build a detailed model of the steel structure that is used by an erector team.   This work is incredibly important. A single, tiny error by a detailer on a $20,000 beam can have a terrible financial domino effect. Yes, software does a great deal of the math, but even the best detailing software is useless unless it’s in the hands of a skilled detailer.    Detailers need to work in a hurry. Surprisingly a set of Lego instructions are likely more detailed than some of the shop drawings being produced today despite the amazing computing power we have at our fingertips. Unfortunately, as we discussed in last week’s episode, communication is often lacking. An average 40-ton job (a 10,000 square foot structure) has the potential for about 45,000 errors in the steel assembly alone.    Eddie mentions these industry organizations:  SEI: Steel Engineering InstituteAISC: American Institute of Steel Construction   Aspiring steel detailers need to learn several things: SoftwareAn industryCustomer relationsPatience: You’ll deal with big-time information fatigue. Adaptability: The industry is always evolving. Problem solvingWriting: If you don’t write an RFI thoughtfully, you won’t get the information you need.   Eddie shares about the anxiety that can come with detailing work. (See this related Five-minute Friday episode.) The pressure is substantial because small errors can create huge, expensive problems. This means that you’re double-checking everything multiple times: pre-approval, after modeling, before sending, after plotting, after team review, before fabrication, after change orders… In other words, you’re double-checking all the time.   At the risk of jinxing himself, Eddie says he feels that he has a good team with a good bunch of guys. We discuss the paradox of encouragement and affirmation that is always craved but often brings a cynical response.    What are the joys of detailing? You get to work on large projects and see a wide variety of structures–everything from single-family homes to entertainment venues and high-rises. When you drive past a building that was built with your drawings, you feel a deep sense of pride.    We discuss the confidentiality requirements but also mention at least a couple that we can mention specifically: The National Infantry Museum and Wawa convenience stores in Florida.   We share a couple technical tips for those of you who are detailers. Then Eddie reflects on a few memorable detailing experiences–some good and some bad. Then we wrap up with some overall-construction-industry insights and some personal reflections from the perspective of a detailer.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It sounds so abstract. It is.    Yet it’s so important.   Atmosphere is one of the things that employees look for in a place of employment…   It’s not just about having bean bags and ping-pong tables in the office.    It’s about a sense of comradery and trust. It’s about a healthy workplace culture. Does it feel good to be at this workplace?    It’s not about whether the employer says their company has those things; it’s about whether those things actually define the workplace.    Today we just scratch the surface of the elements that create atmosphere: the architecture of the office, the decor, the way people speak to each other.     In short, it’s about being intentional. A little bit of thought and action can make a difference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have finally cleaned out our podcast studio, which had been converted into a company-Christmas-party venue. We start out today with some post-Christmas chit-chat about the challenges of Lego (or Legos if you’re an amateur), dog fur, and brotherly Christmas-gift arms race. Then we get down to business.    As we kick off our conversation about construction docs, we start with some thoughts about history. It’s currently easier than ever for us to access any and all information… This creates some amusing pronunciation problems: Rivet? Revit?   We’ve come so far from the day of slide rules.    We tend to romanticize the old days, but they were certainly more simple in some respects. This conciseness often led to a greater clarity.    The new tools have made some parts of the process so easy, but so much is still missed.    We find ourselves having to fill in the gaps with safe inferences, estimating upward to cover our butts. This leads to raised costs. Increased time spent in RFI just adds to the problems. (We make a reference to this RFI-related episode.)   We discuss the contributing forces: The owner has a why and a when. They also have financing concerns, insurers, and more. The architects have concerns about the how. They have risk-exposure concerns and legitimate needs for control over the process. Of course the list continues from there through several more stakeholders, each of whom has a legitimate set of priorities.   We discuss early release. Eddie shares about projects that have broken ground with only 30% documentation. He also explains how scope gap can develop in those situations. Details are missed. This sets a troubling precedent and establishes the tone for the rest of the project.    Eddie suggests that most of the industry is currently operating on the border of the minimum standard of care. That’s where bids are set. We talk through the various considerations surrounding some past projects and bids.    When we’re given incomplete plans, we submit RFIs. When the pile of RFIs overloads the responsible parties, the responses they give are insufficient. And the downward spiral of quality continues.    Better planning = a better outcome. Think about how much more productive you would be if you didn’t have to spend any time on RFIs. Surveys suggest most people think they’d be 2.5x more productive. If we can recognize this, our outcomes will be better. When you crunch the numbers, it makes pretty clear sense to invest more time on design.    Communication is easier than ever, but this means good communication is harder than ever. So many notifications! So many messages! It’s up to each person to set aside those distractions and focus on doing the job well.    We’d like to hear your thoughts on these things. Shoot us a message if you have some insights.     Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn   If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we chatted with Bob Goff for a recent episode, he mentioned in passing that he had never lost a case in his work as a construction lawyer. Although he acknowledged that he was a good lawyer, he said the real key to his winning record was that he knew which cases to take.  So often, the key is choosing the right project to pursue. The money is made on the job pick, just as profit in real estate is made on the buy.  Choosing projects poorly can lead to a number of problems. Your employees will be displeased. You’ll be unavailable when a good opportunity comes along.  When you pick your jobs wisely, everything else will go more smoothly. Take the time to think through things. The questions are not necessarily difficult, but it can be easy to forget them when you see dollar signs.  Don’t forget that it’s about profit, not revenue.  Even if you’re not in a position to choose projects, having this kind of mindset can make you a more valuable member of the team.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re looking to hire military veterans, you’ll come away from this episode with some solid action items.   Today we talk to Jay Snyder. Jay is a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force Reserve and has served six years of active duty. He is also the president of Big Blue Innovations, a construction consulting firm. Jay has been in the private construction industry for more than 20 years, and he joins us today to talk about increasing the recruitment of military veterans into the construction industry.    Military vets are exceptionally well-qualified for employment in the construction industry. Jay runs down a list of reasons this: They’re used to rigor and structure. They’re accustomed to establishing a sense of comradery. They understand the value of training and careful execution. They know how to trust their teammates.They have experience adapting to always-changing circumstances.   Jay shares a bit about his experience returning from active duty. He’d been doing project management while deployed. He expected to have a smooth transition from that role into construction. He was surprised to find that the private sector didn’t really understand what he’d done or know how to fit him into their structures. Jay realized that he needed to use different words.    Jay talks through a list of organizations that work with veterans to get them set up on post-active-duty employment. Here are a couple that he mentions: ESGR (Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve): Facilitates communication between veterans and companies who are seeking to employee TAP (Transition Assistance Program): Seeks to prepare service members for their transition back to civilian life. Jay encourages employers to connect with TAP and discuss how they can work together   We discuss how military draw-downs lead to large pools of potential employees. Not all of the people in this pool are looking for immediate employment, but a great many of them are. We discuss the benefits of actively targeting these people for recruitment.    Eddie discusses specific candidate pipelines that companies establish from colleges or training facilities. Jay explains that these pipelines can function like flywheels, requiring very little effort once they’ve been established.   As an industry, we need to communicate as clearly as we can with service members and transition-assistance programs in order to ensure that veterans feel welcome into our field.   Jay's Megaphone Message: The construction industry is in the midst of a huge transformation toward increased sophistication. Much of this transformation is occurring in response to a lack of people to fill positions. Companies that want to take the simpler route should make a concerted effort to recruit veterans.      Find Jay online: LinkedIn - Big Blue Innovations   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we are re-airing a 5 Minute Friday from this past April. Even if you’re not a particularly religious person, you’ve probably heard the Bible verse that inspires today’s episode: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." The best leaders are those who give themselves up for the good of others. People respond to that sort of leadership.  If your primary motivation in the workplace is to promote and protect yourself, people will not line up behind your vision. Leadership requires respect for others. It requires you to empathize with those you’re trying to lead and putting their interests before your own.  Eddie shares a metaphor of a full-to-the-brim cup. If you fill your mind with positivity and thoughtfulness, that’s what will splash out when you’re bumped by challenging circumstances.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest this week is someone we've wanted to interview for a really long time.    Bob Goff is the author of two New York Times best-sellers- Love Does and Everybody Always - He's also a recovering construction lawyer after practicing for 25 years. He is now a writer, speaker and founder of the non-profit "Love Does" dedicated to helping kids in conflict areas.    Bob has been a massive inspiration to both brothers, and we were absolutely honored to chat with him.    Related Links Love DoesEverybody AlwaysDream Big   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's five minute Friday, Tyler and Eddie have the 4th annual reading of the Christmas Story.  We hope that everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!     Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re re-sharing an episode we did earlier this year with Jordan McRae. Jordan is the CEO of Mobilus Labs and one of the inventors of MobiWAN, a communication device that enables users to hear and speak through skull vibrations. MobiWAN was one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Significant Inventions of 2021.   As construction people know, communication on the job site is immeasurably important. It’s also often a serious challenge. Simple, concise communication can be the difference between life and death.    Jordan talks us through the basic physics principles that enable bone-conducted vibrations to register in your inner ear. He explains that MobiWAN has found a place on drilling rigs, in refineries, and in manufacturing. He also discusses new applications they’re exploring within the medical industry, particularly in surgery, where monitors and masks create communication barriers.    We pose some questions about bone-conduction communication, and Jordan patiently answers, drawing a parallel between this technology and MR (mixed reality). These headphones don’t totally bypass the ear, they just deliver the vibrations to the eardrum via bone rather than air.    As you can imagine, noise-canceling capabilities are crucial to effective implementation of this technology in an environment filled with jack hammers, saws, and generators. Amazingly, the flesh and muscle that surround the human skull work as a surprisingly effective filter to exclude noise outside of the body.    Eddie discusses the fact that this technology offers benefits in office workspaces too, where individuals might otherwise wear in-ear audio equipment and therefore have a hard time engaging in conversation with others.   We hear the scary how and why of Jordan’s choice to explore this technology. After studying AI and ocean and space robotics at MIT and at Stanford, Jordan had a scuba-equipment failure that resulted in temporary lung damage. Reflecting on the situation, he found it unacceptable that he was unable to communicate with his fellow diver to ask for help.    This gave him an excuse to innovate. Although he and Mobilus didn’t invent bone conduction for audio, they took the basic concepts and began to explore a new range of applications. For the first few years of Mobilus, Jordan actually had the title of inventor. He would observe, experiment, interview, and explore.    Jordan walks us through the history of audio equipment and how little change there really has been. He also discusses the pride and satisfaction that comes with inventing something and seeing people embrace and build upon that.   Our discussion wraps up with the questions Mobilus had to answer and how they settled on having both flexible systems that simply use Bluetooth 5.0 and more robust systems with a greater number of proprietary solutions. They work with clients to integrate existing platforms and systems, always looking for ways to improve the user experience.   Megaphone Moment:  Jordan wants collaborators. Mobilus wants to hear from people with boots on the ground and discuss how this technology can help them be both safer and more effective in their work.    Here are a few resources in case you’re interested in learning more about MobiWAN’s bone-conduction communication: A video of Jordan discussing MobiWAN at the MIT Start-up ExchangeMobiWAN in TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions ListA 2020 article about Jordan’s company Find Jordan Online:  LinkedIn - Twitter - Mobilus Labs Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s not what you’d expect. Despite all of his work in physics, Einstein is said to have said that the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.  This certainly makes sense in the world of finance, but it goes far beyond that.  It’s about slow-burn, long-process growth on top of growth on top of growth. Its power reaches into personal lives, business lives, creative pursuits–it reaches everything.  We discuss how we’ve seen this with the podcast–and how satisfying it was to see audience growth that came as we plugged away week after week. If you get caught looking around rather than looking forward, you might feel like you’re missing out on something.  We all want to see results quickly. Once you’ve experienced the long-term return on investment, however, you realize the world-changing power of this universal principle. You, too, might begin to feel like you’re less of an idiot than you were five years ago.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to adopting new helmet solutions, it turns out that construction workers are surprisingly fashion-conscious. Today we talk to Rob McKinney about innovations in head protection. Rob is full of insight about the current state of safety practices in the construction industry.   Before we get around to helmets and hard hats, we chat about the Ford Lightning. Tyler shares about his recent experience driving a rented Ford Lightning for a few hundred miles on a trip. We discuss self-driving mode, charging challenges, and a long walk to Five Guys.     Then we move on to hard hat talk. The last couple years have brought significant developments in hard hat technology. For many years, head-protection progress in the construction industry lagged behind other sectors that have high head-injury risk. Some of the innovations that originated in the worlds of biking, snow sports, and motorsports have recently found their way into construction PPE.    We explore the differences between the old-school type 1 helmets and a range of new designs. These new designs address a broader range of impact types rather than focusing almost exclusively on impacts from above.    Rob and Eddie tap into their experiences with head protection on the baseball diamond and the ski slopes. Rob shares about a snowboarding accident, and Eddie discusses those annoying left-handed batters who are always hitting catchers and umps on their follow-through.   Then there’s the issue of appearances. Frankly, nobody wants to look goofy. This concern comes into the picture in relation to colors, overall helmet shape, and chin straps. We’ll complain about chin straps even though we’ve all had a helmet fall into the mud while we’re working on rebar or just on a windy work site.   Here are several other topics that come up in today’s talk:  Issues specific to particular specialties–electricians, for instanceMilwaukee’s lamp clampGel liners to replace or complement foam linersIncreased attention to safety on the part of CEOsThe dilemma created by the increasing cost of helmets The difficulty of establishing standards for all circumstances, environments, and even a broad range of head sizes. The question of pickiness in enforcement. At what point toward the end of a project do we stop nagging?Bone conduction audio devicesAugmented-reality visors   Rob’s Megaphone Moment: Take an honest look at your company. See where you can improve the way you do things. Where is your sore spot? Where are you locked into old ways of doing things? Be willing to reflect, do some research, and then make some improvements.     Links related to this episode:  Procore article that gives a rundown of current helmet solutionsFastCompany article about hard hat innovationsWavecel helmetsMilwaukee’s lamp-clamp helmetThe Ford Lightning  Find Rob Online: LinkedIn - Twitter   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discipline or regret. It’s one or the other.    Tyler shares his morning routine and the challenges of consistency, and we discuss how much harder it is to start a new routine than to maintain an existing one.   Life, especially family life, doesn’t lend itself to consistency.   Discipline is uncomfortable for a time, but regret can last a long, long time.   Discipline=freedom.    By the way, if you’re wondering who Blippi and Meekah are (from Tyler’s morning Dad routine), you can check them out here. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before we go any further, here are three movie scenes that we refer to in today’s discussion. If you haven’t seen these in a while, you might want to refresh your memory: Billy Madison milk sceneCousin Eddie and his RVMatt Foley, Motivational Speaker   Some hail Trevor Owen as the BIM Guru. Some call him BIM Boy. Whatever term you use, Trevor knows BIM. Specifically, he’s the BIM specialist for Hilti. Today we hear Trevor’s thoughts about the influence of building-information modeling on the construction industry.    We start out with some light Christmas-related banter and an introduction to our guest star, Ralph, Jr. Check out the Youtube version of this episode to see Ralph.   Trevor shares how Hilti aims to cut across business units in order to look at each business’s entire workflow. They want to be a productivity partner and solutions provider. We discuss the need for this increased form of efficiency and consolidation because “you can’t throw people at problems anymore. You can’t find the people.”   Hilti’s BIM efforts are focused on model maturity: “If we’re going to leave it in the building, it should be in the model because we have to buy it.” They want to envision and plan the entire process, from prefab all the way to delivery.   Trevor explains that the goal is not just to include more detail but to include more attributes and then process estimates from that.    As a construction guy, Eddie raises some concerns he has with certain aspects of BIM, and we explore those.    Trevor calls upon Billy Madison to explain that when it comes to means and methods, there’s sometimes a dynamic that asks “Who owns it?” He says we need to move from “What’s in it for me?” to “What’s in it for us?”    Eddie speaks up to express his desire for greater automation in the BIM process and points out that BIM is increasingly functioning as the database that we use with automated construction processes.    We discuss the challenges of finding the right people to fill design positions and then to train and retain them. Trevor says “constructability knowledge” is an important skill. Hilti offers a BIM Masterclass that involves 15 weeks of training, culminating in a closing week in The Netherlands.   Eddie and Tyler compare Hilti’s training timeline to Tyler’s as a detailer. Eddie says it was seven years before he was able to declare Tyler “mature” as a detailer (not necessarily mature as a person.)   Trevor’s Megaphone Message: The construction industry has never been as fun as it is now. Construction is fun and has a lasting effect on our children’s lives and their children’s lives.  Find TrevorOnline: LinkedIn - Twitter   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Man, it’s been a long few years. Let’s allow ourselves to step out of the weeds for a minute.   Today, Heady Eddie shares the concept of benevolent detachment and a few other insights from the book Resilient. The message from that book? Sometimes you need to let it go.   You can’t do it on your own.    Sometimes you need to hand your situation off to something greater than yourself. Give yourself the favor of giving up the problem–not surrendering to apathy but allowing yourself to rest.    Step away from the situation in order to rise above it. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5,229 construction workers died by suicide in 2016 (the last year for which CDC numbers are available).    The industry category of “construction and extraction” has a higher rate of suicide than any other industry category.    That’s why suicide is a topic worthy of discussion on a construction-related podcast. That’s why we’re talking to Kevin Sells today.    People who aren’t involved in construction might wonder why in world those numbers are so high. If you are in the industry, however, you know that stress levels increase dramatically when supply chains experience hiccups that affect workflow. Also, many commercial construction jobs involve long stretches of time away from family. Unfortunately, many construction companies have almost no protocols or programs in place for addressing mental health concerns.    Creating a healthier overall bid-build process was the desire behind the new methodology proposed by Project Summit, an initiative that Kevin is involved in. Project Summit is total collaboration strategy intended to get back to a system based on producing predictable cost outcomes through true relationship and trust. The connection that this approach has to suicide is that it advocates a one-hard-hat philosophy that consciously places value on all workers and disciplines. It focuses on putting employees and the project first.   Kevin shares about the frustration–even the embarrassment–that he and others in the industry took so long to recognize this problem.    Kevin points out that we can’t realistically recruit young talent and muscle if we can’t show that we’re concerned about all-around employee wellness. This means considering several things: work site conditions,time away from family,length of the work day,consistency of jobs,availability of medical care for traveling workers,additional concerns that exist with military veterans, who might have lingering.   Kevin explains that it’s about actually listening to and hearing the responses when we ask a coworker, “How are you doing today?”    Kevin emphasizes that no program will work if the leaders within the organization are not genuinely invested in promoting mental health. Leaders must realize their obligation to advocate in this area.   Here are a few specific resources that Kevin recommends for owners and managers interested in addressing mental health concerns with their companies: American Foundation for Suicide PreventionThe Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide PreventionUnited Group Services Youtube Channel (search for suicide prevention)Cal BeyerThe Suicide Prevention Hotline: Phone #: 988Text line: 741741    Kevin’s megaphone message: Our industry has a problem in relation to mental illness. It’s killing more workers than anything else. We need to address it.   (By the way, here’s a link to the Jennifer Castenson Forbes article in which she quotes Eddie.) Find Kevin (and other organizations he mentioned) Online: Kevin on LinkedIn - Project Summit (2021 report) - The Simplar Research Foundation   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frustration can eat you alive.  As Dad used to say, “Don’t let ‘em get your goat.”  Eddie shares that he has yet to be killed by any of the countless frustrations that have distracted him at various points over the years.  There’s always a way to figure something out. Very rarely will a single day’s frustration still be here in a couple weeks.  Allow your “That bothers me” threshold to grow as you gain experience.  This too shall pass. So let it pass. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've heard it a million times: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Today we discuss how to balance the classic moral principle of The Golden Rule with an age-old business maxim: The customer is always right. In the service industry, employees and managers often face challenges when attempting to implement the practice of treating others as you’d like to be treated.  Tyler reflects on a tough job from his younger years, and we discuss how his manager could have handled the process differently.  Any organization that conscientiously puts the golden rule at the center of their operation across the board will likely see great benefits. Not only will customers feel respected, but employee’s will be assured of their value in the eyes of the company’s leaders. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After reviewing hundreds of Architectural sets over the years, here are the main pain points we see most often. - Stair stringers have width - Do final coordination with your engineer before issuing the documentation - Use grids (and coordinate) - Know the actual dimensions of materials like masonry - Dimension walls to face of stud - Be a builder. Not an artist. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you love the undo button as much as us? This week we are talking about mistakes that happen and what we can do to make the situations better.    Topics that we cover: Mistakes happen! How to compare mistakes to baseball Slow down, think- then act!   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people call it by name, and some people refer to it less directly, but anxiety is a real thing. And it can keep you from doing your best work and living a full life.   The experiences we describe in this episode might seem totally unfamiliar to some of you. But we’d bet that some of you are going to find yourself saying, “Hmm. Yup. I’ve experienced that…”   The anxiety we’re talking about in this episode isn’t just the general, mild sense of anxiousness and unease that arises in specific, somewhat stressful situations. We’re talking about clinically diagnosable anxiety, which often involves a racing heart rate, shortness of breath, shaky hands, nervous sweats, and inability to concentrate. It’s a physical and mental state that may keep you from functioning normally on some level.    We discuss the fact that admitting to anxiety can make you feel weak, out of control, and vulnerable. You might be hesitant to acknowledge the reality of the condition because part of the solution may be a visit to the doctor or a counselor.    Both Eddie and Tyler have experienced this sort of anxiety.    Eddie shares the fact that for several years he would feel anxious any time that he was not actively working. He wasn’t able to sleep well, and he’d find himself excessively analyzing things that didn’t need to be analyzed.    Tyler’s experiences started with music performances many years ago. It reached the point where the shaky hands and racing heart led to him avoiding performance opportunities. Then he’d find himself experiencing anger with some of the daily frustrations.    Both of us eventually spoke up about our symptoms and discovered that there are medications and other measures that can dramatically reduce the symptoms and effects of anxiety. Getting help gave us a tremendous sense of freedom.     Our advice: Be willing to admit it. Don’t assume you can wish away these symptoms. Mention it to someone you trust. Then set an appointment to discuss it with your doctor. It doesn’t mean you’re “crazy.” We go to coaches, trainers, and mentors for help in sports, construction–all kinds of areas. Why would the area of mental health be any different?   Even if you haven’t experienced anxiety of the sort that we discussed today, there’s a good chance that someone on your team or in your family has. We discuss some ideas for how you can help someone you’ve seen experiencing these symptoms. Open the door for the discussion.   Megaphone moment: There are tools that can help with anxiety. Reach out and grab them.     Resources: Find a Counselor: https://www.betterhelp.com/How Do You Know If You Have Anxiety: Signs, Symptoms, And When To Get Help: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/anxiety/how-do-you-know-if-you-have-anxiety-signs-symptoms-and-when-to-get-help/What are Anxiety Disorders?: https://www.verywellmind.com/anxiety-disorder-2510539#toc-treatments   Anxiety vs. Depression Symptoms and Treatment:https://www.verywellmind.com/am-i-anxious-4045683   Is Anxiety a Mental Illness?:https://www.verywellmind.com/is-anxiety-a-mental-illness-5271630   How to Help Someone With Anxiety:https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-help-someone-with-anxiety-5089005   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work, family, finances–all of these things are wonderful, but they also cause stress. Sometimes, that stress can accumulate to the point where it becomes something more substantial and name-able: anxiety. It can be easy to downplay symptoms and brush aside concerns, but you’re not doing yourself any favors when you do that.    Today we discuss some signs that might indicate a level of anxiety worth discussing with a health care provider:  Nervousness and irritabilityDifficulty sleeping Avoidance of places that cause stressWorry about things that happened in the pastStress surrounding social interactions   We’ll be circling back around to this topic later, but if you’re feeling some combination of these things with some consistency, it might be wise to share that with someone who can help. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve talked about some complicated things over our 138 episodes. Everything from laser mapping equipment to $15 billion petroleum-processing factories. The complexity of today’s topic exceeds all of those. Today we talk about parenthood. Since we’re the Construction Brothers, our focus is primarily on fatherhood.     Between the two of us, we have eight kids. That’s a bunch of years to travel that long learning curve. We start by touching on some of our parenting highlights: A gross-out story involving massive regurgitationThe year of flu, black mold, and a pandemic A gifted Sharpie artist  A very non-Easter-y egg story (This one’s not for the squeamish.)   Then we proceed to reflect on the challenges, which are numerous. It’s normal to feel like you’re doing it wrong most of the time. Remember that every single kid is going to be unique. They’ll all present you with special challenges and special joys. Some will sleep like… well, like a baby, and some will resist sleep with all of their power.   Here are some more fatherhood nuggets we examine:  How to avoid giving your kids nothing more than your leftoversThe importance of emphasizing relationship over household tasksThe difference between 11:00 Daddy Eddie and 3:00 Daddy EddieThe importance of setting aside time for your wife or partnerThe challenge of mustering energy for late-night time with thirsty philosophers who need a hug The fact that dogs are not the same as kids   Fatherhood is intense. Give yourself some grace.    We hesitate to repeat the cliché, but… It goes so fast. Treasure this opportunity while you have it.   This week’s megaphone message: Be Dad on purpose as much as you can. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we build on last week’s FMF episode, when we discussed the importance of approaching your work like you’d approach a game of chess rather than Fortnite.    It’s about being deliberate–thinking several steps ahead. As a manager, it’s easy to get caught up in the expectation that all progress is visible to an outside observer. The problem is that different human workers function differently. Those who appear to be working the hardest may not be working most intelligently.    Let people take the time to come up with jigs. Provide space for them to roll ideas around in their heads in order to come up with creative approaches to problems. Celebrate the different working styles that various team members bring to the table. These differences will likely increase your company’s productivity in ways that you wouldn’t expect. Focus your managerial monitoring on output rather than what you see during work time.    Don’t kill thinking time. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes you hear a podcast that’s so good you want to produce your own version of it. This episode finds us reflecting on an Entreleadership podcast with Dr. Henry Cloud. Cloud is a bestselling author, psychologist, and leadership expert. He is best known for his popular book Boundaries. (You can see the video version of this podcast here.)  Before we get into all of that useful stuff, though, we watch a dude get reckless and almost blow himself up. It’s another of Ed Davidson’s videos. We then acknowledge that our own backyards are sometimes pretty dang close to that with our crazy s’more-crazy kids. It makes us worry that we might experience something like this KISS cover band lead singer.   The meat of today’s episode is our reflections on Dr. Cloud’s podcast. We run a bit long on this one, but it’s good stuff.  It’s hard to cultivate trust in a business or organization that deals with complex processes and systems. It can seem like someone has a grasp on a process and is ready to meet expectations… Then things can go frustratingly awry.  Five characteristics make up the anatomy of trust (adapted from episode): #1: Understanding - It’s much easier to give someone trust when we feel understood. Most leaders simply want to persuade the people around them. Persuasion isn’t trust though.  #2: Knowing Intent - It’s important to make your intentions for your teammates genuine.  Protect them when they aren’t in the room.Want them to win. #3: Ability - Part of trust is knowing that someone merits it. The right person for the wrong job is the wrong person. Competency matters.  #4: Character - True character is more about the fabric of our being than it is about the outward actions that people see. We’ve said it before: integrity is shown by what you do when nobody is in the room.  #5: Track Record - Humans create mental maps to help us deal with life. Those mental maps are experiences that lead us to expect behavior. If you’re looking for the power of track record, check out the contrasts in loyalty shown to leaders in Band of Brothers.  Our mental mapping leads us to create labels:  The company that misses deadlinesThe project manager that sandbags everyone to get his wayThe hot headThe detailer that never gets it right Today’s Megaphone message: Trust is not owed; it’s built.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we channel our inner Kasparov to discuss the fact that things are better when you think several moves ahead. Whenever possible, it’s best to be methodical and avoid the need to make decisions on the fly.    We discuss how we’ve seen people do this effectively–including a former colleague who would occasionally head to the back room, pop in his earbuds, and do the dishes. Sometimes it even bothered us because not doing anything doesn’t feel or look like hard work. But thinking is doing something. Thinking is working.    It feels counterintuitive to simply marinate in silence, but it’s essential. It enables you to stitch up those seams today so things won’t unravel tomorrow.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re just sitting here talking… but it’s different. For those of you who are listening to the podcast rather than watching the Youtube video: We’ve redesigned our recording space to allow for more movement and some occasional video integration. We’re experimenting with a slightly different format that will hopefully involve some in-person interviews among other things.    Watch the video: https://youtu.be/7yKIf6FrwhU   Also, there might be nachos.   Today, we use our new space to test the new style of safety helmet.   We proceed to discuss that LinkedIn often seems to be for little other than humble brags–except for people like Ed Davidson. Even Dad follows Ed. Here are links to the videos we mention on this tangent: Toronto crane guyEd Davidson’s post about sign installationCar falls into sinkhole   After the hardhat test aggravates Eddie’s back injury, we proceed to the therapy portion of the show, with a focus on Tyler’s first year running his marketing business (Storybuilder Creative).    Because entrepreneurship is tough, Tyler compares himself to Rapunzel.    All of this leads us to the meat of today’s discussion, an exploration of mentorships:  When you’re starting something, give yourself room to bounce around a bit. You can’t learn what works unless you engage in some experimentation.Sometimes that first year of a new venture succeeds only due to grit and willpower.Seeing every obstacle as an opportunity to grow and learn (like Jocko Willink says). Symbiotic mentorship is a wonderful thing–the pairing of two different strengths in a relationship where coaching can happen in both directions. Having to answer questions can force you to learn new things and to rethink things that have become automatic.   We’re better together–like a pair of draft horses whose pulling capacity together is three times the capacity of a single horse.   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com -Youtube - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyler shares about a recent experience with creative shutdown. His new role required a different form of insight than his previous role, and he needed to figure out how to shift gears.   What he learned is that it’s okay to step away from the situation. Get outside. Get away from the pressure and create space for the ideas to grow.   It takes both discipline and openness. And a playful attitude. And also time.   Give yourself the time and space to innovate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Sample is known to many as The Ironman of IT. That title is not metaphorical. He’s an actual “Ironman” athlete and he works in construction-related IT. Jeff has worn many hats within the construction world, but he’s currently the primary host of the ContechCrew podcast and the “Industry Evangelist” for Join, which specializes in helping owners, designers, and contractors improve workflow through increased collaboration. Information Jeff is all about data. Well, to be more precise, Jeff is all about information. He wants to see everyone in the construction industry use data to make better decisions. Jeff helps others use building information modeling (BIM) data to work more smoothly and efficiently. As we discussed what he does, these insights were shared: Contractual obligations can cause digital waste. Our goal should be to encourage collaboration.It’s not data-driven; it’s data-informed. The data is there only to support the human decision-makers. Data leaves room for each party to have their own focus and creative freedom (within reason).The design-bid-build structure creates an adversarial relationship between contractors, which unnecessarily complicates the building process for everyone.Communication is part of our job. We need to help other people make sense of data that means something to us when viewed through the lens of our unique experience.We need to create a climate of collaboration rather than fear of litigation.“Communication is contractual. Collaboration is cultural.”  The Shift Toward Manufacturing We spent a good deal of time discussing the shift toward a manufacturing mindset within construction. We agreed that this will bring as many opportunities as it will bring challenges, and we explored these thoughts:  Wise contractors will niche down because increased specialization is on the way.Robotics will assist to an increasing degree, but they will not replace humans for a very long while.Nuance is not going away. Builders and their “amazing minds” will continue to be essential to the construction process.  Other tidbits and shout-outs in this episode:  Eddie and Jeff are both Adam Grant fans, but Eddie’s fandom has gone further with the hairstyle imitation.Shout-out to Kelly Doyle for his insight that “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast”Props to Pete Dumont for his work toward setting up an OS2.0 for construction so we’re living in a “neighborhood” together  When handed the megaphone, Jeff explains that we need all parties within the construction industry to work thoughtfully and conscientiously toward making a profit. He explains that our ways of thinking have the ability to drive us into a recession, but he reminds us that construction is critical to the success of our economy and our country. We can employ people. We build the environment. We create the infrastructures. We build the supply chains. If you can look at what the country needs and fulfill that need profitably, you can help this recession be a speed bump. You can be a key component of a vibrant economy. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re going all-out with the construction analogies. Yes, it’s poetic. But it’s also pretty darn insightful and valuable.    When you’re a part of an organization, you pass information up and down the line all the time. If you fail to be a reliable link in that information chain, things fail to function smoothly. In electrical terms, if you fail to ensure that the current of information moves efficiently up and down the wire, you’re causing impedance.   When you notice this, seek to resolve the issue by connecting the parties who need to pass information back and forth. Put them in touch with one another in order to increase the quality and efficiency of your organization.    Don’t inhibit. Don’t impede.    Insulate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you need to learn a construction skill or train an employee on a specific skill, Jordan Smith has you covered. Jordan is the Head of Education of MT Copeland (in addition to owning and operating his own design/build firm). MT Copeland provides affordable, professional-grade video courses for specific construction skills. Jordan does several of the videos, but a whole array of specialized instructors also share what they’ve learned in their many years on the job.  Jordan shares how the craziness of COVID led him to head to the shed. He proceeded to turn that shed into a small custom video studio and record construction tutorials. Eventually, Jordan was hired to structure the curriculum of MT Copeland’s construction videos. Now MT Copeland has over 70 hours of video instruction on their website. The content ranges from more big-picture  commercial principles to the mechanics of doing a good paint job. Jordan has come to see that the process of training has two parts: head-knowledge insights and hands-on training. The video content that he and MT Copeland offer is designed to help with the head knowledge. Most trainees then work with practicing local contractors to get the necessary hands-on experience.   Here are some other things you’ll hear in our conversation with Jordan: A discussion about one remodeler who has his crew earn “digital passports” for training on specific tasks such as properly hanging a door. A story about a cynical Irish guy at a trade showA surprise connection between the novel Cheaper by the Dozen (the novel, not the movie) and efficiency in masonry. Connections between proper training and employee retention–as well as some thoughts about how to deal with employees to take off after you’ve invested in training them.  Jordan’s Megaphone moment: If you’re having a hard time finding good people, it’s time to be the person who produces good people. (He actually said “the onus is on you.” Yes, that is a real word, and yes, he used it properly. Check it out here if you’re interested in working it into your next chat with your employees.)  Learn more about Jordan and MT Copeland: MTCopeland.com - Jordan’s design-build company, Smith House, - Jordan’s LinkedIn - MTCopelandmarketing: teams@mtcopeland  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biff is back. This time he’s creating chaos in the water fountain line.    Since Tyler was homeschooled, he never had to deal with the complex social dynamic of “Give me fronts!” The thing is… None of us should have to deal with that in the world of construction.   So Eddie has a message to the general contractors out there: When you tell me that you’ll be done with something on a certain date and then you shift that schedule around–don’t gripe about the fact that my resources are now directed somewhere else. You’ve lost your place in line. I’m not going to penalize the rest of the people in line because you now want “fronts.”     (Sorry we didn’t produce regional dialect versions of this episode for you Midwest “drinking fountain” people and you Wisconsin and Massachusetts “bubbler” weirdos.)     Find Us Online: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a gap in the industry. Few people are doing more to fill that gap than Lydia Burns.  Lydia is known as a senior manager with Allied Construction Industries, a trade group that works on advocacy, networking, and solutions for a variety of parties within the construction industry. Last time we met with Lydia, we discussed her work with K-12 programs that familiarize students with various aspects of construction. Today, we talk about her ambitious work with She Builds a division of ACI that focuses on increasing the number of women in the construction industry. Only 9% of the skilled trade workers within the construction industry are female. This under-representation is the result of everything from corporate hiring practices to parents’ messages to their children. Lydia and the She Builds team work strategically to increase construction interest among women. Here are a few things they do: Address specific reasons that high school girls give for not pursuing a career in construction,Address academic concerns (particularly math),Recruit and train adult women who are shifting careers,Work with everyone from students to executives in an effort to break down stereotypes.   We ask Lydia how guys in construction make the field more appealing to women. Here are some of her thoughts: Avoid offering them help unless they clearly need it.Shut down your inner diner waitress. In other words, don’t call them “honey” or “sweetie.”Talk to women in the industry and ask them for ideas.   Papa Eddie (father of three girls) raises a few concerns. Lydia (second of three daughters) addresses them: Empower your daughter. If you see that she has STEM skills and interest, foster that interest.Remind yourself that there is a diverse range of jobs within the construction industry–and not all of them involve carrying bundles of shingles up a ladder.Seek to increase the possibilities rather than reduce them.Involve them in your construction projects–both around the house and at work.    Lydia’s megaphone (her second time): Start having the conversation in your company and your area. Women can do this work. We’re out there.  Learn more about Lydia and her company: Lydia’s LinkedIn -  ACI - She Builds Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nobody’s going to make sure that you do it. It’s the advance preparation required for a project.    And it’s your responsibility.   You’ll see that Eddie feels pretty strongly about this–understandably so. It’s simply not fair to show up unprepared and then expect someone else to step up and fill the gaping chasm you’ve created.    Take responsibility for your own failures. Admit it. Then you may politely ask for help.   Don’t be a Biff.   Find Us Online: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all see communication disconnects between designers and builders every single day, so today we talk to one of our Dad’s old work buddies, Chuck Colwill. Why Chuck? Because Chuck is an expert in the design-build approach that produces a much more nimble and efficient building team.    Chuck’s work with his firm, Colwill Engineering, is a great example of how to gracefully, creatively navigate the complications that come with supply-chain problems, bureaucracies, labor shortages, and other challenges. The firm’s use of design-build helps them execute projects with impressive efficiency. They’re prepared to handle all MEP work in a way that streamlines problem-solving.     Here are some of the insights Chuck shares: -Everything goes more smoothly when there is early and active communication between designers of a project and those whose hands will be moving the physical pieces.  -Early communication helps everyone. (You’ll hear echoes of our discussion with Ernie Maschner.) -Whether it’s generators or flex duct, unexpected supply-chain complications create problems that can be easily solved by a team who is equipped to formulate quick work-arounds.  -Client expectations haven’t changed much since Chuck and Dad Campbell were running together, so changing industry dynamics are forcing contractors to tighten up the process wherever we can.  -Siloed organizations simply can’t compete with the agility of a well-managed design-build company.   -Design-build firms do have some unique challenges. For example, it’s essential for their leadership teams to thoughtfully align the supply chains and manpower needs on multiple overlapping projects.   In the megaphone moment, Chuck coins the term “three-bid-itis” to describe the mess that leads to the cheapest guy building the most expensive design. Chuck says the solution to this problem is to go open-book with subcontractors so that a general contractor can go with the person he or she trusts and then move forward with confidence that things will be done well.  Learn more about Chuck and his company: Chuck’s LinkedIn -  Colwill Engineering Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yup. Just two brothers talking about fartlek.    Life is busy. It’s easy to let physical fitness fall by the wayside. Today we step aside from professional concerns and into this area of personal improvement. We share a bit about our own experiences with physical training–specifically running.    Fartlek is a Swedish term. It refers to a kind of training that involves varying the pacing, intensity, and length of workouts. We’ve both experienced the benefits of this and other deliberate approaches to our fitness regimen.    Listen in as we geek out about VO2, glycogen stores, and mud runs. Then get out there and hit the road!   Find Us Online: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie wore khakis and a button-down shirt to the office every single day for his first couple years in the office. He felt like this was a necessary part of showing that he took his role seriously. Tyler followed Eddie’s fashion leadership… for about a month.  Now, both of us wear jeans and a t-shirt to the office every day. And there is purpose behind this choice. This isn’t an episode about fashion, but more an episode about questioning your motivations for doing things.  Here are some touchpoints from our chat: We are surprised but deeply honored that there are actually people out there who have watched 100 episodes! It’s beneficial to ask, “Why do we do things the way we do?” The willingness to confront this question sends a message of respect to everyone in the organization. When there’s room for freedom and comfort in the process of delivering quality work, then it’s probably wise to embrace that freedom and comfort.Having a personal uniform–even if it’s a somewhat casual one–can help enhance a sense of consistency.If you need to monitor the mouse movement of your remote workers, it’s probably time for you to examine your hiring practices and your company’s culture.Team dynamics suffere when the supervisor is a clock-Nazi. The key? Focus on the outcomes.  Also, Tyler quit drinking coffee so prayers are appreciated. 🤣 Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we focus exclusively on the price of the bid, we risk finding ourselves working with people we can’t depend on. At the same time, we all know that our industry is built around profit.    Teams work best when there is balance between profit and relationship. This requires trust. When trust is present within and between crews, a project runs more efficiently and results in a better end product. On top of that, the process is more enjoyable for everyone.      Find Us Online: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you work in construction, you know that we have a problem. We need more young people! Someone needs to connect the countless dots of classroom learning, workplace skills, career awareness, and student interests. Lydia Burns is that connector of dots.  More formally, Lydia is known as a senior manager with Allied Construction Industries, a trade group that works on advocacy, networking, and solutions for anyone within the construction industry. Lydia’s specific focus is on the Construction Career Center, and even more specifically their K-12 programs, which work to familiarize students with various aspects of construction. The goal of these programs is to increase the number of young people heading into construction.  Here is what the ACI program does: Takes a systemic, big-picture approach to increasing student awareness and working them toward actual jobs,Fosters relationships between companies and groups of students as early as 5th grade,Seeks to reduce the anxiety many students feel regarding the math skills that are foundational to jobs in engineering and construction,Helps schools develop and implement project-based learning curriculum focusing on connecting math lessons to the real-world applications,Engages students in an actual small-scale construction project within the school building,Coordinates sequential training: 7th-grade framing, 8th-grade pipefitting, 9th-grade electrical, and so on. As you can imagine, there are challenges to this kind of work. Changing public school curriculum takes time. Putting a bunch of inexperienced high school kids in the middle of a mock construction project has risks. It’s difficult to coordinate the schedules and align the instruction of various educators and contractors.     Here are some of the things ACI does to meet these challenges:  Becomes familiar with the entire public school administrative structure within a state and district;Facilitate communication and policy alignment among OSHA, insurance companies, attorneys, and schools regarding the presence of minors on work sites; Establishes and enforces GPA requirements and other eligibility requirements for participants;Equips classroom teachers with lesson plans that focus on hands-on-learning .  As a result of their work, ACI in the Cincinnati Public Schools has seen students receive industry-recognized credentials before they leave high school.  Here are some other bits and pieces from this episode: Tyler and Lydia share their own frustrations with math back in the day.We explore how working in residential construction can lead to work in industrial construction. Lydia explains the message she communicates to school districts: “Hope is not a strategy.”We celebrate that most state departments of education have finally acknowledged that not everyone should be heading to college.  Learn more about Lydia, ACI, and their programs: Lydia’s LinkedIn -  ACI’s web page - Info about ACI’s k-12 Program Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unclear expectations, scope creep, “Dude, that’s not my job!” Regardless of the phrasing, you’ve experienced it if you’re a contractor or a sub. Today we discuss how to avoid it.   What’s the answer?    Refine.  Be clear.  Empathize.    Find individuals who are masters of their specialties. Define the job you need each person to do and then hold yourself to those boundaries.    That’s the message of today’s Five-Minute Friday.    Find Us Online: Website - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wally’s range of experience is more diverse than most. Who would have guessed that the Notre Dame leprechaun (yes, he was the official leprechaun for a year) would work his way to the rank of commander in the marines and pilot AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters? Eventually, Wally worked his way into construction leadership with FMI Consulting. Now Wally works as a public speaker and consultant, inspiring people in various fields to become better leaders. In our chat with Wally, we discuss the leadership principles that build strong, productive businesses where employees want to contribute and stick around. Wally says that it’s about a range of things that boil down to a culture built on what he calls “micro trust.” Here are some bits and pieces   Advice Wally gives leaders: The daily huddle is one of the best tools you have every day.Credibility is essential.“Your behavior as a leader drives the behavior of other people.”If you put barriers in front of new people because you experienced barriers, you’re shooting yourself in the foot (and harming your business).Beware of short-term thinking that can compromise long-term results. Innovate.“You can’t create greatness in a company if you don’t share information.”Begin with the end in mind. Show respect for the individual. Give them tools that work.   Advice Wally gives today’s followers (tomorrow’s leaders): Show up, shut up, and perform.Have an open mind. Give your leaders some leeway to make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.Pay your dues. If you’re good, you play.Don’t withdraw to your own echo chamber.   We discuss the fact that the construction industry is a crazy world. There’s a huge range of complications and every single day. Yes, it’s important to get the job done, but the job doesn’t get done if you don’t take human dynamics into consideration. Leadership development is personal development.    Wally’s Megaphone Message:  Jerks don’t win. “We” is better than “me.” Seek to make the pie bigger for everybody. Seek to get new people into the building.  Find Wally Online: His FireStarter Speaking page - His LinkedIn page  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie on LinkedIn - Tyler on LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nature’s timelines can seem unfair. The same is true of professional timelines. It can leave you feeling left behind. Our message: Cut yourself some slack! Stay the course! Don’t rush it!    Keep learning, and watch for opportunities to combine your passions, skills, and experience into something meaningful.     That’s the nugget of insight we offer in today’s Five-Minute Friday.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we don’t have a guest, it’s a bit like Dwight and Jim when Michael’s out of town. Today we confront the reality that we’ve talked out of both sides of our mouths. As we reflect on that, we touch on blood, politics, and mouse-movers. Do we un-contradict ourselves? You make the call. Be warned: our dander gets up a couple times.  Wait. Before we go any further… In case you came to the show notes for the Mike Rowe sheep-castration link (which is likely), here it is. Here are some of the contradictions, insights, and questions we unpack today: Contradiction #1: Getting ahead of things vs. realizing not everyone can be at the front of the line Acknowledge that some people have bigger fish to fry than the one that you’re holding up so proudly.Some principles are relevant to both $50 billion giga-projects and a modest remodel.Is it possible to build a bigger contractor table so everyone who wants a seat can have one (without a food fight breaking out)?Surprise, surprise! It all comes back to trust. And sometimes that’s tough. Contradiction #2: Progressives vs. Conservatives (in relation to organization and technology) It’s tough to judge what’s good about new things coming down the pike but also balance that with an appreciation of traditional practices.We need someone out there on the bleeding edge.Can we use some old-timey practices to reduce RFIs? Contradiction #3: Old School vs. New School (in relation to workplace dynamics) Ties vs. t-shirtsTaskmasters vs. TwitterCompetent management vs. mouse-movers (Here’s what they look like.)Man, has Dennis seen a lot of change in his 50-year career. Today’s Megaphone message comes from Eddie: “Have a healthy respect for tradition while maintaining a passion for the truth.” Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few months ago, after a decade of the two of us working closely together, Tyler left ABSI to start his own company. What has Eddie learned from losing his right-hand man?   Help them leave well. Celebrate their wins with them. Be genuinely happy for them. Do your best to put yourself in their shoes.   Recognize and acknowledge that this separation is a form of loss, and with loss comes emotions you may not have accounted for:   Shock, disbelief, or denialAnxietyDistressAngerPeriods of sadnessLoss of sleep and loss of appetite Don’t make big decisions or be hasty. Think. Be deliberate. Figure out what has to happen right now and what doesn’t.  Refocus your goals with the team you have around you, and keep plugging.  That’s the message of today’s Five-Minute Friday.    Find Us Online: LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supply-chain challenges are certainly nothing new, but they’ve grown increasingly complicated over the last few years. Today we discuss how you as a contractor can approach these challenges whether you’re working on a local and global scale.   We get several helpful supply-chain insights from our guest Ernie Maschner. Ernie has been an influential presence in the construction industry for more than 30 years. He now works as a VP with Victaulic, a manufacturer of engineered couplings and valves. Ernie is also involved with a few industry organizations that seek to address global supply chain issues.    Here are a few of the things we touch on in our conversation: The importance of communicating with all supply-chain parties as early as possibleIndustry organizations that seek to help contractors navigate today’s supply chain challenges - Ernie refers to these three: The Construction Industry Institute, The Design Build Institute of America, The Water Collaborative Delivery Association How human, political, and social dynamics affect the supply chain - For example: Why does the availability of asphalt in Brazil follow a two-year cycle? Ernie learned the answer while working on projects related to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.How some progressive contractors write up contracts that allow for the increasing unpredictability of markets A $50 billion (yes, billion) modular construction project in Kazakhstan that involved modules the size of small hotelsThe cultural factors that affect people’s attitudes toward prefabrication and modular construction Ernie’s megaphone message: We need to work together in a fair way. Collaborative project delivery produces better results in the end. Find Ernie Online: Website - LinkedIn Find Us Online: LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Whether you’re in sales or not, knowing how to sell can be an invaluable skill to understand and master. Jack Daly is a sales expert and coach with over 30 years of boots on the ground experience. He guides us through best practice and gives us tips on how to sell larger projects than you thought were possible.   Here are a few things you’ll learn!  The difference between a $1,000 salesperson and a $100,000,000 salespersonHow to not come off like a desperate salespersonTips for getting your foot in the door   Episode Links Jack's WebsiteJack on LinkedIn Other Links LinkedInInstagramFacebookEddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A little rain never hurt anyone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life isn’t in our control. Shocked? Neither are we. How does that affect this idea of “work-life balance”? It is important to realize how to deal with the things, not in our control. We tackle the importance of realizing work-life balance isn’t obtainable, but what is obtainable is making sure we don’t become overwhelmed by the things we enjoy and the things life deals. If you have been here for longer than 30 seconds, you know we aren’t advocating for 20-hour workdays, but rather an understanding that the idea of “perfectly balanced” isn’t obtainable and may doesn’t need to be obtained.   Related Links:Door 1 - Quality ControlDoor 2 - Comedy   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're reflecting on a statement made by our grandfather that had a huge impact on Tyler.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Kenney is a 3rd generation roofer. Over John's 30+ years in the roofing industry he has worked in various roles. From Roofer, to Estimator to Project Manager. We dive into what has changed over his career and he shares some of the issues you can avoid when working with a roofing contractor!   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie shares a hack you should try!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. McCoy is the Director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research at Virginia Tech, the Beliveau Professor of Building Construction, and the Associate Director of the Myers Lawson School of Construction… He has over 24 years of experience in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, including 8.5 years of fieldwork and 8 years of managing a firm that maintained a Class A Virginia contractor license. Dr. McCoy received undergraduate degrees in Architecture and Architectural History from the University of Virginia, and an MS in Building Construction and a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Virginia Tech. He has authored of over 100 articles and has been a primary investigator on millions of dollars in funded projects, including ‘green’ residential construction practices, building technologies, affordable housing and safety practices in the construction supply chain.  Notable funded endeavors include:  1) Virginia Housing's PACT 3D Concrete House Printing Innovation Grant, 2) The Commonwealth of Virginia's Executive Order 32 study "Addressing the Impact of Housing Affordability for Virginia Economy"; 3) HUD's " Impact of Market Behavior on the Adoption and Diffusion of Innovative Green Building Technologies," A Sustainable Communities Research grant; 4) CREATES, a Department of Labor grant to increase Southwest Virginia Constructors knowledge and application of green technologies; 5) ELECTRI Foundation's 2011 Early Career Award; 6) NIOSH's “The Case for a Whole Industry Approach to Safety,” a grant on safety across cultures and sectors of the construction industry and 7) Housing Virginia's "The Impact of Energy Efficient Construction for LIHTC Housing in Virginia." Another endeavor was the 2009 Department of Energy “Solar Decathlon” competition, in which university teams compete to design, build, manage and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house. Dr. McCoy’s research won the 2015 Game Changer Award for the State of Virginia and Engineering News Record's 2014 "Top 20 under 40" for the Mid-Atlantic. Dr. McCoy's work also won ASCE's Journal of Architectural Engineering "Top Paper Award 2015" and the American Real Estate Society conference’s "best paper prize for the topic of Sustainable Real Estate."   Company Website: https://www.bc.vt.edu/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpmccoy/ Video: https://vtx.vt.edu/videos/k/2021/06/1_r5xrw3ha.html Article: https://vpm.org/news/articles/30733/can-3d-concrete-printing-solve-virginias-affordable-housing-crisis   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You are what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out. The list of sayings go on and on. This week we're taking a look at some unhealthy things we can express. Here is our list of unhealthy outputs!   Venting frustration on co-workers about everything negative that happens in your dayKnee-jerk email in response to conflict or unkind words (Commenting toxic thoughts online)Disruptive, or out of place behaviors. (Sarcasm when you need seriousness.)Rambling and aimless brainstormingOpenly tearing down someone’s successesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love interviewing authors, and today we have a great one. Henry Nutt III started in the industry when he was 19 years old. He worked as general superintendent for 34 years. Henry has been with Southland Industry for 15 years, where he currently works as Pre-construction Executive.  All of this experience makes him eminently qualified to share some advice about building strong teams.  Henry spends a lot of time talking to students about preparing for careers. As he shared his experience, he discovered that common sense isn’t necessarily common. This is why he decided to collect his insights in a book titled Seven Principles: Creating Your Success in the Construction Industry (publisher’s site, Amazon). Here are Henry’s Seven Principles: Start where you areGet a mentorRefuse to be a victimWork hardLove what you doLearn how to followKnow the difference between being a liability and an asset Tyler asks Henry to expand particularly on #7. Henry says it's about exercising self-awareness. He discusses the importance of looking thoughtfully at the dynamics of the whole team and asking if you’re being given more responsibilities or being excused early. If you find that you’re not being viewed as an asset, it’s time to ask what you can do differently.  Eddie then shifts things toward #3–and, of course, baseball. Henry says that it’s essential to acknowledge the circumstances that might pose serious challenges for you but then to shift your attention to overcoming and adjusting in whatever ways you can. Break the patterns. Shift the narrative.  Mentors (#2) can help you make these changes. Invite insight that can accelerate your journey toward greater competence. Acknowledge that you’re an empty cup, and invite wise people to fill you with knowledge. We discuss how principle #4 is absolutely essential. If you have the right mindset about hard work and can align your practices with that mindset, your actions will speak volumes. Prove your an asset (back to #7). Tyler asks Henry to discuss how he got into construction. He explains that his dad, a sheet metal worker, encouraged him to take a skills/aptitude test. A short time later, Henry received a call that said a company was ready to hire him right away.  The road was not always smooth. Henry discusses the challenges and doubts that he faced in the early years. Now, though, he is tremendously thankful that mentors and encouragers along the way kept him on the road. Eventually he found himself in a position where he could influence the culture of a work crew.  Here are a few more highlights from this episode: “Bring the best version of yourself.”“Admit that you don’t know what you don’t know.”“When recognized that I was able to affect the people, it became a labor of love.” Henry’s Megaphone Message: This industry has allowed bad behavior to go on forever, resulting in the loss of many good people. That’s changing. Many people are trying to make this industry about people. We want you to join us. Bring your talents and gifts to the table. Show up. Work hard every day. Recognize what you don’t know so you can grow and learn every day.   Find Henry Online: LinkedIN - His book at Amazon - His book at KP Publishing   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You are what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out. The list of sayings go on and on. This week we're taking a look at some healthy things we can express.   Here is our list of healthy outputs!   Journaling Conversations with a counselor Creating something – Video, photo, graphics, woodworking, anything to do with moving your hands. Focused production work See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know hackers are out there, but how do they get access to our information and hold our companies hostage? In order to find out, this week we're talking to a hacker. (Who happens to be our uncle!)    Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You are what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out. The list of sayings go on and on. This week we're taking a look at some unhealthy things we can be bringing into our lives. Here is our list of unhealthy Inputs. Social MediaEmailCaustic personalitiesNotifications on your phone can be unhealthyUnhealthy eating and drinkingObsessing over someone else’s successesResearch (when it doesn’t have a point, you're thrashing)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our society has an addiction to growth. This week we're diving into our experience growing a company and the pain that is introduced when you pull that trigger and try to scale. Questions to ask yourself: Why do you want to grow? Is it become more wealthy?Is it because that’s what businesses are supposed to do?Is it pure vanity? Just to show it off?Is it for the challenge?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You are what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out. The list of sayings go on and on. This week we're taking a look at some healthy things we can be bringing into our lives. Here is our list of Healthy Inputs. Books (or just reading in general)PodcastsResearchEncouraging personalitiesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're revisiting the question - What comes first, the Lego bricks or the Lego master?  The modular construction movement is trying to figure out this very same issue. What comes first, is it the modules or the modular design? Construction already uses modular or unitized building materials as its basis for the design. Whether you are dealing with literal brick, lumber, plywood, or piping we use predictable sizes and shapes that complement each other and fit together well.  The big question is, how do we encourage more companies to go into modular building components? Eddie and Tyler dive into an interesting discussion this week based on a blog post Eddie has been working on.   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re doing a series! This episode is to set the table for the conversations to come over the next four weeks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are some tactics we can use to find and retain good people? Our guest, Matt Gorgolinski is a recruiter for construction companies and he breaks down how we can find talent!   Matt was also kind enough to provide this resource full of tips to attract talent. - https://docs.google.com/file/d/1P1Hq7d_TmPdZo_w5wFjpPllBR7EmZmu-/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=mspresentation   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie gives us a challenge for the coming week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Messer Construction has been a huge part of our family for generations. This week we sit down and talk with Tim Steigerwald, who is the President of Messer. During our chat, Tim shares the methods they use to recruit talent. The primary way they do this is through co-ops. If you listened to our episode with our Grandpa (Pop) and Dad, they both talked about how they came through the Messer co-op machine and how it was a massive aid to them becoming the builders they are today. For people trying to build their company, this is a super valuable episode.    Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie shares what he's doing different to avoid the challenges ABSI faced in 2008.     Thanks for joining us this week! Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear people say "If we could get closer to owners, we could help them so much!" all of the time. This week, we sit down with Nate Patrick, who is a Project Manager from Penn State to discuss what a day in his shoes looks like. The purpose of this conversation is to open our eyes further to what's going through an owners mind. How they operate, what they care about and how we can best serve them.   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have conflict daily on job sites, but what is the best way to get a resolution? You should have a goal keeping things out of the courtroom at all cost. Eddie drops some biblical knowledge on how to best approach resolving conflict. It's based on Matthew 18:15-20. If you're interested, here's the scripture he's basing it on - 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.    Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Moody is the owner of CD Moody, one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Commercial Contractors. If you live in or visited Georgia, you’ve been impacted by some of the projects he's been involved with. Projects include the Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta History Center Cyclorama, and Turner Field just to name a few. After going to school to be an architect, he later decided that he didn’t want to just sit and draw all day, and he wanted to be outside in the field and putting the project together. So he decided to be a builder instead! He is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Since being open and sharing his story with others, he has been an advocate for sexually abused children. He continues speaking up and being there for others who are survivors. He is an incredible person and we were honored to chat with him for a little while!   Make sure you check back in on July 24th for our special with Barbie the Welder!   Related Links CD Moody ConstructionDavid on LinkedInAtlanta History Center CycloramaMercedes Benz Stadium   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We record a lot of stuff for the podcast. As a result, we’re going to say things that aren’t correct. So this week we’re asking for your feedback! What have you heard us say that was an incorrect statement?  Email us your feedback! - Contact@brospodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're learning about ways you can meet sustainability goals when you're using steel. Our friend, Dennis Pilarczyk is Manager of Building Solutions at Nucor and he walks us through some of the new innovations in steel manufacturing! We obviously nerd out hard on this episode since we both have a background in steel. Here are a few things we dive into! What's the difference between EAF and BOF mills?Environmental product declarations (EPDs)High strength steel and how reducing tons on a job reduces carbonNet-zero carbon steel   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It’s just not that simple.   Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn       See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even if you’re not a particularly religious person, you’ve probably heard the Bible verse that inspires today’s episode: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." The best leaders are those who give themselves up for the good of others. People respond to that sort of leadership.  If your primary motivation in the workplace is to promote and protect yourself, people will not line up behind your vision. Leadership requires respect for others. It requires you to empathize with those you’re trying to lead and putting their interests before your own.  Eddie shares a metaphor of a full-to-the-brim cup. If you fill your mind with positivity and thoughtfulness, that’s what will splash out when you’re bumped by challenging circumstances.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We had a great business idea and we're giving it away. Also, a story about the best Monday meeting Eddie's ever had. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our interview with Bob Goff a couple of weeks ago, he said something that stuck out to usPlease consider subscribing!SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anne is an engineer who has spent more than three decades designing things like casinos, hospitals, academic facilities, corporate offices and transit facilities, bridges and tunnels.She is actively working with the Charles Pankow Foundation as Executive Director and NIBS (National Institute of Building Sciences) as a Board Member. Also, at one point she was the President of ACI (The American Concrete Institute).We have no idea what glitch in the matrix occurred to allow us to speak with her, but we are so grateful. She is such an incredible person with amazing insights into our industry!Here's what we covered!- The pace of technology adoption in the industry- Investing into non-proprietary technologies that aid the entire industry- What the Charles Pankow Foundation does to facilitate growth in the industryRelevant LinksThe Charles Pankow Foundation NIBS ACI Anne's LinkedInPlease consider subscribing!SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever used the phrase "Can't We Just"? Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Around 200,000 people leave the U.S. Military every year and transition back to civilian life. Our guest, Jay Snyder is the President of Big Blue Innovations, but is currently serving in the United States Air Force Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel. We love this conversation because it helps address the labor issue we hear about so often along with giving veterans an open door to an amazing industry. Jay gives us a few tips on how to approach hiring more veterans along with sharing his own experience going from active duty to the private sector. https://www.bigblueinnovations.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/snyderjayp/ Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyler's going to regret opening his mouth during this episode. Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie used to wear khakis and a button-down shirt to the office every single day. He felt like this was the way he needed to dress for work in order to show that he was taking his role seriously. Now, he wears jeans and a t-shirt to the office every day.  This isn’t an episode about fashion, but more an episode about questioning your motivations for doing things. Eddie has moved away from a ton of things that he used to hold near in business. The main reason for it was asking himself why they really matter and what difference they make in the company. Also, Tyler quit drinking coffee so prayers are appreciated. 🤣 Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Morin has one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time called “The Secret Of Becoming Mentally Strong,” with over 17 million views. The talk was based on her first book, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, which was featured on USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. She has also been featured on media outlets like Good Morning America, Business Insider, Fox News, Time, CNBC, and Today. If that wasn’t enough, Inc. Magazine featured her as a top 100 leadership speaker in 2018. Here is what you’re going to learn from listening to this podcast episode! - What is the difference between mental strength & mental health? - What’s the difference between being mentally strong and acting tough? - What are some exercises for building mental strength? Related Links Amy's TEDx Talk Amy's Podcast 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do What Construction Workers Could Teach Other Industries About Mental Health Awareness Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are going over 4 Tips For Project Managers! Here's a list of what we cover. - Don’t be a project pile-it. Don’t hit forward on the email saying “Please advise” before you understand and clarify the request. - Stay in front of the airplane. - Don’t be a box checker. - Have integrity. Never lie to get somebody to do something for you. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!  Like us on LinkedIn!  Like us on Facebook!  Follow us on Instagram!  Eddie's LinkedIn  Tyler's LinkedIn  (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when there are no lines drawn between teams? Kevin Sell with United Group Services tells us about "Project Summit." Kevin talks about the cultural and contractual aspects of construction which opens the door for collaboration across an entire project. We're extremely excited about the approach the Project Summit team took on this and think it needs to be scaled up! Related Links Kevin's LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are the news articles we referenced in this week's episode! Ford's SplitNew Cummins EngineAmazon Closing Retail LocationsNASA grants $6M for building on the Moon Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been asked to do something and because it felt stupid you didn't really give it a full effort? Our guest, John Toups, calls this action Malicious Obedience.  John is focused on driving safety, productivity, and employee engagement at companies like Exxon, Shell, and Suncor. In this discussion, we dive into some of the practices that he's used to engage teams within the construction industry to drive those outcomes. It's a fascinating topic! Related Links Connect with John on LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After reviewing hundreds of Architectural sets over the years, here are the main pain points we see most often. - Stair stringers have width - Do final coordination with your engineer before issuing the documentation - Use grids (and coordinate) - Know the actual dimensions of materials like masonry - Dimension walls to face of stud - Be a builder. Not an artist. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyler has been on his soapbox for the better part of a year talking about how technology isn't the solution to all of the issues in the construction industry. During our time at CURT, we met AJ, who is the Vice President of Industry Solutions at InEight. Funny enough, though he's a technologist in the industry, he agrees with us about Tech not being the answer. This is a great reality check for everyone and we know you'll love the conversation.Related LinksAJ's LinkedInInEightThanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts!SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are the articles we quoted during this weeks episode!https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/16/22934958/waymo-ch-robinson-autonomous-truck-pilot-texashttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/business/elon-musk-tesla-charity-donation.htmlhttps://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/miami-least-affordable-housing-market-UShttps://boomsupersonic.com/overtureSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Goff is a construction lawyer turned author whose most recent book, Undistracted, is currently at #8 on the New York Times bestseller list. The insights Bob shares in his books aren’t necessarily what you’d expect from a lawyer. As you’ll hear in today’s episode, Bob focuses on how to live a life that is centered on others and on making the world a better place.    Bob shares that he sees his former construction-law work as similar to the work done by “that death-star guy.” His legal career went something like this: He commuted by air from San Diego to Seattle every workday for almost 30 years.During that time, he estimates that he won his construction-firm clients somewhere around half a billion dollars.One day he walked into the law firm that had his name on the wall, simply handed over the key to one of his partners, and walked away from his law work. He had decided that it was time to do something other than hand wealth around from one wealthy person to another.    And here’s a rundown of what Bob had done since leaving law: Sold millions of books Fought Uganda’s first case against a witch doctor who had engaged in child sacrificeStarted a nonprofit organization called Love DoesEstablished schools in Somalia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Uganda, The Dominican Republic, and a few other countries   Bob shares with us about how a child sacrifice case in Uganda drew him to return briefly to his legal work. After successfully trying this case, Bob became the legal guardian of the child (who amazingly survived the incident) and then took him to Cedar Sinai hospital for surgery. This trip ended up with a visit to the White House and an amazing recovery that you’ll want to hear.    After hearing some of Bob’s stories, we ask him to share some advice with our audience. He suggests that people seek personal change by improving the lives of others: “Start moving the needle in other people’s lives and see what happens in yours.”   Here are some of Bob’s guiding principles and practices: He tries to quit something every Thursday.He asks himself how his life is working for the people around him. He suggests that people ask themselves what they want to be remembered for.He puts his personal phone number in the back of his books.    Bob’s guidance for construction leaders (that could also apply to anyone else): “Be a good picker.” Be thoughtful about the arguments you pick. If there’s a more humble way to get it done, do that. Get inside your head and ask why you have to win.“Have something that matters more.” Find something bigger than your job.“Know what you’re aiming for.” It can’t just be happiness. It needs to be something concrete. For Bob, it was being home (San Diego) from work (Seattle) for supper with his family. “Work toward something that will outlast you.”   Bob’s megaphone message: “Be humble. Humble voices carry further.”   Find Bob Online: Bob’s Amazon pageLoveDoes.orgBob’s talk at TEDx in LaJolla   Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are the articles we quoted during this week's episode! Intel Chip FacilityPeloton Shut Down Boston Dynamics Stretch Robot Liebherr Electric Crane Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is mixed reality useful? We recently had the opportunity to try out a workflow that had us really excited.  It’s something a lot of people are already doing, it’s just improved through MR. Nathan Patton is our guest today and he walks us through what’s new in Mixed Reality, how people are using it and what the future of this technology might look like.  We had no idea how inefficient the layout process could be, especially if you’re new to it. Even users who have a ton of experience have a hard time finding layout points sometimes.  It can get especially frustrating and time-consuming when you have 300 or even 1000 points to layout.  With Trimble’s new mixed reality application, FieldLink MR you can fire up the XR10 and it will give you an arrow and show you where the points are. Once you’re there, you can dial in and fine-tune it all without using the tablet. A practical workflow you’re already doing, made better through mixed reality. Related Links Nathan's LinkedInMore info on FieldLink MR Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here are the articles we quoted during this week's episode! Falling Iguanas In Florida The Ford Lightning Is Sold Out  Hilti Neuron 22vHilti Cut Off SawLas Vegas Digital Twin (or is it?)Bobcat's All-Electric Skid Steer Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though the family has been in BIM for a long time, we're still learning new things. Allen is the VDC-FM Integration Manager at JLL and brings a load of valuable insights to the table. His role at JLL working with Owners has allowed him to see the end-users needs, which we so often overlook.  Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lesson on innovation. Keep exploring!  Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can a digital twin really be created in 2022? Our guest, Matt Sprague, is pushing back against the belief that true digital twins exist. He suggests that we have a lot of work to do, and a ton of questions to ask before we can get to a real digital twin of a building.  We dive down a few rabbit holes that are pretty fun during this conversation!  - What defines a digital twin?  - How does a digital twin evolve from the Design Model to the Built Model, to the Operated model?  - Will the metaverse play into how we view and interact with digital twins?  Related Links Matt's LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you love the undo button as much as us? This week we are talking about mistakes that happen and what we can do to make the situations better.  Topics that we cover: Mistakes happen! How to compare mistakes to baseball Slow down, think- then act! Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Dad has been bringing up the topic of carbon credits a lot over the past year. Like us, you’re probably wondering “What the heck is a carbon credit?” so we asked our friend Dan Linsky of ClimeCo to break it down for us.  “Dan has been involved in the carbon and renewable energy industries since 2003. At ClimeCo, he serves as the Vice President of Voluntary Markets and Leader of the Transaction Team. Dan oversees all voluntary carbon sales, coordinates strategies, and manages ClimeCo’s carbon offset inventories for this growing market.”  The thing we’re most excited about with Carbon Credits is the ability to get a leg up on the competition in your bids. If you have a clear way of showing owners that you’ll offset the emissions produced over the life of the project you’re going to turn some heads.  Related Links ClimeCo's WebsiteDan's LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today the bros' are chatting about one of the biggest problems in the steel industry and how it can be solved. Things that we talk about: - RTU Frames: Why is it the biggest problem? - Christmas is coming...just like big projects. - Pre-Detailing meetings are important. - Most of all, communication is key Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever hear voices in your head? This week we chat with our friend Jordan McRae about bone conduction and it's use cases in the industry. Things that we cover in this episode: What is bone conduction? What kind of environments does this help the industry in? Can you fully plug your ears and still hear? How does the microphone work? Does it reduce ambient noise so that people on the other end of our call can hear us clearly? Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These things take practice, but they are all qualities you should strive for as a leader. - Show your humanity. Don't be afraid to show your emotions. - Remember the golden rule - Make others successful, and you will be successful. - If you're offering a reward, make sure it's in reach and winnable. - If you want good performance, pay well. Be there waiting with the check when the job is finished and people will love you for it. - People want to be heroes, not villains. Credit to Lee Evey for helping us out with these tips! Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, our friend Melanie Kagen educates us on the reality of homelessness and how we can help.  Melanie’s Info:  www.thecfr.org  melaniekagen@thecfr.org  (770)-428-2601  Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's five minute Friday, Tyler and Eddie read the Christmas Story. We hope that everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!     Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this 5 Minute Friday, Tyler discusses the restlessness he felt at times during his time at ABSI.  Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, our good friend Aiden Maguire joins us to give us a full education on Hilti's Jaibot. Here are a few things we cover in this episode! - How Jaibot improves site safety - Features you didn't know about - What happens when the drill runs into something? Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been called a hypocrite? In this week's Five Minute Friday, we cover some topics over hypocrisy. In the construction industry, it's really easy to have a "do as I say, not as I do" mindset, but little things that even children understand can cause us to stop and think.  Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a month off, WE ARE BACK! On today's episode, Tyler and Eddie discuss the people problems in the BIM Industry. Is driving more detail into design really possible considering the employment issues we're facing? We address these topics: - Eddie talks about how automation in BIM is the future, not people. - Industry expectations on BIM departments - Where do we find people do the work? Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's five minute Friday, we discuss the golden rule and the many ways that it can be perceived. We also discuss about in some situations, how the customer is not always right. Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we pass down knowledge efficiently? This week we sit down with Randy Collins and figure out how to implement training that truly works. We talk about how to set expectations, how to build a training program, and how to normalize training. Randy brings up some interesting points on how training affects both those new and experienced in the industry, and why you should continue training. Related LinksRandy’s LinkedInStrategies Group’s Website Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boys are taking a break and re-tooling, so we're revisiting another episode this month. We're going to be coming at you with some new stuff in December!  What comes first, the Lego bricks or the Lego master? The modular construction movement is trying to figure out this very same issue. What comes first, is it the modules or the modular design? Construction already uses modular or unitized building materials as its basis for the design. Whether you are dealing with a literal brick, lumber, plywood, or piping we use predictable sizes and shapes that complement each other and fit together well. The big question is, how do we encourage more companies to go into modular building components? Eddie and Tyler dive into an interesting discussion based around a blog post Eddie has been working on. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's five minute Friday, Tyler and Eddie discuss the outcome of taking the time to fulfill a project until you are 100% satisfied. We also hit a few topics such as not settling for the minimum, but going above and beyond. Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to the founder of Dusty Robotics! Tessa brings insight of how CAD drawings have more use cases than we currently use them for and has designed a robot that takes these drawings and prints them on a site. While Tyler draws up his BattleBot, Tessa talks about how humanitarian issues created a desire to enter the robotics field and finding creative ways to help people. Designated as a Chief Robot Whisperer, Tessa’s goal is to create robots that can do the things we can’t or don’t want to do. Related Links: Dusty Robotics Tessa's LinkedInSUBSCRIBE! Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

!! RFI !! Love them or hate them they are a part of the construction process we know today. Listen today as we give you a little glimpse into the brokenness of the process and challenge you to think of a better way. Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently we had the opportunity to put our hands on Hilti's Exoskeleton and Jaibot. We share some thoughts from that experience. Thank you all for being with us for this many episodes. 👊🏻👊🏻 We are so thankful for you keeping us going and inspiring us with new ideas every week. NOW GO BUILD SOMETHING AWESOME. 💪🏻💪🏻See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's 5 Minute Friday, we give a little insight on some of the things that we have learned over the course of interviewing people on our podcasts. Please consider subscribing!SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why should we care about carbon emissions? How can you determine how much embodied carbon is in the materials you’re using on your job site? Our guest this week is Stacy Smedley. Stacy is the Director of Sustainability for Skanska USA and the Executive Director for Building Transparency which developed an amazing tool to help combat climate change caused by embodied carbon generated by the construction industry. Here are a few things we asked her! - What is embodied carbon? - Why should we care? - What can we do to improve the sustainability of the materials we’re using Relevant Links Stacy's LinkedInSkanskaBuilding Transparency EC3 Tool99 Percent Invisible Episode Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever stayed in a Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt Hotel? There's a high likelihood that you've used one of these bathroom pods. But how is it done? Tyler had the opportunity to go visit SurePods, which is a prefabrication company here in the U.S. Their Vice President, Bill Seery, walked Tyler through the plant and showed him how it all comes together. 1. Productivity - The work is in front of you, and you almost always have the next thing to be working on. This reduces the number of people in "Wandering Mode" which is what you'll see frequently on job sites. 2. Safety - Since everything is in a controlled environment, it's easier to keep things closer to the ground and in a place that's safer for all employees. In some cases, they have the walls up on tables so they're really comfortable to work on. Each task can be reviewed by a safety officer and adjusted on the fly if needed. 3. Waste - Every piece of light gauge they roll has a purpose. They don't just buy light gauge in stock lengths and cut to size, they roll the studs as needed and to the correct length.  4. Finish - The finished product is immaculate. Multiple people are at the end of the line cleaning every speck of dust off of the tile, sink, mirrors. If you want to learn more about the prefabrication process, go check out the full interview with Bill right here! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clifton Harness joins us once more! Clifton happens to be the 1st guest ever to be on the show. (See Episode 2) He is the CEO and Co-Founder of TestFit, which helps Developers and Architects solve site plans for multifamily, hotel, parking or garden apartments in seconds. Clifton is one of our favorites to have on the show because we always walk away with food for thought.  In this episode, we cover: - Testfit's breaking news (someone is joining the team) - Clifton's theory of how to fix the industry - Is a completely 3D workflow a pipe-dream? Also, quite possibly the most off-the-rails intro to a show we've ever had. Blame Tyler's coffee addiction.  Relevant Links TestfitClifton's LinkedIn Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Losing your temper happens to the best of us. Recently, Eddie lost his temper. Hilariously it happened right after he taught everyone how to deal with conflict, but never mind that. We're covering this topic to remind everyone that mistakes happen and we should always be working to improve how we deal with other people.  Just because we teach it, doesn't mean we're the best at it, though. Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone hates repetitive tasks. Our guest, David Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble. He is responsible for integrating the Boston Dynamics Spot platform with Trimble's hardware like the X7 laser scanner, which we have some personal experience with.  We dive into what the use cases are for this integration, what the workflow looks like, how far away you can be to operate Spot and how much the platform costs. Relevant Links David's LinkedInTrimble & Boston Dynamics Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of Five Minute Friday, Eddie talks about delegated design and why it is a concern in the construction industry. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anne is an engineer who has spent more than three decades designing things like casinos, hospitals, academic facilities, corporate offices and transit facilities, bridges and tunnels.  She is actively working with the Charles Pankow Foundation as Executive Director and NIBS (National Institute of Building Sciences) as a Board Member. Also, at one point she was the President of ACI (The American Concrete Institute). We have no idea what glitch in the matrix occurred to allow us to speak with her, but we are so grateful. She is such an incredible person with amazing insights into our industry! Here's what we covered! - The pace of technology adoption in the industry - Investing into non-proprietary technologies that aid the entire industry - What the Charles Pankow Foundation does to facilitate growth in the industry Relevant Links The Charles Pankow FoundationNIBSACIAnne's LinkedIn Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you took a step back and looked at the people you're working with or even hiring? In short - The mirror effect is when you hire people that remind you of yourself. This unconscious bias causes you to end up with a team that looks and acts exactly like you. Don't believe us? Take a look around at the people you're surrounded by, and who hired them. You'll most likely see a pattern. Thanks for joining us this week!Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/Please consider subscribing!SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does love and being neighborly have to do with the construction industry? We welcome Pete Dumont, the CEO of PrairieDog Venture Partners. Pete is a leader in the OS 2.0 ideology, whose goal is to get rid of waste in the industry. This starts in insurance, delaying pay, and other forms of overused safety nets that create frozen funds. The next step is to create healthy external relationships. Pete talks about the two most unhealthy business relationships and what OS 2.0 is pushing towards. To start fostering these relationships now, OS 2.0 has looked outside the industry to find inspiration in smart contracts and blockchain. Related Links:  Prairie Dog’s Website CII’s OS 2.0 Please consider subscribing!  SUBSCRIBE! Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the biggest regrets we both have are from early in our career. Don't make the same mistakes as us. If you're currently doing one of these things, take it as a message to slow down and reset.  - Stop Taking Things So Personal - Keep A Reasonable Schedule - Learn to say NO (This can't be overstated) - Watch Your Screen Time We appreciate you guys. Thanks for being here. 👊🏻👊🏻 Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a variety show this week! Eddie's finally back in the office, and we had a lot of catching up to do.   Here is what we cover! - Tyler leaving ABSI - Office or Remote? - New hard hats!? - Laser scanning status report. - What's making us think?  Relevant Links  Tyler's New Company  Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have conflict daily on job sites, but what is the best way to get a resolution? You should have a goal keeping things out of the courtroom at all cost. Eddie drops some biblical knowledge on how to best approach resolving conflict. It's based on Matthew 18:15-20. If you're interested, here's the scripture he's basing it on - 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.  Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim is the director of offsite manufacturing for Factory Blue, a prefab company based out of Fort Worth, Texas. Factory Blue specializes in bathroom pods, multi-stall bathroom pods, prefabricated elevator units and other specialty pieces that are architectural in nature. We dive into the logistics of installing prefabricated bathrooms into a terminal at DFW airport, what they mean by prefabricated elevators (which is sick by the way), and some of the unforeseen things that happen when you're installing things on site. We walked away with so much food for thought after this episode, and we know you will too! Relevant Links Factory Blue WebsiteTim's LinkedIn Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These things take practice, but they are all qualities you should strive for as a leader.  - Show your humanity. Don't be afraid to show your emotions. - Remember the golden rule - Make others successful, and you will be successful. - If you're offering a reward, make sure it's in reach and winnable. - If you want good performance, pay well. Be there waiting with the check when the job is finished and people will love you for it. - People want to be heroes, not villains. Credit to Lee Evey for helping us out with these tips! Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lien's are common in the construction industry, but what the heck are they? How can you use them to get paid as a sub-contractor? We break it down for you and give you resources to better understand this valuable tool. We invite attorney, Karalynn Cromeens, writer of “Quit Getting Screwed” and more recently "Quit Getting Stiffed" to teach us all about Liens and how you can use them to get paid as a subcontractor.  Tyler Asked -  - What is a lien?  - Why and when were liens invented?  - Give us some history  - Why are liens needed in the construction industry? - What rights do contractors have to collect their money without a lien?  - How can contractors use their lien rights to combat the pay when paid clause?  Also, guess what!? Eddie's back for this week's intro!   Related Links  Karalynn’s LinkedIn  “Quit Getting Screwed”"Quit Getting Stiffed" Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LinkedIn is one of our favorite platforms to post on. It's relatively easy to get organic traffic for your company page or personal page. Here are a few tips you can implement this week to start slaying LinkedIn.  - If you have people you can tag, make sure you tag them. This is a free boost on your post. Just make sure that you’re not spamming people, and if you tag them it’s legitimate. For example. You worked with a project team that did a great job and you’re proud of them. Take a photo, and tag everyone that is in the photo, their businesses, their mom, their dad, their auntie. Everyone that would love to see that photo. Boom. Who needs to boost with money.  - Video is the king. If you can, make sure you’re posting videos. They have a tendency to get more traction than photos. Also, pro tip. Make sure you’re wearing PPE. For some reason, when I wear PPE in my videos it grabs the target audience's attention.  - Use the featured section! Go to your profile and click on the “Add section” button and enable the featured section. I want you to show off your highest performing post first, and then a link to any relevant projects or businesses that you’re a part of. and then some social proof (if you have it) that you have a legitimate offering. Check out my LinkedIn profile for ideas on how to set it up! - Tyler's LinkedIn Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the second part of our conversation with the Program Manager of the Pentagon Renovation, Lee Evey. Our guest, Lee Evey, was the program manager of the Pentagon Renovation from 1997 - 2002. When Lee arrived on the Pentagon project, it was in chaos. He tells us about how he got offered the job, his first day on-site, and how he was able to rally the troops around one singular purpose.  Here are some facts about the project -  - $1.22 Billion budget from congress to renovate all 5 wedges of the pentagon - 25,000 people working in the building, who could not be disturbed. - 4,000,000 lbs of asbestos per wedge - A national tragedy happened on site.  You’re going to hear very little from us during this interview. We were so interested in what he was saying, we just let Lee go and tell us what he wanted to tell us. When you get in a room with someone like Lee -- You shut up and listen. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve been producing this podcast every single week for almost 2 years. Fun fact, though, before we started The Construction Brothers, Tyler was a marketing nerd. It’s been a passion of his for quite a number of years. Because of that passion, he gets asked a lot how people can best market their construction company, and there’s one piece of advice that will change your entire business.That’s what Tyler’s talking about today.It doesn’t matter how much knowledge you have of video, photo or graphic design. Or what trade you work in, within the construction industry. Follow this advice, and you will get results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest, Lee Evey, was the program manager of the Pentagon Renovation from 1997 - 2002. When Lee arrived on the Pentagon project, it was in chaos. He tells us about how he got offered the job, his first day on site, and how he was able to rally the troops around one singular purpose. Here are some facts about the project -  - $1.22 Billion budget from congress to renovate all 5 wedges of the pentagon - 25,000 people working in the building, who could not be disturbed. - 4,000,000 lbs of asbestos per wedge - A national tragedy happened on site. You’re going to hear very little from us during this interview. We were so interested in what he was saying, we just let Lee go and tell us what he wanted to tell us. When you get in a room with someone like Lee -- You shut up and listen.  Thanks for joining us this week! Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After reviewing hundreds of Architectural sets over the years, here are the main pain points we see most often. - Stair stringers have width - Do final coordination with your engineer before issuing the documentation  - Use grids (and coordinate)  - Know the actual dimensions of materials like masonry  - Dimension walls to face of stud  - Be a builder. Not an artist. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do your people fall asleep during their safety orientation? Tyler watched that happen this week. Construction accidents are something we take really seriously as a family. We've grown up being a part of, or hearing stories of fatalities on job sites. This week, though, we both had to sit down and get our OSHA 10 training done in order to go out on a job site to do some work. We have some thoughts, to say the least. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie offers his insights on how to be a better employer. Here’s what he covers! - Delegation (hand over the full process) - Communication tips - Do your homework on time ________ Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We invited Dan Conery on the podcast for a conversation about the importance of connecting the industry through data. Dan is a Product Strategy Manager with Trimble’s E-Builder Enterprise and ProjectSight. He operates his day-to-day thinking the opposite of “if it ain't broke don’t fix it”. Through this lens, Dan brings some interesting views to how we can look at addressing connecting as an industry through a legal framework, personal connections, and data flow. Related LinksDan’s LinkedInTrimble’s E-BuilderEnterprise Trimble’sProjectSightBroken Buildings Busted BudgetsApple Fires Two General Contractors Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having trouble getting responses to your emails? Try some of these tips out and see how it goes! - Use Bullets - Be Concise  - Put your major point up front (BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front) - Use Grammarly - Take 5 - Don’t use an email; when you need to use your phone. ________ Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The topic on the table this week is all things Entrepreneurship. Our guest, Tats, gave us so many great nuggets of wisdom that we're excited to share with you! Tatsuya "Tats" Nakagawa has launched hundreds of products and services, co-authored Overcoming Inventoritis: The Silent Killer of Innovation with a foreword by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, spoken to a variety of industry groups including The American Chamber of Commerce. He's also written articles for Fast Company and Industry Week. Tats is going on CBS News in order to share his story with the world! Beyond that, he is the CEO of Castagra. Castagra helps contractors and commercial property owners solve difficult roof coating challenges, mainly with tar and gravel. One of their products, Ecodur, is used by companies all over the world. Ecodur has also been voted top "Greenvention" by the entrepreneur reality show Dragon's Den. (It's like Shark Tank) Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyler steps in to share his favorite leadership podcasts! All It Takes Is A GoalJocko PodcastJohn Maxwell PodcastAkimbo (Seth Godin)How I Built This _________ In Other News We have been posting more on YouTube about our field experience with the Trimble X7 scanner. Make sure you go check it out and subscribe to that channel if you want to see some more content like that in the future! - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7OcpEn4q1_4yWXIY9Zuyiw Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start this episode rating coffee and talking about pre-fab, then end up with a "whiskey talk" on where we need to go as a whole in the construction industry.  We see hundreds of projects a year, so we see lots of mistakes as well as those who are pushing to innovate. Dream, imagine and disrupt. Innovators WILL change the way we build. Are you ready? Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes, you just need to rile up the office every now & then. We like to complete the week with shenanigans when we can! Take some of these tips (or all of them) and let us know which on is your favorite. _________ In Other News We have been posting more on YouTube about our field experience with the Trimble X7 scanner. Make sure you go check it out and subscribe to that channel if you want to see some more content like that in the future! - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7OcpEn4q1_4yWXIY9Zuyiw Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We went did some field testing with the Trimble X7 Laser Scanner. Do you think we mastered it or did we need extra training on day 2? Get behind the scenes of our latest YouTube video and first test experience with awesome equipment. We have been posted more on YouTube about our field experience with the Trimble X7 scanner. Make sure you go check it out and subscribe to that channel if you want to see some more content like that in the future! - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7OcpEn4q1_4yWXIY9Zuyiw Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve learned a lot about this over the past two years of producing this podcast and we wanted to share the biggest tip to help you grow you brand or business. _________ In Other News We have been posting more on YouTube about our field experience with the Trimble X7 scanner. Make sure you go check it out and subscribe to that channel if you want to see some more content like that in the future! - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7OcpEn4q1_4yWXIY9Zuyiw Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELLike us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special thanks to Karalynn Cromeens for providing these awesome tips for us this week! Here's what we're covering. - READ. THE. SCOPE. The scope you are hired to do is not the same as the bid. Make sure you know what work you are agreeing to do. - Don’t agree to the terms of the prime contract. 99% of all subcontracts make you responsible for the prime contract as well as your subcontract. Cross out the part that says you are responsible for the prime contract or at least get a copy of it before you agree to it. - Add language to any contract that you sign that will allow you to get paid for any increased cost in materials. For specific language see Karalynn's blog! - Don’t agree to a schedule you can’t complete. Delay damages are based on the date you agree to in the schedule. Any contract you sign should also include a clause that will give you extra time due to delays in getting materials or finding qualified workers. For exact language see my recent blog article.  - Do not do extra work without a signed change order BEFORE starting the work. Before you sign the contract review to see how this particular company agrees to the amount of any change order and the process required to get it signed. If you do the extra work without a signed change order you will not get paid for that extra work.  Related Links The Subcontractor InstituteThe Cromeens Law FirmKaralynn's LinkedInQuit Getting Screwed! Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the best way to implement technology in your company? We asked the man who has dedicated his life to helping construction companies do just that. James Benham is the host of the Contech Crew Podcast and is also the owner of JBKnowledge. We had the pleasure of sitting down and talking about implementing construction tech into your company.  We asked him questions like - - How do I convince people who are set in their ways? - What do I do if I don’t have a massive budget? - How do I know if one of our new solutions isn't working and I need to change it? We also deep-dive into some 90's grunge. 😂 Related Links JBKnowledgeJames' LinkedInContech Crew Podcast Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don't put your glass on the line! In this episode, we talk with Jeff & Ben about a certification program for glaziers and important information for the general contractors who hire them. The North American Contractor Certification Program for Architectural Glass and Metal Contractors (NACC) and The Architectural Glass and Metal Technician (AGMT) Certification Program are focused on not just the company level certification, but individual glaziers as well. "It is intended to provide certification recognition as a means of creating a baseline for competency, business practices, and adherence to industry-accepted guidelines for glazing contractors participating in the program." Not having your building watertight is one of the top litigated issues and one of the largest insurance claims there is. As modern construction continues to grow, we are seeing more & more glass being used. If you ever work with glass, this is an eye-opening episode.  Related Links: NACC North American Contractor Certification Program for Architectural Glass and Metal Contractors NACC TwitterNACC Glazing Contractor Certification LinkedInAGMT Glazier Certification LinkedIn  Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have something new coming your way in July and we wanted to give you a little taste of what's to come! Text us! 478-221-7009 Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE!Like us on LinkedIn!Like us on Facebook!Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedInTyler's LinkedIn(Our day job) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We wanted to bring attention back to our awesome conversation with Ken Rusk. It was a really wholesome talk about something really near and dear to our hearts, and we were excited to bring him on the show! Related LinksOriginal EpisodeKen’s LinkedInKen’s WebsiteOrder His BookKen’s Episode on Art of Manliness Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On our second episode ever, we sat down with TestFit CEO, Clifton Harness and discussed the topic of generative design. TestFit designs building diagrams in milliseconds--so architects and developers can process deals more quickly. During our conversation, we dive into what automation in construction will look like in the future and how TestFit can be used today. Related Links:TestFits WebsiteClifton's LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're revisiting our episode with Bryan Kaplan this week! We welcomed Bryan Kaplan of Construction Consulting to talk about relational selling and how, when done properly, clients can turn into a free salesforce. Storytelling, believe it or not, is another valuable asset to have in the world of sales. But first things first, we talk about the stereotypes surrounding video conferencing and some of the best fails we've seen and heard of while people are chatting on Zoom. Related Links Bryan’s WebsiteBryan’s InstagramHow to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Start with Why by Simon SinekSimon Sinek’s Ted TalkBuilding a Story Brand by Donald MillerTrello (just get it) Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we revisit our conversation about Gripes for Architects.  As people who see over 100 drawing sets a year cross our threshold, you better believe we've found a few things Architects do that are pain points. So this week, at the request of an Instagram follower who is an Architect, we dive into some issues that we commonly run into as modelers.  This isn't meant to slam architects, but to inform and try to spur conversation. Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we revisit our conversation with PBS Legend, Roy Underhill. Roy Underhill has been the host of the Woodwright’s Shop for almost four decades and has been an inspiration to many craftsmen throughout the construction industry. Eddie and Tyler were giddy to have him come on the show and talk about the way things used to be done and why we should be proud of our heritage as builders. Make sure you stick around until the end. Roy absolutely kills the answer to our megaphone question. We came out of this interview with inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose. Related LinksThe Woodwright’s SchoolThe Woodwright’s Shop on PBS Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we revisit our conversation with Eric Reinholdt.  If you enjoy going down YouTube rabbit holes as Tyler does, you've most likely stumbled across the 30X40 Design Workshop's channel. The 30X40 channel was started by Architect, Eric Reinholdt, to give a behind-the-scenes look at his design process. It is now one of the most successful architecture channels with over 600K subscribers. We loved hearing the passion for craftsmanship and art as he talked about what he gets to do every day. We couldn't be more excited about this episode and hope you go check out his channel as a result! Special thanks to Eric for taking the time to chat with us! Links for Eric! 30X40 Design Workshop on YouTube  30X40 Website  30X40 Instagram  30X40 Facebook Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have something special for you this week.  Barbie Parsons is an artist, welder, public speaker and social media influencer. If you’ve hung around on in the welding hashtag on instagram, you’ve for sure seen her work. Which is what initially caught Tyler's eye and caused him to approach her for an interview. Now usually, when we ask someone to come on the show we do some digging on them to find out more about who they are and what they’ve been through. During this research, Tyler heard her referring to a few of the things she’s been through to get to where she’s at today, but the curiosity was too much and he wanted to know more. This is the story of Barbie the Welder. Just a warning, this episode has the explicit tag on it for a reason. There’s a lot of adult language in it, so if you have the kids around you might want to stop it right here and come back to it later. Places to get help if you need it! Suicide Prevention Hotline - 1-800-273-8255 Alcoholics Anonymous Want to learn to weld? Locate a school near you! Careers in Welding - Welding School Locator Follow Barbie on Social Media! Barbie on InstagramBarbie on LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      (Our day job)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are super excited to announce the launch of our brand new podcast! Eddie and Tyler Campbell are 4th generation builders who currently own a virtual building and modeling company called ABSI. Each week, Eddie and Tyler will explore ideas both directly and indirectly related to the construction industry. We are so excited to release our first episodes on September 23rd! Please go ahead and subscribe to get notified when the first episodes launch!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.