Building Scale

Kendra Dinkins shares her journey and the history of Taylor Electric, highlighting the role of family and the challenges of market diversification. She discusses partnering with larger contractors and navigating MBE/WBE obstacles while emphasizing the importance of building trust in business partnerships. Kendra talks about proving worth as a minority-owned business, evaluating customer fit, and t...

Brian Lotz shares his journey from early life to founding Lotz Custom Carpentry and merging with AM Woodland. He discusses the current size and operations of his business, emphasizing leadership development and team dynamics. The conversation explores organizational structure, budgeting, and workforce management, highlighting the collaborative design process and technology's role in scalability. B...

Dena Prastos delves into her journey in waterfront architecture and her mission-driven entrepreneurship at Indigo River. She shares the challenges of becoming a certified woman-owned business and the impact of creating New York City's waterfront code. The discussion touches on specialization and on-the-job training in AEC, delegation, and the balance between quality control and task outsourcing. D...

Aaron Moore discusses his entrepreneurial journey, sharing insights from corporate America that shaped PPD Painting. He delves into scaling the business with a unique team and expanding into new markets, highlighting effective marketing strategies and the importance of employee accountability. Aaron addresses balancing emotions in business, managing opportunity costs, and making strategic decision...

Roger Krulak explores modular construction, comparing it to traditional methods. He discusses its efficiencies, challenges, and paradigm shifts in construction processes. The conversation covers planning, assembly, workforce considerations, quality assurance, and differences in construction drawings. Roger addresses organizational efficiency, risks, profitability, and technology's role in modular...

Rachelle Strole shares her approach to success, detailing her background and the origins of her company. She discusses overcoming challenges in commercial real estate and emphasizes the role of failure in fostering innovation and sustainable development. Rachelle redefines success by balancing business achievements with personal well-being. She highlights the importance of building a strong team a...

Sarah Card shares her journey from overcoming the 2008 financial crisis to founding GC Legacy Construction and successfully navigating the challenges posed by COVID-19. She discusses securing Starbucks as a client and scaling the business through core values and long-term thinking. Sarah emphasizes the importance of daily reinforcement of these values and the strategic decision to bring trades in-...

Jed Richard shares his journey from the military to founding Richard Group, discussing the early financial challenges faced in the construction industry. He emphasizes the importance of consistency and keeping promises in entrepreneurship. Jed explores the balance of factors in construction projects and the significant role technology plays, particularly AI advancements and their ethical implicati...

Sheley Brien joins the episode to discuss her journey into the construction industry, emphasizing the balance between work-life and working with a spouse. She shares insights from her corporate background, highlighting how these lessons apply to construction, particularly in team building versus revenue growth. The conversation delves into the importance of business development metrics and the cha...

Scott Franchini joins the episode to discuss his career journey and the growth of RedHammer from Hawaii to Arizona. He shares insights on managing outsourced teams and addressing client concerns about outsourcing. Scott highlights the use of Predictive Index in hiring and performance assessments, along with the importance of performance feedback and construction accounting processes. The conversat...

TJ O'Connor joins the conversation to share his career journey, detailing his pivot from a tile contractor to the trucking industry. He discusses his leadership philosophy and strategies for transforming a low morale team, highlighting a case study of employee behavior improvement through trust. The episode delves into servant leadership and the importance of including truck drivers in company dec...

Tyler Johnston of Berg Enterprises Inc. shares his journey and discusses how military leadership principles have influenced the AEC business. He details the growth and operational structure of Berg Enterprises. The conversation addresses hiring challenges in rural areas and strategies for leveraging local talent. Tyler emphasizes leadership development, technology in organizational change, and lea...

Jacqueline Loftis and Amanda Simon from Cresa share their career journeys. Amanda discusses her career shift and how Cresa works with the right clients, emphasizing the value of hiring their firm. They explore business development, team recruitment strategies, and the importance of building careers and refining processes. The conversation covers cost savings, value engineering, and bid selection,...

Eric Whobrey from ARCO Construction shares insights into his role and the company's approach to small incremental innovations. He addresses the challenges of naming conventions and change management in innovation. Eric discusses ARCO's business structure, venture capital insights, and entrepreneurial mindset for expansion. The conversation covers scaling challenges, standardizing processes, and me...

Tony Disilvestro shares his journey from the restaurant industry to construction, emphasizing the importance of people in scaling businesses. He discusses the challenges of hiring versus investing in employees and addresses workforce shortages by treating subcontractors as team members. Tony talks about balancing multiple businesses and launching an employee training platform, shifting focus to Sa...

Will Foret and Justin Neagle discuss the mission of Building Scale and delve into the complexities of investing in AEC technology versus cost analysis. They explore Mancini Duffy's technology strategy and the challenges of tech updates within the industry. The conversation touches on Moore's Law in the AEC context, scaling through acquisitions, and integrating technology. They address technology d...

Danielle Puente, President of DP Electric, shares the origin and growth story of her company, delving into the dynamics and challenges of running a family business. She discusses how company culture and employee retention strategies are crucial for growth and the importance of investing in people. Danielle elaborates on implementing EOS for effective leadership and the roles of visionary vs. integ...

Bill Mandara discusses his career journey and entry into architecture, detailing his early experiences and the ownership transition at Mancini Duffy. He explores partnership dynamics, managing decisions, and lessons learned. The episode delves into Mancini Duffy's growth strategies post-2020, including mergers, acquisitions, and organic growth. Bill emphasizes the importance of embracing technolog...

Dr. Brook Choulet discusses her journey into private practice and the importance of mental health in the construction industry. She shares insights on expanding her practice, working with family, and finding niches in concierge and sports psychiatry. The conversation covers long-term goals, community support, and lessons learned from CEO clients. Dr. Choulet also talks about managing a large team,...

Shane Snyder delves into his journey in the electrical contracting industry, emphasizing the path to ESOP and the importance of merging operational excellence with people-centric leadership. He discusses the dynamics of unions and ESOPs, strategies for talent recruitment and retention, and the significance of diversity and inclusion. The episode also highlights the role of Keymakers and networking...

Alfonso Trujillo discusses his journey from healthcare to construction, growth strategies at MMI, and the impact of EOS vs Scaling Up methodologies. He delves into the importance of authority, balanced growth, talent retention, and the role of AI in construction.

Amanda Miller shares her journey from transitioning into the solar industry to overcoming challenges in sales. She emphasizes the importance of caring for your team, nurturing potential customers, and leveraging technology. The episode also covers the engineering process and handling misconceptions about solar sales.

On this episode, Justin sits down with Doug Caris and Eric Rector of Arizona Painting Company. The discussion covers company growth, branding, state expansion, and commercial painting challenges. The conversation delves into their acquisition strategy, EOS implementation, client experience, training processes, and advice for those looking to one-up their sales and entrepreneurial game.

Jimmy Akintonde from Ujamaa Construction discusses the significance of people, processes, and technology in scaling AEC businesses. He shares his journey, insights on leadership, the importance of DEI, and how technology is reshaping project management. Future plans and legacy are also explored.

This episode explores budgetary considerations, mental health impacts, and the balance between design and budget in architecture with Zac Cohen, Creative Director of Studio Räkkhaus, and Lev Libeskind. It delves into the romanticism vs. functionality debate, architecture's connection to nature, technology's influence, community impact, modern challenges, and redesigning office spaces post-COVID.