Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder

Most leaders say culture matters. Very few are willing to do what it actually takes to build one. In this episode, Jesse sits down with Lisa Corrales - Field Verified leader with 25 years in organizational development and healthcare - to unpack the uncomfortable truth: culture isn’t built through values on a wall. It’s built through conversations most leaders avoid. They get into why promoting peo...

Most construction owners treat insurance like a bill they just have to pay. Micah Salas thinks that's exactly why they overpay. Micah is an Austin-based commercial insurance author and the guy who wrote The Business Insurance Playbook — not for agents, but for owners like you. In this episode, he breaks down why the way most contractors shop for coverage is quietly working against them, what...

You can be great at your job and still be losing the parts of life that actually make success worth it. That’s where we start: the quiet trade so many high performers make, sacrificing sleep, health, learning, and real presence with the people we love so we can keep delivering, keep getting promoted, and keep looking “fine” from the outside. I share a personal wake-up call that made it impossible...

Most people in construction get promoted and handed a completely different job with the same title. No roadmap. No manual. No honest conversation about what moving up is actually going to cost them. Gary Borque lived that. Multiple times. He started as a fabricator, worked his way through the millwright and carpenter's union, spent five years as a traveling superintendent, built a training de...

Jesse hosts the Learnings and Missteps podcast and interviews Manja Horner, founder and CEO of Boost Learning Design, about solving skilled-trades workforce shortages driven by retirements and the long push toward college over trades. Manja introduces her book, “Pass the Torch: A Call to Rescue the Future of Trades,” and explains her “talent flywheel” for retention: strong onboarding, trained supe...

Jesse explains the second half of his FIREBOX time- and self-management framework for freeing calendar space and preventing burnout so you can invest in what matters most. After briefly reviewing “Finish First” (time-sensitive and only you can do) and “Invest Focus” (not urgent but only you can do, guided by what you’d do with more time), he focuses on “Reduce” and “Extinguish.” Reduce covers task...

What if the biggest problems in dating, leadership, and workplace conflict all come from the same place? In this episode of Learnings & Missteps , Jesse sits down with Jackie—romance coach and consultant who works in crime reduction and reentry—to explore why humans are wired for connection and what happens when that connection breaks down. Jackie argues that the common advice to “leave your p...

Jesse hosts the Learnings and Missteps podcast and interviews Scott Evans, founder of Scott Evans Speaks, about mental health in the construction field as “operational integrity” and “invisible PPE,” emphasizing a 360-degree safety culture that extends beyond the jobsite gate. They discuss the disconnect between corporate, compliance-focused tools like apps and HR videos versus the field reality t...

Jesse hosts the Learnings and Missteps podcast and introduces guest Mia McGlynn, a Pennsylvania-based construction influencer, writer, photographer, and fractional support partner who focuses on “the people behind the work.” Jesse gives an LnM Family shout-out to Bryce Ager for reviewing one of Jesse’s construction trainings, and notes his business offers training, coaching, and consulting. Maya e...

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Mike Chiles, a seasoned project director in the construction industry. They discuss the unpredictable challenges of construction, the importance of relationship building, and effective leadership. Mike emphasizes the role of leaders in developing their teams, creating a balanced and supportive work environment, and the value o...

The truth landed on us after dozens of job site chats: some folks know our training but not the show, and others love the show but don’t know we train crews for a living. So we’re making it obvious. Learnings and Missteps is now Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder, a single, honest banner that matches how we work and who we serve. New color, same voice, more clarity. We walk through what stays...

What if your calendar isn’t the problem—your priorities are? We walk through the FIRE Box, a clear, practical framework that helps you stop living reactive and start building a week that reflects what you value. Instead of chasing every ping, you’ll learn how to Finish First on the urgent and important, and, more critically, Invest Focus Here on the important and not urgent work that drives real p...

Most leaders don’t have a time problem. They have a decision making problem. We break down a self-first framework that turns chaos into clarity by separating planning, commitment, and execution into clean lanes—each with its own tool and purpose—so you can stop spinning and start finishing the work that matters. We begin with long-term planning across three human buckets: business and professional...

Ever feel like your calendar is packed but your real life lives off to the side? We dig into a simple, no-fluff system to make every commitment visible, merge the hidden to-dos with the scheduled ones, and carve out protected time for sleep, movement, and deep work—without the guilt. The result isn’t more hustle; it’s a calmer, truer plan that helps us deliver for others while finally honoring the...

Planning feels great until reality shows up. We’ve all sketched beautiful lists, only to watch them dissolve under meetings, family needs, and the next urgent fire. Today we turn planning into progress by committing to a simple, visual flow that respects your bandwidth and fuels momentum: brain dump, weigh impact vs effort with the DAMN Matrix, then sequence one big rock at a time. We start by pul...

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse Hernandez converses with Stephanie Wood, co-founder and CEO of Coal Build Construction. Stephanie, with a background in organizational leadership and trauma-informed neuroscience, shares her journey from English literature major to a construction industry leader. The discussion covers the challenges and innovations in fostering a co...

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse Hernandez sits down with Liberty Kogen, a construction social media expert with an impressive background in musical theater and business. Liberty shares her journey from performing in Legally Blonde to launching a successful babysitting agency in Atlanta and eventually transitioning into social media marketing for construction compa...

Want a year that actually changes your life? We break down a practical system to stop chasing busywork and start stacking wins that matter. It starts with a guilt-free brain dump to pull every idea, project, and half-finished goal out of your head so you can judge them by outcome, not overwhelm. From there, we introduce the Damn Matrix, a four-quadrant method that ranks your work by impact and eff...

n this episode, Jesse discusses the critical role of servant leadership in the construction industry with Wally Adamchick. They explore how a servant leadership mindset, which includes being respectful, setting expectations, and supporting employees, can lead to higher employee retention and profitability. Wally also talks about the importance of developing frontline leaders and the distinction be...

In this episode, Jesse hosts Bryce Harem, founder of BTG Services and creator of the Middleman Mindset, as they discuss the essence of true leadership, personal struggles, and the ways to effectively bridge the gap between office and field in the blue-collar industry. Jesse and Bryce explore the importance of self-leadership, authenticity, and communication, while also touching upon their personal...

Ready to stop storing your entire life in your head and start building a future you can actually live? We walk through phase one of guilt-free future planning, a simple, practical way to unload your ideas, goals, and projects so you can see them clearly and choose with confidence. No apps required. Just a pen, some paper, and the willingness to get honest about where your energy goes. We begin wit...

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Uri Salgado, a bilingual business development executive at Detritus. Yuri shares her remarkable journey from helping her mother with translation in her childhood to achieving a milestone of 10 years at her previous company. She discusses the influence of her multicultural background, the importance of empathy in her career, an...

In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse interviews Brian Anderson, President of Bear Construction. Brian shares his journey of starting his own construction company, driven by his desire to create his own values and methods. Despite initial setbacks, such as working for companies that went under and facing financial struggles, Brian successfully established his business,...

Ever blink at 4 p.m. and wonder where your day went? We’ve been there—busy all day yet weirdly light on results. This conversation lays out a distraction detox that replaces chaos with clarity using two simple moves: track the curveballs that hit you and cage the squirrels you chase. The payoff isn’t just productivity; it’s the calm that comes from finishing what matters most. We start by exposing...

Jesse interviews Melissa Stecher, founder of Hopeful Simplicity, discussing her 3S method designed to help busy moms declutter and organize their spaces for a more peaceful lifestyle. Melissa explains the importance of aligning organizational styles with personal and family needs, the emotional aspect of letting go of clutter, and the benefits of a supportive community. They explore the balance be...