The Construction Corner

Not all industrial growth impacts communities the same way. Dillon compares how data centers and traditional industries like factories and mining affect small-town infrastructure, population, and budgets — and why data centers offer high tax revenue with remarkably low ongoing community costs.

A quick-hit episode exploring how tribal lands in the West could become the fast lane for data center construction. With tribal sovereignty bypassing lengthy permitting processes and ROI timelines measured in months, Dillon lays out why tribes are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the data center boom.

Material costs are climbing, lead times are stretching (medium voltage cable jumped from 30 to 52 weeks), and data centers are reshaping the labor market. Dillon gives a blunt market update on why waiting to build will cost you more, then pivots to a sharp critique of AI doomerism and NIMBYism around data center development — and the real economic benefits these projects bring to communities.

Dillon shares lessons from a whirlwind travel and recruiting season, breaking down what makes candidates stand out — and what gets them instantly disqualified. From incomplete applications and AI-generated responses to failing to research the company, this episode is a frank guide for anyone applying for jobs in engineering and construction.

Inspired by a Travis Kalanick interview, Dillon discusses managerial capacity and delegation before diving into AI's massive impact on the economy — including how data center construction now represents roughly 3% of GDP. He makes the case for why data centers (and AI broadly) deserve more nuance and less knee-jerk criticism.

Ahead of a founder retreat with fellow construction entrepreneurs in Denver, Dillon talks about the deep work of documenting VDS's business playbook — from financials and org structure to client onboarding — and the clarity that comes from being brutally honest about a company's strengths and gaps.

Dillon breaks down why responsiveness — getting back to clients quickly with pricing, proposals, and answers — is one of the biggest differentiators in the construction industry. He walks through the real financial cost of delays in the field and discusses how VDS is building its team and processes around speed as a core value.

In this episode, Dillon explores what it really means to show clients and employees you care — arguing that actions, not words, are what build trust. He connects this to his own demanding travel schedule and the day-to-day work of showing up, answering the phone, and following through.

Dillon reflects on VDS's explosive growth — tripling, then nearly 8x'ing revenue year over year — and the challenge of writing a founding document to guide the company's future. Drawing inspiration from Jeff Bezos's 1997 shareholder letter, he discusses why concise, well-considered writing matters, and how building a "flywheel" for a project-based engineering firm is diff...

In this episode, host Dillon reflects on VDS's first summer hosting two engineering interns, from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Michigan State University. He shares how the interns toured a range of live projects — from a massive million-square-foot warehouse to a gymnasium, a brewery, and a church build — gaining hands-on exposure to different construction types and complexities. Di...

Dillon shifts from macro trends to the day-to-day realities of running a construction engineering firm. He talks through how his team stays ahead of aggressive project deadlines, his philosophy of growing talent through internships rather than poaching senior engineers, and the balancing act of keeping a sales pipeline full enough to keep new hires busy without burning them out. He closes with a c...

The demand for AI compute is exploding, but is growth truly exponential? Dillon breaks down why power generation — not construction — is the real bottleneck holding back data center expansion, and how that ripple effect hits memory production, GPUs, and fab manufacturing (Micron, TSMC, NVIDIA). He also explores how legislative gridlock in the U.S. could push data centers overseas to the Middle Eas...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, Dillon dives deep into the AI-driven data center boom and what's really holding it back. He argues that while demand for electrical engineers and construction is set to grow significantly, the true bottleneck isn't chip supply or capital — it's power generation and transmission, tangled up in legislative and utility delays. Along the...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon shares a candid look at his own engineering career path — from two internships and full-time work at a small electrical safety firm, to transitioning into the A&E industry and eventually earning his PE license. He breaks down the typical four-year journey toward licensure, why company size and culture matter early on, and how attr...

Dillon shares everything you need to know about the Vertical Design Build Summit, returning October 1st in Chicagoland. With speakers from Quanta Services, Helix Electric, McCarthy, and a Green Beret leader, the intimate 100-seat event covers workforce, pre-construction, leadership, and company growth. Dillon also reflects on what made last year's inaugural summit so memorable — and why this y...

In this episode of The Construction Corner podcast, Dillon shares a broad business update and discusses his decision to remove himself from social media in February. He explains how tuning out cultural noise has improved his focus and operational mindset by keeping his attention on factors he can control. Turning to VDS, he announces a new website, infrastructure upgrades, and team growth. He note...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down why electrical is arguably the fastest-growing and most future-proof trade you can enter right now — and what aspiring tradespeople need to consider before choosing their path. Dillon opens with a striking data point: Google just reported $205 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, all flowing into infrastructure — and...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, Dillon and John pull back the curtain on what drives Vertical Design Services — and what drives them personally. With 15 years of experience in electrical engineering, Dillon shares why he thrives on the front end of projects: crafting proposals, sizing equipment, and building the one-line diagrams that most contractors struggle to put together o...

In this episode of Construction Corner, Dillon and John give a full breakdown of the Vertical Design Build Summit 2026 — coming to Chicagoland on October 1st. Fresh off a successful inaugural event in Madison with nearly 70 contractors in attendance, they're leveling up with an incredible speaker lineup that includes workforce development leaders from Quanta Services (the world's largest e...

In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon sits down with his business partner John Molak, who took anything but a traditional path — from a short stint in college to becoming a licensed journeyman electrician, then pivoting into lighting sales, and eventually co-founding a fast-growing electrical engineering firm in Chicago. The conversation covers his journey from doing demo work for a...

In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon sits down to discuss how Vertical Design Services (VDS) is redefining what an electrical engineering firm can be. From vertical integration and AI-powered workflows to accelerating the learning curve for engineers, Dillon breaks down the flywheel model driving VDS's growth — and why working directly for electrical contractors, rather than own...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon looks ahead at what the construction industry will look like over the next decade. He breaks down why licensed professions — engineers, lawyers, doctors — aren't going away despite AI, and how the real shift will come from better integration between designers, engineers, and contractors through prefabrication, design-build deliver...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon dives into the rapidly shifting energy landscape — starting with a fresh FERC press release that brings new regulatory guidance on how data centers and large power users connect to the grid. From there, the conversation covers the growing consumer rejection of electric vehicles (outside of Tesla), why hybrid technology is winning, and...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon sits down to discuss the big firm vs. small firm debate in engineering — breaking down what each type of company actually offers early-career professionals, how culture and company values shape your experience more than size alone, and why smaller firms often push you to do real work faster. Dillon also shares VS Engineering's amb...

In this episode, Dillon traces his path to electrical engineering back to an unusual origin: growing up off the grid on 38 acres in rural Oregon. He walks through the real-world mechanics of running a homestead on wind, solar, hydro, and propane — and why the math on green energy rarely pencils out without government subsidies. From windmill blades that shatter at 100 mph to abandoned turbine grav...