Innovation Overload

"If you're not innovating and thinking ahead, you're going to be behind the eight ball—and left behind."  On this episode of the Innovation Overload Podcast, we’re joined by Jef Fagan, Senior Vice President of Risk Management and Labor Relations at NECA National. Jef shares key tools and strategies for managing risk, navigating labor relations, and addressing workforce challeng...

Join us on this episode of Innovation Overload as we dive into the world of policy, advocacy, and the future of the electrical contracting industry with Marco Giamberardino. As a key voice in government affairs, Marco shares insights into his role in shaping policies that impact contractors nationwide. Hear how he works "to bridge the gap between those decision makers and our industry, ensuri...

 "Here we are an industry where the majority of our contractors, who own their companies have never opened the door of a college." Join Contractor Takeover hosts Jared Christman of Big State Electric and Sean Lazarian of ESSCO as they discuss outreach, and recruitment with Director of Chapter Development at Atlanta NECA, Liz Campbell.

In the VDC world, you're not always working with electricians – you're working with people who have learned electrical work from the 3D side of things.  So I try to be clear and bring whatever I've learned in the field into the office and try to teach everyone.  It just makes everyone's job easier.  What happens when a degreed electrical engineer with no initial industry backgr...

"Partnering is the strategic nature of making sure we are working together for the best outcome for all of us, not just for one of us." In this episode of the Innovation Overload Podcast, guest hosts Joe Barnard, President of National Installation for Archkey Solutions, and Dorin Nicorici, President & CEO of Dynalectric Oregon and Arizona, sit down with Eaton Strategic Account Manage...

"We are putting the right light in the right direction that drives wellness components because it's different."  In this episode of the Contractor Takeover edition of the Innovation Overload podcast, hosts Jared Christman, Director of Innovation and Technology at Big State Electric, and Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO spoke with Robert Soler, co-founder of Skyview. Robert shares his jou...

"We're trying to accelerate their learning process with the tools and technology that we use in our industry, and trying to facilitate and encourage their interaction with local contractors."  Discover how NECA Student Chapters are shaping the future of the electrical contracting by attracting and developing top talent. Guest hosts Adam Davis, Director of Fabrication and Modular Sol...

"We want to be a platform to bring together the shared pains where we are struggling to share data that we should be sharing.  Understand the root causes of people processing technology and why it's not happening, try to overcome them." Nathan Wood, Construction Progress Coalition Executive Director joins the Contractor Takeover hosts Jared Christman of Big State Electric and Sean L...

“Learning has to come from within. It’s gotta be a certain amount of drive that’s in each person and that person has to figure out what that drive is.”  Phil Matthews, Director of Construction Services, talks about looking at innovation from multiple angles, culture, overcoming burnout, and being intentional in career development. Listen in for more on Phil’s journey and to pick up tools to sharpe...

"When looking at new technology, you need to be realistic about what your use case is because you are going to be spending a good amount of money to have access to that product and if you are not going to use it to its full capability, it may not fit into your workflow and what you really need.”  On this weeks episode of the Innovation Overload Podcast, Contractor Takeover edition, Justin Koh...

“Don’t hesitate, just jump, …there’s never a right time.  Go after the things you want, don’t look at all the obstacles in your way, look at what you want and when that comes into view and focus, you’ll find a way and you’ll be able to do it.”  Join Mike Oakes, Founder and CEO of First Choice Electrical Solutions to discuss turning his dream of starting a contracting business into a reality, lesso...

“I like to make sure I have my finger on the pulse of what's going on in the industry and share the lessons learned and the best of the best that we can all come up with.” Join Rosendin Electric CIO as he delves into insightful discussions, sharing strategies and best practices. This episode focuses on vital aspects such as recruiting IT talent, negotiating software contracts, navigating the...

"Innovation is really just constantly re-evaluating all the different things around you and re-imagining what it could be, or why it should be different." Anna Jochim, MODL, Director, Future Workforce Development from Electri shares the challenges faced for our growing skilled labor gap and the use of innovative solutions to try to solve them.

"AI is not just a tool; it's becoming the foundation for smarter, more efficient construction practices." In this second part of the Contractor Takeover edition of the Innovation Overload podcast, hosts Jared Christman, Director of Innovation and Technology at Big State Electric, and Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO, continue their in-depth exploration of the transformative role of artif...

"AI is not just a tool; it's becoming the foundation for smarter, more efficient construction practices." Whether you're aiming to leverage AI to streamline operations or stay ahead of industry trends, this episode of Innovation Overload: Contractor Takeover delivers valuable insights and expert discussions with Jared Christman, Director of Innovation and Technology at Big Stat...

“Ultimately we all need to make money.  Being efficient and trying to innovate and find new ways to do things is at the top of our list.”  Join Lance Beck, VP of Contract Operations for an insightful discussion on the dynamic shifts occurring within the electrical construction industry. In this episode, we explore how self-improvement initiatives can serve as a catalyst for fostering innovation at...

We see the amount of work going up and the number of electricians going down, so we have to focus on process improvement and automation. We need to shift the mentality from "technology is taking our jobs" to "we are filling holes that cannot be filled fast enough." Join the Contractor Takeover with hosts Jared Christman of Big State Electric and Sean Lazarian of ESSCO, as they...

Innovation is how you make something better for somebody.  Whether it's a very simple solution or a very complex solution, how can you make it faster, simpler, and easier to implement. Chris Lamb, Hilti North American Trade Marketing Manager, embodies this ethos, championing solutions tailored to the nuances of the electrical and mechanical trades. This episode of Innovation Overload explores...

“Innovation can be defined in a number of different ways. I think it can be tangible in terms of a product that you are actually using that is very different than anything you've seen before.  I think for me, I work for a company that is very innovative and we breathe the culture of that but for my day-to-day, it's really innovation in the way you approach things, your thought process. ...

One aspect often overlooked is the importance of relying on your peers. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out to someone. We're here to uplift the entire industry, and if we can offer assistance, we're more than willing to do so."  Join Jared Christman, Director of Innovation and Technology at Big State Electric, and Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO, as they share valuab...

"Don't be afraid to fail.  Let's throw things out on the table, let's brainstorm.  I really try to empower everyone within our organization to think outside the box.  To not just do what we always have done.  We need to move the needle a bit every single day," Adam Rude, ERMCO.  In this episode of NECA's Innovation Overload learn how beneficial student chapters are an...

“You have to be open minded and look at problems as opportunities if you want to have a culture of innovation.” Curtis Harbour, Senior Vice President at The Brandt Companies joins the Innovation Overload Podcast to offer invaluable insights into strategies and techniques for cultivating a culture of innovation within a company. His discussion extends into the intricacies of team dynamics, highligh...

We're looking at an estimated 1.5 million skilled tradesman shortage over the next 10 years.  We really have to leverage all of the advanced technologies that are becoming available to fill that gap.  As a contractor you need to be nimble and you have to be able to identify the opportunities within this marketplace and adapt. Collin Weiner, President of CalEnergy Corporation, teams up with Ja...

“I think the younger generation is definitely where you want to start, you want to start in middle school and high school.  I was a sophomore in college before I got into Construction Engineering.”  Join the contractor Takeover as Jared Chrisman, Director of Innovation and Technology at Big State Electric, and Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO interview the student chapter finalists of the Electrical Co...

“Coming here really opens up your knowledge to a lot of product that you didn’t know about, which is huge for us!” Mike Oakes, President of First Choice Electrical Solutions and Andy Sellers, Management Executive at Quality Electric join Sean Lazarian to discuss valuable tips, strategies, and experiences they’ve had attending the NECA Annual Convention.