The Construction Life

We sit down with a contractor, Mitchell Baker of Karnak Pro Builders in BC is running for North Vancouver-Seymour as an Independent in the upcoming October 19 election. Mitchell, who is making the bold leap from the construction site to the political arena. Frustrated by the outdated infrastructure in his province and the waste of billions on untested construction products, he's running as an inde...

In this episode, with the help pf Jonathan, Erica and Nick, we dive into the evolving world of construction, exploring the path to becoming a project manager (PM) and what defines a great one, including the blend of leadership, communication, and technical skills required to succeed. We also tackle the hot topic of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on the workforce—will AI replace w...

In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the murky waters of corruption within the construction industry in Canada. Public servants at various levels of government are under scrutiny as allegations of deceit, cronyism, and illicit favoritism come to light. Are contracts being funneled to friends and family members at the expense of public interest? We explore the extent of these illegal acti...

Saving money on fun with Teresa Greco on Building Joy. We talk to Erica about social reconnecting after Covid, balancing cost and experience, and letting go of drama on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568. This show is brought to you b...

We talk about lateness and lack of initiative from new trades, indecision and hidden budgets from clients, and massive costs and poor green initiatives from the government. We also discuss protecting natural stone from weathering, creating value with laneway homes, building sustainably, and asking for respect from non-trades on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Zeke Kaplan of ZZ...

What are you leaving behind? with Teresa Greco on Building Joy. We talk to Punam about creating happiness in the workplace, the change a business owner can make, and leaving with positive memories on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568...

Enrico tells us about the Italian origins of decorative finishes, the evolution of materials and bringing the art to Canada. We talk about seamless stone finishes, polishing challenges, lime vs acrylic marble, consistent inconsistency, and replicating stone and concrete on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Enrico Del Frate of Bell'Italia on Instagram @BellitaliaWalls. Reach out a...

We talk about unqualified promotions producing bad leaders and what good training looks like. We also discuss how construction is changing, from the things leaders focus on to the rising importance of mental health. Learn how empathy is a critical thinking tool on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Marianick Pichon of Schulich ExecEd at ExecEd. Schulich. YorkU.ca and on LinkedIn a...

We talk about getting clients to understand the work behind the price, and being compassionate to clients without settling for a lower paycheck. We also discuss types of paint, dark tones, fear of risk, paint fume protection, and faulty paints on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Steven Brum of Just Painting Co at JustPaintingCo.ca and @JPaintCo. Reach out at JustPaintingCo@gmail...

Returning to family with Teresa Greco on Building Joy. We talk to Pat about the consequences of overwork, missing important moments, and sacrificing loved ones to help clients that don't care on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568. Sta...

Jonathan co-hosts this latest TNT show where Antonio tells us about losing his kids, learning to let go, dating in your 50s, and becoming self-aware. We also discuss what divorce does to children, men too focused on finance, waking up into fitness, early morning run clarity, and inspiring others to improve on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Antonio Di Santo on Instagram @ImADis...

Why we do what we do with with Teresa Greco on Building Joy. We talk to Tammeron of Inner Lights Academy TV about the unseen forces that effect our actions, and finding truths on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568. Stay connected with...

We talk about the white oak black hole, underrated wood species, advancements in vinyl, individualizing a home, and the pros and cons of character on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Antonio Troiani of Floorzilla at Floorzilla.ca and @floor.zilla. Reach out at 647-671-9871 and Floorzillas@rogers.com . This show is brought to you by When you choose Ravineview Construction, you’re...

Learning to love silence with Teresa Greco on Building Joy. We talk to Mark about learning from the past, planning for the future, and living in the present on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568. Stay connected with The Construction L...

We talk about issues with new trades like phone distractions, chasing the paycheck, leaving too soon, and expecting too much. We also discuss commercial vs residential HVAC, getting people to pay for quality, bearing the cost of green mandates, lack of unit longevity, bandaid solutions, and dealing with emergencies on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Marc Samperi, Prab Kalsi and...

Tony tells us about coming to Canada during the pandemic, being taken advantage of for being an immigrant, and finding work in hard times. We share advice for how to avoid being taken advantage of from learning to say no to creating genuine relationships with your employees on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Tony Alderete of Alderete Construction at AldereteConstruction.com and...

We talk to Daniel Bax of The Life of Your Choice about refusing to accept impossibility and turning challenges into opportunities. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. Reach out at StepstoTrueHappiness@gmail.com and 416-553-8568. Stay connected with The Construction Life Podcast by texting Manny at 416 433-5737 or emailing him at manny@thecon...

Les tells us about the overuse of salt in water filtration systems, how it's is killing our lakes, and changing how we think about clean water. We discuss salt-free water treatment, teaching plumbers how to make a difference, profit intoxication, using social media for good education, and illogical logic on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Les Purcell of O'Rourke Electric and On...

Emily tells us about the problems with traditional play rooms, making rooms that grow with the child, combining adult function with kid fun, ensuring clients use their spaces and giving children what they need to succeed in life. We talk about overprotective parents, reminding adults to be playful, fitting play into every budget, and fixing our internal worlds on this episode of The Construction L...

Paul shares what's really happening with Canadian rates and the housing market. He tells us about principle resident taxes, officials only caring about being reelected, record low birth rates, lacking financial literacy, and tips for getting started financially. We share how Canada's future is in renting on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Paul Rocha of Mortgage Scout on PaulJRo...

Today on Building Joy we talk to Tyrone about finding peace away from the city and taking big risks to prioritize happiness, and we talk to Christina about creating happiness as a couple and reconnecting with childhood joy. Learn to find joy in the moment on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Teresa Greco of Steps to Happiness at TeresaGreco.ca and @TeresaGreco_StepstoHappiness. R...

We talk about the first day on the job, working hard young so you can rest when you're old, managing work/life balance, relationships for the younger generation, and changing perspectives of construction on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Antonio Pereira, Shaan Sahi and Alex Maffei of AquaStop Waterproofing at AquaStopWaterproofing.ca and @Aqua. Stop. Reach out at Antonio@AquaS...

Samuel tells us about how he makes construction attractive by providing working experiences abroad. We talk about preparing trades for cultural differences, trade specializations across countries, maintaining company culture with foreign workers, and how international trades can inspire local trades on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. For trades, find Journeyman at Journeyman.io and...

We talk about the value of a colour consultant, what "Good, Better, Best" paints really are, issues with Colour of the Year, understanding collaboration in construction, and making good relationships with competition. He also shares the truth about glorification of the 80s and the constant pressure on new entrepreneurs on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Scott Fitch of Fitch Pai...

We talk about issues with surface level motivations for joining trades, helping trade school graduates, why money isn't a good goal, finding a trade that suits your strengths, and changing the construction industry for the better on this episode of The Construction Life Podcast. Find Larry La Gamba of Trade Links Consulting at TradeLinksConsulting.ca and @TradeLinksConsulting. Reach out at Larry@T...