The EBFC Show

In this conversation, Adam reflects on lessons learned from Buddy Brumley, the Old Dawgs Community, and years of experience building projects in the field. Together, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez and Adam Hoots discuss why many Lean principles have existed for decades, why communication matters more than terminology, how curiosity transforms leadership, and why the best construction metrics often can'...

In this episode of The EBFC Show, Ines Verdun shares her experiences about takt planning, Integrated Project Delivery, Lean Construction, production engineering, and how contracts shape production flow in construction. Ines Verdun is a civil engineer with expertise in construction management and project delivery. She holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley College of Engine...

Most construction projects run on beliefs nobody questions. Victor Ortiz breaks down 10 misconceptions that keep teams late, over budget, and stuck in blame. From treating projects as anything other than production systems to relying on schedules that only report failure, this episode challenges how construction actually operates.   If you lead projects or work in the field, this conversation will...

What if the estimates we fight so hard to defend are actually the very thing slowing us down? In this episode, Felipe sits down with Vasco Duarte --- Agile coach, author of #NoEstimates, and host of the Scrum Master Toolbox podcast --- for a candid conversation about why traditional estimation may be creating more illusion than clarity... and what to do instead. Vasco brings serious field credibil...

Whether you’re a construction professional, tech enthusiast, or just curious about the future of work, this episode is packed with insights, philosophy, and practical advice. This show was filmed live from LCI Congress 2025. Tom Feliz, DataGrid’s Head of Growth, breaks down how construction professionals can practically apply AI to eliminate waste, improve productivity, and get home by 5 PM. Disco...

In the FINAL EBFC Show episode of 2025, host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez sits down with Adalia Zhao, founder and CEO of BuildTrace, to talk about how AI is reshaping the future of construction—starting with change management. Adalia’s journey from counting 4,823 windows on a set of plans to becoming a Microsoft engineer and now AI startup founder is nothing short of inspiring.   Together, they dive...

What does real Lean leadership look like—and how do you avoid just looking Lean without being Lean? 🤔   Join host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez on The EBFC Show as he talks with Patrick Adams—Lean expert, international consultant, author of The Appearance Trap, and host of the Lean Solutions Podcast.   This episode dives deep into leadership, coaching, and continuous improvement that actually sticks...

Welcome to a special edition of The Easier, Better, for Construction Show (EBFC Show)! 🎙️ Host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez goes full Hot Ones mode in this spicy Season 6 episode, taking on 🔟 blazing sauces while answering 🔟 burning questions.   This time, Felipe is in the hot seat—literally—interviewed by his son, Noah, in a fiery twist of father-son bonding, lean thinking, and laugh-out-loud mome...

What if the biggest barrier to Lean success isn’t the trades or the tools — but the way we think about planning itself? 🤔   In this episode of The EBFC Show, Victor Ortiz and host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez continue their deep dive into the Last Planner System®, uncovering the principles and practices that separate sticky notes on a wall from a true production control system. From flawed procureme...

What if the real problem on your project isn’t budget, scope, or schedule — but how decisions are actually made? 🤯 In this episode of The EBFC Show, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez is joined by Dr. Paz Arroyo — author of Building Decisions, CBA evangelist, and DPR's culture of quality champion — to unravel the mess behind most construction decisions and reveal a better path forward.   Together, they di...

Most construction pros have heard of Lean — but far fewer truly understand it, and even fewer are putting it into practice. In this episode of The EBFC Show, we shine a light on why Lean is often misunderstood, overlooked, or completely invisible on job sites today. Join host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez and special guest Alan Boykiw as they unpack the roots of Lean, its relevance to construction, an...

How Small Projects Can Win Big with Target Value Delivery (TVD). In this episode of The EBFC Show, host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez chats with Jason Brenner from Join about the game-changing power of Target Value Delivery (TVD) — not just for billion-dollar mega-projects, but even for more modest efforts like a $6 million infrastructure upgrade.   Together, they break down how TVD helps teams build...

“Collaboration isn't just for mega-projects.” 💬 In this powerful episode of The EBFC Show, Jason Brenner (@ Join) joins Felipe to break down how high-performing teams can achieve target value delivery (TVD) on projects of all sizes — not just the billion-dollar ones. 🏗️   With nearly 30 years of construction leadership experience (Genentech, DPR, Excel), Jason shares how he scaled from chemist to...

What if resistance to change wasn’t a problem, but an opportunity? In this episode of The EBFC Show, Victor Ortiz and host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez explore how embracing resistance to the Last Planner System can actually drive clarity, foster trust, and create better outcomes in construction projects. 🚧   As we continue our series on mastering the Last Planner System, Victor dives deep into the...

In this special episode of The EBFC Show, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez is joined by a very special guest—his son, Noah Engineer-Manriquez. Together, they dive into Noah's inspiring journey of mastering Scrum, from growing up around Lean principles to co-authoring the groundbreaking book Scrum for Teens. Learn how Noah uses Scrum to tackle school projects, personal goals, and everyday life challenges....

Why is the Last Planner System often misunderstood—and how can you avoid falling into the trap of a "fake" implementation? In this insightful follow-up interview, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez and returning guest Victor Ortiz dive into the transformative potential of the Last Planner System in Lean Construction. They reveal how traditional project management inefficiencies can be resolved by treating...

Join Felipe Engineer-Manriquez and returning guest Victor Ortiz as they explore the transformative power of the Last Planner System in construction management. Building on his insights from Season 4, Victor dives deeper into how this Lean Construction framework/method can resolve inefficiencies in traditional project management by viewing projects as dynamic production systems. This episode unpack...

In this episode of The EBFC Show, Felipe Engineer Manriquez sits down with Emily Edelstone, a Technical Solutions Executive at Autodesk, to explore the future of construction through the lens of AI and innovative technology. Emily shares her journey from a project engineer and superintendent to her current role, highlighting the transformative power of digital tools like Autodesk's Construction Cl...

BONUS Episode: September is National Suicide Prevention Month in the USA. All month, mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members unite to promote suicide prevention awareness.   In this special bonus episode of The EBFC Show, host Felipe Engineer-Manriquez digs deeper into the critical issue of mental health and suicide awareness in the construction...

Explore the transformative potential of AI in the construction industry in this episode of The EBFC Show, hosted by Felipe Engineer Manriquez and featuring AI expert Marcus Turner. Dig into how AI technologies like Stanford's Storm (a powerful analytics tool) and Claude's Artifacts (AI-driven solutions) are revolutionizing construction workflows. Marcus discusses practical applications from enhanc...

In this episode, we "Scrum" our way through a series of enlightening discussions with Kevin L. Ball, distilling his extensive expertise into actionable insights. We explore pivotal moments in his career journey that shaped his path as a Scrum Master and transformation expert, dig into the leadership qualities essential for effective organizational change, and tackle the challenges of implementing...

In this episode of the EBFC Show, host Felipe Engineer Manriquez welcomes Geoff Gosling, an industrial and product designer and one of the founders of DIRTT. Geoff shares fascinating insights into the evolving world of adaptive construction and how embracing uncertainty can lead to better project outcomes. Geoff discusses the importance of designing for change and uncertainty, drawing parallels be...

Dig into the Theory of Constraints with Thomas LeMay in this compelling episode. Get an in-depth insight into the management tool introduced by the renowned physicist, Eliyahu M. Goldratt, which has revolutionized business strategies. Thomas kicks off by recommending Goldratt's breakthrough book, The Goal, providing insights into Goldratt's ideas and how to apply them using the constraint log tool...

In this episode of The EBFC show, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez and Jason Schroeder dig into the challenges that the construction industry faces due to the 'bungee effect' – poor planning leading to volatile work schedules and frequent disruptions. They share their expertise on adopting lean and scrum methodologies and maintaining workflow on the job site, discussing their practical strategies for ove...

John Gallagher, the visionary behind Growing Champions Coaching & Consulting Company, brings over 25 years of expertise in Leadership and Lean methodologies to the forefront. Having consulted for global giants like IBM and academic powerhouses such as Harvard University, John's approach to People Development, Productivity, Profitability, and Growth works at the heart of leadership and successf...