Construction Champions Podcast

Most construction businesses don’t fail because they’re too small. They fail because they scale problems instead of fixing them. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum breaks down a hard truth most contractors avoid: growth doesn’t fix problems, it magnifies them. Every crew you add, every job you take, every dollar you scale only makes unresolved issues louder, more expensive, an...

After more than three years, 300+ episodes, and one of the fastest-growing audiences in the construction industry, Construction Champions is evolving. In this special episode, Ron Nussbaum reflects on the journey of Construction Champions, what the show has accomplished, and why 2026 marks a major shift in how the podcast is structured without changing its mission. The mission has always been simp...

Most homes today are built to meet code, not to protect your health, your wallet, or your long-term comfort. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Paul Kealey, CEO and Founder of EkoBuilt, to break down Passive House construction, a building model that reduces heating and cooling demand by up to 80 percent while dramatically improving indoor air quality and long-te...

What does it really take to leave corporate life and build a construction business from the ground up? In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Joel Ward, founder of Titan Legacy Builders, LLC in Pennsylvania. Joel shares the real story of walking away from 17 years in corporate, failing his first construction business model, rebuilding from scratch, and finding tract...

If you're struggling to hire, retain, or develop great people in your construction company, this episode is going to change everything. In today’s Construction Champions episode, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Jonathan Whistman, bestselling author of The Sales Boss and founder of WhoHire, a cutting-edge hiring platform built specifically for the trades. Jonathan brings decades of experience in bu...

Most high-performing men succeed at work but silently fail at home. They lead teams, build businesses, solve problems, yet struggle with their marriage, their emotions, their connection to their kids, and their own identity as a man. In this raw and powerful episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Mitchell Osmond, host of a top 5 percent global podcast and a coach who helps...

Selling a construction company isn’t something you decide on Friday and complete by Monday. For most owners, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime decision and if you get it wrong, you can lose millions. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Cameron Bishop, Partner & Managing Director at Raincatcher, one of the leading lower-middle-market M&A firms specializing in cons...

Most contractors know how to work hard, make money, and support their families, but very few know how to actually use money as a tool to build wealth, freedom, and long-term stability. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum talks with Ron Beckner, a third-generation pipe fitter, Navy veteran, and financial educator who helps working-class Americans understand money in a simple, pr...

Most construction delays aren’t caused by labor. They aren’t caused by materials. They’re caused by communication failures between engineers, contractors, inspectors, and municipalities. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Daniel McCaulley, founder of Ultimus Engineering, to reveal the real bottlenecks, slowdowns, and misunderstandings that cost contractors time,...

Rework is one of the biggest silent killers in construction, costing contractors time, profit, morale, and reputation. But what if most rework is completely avoidable? In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum talks with Brendoan Nielsen, Managing Director of JC Engineers in Australia, about the real reasons construction projects fail, why teams don’t ask questions, and how engineeri...

Most contractors don’t realize their business already has a credit file and it could be costing them jobs, cash flow, insurance rates, and commercial opportunities. In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Gerri Detweiler, one of America’s leading experts on business credit, to break down how business credit really works for contractors. You’ll learn how to build busi...

If you don’t know what’s working in your marketing, you’re flying blind. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Jason Rhoads, CEO of Rhoads Creative, about how to build digital marketing systems that deliver measurable ROI for builders, remodelers, and trades. Jason has spent over two decades helping construction businesses master SEO, lead tracking, and performanc...

Most contractors hire for skill and ignore fit. That’s why turnover, frustration, and chaos keep repeating. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Josh Hill, former Australian Army Officer and Co-Founder of Super Hired AI, about how to rethink hiring and culture from the ground up. Josh brings a bold, global perspective on challenging complacency, understanding hum...

The construction industry has a reputation problem, but one man decided to fix it. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with John Hill, founder of The Good Contractors List, about how he built the first and only contractor network that stands between homeowners and contractors with a $25,000 guarantee on every job. John’s mission is simple: protect homeowners, highlig...

Want to win government contracts but don’t know where to start? This is your playbook. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Chris Clausing, Director of Government Programs at Colibri Group, about how to navigate DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) and SBE (Small Business Enterprise) certification, find the right opportunities, and actually win profitable gove...

Most contractors don’t need more leads, they need better systems. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum sits down with Daniel Strohli, entrepreneur and founder of ProfitsX, to talk about how contractors can stop relying on luck and referrals and instead build automated systems that attract quality clients, simplify communication, and scale profitably. Daniel shares lessons f...

Too many construction companies stay stuck because they’re afraid to change. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum sits down with Seth Fryer of Seppinen Contracting to talk about what it really takes to scale a construction business, from defining your vision to investing in growth and building communication between sales and operations. Seth shares real lessons from leading...

The construction industry doesn’t have a labor problem, it has a marketing problem. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with JJ Owen, Executive Director of the Skilled Careers Coalition, and Jennifer Wilkerson, Vice President of NCCER, about how we can rebuild the reputation of construction and inspire the next generation of builders. They discuss how social media st...

Most construction leaders burn out because they’re stuck putting out fires instead of building leaders. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Dr. Darrin Peppard, award-winning educator, leadership expert, and founder of Road to Awesome, about how to lead with clarity, stop being the firefighter, and create a team that leads itself. Darrin shares his journey from c...

AI isn’t the future, it’s already here in construction. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with returning guest James Hatfield, Chief Revenue Officer at LiveSwitch, about how contractors can start using AI right now to document jobs, reduce travel, improve communication, and protect their projects from risk and rework. James shares how AI is changing construction th...

Too many builders hit a wall trying to grow. Long hours, no profit, total burnout, it’s the silent crisis in construction. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Kyle Zanetto, founder of Zanetto Builders and Future Builder, about what it really takes to scale a construction company, systemize operations, and protect your sanity. Kyle went from 80-hour weeks and fin...

What if your construction business could keep growing, even while you step back? In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Dr. Ruth Mannschreck, dentist-turned-business-systems strategist and founder of WorkFewerHours.com, about how to design a company that runs without you. After reducing her own practice from 5 days to 2½ days a week and growing revenue, Dr. Ruth sh...

If you’ve ever seen “licensed and bonded” on a contractor’s truck but didn’t really know what that meant this episode is for you. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Gary Eastman, attorney and founder of Swiftbonds.com, about the truth behind surety bonds, what they are, how they work, and why more private and residential projects are starting to require them. G...

How do you grow a family HVAC business into a multi-location success story without losing your values? In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Trey McWilliams, third-generation HVAC leader and founder of Blue Cardinal Home Services, about what it takes to grow, lead, and exit the right way. Trey shares how he turned his family business into a powerhouse by staying t...

FREE Skool group!https://www.skool.com/mission-elite-ops-5659/about?ref=1a55bdb77dba443485258ad567edbb23 Most contractors think marketing success means running ads. But the truth is, your Google Business Profile, reviews, and office location are doing most of the heavy lifting. In this episode of Construction Champions, host Ron Nussbaum talks with Gabe Bustos, founder of Hector Home Services Mark...