In The Mix with Marvin Joles

On "In the Mix," Marvin welcomes Three and Jackie Carpenter , authors of "People First," to discuss workforce turnover as boomers retire and younger "digital natives" enter skilled trades and hospitality. They argue the biggest gap isn't technology but interpersonal skills, and leaders must teach and model basics like eye contact, communication, and positive attitudes rather than assuming them. Th...

In this episode of In the Mix, the host talks with Dusty Bailey (Asphalt Space Ranger) about the tight-knit online paving community and how high-quality social media content has raised the bar for showcasing asphalt work. Dusty explains how he got into the industry at 19 through his dad, started on a tennis-court crew, worked up through tasks like running a tack wagon and dumping trucks, and event...

In Las Vegas, Marvin interviews Dayne Viernes "Da Hawaiian Hitman," the current super heavyweight Power Slap champion, about following his brother into slap fighting once Dana White backed the sport, and what it feels like to be the best while giving glory to God. Mana shares stories from his Hawaii upbringing, family influences, mental preparation, visualization, and how meditation on God's word...

Marvin interviews Kevin Garcia, General Manager of Civil Specialty Solutions at Trimble, about how Trimble's technology supports end-to-end construction workflows beyond earthmoving, including paving, milling, drilling, marine construction, landfills, and survey. Kevin explains how Trimble systems help machines achieve tighter tolerances, improve smoothness, reduce material waste, and deliver bett...

Marvin talks with street luge racer and sports-science professional Fred Laberge about his standout season, including a World Cup podium and a North American Downhill League win. Fred shares how he moved from snowboarding and downhill skateboarding into street luge, why pavement quality matters so much, and what made races in El Salvador, Port Jervis, and Utah so different. They also discuss equip...

In this episode of In The Mix, Marvin talks with Moasure team members Barry Fitzgerald and Jamie Armfield about how Moasure's motion-based measuring tool has improved estimating and quoting for sealcoating and hot mix asphalt paving. They discuss key capabilities including fast capture of irregular shapes, curves (TraceLine), hard-to-reach boundaries (SkipLine), shape-within-shape measurements (La...

In this In The Mix episode recorded in Nashville, Marvin interviews Austin Monteiro, a 27-year-old First Phorm warehouse employee and ultrarunner, about how First Phorm's culture of discipline, high standards, and customer-first community impacts the way employees and customers carry themselves. Austin shares his nomadic background, years in construction and industrial work, losing his mother in 2...

Marvin welcomes Darin Whelan (founder of PaveCo) and Matt Stone to discuss how a long-running relationship with PaveCo grew from a Chattanooga meetup into a deeper look at national contracting going into 2026. Darin shares about starting PaveCo in 2013 after seeing a lack of reliable paving/concrete contractors in South Florida, launching PaveCo National around 2019–2020 at clients' request, navig...

Reinvention sounds exciting until you are the one living it. This conversation gets into what it really looks like to step out of one intense career, lose the structure that defined your life, and build something new from the ground up. Marvin talks with Scott Holtzman about the shift from the UFC to owning AMC Sealcoating and Paint Striping in Knoxville. A former UFC fighter, Scott shares how dis...

The Hidden Cost of Success in Construction Pressure can build long before anyone else sees the cracks. This conversation takes an honest look at the mental and emotional strain many contractors carry while trying to keep a business, a team, and a family moving forward. Marvin talks with Bryce Wuori, CEO of Pavewise, third-generation construction entrepreneur, and father of four, about the hidden t...

Marvin records in-person in Nashville with Steve Flaherty of NecoTECH, discussing industry events and how rapidly evolving AI tools can drive efficiency while leaving non-adopters behind in quoting, bidding, and operations. Flaherty shares updates on NecoTECH's, including a full-functioning 100% recycled asphalt plant in Columbus that tests inbound RAP streams, fractionates material, and uses recy...

Marvin reconnects with longtime guest Carlos Zatch for the first time since their 2020 conversation, reflecting on how life has changed while their core spirit has stayed the same. They talk about adventure, creativity, faith, and finding meaning in travel, family, health, and everyday moments. Carlos also shares his move from photography and filmmaking into music, including new releases, his grow...

Marvin interviews his great friend Leonard "Lenny" Pickett of Pickett's Paving, who shares the company's roots from his dad and grandfather in the 1970s, his disciplined routine of early mornings, devotionals, and workouts, and how he manages daily chaos with bids, an office manager, and time to unwind. Lenny says the biggest ongoing business challenge is employees and scheduling, but emphasizes g...

Marvin reflects on nearly quitting podcasting before being encouraged by repeat guest Marco Menna to continue. Marco is the co-founder of ALL OUT Parking Lots. He shares how he got started with driveway sealcoating using buckets and a van, eventually transitioning from residential work to commercial projects. What began as small jobs led to a major breakthrough—landing a stadium-related account. T...

Marvin interviews Adam Swain of 6:33 Construction in Colorado Springs about leaving a civil engineering design job to start his own earthwork company. Adam explains the company's name comes from Matthew 6:33 and shares how he and his wife aim to care for people in the construction industry while building a strong company culture. He discusses early business challenges, current projects, and how gi...

Marvin interviews Bryce Harem, general manager at Central Paving in Ellensburg, Washington, about leadership, discipline, and navigating hard seasons in business and life. Bryce shares his intense daily routine, his approach to work and family life, and how gratitude practices help him stay grounded after personal loss and professional setbacks. He also reflects on leading through major company ch...

Marvin visits Astec in Chattanooga speaking with Peter Moore and Trevor Wagner to discuss the company's history and its customer-driven approach to innovation. Their IntelliPack system uses infrared sensing to replace manual moisture testing with real-time plant corrections, improving mix consistency and fuel/bitumen efficiency with reported savings up to $0.60/ton and retrofit capability for non-...

Marvin interviews his longtime friend Daniel Wright, owner of a parking lot maintenance company in North Carolina. The conversation explores Daniel's entrepreneurial journey, detailing his transition from a full-time firefighter to managing a growing team of twelve employees. Daniel reflects on the personal challenges of 2024, discussing the difficulty of separating his self-worth from his busines...

In this episode, we welcome long-time friend and successful entrepreneur Rodney Hilton, owner and operator of Xpress Asphalt. Rodney shares his journey from starting with seal coating, patch repair, and line striping to transitioning into paving. He discusses the challenges and strategies involved in building an asphalt business, including the importance of learning from industry experts, investin...

Today, Marvin features Gerry Sebby, the founder of Asphalt Authority, discussing his professional journey and personal philosophies. After transitioning from a corporate sales role that left him unfulfilled, Sebby launched his business in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the height of the pandemic. He highlights the importance of digital marketing and authenticity, explaining how sharing his personal l...

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Larry Kokkelenberg, a clinical and industrial psychologist who has served on the White House Council and is a renowned expert in employee hiring and retention in the construction industry. Dr. Kokkelenberg shares invaluable insights about effective hiring practices, emphasizing the importance of finding the right candidates with the correct attitude and cultural fit...

Marvin interviews Rachel Kennedy, a branding coach who specializes in helping construction firms and their leaders optimize their presence on LinkedIn. Kennedy shares her transition from construction recruitment to digital consulting, emphasizing that the platform should be used for professional networking and thought leadership rather than personal updates. She provides actionable advice on profi...

In this episode, Marvin welcomes Hurley Johnson, known as 'Hurley the Striper' on TikTok, to discuss his journey in the asphalt maintenance industry. Recorded in Q4 from Nashville, Marvin talks with Hurley about his start in line striping in 2022, his challenges, and his strategies for building a successful business, Prime Mark Asphalt Maintenance and Striping Services. They delve into the importa...

Today Marvin interviews Ben Kjar, a professional wrestler and speaker born with Crouzon Syndrome, a condition requiring extensive facial reconstructions. Kjar shares how his mother's refusal to coddle him helped transform his physical differences into a source of extraordinary confidence. He details his "call your shot" philosophy, which utilizes accountability partners and strict deadlines to ach...

Today's show features an interview with Chris Phillips, a business owner who transitioned from the high-end furniture industry in California to land clearing and driveway excavation in Texas. Phillips details his rapid rise in the "dirt world," largely driven by his strategic use of social media and viral content involving specialized grading equipment. The conversation highlights a major career m...