Joel Fleischman Happy Hour Podcast

In this special episode, we celebrate the retirement of Tim Lindsley, the guy hired as Drexel's very first dedicated salesman ! We sit down with Tim and Albert Fleischman to walk down memory lane and reflect back on those foundational days. Listen in as he shares funny stories from the road, the skills that helped him navigate change, and the advice he has for anyone starting their career at D...

We sat down with Adam Rupp and Becca Schumacher from  Wisconsin Lighting Lab  - two awesome humans building something special right here in Wisconsin. We talked about the story behind  WiLL Brew Lab , the evolution of their  campus ,  core values , and what it really means to be a team member who  makes  promises and the one who  keeps  promises. We also dove into leadership, mindset shifts in man...

Join us as we chat with the newest leader in the Drexel family! We're talking with the head of our virtual design team about her new leadership role, the new team members she's excited to coach, and the latest software that's helping us supply happiness in new ways. Get ready to geek out on all things design and developing a new team!

From a time when we had no HR department to a robust People & Talent team, Caitlin Stoll's 13-year journey at Drexel is an incredible story of growth, trust, and transformation. In this episode, we talk with Caitlin about how she turned a passion for people into a thriving career. She shares her personal story, from being hired to be a pressure reliever to being tapped by Joel to lead all...

In this episode, Joel shares the strategies that have allowed Drexel to thrive. He explains why  words matter  more than you think, how to  focus on what you can control  when faced with challenges, and why being a  thoughtful innovator  is better than being first. Tune in for practical lessons you can apply to your business, team, and life. Resources: The Change Agent by Damon West The Let Them T...

On this episode of the Happy Hour Podcast, we sit down with Drexel's leaders, Mitch Mallek and Mike Gullickson, to discuss what it truly takes to lead a team through change and growth. They share their journey from frontline and field roles to leadership and how they navigated the "growing pains" of their new positions. We'll get an inside look at their communication strategy in...

This week we're not just talking about wellness—we're stepping inside the  TRiE Fitness  experience. We're joined by Lauren Miller and Kelly Nerat , who will share what makes the Trie community so special, from the moment you walk through the door. They help us bust some common wellness misconceptions, like the idea that you need to be fit before you start. We'll also explore the l...

Ever heard of the Drexel Wildlife Organization (DWO)? In this episode, we get the full story from President, Joel Fleischman. He explains who can access DWO's expanding acreage in Wisconsin, what you can do there, and why a building supply company is acquiring managed forests. Get ready to learn how this initiative provides an incredible benefit to our team, our builders, and our shared missio...

Join us as Joel Fleischman and Megan Gassner pull back the curtain on the Drexel Grand Expo and Product Showcase. Discover their favorite parts of coordinating this massive event, the exciting new initiatives for this year's Expo, and the valuable lessons learned from years of successful planning. Get an exclusive look at what makes this bi-annual event a must-attend for attendees and a highli...

It's a bittersweet "Happy Hour" as we raise a glass to Marcus Weigert! In this episode, Marcus officially passes the mic as Jules takes over the podcast. We're taking a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his favorite moments, lesson learned, and how the podcast has evolved. He opens up about his upcoming move to Wausau, what excites him about the future, his continued work...

Larry Koffman from Koffman AutoWorks in Campbellsport, Wisconsin joined us on Episode #137. Larry has owned Koffman AutoWorks since 1994. They take care of all things automotive and have a 4.9 rating with reviews on Google! They aim to work hard everyday to "WOW" their customers. Joel and Larry talk about 4th of July's of the past in Campbellsport that included: The Guinness Book of...

From Friday Night Lights to Construction SitesIn this episode we get to know Tony Steger and Sam Lemler. They discuss their experiences in high school football, COVID and their current roles at Drexel. They reflect on the importance of teamwork, communication, and leadership in both sports and infrastructure. Lessons learned from building a house and leadership insights from Nate Sippel. "Pre...

In this episode we talk about being supportive of one another, backgrounds, growth of location, team members feeling welcomed, Drexel's donation to Zion Lutheran school in Columbus, the TEAM billboard and much more! Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Team Dynamics03:12 - Insights from Development Day05:56 - Personal Backgrounds and Career Paths09:05 - Growth and Changes at Drexel11:46 - Communi...

From Train Tracks and Enterprise to Production Scheduling! Sound Bites:"I hit a cow with a train." - Nick Buchel"We always find a way in the end." - Nick Buchel"Life is what you make it." - Alec Smasal"If you're not changing, you're not really living." - Alec SmasalWe talk day-to-day, lead times, organized chaos, 911s, talking with QBs, 1 million+ bo...

Episode 133 we talk to Luke Lemke (Schedule & Warranty Leader) and Brandon Andrus (Off-Site Install Leader) from Downtown! The conversation focuses on their backgrounds and experiences, particularly before joining Drexel. Luke (a Chicago Bears fan) discusses his time as a district manager at Aldi, his earlier work in fitness and college track and field coaching. Brandon shares his journey from...

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Episode 131 we talk to Brady McMahon (Maintenance Leader) from Kewaskum and Nick Narges (Millwork Coordinator Leader) from Jackson soon to be Kewaskum! We discuss what they knew of Drexel prior to working here, how they got started, all things Millwork, what they look forward to most in the new facility, interests outside of Drexel and the billboard question!

Episode 130 we talk to Nick Kreif from NJK Construction. We discuss how building a house used to be (McDonalds Dollar Menu), Stocking LP, Tiled Showers, Aftermath Sports, Unrealistic Expectations, Multisport Athletes, Amor fati and Less Is More!

We welcomed Dan Taylor from Bistrack Epicor and CTO Jodi Garvey to talk all things ERP and Project MEGA (Make ERP Great Again). Topics discussed:-Jodi's Street credit -History of Drexel SKUs -ERP Success and Struggles in the Building Supply Industry - no dominant force like Amazon or Ford and how Drexel stands out.-Having FUN in the implementation process -Pearl Jam and Project BREATHE -How is...

In this episode we talk about Derek's background which includes coaching at the college level, working at Wisconsin Athletic Club and now currently being a leadership speaker/coach. Derek has written two books (Shift and Everyday Leaders) and most recently spoke at Drexel's Leadership Development Day in March. This episode contains topics of balance, Derek's speaking blunder, YOU zone,...

March Madness episode with Taylor Jannsen, current head men's basketball coach at Carroll University in Waukesha. In this episode we talk about Taylor's background attending Carroll, being a Division III athlete, Elephant vs. Mouse, Grinnell "System", working in youth basketball, constantly evolving, developing habits, consistency, player development, writing his two books (Leave...

In this episode we sit down to chat with Ross Harter and Steve Szymanski from Wrightstown Truss. We discuss what they did previous to Drexel, conversations with Joel, the merge of Truss Systems, moving from Little Chute up the road to Wrightstown, new facility, production growth, future plans and the most underrated place to eat in Green Bay!

He's back! Joel sits down to chat with Aaron Sadoff (President at Marian University) on Episode #125.In this episode we discuss self publishing his new book (MindCraft), how many copies have been sold, Amazon, souls, cleaning and organizing, Ted Lasso, connections, Legos, Fish Fry, Jon Gordon and Joel's Book Rating on MindCraft. Prior to being president at Marian, Aaron spent time as executive dir...

Joel cliché thoughts and nuggets:-Control what you can control-Short Steps, Long Vision - Pitbull-Don't care so much-Be open and humble-Never get so vested in something-High Functioning Team over Family-Fix a problem to add labor, not add labor to fix a problem-Can you drive with them?-Walk with them...can they keep up?-Dirty car-Pay them Rockstar wages-Need a friend at work-Communication-What...

Sat down with two good dudes in Tyler Mader (Panel Estimator Specialist) and Mitch Mallek (Panel Estimator Leader) as we finished the day in Amherst. We talked about their office dynamic with Curtis Verhagen (Panel Estimator Specialist) and Chad Konkol (Panel Estimator Specialist), pet peeves of each other, hunting, Scope of Work, phone calls in a day, frustrations, different plans, ideas for futu...