Keepin' The Lights On

(00:00:00) Electrical Contractor Business Benchmarks w Josh Bone, ELECTRI International (00:05:28) Project Basics (00:15:31) Evolution of an EC Business (00:23:17) Project Progress (00:32:16) Who is This For? (00:33:19) What to Measure in Business? (00:38:22) Passion for the Industry Business financial and operation benchmarks are invaluable as you look to improve your business numbers and service...

Safety in the workplace is critical in any job, but it is tough to achieve on a job that involves construction. Sites can be very dangerous environments as well as the work being very taxing. I reached out to see if Wes Wheeler, NECA’s Executive Director of Safety, could discuss the state of safety in construction. It didn’t take us long before mental health came up as the focus of our conversatio...

Building owners face a challenge moving forward as they learn how to maintain and replace their aging infrastructure. In this episode, I speak with Nathan Owens III, Director of US Channel Services and Partner Programs with Schneider to talk through the significance of the NFPA 70 B and 70E standards. In addition, Nate talks about the opportunities available to electrical contractors as they help...

Have you seen projects/tasks delayed because of communication problems? Have you taken time to do a post project debrief to understand the causes of these communication gaps? During last year’s NECA convention, I sat down with Amanda King to talk over her thoughts on the best ways to improve communication between the field and the office at an electrical contractor. Amanda King is a leadership coa...

Creating an effective EV network can be a complex task. I asked , Mike Shumway, Strategic Account Manager for Graybar Renewables in the Southwest, to come on and talk me through the process. Mike is driving electrification by empowering electrical contractors to succeed in the EV charging space. Mike collaborates with clients to develop innovative strategies and navigate the complex challenges wit...

It seems we hear, in every other episode, about the need for qualified trained trades people. So, when I had a chance to speak with Marty Riesberg, Electrical Training Alliance Director, I jumped at the opportunity to understand the current state of technical training. The Electrical Training Alliance or ETA, created in 1941, to standardize the training for the NECA employers and the electricians...

Most of us wouldn’t cook a complicated meal without a good recipe. What if we could adapt the concept of a recipe to construction. There are repeatable processes in construction that, if properly documented, would insure a more efficient and quality build. I spoke with Hala Nassereddine, Associate Professor and industry consultant, to learn more about her work with Electri International around the...

What if the construction trades had a social media platform geared toward their work needs? A place where they can get help from their peers on how to solve field problems, discuss work/pay topics, and share insights on creating a great life with an amazing career. Such a place exists and it’s called Trade Hounds. I had a great opportunity to speak with Jon Clark, CTO, and Jeanette Abrahamsen, VP...

Everyone from homeowners to pros look for videos to either learn or hone skills. If you’re a construction professional, you’ll want to watch someone you can trust is providing you with accurate content. Dustin Stelzer is just that content provider. He began Electrician U as a way of teaching electricians skills using YouTube and Social media. He has big plans on how he wants to support the industr...

I speak with Toffee Coleman, from Fluke, about the value of teaming up with schools, training programs, and industry associations to boost learning and skill-building. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review our show on your favorite app. To get a hold of us here at Keepin’ The Lights On, please email:  podcast@graybar.com To reach Toffee Coleman on LinkedIn...

I believe one way to keep the energy and productivity up in a company is to spend time ensuring your culture is strong. In this episode I speak with, Mica Ashmore, Strategic Business Integration Manager with Alterman Electric. He shares ideas on ways to create a culture of engagement, empowerment, and accountability. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review o...

Construction faces a crisis. Unfortunately, construction ranks as first or second on lists as one of the industries with the highest incidents of suicide. Fortunately, the construction industry isn’t sitting idle. They’ve created many programs to support and come alongside all in the industry. I spoke to many different representatives from the industry about this topic to learn more. There was one...

Mike Connaughton discusses AI's impact on data centers. We explore the challenges and opportunities AI brings, including increased power, cooling, and connectivity needs. Mike has 30+ years of experience with fiber optic cabling and is responsible for strategic data center account support and alliances at Leviton. He has received the Aegis Excellence Award from the U.S. Navy for his work on the Fi...

How can software support contractor coordination with the field, distribution, and other trades? Adam Ketterer, Co-Founder and Senior Sales Director at AEC Inspire to share advancements he’s seeing in construction software. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review our show on your favorite app. To get a hold of us here at Keepin’ The Lights On, please email: ...

Jason Young, Virtual Design Director at IES Communications, shares how he’s implemented the principles of VDC in the telecom space to improve the efficiency of construction projects. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review our show on your favorite app. To get a hold of us here at Keepin’ The Lights On, please email:  podcast@graybar.com To reach Jason on Li...

Great lighting is critical for a healthcare facility in providing quality care to their community. But what are the unique needs of different kinds of healthcare buildings, from medical offices to urgent care centers? Tommy Nichols, Business Development Director for Healthcare with Acuity Brands Lighting joins me to shine a light on the latest in healthcare lighting. Thank you for listening and pl...

I’ve had episodes about cybersecurity, which is in the news every day. But what about physical building/plant security? It is not immune from advanced methods of attack and changes in technology. I asked Don Erickson, CEO of the Security Industry Association, if he could come on the show to share what megatrends may impact the security world in the next few years. In this episode Don shares his in...

Every other year, Electrical Contractor Magazine conducts a survey of its reader base to get a better understanding of the state of the Electrical Contractor. In this episode Andre Klee and Julie Mazur, from EC Magazine, share an overview of the trends they’ve seen from this year’s survey. You’ll learn what projects dominated their schedules, the change in the size of their businesses, and what is...

To meet the growing needs of communities, as well as improving quality of care, healthcare providers often look to construction as a way of meeting these demands. Construction projects, obviously, create budget and time concerns to providing cost effective and efficient care. Fortunately, there are steps they can take to ensure a more successful construction project. In this episode I talk with Ch...

On this episode of Keepin’ The Lights On, my guest is Kenneth Davis, Senior Manager of Electrical Distribution for ChargePoint, the largest network of EV charging stations in the world. Ken helps me on my journey to learn more about EV charging. Whether you're a business owner, a driver, or just curious about this fast-growing industry you should learn a few things as well. We'll cover some of the...

With the growth of EVs, disruptions in utility power grids, and other demands on our electrical infrastructure, microgrid deployment is growing and looking at impressive growth over the next few years. That all said, this is a pretty new topic for me so I wanted to turn to Samantha (Sam) Childress and Donald (Don) Wingate both with Schneider Electric MicroGrid Solutions. Sam is expanding the globa...

Todd Morse needed a way of talking with customers during COVID about labelling and Brother Solutions. He decided to start a YouTube channel and ended up calling his show BS with Todd. He started by showing product demos and sharing labelling standards. The show has evolved into a show that features leaders in the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) industry discussing the latest trends...

As electric vehicle technology evolves, so does our understanding on how to design and build the infrastructure that will support the growing network of EVs.  I talk with Kerri Stewart, Miller EV Solutions Chief Strategy Officer, and President, to learn what Miller Electric is doing to innovate in this growing market. Thank you for listening and please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review...

EVs for personal use has seen steady growth over the past few years. One area we’ll begin seeing more growth in is EV commercial fleet use. There are many considerations a fleet manager must work through to transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV). Choosing the right vehicles, building out the right charging platform, and EV software selection are just a few of th...

Construction projects are complex and no matter the size, there are risks of cost and deadline overruns. IT focused projects are no exception. Harvard Business Review states that at least one in six IT projects turn into a Black Swan with a cost overrun of 200%. A PWC study published on Forbes stated that there was an estimated $50-150 Billion in lost revenue from failed IT projects. On this episo...