The Construction Corner

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon dives into the rapidly shifting energy landscape — starting with a fresh FERC press release that brings new regulatory guidance on how data centers and large power users connect to the grid. From there, the conversation covers the growing consumer rejection of electric vehicles (outside of Tesla), why hybrid technology is winning, and...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon sits down to discuss the big firm vs. small firm debate in engineering — breaking down what each type of company actually offers early-career professionals, how culture and company values shape your experience more than size alone, and why smaller firms often push you to do real work faster. Dillon also shares VS Engineering's amb...

In this episode, Dillon traces his path to electrical engineering back to an unusual origin: growing up off the grid on 38 acres in rural Oregon. He walks through the real-world mechanics of running a homestead on wind, solar, hydro, and propane — and why the math on green energy rarely pencils out without government subsidies. From windmill blades that shatter at 100 mph to abandoned turbine grav...

In this episode, the host digs into a LinkedIn argument that got under his skin — people applying Midwest logic to Western water problems. He breaks down why water rights in the West are a completely different beast: from California's century-old water accords and LA's dependence on Lake Mead, to Oregon refusing to pull from the Columbia River while Idaho and Washington farm the same banks. He als...

Dillon makes the case that the economy you should care most about isn't the one on the news — it's your own. Whether the market is up or down, your personal trajectory is determined by what you're doing, who you're selling to, how you're spending, and what you're building. He draws the parallel to personal fitness: the national obesity rate doesn't matter if you're...

Dillon gives a preview of what's coming at the next Vertical Design Build Summit — speakers covering workforce development, prefab, design-build, and leadership — before diving into a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a career in the trades. He breaks down the reality behind the "make $300K as an electrician" headlines, what attracts and retains apprentices, and...

Dillon connects the dots between the aging power grid, the AI boom, and what it all means for construction. He traces the arc from EV adoption to data center explosion — and why today's power demands from AI infrastructure dwarf anything the grid has faced before. He also gets into the Anthropic-xAI compute deal, SpaceX's looming IPO, and the SaaS valuation collapse, before bringing it bac...

Recorded live at the Vertical Design Build Summit 2025, Dillon Mitchell delivers a presentation on AI, BIM automation, and the future of construction. He shares how his firm built automation tools that can place thousands of devices in a 320,000 sq ft building in minutes instead of months, why the labor shortage means technology adoption is no longer optional, and how to actually implement AI and...

With AI reshaping every industry, a lot of engineers and construction professionals are wondering if their jobs are at risk. Dillon breaks down why the answer is no — and why careers in construction and engineering are more secure than ever. From the legal and licensing frameworks that require human professionals to sign off on projects, to the fragmented software and data systems that AI simply c...

In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon breaks down the massive infrastructure transformation sweeping America — and what it means for the construction industry. Dillon covers: The power grid under pressure — Why the surge in data centers and reshoring of manufacturing is driving unprecedented investment in utility infrastructure, and how FERC regulates rate increases tied to capital s...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the most common failure points in the traditional plan-and-spec process and explains why some projects end up buried in RFIs. He pulls back the curtain on the two sides of the RFI problem — engineering teams that don't allocate enough time or resources, and owners who haven't fully defined what they want before des...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to manage large-scale construction and engineering projects. He talks about why mega projects are exciting but often come with confidentiality agreements that limit what firms can share publicly, then dives into the real mechanics of handling them — from building the right talent pipeli...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the importance of coordination and clash detection in Revit-based construction projects. He explains how modeling every trade's systems — conduit, duct, pipe, hangers, sprinkler heads, and more — in a shared virtual environment before breaking ground leads to smoother projects, better prefabrication, and fewer costly c...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon dives into the growing trend of design build projects and why more owners are choosing it over traditional plan-and-spec engineering. He breaks down the biggest advantage — procurement timelines — explaining how getting electrical equipment, switchgear, and mechanical units on order early can shave weeks or months off a project schedu...

In this episode of the Construction Corner podcast, host Dillon breaks down the pros and cons of remote vs. on-site employees in construction. He makes the case for in-person work as the most effective way to build a strong company culture — especially in the early stages — sharing real examples from onboarding summer interns and going the extra mile for clients. Dillon also touches on how respons...

In this episode, host Dillon riffs on Starlink, full-time RV living, and what it all signals about the future of work — then dives into an honest take on AI: where it's actually helping (accounting, media production, content creation) and where it still falls flat (complex customer service, reading construction drawings, reliable data throughput). For engineers and contractors, the takeaway is...

In this episode of the Construction Corner Podcast, host Dillon dives into what truly sets an engineering firm apart — and it comes down to one thing: time spent with people. Dillon explores the idea that great engineering isn't just about calculations and drawings; it's about curation, communication, and collaboration. Like choosing a favorite winemaker or craft brewer, clients gravitate...

In this episode of the Construction Corner Podcast, host Dillon pulls back the curtain on what really happens inside an engineering firm when chasing a major project. He shares the story of a grueling two-to-three week sprint to put together a full set of 200 drawings — mechanical and electrical — for a mega project bid, with late nights, early mornings, and a team of nearly a dozen people working...

In this episode of the Construction Corner Podcast, host Dillon recaps his attempt at the Zion 100-miler — and the hard-earned lessons that came with a DNF at mile 52. After months of training through travel, holidays, and illness, Dillon and a training partner flew out to Utah only to face a brutal combination of high elevation, exposed terrain, relentless heat, and compounding setbacks: elevated...

In this episode of the Construction Corner Podcast, host Dillon shares his experience hunting down furnished housing for summer interns — discovering that Furnished Finder is a surprisingly affordable alternative to Airbnb for monthly stays. He then dives into a broader lesson learned over his career: nobody really cares where you live or what your office looks like, as long as you're doing great...

Dillon covers three topics in one: how to build real training systems for your crew, what a day in the life actually looks like running an engineering firm, and how the real world stacks up against what you learned in school. He breaks down why contractors need documented processes for even the most basic tasks — from checking in at a job site to making coffee — and how AI can help you build those...

Dillon makes the case for why showing up in person is still one of the most powerful things you can do in business. In a world of Zoom calls and virtual meetings, he shares how consistent travel — from quick 24-hour turns to cross-country client dinners — has become Vertical Design Services' biggest competitive edge. He also talks about the unique advantage of running a remote-friendly firm fr...

Dillon breaks down the design-build delivery method and why it beats traditional plan-and-spec contracting. From cutting months off the submittal process to building high-trust relationships between engineers and contractors, he walks through how integrated teams move faster, fight less, and deliver better outcomes — and why design-build is the foundation of everything Vertical Design Services doe...

Dillon breaks down why California's housing crisis is so hard to fix — from CEQA environmental red tape to landlord laws that drive away investment. He draws on history to make the case for company-built housing, explores how anchor tenants revive struggling communities, and shares his vision for using business growth to invest back into the people and places around him.

After losing power for nearly a week following a massive snowstorm — complete with exploding trees, a fallen line ripped from a neighbor's weatherhead, and Caltrans traffic control on a state highway — host Dillon digs into one of the most debated topics in utility infrastructure: should power lines go underground? He breaks down the real costs involved (think $3–5 million per mile today), the...