The NEXT Academy

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down John Kotter’s  Leading Change  and translate his 8-step playbook into the messy, real world of jobsites, bid boards, and “we’ve always done it this way” culture. You’ll learn how to create true urgency, build a guiding coalition, secure quick wins, and actually embed lasting change in your construction company instead of watching anothe...

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down  Zero to One  and translate Peter Thiel’s biggest ideas into the real world of construction—bids, boots, blueprints and all. You’ll learn how to escape the race to the bottom, find your “secret” edge, and start building a career and company that go from just another contractor… to the only one people call. Enjoy Episode 1 and #BeNEXT

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What area of personal growth are you most excited to focus on, and how can you start taking action toward that growth today?" Enjoy Episode 50 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake steps inside Pixar’s Braintrust to show how radical candor without authority turns rough early cuts into remarkable films. Learn how keeping decisions with the builders, critiquing the work (not the worker), and scheduling the next messy version can supercharge any team’s results. Enj...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What area of personal growth are you most excited to focus on, and how can you start taking action toward that growth today?" Enjoy Episode 49 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake boards the USS Benfold to see how Captain D. Michael Abrashoff turned low morale into standout performance by listening first and handing real ownership to the crew. Learn how pushing authority to the edge, cutting dumb friction, and celebrating smart signals can transform compliance...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one decision you've been hesitating to make, and what small step can you take today to move forward with confidence?" Enjoy Episode 48 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake revisits Andy Grove and Gordon Moore’s 1985 pivot at Intel—asking what a successor would do, then doing it themselves by exiting DRAM and betting on microprocessors. Learn how one brave “no,” clear communication, and wiring mechanisms to match the new strategy can turn a company’s ide...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one area of your life where you can embrace progress over perfection, and how might that shift lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 47 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake relives Fred Rogers’ 1969 Senate testimony, where calm purpose and clear human stakes persuaded a tough appropriations chair to restore funding for public television. Learn how leading with respect, translating value into real outcomes, and making promises you intend to keep can win t...

Thanksgiving Bonus Edition 🙌🏼 The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "In what area of your life can you begin to trust your own worth more deeply, and how might that shift... lead to greater fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 46 of The Search f...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one area of your life where you can embrace uncertainty and take a risk? How might that lead you toward greater fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 45 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Field Notes That Win Fights — Documentation as a Daily Habit Stop arguing and start  showing . In this  Hard Hat Headspace  episode, walk a stadium retrofit with a foreman who turns four quick photos and a 5-line  Doc Card  into faster RFIs, cleaner change orders, and fewer “we’ll circle back” delays. You’ll learn the  four-shot rule  (wide → medium → detail → measurement), wall-posted plans with ...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael drops into an airline ops center during a blizzard, where one manager turns chaos into cadence with three columns—Protect, Recover, Communicate—and a bell that celebrates every saved flight. Learn how visible priorities, time-boxed decisions, synchronized updates, and a quick hotwas...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one small step you can take today toward progress, and how might that action bring you closer to a fulfilling life?" Enjoy Episode 44 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael shares how one leader’s simple ritual of reserving a seat for “the person not in the room” reshapes every decision her team makes. Discover how thinking beyond the table, honoring unseen stakeholders, and using powerful symbols can elevate your leadership and your culture. Enjoy Epi...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What system or habit can you create today that will help you navigate challenges more effectively and move closer to a fulfilling life?" Enjoy Episode 43 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Hard Lines, Soft Skills — Emotional Intelligence in Work Boots Yelling isn’t leadership—it’s noise. In this episode, step onto a high-pressure data center build with a foreman who trades barking orders for field-ready emotional intelligence. You’ll hear how simple moves—naming tension without inflaming it, correcting in private, praising in public, and acting fast on craft feedback—drive trust, sa...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael unpacks how a lost stuffed animal and a few creative frontline employees turned a simple customer problem into a story of unforgettable trust. Learn why empowering people at the edge, celebrating thoughtful details, and protecting discretionary effort can quietly define your culture...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one imperfection you can embrace today, and how might it help you grow and find deeper fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 42 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Right-Sized Crews — Line Balance Without the Burnout If your productivity chart looks like a heart monitor, this episode is for you. Walk a clinic floor with a foreman who stops chasing “more bodies” and starts balancing the line. You’ll learn field-ready moves: a 30-minute  walk-and-watch  to find the true bottleneck, a plywood  Yamazumi  to size tasks, two simple  work cells  (layout + install)...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael spotlights Emily Warren Roebling, who stepped into the storm to translate complex engineering into clear action and carry the Brooklyn Bridge to completion. Discover how learning fast, leading without permission, and turning credibility into cadence can hold a mission together when...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one thing you can appreciate about your current life today, and how might cultivating gratitude for it lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 41 of The Search for...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael contrasts Amundsen’s steady, disciplined push to the South Pole with Scott’s surge-and-stall approach to reveal why boring consistency beats heroic bursts. Learn how setting non-negotiable daily targets, banking rest on easy days, and designing for real conditions can compound into...

Imagine walk-through day with nothing to fix. In this  Hard Hat Headspace  episode, a foreman turns “good enough” into “done-done” with field-ready moves: a door-posted  Gold Box  standard (photos you can point to), a pocket  Q-Card (height, label, torque mark, photo), and  blue → white → green  tags that prove self-check, peer-check, and  Next Trade Ready . You’ll learn a five-minute  fishbone  h...