Erik Bornstein, a former commercial and residential builder in Toronto, shares the earned insights that compelled him to quit his job, move to California, and launch TOOLBX, an online platform for building material suppliers that helps them simplify the lives of the builders they serve.    This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every...

In episode 430, Bradley Hartmann shares leadership insights from one of his favorite movies, Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt as the Oakland A’s general manager, Billy Beane. Joining Hartmann are Matt Potter (construction sales veteran) and Joel Stevens (HR expert), returning to the show after their excellent performances in episode 393 where we focused on the leadership aspects from the movie, Up in the Air (starring George Clooney and Anna Kendrick). Hartmann, Potter, and Stevens explore...

In episode 429 of The Construction Leadership Podcast, host Bradley Hartmann sits down with Mireya Zapata, the Executive Director of the Lumbermen's Association of Texas (LAT). Zapata brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously worked in politics, public relations, and for the Texas House of Representatives. Throughout the conversation, Hartmann and Zapata dive into Zapata's background and her unique perspective on engaging the political process as the head of a state trade...

In this sidecar bonus episode to 427, host Bradley Hartmann and Tony Meza break down the lyrics from the summer jam, TK by Pedro Capó, as they identify which language skills can be used on the job to communicate better and lead more effectively. Listen to episode 427 to hear Tony Meza’s insights on bridging cultural and linguistic gaps on the job site. Tony Meza is the safety professional responsible for risk management at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Meza also lends his voice to...

In episode 427, Tony Meza joins the podcast to share insights on cultural intelligence and leadership across linguistic and cultural gaps on the job site. Tony Meza is the construction safety professional responsible for risk management at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Meza also lends his voice to Hartmann & Company’s new Construction Spanish App as the native Spanish speaker in the voice tracks within the app.    This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales...

In this conversation, Steven Paynter from Gensler discusses the innovation that landed Gensler on Fast Company’s list of most innovative companies in 2024. The innovation was an algorithm that assess the viability of converting office spaces into residential units, particularly in light of the pandemic and the growing affordability crisis. Fast Company wrote: “Gensler’s algorithm evaluates roughly 150 aspects of a building’s layout and design, such as core-to-window depth and the number of...

In this conversation, Matt DiBara shares the leadership insights accumulated on his journey from nine-year-old laborer to fourth generation business owner. Matt shares what being fired multiple times in his family business taught him and the valuable lessons learned from his father—what to do and what not to do. Matt discusses the importance of customer acquisition costs and effective strategies for diversifying any construction business. Matt emphasizes the significance of effective...

In episode 424, we hosted a Construction Leadership Game Show live in front of a raucous 250+ attendees at the annual TEXO Safety Day in Fort Worth on August 29th. The participants were three safety leaders: Gradlin Franks, Director of Safety at The Beck Group, Scott Sears, Vice President of Safety and Loss Control at Walker Engineering, and Raul Ruiz, Regional EHS Manager at Moss and Associates. The theme was Olympic-level Leadership and the insights and entertainment lived up to the hype....

In episode 423, host Bradley Hartmann sits down with Bret Martz (VP - North American Professional Sales) of Trex and Chris Gerhard (Executive VP) of Specialty Building Products . Bret and Chris share insights on the collaboration efforts between a manufacturer and a distributor that enable increased value to the dealer and their contractor customers. Their discussion touches on innovation, training and education, digital selling tools, and methods for assisting their independent dealer...

In episode 422, host Bradley Hartmann takes you on a journey from the Pacific Northwest to Kobe, Japan as he shares the incredible true story (with some fictional dialogue added for your listening pleasure!) of one of the most iconic companies of all time. The story reveals the two methods in which humans develop trust: task-based and relationship-based. While we talk about the construction industry being a “relationship business,” the truth is relationships actually come second in our Uncle...

Paul Robinson, founder of ConstructReach, discusses his passion for helping young people find opportunities in the construction industry. He emphasizes the need for equitable and inclusive practices in attracting and retaining diverse talent. Paul also shares his experience of working with his wife in the business and the importance of communication and intentionality. He highlights the value of his iReach podcast in creating a platform for industry professionals to share their stories and...

In episode 420, host Bradley Hartmann weaves together three captivating stories with valuable leadership lessons. First, he introduces Teddy Riner, the legendary Judoka who openly struggles with self-doubt despite his unparalleled success. Riner's vulnerability inspires reflection on overcoming imposter syndrome. Free Account / Paywall: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5677073/2024/08/02/teddy riner-olympic-judo-gold-medal-france/?...

In episode 419, Jon Vaughan returns to the show to examine leadership and culture building through the lens of sport—specifically, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin. Before the 2022 season began, Tomlin joined the The Pivot Podcast, featuring former NFL stars/hosts, Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. It was this interview that both Jon Vaughn and Hartmann agreed was a leadership masterclass that explains how Tomlin has never had a losing season in 17years...

In this conversation, Chelsea Zuccato, a sales manager at Patrick Lumber Company, discusses various topics related to leadership and sales. She shares her favorite leadership movie, offers insights on finding niche markets, and offer actionable advice on increasing delegation as leader. Chelsea also emphasizes the value of taking risks, learning from failures, and how the core values at Patrick are reflected in her everyday behavior. Hartmann and Zuccato wrap up the episode discussing her...

In episode 417, host Bradley Hartmann discusses the fallacy of "cascading communication" as a leadership metaphor. He argues that while information may cascade down through an organization, behavioral change does not. Using Newton's laws of motion as a framework, Hartmann explains how leaders need to approach communication differently to drive real change. He suggests moving away from a one-time "cascade" of information and instead implementing a persistent "drip campaign" of communication...

In episode 416, Ben Breen of the Project Management Institute (PMI) joins the show from Australia. Ben is the Global Director of Construction at PMI and he discusses his background in international construction and the leadership principles that have guided his career from construction student, builder, consultant, and leader within PMI. Ben describes how to best learn from mentors around you and why the industry should ditch the phrase “soft skills” for “power skills” to describe the suite...

In episode 415, Krysta Van Ranst of Building PPL joins The Construction Leadership Podcast to discuss how to leverage learning and development to build stronger people that will drive your future growth. Krysta offers insights on when NOT to invest in leadership training and shares her firm’s proprietary Building PEOPLE model, which includes providing professional development, employee growth planning, onboarding, leveraging processes and procedures, and the best methods to engage future...

In episode 414, HR Huntsman—CEO of Leader's Edge Consulting and Coaching—joins The Construction Leadership Podcast to help leaders and teams become the best version of themselves. HR shares insights on leadership, talent acquisition, and personal growth. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling and the power of human connection in leadership. HR also discusses the need for leaders to transition from a production mindset to a multiplication mindset, empowering their team members and...

In episode 413, host Bradley Hartmann shares the best content he’s come across the last 90 days in three different mediums: an article, a podcast episode, and a book. Each is very much worth your time and attention and will help to turbocharge your next 90 days on the job.   1. Article: Jerry Seinfeld: The Scholar of Comedy  Jerry Seinfeld’s thoughts on craft and the pursuit of mastery are instructive. Near the end there is a insightful surprise on negotiation. ...

Episode 412 features Bill Heuer, co-founder of The Countertop Factory Midwest whose 2011 insights on leadership were shared in episode 411. Bill reveals lessons learned from his time at Procter & Gamble how he and his co-founder, Geoff Gran, collaborate to drive growth and profits for their countertop manufacturing companies, based in Illinois and Arizona.     This present-day conversation— 13 years in the making!—includes further insights on the following topics:   - The value...

In February of 2011, Bradley Hartmann requested an interview with Bill Heuer and Geoffrey Gran, co-founders of The Countertop Factory Midwest. The interview was homework—a required 5-page paper on leadership and “new venture creation”—in Hartmann’s MBA program. The interview was granted and after 8 hours in an Elmhurst, Illinois bar, Hartmann had ample notes. In subsequent days, Hartmann presumably shook off his hangover, wrote the paper, and submitted it to his professor. What he...

In episode 410, Zac Elenchin, a former combat medic in the US Army, shares his leadership journey and experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) —as well as post-traumatic growth. Zac discusses how to develop poise under pressure, the power of servant leadership, and a highly tactical word-for-word phrase leaders can use to acknowledge their mistakes within their team. Zac then talks about his transition from the military to civilian life and his collaboration with his father on a...

In episode 409, Ryce Elliott, President at Benning Construction Co. in Atlanta joins the Construction Leadership Podcast discuss to career development, leadership, and risk management in the construction industry. Elliott shares insights on everything from the pros and cons of growing up in a town named Santa Claus to effective communication and its impact on leadership—on the job site and in the classrooms of the next generation of leaders.     This episode is brought to you by The...

In episode 408 of the Construction Leadership Podcast, Dr. Kofi Asare and Bradley Hartman discuss the concept of digital twins and their potential impact on the construction industry. They explore various analogies and metaphors to explain what digital twins are and how they differ from other technologies like BIM. They also discuss the promise of digital twins in terms of predictive capabilities and cost savings, as well as the challenges and costs associated with implementing them. The...