Yup, it’s another baseball analogy. Catchers are seen as the capital–almost a quarterback–because they have the whole infield in front of them. They’ll tell the pitcher things he already knows. More than anything, this extra communication is intended to train the players’ brains to be able to respond without thinking. It’s a group rehearsal of what needs to happen reflexively. In business, deliberate communication is equally beneficial. If you’re the leader, it’s your job to keep the important s...
Feb 24, 2023•11 min
(Scroll to see loads of links to videos of the tech mentioned in this episode.) Tyler Williams is an innovation man. Within the first couple decades of his career, he worked as a union carpenter, estimator, project manager, and superintendent. Then he reached the point where he felt like he was losing passion for his work. He wanted to make an impact. This drive to make a difference prompted him to set a goal of making it onto DPR’s innovation team. It took a couple years of proving himself and ...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 151
We could have called this episode “Leave me the heck alone!” If you’ve ever… Well, if you’ve ever had a job, you’ve probably gotten tired of a manager breathing down your neck. Nobody wants to work for a helicopter manager. Then again, if you’ve ever worked as a manager, you’ve probably dealt with employees who don’t know what they’re doing–at least at first. The secret is to provide guidance thoughtfully and then check for understanding. Remind yourself what it was like to be in the newbie’s sp...
Feb 17, 2023•7 min
“When one door closes, another one… Well, it doesn’t necessarily open unless you have it programmed that way.” This is the kind of portal-related wisdom that Benji Bolick and Mia Merrel bring to the table, and it’s why we asked them to join us today. People don’t generally think about doors unless they fail to function properly. Doors are just 1-3% of the construction cost, but they cause a huge percentage of the construction headaches. There is so much involved in the way doors play into securi...
Feb 15, 2023•59 min•Ep. 150
JFK knew the importance of alignment and clarity. When he set a vision for how the US would beat the Soviet Union in the space race: put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Not all leaders are so clear. It’s easy to assume that your team has the same clarity you do about your goals. It’s essential to communicate clearly and often about your vision and the goal. Tyler shares the Belgian draft horse analogy that you’ve probably heard but that is still a very powerful one. A team that is cl...
Feb 10, 2023•7 min
Millions of tons of lumber goes to landfills every year. Eric Law is out to change that. Eric and his team at Urban Machine have designed a machine that automates the removal of nails and screws from reclaimed lumber, making that lumber usable again. Eric explains how he settled into this niche. He spent 20 years working in various parts of the technology and construction industries. He was leading a sustainability initiative when he noticed that steel and concrete get recycled but the lumber wa...
Feb 08, 2023•36 min•Ep. 149
Today we welcome you to join us as we revisit some family drama. Tyler shares about reaching the point in the family company where he felt like he had no more room for growth. This resulted in him losing a sense of purpose. This experience is not an unusual one. In fact, it’s almost universal. If you’re a leader, it’s important to recognize this reality and figure out how you’re going to address it. Titles are a part of the picture, but title bumps and even pay bumps without substance can leave ...
Feb 03, 2023•10 min
For several years now, the shift toward a design-build approach has been gaining momentum. Today we talk to Brian Skripac, the director of virtual design and construction at the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). Brian’s training is in architecture, but he has worked as a BIM leader for almost 20 years now. He enjoys the opportunities to collaborate and share with the goal of increasing efficiency. Brian lived through the shift from 2D with AutoCAD to 3D with Revit. He shares about a coup...
Feb 01, 2023•46 min•Ep. 148
It’s critical in any organization. And it doesn’t come naturally for everyone. All it takes is just a few words. Just take a few seconds to speak up when you see someone do something well. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, your acknowledgement of others' contributions can make a world of difference in workplace dynamics. Let it be simple and organic: a sticky note here, an affirmative head nod there, a single sentence of encouragement after a meeting. Do it today! Find Us Online: BrosPo...
Jan 27, 2023•8 min
Today we talk to Ben Patton of TreeCycle , a Vancouver-based company focused on helping construction companies use more repurposed wood. While working as an arborist, Ben noticed that 90% of the wood he dealt with was either turned into firewood or wood chips or just thrown in a pile. He found himself wondering why more of this wood wasn’t being used as lumber. One day he dragged a log behind his van and milled it down himself in order to make a coffee table. This experience and these concerns d...
Jan 25, 2023•46 min•Ep. 147
“In my day, you could get a candy bar for a nickel!” Different generations have different reference points when it comes to money in general and compensation in particular. And those perceptions play a big role in recruitment and retention of employees. It’s wise to be aware of your own bias when it comes to matters of compensation. This is true whether you’re in a position to set pay rates for others or you’re simply in a position of working for pay that is set by others. The market matters mor...
Jan 20, 2023•7 min
Today we start out with a little chat about the way that our generational media tastes have influenced us. We touch on Seinfeld (who had a thing or two to say about construction) and radio-recorded cassettes of Frogstomp . Tyler shares what song smashes him emotionally when it interrupts his Hank. In our 149 episodes, we’ve talked to specialists from just about every step in the commercial construction process. One specialty we haven’t addressed yet is steel detailing. “Wait,” you say, “Isn’t Ed...
Jan 18, 2023•56 min•Ep. 146
It sounds so abstract. It is. Yet it’s so important. Atmosphere is one of the things that employees look for in a place of employment… It’s not just about having bean bags and ping-pong tables in the office. It’s about a sense of comradery and trust. It’s about a healthy workplace culture. Does it feel good to be at this workplace? It’s not about whether the employer says their company has those things; it’s about whether those things actually define the workplace. Today we just scratch the surf...
Jan 13, 2023•6 min
We have finally cleaned out our podcast studio, which had been converted into a company-Christmas-party venue. We start out today with some post-Christmas chit-chat about the challenges of Lego (or Legos if you’re an amateur), dog fur, and brotherly Christmas-gift arms race. Then we get down to business. As we kick off our conversation about construction docs, we start with some thoughts about history. It’s currently easier than ever for us to access any and all information… This creates some am...
Jan 11, 2023•50 min•Ep. 145
When we chatted with Bob Goff for a recent episode, he mentioned in passing that he had never lost a case in his work as a construction lawyer. Although he acknowledged that he was a good lawyer, he said the real key to his winning record was that he knew which cases to take. So often, the key is choosing the right project to pursue. The money is made on the job pick, just as profit in real estate is made on the buy. Choosing projects poorly can lead to a number of problems. Your employees will ...
Jan 06, 2023•8 min
If you’re looking to hire military veterans, you’ll come away from this episode with some solid action items. Today we talk to Jay Snyder. Jay is a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force Reserve and has served six years of active duty. He is also the president of Big Blue Innovations, a construction consulting firm. Jay has been in the private construction industry for more than 20 years, and he joins us today to talk about increasing the recruitment of military veterans into the construction in...
Jan 04, 2023•39 min•Ep. 114
Today we are re-airing a 5 Minute Friday from this past April. Even if you’re not a particularly religious person, you’ve probably heard the Bible verse that inspires today’s episode: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." The best leaders are those who give themselves up for the good of others. People respond to that sort of leadership. If your primary motivation in the workplace is to promote and protect yourself, people will not line up behind your visi...
Dec 30, 2022•7 min
Our guest this week is someone we've wanted to interview for a really long time. Bob Goff is the author of two New York Times best-sellers- Love Does and Everybody Always - He's also a recovering construction lawyer after practicing for 25 years. He is now a writer, speaker and founder of the non-profit "Love Does" dedicated to helping kids in conflict areas. Bob has been a massive inspiration to both brothers, and we were absolutely honored to chat with him. Related Links Love Does Everybody Al...
Dec 28, 2022•33 min•Ep. 109
In this week's five minute Friday, Tyler and Eddie have the 4th annual reading of the Christmas Story. We hope that everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Dec 23, 2022•4 min
Today we’re re-sharing an episode we did earlier this year with Jordan McRae. Jordan is the CEO of Mobilus Labs and one of the inventors of MobiWAN, a communication device that enables users to hear and speak through skull vibrations. MobiWAN was one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Significant Inventions of 2021. As construction people know, communication on the job site is immeasurably important. It’s also often a serious challenge. Simple, concise communication can be the difference between life a...
Dec 21, 2022•39 min
It’s not what you’d expect. Despite all of his work in physics, Einstein is said to have said that the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest. This certainly makes sense in the world of finance, but it goes far beyond that. It’s about slow-burn, long-process growth on top of growth on top of growth. Its power reaches into personal lives, business lives, creative pursuits–it reaches everything. We discuss how we’ve seen this with the podcast–and how satisfying it was to see audi...
Dec 16, 2022•8 min
When it comes to adopting new helmet solutions, it turns out that construction workers are surprisingly fashion-conscious. Today we talk to Rob McKinney about innovations in head protection. Rob is full of insight about the current state of safety practices in the construction industry. Before we get around to helmets and hard hats, we chat about the Ford Lightning. Tyler shares about his recent experience driving a rented Ford Lightning for a few hundred miles on a trip. We discuss self-driving...
Dec 14, 2022•57 min•Ep. 144
Discipline or regret. It’s one or the other. Tyler shares his morning routine and the challenges of consistency, and we discuss how much harder it is to start a new routine than to maintain an existing one. Life, especially family life, doesn’t lend itself to consistency. Discipline is uncomfortable for a time, but regret can last a long, long time. Discipline=freedom. By the way, if you’re wondering who Blippi and Meekah are (from Tyler’s morning Dad routine), you can check them out here . Find...
Dec 09, 2022•6 min
Before we go any further, here are three movie scenes that we refer to in today’s discussion. If you haven’t seen these in a while, you might want to refresh your memory: Billy Madison milk scene Cousin Eddie and his RV Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker Some hail Trevor Owen as the BIM Guru. Some call him BIM Boy. Whatever term you use, Trevor knows BIM. Specifically, he’s the BIM specialist for Hilti . Today we hear Trevor’s thoughts about the influence of building-information modeling on the co...
Dec 07, 2022•46 min•Ep. 143
Man, it’s been a long few years. Let’s allow ourselves to step out of the weeds for a minute. Today, Heady Eddie shares the concept of benevolent detachment and a few other insights from the book Resilient . The message from that book? Sometimes you need to let it go. You can’t do it on your own. Sometimes you need to hand your situation off to something greater than yourself. Give yourself the favor of giving up the problem–not surrendering to apathy but allowing yourself to rest. Step away fro...
Dec 02, 2022•6 min
5,229 construction workers died by suicide in 2016 (the last year for which CDC numbers are available). The industry category of “construction and extraction” has a higher rate of suicide than any other industry category. That’s why suicide is a topic worthy of discussion on a construction-related podcast. That’s why we’re talking to Kevin Sells today. People who aren’t involved in construction might wonder why in world those numbers are so high. If you are in the industry, however, you know tha...
Nov 30, 2022•47 min•Ep. 142
Frustration can eat you alive. As Dad used to say, “Don’t let ‘em get your goat.” Eddie shares that he has yet to be killed by any of the countless frustrations that have distracted him at various points over the years. There’s always a way to figure something out. Very rarely will a single day’s frustration still be here in a couple weeks. Allow your “That bothers me” threshold to grow as you gain experience. This too shall pass. So let it pass. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Yout...
Nov 25, 2022•7 min
It’s been a month since we’ve been here with a new episode. We’re excited to be back! Joining us today is Steven Biersteker (pronounced beer-staker), a Canadian architect from Thinkspace . As a child, Steven wanted to be an inventor. When he discovered that you couldn’t major in “inventing,” his combined strengths of art and math sent him in the direction of architecture. He attended University in Toronto and then moved to Vancouver. He recaps the training required to become a certified architec...
Nov 23, 2022•58 min•Season 2Ep. 141
We've heard it a million times: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Today we discuss how to balance the classic moral principle of The Golden Rule with an age-old business maxim: The customer is always right. In the service industry, employees and managers often face challenges when attempting to implement the practice of treating others as you’d like to be treated. Tyler reflects on a tough job from his younger years, and we discuss how his manager could have handled the process diffe...
Nov 18, 2022•7 min
(This episode is a rebroadcast of an interview we did in February of 2022.) Allen Angle is the VDC-FM Integration Manager at JLL . Allen is full of insights when it comes to the role of technology in construction. Most of JLL’s construction clients have some sort of system in place for operations, maintenance, and space management. Allen’s job is to help them discern the sexy from the practical. He helps them understand how to capitalize on the modeling that is available and tie together data fr...
Nov 16, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 107
