You listen to us, and we listen to you. Today we welcome a guest who engaged honestly and thoughtfully with one of our LinkedIn posts. 00:00 - Introduction A while back, when Eddie posted on LinkedIn to say that he wanted designers to have more money and more time in order to produce a better product, Nick stepped up to say that he didn’t think that was always the answer. Nick said that collaboration is also key. Nick is an owner’s rep for an automotive group, and every day he observes the compl...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 184
We promise no original thoughts today. We do, however, hope you’ll find our borrowed insights to be useful. Eddie shares today about something he read about traits common to students in Ivy League colleges. It’s one that we’ve probably all seen in elite performers in other arenas as well. Don’t mistake it for apathy. It’s not a “Whatever” attitude. It’s just about unflappability. It’s just about not getting caught up in the stress in a way that you can’t make good decisions when the pressure is ...
Sep 22, 2023•5 min
We thought about calling this first episode in our redesigned studio “Between Two Fools,” because that’s where Dad is sitting today. 00:00 - Introduction Dad’s been in construction so long that he worked on moats. Well, okay, it was a moat in a zoo, but still… Today we ask dad to impart the wisdom and experience he’s gained over the last several decades in construction. We’ve had Dad on the podcast before, but we explore some new areas today. The day after the last baseball game during the summe...
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 180
FMF: 4 Tips for Project Managers(While we remodel our recording studio for some exciting changes, we’re sharing this Five-Minute Friday episode that was originally aired in September of 2021.)You may or may not know that Eddie is not only a master of steel detailing. He’s also a seminary dropout (as Tyler is quick to remind him… frequently.) Today Eddie’s sharing some scriptural insights that could be useful for anyone, regardless of their theological perspective. We have conflict daily on job s...
Sep 15, 2023•9 min
(While we remodel our studio in preparation for some exciting changes, we’re sharing this conversation with Matt Haskins that aired in July of 2022.) Matt Haskins has been in construction for a very long time. When we talked to him, he was working in northern Minnesota on a small, 100-year-old apartment building. Lead pipes. Ugh. We start out with a discussion about early mornings. He completes yesterday’s daily reports during the hour or so before everyone else arrives. Once the rest of the tea...
Sep 13, 2023•55 min•Ep. 179
Today we share some multi-generational wisdom. These are useful tips and principles passed down to us from our dad and grandfather. Our dad and grandfather both reminded us not to be a project pilot… Actually, what they meant was not to be a project “pile-it.” Don’t just pass paperwork on to others. Don’t be the “please advise” monster. Just don’t. PLEASE. DON’T! Stay in front of the airplane. Think ahead. Know what’s coming so you can ask the questions today that will give you the answers you’l...
Sep 08, 2023•8 min
We start out with a brief discussion about the mystery of lost files (due to some tech challenges we encountered today).Today we’re discussing inefficiency–specifically as it relates to the amount of time allocated to a task. We discuss the art (or the science?) of scheduling in a way that provides just the right amount of time–not too little, not too much. OVERVIEW OF PARKINSON’S LAW: Tyler shares about the book in which he discovered a name for one particular source of inefficiency. It’s calle...
Sep 06, 2023•30 min•Ep. 178
Stunned. Tyler is stunned that he is praising Bing. While scrolling through LinkedIn, Tyler encountered a mention of punching shear. His understanding of that phrase was reasonably solid, but he thought it might be interesting to see if AI could help him understand it just a bit better. Then he challenged Bing to explain it to him in an even simpler manner–at the level that a child could understand. Moments later, Tyler had been educated on multiple levels about this engineering concept. So, the...
Sep 01, 2023•6 min
Today we’re flashing back to an episode from May of 2022. We start out with some banter about Eddie’s kids giving Tyler a hard time. Then Tyler signs up for a marathon… Oh, wait, no he doesn’t. What a slacker. Nate Patrick is facilities project manager for the Pennsylvania State University Office of Physical Plant. Before taking that position, he worked several years as a mechanical design engineer. Nate joins us today in the studio to share some practical tips for contractors, designers, projec...
Aug 30, 2023•54 min•Ep. 177
Have you experimented with it yet? Well, we’re ready to nudge you into the future. Tyler shares some insights that he thinks will increase your efficiency. Here they are: “Rewrite this.” This can work if you struggle with clarity or style with your writing. “Summarize this.” This one can work when you receive a binder full of information. “Create an agenda.” Give ChatGPT a raw collection of info and have it organize it for you. “Create a daily report.” Copy and paste relevant notes and have Chat...
Aug 25, 2023•9 min
Dan Stine is Director of Design Technology at Lake|Flato Architects. You could also say he wrote the book on architecture–or at least the top-selling textbook on Revit. As if that weren’t enough, he teaches graduate architecture classes and is active with Committee on the Environment (COTE). We start out with a brief overview of Dan’s work with COTE. Then we ask Dan to share about some of the technology he has had the opportunity to explore in his various roles. Dan discusses Tonic DM , a tool f...
Aug 23, 2023•48 min•Ep. 176
Aug 18, 2023•10 min
Micah Piippo has worked at Google, at a shipyard, and at a plutonium-processing facility. Now he’s a schedule and integration manager with Intel. He helps deliver projects on time. Micah describes the plutonium facility: “It felt like a James Bond lair.” (By the way, Dr. Brown does, indeed, pronounce gigawats as “jigawatts. ” That movie was filmed before we all became familiar with the prefix giga in relation to bits and bytes.) You can’t get a college degree in construction-project scheduling. ...
Aug 16, 2023•38 min•Ep. 175
It’s a problem–a very common one. When you’re trying to be consistent with just about anything, burnout on some level is likely to occur sooner or later. It takes a toll. Tyler acknowledges that he’s experiencing a good deal of creative burnout at the moment. Eddie has felt it in the past too. So, we discuss ways to fight it. Talk through it with someone. There’s a good chance that the people closest to you see the symptoms before you do. Get active. Do the things that bring you joy. Spend time ...
Aug 11, 2023•7 min
Today we welcome Fouad Khalil to the show. Fouad calls himself a reformed architect. About three years ago he eased into offsite construction and founded Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. His focus is on helping owners and construction companies integrate manufacturing processes in the construction process. Tyler asks Fouad to unpack the category of industrialized construct...
Aug 09, 2023•42 min•Ep. 174
A question: Do you see yourself as the only competent one in your world? Are you able to hand things off to team members? It can be a hard mindset to release because it can feel so risky. Taking ownership is a good thing, but check yourself. Is there some arrogance there? Eddie says that “Gram” used to say, “If you want to know what kind of difference you’re going to leave when you’re gone, stick your finger in a cup of water and pull it out.” That feels pretty cold (the statement, not the water...
Aug 04, 2023•6 min
Terry Dussault is President of Yellowknife Consulting Services in Huntington Beach, California. His focus is conducting incident investigations and promoting safety programs. Many of the projects that require Terry’s attention involve waste-cleanup and pollution abatement. These sites often contain lots of piping and pumps, which means lots of ways workers can get hurt. (Tyler asks if scuba gear is ever involved. The answer is no, but here’s the kind of diving Tyler was referring to.) Tyler asks...
Aug 02, 2023•42 min•Ep. 173
Well. It’s debatable. What is the best day for project deadlines? Eddie thinks it’s Tuesday. For a long time, he thought it should be Friday, which makes sense in your head. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t usually operate in accordance with the vision in your head. Monday (according to Eddie’s work rhythm) is a very productive day, but it’s also a day that is overweighted with managerial duties. On Tuesdays, almost everyone is still around, in contrast to a Friday afternoon. Tuesday leaves time...
Jul 28, 2023•7 min
Tom Yeshurun joins us today from San Francisco. Tom is Founder and CEO of Civ Robotics, a company that automates construction layout. Their robots drive themselves around a site and locate points by paint or laser so they can be marked by their human operators. Tom shares the names of a few of the robots they currently have operating: Betty, Ugly, and Joey… No #5 yet . Regardless of the name, each robot is a four-wheel drive unit customized for specific terrain. Several years ago, Tom was a cont...
Jul 26, 2023•47 min•Ep. 172
Even if you’ve never been in the military or marched with a band, you’ve heard the pace-setting rhythm of a drum beat or the chanting troops. Projects have a rhythm too. Each project has a unique feel. If you want to be a productive contributor to a project, you need to sense that cadence. Know when to enter with your information–when to bring your concern to the table. You can’t just throw it out there when it comes to your mind. Tyler shares a softball analogy: You’re at third base when the ba...
Jul 21, 2023•7 min
Elon and an increasingly-ripped Zuckerberg in a cage match. And Threads. That’s where we start today’s conversation. But then we move on. Today we're talking to Jacob D'Albora. Jacob is Director of Digital Building Operations at VIATechnik, LLC. His job is to serve as an owner’s representative in regard to digital plans and related VDC data. Jacob says that he has seen owners who had to recreate the entire digital presence of their projects and repopulate databases because they don’t receive the...
Jul 19, 2023•41 min•Ep. 171
Eddie’s been thinking about our episode with Patrick Fernbach . Specifically, he’s thinking about the discussion we had about small changes. Sometimes you get several steps into a project and discover that things just aren’t looking right. Tyler recalls an experience that he encountered pretty regularly when he was still doing steel detailing. Someone would call to explain that one tiny thing needed to change. Maybe it was the size of a bolt or a plate. The problem? That change meant that someth...
Jul 14, 2023•6 min
We love interviewing authors, and today we have a great one. Henry Nutt III started in the industry when he was 19 years old. He worked as general superintendent for 34 years. Henry has been with Southland Industry for 15 years, where he currently works as Pre-construction Executive. All of this experience makes him eminently qualified to share some advice about building strong teams. Henry spends a lot of time talking to students about preparing for careers. As he shared his experience, he disc...
Jul 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 170
You know what we have to say about your positivity? NO! Actually, today we’re talking about how this word can be a way to be positive. Eddie explains that your nos are more positive than your yeses. Both yeses and nos come in seasons. Tyler explains that he and the family are headed into a season of nos. We discuss the feelings that come along with a good, solid no. Although there might be some intimidation and unease, Tyler said the dominant feeling for him is usually relief. The unwillingness ...
Jul 07, 2023•7 min
We open today with a discussion about the latest epidemic in the US. Yes, we’re talking about the epidemic of pickleball-related injuries. Here’s the story in Bloomberg . Then we move on to a topic that John Roach brought to Eddie’s attention recently. It’s all about architects and the pricing of their services. It all goes back to the Sherman Anti-trust Act , which was enacted in 1890 to address the problem of monopolies. In the 1860s, Richard Morris Hunt sued a client who failed to pay his 5% ...
Jul 05, 2023•43 min•Ep. 169
We start out today with a little Chicken N Pickle talk and some eye rolling about Tyler’s $150 pickleball paddle. Then we move on to content most of you will find more substantial. Patrick Fernbach, our guest today, is Director of Mechanical Engineering at KLH Engineers in Kentucky. Tyler asks Patrick what grinds his gears when it comes to the construction industry. Patrick discusses the fact that construction contract practices put the engineers and the trades at opposite ends of an unnecessari...
Jun 28, 2023•58 min•Ep. 168
Sometimes things get away from you. Today we discuss the ways we reduce the number of things that get away from us. Eddie introduces the idea of a barricade. His primary barricade for excessive scrolling or social media usage? Use a browser-based version that is clunky enough that he doesn’t want to keep staring at it. We discuss the relentless attention suck that social media is for us and the whole family. Sometimes you need to treat yourself like a kid. “Sorry, but you can’t have your laptop ...
Jun 23, 2023•12 min
(Note regarding intro: The film festival in France is actually pronounced “Can .” The “S” is silent, unlike Tyler.) We start out today with Tyler’s church-league softball story and his related megaphone message: If you’re 6’2” and 260 pounds, don’t combine dehydration and intermittent fasting with an effort to prove yourself on the field. Then, on to the substance of today’s episode. Fair warning: We’re getting into the weeds today. That’s because this stuff can profoundly affect your finances, ...
Jun 21, 2023•55 min•Ep. 167
Nobody likes a parasite. (Well, maybe Kelly Kapoor ) When was the last time you asked yourself about parasites in your life? We’re not talking about people. We’re talking about habits. Maybe alcohol? Maybe social media (for sure social media)? Maybe there are some activities that simply trigger anxiety for you but somehow still suck you back in. Identify those and be ready for us to talk next week about “barricading” them. And no, a remora is not a parasite. Eddie is correct. That relationship i...
Jun 16, 2023•5 min
(Today’s episode is a re-air from 2021, chosen in recognition of Fathers Day.) It's time for some coffee with a splash of multi-generational wisdom. Joining us today are our dad and our grandpa, aka “Pop.” These two bring a deep, wide reservoir of experience. Pop started with Messer Construction all the way back in 1954, in part of a college co-op program. He moved on to the position of project manager and eventually senior project executive. As he tells us, though, he was just interested in bui...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 2 min
