00:47 - Introduction - Melanie’s backstory Melanie Ford is the Senior Director of Construction for the University of Georgia Office of the University Architects. Before her move to the university, she worked for 20 years as a contractor and a Vice President of Whitsel Construction Services. She’s the Georgia Chapter President for the Construction Owners of America and one of the co-founders and current President of Athens Area Women in Construction. Melanie shares about how a stressful project i...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 199
Happy New Year! Let’s talk about resolutions. Each week this month we’ll be focusing on one way to improve the way you do your job. This week’s resolution: Communicate. Be clearer and more deliberate in your emails, phone calls, texts, and conversations. Be self-aware. Take an honest look at your communication patterns. If you talk too much, consider trying to be more concise. If you tend to hide behind typed words when phone calls would be better, make more calls. Resolve to be just a little bi...
Jan 05, 2024•3 min
Andrew and David brought us gifts! Chocolate and buckets full of Bluebeam tips! 01:00 - Chocolate Letters and Alaskan Trout We start out today with some float-plane talk. Eddie shares about one of his trips to Alaska. Then we fess up to our lack of gift-giving etiquette and Tyler’s inability to wait when it comes to chocolate. Finally, we get into a few distinct buckets of Bluebeam tips. 04:55 - Tips for Take-offs and Estimation David discusses the process of taking a Google Maps screenshot and ...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 198
Today we encourage you to face the tough choices. Every single day, we have numerous opportunities to show integrity or take the easy way out. There are easy ways to back out of commitments. It’s always possible to think about an excuse. When you opt for the excuse, though, you slowly erode your reputation. Trust decays unless you actively maintain it by following through and keeping your word. Take pride in your work. Know why you do what you do. In the long run, you’ll be thankful that you did...
Dec 29, 2023•4 min
What if Santa decided to expand his operation? NOTE: If you’re interested in construction in extreme conditions, explore the links at the end of these show notes. 00:40 - Intro We are dressed to the 9s and ready to help the Big Guy. Today we’re discussing what Santa would need to do to build a second headquarters at the South Pole in order to cut down on delivery times. As our template, we’re using the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station as our model. Here are some facts about that structure: It s...
Dec 27, 2023•30 min•Ep. 197
Yes, you’ve probably heard this story before. It’s one that’s worth hearing again. Here’s a link to the text in case you’re interested in following along or reading it again later. Merry Christmas, everyone. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - 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!...
Dec 22, 2023•2 min
Today we discuss seasonal bloating and iconic Christmas trees. 00:00 - Sweater Talk and Movies Tyler’s the bloatiest in the middle. That’s today’s bit of TMI from the CBP. We start out today with a call-back to the episode with Dad. Tyler felt compelled to retroactively vote for Home Alone 2 as one of his favorite Christmas movies. We share a few others too. 04:08 - Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree We wanted to know if there’s anything interesting that we can learn from the Rockefeller Center C...
Dec 20, 2023•21 min•Ep. 196
Today Eddie relays 3 costs of leadership that he learned from Kirby Smart from University of Georgia. 1) You will have to make hard decisions that negatively impact people you care about. 2) You will be disliked despite your best attempts to do the best for the most. 3) You will be misunderstood, and you won’t always have the chance to defend yourself. Eddie’s advice: Write these down as a reminder to yourself. Leadership can be tough. It’s a part of the deal. Check out the partners that make ou...
Dec 15, 2023•4 min
This week we continue the conversation we started last week with Dad. 00:00 - Introduction 01:38 - Bogus RFIs Dad continues his thoughts from last week regarding industry inefficiencies and complications. He explains how many people use the RFI as a delay tactic. He’s seen this on the receiving side as a project manager, but he’s also seen members of his own team do it from the sending side. Eddie talks about how he’s seen people creating an unnecessarily adversarial relationship for their own a...
Dec 13, 2023•45 min•Ep. 195
Tyler’s lit up--not angry, just literally lit up. Check out the Youtube version if you’re interested in seeing an illuminated version of Tyler. (We’ll understand if you’re okay sticking with the audio.) Tyler shares today about coping when things don’t go as planned. His suggestions? Nod. Accept it. Adjust. Focus on a solution. Eddie contributes some thoughts about how personality styles fit into these situations. He also reminds us that the way you handle the unexpected will have a significant ...
Dec 08, 2023•7 min
01:23 - Introduction We start out today with a short round-table chat about Mom dressing Tyler. And cussing. And Gallagher. 03:20 - Movies We list some of our favorite movies–Christmas ones and Schwarzenegger ones. Dad thinks most Hallmark movies should just move on down the road. But then he goes on to talk about the one he watched with Mom. We learn that Pierce Brosnan has lost all of Dad’s respect. When it comes to Christmas movies, Eddie shares that Christmas Vacation is one of his favorites...
Dec 06, 2023•38 min•Ep. 194
If you want to stand out in business, don’t be a whiner. It’s a natural human tendency, for sure. That’s why avoiding it will help you stand out from the crowd. Whining wastes time and strains relationships. The more you can suck it up and do the work when circumstances are tough, the better things will go for you and those around you. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyle...
Dec 01, 2023•4 min
00:46 - Introduction Tyler shares a bit about Bill Holton and then starts us off with a few complaints about shipping shortfalls. 04:29 - Kubota History Bill reviews the background of Kubota in the US. In 1972, Kubota started selling tractors in the US. By 1978 they were selling excavators to construction contractors. The breadth of the Kubota line has been growing ever since. Over those 50 years, they’ve worked their way into just about every segment of construction. Tyler shares this thoughts ...
Nov 29, 2023•33 min•Ep. 193
When it comes to confidence and peace of mind within your business, there’s nothing that compares to having employees who actually care. Is this obvious? Yup. Still bears repeating. When your workers are thankful for their job, they’re going to bring creativity, responsiveness, and conscientiousness to their work. Everyone that your business touches will notice the difference. How do you make your employees thankful? Treat them well. Model gratitude. Show appreciation. Complain less. Take advant...
Nov 26, 2023•5 min
Today’s episode includes a visual demonstration, so you may want to consider watching the Youtube version . This episode is a re-air from earlier in 2023. 00:00 - Bloody Dumpling Shenanigans (and Introduction) Dumplings can be deadly. What a birthday… After that story, we shift to today’s guest, John Fay. John is the founder and CEO of Låda Cube (pronounced Lauda Cube). Låda Cube produces pre-fab cassettes that are used in the place of conventional stud-and-drywall walls. 04:25 - John Explains L...
Nov 22, 2023•40 min•Ep. 192
Today Eddie suggests that we go to the person who has the hammer in hand. This is not only the best place to identify problems, but it’s also often the best place to formulate solutions. It’s the nip-it-in-the-bud mindset. Solve the problems right where they start. This is more logistically efficient, and solutions formed at this point in the system are also more likely to be supported by the whole team. Cynicism and eye-rolling will be less likely. Be sure to follow through, though. Don’t gathe...
Nov 17, 2023•7 min
00:49 - Small Talk We’re struggling. Tyler opens by sharing that his reading ability has been waning recently. We chat about his delinquency as far as following up on his eyeglass prescriptions. His knees aren’t doing so well either. 03:30 - Getting into the Concrete We discuss our wives’ confusion about our fascination with the Roman Empire, but that’s where we’re settling today. We start out at the Pantheon. At 142 feet across, the dome on this temple is still the largest unreinforced concrete...
Nov 15, 2023•32 min•Ep. 191
You’ve encountered them. Can we just admit it, you might be one. To be fair, we all become one at one time or another. There are plenty of unreasonable people in the construction industry, but Eddie has a tip for how to deal with them. Don’t fight with them. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you just because someone else did so. Tyler chimes in with the comparison about children and parenting. Sometimes you need to just let the kid cool down. Doing so will increase the likelihood (though...
Nov 10, 2023•6 min
00:56 - Introduction Brent Wadas is an Army veteran who has also worked in finance and SaaS. In 2020, he and his two co-founders dove into construction automation with BotBuilt. He joins us today to talk about automated framing. 04:38 - BotBuilt Overview Brent explains why he sometimes feels like a five-year-old. He and his co-founders found that most automated systems required almost complete uniformity. He explains The Panel Book that contains detailed breakdowns of components, designs, and co...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 190
Eddie’s stealing this week’s insight from Micah Piippo (See episode 180 ). That insight? Think ahead–way ahead. Plan long. Dad said it too. Don’t just think about this week, this month, or this year. Plan out 20 years. Where do you want to be? Tyler mentions how quickly you see time pass when you’re a parent. That’s part of the point, but not all of it. Eddie points out how few people there are who can stick with a plan of action in order to achieve five-year goals. Tyler said he feels like he’s...
Nov 03, 2023•4 min
Here are a few links related to today’s episode: Join the Bluebeam User Group Download a zip file with instructional videos and some of the tools Patrick mentions in this episode Contact Patrick McLaughlin on LinkedIn if you’re interested in more information about customizing Bluebeam Try Bluebeam for free 00:00 - Introduction Today we’re visiting with Patrick McLaughlin and Steve Smith. Patrick is the Director of Virtual Design and Construction at Pond & Company (a full-service architecture...
Nov 01, 2023•47 min•Ep. 189
We all spend a good deal of time discussing how to improve the construction industry. Large problems don’t start out large. They’re usually a result of a long series of small problems. How do you reverse a large problem made of small problems? Yup, you seek a series of small solutions. Instead of getting discouraged, let’s start digging.An army of normal people can present a solution that is better than one high-level influencer. Take a look at what’s in front of you today. See what you can do t...
Oct 27, 2023•4 min
Fouad Khalil is back! About three years ago, Fouad founded Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. Today he’s here to share some leadership insights. We jump right into the conversation today with some talk about liability. Tyler asks Fouad to repeat what he had explained in an earlier conversation.Fouad says that your insurance carrier will tell you… -Don’t say, “It will be done...
Oct 25, 2023•56 min•Ep. 188
Finally! Tyler is finally getting on board with the baseball analogies. (Well… This one is borrowed from his pastor, but it’s a start.) You might know that the Atlanta Braves are having a pretty impressive season. Tyler points out that statisticians have done the math: When Ozzie Albies is on the field, Ronald Acuña plays 30% better than when Ozzie is not on the field. It’s not because of anything technical. It appears to be just the presence of a friend on the field. We’ve all worked on teams w...
Oct 20, 2023•4 min
00:00 - Introduction Tyler is excited about his visit to a Glossier shop. While his wife was exploring ways to look even prettier, Tyler’s makeup-free mug was recognized by another patient husband. He didn’t ask for an autograph, but it’s a start. 6:44 - Mulberry Harbor Eddie leads us into today’s topic: the two large harbors that were constructed in preparations for the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in 1944. We won’t go deep into the historical details of the D-Day, but the invasion of Normandy th...
Oct 18, 2023•40 min•Ep. 187
Today Eddie doles out some wisdom for beginners. 1) Don’t turn off the study habits that helped you in school (if you had such habits). Get to know the software, the terminology, and anything else that is a part of your job. 2) Don’t succumb to a whiner culture. Just learn. Just grow. (Tyler fesses up to having violated this tip.) 3) Stay humble, and learn from your checker. They’re not trying to insult you (at least we hope they’re not). 4) Shoot for excellence. Don’t aim for “good enough.” 5) ...
Oct 13, 2023•8 min
00:00 - Introduction Today we welcome two members of the team at DPR Construction . We dive in today with some multi-generational hard hat chat. If you’re interested, check out the helmet conversation we mention with Dr. Bottlang . 7:25 - DPR and Recruiting We ask Chris and Will to talk about how DPR is recruiting and training young workers. They talk us through the variations between states in regard to union training resources and the amount of on-the-job training that needs to be coordinated ...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 186
We use Bluebeam all day every day at ABSI. Today, We talk about some of our favorite features. Favorite #1 - Tool Chest: On the left side of your screen, you look at the tool chest. Click on that icon and open it up. Inside, you’ll find tool sets. Favorite #2 - My Tools: If there’s a command you use frequently, you can put that command in my tools. It will be assigned a number and become readily available. Favorite #3 - Custom-built tool set: You can compile your own collection of tools that you...
Oct 06, 2023•7 min
00:00 - Introduction That’s a frickin’ cookie. We could do an entire episode on the beautiful construction of the cookie we’re eating. Shoutout to The Cookie Company in Milledgeville, Georgia. (Also, sorry, Mom, for talking with our mouths full). 4:00 - The Crystal Palace - Background We review the steps that lead to the construction of the Crystal Palace. In 1840, a guy named Henry Cole suggested that England should host a huge event to encourage industrial innovation. He was able to get Prince...
Oct 04, 2023•41 min•Ep. 185
Tyler’s been doing some training lately. Eddie has been both working out and listening to ultra-runner Nick Bare’s podcast . Nick talks about running a 230-mile ultra-marathon. Tyler and Eddie are not doing that. During COVID, Eddie was set to run a marathon that ended up being canceled. The Campbell family stepped up and set up a one-man race. When he hit 16 miles, he hit a wall. He was determined not to quit in front of his kids, so he focused on just finishing the next mile. Then the next mil...
Sep 29, 2023•6 min
