This episode originally aired in 2023 and contains advice that has become increasingly relevant. 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 unifor...
Apr 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 214
This is repost of one of our old favorites. 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 -...
Apr 19, 2024•4 min
Today we're revisiting a conversation we had with Fouad Khalil in October of 2023. Fouad is the founder of and Principal at 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 y...
Apr 17, 2024•56 min•Ep. 213
Despite Tyler’s apathy toward football, today Eddie is encouraging us with a football analogy: stay in the pocket. He explains that the quarterback who trusts his offensive line can examine his options while standing confidently within the pocket. When you’re looking to move the ball down the field, you might be tempted to run off to the side or run backward to an area that looks so peacefully empty. This almost always ends badly. Hang in there and keep surveying your options. Tyler translates t...
Apr 12, 2024•4 min
This is a re-release of an episode that originally aired on September 27 of 2023. 00:00 - Introduction 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. 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. N...
Apr 10, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 212
Eddie’s been reading The Comfort Crisis, and from that he brings us this insight: “Hunger is the best sauce.” He shares about his recent trip to the NASCC and an “exquisite” meal he had there. They didn’t go high-end, but it still tasted outstanding simply because they were so dang hungry. Hunger sharpens the olfactory senses. Doing without something can make you really appreciate it when it returns. If you’re going through a dry spell, Eddie encourages you to be okay with that. Consider how muc...
Apr 05, 2024•4 min
We start out today with some swag talk and a chat about some recent opportunities to meet listeners. (Note: Of course historicity is a word. Dictionary.com’s definition is “historical authenticity.”) 03:50 - The Panama Canal There’s so much to discuss on this massive construction project. First, though, we insist on a deep dive on our Keurig machine. Then we get to some specs: Parcel of land: 10 miles wide and 50 miles long 85 feet elevation change from sea level to highest point Avg. ship trans...
Apr 03, 2024•38 min•Ep. 211
(This is a re-air of an episode originally released last September.) 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 k...
Mar 29, 2024•6 min
00:00 - The Founding of GPRS Today we welcome Matt Aston. Matt is the founder of GPRS. Although that is an acronym for ground-penetrating radar systems, the company does much more than that these days. Matt started his company in 2001, and now they employ almost 800 people in 54 cities. We discuss the ground-penetrating radar equipment. Matt walks us through some basics about how this equipment uses magnetic variations to help users create a map of the underground infrastructure. When he was sta...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 210
It’s not worth it. You want to sleep at night. Manipulation sometimes comes in the form of straight-up lying, but it also sometimes comes in half-truths, intimidation. Sometimes it even comes in the form of donuts (although we won’t complain too hard about that one). Be a straight shooter. Not only will it keep you from being found out; it will also make life more pleasant for you. Word of mouth is big in the construction industry. Your reputation will precede you. Be the person who shows up whe...
Mar 22, 2024•7 min
We start out today by considering placing bets on the Sawzall next door, which of course leads us to reflect on our experience with high school bookies. 02:25 - A Full House of Specs Tyler mentions that his first exposure to the Golden Gate Bridge was in the opening to Full House. Then we dive into some specs: The bridge’s span between towers is 4200 feet. The towers reach 746’ height above the water. Each tower weighs 22,000 tons. The total length of the bridge is 1.7 miles. 80,000 miles of ste...
Mar 20, 2024•40 min•Ep. 209
Eddie’s gears have been ground. It bothers him when people act like they’re the only one with problems–especially when this leads to them unloading their workload onto someone else. This kind of offense is especially frustrating to managers, owners, or other types of bosses who can’t pass the buck. (We can’t imagine how worked up Eddie will be when he’s an old man.) Ultimately, it’s a basic “do unto others as you’d like them to do unto you” situation. It makes you a better employee, a better cow...
Mar 15, 2024•7 min
Tyler’s struggling with sugar withdrawal. Eddie sometimes doesn’t feel like a real man. Hamzah Shanbari likes his coffee bitter and black. 02:55 - Welcoming Hamzah Shanbari We’re glad to have Hamzah back. It’s been a good, long while–almost three years since he joined us to discuss marketing vs. reality . He’s still achieving more than us. Hamzah now works with Haskell, where he is the Director of Innovation. Haskell has charged Hamzah and his team to invest, invent, and innovate. They do this u...
Mar 13, 2024•50 min•Ep. 208
Today's leadership lesson was inspired by what we've recently learned about Joseph Strauss, the somewhat-designer of the Golden Gate Bridge. (You’ll hear more about him in an upcoming full CBP episode.) When you’re in charge of a crew, there’s a natural tendency to want to look good. This is natural, but it’s also dangerous. The good team leader knows that he looks good because of the members of the team. If you’re claiming credit for the final project, you’re blowing the opportunity to give cre...
Mar 08, 2024•6 min
A few weeks ago, Jennifer Wilkerson joined us to discuss training, education, and recruitment. Today we’ve invited her back to talk about women in construction. Jennifer Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research . 00:00 - All in the Family Tyler asks Jennifer to give a run-down of the welding business that she and her husband own. Jennifer was the business manager for several years after leaving her job as a high school English te...
Mar 06, 2024•38 min•Ep. 207
It’s hot when you weld. Today we’re back around to the topic of young people coming into the industry. Today, we’re specifically discussing ways to help young people with an interest in the construction industry. This conversation brings to mind times when we’ve learned from newbies who are approaching industry-standard software for the first time. We encourage educators and people within the industry to encourage young prospects to explore. Help them wade into the waters of Bluebeam and other s...
Mar 01, 2024•6 min
If you're interested in learning more about the construction of Hoover Dam, scroll to the end of the show notes for links. 00:00 - A Quick Dam Joke, the Consortium, and Some Stats We question our ability to keep our puns in check. Sorry, Mom. Then we move on to the contractors. We discuss the consortium called Six Companies Inc. that won the bid at nearly $49 million, approximately $860 million in today’s dollars. Eddie makes a conveniently timed comparison to the Washington Monument. The Hoover...
Feb 28, 2024•27 min•Ep. 206
Today we bring you the last of our February series on things we love about the construction industry. Today, we're talking about variety. When it’s Friday and you just wanna go home. What keeps you there? Eddie and Tyler point out that you could be in a dull, repetitive cubicle job that is going to be taken over by AI. But instead, you’re in a field where you encounter something new every day. There are tampers to ride, new guys to send out for the beam stretcher, all kinds of fresh and exciting...
Feb 23, 2024•6 min
Today we’re talking to Jeffrey Michael and Darren Draper, two commissioning agents. If you’re not sure what that means, then you’ve come to the right episode. 00:00 - Superbowl reflections We’re not sure what we were thinking to schedule a recording session the day after the Superbowl. Also, we’re sorry that you’re listening yet again to thoughts about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce just so we can get some SEO juice . 03:21 - Introductions Jeffrey Michael has been in the design and construction w...
Feb 21, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 205
We’re back with some more love. Today is the third episode in our “For the love of…” series. Eddie loves solving problems. He loves seeing all of the pieces laid out in front of him and then figuring out how to put them all together. His favorite is solving problems as part of a team. He loves to spitball ideas and build off of the ideas of his teammates until there’s a solid, impressive, satisfying result. Tyler expresses his appreciation for the fact that construction still involves a hefty am...
Feb 16, 2024•4 min
Today we’re talking to Jennifer Wilkerson of the National Center for Construction Education and Research , where she’s now the Vice President of Innovation and Advancement. Our conversation today focuses on the recruitment and training of tomorrow’s skilled trades workforce. 01:20 - TSwift, JWilk, and the Family Welding Business We recorded this episode pre-Superbowl, so we start out with Tyler’s speculations about a potential earth-shaking breakup that might follow the game. Jennifer shares wit...
Feb 14, 2024•41 min•Ep. 204
Sometimes they were forged in the fire, but we have some really good relationships because of our involvement in the construction industry. Tyler shares about his amusement at what people consider difficult in his new field of work. He says it just doesn’t compare to the challenges he encountered in construction. Eddie encourages you to not underestimate the benefits of working really hard alongside others. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - Lin...
Feb 09, 2024•5 min
Today we talk to Dr. Noland White, Professor of Psychology at Georgia College & State University. IMPORTANT NOTE: Today’s conversation touches on issues of mental health. Although we hope you find the insights helpful, we want to be clear that this content is for educational purposes only. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, please talk to a medical professional. 02:06 - Settling In Dr. White gives us a run-down of his academic and professional history. We discuss the b...
Feb 07, 2024•54 min•Ep. 203
Surely you’ve done this with your family. And surely they’re eyes have rolled every time. For the month of February, we’re talking about love… The love of construction. Today we focus on the pride we all feel when we encounter projects to which we’ve contributed. Tyler talks about his Wawa work, which didn’t exactly overwhelm his wife. Eddie goes all the way back to his time in college in order to compare the tangibility of your work. We discuss the satisfaction of being able to point to a brick...
Feb 02, 2024•7 min
Today we trigger our PM friends. 00:40 - Intro We chat about our studio setup and Eddie’s perceived curmudgeonliness. Eddie insists that it’s almost always about expecting people to be a good roommate. 03:57 - Tyler is giddy. Tyler shares about the comment thread on one of his recent LinkedIn posts . The initial post asked people to make a project manager fly off the handle in five words or less. Here are some of our favorites: -“Cleaners erased your whiteboard.” We wonder if cleaners should car...
Jan 31, 2024•42 min•Ep. 202
We’ve reached our fourth and final episode focused on resolutions. This week, after we wade through some brotherly tensions, Eddie encourages you to identify someone who is “below” you in the business and take them out to eat. As he said last week, don’t make it weird! Just be intentional about creating space where trust can be established and advice can be shared. Make it clear that you’re available if they have questions. That’s all. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us ...
Jan 26, 2024•5 min
How far up do you own? 00:58 - Intro We chat about the naming of winter storms and make some subtle alternative music allusions. Eddie shares about how to increase your perceived IQ. 03:30 - Bold projects Today we’re talking about two really ambitious projects: Big Bend, which is not currently underway, and The Line, which is. First, Big Bend: Eddie describes the shape of this unusual concept. The design was completed in 2017. The design seeks to sidestep the floor-area ratio limits of New York’...
Jan 24, 2024•34 min•Ep. 201
In this, our third week focused on resolutions, Eddie encourages you to seek an opportunity to learn. You probably already have in mind someone whose work or career you admire. Don’t make it weird. Just ask a couple questions about the things you’ve observed in their work lives. Then shut up and listen. If this person becomes a long-term mentor, great. If this just ends up being one session of learning for you, also great. Either way, you’ll come out of the situation with some insights that posi...
Jan 19, 2024•4 min
We've reached our bicent...episodial?! 01:58 - Reminiscing Today we’re looking back over more than three years of producing the CBP. Here are some our initial thoughts: -Our intro is still rocking a 2019 vibe. -Mom is usually pretty supportive, but… There’s an episode out there somewhere from those very first episodes, and we would really love for them to stay buried deep in whatever pile of digital debris. Tyler poses a challenge: If we get to 100 ratings on Apple Podcasts within two months of ...
Jan 17, 2024•43 min•Ep. 200
This week Eddie encourages us to look up and look down. Engage in a conversation to see what is required for the people “above” and “below” you to succeed. Tyler shares an example about his daughter’s perpetual curiosity and encourages us to demonstrate that with those around us. 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 ...
Jan 12, 2024•3 min
