EPISODE 425: Whether it’s misplaced cards or redundant training, managing construction credentials can feel like a full-time job–but not anymore with BuilderFax. In this week’s episode, my co-host Nathan Wood and I sit down with Christi Pilutik, CEO of BuilderFax, to talk about her mission to change how craft workers manage their credentials and career growth. With a solid background in HR and construction consulting, Christi shares her insights on the current state of the industry’s workforce a...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 425
EPISODE 424: Mental health in construction isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessity. But how do we empower the industry, especially its leaders, to talk about it openly? In this week’s Pause for the Cause episode with co-host Rob McKinney, we interview Paul Lawson, Risk Management Coordinator and Lead Mental Health Advocate at Mid-City Electric/Technologies, to explore his unique path from ministry to construction. Paul shares how his background as a pastor and two-time cancer survivor motivated ...
Sep 03, 2024•48 min•Ep. 424
EPISODE 423: How ready is your construction business for the future? If you haven’t thought about AI and automation yet, you could be missing out on something big! In this week’s episode of The ConTech Crew, my co-host Travis Voss and I sit down with Aaron Hilger, CEO of Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), and Carol Duncan, President of General Sheet Metal and SMACNA, to discuss the evolving landscape of the construction industry. This conversation dives ...
Aug 27, 2024•53 min•Ep. 423
EPISODE 422: How reliant are digital technologies in improving construction safety? In this week’s episode of The ConTech Crew, my co-host Rob McKinney and I sit down with Gabe Guetta, CEO and co-founder of SALUS, a young SaaS company specializing in construction safety. Gabe spent 15 years in construction, dealing with the challenges and stigmas that come with it. But when a near-miss job site incident occured, he realized there was a critical gap in how safety was managed in the industry. Toda...
Aug 20, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 422
EPISODE 421: Do you ever wonder why construction accounting is so challenging? I did, too, and so did this week’s guest, who has not only lived through these challenges but also developed innovative solutions to tackle construction’s accounting and profitability issues. Meet Chris Lee. Chris is an entrepreneur who transitioned from IT to construction and then to tech innovation–solving some of the most challenging problems in this industry. He’s the mind behind Esticom, a cloud-based estimating ...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 421
EPISODE 420: How do general contractors (GCs) spend most of their time? A recent study conducted on job sites reveals that GCs spend only 8% of their time in the field. The rest is consumed by tasks such as documenting discrepancies (16%), searching for the right information (15%), and meeting preparation (13%). Why are we wasting so much of these skilled professional’s time doing paperwork? Enter Trunk Tools–a platform designed to optimize workflows, enhance collaboration, and achieve a high le...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 420
EPISODE 419: Have you ever faced costly errors in your construction projects? Imagine if you could prevent them before they even happen. In this week’s episode, Nathan Wood and I sit down with Shir Abecasis, an Israeli military intelligence and cybersecurity expert turned CEO of FIRMUS. FIRMUS is an AI-driven pre-construction tool that analyzes PDF construction drawings and identifies potential design-related risks and errors at various project development stages. Today, Shir discusses how FIRMU...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 419
EPISODE 418: How can the construction industry become safer and more efficient? When we talk about construction safety, the strict implementation of hard hats on job sites is the first thing that comes to mind. However, what’s happening under that hard hat is equally important. In this week’s episode, my co-host Rob McKinney and I sit down with Sebastien de Ghellinck, founder and CEO of SkillSignal, to uncover the future of construction safety and well-being. Sebastien, along with his co-founder...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 418
EPISODE 417: We often view technology as a quick-fix solution, but it isn’t. Take AI, for example. Many companies rush to innovate and release AI-driven products to gain market advantage. However, this often overlooks the ethical and practical issues that should’ve been addressed first. This is exactly what our guest will unpack today. Meet Ritwik Batabyal. Ritwik is the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Mastek, a global IT company specializing in cloud and data migrations. With over 30...
Jul 16, 2024•44 min•Ep. 417
EPISODE 416: The construction industry has the highest rate of overdose deaths among major sectors. Yet, there’s still a stigma in tackling this opioid crisis. Thankfully, this week’s guest and his team have done the groundwork for creating healthier and safer construction job sites. To shed light on these critical issues, join me and my co-host, Nathan Wood, as we interview Cal Beyer, Senior Director of the SAFE Project. Today, we’ll talk about the pressing issues of mental health, suicide prev...
Jul 09, 2024•54 min•Ep. 416
EPISODE 415: Have you ever wondered why some construction projects take so long and cost so much? Join me as I sit down with the incredible Maria Davidson, CEO and founder of Kojo, a construction technology platform built for trade contractors to manage procurement, tools, and warehouse support. Today, Maria and I talk about the critical role of materials management in construction delays and cost overruns. She shares how her company’s platform can streamline materials management for a transpare...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 415
EPISODE 414: With today’s information right at our fingertips, a huge portion of the construction industry is still heavily reliant on siloed data. Could this be the hidden productivity killer costing the industry millions of dollars? In this week’s episode, my co-host Nathan Wood and I sit down with Bob Salaj, Director of Customer Advisory Team at Quickbase, to explore the intersection of Lean principles and digital transformation in construction. With his extensive experience across various in...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 414
EPISODE 413: The construction industry has been using prefabrication for years, but there’s always been a bit of a disconnect. Typically, prefabrication doesn’t start until the bid is awarded to the fabricators. But what if there’s a way to speed up the process while building a sustainable future? In this week’s episode, Nathan Wood and I speak with Michael Gustafson, vice president of strategy and business development at Qnect. As a structural engineer with extensive experience working with big...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 413
EPISODE 412: Burnout has long been a cause of higher suicidal rates in the construction industry. But what if there’s a way to detect burnout before anything worse happens? Join me in this week’s episode as my co-host, Nathan Wood, and I speak with Eitan Vesely, a former engineer turned successful founder. Today, we’ll talk about the world of employee well-being and how Eitan’s Watercooler, an AI-powered tool, helps companies detect and combat burnout in their employees. We’ll explore the balanc...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 412
EPISODE 411: Imagine having a tool that makes it easier for construction workers at all levels to find the information they need. Builder Answers is designed to do just that! Join me in this week’s episode as my co-host, Nathan Wood, and I speak with Marcus Kirkwood, founder of Builder Answers. Builder Answers is an online tool that provides immediate, accessible answers to workers on-site. It aims to bridge the knowledge gap and modernize the construction industry using AI. Today, Marcus discus...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 411
EPISODE 410: Is digital twinning completely achievable in construction? In this week’s episode, my co-host Jacob D’Albora and I have the pleasure of speaking with Alexis McGuffin, National Director of Digital Delivery at Suffolk Construction. With a solid background in software engineering and nearly two decades of experience in the construction industry, Alexis shares how digital twin is reshaping the industry. She discusses the critical role of trust and collaboration in achieving successful c...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 410
EPISODE 409: Imagine a construction job site where every worker feels heard, and seen, where leadership is not about barking orders but about understanding and empathy. That’s what our guest came in for. In this week’s special Pause for the Cause episode, I sit down with Matt Ohley, a seasoned general superintendent from Ajax Paving Industries of Florida. With a solid 27 years of experience in the industry, Matt shares the dramatic changes he has seen in the construction industry over the years....
May 21, 2024•47 min•Ep. 409
EPISODE 408: Have you ever struggled to find good housing while on work travel? We all did at some point. With all these mega projects going on around the country, workforce housing is a very serious challenge. But most people don’t realize that bad housing conditions significantly impact traveling workers’ morale, especially those in construction. So, how are we supposed to address this silent crisis? In this week’s episode, my co-host Nathan Wood and I have the pleasure of interviewing Yeves P...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 408
EPISODE 407: Are you struggling with inaccurate construction layouts? Well, say hello to precise projections! In this week’s episode, my co-host Jonathan Marsh and I sit down with William St-Pierre, co-founder and CEO at Mechasys, to discuss his journey from 3D printing to laser projection technology for construction layouts. Discover how this laser technology from Mechasys facilitates precise, efficient, and collaborative construction processes across multiple surfaces. Together, we dive into h...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 407
EPISODE 406: How can a finance expert reshape the construction world and demonstrate its urgent need for cutting-edge technology? In this week’s episode, join my co-host Tannis Liviniuk and me as we dive into the extraordinary journey of Lisa Giuffra Diaz–a former managing director at Goldman Sachs turned construction technology trailblazer and mentor. With over two decades of financial expertise, Lisa shares her unique transition from Wall Street to spearheading innovation in construction. Toda...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 406
EPISODE 405: As fewer students opt for trade schools, addressing today’s skills gap in construction seems far-fetched. But this episode might inspire others to step up and educate the trades of the future. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by an old friend of mine, Jim Jones. Jim is the program director of skilled crafts and trades at Colorado Mountain College (CMC). With a wealth of experience from his years in the construction industry, he built an automotive program for a local high school i...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 405
EPISODE 404: Construction is always ahead of what is going to happen. You can’t have a data boom until you have the data center–and somebody has to build it. Yet, most companies don’t put that much weight on extensive training to upskill their people. In this week’s episode, my co-host Jacob D’Albora and I sit down with Ian Theodore, the training director at Austin Commercial, to talk about the critical role of training and technology integration in the construction industry. With a career spann...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 404
EPISODE 403: Imagine a world where roads and bridges are designed and constructed with unmatched accuracy and efficiency. That future is NOW! In this week’s episode, my co-host Jacob D’Albora and I sit down with Connor Christian, the BIM (Building Information Modeling) operations manager at Kiewit, as we explore how BIM and generative design technology are transforming transportation infrastructure. Drawing on over two decades of experience in the construction and technology industry, Connor sha...
Apr 09, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 403
EPISODE 402: The biggest challenge in construction isn’t technology; it’s changing perceptions. When did you last hear field workers compliment a tech specialist on his latest software? It seldom happens, and it’s hurting the industry one way or another. In this week’s episode, my co-host Jonathan Marsh and I have the pleasure of interviewing James Faulkner, the CEO and founder of SiteMax. Started as a special project in 2014, SiteMax is a robust jobsite management software built for constructio...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 402
EPISODE 401: The construction industry consumes a staggering 40% of the world’s resources while simultaneously dumping 40% of waste into landfills. Building a more sustainable future may seem like a far-fetched dream, but this week’s podcast guest thinks otherwise. In this week’s episode, my co-host Nathan Wood and I sit down with Brittany Harris, the amazing founder and CEO of Qflow, to explore groundbreaking projects aimed at decarbonizing the construction industry. Qflow serves as a digital h...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 9 min
EPISODE 400: Imagine managing your project with construction technology solutions that complement your business needs–it’s like efficiency and collaboration on the next level. But how do we inspire people to become paperless builders? In this week’s episode, my co-host Nathan Wood and I sit down with Hamzah Shanbari, an avid listener of our show and now the Director of Innovation at Haskell. He’s here to talk about Dysruptek’s approach to technology evaluation and implementation in the industry ...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 400
EPISODE 399: Are you tired of dealing with project delays and inaccuracies in construction? In this week’s episode, my co-host Charlie Dunn and I sit down with Dave Mitchell, the founder and CEO of XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality specializes in augmented reality solutions for construction and real-time project controls. After spending numerous years in the field, Dave grew increasingly frustrated with the limitations of constructing from 2D drawings. His frustration sparked the vision of holographic re...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 399
EPISODE 398: Are you feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the construction industry? In this week’s eye-opening Pause for the Cause episode, I sit down with construction tech influencers and hosts of the “No BS with Jen and Jess” show, Jennifer Lacy and Jesus (Jesse) Hernandez. No BS with Jen and Jess is a platform that serves as a community for individuals to connect, elevate each other, and build meaningful relationships within the construction industry, all while applying the principles of L...
Mar 05, 2024•55 min•Ep. 398
EPISODE 397: Is AI the future of the AEC industry? Join me and my co-host Ariel Castillo as we discover how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the architecture, engineering, and construction industries with this week’s guest, Mehdi Nourbakhsh, a former structural engineer turned AI expert and CEO of YegaTech. With decades of experience, Mehdi dives deep into the transformative potential of AI–from automating mundane tasks to crafting sustainable futures. He shares his transition from stru...
Feb 27, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 397
EPISODE 396: Could there be a solution to one of construction’s biggest challenges–cash flow issues? Join us in this week's episode as my co-host, Jacob D’Albora, and I sit down with Anwar Ghauche, the founder of Constrafor. Constrafor, an innovative construction procurement company, is elevating construction productivity to new heights. Today, Anwar discusses Contrafor’s groundbreaking early pay program and software solutions designed to boost productivity and profitability for contractors and ...
Feb 20, 2024•59 min•Ep. 396
