Construction Genius

Project changes increase risk, and create conflict. Dealing with change orders is a pain that subcontractors, contractors, and owners all share. The good news is that tools and technology are now in place to help reduce the risk and improve change order communication. In this week's podcast episode, I interview Cameron Page, the CEO and founder of Extracker. He has construction industry experience, and so he understands the difficulties surrounding change orders. We discuss the underlying causes of the challenges with change orders and the primary people responsible for the change order conversation. We also talk about his journey to founding Extracker and what he envisions his company to be five to ten years from now. Those looking for solutions to improve change order communication in their construction companies will benefit from listening to this episode. Tune in to this today! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction1:45 Cameron shares his construction journey 4:08 Extracker and their focus 5:15 Why are change orders seemingly unique in the construction industry6:28 Why is the change order process so painful 8:54 Factors that contribute to the friction and what contractors are doing about it 10:39 Who is responsible for the change order conversation?12:27 Most effective way for GC's to communicate about changes14:49 Cameron shares how he transitioned to CEO and founder of Extracker 18:22 Why construction companies fail with technology implementation? 20:37 What you can learn from client feedback and interacting with clients 22:55 The biggest mistake Cameron made when he started Extracker 24:55 Resisting the temptation to cater to other demands from clients 26:30 Things Cameron recommends to do to make change order as smooth as possible29:20 Where Cameron sees Extracker in the next five to ten years from now About the Guest: Cameron Page earned a Construction Management degree at Cal Poly SLO before working nearly ten years at one of the nation's largest design-build GCs. Seeing the need for better Change Order communication, he hatched the idea for Extracker. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/ Visit Extracker's website to know more about the service they provide www.extracker.com Extracker's testimonials page https://www.extracker.com/customer-stories Visit Extracker's LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/company/extracker/ Follow Cameron on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-page-740aa722/ Restaurant mentioned in this episode: Domenico's Deli http://domenicosdeli.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Construction is a competitive and crowded industry. Setting yourself apart from the competition in the minds of potential and existing clients is a challenge. What should you focus on to stand out from the crowd and attract your ideal clients? In this week's podcast episode, my guest Peep Laja shares the best way to market your company and stand out from the competition. He has deep marketing experience, so he understands what it takes to be different and to attract your ideal clients. If you're a construction company owner that is struggling with differentiating your company from the competition, you'll find this discussion insightful. So tune in to this episode today! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 2:22 Biggest mistake companies make when marketing in a crowded field 5:07 Why do companies struggle with setting themselves apart 5:53 Two obvious ways to differentiate your company from the rest 7:07 What does a brand mean? 9:55 How to know if somebody already owns a message in the market's mind 11:24 How to actively cultivate brand perception 14:37 Table stakes 15:37 Storytelling and brand 17:33 What people are missing with marketing 19:54 Taking aspects of the table stakes and bring aspects out to set oneself apart 22:42 Who should be driving the differentiation effort in an organization?23:52 Pick one thing that differentiates you 25:19 How long should a company be committed to a single marketing message?26:06 Get clear on your identity 26:39 What to ask to get clarity on your uniqueness29:00 Start communicating the idea externally 29:30 Attract and repel About the Guest: Peep Laja is a former champion of experimentation and optimization turned business builder. He now grows a portfolio of companies and is the founder of CXL, Speero, and Wynter. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/ Visit Peep Laja's website https://peeplaja.com/ Check out Peep Laja's company websites: CXL https://cxl.com/ Speero by CXL https://speero.com/ Wynter https://wynter.com/ Follow Peep on his social media channels Twitter https://twitter.com/peeplaja Linkedin https://linkedin.com/in/peeplaja/ Restaurants mentioned in this episode: Odd Duck https://oddduckaustin.com/ Torchy's Tacos https://torchystacos.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

The Construction Industry is slow at embracing new technologies. This makes sense because of the risk involved in every project, and the high-cost of failure. 3D Printing is one example of technology that has been touted as having the potential to positively impact the industry, but has yet to live up to the hype. In this week's Construction Genius episode, I talk with Sam Ruben of Mighty Buildings. They are on the cutting edge of the use of 3D printing to build beautiful, affordable, and sustainable homes. Sam addresses why 3D printing hasn't lived up to its hype yet. He also answers some of the frequently asked questions regarding this technology and its biggest roadblock to success. We also talk about the environmental impact of 3D printing and many more. Tune in to this interview and get a better gauge on the use of technology and how it can impact your company. Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 2:32 Why 3D printing hasn't lived up to its hype yet 3:37 Changes to 3D printing to make the use of it easier 4:43 Communicate the use of new technologies 5:50 Questions that people ask about 3D printing 6:58 The Mighty Buildings approach 9:57 Customizations for unique projects and designs 12:42 How deep into a project can 3D printing go 14:19 Limitations of 3D printing 15:34 Labor disruption and how they address it 17:04 Expansion and Mighty factories 19:58 Biggest roadblock to success 22:57 Smaller construction companies vs. more prominent companies 23:52 What 3D printing will be like in the next ten years25:16 The environmental impact of 3D printing 29:05 Achieving safety goals through 3D printing 29:44 Next steps to educate yourself about 3D printing About the Guest: Sam Ruben is the CSO/Co-Founder of Mighty Building, a construction technology company based in Oakland, CA, innovating the construction industry by creating beautiful, affordable, and sustainable homes using 3D printing, robotics, and automation. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) Reach out to Sam through email (sam@mightybuildings.com) Visit the Mighty Buildings website (https://about-us.mightybuildings.com/) Check out the following links ABC Collaborative: https://advancedbuildingconstruction.org/ Housing Innovation Alliance: http://www.housinginnovationalliance.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Have you ever thought of starting your own construction company, or of launching a new division of your current company? Either way, it's a giant leap full of opportunity, and risk. In this week's podcast episode, I talk with Peter Worhunsky, the President & CEO of Live Oak. We explore the move to start his own company. Peter shares how he maintains healthy relationships with his business partners. How he navigated the decision to start a business with his family. How he made the transition from employee to owner. The importance of a thorough business plan, and how that plan has changed since the launch of the company. How to seize opportunities, balancing ego and humility. We also cover how to manage the physical and emotional stresses of launching a business. Those who are thinking about starting a business or launching a new division of a company will find this episode insightful. Take the time to listen to this episode! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 3:04 Why Peter started his own company 3:51 The process Peter went through to get to starting his own company 6:40 Approaching people to become business partners 7:34 Things Peter looked for in business partners 9:36 Retaining talent as a CEO 11:21 Discussing beginning the business with your family 12:48 Crossing from being an employee to a business owner 13:35 Immediate obstacles upon launching the business 14:18 What Peter learned in the financial aspect of the business 15:50 Benefits of a business plan 17:01 Significant changes from the initial start of the company to where it is now 18:15 Being hyper opportunistic while eyeing the long-term goals22:03 Risk management 24:38 Obstacles that Peter didn't anticipate 26:23 What Peter would do differently if he were to go back 27:55 Understanding the difference between a plan and reality 29:35 What COVID taught Peter and how he'll apply it to a non-COVID environment30:40 Balancing ego and humility 32:41 Peter's focus on growing his business33:57 Maintaining healthy relationships with business partners34:32 Managing one's self and the stresses that come with business35:24 What to do to keep the long game in mind 36:30 Respect for people in the construction space About the Guest: Peter Worhunsky is a construction industry veteran with over twenty years of field and office experience. He grew up around construction, watching his grandfather and father run a construction company. In 2019, with his partners, he launched Live Oak and serves as the company's President and CEO. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) Books mentioned in this episode: Born of This Land (Autobiography of Chung Ju-jung, Founder of Hyundai): https://www.amazon.com/Born-this-land-life-story/dp/B07YNZF25Z/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=born+of+this+land&qid=1621619465&s=books&sr=1-1 Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

How comfortable are you when speaking in public? Whether you love it or hate it, as a leader, you have to do it. Your words have a tremendous impact, and if you can improve your public speaking, it will increase your leadership effectiveness. Helping you improve public speaking skills is the goal of this week's Construction Genius episode. My guest, Robbie Crabtree, is an expert in the field. We discuss why so many people struggle with public speaking and how it's possible to become confident in this area. We also talk about strategies that will help you connect with your audience and the impact that words have on people. Robbie also gives practical advice on how to make sure you're not boring your audience. Interested in upping your public speaking game? This episode is for you. Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 2:11 Why do people struggle with public speaking?4:00 Imposter syndrome5:36 How to move one's self to be someone who wants the ball 6:27 Fear setting 8:12 Strategies to connect with an audience10:16 Handling the disconnect in communicating to your audience 13:57 Pitfalls to avoid when practicing public speaking 16:09 The power and impact of a leader's words 17:58 Framework for crafting a speech 21:53 Preparing a speech for an executive environment 25:16 Number of examples/stories in a speech 25:54 Avoid boring people when speaking 27:36 Advice to those who want to improve and polish their speaking skills 29:05 How to remove filler words About the Guest: Robbie began his career as a trial lawyer, where he went to jury trial 102 times in cases including murders and child abuse. During his 5th year, he began teaching persuasive speaking and coaching the national mock trial team at SMU Law. Over the years, he started getting messages from politicians, entrepreneurs, and salespeople on how they could learn how to be great speakers and storytellers. Robbie developed the Performative Speaking philosophy and started a coaching and consulting company around his experience. He also created an educational technology company around this idea that was acquired by On Deck in December. Robbie works with people every day, from tech companies in Silicon Valley to lawyers in Texas to salespeople in the midwest or east coast, to turn speaking into a superpower. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) 1-page notion document from Robbie (https://www.notion.so/Hi-I-m-Robbie-9dc3517ab28741c0b333f86d4aa3b812) Visit Robbie's website (https://www.robbiecrabtree.com) Subscribe to Robbie Crabtree's newsletter (https://robbiecrab.substack.com/) Reach out to Robbie through his social media accounts Twitter: @robbiecrab Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therobbiecrab/ Linkedin: @therobbiecrab Recommended Restaurants Ninfa's https://ninfas.com/ Hugo's https://www.hugosrestaurant.net/ Xochi https://www.xochihouston.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Transitioning a company you have founded on blood, sweat, tears, and cash to the next generation is not easy. It requires a combination of clear planning, and bloody minded persistence to structure your company correctly, and identify and develop the next group of leadership. Many construction companies start too late, and don't give enough thought to the process. Success depends on crafting a strategy now, and having the right people to guide and help you along the way. In this week's podcast episode, I talk to exit strategy experts Craig Boyce and Noli Snobar of BFBA. They give us a detailed explanation of proven exit strategies. Craig and Noli also talk about how to improve your company structure and the importance of providing mentorship to the younger generation in your company. You'll go away from the interview with specific action items to jumpstart your succession planning process. Don't miss out on today's episode! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 4:46 Why construction company owners struggle with succession planning5:57 The definition of a good mentor 8:18 How construction company owners overcome their fears 10:04 Starting point of succession planning 12:34 Timeline for planning a transition 14:05 Better companies transition better 14:39 The importance of mentorship for the younger generation16:05 Mechanisms that work for construction companies17:07 Explaining the models available to owners and their partners 21:31 The LLC model 25:25 Personal indemnification as an obstacle to the transition 26:30 Definition of a strong balance sheet 27:55 Main reason the LLC model won't work 31:35 Why parties involved should think the same 33:37 The right number of owners in a company 34:41 Who's going to make the final decision from an ownership perspective?36:59 Two triggering events 38:34 Greediness during succession and its effects 41:40 Finding time to do all tasks involved in a succession planning process43:49 The need to keep trying and the consequences of quitting45:55 Availability of private equity money in the construction industry47:23 Action items to get the succession planning process started About the Guest: Craig Boyce is an Auditing and Accounting Partner who has been with BFBA since its inception. He has developed a niche in succession planning. He has assisted dozens of construction companies develop a successful business continuation strategy through ownership transition or business acquisitions and mergers. He has also served as an expert witness in construction litigation and disputes. He has assisted companies in the refining and updating of buy-sell agreements and operating agreements, which have helped his clients avoid major pitfalls associated with incomplete or poorly written documents. Craig has made various presentations to local, regional, and state-wide construction organizations on multiple topics such as business continuity, the Research and Development Tax Credit, changes in accounting pronouncements, and other topics related to the construction industry. Craig has also taught construction classes through U.C. Davis extension programs and the Construction Financial Management Association. Noli Snobar serves as one of the BFBA's technical reviewers, performing the final review of financial statements prior to issuance. He is also actively involved in developing training and continuing education courses for the Firm's audit staff. He has developed various financial models to assist in guiding growth and financial stability, including income statement projections, cash flow forecasts, work-in-process templates and analytics for his client base. Noli has a strong focus in the construction industry and has taught courses on construction accounting and GAAP Updates to various groups such as Construction Financial Management Association, Insurance Brokers & Agents of the West, the California Society of CPAs Sacramento Chapter, and various bonding and surety companies. He has also published construction focused articles with the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of California. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) FREE Download off LLC Model: BFBA LLC Model (https://www.constructiongenius.com/bfba-llc-model) Get in touch with Noli Snobar (https://bfba.com/team/noli-snobar/) Get in touch with Craig Boyce (https://bfba.com/team/craig-boyce/) Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest technology available in the Construction Industry. This can lead to overwhelm, inefficiency, and wasted money if the solutions you choose don't solve project specific issues. In this week's podcast episode, I speak to Karl Sorensen. We talk about how his experiences have shaped how he looks at the implementation and use of technology in construction companies. We also discuss why most construction companies struggle with identifying the right tech to use. Karl then pinpoints why leaders and those underneath them should come together to talk about what tech works and what doesn't. In the later part of our discussion, he gives action steps to avoid the hype, and integrate technology effectively to solve specific problems. Take the time to listen to this podcast episode! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction 3:05 Karl's history and how it has influenced him 6:42 The disconnect between millennials and the older generation around technology 8:27 Why there is a struggle identifying the right technology 10:35 Best way to start leveraging technology at the moment13:40 The importance of a good process in building a technology solution 15:14 Advice for leaders when looking at technology and bridging the gap 16:26 Frequency of meetings 17:35 Culture of experimentation 19:37 Specific areas to implement technology 21:56 Using data collated and processing it to be beneficial to the company 23:32 Effective model to roll out technology 26:32 Understanding the minimal viable products perspective 30:00 What technology is hyped nowadays but not useful at the moment 31:17 Undervalued technology that is useful and will create a positive impact34:16 Upcoming technology that is going to make a huge impact 35:55 Where the construction industry is headed in terms of consolidation and integration 38:04 Reasons technology implementation fails 39:46 Action steps to integrate technology 42:18 How technology should be driven effectively About the Guest: Karl Sorensen is HIIT's director of projection solutions. His focus is on implementing construction best practices and deploying the right tools and technology on each job to enhance HITT's ability to deliver exceptional project solutions to our clients. Karl has more than a decade of experience in the construction industry, bringing project management, operations, and construction technology experience to his role at HITT. In addition to leading the project solutions team, he also oversees HITT's sustainable construction and virtual construction teams to optimize sustainability and efficiency across HITT's job sites. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) Reach out to Karl through Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlsorensen/) Check out HIIT's website (https://hitt.com/) Museum recommendation: For those planning to visit DC, Karl suggests that you check out the Museum of American History's website (https://americanhistory.si.edu/) Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

A consistent workflow is important in helping you perform at your best, but a lot of construction executives struggle with this. Getting a good rhythm will allow you to become more productive in your company, but how can you achieve that? In this week's podcast episode, I talk about the three things that you can do to get a good workflow rhythm. I will discuss how you can determine the value of your hours and how to create a theme for each day or week. I will also share the importance of meetings and the best way to make use of your work days. Tune in to this episode today! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction1:42 Value your hours3:42 Have a theme for your week5:11 Importance of succession plans for construction companies6:22 Have one free day in your work week7:41 How to fill your day with meetings10:00 Create space in your day12:25 Summary of what to do to get in rhythm Resources: If you'd like to talk to Eric about if/how he can help you with executive coaching, click this link: https://10minutes.youcanbook.me Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Every company wants lower insurance premium costs. But with a hardening insurance market, how can construction companies lower their spending on insurance? What are actionable steps contractors can make to become more attractive to brokers? In this podcast episode, I talk to Mary Grandy, Senior Vice President at Epic Insurance Brokers and Consultants. She gives us a brief look at the insurance market today and how it is affecting construction companies. We ask her for some tips on how contractors can become more appealing to insurance agents. She also shares her expert opinion on what makes good partners and improving trust between agents and contractors. There's a lot to discover and learn from this episode. Check it out today! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction2:20 Hardening market in insurance3:20 What is social inflation?4:25 How is the construction industry affected?7:21 Advice on addressing the challenges of insurance premiums8:46 Defining total cost of risk9:25 Contractor programs to address the total cost of risk11:17 Who and when to delegate risk management13:42 Responsibility of contractor to build relationships with insurance companies15:18 Difference between a good and bad partner17:24 Most effective way to build trust20:54 Look for an insurance broker that understands your language22:50 How construction companies can become more attractive to insurance carriers?24:27 How long will it take for contractors to improve?29:50 Three action items to facing insurance challenges About the Guest: Mary Grandy is Senior Vice President at Epic Insurance Brokers and Consultants. With over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, she brings a unique approach in representing the construction industry with her expertise in litigated construction claims. She focuses on the design and implementation of insurance and risk solutions for all aspects of her commercial, property and casualty and workers' compensation insurance clients. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) Connect with Mary Grandy Contact: mary.grandy@epicbrokers.com Phone 530-559-3435 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygrandy/ Recommended Restaurant Hawks Restaurant: https://hawksrestaurant.com/ Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

To ensure a better outcome in your projects, building trust between the owner, contractor, and designer is crucial. Aligning your goals and continuous communication are vital. But when problems in the project arise, what can contractors do to resolve them without compromising the trust of their clients? In this week's podcast episode, I talk with Pete Caputo of Truebeck Construction. He gives us the differing points of view of both the owner and contractor. We talk about what trust and transparency looks like and how this plays out in a construction project. Pete also shares some frameworks for contractor-owner meetings that have been successful in the past. We also touch base on encouraging your team to be more involved in problem-solving and the role of young minds in the industry. Tune in to this episode today! Discussion Points: 0:00 Introduction3:10 What's most broken about the way construction projects are built4:35 The owner is responsible for the alignment of parties5:33 Focus on the experience of the work7:00 What the owners want is value9:09 Building trust between contractors and architects10:48 Meaning of trust12:48 How to get the perfect three: cost, quality, schedule13:56 Benefits of setting daily alignment meetings17:09 Who is part of the meeting18:40 Dispute alignment meeting20:33 Clear group meeting24:40 Prevent wasted time in resolving issues26:23 Why owners and contractors struggle with building strong relationships29:03 What is transparency?34:54 Accountability37:04 Psychological safety42:27 Top soft skills for construction leaders44:55 Involving naive thinkers in solving problems49:51 Summary of how to get a better outcome in projects About the Guest: Pete Caputo is Vice President of Operations at Truebeck Construction. He is a full-service commercial general contractor focused on technical building, complex projects, and interiors in the Western US. With over 25 years of experience in construction, Pete has served on both the builder and owner sides in the healthcare and commercial office markets. Pete led a statewide development group of projects, including over $4 billion in total project portfolio. His clients include national healthcare providers such as Kaiser, Sutter Health, and UCSF. Some of the notable healthcare facilities include Sutter Health's Van Ness and Geary Campus and the CPMC Mission Bernal Campus, and the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital at Mission Bay. Resources: Do Your Project Executives Need to Become Better Leaders? Book a 10-minute call with Eric Anderton (https://10minutes.youcanbook.me/) Connect with Pete Caputo on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-caputo-1612bb7/) Recommended restaurant: The Kitchen (https://thekitchenrestaurant.com/) Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!