

Dirt Talk by BuildWitt
BuildWitt
Welcome to the Dirt World's top podcast (self-proclaimed). Every week, host Aaron Witt, founder of BuildWitt, interviews construction and mining industry leaders in long form and shares updates on what's happening inside of BuildWitt.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 13, 2025 • 1h 56min
Paul Jones w/ Solomon Builders – DT 390
Paul is President of Solomon Builders, a Nashville-based general contractor who’s performed notable work like the Ramsey Solutions HQ and the Nashville Zoo. After a tragic event in 2020 put the company's future in question, they’ve been on a journey to define who they are and double down on it.
Learn more about Solomon Builders: https://www.solomonbuilders.com/
Follow Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-jones-378a6a46/
Learn more about attending the 2026 Ariat Dirt World Summit by visiting www.dirtworld.com!
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 10, 2025 • 15min
Bulldozer Art, New Hires, and Seating Charts (BuildWitt Update #26) — DT 389
Aaron recaps the latest at BuildWitt.
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 6, 2025 • 2h 22min
Joe Pehanick w/ East Bay Tire – DT 388
Joe is CEO of East Bay Tire, a California-based tire distributor and service provider, serving anyone from trucking companies to ports to quarries. With thousands of customers and applications, Joe is taking the company in a more service and data-driven direction, aiming to educate customers and provide greater value than the traditional tire model. And while not sexy, the whole world moves on tires!
Follow Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepehanick/
Learn more about East Bay Tire: https://eastbaytire.com/
Listen to the Around the Bead Podcast: https://www.aroundthebead.com/
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 3, 2025 • 15min
2026 Planning — NO Churn and WOW (BuildWitt Update #25) — DT 387
Aaron gives a look ahead to 2026 and discusses churn.
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 30, 2025 • 2h 2min
Jared Kuepfer w/ ARRO Crushing – DT 386
Jared Kuepfer started a crushing business in Ontario, Canada, in 2019 after spotting an opportunity in the market, and has been full-send since. He has learned through trial and error and has shared the lessons he's learned along the way online.
Learn more about ARRO Crushing at: https://www.arrocrushing.ca/
Follow Jared on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredarrocrushing/
Learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit by visiting www.dirtworld.com!
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 27, 2025 • 13min
Hiring Developers and Predictability (BuildWitt Update #24) — DT 385
Aaron recaps the wins and lessons learned at BuildWitt this week.
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!To learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit, visit www.dirtworld.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2025 • 1h 41min
Alex Kraft w/ Heave – DT 384
After a long career in equipment sales and dealer leadership, Alex Kraft thought there may be a better way to buy and sell machines. After realizing the bigger need was servicing equipment, he pivoted Heave to become a marketplace connecting independent technicians with contractors needing service. It’s NEAT.
Learn more about Heave at: https://www.heaveapp.com/
Follow Alex on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kraft-531408146/
Learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit by visiting www.dirtworld.com!
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 20, 2025 • 18min
Letting People Go (BuildWitt Update #23) — DT 383
Aaron opens up about the latest changes at BuildWitt, including the tough decision to let several team members go. He talks candidly about what led to this moment, the lessons learned from past financial challenges, and how the company is shifting from investor-backed growth to true profitability. It’s a raw look at what it takes to stay focused, stay honest, and keep building for the next generation of the Dirt World.
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!
To learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit, visit www.dirtworld.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 16, 2025 • 2h 6min
Peter Banks w/ National Demolition Association — DT 382
While Peter Banks has spent his entire career in the demolition industry, working anywhere from Boston to Detroit, he’s now working on his biggest project yet—elevating the industry. Thanks to the National Demolition Association (NDA), the industry has common safety standards, training, and new legitimate certifications.
Learn more by visiting the NDA website: https://www.demolitionassociation.com/
Learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit by visiting www.dirtworld.com!
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 13, 2025 • 18min
“Everyone Thinks We’re Killing It” and Jet-Setting (BuildWitt Update #22) — DT 381
This week, Aaron gets real about what’s really going on behind the scenes at BuildWitt. From leadership challenges to financial pressure and constant travel, he opens up about the hard parts of running a business—while explaining why the struggle is actually a sign of growth. He also clears the air on his globe-trotting lifestyle and how it fuels the mission to better serve the Dirt World. It’s an honest look at what “killing it” really means.
Questions or feedback? Email us at dirttalk@buildwitt.com!
To learn more about attending the 2025 Ariat Dirt World Summit, visit www.dirtworld.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


