

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

Feb 22, 2024 • 1h 33min
Business Evolution Through Transparency and Resilience featuring Will Schuler – DT212
In this episode, Aaron invited back Will Schuler, owner and CEO of Will Power Excavation. You may remember Will from last time as the guy who made his first million in the heavy civil business when he was still in high school! Now Will’s business is approaching 100 employees and he is more than willing to reflect upon the failures and successes that got him here. From the technical side to the personal side Will shares it all, but why? As a young leader, Will is confident that sharing the 'secret formula' for success might just be the key to elevating the entire industry. Who doesn’t love some healthy competition? All that to say if you want to find out what it takes to compete in the heavy civil world look no further. If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 19, 2024 • 56min
Do You Want to be Part of The Dirt World? Monday Question and Answer – DT 211
In this episode Aaron is once again answering your questions from Instagram. Thank you everyone for submitting questions to Instagram and remember you can always email us directly at dirtalk@buildwitt.com. The questions are as follows. What advice do you have for someone starting a small business? Best way to get into the dirt world?How did you start filming? When did you start filming? Why?Best advice for a young person in a leadership role?Most unique job?If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 15, 2024 • 1h 15min
Build a Strong Infrastructure for Employee Wellness with Rob White – DT 210
On this Episode Aaron is Joined by Rob White Owner/CEO of OccuMED1 an occupational health services company primarily providing service to Construction companies. The conversation starts with some background about Rob's time in the military starting out in the Air Force and later in the Army National Guard. It was during this time in the military that Rob found his passion for medicine and was trained as a flight surgeon. Later they talk about how Rob came to be a PA and his journey that eventually led to him working in the dirt world. They discuss the service that OccuMED1 offers and how it can protect you employees and your company. To learn more visit occumed1.com If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 12, 2024 • 46min
How Copper is Mined at Kennecott: Dirt Talk Monday Project Breakdown – DT209
In this episode of the Monday Dirt Talk Aaron breaks down a project and in an unprecedented turn of events he came prepared this time. He shares some interesting facts about how the mine got its start, the scale of the operation, and the products that are made at the Kennecott mine. He also shares his personal experience getting to go and photograph this modern marvel. Later we discuss some recent history that might surprise you. If you like big machines and moving lots of earth this is the episode for you!If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 8, 2024 • 1h 18min
Spotting Problems Before They Happen with Matt Aston of GPRS – DT 208
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Matt Aston, President at GPRS. GPRS is changing the construction game, using radar and electromagnetic signals to locate utilities. This technology is essential for spotting potential hazards (exp. underground power) in the ground and even through solid concrete! How effective is it you ask? Last year they completed roughly 120,000 jobs with an incident report rate of 0.13% saving potentially millions of dollars in damages, and keeping workers safe. GPRS is now a major player in the industry with crews nationwide. Still, they have plans to grow and are always improving to get their margin for error down to zero. This all started because Matt was bold enough to spot a major problem he knew he could solve. So next time you have some iffy digging or treacherous cutting to do, consider GPRS. You could save a lot of time and money and potentially save a life! Learn more in this episode of Dirt TalkIf you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 5, 2024 • 43min
The Inner Workings of BuildWitt: Dirt Talk Monday Edition – DT207
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Jason Richmond, BuildWitt’s Chief Operating Officer. Jason, a natural leader and sales expert, serves as a frequent co-host for the internal podcast and this iteration of the Monday episode. To hear more into Jason's story, check out his Dirt Talk Episode (170). In today's discussion, Aaron and Jason shed light on BuildWitt's operational framework and their roles as senior leaders within the company. They explore the services and products offered by BuildWitt and elaborate on the company's commitment to make the dirt world a better place. For additional details, visit BuildWitt.com. Enjoy!If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 1, 2024 • 1h 28min
How a Rental Business Works for Construction – DT206
In this episode, Aaron is joined by Luke Sheffield, Founder of Port-A-Go and Co-Founder of Empower Rental Group. They discuss the need for equipment rental in a dynamic job market, and what it takes to run a rental business. Later they dig into what it's like starting a rental service company as they discuss Luke’s latest endeavor Port-A-Go, a company providing a service that is so overlooked, yet vital for quality of life on a job site. If you want to know more about what it means to start a business this episode is for you. Enjoy!If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 29, 2024 • 31min
Dirt World News: Are EV’s the Answer? – DT205
In this episode, we’re trying something different. Aaron came up with the idea to talk about some news from the industry that folks might not have seen. In this one, Aaron will be highlighting some key points of an article published in Equipment World by Jordanne Waldschmidt. The Article is titled, Opinion: The Misguided Push Toward Electric Construction Equipment – and Why Hybrids are the Better Alternative. Stay tuned for what Aaron has to say about the matter (spoiler he agrees.)If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 25, 2024 • 1h 12min
Little Big Iron with Ryan Haasen – DT 204
Big iron, am I right? Little Iron, or in this case, wood? In this episode (DT204), Aaron is joined by Ryan Haasen, an estimator/PM at Blue-Con Excavation Ltd. You might recognize Ryan for his incredible to-scale models of construction machinery.Ryan's journey into woodworking started at a young age, and growing up around the construction industry naturally led him to merge his two passions. Despite working full-time at Blue-Con, Ryan's love for construction and the scale model community gained widespread attention on Instagram. After crafting an entire replica of a job site within a table, requests started pouring in for Ryan to create similar masterpieces for others. Don't miss out—check out @ryan_haasen_woodworks on Instagram.If you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 22, 2024 • 47min
Adventures in the Northwest: Road Show Week Three – DT 203
In this episode, Aaron and I talk about week three of the Road Show. The first stop is a jetty project right outside of Portland to see JE McAmis move some huge Rocks with a Cat 6020. Later they stop in at the Knife River Training Facility, one of the most cutting-edge construction training facilities.After that, they checked out some early morning logging operations, saw a massive data center being built near Boise, Idaho, and then swung by to see a DC excavation project in Bozeman, Montana. Next week it's off to North DakotaIf you have any questions or feedback, email the Dirt Talk crew at dirttalk@buildwitt.com.Stay Dirty! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


