.

Struggles, we all face them. In school, in work, in our personal lives, and in our relationships. If we use the lessons we learn from the struggles we face to inspire the rest of our choices, there’s no saying what we can’t achieve. Join me in this episode as I speak with landscaper, entrepreneur, and opportunist, Michael Bauman, about the lessons he’s learned from starting a business, the dangers of achieving rapid business growth, and how he’s recovering after recently firing several valuable...

Struggles, we all face them. In school, in work, in our personal lives, and in our relationships. If we use the lessons we learn from the struggles we face to inspire the rest of our choices, there’s no saying what we can’t achieve. Join me in this episode as I speak with Jennifer Longoria, VP of Sales, about her uniquely challenging life and how she got inspired to climb the corporate ladder of the construction industry. Jennifer and I actually grew up together and after living two very diffe...

Personal development is a huge part of anyone’s career, even for those in the trades industry. Self-awareness, empathy, honesty, and communication are key factors to being an effective leader, business owner, and most importantly, becoming the best version of yourself. Join me in this episode as I speak with Chris Gutkes, President of Island Elevator, a people-first company offering the most comprehensive selection of elevator products and services on Long Island, NY. As a 4th generation elevat...

Being a little too careless on the job site or not having the proper gear can mean big consequences… or at the very least, a major reality check! In this episode, I speak with Pete Zeppetella, a licensed journeyman carpenter and CEO of Zepps Gear. Before getting into the trades, Pete actually dreamed of being a clothing designer. Fortunately for him, his passion for clothing later collided with his carpentry profession. This lead him to start a company that produces innovative, high-functioning...

One thing the trades industry needs more of is support. Support for one another’s success, support for a better work/life balance, support in achieving goals and promotions, and frankly, more support for women. In this episode, I welcome Carole Raftrey, a 30-year iron worker based in New York City and President of Iron Workers 197. Carole has experienced a regretful misstep that many of us don’t talk about, but she’s here to shed light on that misstep and share the empowering lesson she learned...

If one thing’s certain about working in a non-traditional role, it’s that you’ll never retire without a learning and misstep. Thankfully, we have people like Angela Gardner to empower women to build non-traditional careers, despite how dirty or unconventional it might be, and to create supportive communities for women in the trades so they can truly thrive. In this episode, I welcome Angela Gardner, Director of Business Development and Marketing at Hill Electric Company, Co-Host of the Women Ta...

In a world that’s so demanding and fast-paced, it’s important that we slow down and connect with ourselves and each other. That’s the main lesson this week’s guest has learned (and is still learning) along her career path. In this episode, I welcome Christi Powell, Co-Founder of Women Confidence Builders, WBE-certified Sales Representative for 84 Lumber, and co-host of the Women Talk Construction podcast. After working in male-dominated industries for 27 years, once she started working in in th...

With the recent influx of technology and digital innovation, every business in every industry has the opportunity to become more efficient, sustainable, and optimize their processes. People in the trades are no exception! So, what happens when you mix digital innovation, financial education, and the trades? Here’s a hint… it involves SUCCESS. In this episode, I welcome Michael Fina, a New York City native who for the past 15 years has been working with LendingClub, a union-founded bank, and The...

Female and minority contractors need more representation, compensation, and respect in their industry. There’s no doubt about it! But how do we make that happen? This week’s guest is a prime example of that mission coming to life. In this episode, I welcome Demetria Bivens, Managing Member at dlb Consultants and Senior Executive Director of Business Development for DFW Airport Texas. Demetria is on a mission to change the narrative around minority contractors and bring more respect and recognit...

Gabriel Garcia shares some the recruiting secrets Marek uses to engage High School students in accessing fruitful careers. With early dreams as a Rockstar he found an environment he would thrive in on the jobsite. Understanding the value of giving back to the community, Gabriel took a leadership role as the Build Competition Rockstar with Texas Construction Careers Initiative.

As professionals in the trade industry, we have the power to do more than just pour concrete, weld metal structures, or build an elevator car… we have the power to build people and create a sense of depth, or deeper meaning, in our industry. In this episode, I welcome Edward A. Rivera, also known as Your Elevator Pal. Ed is a Modernization/Construction Foremen, but beyond that, he’s a content creator who’s passionate about sharing his love for his profession with the world via LinkedIn. Listen...

This one’s for the gals out there! From the construction industry to the petro-chemical industry, women have the power to find success, empowerment, and fulfillment in industry careers. Whether you know what you want to do after high school, you can’t figure it out, or you’re an adult who wants to pivot in your career path, this week’s guest may be able to guide you in the right direction. In this episode, we welcome Stephanie Hajducek, a Project Engineer, Design Lead, and Founder of This One’s...

We’ve all heard about the importance of integrating more STEM into children’s education, but could STEM magnet schools be the future of education in America and around the globe? Is it the best way to get more women into the trades and construction industry? In this episode, we welcome Kate Gause, a Project Engineer at ISEC, Inc. Kate attended Construction Careers Academy High School, a magnet school that focuses on educating teenagers about construction management, engineering, architecture, a...

What are the best ways to avoid job site conflict? Why is it important to invest in your employees? What if there was a leadership and professional development course created by tradespeople for tradespeople? Well, get ready because this week’s guest has tons of insights on job site management and being a leader… PLUS, he’s creating that leadership development course we all need! In this episode, we have our first insulator on the show, Brad Anderson! Brad is an entrepreneur and mechanical insu...

We need to bring love and meaning back into the construction industry. Like a relationship, if your life and your career are built on a strong foundation of love, care, and compassion, it’s going to take something tremendous to tear you down. So, how can we start pouring these elements into the foundation of the construction industry? In this episode, we have Walker Lott and Davis Hambrick, two young construction professionals and co-hosts of The Laying Foundations Podcast, a podcast about choo...

Although there’s an immense lack of skilled tradespeople, there’s still tremendous investment going into our nation’s infrastructure. It’s great that the US has the money to improve infrastructure, but if you don’t have the people to do the work, it can’t be done. That’s why Rock the Trades was born. In this episode, we have Christopher Brenchley, CEO and Co-Founder of Surehand, the skills-first hiring platform that instantly matches industrial employers with best-fit tradespeople. Chris is als...

We’ve all heard the term “starving artist” … In fact, it’s a phenomenon that often deters creatives from pursuing their talents and turning them into a career. Today’s guest has completely busted the “starving artist” archetype to smithereens and turned her passion into a lucrative full-time career. In this episode, I speak with Barbie The Welder, an incredible sculptor, author, and skilled trades advocate who is “irreverently creating art for happiness”. Barbie has overcome so much in her life...

When we cross the finish line together, we can celebrate together. Teams that don’t recognize that are painfully missing out on the beauty of collaboration and humanity. At the end of the day, you can choose to make your work painful or you can choose to make it collaborative, creative, and rewarding. So, which will you choose? In this episode, I speak with Henry Nutt, a well-known speaker and industry influencer who’s passionate about transforming the construction industry through collaboratio...

As professionals in construction, we often focus too much on hard skills, or the specific knowledge and capabilities we need to complete the job. Too often, we forget about soft skills, like communication, adaptability, and teamwork. Both are needed to be successful in your career, so let’s dive into the power of developing soft skills in construction. In this episode, we have James Gable, Host of The Uncommon Communicator Podcast. For most of his life, James was an industrial contractor. In fa...

Blue is the New White: The Value of Skilled Trades for the Youth Today Do you know the value of skilled trades for you as a young person and society at large? The skilled trades industry has many opportunities and possibilities that can lead you to some of the most lucrative jobs out there and a fat check. In this episode, we have Josh Zolin, CEO of Windy City Equipment Service, speaker, and the author of Blue is the New White. He had previously worked as a stuntman in Hollywood before he quit ...

Wouldn’t it be great to bring back the honor in the trades and eliminate the stigma surrounding the sector? Now is the time to change the narrative about the trades and bring back the deserved honor to the industry. In this episode, we have Steve Turner, a custom upholstery small business owner and the founder of Bring Back the Trades organization. Steve came to the realization that the closer he got to retirement, the higher the risk of him closing down his business became a reality due to the...

What does it take to find a fulfilling career that makes you completely happy? Finding a career or owning a business that fulfills you even when things get difficult should be an ultimate goal. In this episode, we have Lisa Payan, the owner of Mastermind Plumbing in San Antonio Texas, a mother, and a community contributor. Lisa left her accounting career and incidentally fell into plumbing which she has gone on to own a business in. She describes the work she does with Lone Star Construction Tr...

Are you ready to start embracing lean construction principles and processes as a leader in construction? By adopting lean construction principles and processes in your construction projects, you will enhance everyone’s experience and work as an integrated team. In this episode, we have Brian Winningham, Field Driven Lean owner, and has over 20 years of experience estimating, planning, managing, and leading construction projects. He is very passionate about sharing the benefits of Lean Construct...

How do you more in your work while still managing to deliver value with efficiency? By intentionally balancing your flow with resource efficiency, you’re enabling yourself to live an amazing and balanced life. In this episode, we have Felipe Engineer- Manriquez, a construction scrum expert, national director of lean construction, and the host of the EBFC show podcast. He’s also an international keynote speaker with decades of experience in process improvement, project planning, execution, chang...