Tim Tuoni went from riding backhoes as a kid to running Tuoni Site Development, and he's got zero patience for people who think construction guys are just difficult for the sake of it.
In this episode, Tim breaks down what actually gets mislabeled as "a-hole energy" in this industry: it's standards. It's direct communication. It's not tolerating half-effort on a highway job where mistakes cost real money and real safety. He and Jesse dig into what it's like building a company under public scrutiny, including dealing with the YouTube and social media critics who've never swung a hammer but have plenty of opinions.
Tim also gets real about the moment that changed his trajectory: walking off a job after a safety incident and taking a leap into subcontract work before he was "ready." He talks about the mechanical skills that saved him money and made him dangerous in a good way, how he uses LinkedIn every single day to market himself and scout opportunities, and why he now shows up for Crew Collaborative classroom talks to give students a real alternative to the college-or-bust narrative.
If you need a reset on what actually matters in this trade, Tim's closing line says it all: "It's just f*ing dirt. You're never above a shovel."
Connect with Tim
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-tuoni-16730893/
https://tuonisitedevelopmentllc.com/
In this episode:
• Why the industry's reputation for being "difficult" is really about standards
• Building a business in the age of social media critics
• The safety incident that pushed Tim into entrepreneurship
• Using LinkedIn as a daily marketing and research tool
• Why he's showing up in classrooms to change how kids see this career path
00:00 Just Dirt Mindset
00:18 Meet Tim Toonie
02:09 Construction People Standards
05:41 Mentors And Online Critics
09:52 Why Equipment Life Chose Him
13:03 First Machines First Memories
15:24 Skid Steer Lessons And Antics
18:25 Getting Hired Certified Today
21:09 Starting His Own Company
24:39 Resourcefulness Under Pressure
30:27 Saving Money With Repairs
33:03 Time Versus Money Skills
33:59 DIY Marketing Learning Curve
35:28 LinkedIn Outreach Playbook
39:28 Creative Prospecting For Contractors
42:35 Why He Volunteers
44:02 Trades Versus College Paths
51:27 Where To Connect Online
54:48 Promise Intended To Be
58:00 Never Above A Shovel
Lets leave the Construction Industry Better than We Found It https://www.depthbuilder.com/construction-leadership-lab
Download the free PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Be (https://www.depthbuilder.com/books)
