Building Builders

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S2E3: From Intern to Managing $2 Billion in Revenue with Steve Dell'Orto

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Growing in your career is something everyone wants to do, but it’s not easy. That’s why we interviewed Steve Dell’Orto, a 26-year construction industry veteran who began his construction career as an intern at one of North America’s most respected general contractors. By the end of this time there, he was a senior executive leading all projects on the West Coast. These projects included the Chase Center, Salesforce Tower, and more that have shaped the horizons from Seattle to San Diego.

Now, Steve is the CEO of ConCntric, the construction industry’s first holistic preconstruction platform that unifies data, processes, and project stakeholders.

In this conversation between Steve and Kevin, topics include:

How he grew in his career from an intern to leading the West Coast team
Taking a new and innovative way to bidding and pitching on big projects
The similarities and differences between running a tech company like ConCntric and running construction projects

We hope you enjoy this episode with Steve about life at a large general contracting company and pre-construction strategies. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also follow us on social media or watch all of our episodes on YouTube. And make sure to subscribe!

About DOZR

About Steve

ConCntric's Website

Steve's LinkedIn

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S2E2: Best Practices for Oil and Lubrication in Construction

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

As any fleet manager and equipment operator knows, having a well-oiled and lubricated machine is crucial to decrease downtime and the need for repairs. Today, we are joined by Wendy Hakken, an oil and lube specialist working for Shell who specializes in lubricants for heavy equipment and trucks. With the motto of "lube it or lose it", Wendy helps fleet and maintenance managers ensure that all of the correct fluids are being used in all of the right places. This includes educating people on how to take the guesswork out of lubrication practices, keep costs down, and keep machines running!

She is also the president of Crew Collaborative, a nonprofit organization strengthening the blue-collar workforce, and serves on the Board of Governors for the Great Lakes Construction Association.

In this conversation between Wendy and Kevin, topics include:

0:30 - Who Wendy is and her growth in the industry
9:00 - Lubricant advice for fleet managers
18:00 - How contractors and equipment rental companies approach lubrication differently
30:00 - Trends in the lubrication world
40:00 - Crew Collaborative and how they're trying to educate the industry

We hope you enjoyed this episode with Wendy! All links to Wendy can be found below.

About DOZR

About Wendy

Personal Website

Crew Website

LinkedIn: Wendy Hakken

Instagram: @the.oil.lady

Facebook: the.oil.lady

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S2E1: Addressing Suicide Awareness and Prevention in the Construction Industry with Vince Hafeli

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

An unfortunate truth is that suicide is the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Construction workers are more likely to die by suicide than from being hit by a car in a work zone, falling to their death, and from electrocutions.

Vince Hafeli is one of the leaders in the construction industry when it comes to suicide awareness and prevention. Sharing his personal journey with suicide, Vince shares a lot of great information in this episode including his own suicide attempt story, why the construction industry struggles with the issue, how to create mental health programs in your workplace, and more.

About DOZR

About Vince

Website: Vince Hafeli

LinkedIn: Vince Hafeli

Ted Talk: Discussing Mental Health and Suicide in Construction

Building Builders Links

Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

Additional Resources

OSHA: Preventing Suicides in Construction

Building Builders Season 2 Trailer

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Building Builders is back with a new season launching on Tuesday, September 12th. Featuring guests ranging from contract lawyers, project managers, lubricant specialists, pre-construction executives, engineers, and equipment operators, this season is packed with amazing content and guests. Made for contractors, construction workers, heavy equipment operators, foremen, superintendents, and leaders, you won't want to miss out.

With brand new episodes on the second Tuesday of every month, subscribe and follow for updates.

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E17: Entrepreneurial Lessons from HGTV's Bryan Baeumler

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Join us for our last episode of the season as we sit down with HGTV influencer and successful entrepreneur, Bryan Baeumler. In this conversation, Bryan shares valuable insights and lessons he has learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey. From building his first company to becoming a household name on HGTV, Bryan imparts practical wisdom and experiences that can benefit aspiring entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts alike. Tune in to gain valuable entrepreneurial lessons from one of the industry's most prominent figures.

Key Moments:

(0:30) Introduction to Bryan Baeumler: Discover Bryan's background and early ventures into entrepreneurship including his first company at the age of 14.
(10:30) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Bryan offers practical advice and tips for individuals who are just starting their entrepreneurial journey. From finding your passion to staying focused and setting realistic goals, Bryan's insights provide a roadmap for success.
(22:00) From Entrepreneur to HGTV Star: Bryan shares the pivotal moments that led him to the world of television and how he made his mark on HGTV. Gain insights into the strategies he employed to transition from entrepreneur to television personality.
(27:00) Navigating Challenges: Hear about the obstacles Bryan faced during his entrepreneurial journey and how he overcame them. From financial hurdles to balancing creativity and practicality, Bryan provides valuable advice on navigating common challenges faced by entrepreneurs.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Bryan Baeumler as he imparts valuable entrepreneurial lessons gleaned from his experiences in the business and television world. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply seeking inspiration, this episode is packed with actionable advice and insights. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from one of HGTV's most respected figures.

About DOZR

About Bryan

Website: Bryan Baeumler

Instagram: @bryanbaeumler

Apparel: 43N

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E16: How the IIJA Affects The Construction Industry with Megan Tanel

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Megan Tanel is the President of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the company behind North America’s largest construction trade show, CONEXPO. She joins the Building Builders podcast to talk about the new infrastructure bill (IIJA) and its impact on the industry, as well as some ideas about how to change trade school to make it more desireable for young adults.

Key Moments:

The importance of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the construction industry (4:00)
How the AEM plays a part in getting major bills advocated for and passed (7:00)
The part that small towns play in equipment manufacturing (13:30)
How trade schools can attract more young adults (24:00)

About DOZR

About Megan

Website: Association of Equipment Manufacturers

LinkedIn: Megan Tanel

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E15: Buying vs Renting Construction Equipment with Randy Blount

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 23 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Randy Blount entered the construction industry at age 17 working for his family contracting business. He was thrust into a leadership role at age 21 when a cancer diagnosis sidelined his father from the company.

Taking lessons from a number of early mistakes, Randy maintained the business until his father’s passing, at which time he purchased the company and took over management of daily operations. Over the next ten years, Randy worked with his team to implement key operational systems which helped successfully grow Blount Contracting from $3.5 million to $40 million in annual revenue.

In 2020, he sold the business and remained closely involved as a shareholder, helping to grow annual revenue to $100 million while maintaining profitability well above industry averages over the next two years. Randy now serves as Chief Financial and Strategy Officer of BuildWitt, where he applies his finance education and career-long construction experience to help drive the organization towards its mission of making the dirt world a better place.

In this episode, we talk about all of this and more including how to determine whether you should buy or rent equipment, common mistakes contractors make in buying equipment and how to avoid them, and why it’s important to understand utilization and rental rates.

Key moments:

Going from a $4 million construction company to a $100 million construction company (3:00)
How to best utilize your construction equipment (15:00)
Why contractors should never own 100% of their equipment (25:00)
Why all projects and bids should be estimated with rental rates (35:00)
How to think about equipment as assets and liabilities (38:00)
Why Randy moved from being in the dirt to BuildWitt (43:00)

Favorite Quote: "A lot of the lessons I learned on equipment was just from making mistakes"

About DOZR

About Randy

Website: BuildWitt

LinkedIn: Randy Blount

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E14: Equipment Safety in Construction and Why It’s Important with Monica Rakoczy

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 09 May 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Monica is an experienced safety trainer and consultant in the construction industry. With the goal of making safety more fun for everyone, she talks about some of the trends of safety in construction, as well as some of the challenges. Topics include new safety technologies, the importance of behavior-based safety, and why there's no country-wide standard for training.

Key moments include:

New safety technologies that will affect equipment operators (2:45)
Behavior-based safety and the Crosswalk safety example of why we shouldn't rely on technology too much (5:00)
Why there's no set standard for OSHA training for heavy equipment in construction (10:30)
How small contractors can compete with getting their operators trained and certified (15:00)
The differences in safety when renting or buying equipment (16:30)

Top quote: "It is always going to be on the company to ensure their equipment is trained. OSHA doesn’t regulate people it regulates companies."

About DOZR

About Monica

Website: EnterTRAINING Solutions

LinkedIn: Monica Rakoczy

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E13: Supporting the Youth: Bringing Awareness to the Skilled Trades with Matt Panella

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Having a child while still in high school, Matt Panella (@mattbagswood) got into the trades earlier than he was expecting. His father and grandfather worked in concrete and framing, so it was a natural career path, and he's taken the opportunity and run with it.

Now with a YouTube account with over 300,000 subscribers, Matt is educating the youth on what life is like in the trades. Both the highs and the lows. With his videos being shown in classrooms around the country, Matt is hoping to bring more of the talented youth into the trades, or at least see it as a viable career option as it has been for him.

Key Moments:

How he got started in framing and concrete (1:30)
The goal of Support the Youth and bringing awareness to the skilled trades (9:00)
Discussing the best ways to get young kids inspired to join the trades (15:00)
Why he's translating all of his content into Spanish and why that's important for the trades (20:00)
How he got started with YouTube and the impact it's having on the industry (25:00)

Favorite quote: "There’s a lot of construction content out there already, but being in my early twenties, kids can relate a lot more. They’re seeing somebody who looks like themselves and know it’s possible."

About DOZR

About Matt

Instagram: @matbangswood

YouTube: MattBangsWood

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E12: The Pros and Cons of Self-Employment in Construction with Mike Simon

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Mike Simon (Dirt Perfect), is a well-known YouTuber in the contractor and excavation industries. Having started in November of 2017, he had pretty lofty goals for how he would build his channel. But what's the story of the man behind the channel? Where and how did he get his start? And what lessons did he learn along the way? That's what we set out to discover on this episode of Building Builders.

Key Moments:

The story behind Bubba Dump and naming equipment (1:30)
The business challenges of working directly on a time zone line (4:30)
Becoming self-employed as a general contractor building award-winning ICF homes (12:00)
Starting an excavating business and the challenges of being a medium-sized business (17:00)
Being a family man and the importance of building a work ethic (27:00)
Building a home go-kart track and watering hole (33:00)
How Mike started getting into YouTube and why it's better than influencer TV (37:00)

Favorite quote: "There’s a lot more to life than the dollar... so many people in life chase status and that’s the fastest way to be unhappy. If you want to be the trashman, you be the best damn trashman you can be and be proud of it."

About DOZR

About Mike

Instagram: @dirt.perfect

YouTube: Dirt Perfect

Mike's Podcast: A Few Points From Perfect

Building Builders Links

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E11: Life in Mining as a Geologist and Equipment Operator with Mack Plovie

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Mack Plovie has spent his whole life around heavy equipment, machinery, and mining. With his father and grandfather both working for CAT dealerships in Western Canada, several key moments have shaped him and his career. Listen to learn more about the different experiences that have given him some great memories including gold panning, having a CAT key at the age of 12, working in remote mines, operating D10s, and working to change the negative perceptions around the mining industry.

Key Times:

Having his 5th birthday at a CAT dealership and having a CAT key at the age of 12 (2:00)
How gold panning started his love for geology and mining (6:00)
What life is like on a mine and what it takes to be a valuable employee (13:00)
The unknown logistical challenges of working on a mine (23:30)
How the mining industry gets misrepresented to the general public (31:00)

Favorite quotes:

"You could cut me and I’d bleed yellow. I’m a bit biased toward that flavor of equipment because I have that family history with it. I’ve spent so much time around it."

About DOZR

About Mack

Instagram: @earthmovers_media

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzieplovie/

Website: Earthmovers Media

Building Builder Links

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E10: Managing a $187 Million Dollar Hospital Redevelopment Project

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Managing a construction project in an active hospital is no easy task. With so many complications around dust, vibrations, and safety, there are often more logistical concerns than on an average construction project. Fortunately, we had Josh Van Eyk, a Project Manager at EllisDon speak with us about these complexities.

Josh is the Project Manager of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital redevelopment site which is a $187 million dollar project. Josh has worked in construction throughout his life along with having time spent working in the Military. Through high school, he worked summers framing, renovating homes, or working on a sewer/water main crew. When he was 18 he joined the Navy and spent his summers through University training and sailing the west coast.

Topics on this episode include:

The logistical complications and challenges that apply to hospital renovations
The importance of limiting dust on site, especially at a hospital
Finding the right equipment with the right vibrations that limit environmental impact and hospital machines from working
Managing change orders on a project like this as well as supply chain issues
Managing subcontractors and timelines

We hope you enjoy the episode!

About Josh

Instagram: @odd_job_josh

Building Builder Links

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

About DOZR

Building Builders is sponsored by DOZR, a rental marketplace for construction equipment. With DOZR, you can find hundreds of heavy equipment rental companies near you in just one click. Join thousands of contractors looking for rental equipment across North America today.

S1E9: Humanizing The Everyday Construction Worker with Daniel Yates

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Despite having no affiliations to the blue-collar world previously, Daniel Yates (@bluecollarbrands) has found himself going around construction sites telling the stories of those building our world behind the scenes. In this episode, Daniel shares some of his favorite stories of the people he's met, their pride in the work they do, and how the construction industry can do better to highlight their workers.

Key Times:

Why Daniel cares so much about blue-collar workers feeling seen, valued, and heard (2:30)
How the system has been designed to hide construction (8:00)
Why there's so much to be proud of when working in construction (19:00)
How creating company values can help you hire and retain new employees (28:00)

Favorite quotes:

"There aren’t hundreds of thousands of people who are going to do this work, so there’s this dichotomy of extreme humility and deep pride in what they do."

"I feel like the whole system is set up to hide construction. Nobody wants to see or hear it, it should just happen. But there's such important, such amazing work happening by such great people."

About DOZR

About Daniel

Instagram: @bluecollarbrands

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljyates/

Website: MediaOnEdge

Building Builder Links

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E8: The Benefits of Having a Law Degree as a Construction Owner with Jennifer Todd

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Jennifer Todd is a 15-year veteran woman in the construction industry. She was also the youngest Black woman to acquire California’s CSLB General Engineering (A) license. Today, she is the President of LMS General Contractors.

We had her on the show to talk about her experience founding a company and how her law degree helped her navigate the early challenges involved. We also discuss what some are some common pitfalls that contractors have around laws and regulations and how more contractors can reduce their risk by doing their due diligence.

Key Moments:

Jennifer's backstory and how she got into the construction industry (1:00)
How Jennifer went to law school while starting a company and the benefits of having a law degree in construction (7:00)
Some best law practices for new contractors and owners (11:00)
The power of opportunity and the start of A Greener Tomorrow (19:300)
Jennifer's three steps for creating more diversity in construction (23:00)
The opportunity for electric heavy equipment in the future (30:30)

Favorite quotes:

"I’d say that opportunity is my favorite word because someone took a bet on me with absolutely no skill sets whatsoever to do the field and I was able to blossom within my career and now able to give back and do the same thing."

About DOZR

About Jennifer

Website: https://lmsgc.com/

Instagram: @constructionlawgal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertoddlms/

Building Builder Links

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E7: Growing A Demolition Company With Large-Scale, High-Impact Projects with Ryan Priestly

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Priestly Demolition has had its fingerprints on demolition projects across North America for the past 50 years. Having grown to over 500 employees, Priestly has contributed to some historical projects including the Toronto Pearson International Airport and CN Tower. Now, they're working on projects like the Rogers Centre upgrades and remote mines. These projects have involved several unique challenges, making Priestly one of the most innovative companies in demolition. Started as a family business, Priestly continues to operate as a family business. Listen to our episode with Ryan Priestly for more of the Priestly Demolition story.

Key Moments:

Starting and continuing a family-owned construction business (2:00)
How the Toronto Pearson International Airport project changed the trajectory of Priestly (5:00)
Putting a CAT 345 excavator on a plane for a remote project (10:45)
How software and technology have helped Priestly grow (14:15)
Why recycling and sustainability are important for demolition companies (19:30)
How to retain employees in construction (25:00)
Best advice for people getting started in construction (30:00)

Favorite quotes:

"I don't think you can underestimate the value of being a few minutes early every day, and being willing to stay a little late."

About DOZR

About Ryan

Website: https://priestly.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priestlydemolition/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D&hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PriestlyDemolitionInc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/priestly-demolition/

Building Builder Links

DOZR Website: https://www.dozr.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=BuildingBuilders&utm_campaign=DOZR

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E6: The Ups and Downs of a Heavy Equipment Operator with Scott Clark

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0400

The life of an equipment operator has many ups and downs. Whether it's the feeling of having the streets to yourself and new challenges to overcome or the long, dark hours of snow removal in the winter, it's never easy but always rewarding. In this episode, one of DOZR's team members, Scott Clark, talks about his equipment operator life before DOZR and his transition to construction tech.

Key Moments:

Scott's upbringing and career in construction (0:30)
His best and worst equipment operator moments and projects (5:00)
How and when to communicate about safety in construction (8:30)
Best practices for heavy equipment operators (10:30)
Signs of a great leader in construction (12:30)
The challenges of the winter season for equipment operators (16:30)
Moving from a career in construction to a career in construction tech (23:30)

Favorite quotes:

"I still do miss operating. Any opportunity to get into a mini-excavator or skid steer, I always try to take advantage. It's something I'm passionate about and try to take advantage of any opportunity to get back in a piece of equipment."

About Scott

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-clark-160252140/

Building Builder Links

Company Website: https://www.dozr.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=BuildingBuilders&utm_campaign=DOZR

Leave a Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/building-builders/id1649807378

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E5: Changing Society's View On Construction with Aaron Witt

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0400

People who work in the construction industry don't always get the respect they deserve. That's a problem, especially when 40% of the current workforce is set to retire by 2030. So how does Aaron Witt think we overcome this major challenge? Create better leaders, highlight the traits that make construction unique, and bring a culture of care to the companies that continue to build our world.

Key Moments:

The beginning of Aaron Witt's story (0:10)
Why construction workers are more important than ever as infrastructure needs continue to rise (7:00)
The importance of leadership in the construction industry (13:30)
How to bring a culture of caring and nurturing to the industry, without losing the importance of grit and hard work (20:35)
How autonomous machinery will affect the workforce and labor shortage challenges in construction (25:00)

Favorite quotes:

"Everybody is a leader in some capacity. A leader is somebody who influences others. If you’re a parent, you’re a leader. If you’re on a construction crew, you’re a leader."

About DOZR

About Aaron

Website: https://www.buildwitt.com/

Instagram: @aaronwitt

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronWitt

Building Builder Links

https://phasermarketing.com

Company Website: https://www.dozr.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=BuildingBuilders&utm_campaign=DOZR

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E4: Helping Contractors Limit Their Mistakes For Improved Success

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Whether it's understanding cash flow, getting in touch with insurance companies or the right vendors, or even making time to figure out how to grow their company, there are a lot of areas where small contractors and business owners need help. That's why Luke Payne and Luke Eggebraaten have combined their skills and knowledge to create the Dirt Bags Podcast and University. In this episode, we touch on how they got started in the industry, what their goals are, and why they want to help contractors limit their mistakes for increased success.

Key Moments:

How Luke and Luke got started in construction and the Dirt Bags Podcast (0:40)
The areas in business where contractors need the most help and resources (6:00)
Discussing the challenges of cash flow and collecting on AR for contractors and why it's important to set up contracts for success (11:00)
What are the signs that a contractor is going to be successful? (18:00)
Why Luke Payne has two excavating companies and how they're approached differently (22:30)
How contractors who want to grow their business can have good time management and set goals (27:00)
How contractors and small excavator companies can start investing in marketing (36:00)
Why attending ConExpo and networking is important for contractors (40:00)

Favorite quotes:

"We don’t have all the answers and we know that. But what we do have is a platform where we can bring on the experts that are smarter than us and can educate the people who are listening."

About DOZR

About The Dirt Bags and Their Links

Luke and Luke have built the website https://dirtbagspodcast.com to feature their trusted resources, project management platforms, referrals for good financing companies, dealers, etc. They also have all of the Dirt Bags Podcast episodes on the website as well as all streaming platforms! You can also check them out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdfAo6IRZiNdXvKsx2pjBlQ

Instagram: @officialdirtbagspodcast

Luke Eggebraaten owns Phaser Marketing as well as Dirt Work Marketing. You can learn more about him and his companies here:

https://dirtworkmarketing.com

Luke Payne owns Black Iron Dirt as well as Western Excavation. If you want to learn more about Luke and ahis companies, check out his websites here:

https://blackirondirt.com

https://westernexcavationnd.com

Building Builder Links

Company Website: https://www.dozr.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=BuildingBuilders&utm_campaign=DOZR

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E3: How to access more capital and cashflow as a contractor

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0400

If you cannot get a line of credit or access capital, growth as a contractor is next to impossible. With tons of upfront costs like labor, equipment, and fuel, most contractors aren't getting paid until almost 100 days after a job is complete. That's the worst payment timeline in any industry. And sometimes they won't even see the full payment. This leads to worse credit which, of course, leads to a lower chance of getting a line of credit or loans. And in this process, contractors absorb all the risk.

So what's the solution? That's what Zaid and Kevin talk about on this week's episode of Building Builders. They break down the most common payment terms and how contractors can navigate debt-to-equity ratios, access more short-term capital, and use that capital to grow their business.

Other Key Moments:

Zaid's background, his ties to construction, and why he started Flexbase (0:40)
What Flexbase is and how it works for contractors (3:54)
Why accessing cashflow and invoicing is so hard for contractors (9:15)
Navigating relationships with collecting payment in contracting (12:32)
Why it's difficult for contractors to get a line of credit (20:08)
How contractors can leverage short-term capital to manage debt (23:29)
How to leverage short-term capital to grow your business 3x (28:44)
Why understanding financing and accessing capital are crucial to growth for contractors (31:35)
How FinTech and other technologies are affecting construction (33:30)

Favorite quote:

"If you can solve this capital problem, both on the short and long term, you can basically out-compete anybody."

----------------------

About DOZR

Zaid Rahman's Links

Website: https://www.flexbase.app/

Twitter: @zaidrmn

Building Builder Links

DOZR Website: https://www.dozr.com/?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=BuildingBuilders&utm_campaign=DOZR

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

S1E2: Using Social Media and Video To Grow Your Construction Business

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 06:15:00 -0400

Starting to use social media and video content to grow your construction business can be challenging. In construction, there can be negative connotations about social media. These include things like "social media is for girls", "it's a waste of time", or "I don't want people to know what type of equipment we're using to get the job done". And while these may have been concerns in the past, today's guest, Taylor White of Ken White Construction, discusses why these are outdated takes. He's been leveraging video and social media at his third-generation, family-owned business and since then, he's grown the company a lot.

Key Moments:

The beginning of Ken White Construction and Taylor's history with heavy machinery (1:00)
How Taylor started using social media and video content to grow Ken White Construction to an internationally known brand with over 200,000 followers (5:55)
Why showing off the work you're doing on social media trumps the privacy concerns or worry of sharing "the secret sauce" (8:55)
How social media can be used as a recruitment strategy for talent, not just jobs (16:50)
Why it can be important to ignore the best practices of marketing when starting with social media in construction (26:05)
Why making great content is the most important thing (29:25)
The biggest trends in social media content creation moving forward (32:20)
The biggest trends outside of social media include electric equipment, remote control, and AI (34:35)

Favorite quotes:

"The secret sauce is our social media. The secret sauce is our culture. And you can't steal that from me."

"I'm really self-aware and I'm really good at understanding people. Those are the two things I'm really good at. And I'm also an incredibly hard worker. I'm not smart, but I work hard. I've always said that. I have "work harder" tattooed on my arm and people always told me "work smarter" but when you're not smarter you just gotta work harder."

About DOZR

Taylor White's Links

Website: https://kwconstruction.ca/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_YV7dZ85Tu18OcYkkWVvvg

Instagram: kwc2000

TikTok: kwc2000

Building Builder Links

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy3FNu-uRE6XYaUDHjM5w8A

Instagram: @dozr.rentals

Facebook: @dozr.rentals

Twitter: @DOZRHUB

The podcast is sponsored by DOZR

S1E1: What Building Builders is All About

Kevin Forestell — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

We want to introduce the who, why, and how of Kevin Forestell, the host of the Building Builders podcast.

After growing up around heavy machinery it only made sense that Kevin would go on to start two different businesses in construction. The first company he started was Forestell Designed Landscapes where he expanded a solo operation to one of the largest landscaping companies in Ontario, Canada with over 400 employees. The second company is DOZR, an online rental marketplace for heavy machinery.

In this episode, we take you back to the early days of Kevin's life around heavy machinery and landscaping, which included driving tractors around the family Christmas tree farm. Kevin also talks about the challenges of growing and scaling both landscaping and construction tech companies, the differences and similarities between the two niche industries, and why his experiences led him to start the Building Builders podcast.

Key moments:

Advice on how contractors can grow and scale their business (1:46)
Lessons learned from fleet management and the cost benefits of renting vs owning equipment (3:10)
The story behind DOZR and how the sharing economy ignited an idea (4:30)
The differences between building a construction tech company vs a contracting business (7:10)
What to look for when hiring people at your company (10:35)
How eCommerce and mobile ordering is affecting the construction industry (13:30)
Why being a contractor-founded business is important to the core values of DOZR (15:00)
Why we started Building Builders and what to expect moving forward (17:50)

Favorite quote: "Don't be intimidated by [your] problems. None of them are all that big. They might feel big in the moment but just pick them off, one by one, and keep moving on and continue growing."

Links