Dirt Talk by BuildWitt

Garrett Moss, President of Moss Utilities, has dealt with many general contractors as a utility subcontractor for large development projects around the DFW area. After speaking out against plenty of old school and harmful practices many general contractors believe in via LinkedIn, I figured I'd get him on the podcast to discuss his thoughts on the subject. While there are some great general contractors out there, everyone who follows me on social media knows I'm not the biggest fan of them, and we stay away from working with GC's for a reason. If you want to hear more about Garrett's business story, check out episode 15 of Dirt Talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jarryd McNeil is a 15-time X Games motocross medalist who's traveled the world performing wild tricks on dirt bikes since he was a young kid. Growing up on a dairy farm, he fell in love with riding dirt bikes and operating heavy equipment. Once Jarryd was old enough, the ultimate goal was to become a professional rider in America. He left school early, moved to California when he was eighteen, and got to work. I talk with Jarryd about his career, love for America, Southern California farm, baby cow, and heavy equipment. His passion for the Dirt World is undeniable, and I'm stoked to see how his life changes as he takes on building more earthwork projects. To follow Jarryd's wild life, check him out on Instagram at @jarrydmcneil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After being unexpectedly fired from the best job of his life, Dary Langfitt (@rockbottomenterprises on Instagram) told everyone in his family that he would start a landscaping business. How hard could it be? Once the Alaskan winter calmed down and the work season began, he kept his word by starting Rock Bottom Enterprises, a landscaping and now construction business still located in the great state of Alaska. Dary and I talk money, working on the north slope oil fields, and how to build ice roads. Just Alaska things... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I talk with Michelle Walker, VP of Finance and Administration of SSC Underground, about suicide prevention in the construction industry. According to the CDC, while we as an industry rarely discuss it, construction ranked #1 for suicides by career. It's a serious issue that Michelle and the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention are bringing to light. We discuss why mental health/suicide is an issue, to begin with, what we can all do to address it, and why it's ok not to be ok. To learn more about CIASP and access their free resources, visit www.preventconstructionsuicide.com. If there was one podcast episode that I wish would be shared amongst people, it's this one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Jumper (@eric_jumper on Instagram) and I sat down at my kitchen table last week to discuss his upbringing in the dirt world, why building terrain parks makes for a wild job, how dredging works, and why / why not you should operate equipment with the doors and windows open. While thrilling isn't a word I'd use to describe our conversation, it was indeed dirty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Gardocki, known as the Dirt Ninja online, co-owns a residential excavation company in New Hampshire. If you've ever perused the internet for dirt related photos and videos, odds are you've ran across Tom's stuff at some point. He's shared his daily excavation-related adventures online for ten years now. Starting at his parent's landscaping business, he still works there a few days a week while he spends all his other days working at his own business. It's a crazy schedule, especially with a newborn now in the mix. Tom and I talk about how he started his business, why he invests in technology and equipment as a small contractor, and some of the experiences he's had thanks to social media. You can find Tom everywhere online by searching "the dirt ninja!" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After many (at least two) requests, I reached out to Garret Wilson, who's said to be the world's best operator, and asked if he'd like to be on the podcast. He said no, but I managed to get him on anyway. While we start with antique heavy equipment, we eventually touch on mental health issues, parenting, starting as an operator, and a whole lot more. For a nervous wreck who has never done a podcast, Garret did pretty damn good. I enjoyed my talk with Garret and learned a lot, so hopefully, you enjoy it too! If you have delicate ears, this ain't the podcast for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Meeker is a Caterpillar dozer extraordinaire and is formally a Product Application Specialist for Track-Type Tractors. Starting in the agriculture world, he found his way into dirt with Caterpillar and quickly took to track loaders and now dozers. While he doesn't have a formal operating background like his excavator counterpart Mr. Ryan Neal, Sam knows more about Cat dozers than just about anyone. I've always enjoyed his love for these machines, and it's quite apparent in this episode. To follow along on Sam's dozer and combine adventures, follow him on Instagram at @yieldmap! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Dirt Talk, I talk with Mike Willhite, owner of Willhite Grading and Excavation, about his past controversies, life lessons, and business experiences. Most people know Mike from social media as he's shown off his Santa Barbara-based excavating business day to day for years now online. While he's spoken openly about some of the recent rough life experiences, we dive into it all, and I have a lot more respect for him after this conversation. We talk about anything from jail time to parenting, and it's a conversation I'll no doubt remember. "It broke me for quite a while. I had one employee I basically paid to relay my orders every day because I was buried in a bottle for five weeks. I was so utterly distraught and destroyed that I lost my family. I don't have anything to hide. I kept him there, so I didn't go out and do something stupid and lose my kid." To learn more about Mike, check him out on Instagram at @willhitegrading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dane started his Bozeman, Montana-based excavation business a few years ago when he grew tired of his job. He abruptly quit, financed a skid steer the same day, and he was off to the races to build a business from nothing. While DC Excavation is small, they have an incredibly slick fleet with all the gizmos and gadgets imaginable from engcons to Trimble 3D GPS. Dane and I talk life, business, equipment, and of course, dirt. Learn more about Dane and DC Excavation by following them on Instagram @dcexcavation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a whole new world for Dirt Talk! We finally took the podcast on the road to interview RAWSO Constructors foreman/superintendent Brett Baker on his site development project in Antioch, Tennessee. Brett is a self-proclaimed red neck from West Tennessee who now manages entire projects at only 24-years old. Initially studying nursing in college, he dropped out of school two semesters short when he had a child to rejoin the construction industry. We go into his story, what he does day to day at RAWSO, why the grass ain't always greener on the other side, and what advice he has for other youngins looking to move up in the world of construction. Learn more about RAWSO Constructors at RAWSO.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, learn how Matt Moldenhauer went from big-time business consultant to southern logging business owner (Bellwether Forest Products). Even though he knew nothing about logging when he started, thanks to his consulting skillset combined with humility, Bellwether moves five times the wood than it did just a few years ago when Matt joined the business. Since Bellwether was one of the first-ever businesses I visited with BuildWitt, I have a soft spot for the company. Not only do I have fond memories, but it's a great company filled with remarkable people. The Southern blue-collar culture is unlike anything I've ever experienced before in the best of ways. Learn more about Bellwether's operations on Instagram @bellwether_fp or by following Matt on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-moldenhauer-16b92411/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past weekend, I made a post via Instagram stories asking for questions that I'd answer on an upcoming podcast episode. To my surprise, people actually submitted somewhat thoughtful questions. With that, I turned on the microphone and went down the list of questions cold-turkey. From business ownership to whether I believe mayonnaise is an instrument, I answered each as genuinely as I could. Hopefully, you enjoy -- if people like this, maybe we'll do it again sometime! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I stayed up well past my bedtime to talk dirt with Jimmy Starbuck, owner of Starbuck Excavation in Melbourne, Australia. If you're on social media, you've likely seen Jimmy's diggers with the enormous "STARBUCK" logo on the boom and counterweight. We get into how he went from working in a soap factory to buying an excavator with a car loan, how he's grown his business, how he's become vertically integrated, and how COVID is affecting Australian businesses. Not only is this interview a damn good lesson in entrepreneurship, but Jimmy is pretty damn funny too. You can find Jimmy online at @starbuckexcavation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Herb Sargent and I chat about life, anxiety, my recent struggles and his life lessons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to excavators, Ryan Neal knows just about everything there is. As Regional Product Application Specialist for large excavators at Caterpillar, Ryan spends his days testing new excavators, talking to customers, and training operators worldwide. After working as an operator in the construction industry for about a decade, Ryan had the chance to become a demonstrator instructor at Caterpillar's Edwards facility in Peoria, Illinois. During his time there, he became familiar with every machine in Cat's product line and flew to countries from Sweden to India to help operators get the most out of their machines. These days, his entire focus is on large excavators and how to make them the best. We talk about Ryan's early days, his travel experiences, how a new excavator goes from drawings to reality, and we touch on the 395, obviously. To learn more about Ryan, give him a follow on Instagram at @rneal1997 or watch him drive a mini excavator through a china shop here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3sdMEgor7E. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I explain why I went to college, what I think the major mistakes people who go to college make are, and how to get the most out of it if you do go, in my opinion. Like anything else in life, there's a right and wrong way to do college. While it's no longer a requirement for "success" in the year 2020, it's still a fantastic thing to do, if you do it right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Guins (better known as letsdig18) lives for earthwork as an owner/operator for his family's excavating business and himself. At any point in time (weekends included), odds are you'll find him mucking out a pond in North Carolina with a Volvo excavator while wearing cargo shorts. I titled the episode "dirt celebrity" as somewhat of a joke, but thanks to Chris's few hundred thousand YouTube subscribers and millions of weekly video views, a lot of people know who he is. Started somewhat on accident, he began recording his days and posting it to YouTube. Amazingly, it took off, and he's posted videos almost daily every since. We get into how Chris started in the excavating business, what he does day to day, what his thoughts are on YouTube, and discuss his kickass new bucket custom-built for him by AMI. To learn more about Chris, grab some popcorn and search "letsdig18" on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the second installment of me talking about my background and experiences in the Dirt World (you all enjoyed the first one more than I thought you would), I pick up back on the railroad. I explain how Skanska nearly fired me for accidentally ripping out an important railroad signal line, how I got a job with Kiewit, how I got a tour of the largest tunneling project on earth, and why I began posting dirt photos on Instagram. As I'm typing this out, there's more than I thought there was in the episode. Part three about my time working in Texas is coming soon. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since I'm a terrible planner, I forgot to schedule someone interesting for this week's episode. Instead, and to your likely disappointment, I opened up the microphone and talked about how I started in construction. I talk about the early years before construction entered my life, how I learned to work hard, how I got my first construction job with no experience, and a few other summer construction adventures leading up to my junior year of college. Whether you're someone looking to learn more about me or looking for a shot in the construction industry, this podcast episode is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*If you don't like swearing, then this ain't the episode for you!* In this week's episode, I sit down with Taylor White, who runs the day to day at Ken White Construction in Ottowa, Canada. I first saw Taylor's videos and photos on Instagram and Youtube. I was immediately curious since he does a damn good job bringing people along on the day to day of a growing family business. Even though he didn't start the business, he's hell-bent on transforming his father's business before him built into a large construction company doing anything from trucking to site development to materials. I love talking to him because he is who he is. While only 25, he has a damn good grip on who he is and how to tell his story. We cover all sorts of topics, from transitioning the business to fitness and mental health. Follow Taylor and Ken White Construction at @kwc2000 on Instagram or by searching "Ken White Construction" on YouTube! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Initially beginning his career as a site development contractor, Isaac Barlow started to see issues with how his business and other construction businesses tracked time and costs associated with each project. With little to no data, no one could accurately manage and estimate work. Once he realized he could potentially create a solution for his company, but many other construction companies, he set out to research why construction companies fail. The number one reason? Not lack of skillset. It was entirely due to a lack of information. What followed is what's now been over a decade long mission to develop a software to help contractors go into battle daily armed with the information to operate their businesses effectively. Busybusy's story is such a cool one, and Isaac explains the whole process of how they developed the software, what the early problems with it were, and how they've rolled it out to thousands of contractors around the world on this podcast. If you're a contractor looking for a better way to track time or to learn more about busybusy, check out https://busybusy.com/! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Listen, we don't expect you to know all this stuff. Ask -- there are people with much more experience here who are here to support you. But the minute you say, 'I got this, and I know this,' you own that. And if you can't do that, then that's a problem. We want you to ask for help and give you whatever support we can, but if you try to be too confident and it doesn't work, then there's a different conversation that has to be had." From a young age, Ford Berg and his siblings napped in the family camper as their parents tirelessly worked together to grow their logging business. Home-school, hard work, and family-time were blended day in and day out, forging a deep understanding in Ford about what it takes to get the job done right and on time. While at Temple University, Ford followed in his parents' footsteps and launched his first business, performing environmental tests in residential developments between classes with his younger brother Luke. During the winters, when construction would slow, he began chasing snow removal jobs to keep a steady cash-flow. As the business quickly grew, Ford ended up leaving college just three classes short of graduation to focus on building Berg into what it is today. Sixteen years later, Berg Construction handles heavy civil construction, municipal utility work, commercial and residential site development, road construction and asphalt paving, as well as landfill construction projects. And wouldn't you know, the entire family – including Ford's parents – all work for the company. The Berg model is simple — find incredibly talented people with prior business ownership experience and let them run with their divisions. Berg Construction supports four different divisions, with talented leadership teams and a field of committed people. Learn more about Ford and Berg Construction by visiting bergconst.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan and I break down BuildWitt and explain what our business does, why our mission is so important, and how we make decisions in this episode. Since we get so many questions as to what BuildWitt is, we thought we'd take a bit of time and break it all down the best we can. To learn more about BuildWitt, check out buildwitt.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MILBURN Demolition began in early 2014 as a one-person show -- a guy who thought demolition didn't have to be unsafe, dirty, or old-school. James Milburn stumbled into demolition while going to school at Purdue for Construction Management. After attending demolition conferences, he fell in love with the world of demolishing stuff and decided it was the career path for him. He quickly went to work for a few demolition companies after school and began to learn how the industry operated. What he learned was that the world of demolition is an aging dinosaur. It's not always safe, there is no sense of service to customers or employees, and there is no urgency to try new ways of doing business. James had a choice -- either stay at existing companies with limited upward mobility and potential or pave his path by starting a modern demolition company. Despite the financial risk and his young family, he chose the latter largely thanks to his wife Jess's confidence and support in the vision. Thanks to his retirement savings and a loan from his parents to make payroll, he began the business in 2014. He was a breath of fresh air for massive development companies looking for a better demolition solution, and MILBURN quickly began to win much more work than James could handle. The rest is history... Check out MILBURN Demolition at milburn.com and follow James on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmilburn/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I interview Quinton Galbraith, the man behind @caterpillarwrenching on Instagram and a technician at Peterson Cat. From the moment you meet this guy, it's obvious that he loves wrenching on big iron, and he has absolutely no fear of getting his hands dirty. Unlike many technicians, Quinton didn't have any mechanical background before joining Peterson. While he was young, he worked odd jobs from moving to construction. He found the world of Caterpillar equipment through a relative and kept applying until he got a job at Peterson. He started by sweeping floors, then helped in the tool room, and today he does anything from minor repairs to full rebuilds on all sorts of sweet equipment. Nothing is below him, and he's hugely passionate about inspiring others to pursue a career as a technician. He's proof that you don't need experience to be successful as a technician. He's got there through hard work, an open mind, and a ridiculous hunger for learning. Check him and other technicians out on Instagram @caterpillarwrenching or @heavywrenching and check out his new online store to buy stickers at https://caterpillarwrenching.store/! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the bottom of the recession, Alan Guy, along with two other partners, Richard Leider and HT Tran, started a construction company called Anvil Builders. The three of them began to bidding work in a cramped hotel room in downtown San Francisco and took whatever they could to make a dollar. Less than a decade later, Anvil was leading disaster cleanups after wildfires swept through Santa Rosa, Malibu, and Paradise. "I'm employee number 35 at Anvil, which means that there were 34 people at this company that we hired before we even dreamt of getting a paycheck. That was three years before we ever paid ourselves a dime. It was a tough time, but I wouldn't trade it for anything." Learn more about Anvil Builders at https://anvilbuilders.com/ and follow Alan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-guy/! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Squeri is the CEO of Graniterock, a 120-year old materials and construction business based out of Watsonville, California. Even with nearly 1,000 people among their ranks, they're still a humble, family-owned business with a caring and local feel. In 2012, when Graniterock's then CEO Bruce Woolpert tragically passed away, Tom abruptly found himself in Graniterock's lead role from his position of general counsel. While Graniterock's board acknowledged that they had their business units led by talented individuals, they needed someone to continue molding and leading Graniterock's culture. To me, the most shocking aspect of Graniterock is their incredible sense of humility despite over a century of success shaping the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. It's always a good day whenever I'm with Graniterock thanks to their culture, people, and of course, their D11's. Tom and I talk all about training, recruiting, building culture, maintaining humility, and hopefully, everyone who listens can learn as much as I did. Learn more about Graniterock on LinkedIn or @graniterock22 on Instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Miller is the President of Midwest Mole, an Indiana-based tunneling contractor. Jason started with Midwest Mole in his teens since his dad was a foreman there at the time. After giving college a shot for a semester, he decided it wasn't for him, so he dove headfirst into tunneling as a career. Starting as a laborer, he worked his way through the ranks to the top as an owner while maintaining an extreme sense of humility. He hasn't forgotten where he started, and he leads the company with that field-first mentality to this day. We talk about the intricacies of tunneling, what his thoughts are on the next generation, and why their line of work is only for a specific type of person. Digging a cramped tunnel by hand deep underground isn't for everyone, which is why the Moles at Midwest Mole are so proud of what they do. Learn more about Midwest Mole at midwestmole.com and follow Jason on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmiller8/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garrett Moss is the President of Moss Utilities, a utility contractor in the DFW area that he began three years ago in his early 30's. Even though he's the fifth generation, he's built his own business from the ground up after his father's business closed during the recession in 2008. The growth of Moss Utilities has been wild over the past few years as they went from nothing to hundreds of employees seemingly overnight. While Moss's "success" looks fantastic from the outside, it's come with struggles that Garrett and the business have had overcome. Garrett and I talk about what cash flow struggles he's faced, why it pays to treat his people exceptionally well, why customer service matters in the utility world, and how he's kept his mind straight during tough times. You can follow along with Moss at @mossutilities on Instagram and connect with Garrett on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettmoss/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BuildWitt VP Dan Briscoe and I talk about how we met, why he joined BuildWitt, and how it’s worked out so far. Dan’s been with me since day one and has had an enormous impact on our business. That said, he’s typically behind the scenes, so everyone online thinks all this BuildWitt stuff is just me. If it was just me, it would be a disaster. The nice thing about the podcast is that we have a new avenue to show everyone how we make the sausage at BuildWitt. Stay tuned for more episodes from Dan and me talking about how we’ve structured our company, how we do sales and marketing, and all the screw ups we’ve made so far. To follow along with Dan, connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dfbriscoe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world's in a crazy place, and business owners are scrambling to ensure the future of their companies. With so much uncertainty, I thought I'd interview someone who's lead a successful business through many troubled times. While I don't know what to do, Herb Sargent, President of Sargent Corp, might have a better idea. First, we briefly touch on his response to the crisis and what new policies Sargent Corp has enacted over the past few weeks to keep their people safe while continuing to work. Next, rather than COVID itself, we focused a majority of our conversation on preparing a business for a downturn. There's no doubt that there are troubling economic times here and on the horizon, and I wanted to dig into what Herb's doing to prepare. There's tons of incredible information in this interview for both business owners and anyone in society. It's an excellent glimpse behind the scenes of what leaders are facing, and I left the conversation feeling inspired. Hopefully, you do too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the podcast is titled Dirt Talk, we barely touched on dirt in this episode and instead discussed life, religion, marriage, painful lessons, and leadership. Many people know Mikel Bowman as an extremely upbeat and inspirational mining industry leader, but it took a lot of pain and work to get to where he is today. We dive into his past only a few minutes in to talk about his mistakes early on, how he met his wife, and how he eventually found his way into Bible college. From there, he went on to become a counselor, and after a number of difficulties both personally and professionally, he knew he needed a major change. That's when he found the mining industry, which is where he's been ever since. He started by doing anything and everything he could, worked his way up to a driller, and today he's Turner Mining Group's, Chief Culture Guru. "Yes, there was the motivation of wanting to be home with my wife and kids. Two, the stress of what had previously happened over the past seven years had deteriorated our marriage, and I knew and felt in my heart that I was going to lose my wife. And she was literally my best friend. I think on my deathbed, that would've been my biggest, most glaring mistake. That if I lost her, I lost everything. My drive is to want to do better and make me better. I don't get up in the morning and think, 'gee, my boss isn't looking at me this way, or I'll never progress because of my race or religion.' I think about, 'how do I punch yesterday's Mike Bowman in the gut and defeat him? How do I do better every day? How do I beat my own records?' Because I'm not competing against anyone but me." Learn more about Mikel and follow along with him at @mikelbowman243 on Instagram and @Mikel Bowman on LinkedIn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Odds are you've heard of Keaton Turner if you're on social media in the dirt world. He's made a whole lot of noise online when it comes to recruiting the next generation and has used it to his advantage to build a nationwide mining company. While most everyone's heard Keaton's philosophy on hiring and seen Turner Mining's culture online, most don't understand what it takes to build such a large business in only a few short years. Keaton and I dive into the struggles of starting a business, how he's financing his growth, why he rents most his iron, some of the mistakes he's made, and the growing pains involved. We cover a lot of ground, and Keaton responds to every question in a sincere manner. Follow Keaton on Instagram @keatonsturner or LinkedIn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to much good fortune, I had the chance to speak with Dave at this year's Conexpo on the differences between our generations. Since not everyone who'd like to hear our talk could be there, we made it a podcast! Dave and I talk about our frustrations with our generations and each other's, how Dave is training and hiring, and we get into Dave's new show, Dave Turin's Lost Mine. Despite Dave being over twice my age and me lacking a majority of his real-world experience, we're both on the same page when it comes to inspiring and recruiting the next generation of miners and blue-collar workers. It's time to put our egos and insecurities aside and begin to invest in the future before it's too late. Since I spend high school and college watching Dave on TV, I'm pretty damn excited about this one. Hopefully, you enjoy it too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Herb R. Sargent, President and CEO of Maine-based Sargent Corp, has an incredibly unique story because he's third-generation construction while also being a first-generation business owner. In 1926, Herb Sargent's grandfather started a heavy construction business called H. E Sargent with a dump truck and steam shovel. The company expanded and changed over the decades as Herb's dad and Herb himself joined the family business to build airports, interstates, and dams. In 1988, a large French company purchased H. E Sargent. After a few years of working for the changing business, Herb R. Sargent thought he could start his own business. So he did. He not only started a new business, called Sargent and Sargent, but grew it so fast that in 2005, they purchased H. E Sargent back from the French when the company was over four times the size of his own. The best part about this was that his grandfather was alive to see the company back in the Sargent family. The two companies merged to become what's now Sargent Corporation -- a heavy civil construction company with over 400 people and work in seven states across the Northeast. Sargent represents the other group of companies BuildWitt's proud to serve, beyond younger companies with younger owners. Those who have decades of experience and decorated history but also understand that they need to do business differently if they are to succeed in the future. Herb's experience, combined with his young mindset, makes him an extraordinary leader who's built an exceptional business. Sargent Corp is not only now employee-owned, but they have their academy in which they recruit, train, and pay kids fresh out of high school to give a career in construction a shot. Find out more about Herb and Sargent Corp at https://sargent-corp.com/, or you can follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/herb-r-sargent-29a791152/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most everyone in the heavy equipment world has dealt with a Caterpillar dealer at one point or another, but most don't understand how much goes on behind the scenes to support every machine. There's an enormous effort that goes into selling, maintaining, renting, financing, and everything else machines require. Craig Kahoun is the Executive Vice President of Carter Machinery, a world-class equipment dealer based out of Virginia with over 90 years of history. You'd think that many years of hitting home runs would create an air of arrogance, but it's the complete opposite with Carter. Despite their dominance (they have over 750 technicians and recently acquired Alban Caterpillar), they're always on the lookout for better ways to serve their customers and their people. Instead of complaining about technology and the lack of trained people in the workforce, they're transforming and investing in their business to do things differently and create the future workforce they know they need. Craig and I dive into technician training, how much they do for their customers, and how they're digitally transforming their entire business. It's awesome to hear about and is so much more than selling tractors! You can connect with Craig at https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-kahoun-b600aa5a/ and learn more about Carter at https://cartermachinery.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode follows my first interview with Missy Scherber, where we discussed what she does daily and what it's like to be a woman in construction. While I thought the conversation went great at first, she was frustrated about having to defend herself for being a business owner. Initially, we thought it was best to delete it and start over. I set aside my excitement for releasing the episode, and we dove into why she was bothered by the original interview. After talking through the unintentional biases and other frustrations, we decided to leave the episode as is and record a follow-up episode talking it all through in an incredibly authentic manner. I'm even more excited about this interview than I was the first, and I think it's a conversation that everyone in construction needs to hear. We talk about what being a woman in construction is like, the judgment and biases that exist, and what men and women can do to create a better environment for everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five years ago, Missy Scherber dropped what she thought was her dream job in the nonprofit world to become co-owner of her husband's dumpster company so they could also focus on starting an excavation company. How bananas is that? Missy is a passionate person who, when she sees a gap, she immediately fills it. When I say she dove into the dirt life, I mean it. She's spent the last few years building a massive community on Instagram where not only does she show the daily work of the T. Scherber equipment operators, but also the behind the scenes of running the business. She's even added a newborn to the mix and was back to work only four days later. My goal with this episode was to shed light on Missy's daily work and get the scoop on what it's like being a woman in construction. Missy is arguably one of the best sources of inspiration for workforce development and women in construction with her social posts and overall philosophies. We discuss the struggles of running a business, how construction needs to change to inspire more women to join the industry, and why this industry is such a great place to work in the first place. To find much more about Missy, follow her @missyscherber on Instagram or her website thescherberreport.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I texted Kimo asking when he was available for a podcast, and there we were talking 30 minutes later after he finished his run. Kimo is the owner of Maui based Truth Excavation, a company performing excavation and utilities work around the Hawaiian island. He's as honest as it gets regarding his business, life, and lessons learned in this impromptu podcast interview. Unlike a lot of other business owners in the dirt world, Kimo didn't grow up in love with heavy equipment. By chance, he got his start as a laborer at the age of 18, and he did whatever he had to do on the ground to make ends meet. Seeing the guys in the machines in air conditioning gave him the idea of becoming an operator. Thanks to busting his ass and asking as many questions as he could, he learned how to operate, read plans, and manage projects. All of a sudden, when the company he worked for went under and the market crashed, he figured he could start his own company. So he did. How hard could it be? After nine years of business, he's selling the company to move onto other projects and to enjoy life in general. It's been a wild ride, and we get into a lot of the lessons he's learned along the way. If you're looking to learn more about Kimo, the best place to find him is on Instagram at @tru.xlife Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Don needed to support his family at age 17, he went looking a well-paying job. Not exactly flush with options, he found a gig at a local demolition company thanks to an intro from his friend's dad. Starting as a laborer, he worked his ass off and grabbed ahold of more responsibility and leadership opportunities when they presented themselves. By his 20's, he was managing demolition crews across town and learning a whole lot of lessons while he did it. Fast forward a few years and he's now part owner and Director of Field Operations of MILBURN Demolition out of Chicago. Started only a few years ago, they've already completed hundreds of wild demolition projects all over Chicagoland. Don and I talk about how he rose through the ranks thanks to sheer work, why the demolition industry needs to change, and how he's raised his kids while working long hours. Learn more about Don and MILBURN at https://milburn.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I dig into (no pun intended) how Heath Hanna went from Caterpillar dealer instructor to mining company owner in only a few years. Since he bought a heavy equipment magazine as a kid, Heath fell in love with big iron moving big dirt. Starting in the industry at age 14, he knew that the Dirt World was for him. After college, he found an opening at the Yancy Bros Caterpillar dealer and eventually became a certified dealer instructor (CDI). He taught Cat machine operators all over Georgia how to get the most out of iron in only his 20's. You'd think that running all the latest and greatest Caterpillar equipment would've satisfied his heavy equipment itch, but he still wanted more. Fearing the regret of not making the leap, Heath quit to start his own company. Starting with pouring a sidewalk at someone's house, he worked his way up to moving millions of yards of dirt for the largest mining companies in the US while his wife supported the family for years. It was an uphill battle the whole way, which even included sleeping in bulldozers at times. It's a remarkable story, and this guy is full of advice and lessons learned about running a business, operating equipment, and life in general. Check out Contour at contourmc.com or @contourminingconstruction on Instagram to learn more about Heath and his business. As for the Liebherr 9800 video he mentioned, see the link below to check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrtK626tad0&feature=youtu.be Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan is president and owner of RAWSO Constructors, a heavy construction company based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. With no formal construction background, he started in the construction industry at random while in school and quickly fell in love with it. After working for other contractors for a few years out of college, he decided to start his own construction company. Starting only with a skid steer grading driveways, he now has over 70 employees on many large project sites with a fleet of world-class Caterpillar iron. We talk about how he started in construction, how he started his business, the reality of what starting a construction company takes, how he's balanced family with the business, and what advice he has for people beginning their careers. You can learn more about RAWSO at rawso.com or by searching @rawsoconstructors on Instagram. Yes, they're hiring! Let me know what you think! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Dirt Talk where I preface what to expect on the upcoming podcast! After a year of everyone telling me to do a podcast on my travels, BuildWitt, and the people I'm lucky enough to meet in the dirt world, I finally got my act together and created it. I'm beyond excited to start this project and I'm hoping you enjoy it as much as I will! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices