Construction Disruption

“Beyond your bills, beyond next month, why are you here? What are you trying to build for yourself? You’re much more in control of your future than you think you are. You just have to give yourself the confidence and the courage to recognize that.” Ken Rusk, Rusk Industries and Author of Blue Collar Cash

Choosing a career is a decision we all undertake younger than we likely should. Whether attending college or trade school or heading to work straight from high school, the world of work is changing rapidly. Author, ditch-digger, and entrepreneur Ken Rusk proposes that we ditch the current model. Instead of focusing on college prep and getting the right degree, choose your career first to build the life you want.

Too often, we undervalue blue-collar work, choosing unhelpful degrees and debt over in-demand jobs with job security in spades. Working his way from ditch digger to owner, Ken shares his experience in his book, Blue Collar Cash. Aimed at anyone who needs a career change, Ken’s bestselling book guides you on the path to a fulfilling life and work. His message is empowering, challenging you to define your ideal life and boldly live it out.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      The story behind Ken’s bio

-      Ken’s start in blue-collar work and his journey so far

-      Shift in education to college prep over career

-      Tailoring your business to modern realities

-      Reversing the current mindset on careers and school

-      Empowering your employees to grow your business

-      Two stories of changed lives

-      The power of investing and compound interest

-      Trade schools and valuing blue-collar work

-      Choose a specific degree for a specific line of work

-      Rapid-fire questions

Visit Ken’s website, kenrusk.com, check out his book Blue Collar Cash, and enroll in his course.

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“People are just looking for dignity, respect, and quality housing. So, when you put that quality product on the market, we have more than enough qualified tenants who move in.” John Delia Jr, Green Monkey Builders and Housing Joint Venture

Housing, specifically affordable housing, is a pressing concern for people worldwide. A house is more than a place to live; we work, eat, sleep, laugh, cry, grow, and do. Housing provides safety, security, and peace of mind. Without somewhere to sleep, somewhere to store our belongings, and eat, we are tremendously disadvantaged.

Unsurprisingly, a lack of affordable and liveable housing poses negative consequences for our society. But, while many solutions present themselves, John Delia Jr, a Midwest housing provider, believes the answer is simple: respect.

He exudes this respect in his treatment of not only his tenants but the buildings they live in. Continuing in the family business of real estate development, John restores old buildings to their former glory, employs a talented team of craftsmen, and aims to provide quality housing for all who need it.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      John’s youth around construction

-      His first investment

-      Leveraging a start into a career

-      Developing a new business model for real estate investment

-      Discussing his book, Life, Liberty, and Property: A Guide to Successful Real Estate Investing

-      The origins of the Green Monkey name

-      Insight into renovating old buildings

-      John’s perspective on the skilled labor shortage

-      Sharing skills between generations

-      Gentrification and investing in communities

-      Cold-formed steel and modular construction

-      Rapid-fire questions

Connect with John on LinkedIn or visit his website, housingjointventure.com

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“I decided early on that I wanted not just to have a job, but I wanted to have something a lot bigger than that. I wanted to have impact. I’ve learned that in 100 out of 100 instances, it’s always an emotional story that connects to that person’s heart that drives them to want to give. It’s about connecting your cause and your story with that person’s heart.” Andrew Olsen, DickersonBakker

The idea that people buy with emotion, not logic, is a long-held belief in sales. Although we may try to approach things with metrics and comparisons, attributes like appearance or messaging often win us over. Sometimes a strong personal connection can supersede any analysis. Emotional buying carries over to donating to charity and supporting nonprofits too.

Andrew Olsen has spent over 20 years serving in and leading nonprofits. He thrives on connecting with people, clarifying messages, and streamlining organizations. In this episode, he shares insights he’s gained over his career, all to improve your understanding and organization.

As the world changes, people will always respond to an emotional message. Charities and nonprofits do vital work, reaching those who need it most. Heed Andrew’s words and harness the power of emotional appeals in your own marketing.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- The origins of Andrew’s passion for philanthropy

- Individual motivations for giving

- How to vet a charity before donating

- Examining leadership with Andrew’s book 101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make And How You Can Avoid Them

- Similarities between fundraising for charity and landing a business deal

- The leadership transition on a generational level

- The importance of leaving a company well

- Choosing between a job and something more

- Rapid-fire questions

Reach out to Andrew on LinkedIn, grab his book 101 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make And How You Can Avoid Them, or text him at 612-201-1967.

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“You need those relationships. You need Joe at the lumberyard to help you because you were either bad at ordering or you forgot to order things. And meanwhile, Joe at the lumberyard needs Hank at the manufacturing site. Relationships are absolutely vital.” Craig Webb, Webb Analytics

Like so many other facets of life, construction works best when we invest in our relationships. As materials form a building, from manufacturer to distributor, to dealer, contractor, and homeowner, a good working relationship elevates all parties. 

Analyst Craig Webb spent most of his working life in journalism, but as a convert to construction, he quickly realized that relationships are fundamental to success. As technology and innovation realize new processes, opportunities, and ideas, a handshake and practical knowledge are eternally relevant. 

The past few years were a crucible for change, uprooting traditional views on work, availability, services, and production. But, as we hurtle towards the future, grounded, reliable people with expert opinions will always be valuable.

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      Craig’s background and transition to construction

-      His business model explained

-      Repercussions from the last few years of rapid change

-      Continuing change in construction

-      Greater access through technology

-      Why relationships still matter

-      Why does construction struggle to find workers?

-      Applying offsite construction

-      Rapid-fire questions

Visit Craig’s site, webb-analytics.com, or reach out on LinkedIn or Twitter.

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“There’s no doubt in my mind, no doubt whatsoever, that a modular project is going to have a higher degree of quality than a conventional project. Modular allows even a small manufacturing facility to produce, you know, 100 homes in a year.”- Steven Haylestrom, The Modular Solution/Rise Up Modular

Construction is an ancient profession with deep roots in cultures around the world. While other industries change rapidly, our approach to constructing homes and buildings iterates at a snail’s pace.

As the need for homes grows, new construction techniques offer a much-needed update. Modular construction, where modules are built in factories and assembled on-site, is at the forefront of this innovation.

However, does a modular approach offer enough to sway contractors, architects, and decision-makers? Can it upset established methods, or will it remain niche, useful only in massive, repetitive projects?

Topics discussed in this interview:

- Steven’s background in modular construction

- How does modular construction differ?

- The biggest roadblock for modular construction today

- Specific benefits for choosing modular over traditional construction

- Quality and standards development

- The unique advantage of modular

- Advancements in construction methods

- The new role of the architect

- Design technology in modular construction

Send Steven an email at [email protected], connect with him on LinkedIn, or visit his website, themodularsolution.com.  

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“You can see a project from start to finish, and you have confidence that the house or multifamily unit was built according to the standards and specifications that the builder promised they would deliver. Our customers provide feedback, and we don’t edit it. We put it into our report, and then we publish it publicly.”- Connor Dillon, Building Science Institute

From quality to energy efficiency, construction thrives on accuracy, clarity, and transparency. Better homes, service, and relationships result when contractors, inspectors, energy raters, and homeowners are open and honest with each other.

Working together to build better homes will only propel the construction industry forward. Talented people are creating new, innovative solutions for better-built homes, but it will take collaboration from all parties to truly advance things.

Efforts like Building Science Institute are crucial for this new vision to come true. Their stringent quality measures, focus on customer feedback, and industry partnerships position them to serve your needs with honesty.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- What is a better-built home?

- Home lifespan around the world

- Building Science Institute’s daily function

- BSI’s unique offerings

- Looking to the future

- Connor’s college experience and transition to construction

- Learning a valuable lesson

- Rapid-fire questions

Check out the Building Science Institute or connect with Connor on LinkedIn

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“There is a lot we can offer people if it would be easy enough, intuitive enough, integrated enough into their daily workflows. With this in mind, we built our product to be minimal in tech-savviness yet powerful.”

-    Maria Khokhlova, TraceAir

Often, the best innovations are right in front of us. For Maria and the TraceAir team, combining construction and technology felt obvious yet unexplored. Their first thought was to make drone imagery accessible for job sites. As contractors move dirt and erect structures, providing updated data to key people elevates their efforts.

TraceAir is a modern map made with user-friendliness in mind. As a result, it streamlines decision-making and increases efficiency for construction professionals.

Is construction in need of technological developments like TraceAir? Can a solution like this work for your business? Get a behind-the-scenes look at an innovative idea coming to job sites near you.

Topics discussed in this interview:

• 2023 Metal Roofing Summit announced
• Maria’s professional background
• The reasoning behind TraceAir’s creation
• Basics behind TraceAir’s functionality
• Benefits TraceAir brings to projects
• A focus on user-friendliness
• Saving time and cutting back rework
• Why stay with TraceAir once grading is done?
• Software for everyone; usable for all

To learn more visit https://www.traceair.net/ or connect with Maria on LinkedIn



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“I was probably the first journalist in the hotel industry to write about the environment consistently. I grew up in nature, so in some way, I like to advocate for it in my work. Nowadays, I find a sense of urgency among hotel companies about the climate and the state of the world in general.”

-       Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News

Hotels occupy a unique spot in the building and construction world. They enjoy an economy of scale with millions of rooms and hundreds of millions of guests. But, hotels are driven by profit, so can green alternatives improve quality of life and lower costs too?

As the rest of the world figures out a more sustainable way to live, hotels are a perfect test bed for technological advancements ranging from energy management systems to dissolvable soap containers.

While tech thrusts hotels forward into a brighter, energy-efficient future, will they lead construction in the charge or trail behind?

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      Todd’s trip to METALCON

-      Glenn’s start in journalism

-      Hotels and their early attitude toward the environment

-      New developments in hotel design

-      Projections for future advancements

-      Solar and hotels

-      Smoking vs. nonsmoking and the battle for air quality

-      Rapid-fire questions

To learn more visit https://greenlodgingnews.com/ or connect with Glenn via email at [email protected]



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“I’ve been in sales, leadership, and management. I ran a crew and was a laborer on a job site before. Over the last 12 years, I’ve experienced everything in residential construction. There’s a lack of transparency and communication breakdowns we could all avoid if we had the right systems in place and people were on the same page.”

-    Ron Nussbaum, Co-Founder/CEO of Nuttnest

Communication makes life tick. We clear things up, set expectations, misunderstand each other, cause problems, waste time, and make life-changing decisions.

Like any other avenue, construction and remodeling rely on clear communication between both parties. The homeowner wants dates, times, and reassurance, while the contractor needs a way to show their vision, schedule work, and provide updates.

The current solution is a fragmented mess of social media, phone calls, and text messages that often miss the mark. 

Nuttnest proposes a hub for effortless communication above everything. Will they deliver? How will it work for your company? 

Topics discussed in this interview:

-      Ron’s background in construction

-      Construction’s public perception

-      Taking an active role in redefining communication

-      Developing a central platform for contractor-customer interaction

-      Designing an accessible app for all

-      The story behind the name

-      Who is Nuttnest for?

-      How far along is Nuttnest?

Learn more about Nuttnest at: https://www.nuttnest.com/

Connect with Ron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-nussbaum/

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“The new part of Boxabl is that you can pack and unpack. You can grow your home, or you can make your home smaller.”

“If we don’t screw things up, we’ll bring building construction into a modern, post-industrial world.”


-      Paolo Tiramani, CEO and Founder of Boxabl


Their first customer was Elon Musk, their first big job was for the Department of Defense, and they’ve only been in business for a few years. Boxabl, a modular housing company from Las Vegas, is addressing the affordable housing crisis with a $50,000 modular unfolding home.

Their mission, “Significantly lower the cost of homeownership for everyone. [Boxabl is] obsessively designed to the highest standards of quality, strength, and sustainability to last for generations.”

With thousands of orders, Paolo and the Boxabl team are churning units out, anxious to bring housing to the people, one unfolded unit at a time.

Topics discussed in this interview:

• Paolo’s story
• A peek at the early days of Boxabl before they sold their first unit
• Paolo’s motivation behind creating Boxabl
• Addressing the affordable housing shortage
• Finding a problem to solve instead of creating a solution first
• Details on Boxabl and the packing/unpacking process
• Expectations for the future of the company and their products
• Manufacturing advancements for a cheaper, better house

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