Living the Owner-Operator Life with John Schiedeck

Joining Taylor on this episode is the world’s best operator (in our opinion) and CEO of Schiedeck Construction, John Schiedeck. John’s been in the construction industry for almost seventeen years and has worked as an owner-operator for the last six. He opens the episode with an overview of his history in the job, from growing up around the industry to racking up the hours with his blade before finally striking out on his own (with help from his wife!). Then, he speaks about some of the challenges involved in being an owner-operator and what sets him apart from his competitors, including his perfectionist tendencies and willingness to take calculated risks. And John also discusses some of the other machinery he owns and the projects he’s currently working on, including some “pretty oddball stuff” for Elon Musk’s companies.

Next, Taylor asks about John’s success in operator challenges, with a new bout coming up on the first day of CONEXPO. John admits that he didn’t initially want to sign up but was convinced by scores of messages from his social media followers, only to find that his years of experience had given him the skills to win, before sharing some stories of how he developed those skills. He and Taylor then discuss whether being born into the industry and having it in your blood makes you a better operator, as well as their pride in passing their skills down to their kids. John then gives his opinion on GPS and technology on the job site, including his experience with Trimble, how GPS is a valuable tool in the hands of a skilled operator, and the changes he’s seen in technology over his career. And finally, John closes the show by sharing what he’s looking forward to at the CONEXPO show coming up in March, including the chance to get a look at the new technology and machinery being showcased.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

Quotes:

“I was in the seat, couldn’t even sit in it, just reaching the pedals standing against the seat. And I knew that’s what I wanted to do from day one. You know, when you’re a kid, everyone asked you, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ and my three answers were drive trains, fly planes, and drive tractors.”

“I actually do a lot of work for some of Elon Musk’s companies that are here. I picked some of that up. They keep me pretty busy doing oddball stuff. We did a big turn lane for off one of the main highways out here for one of their facilities because they’re blocking all the traffic with their deliveries coming in.”

“When you start getting down to the nitty-gritty, you’ve got to have that blade on the ground and know, hey, there’s still quite a bit of cut over here. And then know where your fields are at, and just driving around is the only way to figure that out.”

“Everything at CONEXPO is just amazing. If you have any kind of interest in this industry, it's really awesome to check out.”

Links:

Taylor White on LinkedIn

Earth Movers Magazine

To learn more about the 2023 CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show and to register, go to: https://www.conexpoconagg.com/show-experience

Komatsu Homepage

Schiedeck Construction Inc.