Why is it becoming so difficult to do business in Victorian construction?Annie Kessel, Executive Director of the Civil Contractors Federation Victoria, joins James on Jimmy Talks Construction for a wide-ranging conversation about the pressures facing contractors across the state — from fuel prices and rising costs to government red tape, labour shortages, housing, infrastructure and the future of the construction workforce.James and Annie discuss the reality of trying to operate a construction business in Victoria, including the impact of fuel costs, material and labour increases, delays through authorities and approvals, uncertainty around infrastructure pipelines and the challenge of getting the industry's voice heard by government.They also get into the growing skills shortage, why apprentices are often the first to disappear when the industry slows down, the number of experienced contractor owners approaching retirement and what construction needs to do to attract the next generation.Topics include:• Why construction businesses are under increasing pressure • Fuel prices and fuel tax credits • Government red tape and approval delays • Victoria's infrastructure and housing pipeline • Rising labour and material costs • How CCF represents contractors to government • The construction skills shortage • Apprenticeships and attracting the next generation • The importance of face-to-face relationships in construction • Building stronger industry communities • The future of civil construction in VictoriaSubscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building, operating and leading Australia's construction industry.Connect with Annie:📸 Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ccf_victoria/">https://www.instagram.com/ccf_victoria/</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-kessell/?isSelfProfile=false">https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-kessell/?isSelfProfile=false</a>📘 Facebook: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/">https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/</a>🌐 Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ccfvic.com.au/">https://www.ccfvic.com.au/</a> Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://starbuckgroup.com.au">https://starbuckgroup.com.au</a> 📺 YouTube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction">https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction</a> 📸 Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation">https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation</a> 📘 Facebook: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation">https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation</a> 💼 LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/</a>Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:louis@lj-media.com">louis@lj-media.com</a>Send in Business Problems: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com">jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com</a>

Why is it becoming so difficult to do business in Victorian construction? Annie Kessel, Executive Director of the Civil Contractors Federation Victoria, joins James on Jimmy Talks Construction for a wide-ranging conversation about the pressures facing contractors across the state — from fuel prices and rising costs to government red tape, labour shortages, housing, infrastructure and the future of the construction workforce. James and Annie discuss the reality of trying to operate a construction business in Victoria, including the impact of fuel costs, material and labour increases, delays through authorities and approvals, uncertainty around infrastructure pipelines and the challenge of getting the industry's voice heard by government. They also get into the growing skills shortage, why apprentices are often the first to disappear when the industry slows down, the number of experienced contractor owners approaching retirement and what construction needs to do to attract the next generation. Topics include: • Why construction businesses are under increasing pressure • Fuel prices and fuel tax credits • Government red tape and approval delays • Victoria's infrastructure and housing pipeline • Rising labour and material costs • How CCF represents contractors to government • The construction skills shortage • Apprenticeships and attracting the next generation • The importance of face-to-face relationships in construction • Building stronger industry communities • The future of civil construction in Victoria Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building, operating and leading Australia's construction industry. Connect with Annie: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccf_victoria/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-kessell/?isSelfProfile=false 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/ 🌐 Website: https://www.ccfvic.com.au/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

Why is it becoming so difficult to do business in Victorian construction?Annie Kessel, Executive Director of the Civil Contractors Federation Victoria, joins James on Jimmy Talks Construction for a wide-ranging conversation about the pressures facing contractors across the state — from fuel prices and rising costs to government red tape, labour shortages, housing, infrastructure and the future of the construction workforce.James and Annie discuss the reality of trying to operate a construction business in Victoria, including the impact of fuel costs, material and labour increases, delays through authorities and approvals, uncertainty around infrastructure pipelines and the challenge of getting the industry's voice heard by government.They also get into the growing skills shortage, why apprentices are often the first to disappear when the industry slows down, the number of experienced contractor owners approaching retirement and what construction needs to do to attract the next generation.Topics include:• Why construction businesses are under increasing pressure • Fuel prices and fuel tax credits • Government red tape and approval delays • Victoria's infrastructure and housing pipeline • Rising labour and material costs • How CCF represents contractors to government • The construction skills shortage • Apprenticeships and attracting the next generation • The importance of face-to-face relationships in construction • Building stronger industry communities • The future of civil construction in VictoriaSubscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building, operating and leading Australia's construction industry.Connect with Annie:📸 Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ccf_victoria/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/ccf_victoria/</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-kessell/?isSelfProfile=false" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-kessell/?isSelfProfile=false</a>📘 Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/</a>🌐 Website: <a href="https://www.ccfvic.com.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.ccfvic.com.au/</a> Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: <a href="https://starbuckgroup.com.au" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://starbuckgroup.com.au</a> 📺 YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction</a> 📸 Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation</a> 📘 Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation</a> 💼 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/</a>Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: <a href="mailto:louis@lj-media.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">louis@lj-media.com</a>Send in Business Problems: <a href="mailto:jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com</a>

Why It’s So Hard to Do Business in Victorian Construction Right Now | Annie Kessel CCF

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Andrew Deveson, co-founder and director of Kapitol Group, for one of the biggest conversations we’ve had on the podcast.Andrew shares the full story behind Kapitol Group’s rise — from starting with zero employees, zero revenue, and putting everything on the line, to building one of Australia’s most talked-about construction companies with 550 full-time staff and a projected $1.5 billion in turnover.This conversation goes deep into what actually separates high-performing construction businesses from the rest: customer obsession, losing tenders the right way, managing variations, fixing productivity, dealing with COVID and inflation, controlling waste, building better systems, using data properly, and why AI could completely change the future of construction.Andrew also breaks down the early days of Kapitol, their first $160,000 job, the discipline required to survive during the construction inflation period, why training became mandatory across the business, and why productivity may be the biggest challenge facing the entire industry.This is a must-watch for builders, subcontractors, construction business owners, project managers, engineers, developers, and anyone interested in how a construction company can scale fast without losing sight of quality, culture and execution.Connect with Andrew:🌐 Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.kapitol.com/">https://www.kapitol.com/</a>📸 Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/">https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all">https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/</a>📺 YouTube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g</a>Connect with Jimmy:🌐 Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://starbuckgroup.com.au">https://starbuckgroup.com.au</a>📺 YouTube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction">https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction</a>📸 Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation">https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation</a>📘 Facebook: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation">https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/</a> Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:louis@lj-media.com">louis@lj-media.com</a>Send in Business Problems: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com">jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com</a>

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Andrew Deveson, co-founder and director of Kapitol Group, for one of the biggest conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Andrew shares the full story behind Kapitol Group’s rise — from starting with zero employees, zero revenue, and putting everything on the line, to building one of Australia’s most talked-about construction companies with 550 full-time staff and a projected $1.5 billion in turnover. This conversation goes deep into what actually separates high-performing construction businesses from the rest: customer obsession, losing tenders the right way, managing variations, fixing productivity, dealing with COVID and inflation, controlling waste, building better systems, using data properly, and why AI could completely change the future of construction. Andrew also breaks down the early days of Kapitol, their first $160,000 job, the discipline required to survive during the construction inflation period, why training became mandatory across the business, and why productivity may be the biggest challenge facing the entire industry. This is a must-watch for builders, subcontractors, construction business owners, project managers, engineers, developers, and anyone interested in how a construction company can scale fast without losing sight of quality, culture and execution. Connect with Andrew: 🌐 Website: https://www.kapitol.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Andrew Deveson, co-founder and director of Kapitol Group, for one of the biggest conversations we’ve had on the podcast.Andrew shares the full story behind Kapitol Group’s rise — from starting with zero employees, zero revenue, and putting everything on the line, to building one of Australia’s most talked-about construction companies with 550 full-time staff and a projected $1.5 billion in turnover.This conversation goes deep into what actually separates high-performing construction businesses from the rest: customer obsession, losing tenders the right way, managing variations, fixing productivity, dealing with COVID and inflation, controlling waste, building better systems, using data properly, and why AI could completely change the future of construction.Andrew also breaks down the early days of Kapitol, their first $160,000 job, the discipline required to survive during the construction inflation period, why training became mandatory across the business, and why productivity may be the biggest challenge facing the entire industry.This is a must-watch for builders, subcontractors, construction business owners, project managers, engineers, developers, and anyone interested in how a construction company can scale fast without losing sight of quality, culture and execution.Connect with Andrew:🌐 Website: <a href="https://www.kapitol.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.kapitol.com/</a>📸 Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/</a>📺 YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g</a>Connect with Jimmy:🌐 Website: <a href="https://starbuckgroup.com.au" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://starbuckgroup.com.au</a>📺 YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction</a>📸 Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation</a>📘 Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation</a>💼 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/</a> Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: <a href="mailto:louis@lj-media.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">louis@lj-media.com</a>Send in Business Problems: <a href="mailto:jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com</a>

Kapitol Group Founder Andrew Deveson: From $0 to $1.5B Builder in 8 Years

Episode 5 of Jimmy Talks - James Agius (Director of Ezy Crete)

Episode 5 of Jimmy Talks - James Agius (Director of Ezy Crete)

James Agius (Director of Eazy Crete) - Jimmy Talks Episode 5

Episode 4 of Jimmy Talks - Paul Doherty (Director of PD Project Delivery)

Episode 4 of Jimmy Talks - Paul Doherty (Director of PD Project Delivery)

Paul Doherty (Director of PD Project Delivery) - Jimmy Talks Episode 4

Episode 3 of Jimmy Talks - Jonathon Griffiths (Co-Founder/Managing Director of Vertu Group)

Episode 3 of Jimmy Talks - Jonathon Griffiths (Co-Founder/Managing Director of Vertu Group)

Jonathon Griffiths (Co-Founder/Managing Director of Vertu Group) - Jimmy Talks Episode 3

Episode 2 of Jimmy Talks - Adam Hall (Director at AH Fencing)

Episode 2 of Jimmy Talks - Adam Hall (Director at AH Fencing)

Adam Hall (Director at AH Fencing) - Jimmy Talks Episode 2

Episode 1 of Jimmy Talks - Kelsee Stevens, Operations Manager at Abletech Underground

Episode 1 of Jimmy Talks - Kelsee Stevens, Operations Manager at Abletech Underground

Kelsee Stevens (Operations Manager at Abletech Underground) - Jimmy Talks Episode 1

Jimmy Talks Construction is an Australian construction podcast focused on real conversations with builders, contractors, tradies, and business owners across the construction industry.Each episode dives into construction business growth, civil construction, earthmoving, excavation, leadership on site, hiring subcontractors, scaling trade businesses, and the real challenges of running a construction company in Australia.From infrastructure projects and heavy machinery to cash flow, management, and lessons learned the hard way, this podcast shares honest insights from people building successful construction businesses from the ground up.

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Jimmy Talks Construction is an Australian construction podcast focused on real conversations with builders, contractors, tradies, and business owners across the construction industry. Each episode dives into construction business growth, civil construction, earthmoving, excavation, leadership on site, hiring subcontractors, scaling trade businesses, and the real challenges of running a construction company in Australia. From infrastructure projects and heavy machinery to cash flow, management, and lessons learned the hard way, this podcast shares honest insights from people building successful construction businesses from the ground up.

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Jimmy Talks Construction

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