KP Unpacked

🎙 Featuring:
 Jeff Echols, Chief Executive Director Catalyst, KP Reddy Co.
David Niewadomski, Senior Research Advisor, KP Reddy Co.

In this episode of KP Unpacked, the number one podcast in AEC, host Jeff Echols sits down with David Niewadomski, Senior Research Advisor at KP Reddy Co., to dive into the inefficiencies of construction—and how rethinking them through the owner's lens could change everything.

David shares insights from his journey across construction, development, and Lean Six Sigma. Together, they unpack what’s broken in our current workflows, why data fragmentation costs more than we think, and how the Integrated Owners Forum is designed to surface the real issues facing today's built environment.

From fragmented systems to missing feedback loops, this is a conversation about connecting the dots before solving the problem.

On this episode of KP Unpacked—the number one podcast in AEC—Jeff Echols sits down with Alan Montpellier, Principal and Chief Innovation Officer at PAE, to explore what it really takes to embed innovation into the DNA of an AEC firm.

Alan shares how PAE shifted from ad hoc ideas to a fully resourced innovation group, why innovation can't live in a silo, and how they prioritize experimentation—without sacrificing project delivery or profitability.

You’ll learn:

• How PAE structured its innovation group and budget
• Why innovation should come from everywhere—not just the “innovation team”
• How to balance client deadlines with long-term experimentation
• Real-world examples of tools, AI pilots, and failed-but-smart experiments
• What to do when PMs block innovation because of fees

This is a playbook for firms who want more than buzzwords—who actually want to build something new and better.

In this episode of KP Unpacked, the number one podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols, Executive Director at Catalyst, KP Reddy Co. kicks off a brand-new series featuring the in-house research team at KP Reddy Co. He’s joined by Senior Research Advisor Ted Kenney, who brings years of experience in AEC technology and building product specifications.

They explore the untapped potential of specifications in driving collaboration across architecture, engineering, and construction. Ted explains why specs are often overlooked, how they act as the connective tissue across stakeholders, and what’s missing from the current software landscape.

They also dive into the research goals of the Integrated Owners Forum—KP Reddy Co.’s initiative to empower owners with actionable insight—and why discovering core problems is more valuable than surface-level disruption.

If you work in AEC, product development, or innovation, this episode will shift how you think about specs, data silos, and the future of collaboration.

🎧 Hosted by Jeff Echols, Executive Director at Catalyst
 🎙 Guest: Ted Kinney, Senior Research Advisor at KP Reddy Co.
 🔍 Topic: AEC specs, owner-driven innovation, qualitative research, and SaaS licensing hot takes

This week on KP Unpacked—the number one podcast in AEC—Jeff Echols and KP Reddy unpack the Sunday Scaries post that broke the internet (or at least LinkedIn).

It all started with a Talking Heads lyric and a throwback photo… but quickly sparked a bigger conversation:
What’s your 10-year plan—for yourself, not your startup?

KP shares hard-won lessons from building (and walking away from) multimillion-dollar businesses, why too many founders confuse “in flight” with “on course,” and how to evaluate whether you're heading to Mars—or just orbiting Earth.

You’ll learn:

• Why quick exits are the exception, not the rule
• How to identify when to abort, pivot, or persevere
• The 5 elements every founder’s 10-year life plan should include
• How to separate identity from startup ego
• Why financial, health, family, and passion alignment matter more than vanity metrics

This episode isn’t just for startup founders—it’s a personal gut check for anyone on a high-stakes path.

In this episode of KP Unpacked—the number one podcast in AEC—Jeff Echols sits down with architect and senior research advisor Zig Rubel to explore a bold question: What if the biggest issues in AEC aren’t what we think they are?

Zig brings his unique lens—from massive healthcare projects to tech startups—to unpack why most industry “solutions” may be missing the mark. Together, they dig into how KP Reddy Co.’s research team is flipping the script—asking not how we fix problems, but whether we’re chasing the right ones to begin with.

In this episode:

• The surprising reason most AEC “problems” are just symptoms
• How architects, engineers, and owners view the process differently
• Why the research team is talking to everyone—from executives to project doers
• What Zig expects to hear in 200+ interviews (spoiler: it’s bigger than tech)
• Why now is the time to question how the built environment really impacts us

If you’re tired of surface-level fixes and ready to rethink AEC’s future—this one’s for you.

In this episode of KP Unpacked, the number one podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols and Frank Lazaro unpack the rising wave of custom GPTs—and why every forward-thinking AEC firm should be building one. From knowledge centers to proposal bots, this episode dives into how AI tools like Azure Foundry and ChatGPT Projects are reshaping how firms capture experience, accelerate onboarding, and win more work.

What you’ll learn:

• The two AI tools leading the charge in AEC: Azure Foundry vs ChatGPT Projects
• Why centralizing your firm’s knowledge gives you a serious edge
• How to turn your senior team’s experience into a searchable asset
• Smart use cases: proposal bots, resume finders, SOP assistants
• The one con firms overlook before building a custom GPT
• A simple, no-code starting point to test this today

If your firm’s expertise lives in people’s heads or buried folders—this episode is your roadmap to change that.

In this special episode of KP Unpacked, the number podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols sits down with Hope Alexander, senior advisor at KP Reddy Co., to spotlight the one voice often missing in AEC innovation: the owner. 

From her days helping grow a startup into a 2,000-person firm (later acquired by AECOM) to building BIM with Frank Gehry, Hope’s career has centered around understanding what owners actually need—and why the AEC industry keeps missing the mark.

You’ll hear about:

• Why owners are the most important (and overlooked) force in AEC innovation
• The hard truths behind BIM adoption and why owners hesitated
• How Hope and KP plan to fix that with the Integrated Owners Forum
• What research is uncovering about industry gaps—and what’s next
• A hot take on AI, decision fatigue, and the leadership vacuum in large capital projects

If you’re in AEC, emerging tech, or real estate, this is a must-listen. Because if you’re not talking to owners, you’re missing half the story.

In this episode of KP Unpacked—the number one podcast in AEC—Jeff Echols and KP Reddy go deep on awards, ethics, and why it’s time to rethink how innovation gets recognized in the built environment.

KP unpacks the launch of the 2025 AEC Innovators Award in collaboration with Zweig Group, and doesn’t hold back on the industry's pay-to-play culture. From shady award models to what makes innovation actually count, this episode lays out why the best ideas don’t always get the spotlight—and how that’s about to change.

Inside this episode:

• Why most industry awards don’t mean anything—and what KP’s doing about it
• How to actually evaluate innovation in AEC (hint: it’s not about buying Revit)
• The real reason RFP processes fail to recognize new thinking
• What the AEC Innovators Award will reward—and what won’t make the cut
• A call for submissions that actually matter to owners, teams, and impact

This isn’t just another award. It’s a challenge to the industry to do better—and a chance to show what real progress looks like.

AI isn’t just about flashy tools—it’s about transforming how AEC firms research, analyze, and make decisions. In this episode of KP Unpacked - the number one Podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols and Frank Lazzaro dive deep into the power of AI research tools and how you can use them to work smarter, not harder.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Why AI research tools are changing the game for AEC firms
• Frank’s personal formula for finding 12 minutes of efficiency daily using AI
• Real-world examples of how AI tools outperform traditional research methods
• The top AI tools you should be using: ChatGPT Deep Research, Storm, and Perplexity
• How to avoid AI's common pitfalls in data analysis and research workflows
• Actionable tips to start using AI research tools in your business today

Are Gen Z professionals really unambitious, entitled, and disconnected—or just playing by a different set of rules? In this bold episode of KP Unpacked, KP Reddy and Jeff Echols break down the generational clash transforming AEC firms, sparked by this LinkedIn post from KP.

They cover:

• Why “pay your dues” thinking no longer works
• How Gen Z’s ambition is faster and bigger
• What real relationships look like in a remote-first world
• Why merit > networking for this generation
• How inauthenticity kills trust instantly

 This isn’t just a culture chat—it’s a blueprint for modern leadership. 

🧠 Insights from KP & Jeff

• Boomers and Gen X often confuse different values with lack of ambition.
• Gen Z sees through performative workplace behavior and calls out inefficiency.
• Innovation doesn’t come from doing things “the way we’ve always done them.”
• Leadership must adapt to more frequent check-ins and faster execution cycles.
• Legacy systems and tenure-based promotions feel rigged to younger professionals.

This is the number one podcast in AEC.
Let’s unpack.