Trades Talk Podcast

Michael Ding: Inside the $35 Million Series A That Could Triple Construction Productivity

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This week on Trades Talk, Justin White brings Michael Ding back for round two. A year ago, Michael was a founder building Bobyard for landscape takeoffs. Today he's the CEO of one of the most talked about AI startups in construction, fresh off a $35 million Series A with Joe Lonsdale (Palantir co-founder) on the board.

In this episode:

  • Why the average construction worker is 3X less productive than the rest of the US economy, and what that gap actually unlocks
  • What it took to raise the largest software Series A in construction history (no pitch deck, no data room, fully oversubscribed)
  • Why Bobyard builds a custom AI model for every trade, from landscaping to electrical conduit routing to MEP
  • The YSD hiring philosophy doubling revenue every quarter, and the bonus structure that turns recruiters into operators

    • Michael's takeaway is simple. AI models are middle to middle, humans are end to end. Your company is running optimally when everybody is only doing the things that only they can do.

    If you are running a trades business, evaluating AI tools, or trying to understand where pre-construction software is actually going, this one is required listening.

    JW Group Website: https://www.jwhitegroup.com/

    Justin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-white-%E2%98%85-35b7a210b/ Justin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinwhiteceo/
    Justins Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@justinwhiteceo
    Michael LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ding-933185189
    Bobyard Website: https://www.bobyard.com/
    K&D Website: https://kndlandscaping.com/
    K&D Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kanddlandscaping/
    Disruptors Community: https://www.skool.com/disruptors
    Disruptors Advantage Newsletter: https://disruptors-advantage.beehiiv.com/
    5th Annual K&D Water Summit: https://www.eventzilla.net/e/5th-annual-central-coast-water-summit-2138673574
    Leanscaper: https://www.jwhitegroup.com/leanscaper

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    Trades Talk PodcastBy Justin White