Please join us for our first SOLO SHOW on the Slump Monkeys Concrete Podcast. We discuss our favorite superstitions, update the Pick Em standings, talk through the concrete economy, and much much more.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, especially our title sponsor for the month. Please visit Rocket Start at www.gorocketstart.com to learn more about how they are changing the culture of concrete businesses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review. We appreciate you all.

Please give a warm, Slump Monkeys welcome to the great QC Manager in North Carolina, Dustin "Ox" Heiland! He knows a thing or two cause he's seen a thing or two, including mass concrete walls to prevent liquifaction events, RCC paving, and rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Come for the laughs, stay to get smarter. Connect with Dustin through their website at www.concretesupplyco.com

Thank you to this month's title sponsor: www.GoRocketStart.com

Give a warm, Slump Monkeys welcome to Jennifer! We talk human performance in the concrete space which is fascinating! The first hour of the show is dedicated to the start of college football as we discuss the Slump Monkeys Pick Em League's best picks, what game in 2026 could convert a non-believer to be a fan of your team, and Joey Bell invents a new rankings system that solves all our problems!

Please connect with Jennifer Mannatt here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermanatt/

Last week to sign up for Pick Em: https://fantasy.espn.com/free-prize-games/sharer?challengeId=289&from=espn&context=GROUP_INVITE&edition=espn-en&groupId=8802b845-9c88-47e8-a0f6-b1d2bcd76060

We appreciate all our sponsors. Go check out our title sponsor for September: www.gorocketstart.com and tell them Slump Monkeys sent you!

Welcome to the show TJ Crosby from Concrete Careers as we discuss life as an HR executive when viewed through a Private Equity lense, how head hunting works, and what Concrete Careers started this month that NO ONE has ever thought to do and you can see that at www.concretecareers.com/jobs

Thank you to our title sponsor for this episode, XBE. Please visit them at www.x-b-e.com to see what Agent XBE can do for you.

Please join the Slump Monkeys College Football Pick Em group on ESPN. Follow us on LinkedIn, Subscribe, rate and review!

Victor Bretting joins the podcast to talk life, legacy, and concrete! We appreciate his wisdom and hope you enjoy the conversation.

Learn more and connect with Victor: https://brettingtexanranch.com/

Thank you to our title sponsor, XBE. Talk with Agent XBE today! https://www.x-b-e.com/

Join the LinkedIn community here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slump-monkeys-concrete-podcast

Join the college football pick em: https://fantasy.espn.com/free-prize-games/sharer?challengeId=289&from=espn&context=GROUP_INVITE&edition=espn-en&groupId=8802b845-9c88-47e8-a0f6-b1d2bcd76060

Please welcome Chris Wurtz to the Slump Monkey Concrete Podcast. Chris is the President of Ready Mix at XBE with a keen focus on improving the business function of Ready Mix so you're actually running your business, not just managing it. We go DEEP on college football in this episode, touch on The Mill Report Blog's latest article on in-transit QC, and cover the sad reality of mental health in the concrete industry.

Thank you again to all of our sponsors, especially our title sponsor XBE. Visit them today at www.x-b-e.com

Join our LinkedIn community: CLICK HERE

Join our College Football Pick Em League (free): CLICK HERE

For Mental Health Resources: CLICK HERE

Come join us for another insightful episode! Paul reviews White Paper of the Month before diving into a great discussion with Jason Wimberly on all things concrete. Please connect with Jason on LinkedIn to let him know you enjoyed his insights on mix designs, working through the Engineer of Record, the importance of trust in our business, and what makes for a successful concrete contractor.

As always, thank you to our sponsors, including our new Title Sponsor for August, XBE. Please visit them on their website at www.x-b-e.com to learn more.

We are honored to have Manny Tejano from Rocket Start and his great friends from Murphy Concrete Construction. Come along as we discuss how company culture and employee engagement are crucial for talent retention and success. We highlight how people are the foundation of a successful company and where technology plays a significant role in the industry. We finish it off by highlighting the driver rodeo, so if you're like I was a few years ago and don't know what "driver rodeo" means, we'll cover it all for you! Thank you for listening and subscribe, rate, review!

The time is now to talk about mental health. Come along and Joey Bell opens up about the greatest safety danger facing our industry that no one talks about: Mental Health.

The conversation covers Ron Carlson's career journey from working in Cook County Jail to becoming an executive at Command Alkon. It explores his transition from truck driver to quality control, from operations to customer satisfaction, and his love for training and developing the future leaders of the concrete industry. The conversation covers a range of topics, including the potential move of the Chicago Bears to Hammond, Indiana, the impact of AI in the concrete industry, life in Mississippi, and the challenges in hiring and retaining drivers. Ron Carlson shares insights on customer-centric approaches and the need for innovative solutions in the industry.

Please visit our title sponsor at www.commandalkon.com to see how they can bring world class innovation and support to your concrete company.