This Is Concrete

Levi Smiley is the Product Marketing Manager for Blastrac and Diamatic brands at Husqvarna Construction Products. Previously, he was also an Equipment Application Specialist, Training Instructor, and Diamond Tooling Manager at Blastrac-Diamatic. Levi has almost 25 years of experience in the surface preparation industry and has a background in manufacturing, distribution, and contracting as a small business owner.

The more prepared you are for a surface prep job, the more you can put accurate expectations in place — which creates a better experience for you and your clients. But how can you ensure that you’re fully prepared for your specific surface prep job?

This week, we’re talking with expert Levi Smiley to learn about the top strategies and insights into shot blasting. This method is great for quickly cleaning away tough debris and contaminants on a concrete floor, but not everyone knows how to shot blast the right way. That’s why Levi’s digging into the details and sharing best practices from method to machine to final product. 

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill is joined by Levi Smiley, Product Marketing Manager for Blastrac and Diamatic brands at Husqvarna Construction Products. Levi talks about when to use the shot blasting method, the equipment and people needed to succeed on the job, and what not to do when shot blasting.

Adi Klevit is the Founder and CEO of Business Success Consulting Group, an organization that provides businesses with the infrastructure, processes, and systems they need to thrive. Adi and her team help companies scale up, transfer knowledge, and prepare for succession. She has over 25 years of experience as a trained industrial engineer, management consultant, and business executive.

Chad Gill is the Founder and CEO of Concreate, a custom concrete flooring company that delivers polishing, staining, and more for both commercial and residential projects. The team at Concreate helps designers, architects, tradesmen, business owners, and homeowners transform plain concrete surfaces into clean, distinctive, and enduring masterpieces.

Before starting Concreate over a decade ago, Chad worked as a robotics and tooling design engineer. Outside of the office, he serves as the President of the Concrete Polishing Association of America and enjoys spending time with his wife and four children.

Are you worried about what would happen to your business if a specific employee left? If so, there’s a crucial task you need to start right now: process documentation. 

Documenting your processes allows you to efficiently onboard new employees, work collaboratively as a team, and sleep better at night knowing that losing some employees is not the end of your business. Plus, improving existing processes can help you gain both immediate and long-term returns. 

In this episode of This is Concrete, Dr. Jeremy Weisz speaks with Host, Chad Gill, and the Founder and CEO of Business Success Consulting Group, Adi Klevit. Together, they discuss the benefits of process documentation, tips for documenting and improving processes at any stage of your business, and how documentation can take your company to the next level.

Nick Savage is a Business Unit Leader for the Concrete Flooring Group at PROSOCO, a company that provides specialty construction chemicals to make buildings look better and last longer. Nick has been with PROSOCO for over 12 years, starting as a Concrete Products Groups Specialist and working his way up. He previously worked in sales and account management at SASE, Transwestern Publishing, and ADT. 

Concrete densifiers have been around for a long time, but there’s still some mystery around the product. What does the process look like? How can you use densifiers effectively? What’s the science behind them? Expert Nick Savage is here to explain.

A concrete densifier is a liquid that fills the non-visible pores and gaps in a concrete slab. This densifier, typically made of silicates, reacts with the byproduct left over from the curing process and is ultimately what hardens the concrete during the curing process. So, what are the benefits of concrete densifiers, and what are the best ways to apply them?

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill talks with Nick Savage, Business Unit Leader for the Concrete Flooring Group at PROSOCO, about the details behind concrete densifiers. Nick shares what densifiers are made from and what they’re used for, when to apply densifiers, common mistakes and misconceptions, and various benefits of the product.

Lindsey Schmidt is a Video Sales and Marketing Consultant at IMPACT, an inbound marketing agency that helps businesses drive more sales. As a marketing professional, Lindsey prides herself on delivering clear, fair, and effective strategy recommendations. Before joining IMPACT, Lindsey was a Senior Marketing Manager at Next Level Digital Media and a Content Development Manager at USSSA Fast Pitch Softball.

Before re-roofing her house, Lindsey Schmidt sat down with a contractor to discuss the details. The contractor gave a three-hour-long presentation, overloading Lindsey with information and, ultimately, causing Lindsey to choose a different contractor. What could have helped this contractor educate the client and close the sale? The answer is video.

You can produce videos to educate clients and create an effective sales strategy. Especially in the contracting space, video can help you bring clients up to speed, answer common questions, and give people a vision of your services. Before you even arrive at the client’s front door, videos can give them the information they need, help foster a better contractor-client conversation, and bring you closer to the sale.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill is joined by Lindsey Schmidt, Video Sales and Marketing Consultant at IMPACT, to talk about why video is so important for contractors. Lindsey shares the mistakes to avoid when creating videos, the various benefits of video creation, and tips for first-time video creators. If you want to boost outreach and shorten your sales cycle, don’t miss this episode!

Jeff Bonkiewicz is the VP of Sales at Polished Concrete Consultants. He’s a seasoned sales professional, marketer, and strategist with a knack for increasing sales revenue. Jeff has worn many hats throughout his career, including web coder, sales pro, copywriter, managing editor, technical writer, videographer, producer, director, and marketing manager. This multidisciplinary work has helped him craft his expertise using a blend of sales, marketing, and technology experience spanning more than two decades. 

Polishable concrete overlays can help you create durable, decorative floors. However, many contractors fall victim to overlay application mistakes, costing them time, money, and sometimes customers. So how do you apply concrete overlays the right way?

According to Jeff Bonkiewicz, you need to have a thorough plan and vision of the entire job before you begin work. Speaking with a knowledgeable technical sales rep can help you think through the job before starting. Additionally, you can’t skip any steps — even the small ones — when applying a concrete overlay. To produce a great result, you must read product datasheets from manufacturers and follow instructions precisely. What other common mistakes does Jeff see during this process, and how can you avoid them?

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill sits down with Jeff Bonkiewicz, VP of Sales at Polished Concrete Consultants, to talk about the tricks of the trade when it comes to concrete overlays. Jeff discusses the important prep work before applying an overlay, mistakes to avoid, and his concrete training organization that’s working to educate industry professionals.

Bob Harris is the Owner of the Decorative Concrete Institute (DCI), an industry leader in decorative concrete installation, consulting, education, and training. He’s also the Partner and Senior Director of Decorative Concrete Consulting for the SSI Team. Bob has been a speaker and presenter at various concrete industry events and has conducted training sessions across the globe for more than 20 years. He has produced instructional videos for notable organizations and is the author of several books, including Bob Harris’ Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors. 

Before DCI, Bob was the Director of Product Training for a large manufacturer of decorative concrete products. He also worked as the Senior Superintendent in Disney’s theme parks, doing decorative, “themed” concrete work. Bob was among the first to be inducted into the Decorative Concrete Hall of Fame in 2010.

Every contractor wants to provide sustainable, high-end concrete surfaces for their clients. But as the industry changes, it can be difficult to keep up and ensure that you’re implementing the best practices to create an outstanding final product. 

One common challenge is the mystery of concrete mix design. Because concrete is not a one-size-fits-all practice, people have started using mix design to fit the needs of their specific project. However, because mix design involves a concoction of ingredients, it can be difficult to predict the outcome and manage the concrete accordingly. Luckily, expert Bob Harris knows what contractors should look for and how to avoid mix design mistakes.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill sits down with Bob Harris, Owner of the Decorative Concrete Institute, to get his advice on working with concrete mix design. Bob explains what polishers should look for, why you should complete tests upfront, and how to avoid messy outcomes such as concrete pitting.

Michael Fortinberry is the Co-founder and COO at Protiv, a company that helps link compensation to productivity. Protiv has proven that it’s possible to increase employee wages without increasing labor costs. After two years of testing that spanned nearly 8,000 projects, Protiv entered the market and powered the evolution of hourly compensation. 

Michael is the Founder of Sciovia. He’s also the former Senior Vice President at Perennial Construction Solutions, the nation’s largest multi-family turnover and renovation company, and was previously the Vice President of PPG Industries. 

Contractors in the construction industry have seen this problem all too often: productivity lags behind, the team can’t stay on schedule, and you spend extra days — or weeks — at a job site. So what can you do to fix this problem?

It comes down to employee compensation, productivity, and engagement. You can’t ask employees to go above and beyond without compensating them, or you’ll quickly lose your team. So what’s the solution? Create a partnership with your employees, motivate them, and make sure you’re reinforcing great work with rewards every single week.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill is joined by Michael Fortinberry, Co-founder and COO at Protiv, to talk about compensation strategies that work long-term. Michael breaks down Protiv’s compensation solution, discusses why it’s vital to link compensation with productivity, and explains why bonuses and raises don’t work as well as weekly rewards.

Josh Jones is the President of Substrate Technology, a company that offers high-quality surface preparation and polishing equipment and supplies. Josh is also the Managing Director of IMPACTS Americas, Substrate’s division that sells shot blasting equipment and other surface prep tools. He has nearly 30 years of surface prep and polishing experience as both a service provider and manufacturer. He’s passionate about providing reliable equipment and helping contractors out of jams.

What are surface preparation best practices that will get you quality results every time? Surface prep and polishing expert, Josh Jones, is here to share his top tips from his 29 years of experience in the industry. 

With the advancement of coating technologies and changes in the nature of materials, you want to make sure you’re staying educated. According to Josh, some coating products nowadays harden within 30 minutes of application — making the surface preparation step even more vital to the finished product. Bad surface prep can lead to many failures, and that’s why Josh is sharing his thoughts on everything from common mistakes to the best equipment.

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill is joined by Josh Jones, President of Substrate Technology, to share everything you need to know about surface preparation. Josh talks about the different methods you can use, the equipment he’s found most helpful, and the factors that can affect your surface prep job. Stay tuned!

Jesse Long is the Director of Finishing Group and Fleet at Procon, a commercial and industrial concrete contractor that provides high-quality, turnkey construction services. Jesse has been with the company for over 18 years, previously serving as a General Superintendent. He has received numerous certifications from Somero Enterprises, NRMCA, and the American Concrete Institute.

Are you losing or damaging tools on job sites? Or are you looking for a better way to keep your fleet in order? An equipment tracking system may be just what you need to keep costs down and increase productivity.

As Procon’s fleet grew, safety was a big concern. After installing dash cams and GPS tracking systems, they were able to keep up with state inspections, registrations, and maintenance — all while lowering their fleet’s accident rate. Additionally, losing tools on job sites was a hefty (and common) expense. To incentivize better management of tools, Procon put a system in place to assign tools to each job site, have a superintendent sign off, and bill the site for any lost tools. So, how have these systems impacted the company, and how can you put similar processes in place at your organization?

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill talks with Jesse Long, the Director of Finishing Group and Fleet at Procon, about improving your business by effectively tracking equipment and materials. Jesse shares how specific systems have enhanced the flow in his company, their steps for accurately billing tools, and the pros of renting versus buying equipment.

Austin Windham is a Coatings Consultant at Tnemec Company, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-performance architectural and industrial coatings. From water tanks and treatment plants to manufacturing plants, industrial facilities, and specialty architectural buildings, Tnemec coatings can protect nearly all types of structures and buildings. Austin received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and was an Energy Consultant at Performance Point, LLC, before joining the Tnemec team.

What goes into concrete coating? How can you find the right type of coating for your project?

Coatings expert, Austin Windham, is here to share his knowledge and uncover everything you need to know about concrete coating. From epoxy to urethane, slip-resistant to skid-resistant, and aesthetics to cost, Austin compares the pros and cons of different coatings. Plus, he gives tips on how to best communicate with your team and figure out what’s right for the customer! 

In this episode of This is Concrete, Chad Gill sits down with Austin Windham, Coatings Consultant at Tnemec Company, Inc., to talk about concrete coating best practices. Austin explains the differences between the types of coatings, how to determine what’s best for your project, and the most efficient practices to make sure your client is happy every time.