Best ABSI Podcasts (2024)

1
Tactical Empathy | 5 Minute Friday 10:45

4d ago10:45

10:45

Tyler’s not showing much empathy for Eddie and his coffee spillage. Eddie appreciates the setup. Today he shares some thoughts about tactical empathy. Tactical empathy is another insight Eddie harvested from the book Never Split the Difference. When you’re trying your best to genuinely, deeply invest in your work with others, you’re practicing tact…

1
Measure and Mark: Insights from a Field Engineer 1:10:55

8h ago1:10:55

1:10:55

Introduction Our guest today is Noah Pritchett. Noah is a field engineer who shares a homeschool background with Tyler. He ended up getting his GED and meeting a chick at Chick Fil A. They also both had to be corralled by a dad into their work in construction. Then it just clicked. His first job in field-engineering world was as a helper. Then the …

1
Isopraxism | 5 Minute Friday 5:58

10h ago5:58

5:58

Today Eddie once again shares his impressive vocabulary. Today’s word of the day is isopraxism. In essence, it means mirroring. When you repeat back to someone their own words or behavior, you’re engaging in isopraxism. Eddie mentions that this kind of mirroring can increase as your sense of connection to people. It’s not about awkwardly mimicking …

1
Recruitment and Retention 1:04:32

20m ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Introduction Today we revisit a conversation from last year with two members of the team at DPR Construction. We dive in today with some multi-generational hard hat chat. If you’re interested, check out the helmet conversation we mention with Dr. Bottlang. DPR and Recruiting We ask Chris and Will to talk about how DPR is recruiting and training you…

1
Working with ADHD | 5 Minute Friday 7:59

4d ago7:59

7:59

Tyler’s sharing this week. It was in a conversation not terribly long ago that he realized just how profoundly his ADHD affected his daily work. Over time, he’s come to learn how beneficial this condition can be if managed properly. Here are a few tips Tyler shares: -Use Pomodoro Timers to keep yourself on track: https://pomofocus.io/-Work out. -Re…

1
Automation’s Effects on the Industry 57:22

6d ago57:22

57:22

Introduction Is Tyler Irrelevant? That’s where we start out today. From there, we conclusively demonstrate our shared lack of connection with today’s youth. We zone in on the term skibidi. Here’s the Urban Dictionary definition. Then we move on to Ohio, rizz, and sigma. Aren’t you glad you joined us? A new generation in construction The reason we’r…

1
Read the Room | 5 Minute Friday 4:03

26d ago4:03

4:03

Tyler’s been hiring. In the process, he’s had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people. One guy in particular checked in toward the end of the scheduled interview time slot and asked thoughtfully whether Tyler had a few more minutes. Proactively consider the needs, desires, and circumstances of the people you work with on a daily basis. Doing …

1
Forming the Future of Construction: Concrete Forms 44:29

28d ago44:29

44:29

Introduction Today we welcome Joe Purtle, who is here to talk to us about concrete forms. Joe has been in construction for well over two decades, and he’s currently the COO of Doka, which specializes in forming and shoring. Eddie shares a bit about his experience in construction back in the 2x4 and plywood days. He shares how cool it’s been to see …

1
Read the Tattoo | 5 Minute Friday 5:03

1M ago5:03

5:03

We’re always trying to help. This week we have a memory Tyler shares about the invisible tattoo he mentally cut into his arm–the message (in its family-show iteration): “Don’t be a jerk.” He reads this tattoo to himself at work and at home. Frustration awaits you at every turn in this industry and in life. Establish the neural pathways needed to av…

1
Scanning the Reality Capture Landscape 1:10:54

1M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

00:00 - Intro We start out today reflecting on Lee Evey, an interesting guest from a couple former episodes (part one, part two). Then we get going on the conversation with today’s guest, Matthew Byrd, who started the Reality Capture Network. Matthew gives us a run-down of his career preceding RCN and what drove him to start this conference. He tal…

1
Keep Fighting the Good Fight | 5 Minute Friday 6:06

1M ago6:06

6:06

Yes, it’s another quote. This week, Maggie Thatcher speaks to us through Eddie. She says, “Keep Fighting the Good Fight.” Tyler adds to that. Learn to love the “no” he says. Great things can come if you are willing to fail more. Eddie shares about RFIs that you know are a sign of something that’s going to become a bigger deal. Sometimes you need to…

1
Construction State of The Union 1:02:36

1M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

A discovery Tyler shares about the blueprints he and Eddie’s dad found in their grandfather’s house. They were prints for a relatively simple house, but still Tyler was overwhelmed by the artistry of the prints. Eddie recalls the values and the social dynamics of work crews in that generation. Core values Tyler shares about an exercise that Chat GP…

1
Be Kind, not Nice | 5 Minute Friday 6:23

2M ago6:23

6:23

Nuances matter. Today, Eddie focuses on a specific language nuance and encourages us to be kind, not nice. In explaining the distinction, he suggests that niceness involves telling someone what they want to hear.Kindness, on the other hand, is speaking the truth in a way that respects the person. Tyler latches onto this distinction as an opportunit…

1
Building UGA: Coordinating Campus Construction (Melanie Ford) 1:04:51

2M ago1:04:51

1:04:51

This week we're re-airing a conversation with had with Melanie Ford last year. Introduction - Melanie’s backstory Melanie Ford is the Senior Director of Construction for the University of Georgia Office of the University Architects. Before her move to the university, she worked for 20 years as a contractor and a Vice President of Whitsel Constructi…

1
'Merica | 5 Minute Friday 7:03

2M ago7:03

7:03

No tips and tricks today. Just a list of things we love about the good ol’ US of A. We touch on sports, fireworks, greasy grub, flags, and more. Eddie shares about his love of baseball and small-scale explosives. Tyler focuses on food, with some thoughts about deep-fried fair food and pool beer. Are we thankful to live in ‘Merica? Youbetcha, yeah, …

1
Building and Maintaining a Solid Team 1:04:32

2M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

This week we revisit a conversation we had with DPR's Chris Bell and Will Sheane last October. Today we welcome Chris Bell and Will Sheane, two members of the team at DPR Construction. We start with some multi-generational hard hat chat. If you’re interested, check out the helmet conversation we mention with Dr. Bottlang. DPR and Recruiting We ask …

1
The Noise Before Defeat | 5 Minute Friday 7:58

2M ago7:58

7:58

Eddie’s going deep for today’s quote–all the way back to Sun Tzu’s Art of War (which you can hear for free on Youtube if you can spare 72 minutes.)“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Sometimes people will use these two words interchangeably. Here’s the difference: Strategy…

1
The Buildies: Senior Superlatives for Construction 38:23

2M ago38:23

38:23

We might be just a bit late for graduation in some parts of the country, but this week we’re awarding some senior superlatives for the construction industry. Here are the categories. You’ll need to listen to hear the winners. Best partner for a zombie apocalypse: We ponder who would be best able to help us survive an onslaught of the undead. We pon…

1
The Illusion of Knowledge | 5 Minute Friday 6:06

2M ago6:06

6:06

Eddie’s got another quote. This one is attributed to historian Daniel J. Boorstin. “The greatest obstacle to discovery is ignorance. It is the illusion of knowledge.” Sound applicable? We think so. Eddie looks back to the early days of the podcast. We thought we knew a lot. We did not. Fast-forward five years, we now find ourselves fully aware of o…

1
Bracket Mayhem: Picking the Hardest Job In Construction 41:55

2M ago41:55

41:55

00:00 - Ennui and another Tyler We know that you come here for philosophical insight and existential explanations, so today we’re discussion ennui. Tyler shares… tries to share about this state of listlss… listsles… listlessness and dissatisfaction. After this fun, we welcome our new vocal presence, Tyler Cook. Tyler shares about the secret to conn…

1
Repair That Roof | 5 Minute Friday 8:43

2M ago8:43

8:43

Tyler’s struggling today, but Eddie’s bringing the wisdom. Actually, he’s passing along wisdom from John F. Kennedy. Here’s what JFK had to say: “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Eddie shares about lessons Dad passed along about how to use down time. If things are slow but you know the time is coming when they won’t be… Then…

1
The Best Idea Wins (ft. Jay Jenkins) 45:04

3M ago45:04

45:04

He brought us coffee. 00:00 - Introduction Today we welcome Jay Jenkins. Jay is Principal in charge of Higher Education and Operations at May Architecture. We invited him to the studio to learn about building a team that’s equipped to handle the unique challenges of college and university construction. Jay points out that colleges and universities …

1
The Risk in Failing to Act | 5 Minute Friday 6:34

3M ago6:34

6:34

Can you think of a more difficult decision than the one that President Truman had to make in 1945? We can’t Sometimes sitting still and not doing anything is the riskiest thing to do. Tyler recalls a conversation with friend of the show Henry Nutt III. Henry recounted a situation where his boss left him in a room and told him to sit tight until the…

1
To Buy or Not To Buy, That Is the Question (ft. Rob Coakley) 1:03:03

3M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

Check out this link to learn more about the tools discussed in this episode. 00:00 - Introduction Rob Coakley is the equipment manager at Lithko Contracting. He’s here today to discuss a decision familiar to every construction business owner: to rent or to buy. Rob shares some of Lithko’s history in order to set the stage for the complexity of the …

1
Be a Bright Spot | 5 Minute Friday 3:41

3M ago3:41

3:41

You are surrounded by people. You’ll be affecting these people in one way or another. You can choose what that effect will be. You can treat them kindly. You can show them grace. Or you can step on them. You can rip on them. You can take advantage of them. Today Eddie encourages you to be an encouraging presence in the lives of the people around yo…

1
Jiu-jitsu, Career Advice, and Lots of Laughs 1:04:39

3M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

00:00 - Introduction We’ve doubled our Tyler count today by inviting Tyler Williams to the studio. We start with some car talk: plug-in hybrids, 81 Chevies, and manual F-150s. Tyler W says he’s not loaded, but he’s keeping his eyes open for used trucks anyway. Everything is for sale. Eddie flashes back to being stranded in banjo country in his Brow…

1
Endless Good | 5 Minute Friday 5:11

3M ago5:11

5:11

This week Tyler hits us with a quote from Ronald Reagan: “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Tyler thinks this quote is one that has incredible relevance to the construction industry. Eddie points out that this is a trait of good leadership, but he does slightly counter Tyler’s commentary. Edd…

1
The E-Myth 51:24

3M ago51:24

51:24

00:00 - Introduction We open with coffee talk today–and sugar intake, including some beverage shortcuts. Tyler calls it cheaping out; Eddie calls it hillbilly lemonade. We also reminisce about our favorite waitress, 4’10” Miss Connie with the beehive haircut. Oh yeah, also pickle races. Poor Miss Connie. 08:05 - Entrepreneurship: A Good Idea? A few…

1
Read Books | 5 Minute Friday 9:42

3M ago9:42

9:42

Today’s PSA: You should read more. And here’s Eddie’s claim: Reading an hour a day will put you at the top of your field within 10 years. What’s that you say? You don’t like to read? Eddie points out that Spotify Premium now has audiobooks. There’s also Audible, Libby (through your local library), and other audiobook apps. Eddie shares that he’s on…

1
Construction Command Center 52:15

3M ago52:15

52:15

00:00 - Introduction Tyler’s got rib issues. Yes, of course it’s from pickleball. Yes, the injury was earned during a match against an 80-year-old lady. Would we all love to hear her account of the story? Very much. This leads us into a brief sharing session about embarrassing recreational injuries. We also talk about what catches our gaze as we dr…

1
Pickleball (AKA The Secret to Life) | 5 Minute Friday 5:44

4M ago5:44

5:44

Would you guess by the title that Tyler picked today’s topic? He’s got a new paddle. We’re all very excited. In his extensive on-court experience, Tyler has learned that he plays better when he just doesn't beat himself up. His takeaway: When you’re excessively hard on yourself, you lose focus. When you just try to appreciate the experience and the…

1
Tips on Building a Family Business 43:10

4M ago43:10

43:10

00:00 - Introduction It’s been a long day full of recording. Eddie starts out by hashing out an unsettled issue about crabs. He’s not a licensed crabberman. He pulled a Kramer and harvested without a permit. This sets Tyler off on some reflections about The Little Mermaid and lobster zombies. 05:40 - Anyway, about family businesses… Surely you’re s…

1
Quickbase | 5 Minute Friday 3:40

4M ago3:40

3:40

The conversation that Tyler and Eddie refer to in this episode is part of Empower 2024, and you can register here: http://www.quickbase.com/empower24/constructionbros Tyler’s concerned about his hair again, but he’s more concerned to let you know about an upcoming opportunity. Tyler and Eddie recently recorded an episode with Rob Coakley of Lithko …

1
Build a Ballin' Rig (ft. Dell's Ken Flannigan) 51:40

4M ago51:40

51:40

00:00 - Introduction We start out today with some small talk–or maybe short talk–about online meetings. We share our complicated experiences with meeting people in person after establishing relationships online or over the phone. We also share some speculations about how avatars may affect this in the future. Then, of course, we express our affecti…

1
Strategic Thinking for the Future | 5 Minute Friday 4:37

4M ago4:37

4:37

This is repost details one of Eddie's best pieces of advice to date. Eddie’s stealing this week’s insight from Micah Piippo (See episode 180). That insight? Think ahead–way ahead. Plan long. Dad said it too. Don’t just think about this week, this month, or this year. Plan out 20 years. Where do you want to be? Tyler mentions how quickly you see tim…

1
How and When to Automate (3 Expert Tips) 1:01:52

4M ago1:01:52

1:01:52

This episode originally aired in 2023 and contains advice that has become increasingly relevant. 00:56 - Introduction Brent Wadas is an Army veteran who has also worked in finance and SaaS. In 2020, he and his two co-founders dove into construction automation with BotBuilt. He joins us today to talk about automated framing. 04:38 - BotBuilt Overvie…

1
Don't be a Whiner | 5 Minute Friday 4:10

4M ago4:10

4:10

This is repost of one of our old favorites. If you want to stand out in business, don’t be a whiner. It’s a natural human tendency, for sure. That’s why avoiding it will help you stand out from the crowd. Whining wastes time and strains relationships. The more you can suck it up and do the work when circumstances are tough, the better things will g…

1
Construction's Culture Problem (ft. Fouad Khalil) 55:31

4M ago55:31

55:31

Today we're revisiting a conversation we had with Fouad Khalil in October of 2023. Fouad is the founder of and Principal at Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. Today he’s here to share some leadership insights. We jump right int…

1
Stay in the Pocket | 5 Minute Friday 4:22

5M ago4:22

4:22

Despite Tyler’s apathy toward football, today Eddie is encouraging us with a football analogy: stay in the pocket. He explains that the quarterback who trusts his offensive line can examine his options while standing confidently within the pocket. When you’re looking to move the ball down the field, you might be tempted to run off to the side or ru…

1
An Owner Speaks 1:06:23

5M ago1:06:23

1:06:23

This is a re-release of an episode that originally aired on September 27 of 2023. 00:00 - Introduction You listen to us, and we listen to you. Today we welcome a guest who engaged honestly and thoughtfully with one of our LinkedIn posts. A while back, when Eddie posted on LinkedIn to say that he wanted designers to have more money and more time in …

1
Eddie's New Favorite Phrase | 5 Minute Friday 3:45

5M ago3:45

3:45

Eddie’s been reading The Comfort Crisis, and from that he brings us this insight: “Hunger is the best sauce.” He shares about his recent trip to the NASCC and an “exquisite” meal he had there. They didn’t go high-end, but it still tasted outstanding simply because they were so dang hungry. Hunger sharpens the olfactory senses. Doing without somethi…

1
Finding a Way: The Panama Canal 38:04

5M ago38:04

38:04

We start out today with some swag talk and a chat about some recent opportunities to meet listeners. (Note: Of course historicity is a word. Dictionary.com’s definition is “historical authenticity.”) 03:50 - The Panama Canal There’s so much to discuss on this massive construction project. First, though, we insist on a deep dive on our Keurig machin…

1
Do The Next Mile | 5 Minute Friday 5:56

5M ago5:56

5:56

(This is a re-air of an episode originally released last September.) Tyler’s been doing some training lately. Eddie has been both working out and listening to ultra-runner Nick Bare’s podcast. Nick talks about running a 230-mile ultra-marathon. Tyler and Eddie are not doing that. During COVID, Eddie was set to run a marathon that ended up being can…

1
Building a Business from the (under)Ground Up 1:00:54

5M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

00:00 - The Founding of GPRS Today we welcome Matt Aston. Matt is the founder of GPRS. Although that is an acronym for ground-penetrating radar systems, the company does much more than that these days. Matt started his company in 2001, and now they employ almost 800 people in 54 cities. We discuss the ground-penetrating radar equipment. Matt walks …

1
Manipulative Tactics | 5 Minute Friday 6:59

5M ago6:59

6:59

It’s not worth it. You want to sleep at night. Manipulation sometimes comes in the form of straight-up lying, but it also sometimes comes in half-truths, intimidation. Sometimes it even comes in the form of donuts (although we won’t complain too hard about that one). Be a straight shooter. Not only will it keep you from being found out; it will als…

1
Building the Golden Gate Bridge: A Riveting Story 39:39

5M ago39:39

39:39

We start out today by considering placing bets on the Sawzall next door, which of course leads us to reflect on our experience with high school bookies. 02:25 - A Full House of Specs Tyler mentions that his first exposure to the Golden Gate Bridge was in the opening to Full House. Then we dive into some specs: The bridge’s span between towers is 42…

1
Entitlement | 5 Minute Friday 6:49

6M ago6:49

6:49

Eddie’s gears have been ground. It bothers him when people act like they’re the only one with problems–especially when this leads to them unloading their workload onto someone else. This kind of offense is especially frustrating to managers, owners, or other types of bosses who can’t pass the buck. (We can’t imagine how worked up Eddie will be when…

1
Invest, Invent, and Innovate 50:08

6M ago50:08

50:08

Tyler’s struggling with sugar withdrawal. Eddie sometimes doesn’t feel like a real man. Hamzah Shanbari likes his coffee bitter and black. 02:55 - Welcoming Hamzah Shanbari We’re glad to have Hamzah back. It’s been a good, long while–almost three years since he joined us to discuss marketing vs. reality. He’s still achieving more than us. Hamzah no…

1
Exaggerated Achievement | 5 Minute Friday 6:10

6M ago6:10

6:10

Today's leadership lesson was inspired by what we've recently learned about Joseph Strauss, the somewhat-designer of the Golden Gate Bridge. (You’ll hear more about him in an upcoming full CBP episode.) When you’re in charge of a crew, there’s a natural tendency to want to look good. This is natural, but it’s also dangerous. The good team leader kn…

1
What Women Can Bring to a Team 38:16

6M ago38:16

38:16

A few weeks ago, Jennifer Wilkerson joined us to discuss training, education, and recruitment. Today we’ve invited her back to talk about women in construction. Jennifer Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research. 00:00 - All in the Family Tyler asks Jennifer to give a run-down of the…

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