From Asphalt Dreams to National Contracts: Lessons with PaveCo Pros Ep. #31
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin welcomes Darin Whelan (founder of PaveCo) and Matt Stone to discuss how a long-running relationship with PaveCo grew from a Chattanooga meetup into a deeper look at national contracting going into 2026. Darin shares about starting PaveCo in 2013 after seeing a lack of reliable paving/concrete contractors in South Florida, launching PaveCo National around 2019–2020 at clients’ request, navigating COVID disruptions, and building a partner-first model based on lessons from working under national providers. They discuss industry shifts after COVID, private equity and AI-driven interest...
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From the UFC Octagon to Asphalt Parking Lots with Scott Holtzman Ep. #30
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Reinvention sounds exciting until you are the one living it. This conversation gets into what it really looks like to step out of one intense career, lose the structure that defined your life, and build something new from the ground up. Marvin talks with Scott Holtzman about the shift from the UFC to owning AMC Sealcoating and Paint Striping in Knoxville. A former UFC fighter, Scott shares how discipline, emotional control, and attention to detail carried over from fight prep into business ownership, even when the work, the pressure, and the stakes looked completely different. They get into...
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The Struggle is Real: Navigating Construction, Family, and Mental Health Ep. #29
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
The Hidden Cost of Success in Construction Pressure can build long before anyone else sees the cracks. This conversation takes an honest look at the mental and emotional strain many contractors carry while trying to keep a business, a team, and a family moving forward. Marvin talks with Bryce Wuori, CEO of Pavewise, third-generation construction entrepreneur, and father of four, about the hidden toll of burnout, panic attacks, depression, and suicidal moments. Bryce shares how constant stress, too much caffeine, poor sleep, and refusing to ask for help pushed him into a dangerous place, and...
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AI in Asphalt: How Technology is Transforming the Industry Ep. #28
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin records in-person in Nashville with Steve Flaherty of NecoTECH, discussing industry events and how rapidly evolving AI tools can drive efficiency while leaving non-adopters behind in quoting, bidding, and operations. Flaherty shares updates on NecoTECH’s, including a full-functioning 100% recycled asphalt plant in Columbus that tests inbound RAP streams, fractionates material, and uses recycling agents, some asphalt cement, and recycled rubber to improve performance and consistency. They cover the importance of technology and collaboration through NAPA and other trade shows, plus...
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Travel, Music, and Transformation: The World of Carlos Zatch Ep. #27
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin reconnects with longtime guest Carlos Zatch for the first time since their 2020 conversation, reflecting on how life has changed while their core spirit has stayed the same. They talk about adventure, creativity, faith, and finding meaning in travel, family, health, and everyday moments. Carlos also shares his move from photography and filmmaking into music, including new releases, his growing creative team, and plans for an upcoming album and future travel. Connect with Carlos: 🌐 Carlos Zatch Website: 📸 Instagram: ▶️ YouTube: Connect with Marvin: 🌐 Website: 📸...
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Pickett's Paving – More Than Just a Business Story Ep. #26
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin interviews his great friend Leonard “Lenny” Pickett of Pickett’s Paving, who shares the company’s roots from his dad and grandfather in the 1970s, his disciplined routine of early mornings, devotionals, and workouts, and how he manages daily chaos with bids, an office manager, and time to unwind. Lenny says the biggest ongoing business challenge is employees and scheduling, but emphasizes gaining perspective through visits to Shriners Hospital and focusing on family—especially his grandsons—to avoid stress. He also discusses some of the hardest experiences in his life,...
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Going All Out: Scaling a Pavement Empire with Marco Menna Ep. #25
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin reflects on nearly quitting podcasting before being encouraged by repeat guest Marco Menna to continue. Marco is the co-founder of ALL OUT Parking Lots. He shares how he got started with driveway sealcoating using buckets and a van, eventually transitioning from residential work to commercial projects. What began as small jobs led to a major breakthrough—landing a stadium-related account. That opportunity started with a 50,000-square-foot job and grew into a half-million-square-foot project. Marco discusses the challenges of staffing and scaling, as well as expanding into national...
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Redefining Success: Adam Swain on Building Lives Not Just Jobs Ep. #24
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin interviews Adam Swain of 6:33 Construction in Colorado Springs about leaving a civil engineering design job to start his own earthwork company. Adam explains the company’s name comes from Matthew 6:33 and shares how he and his wife aim to care for people in the construction industry while building a strong company culture. He discusses early business challenges, current projects, and how giving employees second chances has helped create trust, openness, and plans for future growth. 🔗 Connect with Adam 🔗 Connect with Marvin 🎧 Sponsors PaveCo National 📞 Phone:...
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Up at 2:30 AM: How Discipline Built a Resilient Leader Ep. #23
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin interviews Bryce Harem, general manager at Central Paving in Ellensburg, Washington, about leadership, discipline, and navigating hard seasons in business and life. Bryce shares his intense daily routine, his approach to work and family life, and how gratitude practices help him stay grounded after personal loss and professional setbacks. He also reflects on leading through major company challenges, lessons in personal growth, and his vision for developing future industry leaders. 🎙️ Connect with Bryce 📸 Instagram: 🌐 Website: 🎙️ Connect with Marvin 🌐 Website: 📸...
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Revolutionizing Roads: Astec's Tech Triumph Ep. #22
In The Mix with Marvin Joles
Marvin visits Astec in Chattanooga speaking with Peter Moore and Trevor Wagner to discuss the company's history and its customer-driven approach to innovation. Their IntelliPack system uses infrared sensing to replace manual moisture testing with real-time plant corrections, improving mix consistency and fuel/bitumen efficiency with reported savings up to $0.60/ton and retrofit capability for non-Astec bins. The conversation also covers AI-assisted truck loadout accuracy, a portable self-erecting surge silo of up to 90 tons, and operator training programs. Finally, they explore Cold Central...
info_outlineToday Marvin interviews Ben Kjar, a professional wrestler and speaker born with Crouzon Syndrome, a condition requiring extensive facial reconstructions. Kjar shares how his mother’s refusal to coddle him helped transform his physical differences into a source of extraordinary confidence. He details his "call your shot" philosophy, which utilizes accountability partners and strict deadlines to achieve elite success in sports and business. The discussion emphasizes the mental grit required to outwork competitors and the importance of parents modeling ambitious dreams for their children. Finally, Kjar highlights his upcoming film, Standout, which documents his journey of overcoming adversity to inspire others with facial differences.
Important Links:
Connect with Ben Kjar: https://www.instagram.com/benkjar/
Standout The Movie: https://standoutfilm.com/
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🎧 About the Podcast:
In The Mix highlights the entire asphalt industry—the people, the organizations, and the stories that make it great. We also explore the dirt world, construction, entrepreneurship, and other trades with inspiring guests. From asphalt paving and sealcoating to crack sealing, patching, milling, and line striping, Marvin brings insight and humor to the world of blacktop while diving into motivation, business ownership, and real stories from the trades.
#AsphaltPaving #Blacktop #Asphalt #Sealcoating #Construction #HeavyEquipment #Dirtworld #Linestriping
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