From the UFC Octagon to Asphalt Parking Lots with Scott Holtzman Ep. #30
Release Date: 05/04/2026
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_outlineReinvention 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 the identity shift that comes with retirement, the challenge of figuring out what comes next, and the reality of learning an industry from scratch. Scott opens up about buying an asphalt business without knowing much about asphalt at all, then leaning on work ethic, repetition, and a willingness to stay uncomfortable until he figured it out. The conversation also covers hard jobsite moments, communication under pressure, building trust with a crew, and why mental toughness is something built over time, not something people are simply born with.
Covered in this episode:
• Scott Holtzman’s transition from the UFC to asphalt and sealcoating
• What retirement can feel like when your identity has been tied to competition
• Why business ownership can be just as mentally demanding as fighting
• How Scott learned the asphalt industry from scratch after buying a company
• The role discipline and routine played in both fight prep and entrepreneurship
• Why communication and organization matter as much as technical skill
• How to stay calm when equipment breaks or jobs go sideways
• What mental toughness really means in business and in life
• Why blue-collar work gave Scott a new sense of purpose
• The advice Scott would give anyone facing a fresh start
This is a strong listen for anyone navigating transition, building a business, or trying to carry lessons from one chapter of life into the next. Scott’s story is a reminder that starting over does not mean starting empty.
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About the Podcast 🎧
The In The Mix podcast highlights the entire asphalt industry, the people who make it work, and the organizations that help shape it. The show also explores the dirt world, construction, entrepreneurship, and other trades through conversations with great guests.
When it comes to the world of asphalt, we talk about asphalt paving, sealcoating, crack sealing, patching, milling, hot-mix asphalt design, and line striping for residential and commercial customers. We also discuss how to stay motivated, how to handle the challenges of owning your own business, and share stories from our industry and beyond.
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#AsphaltPaving #Blacktop #Asphalt #Sealcoating #Construction #HeavyEquipment #DirtWorld #LineStriping
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