The Robots Aren’t Coming—They’re Already Here (And They're Cheaper Than Your Project Engineer)
Release Date: 07/08/2025
Underbillings Bad. Overbillings Better: The Cash Flow Truth Construction Owners Can’t Ignore
Construction Genius
Kathe Barrington is a CPA specializing in construction. Before finding her true passion in cost accounting and then the construction industry, Kathe worked in different industries, including software, hardware, real estate, retail, and non-profits. Working directly with owners, banks, bonding agents, and CPA firms, Kathe helps bringing the entire team together so that they can make the best management decisions for the organization’s sustainability and future growth. Some of the services she provides include budgeting, forecasting, cost segregation, basic bookkeeping, and software...
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From Builder to Leader: The Hardest Shift in Construction
Construction Genius
The hardest transition in construction isn’t technical—it’s moving from building projects to leading people. In this episode, Eric Anderton talks with leadership expert Joel M. Hilchey about why so many construction leaders struggle once their hands come off the tools. They explore career development conversations, micro-feedback, why high performers leave first, and the subtle leadership habits that quietly drain initiative and ownership. If you’ve ever felt guilty because your boots aren’t muddy anymore—or caught yourself jumping back into the work “just to help”—this...
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Bonding Capacity: Why Contractors Break Through or Get Stuck
Construction Genius
Bonding is one of the biggest bottlenecks in construction growth—and most contractors misunderstand it. In this episode, Eric Anderton talks with Gary Eastman, President of Swift Bonds and Access Surety, about what sureties really look for when deciding whether to bond a contractor. They break down the Three C’s—Character, Capacity, and Capital—why character matters more than most owners realize, what happens behind the scenes during bond claims, and how smart contractors increase bonding capacity without blowing up their business. If you want to bid bigger jobs, improve margins, and...
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From Civil Engineering to Superintendent: The “Field-First” Pivot
Construction Genius
Construction doesn't solely rely on blueprints and hard hats; it also relies on curiosity, hands-on learning, and people who make the buildings come to life. For those who step into job sites, success is measured by attitude, adaptability, and willingness to ask questions. From building psychological safety to leveraging technology like robotics, the modern superintendent is constantly learning how to work smarter by balancing human expertise with innovation. Erin Saiki is a superintendent at DPR Construction who started her career pursuing civil engineering at UC Berkeley and discovered a...
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Physical Progress vs. Financial Reporting in Construction Projects
Construction Genius
The field says the job is further along. Accounting says it’s not. In this episode, Eric Anderton and Kathe Barrington, CPA explain why that disconnect exists—and why both sides are right. The field measures physical progress. Accounting measures financial reporting. When those systems fall out of sync, WIP becomes unreliable, billing lags, and cash flow suffers. This episode is Part 3 of the Construction Accounting Series, following: If you want fewer surprises and better control over your jobs, don’t miss this conversation.
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Mental Health in Construction: The Safety Issue Nobody Wants to Talk About (But Everyone Lives With)
Construction Genius
Dan Lester returns to Construction Genius for Episode 2 — and the numbers are getting louder. Clayco’s latest Combating Stigma findings show 64% of construction workers report anxiety or depression in the last 12 months, up from 54% the year prior. Eric and Dan go upstream: schedules, client expectations, leadership culture, and why “awareness” isn’t the same as support. You’ll hear practical ways leaders can spot struggle, have better conversations, and build a jobsite culture that drives performance without grinding people into the dirt. We’ll also link to Dan’s first...
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Stop Bidding Everything: The 10 Roadblocks Killing Your Construction Sales
Construction Genius
Construction sales feel like a grind because the root problem isn’t sales — it’s the business infrastructure underneath. In this episode, we unpack the 10 structural roadblocks that make selling construction work under $100M so difficult. These issues include unclear vision, missing strategy, weak financial visibility, poor org structure, broken incentive systems, no management rhythm, and outdated hiring and development practices. Fix these, and sales becomes dramatically easier. Ignore them, and every bid feels like a battle. If you're tired of grinding, guessing, and hoping for better...
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Buyer-Ready in 12 Months: How to Make Your Construction Company Sellable
Construction Genius
Most contractors wait too long to prepare their business for a sale—and lose millions because of it. In this episode, I talk with Cameron Bishop, Managing Director at Raincatcher, about what it really takes to make your construction company buyer-ready in the next 12 months. Cam brings 40+ years of executive and M&A experience and has completed more than 70 transactions worth over $500M. He breaks down the biggest deal killers, the accounting mistakes that stall closings, how to remove owner dependency, and why customer concentration over 20% scares buyers away. 🎧 Listen now, and...
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What Secular Leadership Models Reveal About Jesus (and Your Business)
Construction Genius
Most leadership discussions avoid the most uncomfortable question: 👉 What actually makes a leader good? In this episode, I sit down with Father Daniel Brandenburg, author of Leader Like No Other: What Secular Leadership Models Reveal About Jesus, a book that flips the usual leadership conversation on its head. After completing a doctorate in leadership, Daniel realized something startling: Jesus, arguably the most influential leader in history, is almost completely absent from modern leadership theory. So he took ten major secular leadership paradigms and compared them directly with...
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How to Use Your WIP to Protect Cash and Grow Profitability
Construction Genius
In Part 2 of our WIP Mastery Series, CPA Kathe Barrington returns to show contractors how to use the WIP as a strategic decision-making tool. We dig into the three numbers every owner must check first, how underbilling reveals deeper project or client issues, and how the WIP exposes PM discipline long before problems hit the P&L. Kathe also walks through backlog planning, bid strategy, indirect cost allocation, and how to spot margin fade before it becomes expensive. If you want the financial clarity to run your company proactively—not reactively—this episode is essential. Learn more...
info_outlineFrom the office to the job sites, AI is rapidly changing the construction industry just as any other. The newly developed AI tools currently available can help you to process data from variety of sources, providing you with insights to make smart decisions. One crucial piece of information everyone should remember is that AI is not magic; it needs to be provided with clean, accurate information and skilled prompting to deliver a decent output. Leaders can’t just adopt AI; they must experiment, learn, and lead by example. Whether you’re planning on using generative AI to think through problems and gather information or agentic AI to automate tasks, having a deep understanding of tools like these will be of immense help to the future of construction.
In this week’s solo episode, Eric discusses how leading multi-billion-dollar companies like Amazon are way ahead of the game by using AI. He reads us the message from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to their employees about Amazon’s extensive use of AI. Eric dives into the following topics regarding the AI adoption in construction throughout the discussion: the importance of understanding the right kind of tool for the right kind of task, the distinction between generative AI and agentic AI, challenges in AI implementation, the importance of leading by example, practical steps for AI adoption, working with the right people with the right mindset, and more.
HIGHLIGHTS
[02:50] Understanding the right kind of tool for the right kind of task.
[07:04] The distinction between multimodal AI and agentic AI.
[09:22] Build, outsource, or a combination of AI models and agents.
[10:20] Challenges in AI implementation.
[11:43] Leading by example.
[13:41] Practical steps for AI adoption.
[18:10] Find and work with the people who want to be open about adopting AI.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Understand what your tools can and cannot provide.
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Know the difference between a multimodal AI and an agentic AI.
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Go ahead by getting curious. Learn how to use or build the right AI agent now.
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Regularly check the quality of the data you’re generating.
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Take small steps, learn what works, and grow from there.
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Get hands-on with AI tools and learn how to give them clear, focused instructions.
RESOURCES
Message from CEO Andy Jassy: Some thoughts on Generative AI
aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-on-generative-ai
Construction Genius Podcast Episodes on AI:
AI Without the B.S.: Sharpen Proposals, Cut Rework, Win More Work:
https://www.constructiongenius.com/ai-without-the-b.s.-sharpen-proposals-cut-rework-win-more-work-fast-ep-327
When Information is Free, Vision is Priceless—AI and the Future of Construction Leadership
https://www.constructiongenius.com/when-information-is-free-vision-is-priceless-ai-and-the-future-of-construction-leadership-ep-321
From Bad Plans to Brilliant Builds: Practical Applications of AI in Construction
https://www.constructiongenius.com/from-bad-plans-to-brilliant-builds-practical-applications-of-ai-in-construction-ep-331
90-Day High-Performance Dashboard
You can't afford to let your people drift.
To drive real performance, you must coach with clarity and purpose.
Use the 90-Day High-Performance Dashboard to:
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Get clear on what matters most.
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Drive focused action and accountability.
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Strengthen trust and deepen relationships.
Success doesn't happen by accident.
It happens when leaders coach with precision and consistency.
Download the 90-Day High-Performance Dashboard here: https://www.constructiongenius.com/high-performance-in-a-new-role
Coach your team toward real results — one conversation at a time.
Resources to Help You Win in Construction
📖 Construction Genius Book – No B.S., practical, hands-on leadership, strategy, sales, and marketing advice for construction companies. Click this link to buy the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Genius-Effective-Hands-Leadership/dp/B0BHTRDY1T/
🎯 The Shift: Move from Project Builder to People Leader – Master the leadership skills you need to succeed in construction. Click this link to learn more and enroll: https://theshift.constructiongenius.com
☎️ Book a 10-Minute Call with Eric Anderton – If you want to discuss how I can help you coach your leaders, let’s connect. Book a 10-minute conversation here: https://10minutes.youcanbook.me
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