The Robots Aren’t Coming—They’re Already Here (And They're Cheaper Than Your Project Engineer)
Release Date: 07/08/2025
Public Speaking Without Fear: Practical Strategies for Construction Leaders Who Want to Influence and Inspire
Construction Genius
Public speaking isn’t just about talking; it’s about influencing, connecting, and leaving a mark that lasts long after the last word is spoken. Most people find public speaking daunting, but does it have to be that way? Public speaking is one of the biggest challenges for people no matter the industry. Some people are natural-born speakers. The others, not so much. In this episode of the Construction Genius podcast, Eric is joined by John Zalepka, a seasoned public speaking coach, to explore practical strategies to overcome fear, move beyond overconfidence, and connect with the...
info_outline
How Construction Leaders Win by Playing Long-Term Games
Construction Genius
True success comes from playing the long-term game, prioritizing relationships, skills, and trust that build over time. However, professionals often struggle with short-term thinkers, unnecessary interruptions, and guilt over leadership roles. In this episode, Eric sits down with Luca Dellana, an independent consultant and bestselling author who helps companies develop their people and solve complex organizational challenges. Together, they analyze the importance of defining your own game, building business relationships, balancing saying ‘yes’ and ‘no’ early in your career, and more....
info_outline
Why This 21-Year-Old Chose Construction Over College (And Loves It)
Construction Genius
In this week’s episode, our guest is 21-year-old Gabe Sotello, who is a steel framer and drywall hanger. Gabe shares his journey from trade school to the job site while offering us an honest picture of the challenges, culture, and opportunities in construction. He also explains his decision to choose trade school over college, adapting with humility, and the need to be an open-minded novice who will learn, absorb, and adjust quickly. With practical advice on work ethic, communication, and finding the right trade early, Gabe is here to give a real-world roadmap to young people in finding...
info_outline
The Hit Rate Revolution: Achieving 35-50% Win Rates and Doubling Revenue
Construction Genius
In a field like construction, where sales are complex, high-stakes, and often misunderstood, success depends less on competition on pricing and more on strategic engagement, early involvement, and paying attention and understanding the needs of the client. Meet Matthew Neuberger, a prominent figure in the business world who is an expert in business development, specializing in executive sales consultation and sales productivity training. As a dynamic presenter and trainer, he helps industry leaders to articulate successful management, sales, and prospecting strategies. Focusing on...
info_outline
Hire, Train, Retain: Proven Construction Hiring & Retention Strategies
Construction Genius
Struggling to find—and keep—the right people in your construction business? You’re not alone. In today’s episode of Construction Genius, Eric sits down with Mike, creator of the XP3 Talent System, to unpack a proven, end-to-end process for hiring, onboarding, and retaining top talent in one of the most competitive industries on the planet. You’ll discover: Why most “business problems” are really people problems—and how to solve them at the root. The fatal flaw in relying on gut instinct to hire construction talent. How to define success in a role so you can hire with...
info_outline
The Window of Tolerance: Managing Your Nervous System Under Pressure
Construction Genius
Leadership development can take two distinct types: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal growth targets on adding new skills, knowledge, and competencies broadening what a leader can do. Vertical development, on the other hand, alters how a leader thinks, perceives, and responds. This enables leaders to handle complexity, stress, and uncertainty by increasing maturity, emotional regulation, and perspective. While horizontal development can make a leader more capable in the short term, vertical growth boosts their ability to inspire and create lasting value. However, to achieve sustainable...
info_outline
Mastering Strategic Shifts & Elite Project Management in Construction - Antonia Botero Returns
Construction Genius
Welcome back to another powerhouse episode of Construction Genius! Today, we welcome back industry expert and owner of MADD Project, Antonia Botero. Antonia returns to provide crucial insights on two vital topics for every construction leader: Strategic Adaptation and Project Management Excellence. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to Build a Robust Construction Strategy: Evaluating your construction firm's strategic positioning—high value vs. high volume. Making critical decisions about project scale and niching to maintain competitive advantage. Effective ways to pivot your...
info_outline
$15 to $12.8 Million: The Rainmaker’s Blueprint
Construction Genius
In the fiercely competitive world of construction, a handful of people stand out as genuine rainmakers—those uniquely gifted individuals who seem able to summon success and profitability from seemingly nowhere. Roger Leasure, President and CEO of , is precisely that kind of leader. In this episode of Construction Genius, which ranks among my top five all-time favorites, Roger reveals how he transformed a simple $15 investment into a staggering $12.8 million project. He dives deep into the core principles of genuine business development, sharing practical strategies that go far beyond...
info_outline
The Truth About Succession Planning: Why Most Construction Companies Get It Wrong
Construction Genius
Succession planning isn’t just about naming someone to be the successor; it’s about ensuring that your business can thrive after you. In this episode, Eric appears as the guest of “The Construction Hall of Fame” podcast and shares his wisdom on succession planning, the blind spots that trip up the construction leaders, keeping your top talent from walking out of the door, and the importance of starting an early succession plan. Whether you are already thinking about your succession plan or years away from stepping down, this conversation will guide you to get started with confidence...
info_outline
If Your Construction Company Disappeared Tomorrow, Would Anyone Notice?
Construction Genius
Most construction companies claim they “do great work and have strong relationships.” But if your business vanished tomorrow, would anyone really notice—or care? In this episode of Construction Genius, I sit down with Justin Bieganek, founder of Mercury Creative Group, to unpack what branding really means for construction companies—and why it’s about a lot more than your logo or website. If you're frustrated with being treated like a commodity, constantly undercut on price, or struggling to attract the right people to join your team—your brand might be the problem. And the good...
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
-
Understand what your tools can and cannot provide.
-
Know the difference between a multimodal AI and an agentic AI.
-
Go ahead by getting curious. Learn how to use or build the right AI agent now.
-
Regularly check the quality of the data you’re generating.
-
Take small steps, learn what works, and grow from there.
-
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:
-
Get clear on what matters most.
-
Drive focused action and accountability.
-
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
🎧 Subscribe & Share
If this episode hit home, share it with your sales team. And don’t forget to leave a review—it helps more construction leaders find Construction Genius!