Rocky Moretti: The Research Force that Helps Win Highway Construction Funding
IEDA Podcast
On Sept. 30, the federal surface transportation bill — The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — will expire. How will Congress act? Will Congress act on time? These are key questions, and the answers will have enormous impact on states’ ability to keep up with ever-increasing maintenance and rebuilds of their roads and bridges. In this episode, we welcome Rocky Moretti to the mic — he’s the director of policy and research at TRIP – the National Transportation Research Group, and for the next half-hour, we’re introducing what this major research and...
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Mike Harmon: Customer Insight Through a Lender’s Lens
IEDA Podcast
Tune in for some customer intelligence and perspective, but not from an equipment buyer…but rather from someone who has a front-row seat on buyer activity every day. This month, we’re talking to Mike Harmon, vice president of sales at IEDA Associate Member AFG. A well-known IEDA sponsor and advertiser, Harmon brings us some market insight through the back door, you might say, based on his daily interactions with equipment end users as well as independent dealers. Kicking off with a look at trends and rates in the construction equipment finance sector, we then explore what’s on the minds...
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William Zilinski: Are You a Good Leader?
IEDA Podcast
In the early days of your journey to build up a profitable equipment business, you might not have put a lot of emphasis on what it would be like to become a leader. Now that you’ve got a team, whether small or large, applying good leadership skills may be on your radar, especially when problems crop up. In this episode, we welcome a professional counselor to the mic, bringing a different kind of perspective on what good leadership looks like – and how poor leadership can deeply impact the people in your company. He has spent 25 years counseling people with a wide range of stressors and...
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Alexandra Levit: Reversing the Hiring Crisis
IEDA Podcast
If your equipment business struggles to find employees, you’re not alone. Across all industries, businesses are battling to find anybody who will take their jobs...skilled or unskilled. And business owners are understandably frustrated. However, so are many young people. Some graduate college and can’t get a job. Others can’t seem to find their way, unable to connect their interests to a career and wage they can live on. Our guest expert this month, , brings fresh insight from her new book, Make School Work. This conversation will not only get you thinking about the key concept of...
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Marty McCarthy & Brian Marron: The Business Benefits of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”
IEDA Podcast
As the new year begins, many business owners are turning their attention to taxes. In this episode, we sit down with CPAs Marty McCarthy and Brian Marron, both directors at CBIZ who specialize in supporting construction-related companies. Together, they break down several key ways the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) affects independent equipment dealers. One of the most significant benefits under OBBBA is bonus depreciation, and our guests explain how dealers can use these changes not only for tax efficiency, but also as a strategic sales tool—while still maximizing advantages on...
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Dave Gordon: The IEDA “What’s Up” Round-Up
IEDA Podcast
In this last edition of 2025, we’re unpacking two of the association’s most important initiatives: (1) the Foundation’s scholarships for deserving technician students and (2) some exciting changes and highlights for the Annual Meeting February 13–15. If you love the IEDA and love the construction equipment industry, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Host Kim Phelan and IEDA Executive Director Dave Gordon update you on the impressive growth of the association’s scholarship program and how you can engage with the IEDA Foundation to help protect and fuel its successful...
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Mitch Helman: Fall Auction Trends
IEDA Podcast
Mitch Helman, Sales Manager at Sandhills’ AuctionTime, joins the program to talk about heavy construction equipment values, inventories, and other trends he’s observing this fall. To kick things off, we’re unpacking highlights from the Sandhills October Used Construction Equipment Report, and making a few predictions on how November’s report will compare. Mitch talks about different types of equipment buyers and how their mindsets differ. He’s also got something to say about dealers and the root cause of the current inventory situation. Tune in for clues about the stability of...
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Sarah Martin: Seize Opportunities with New Project Data
IEDA Podcast
Sarah Martin from Dodge Construction Network returns this month to share the latest activity trends and her outlook for 2026 and 2027. As associate director of forecasting at Dodge, she brings insights into sectors that are thriving as well as those showing steady momentum. So, are contractors and construction business owners confident? Not exactly. But they have grown accustomed to—and perhaps more tolerant of—the uncertainty surrounding the economy and trade policies. Projects are still moving forward, though Martin notes they’re taking significantly longer to progress from planning to...
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Cody Bork: No Matter What, Scholarships Matter
IEDA Podcast
In this episode, we’re talking with Cody Bork, instructor at Western Technical College’s heavy diesel program. His new fall students are wired for fixing equipment, and he’s in awe of their technical savvy and thirst for learning. Bork has witnessed the effect of IEDA scholarships on several students. Thanks to the IEDA Foundation, individual merit-based scholarships of $5,000 each have a profound impact on hard-working students who are trying to clear all hurdles to achieve their goal of becoming heavy equipment service technicians. Join us as we talk about his observations on trends,...
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Frank Hurtte: Hire Slow, Fire Fast
IEDA Podcast
Although our title may not sound like it, this month we’re talking about helping new and younger sales talent succeed in your dealership so that your dealership reaps success from their work. Our guest expert is Frank Hurtte, an industrial sales pro for almost 50 years and founder of River Heights Consulting. Author of “The New Sales Guy Project” and several other books, as well as a speaker and magazine columnist, Frank recently wrote: “Sales is the only part of your company that consistently turns cost into cash. “Is your sales team an engine driving revenue?” he added. “Or are...
info_outlineAlthough our title may not sound like it, this month we’re talking about helping new and younger sales talent succeed in your dealership so that your dealership reaps success from their work.
Our guest expert is Frank Hurtte, an industrial sales pro for almost 50 years and founder of River Heights Consulting. Author of “The New Sales Guy Project” and several other books, as well as a speaker and magazine columnist, Frank recently wrote: “Sales is the only part of your company that consistently turns cost into cash.
“Is your sales team an engine driving revenue?” he added. “Or are they a herd of expense-report addicts wandering aimlessly from customer to customer like stray cats? If you’re just spending on sales, you’re doing it wrong. Sales isn’t supposed to be a warm body with a logo shirt and a business card. It’s supposed to be your sharpest weapon.” He doesn’t mince words.
In this month’s episode, we explore the role of the sales manager in coaching and mentoring new salespeople, as well as the kind of structure needed to bring them along and hold them accountable. We also talk about communication and value – and what the new sales guy or gal needs to bring to the table with each customer interaction.
Connect with Frank:
River Heights Consulting Website
Connect with IEDA:
Produced By: Social Chameleon