Episode

Lost $100,000 before even breaking ground on a construction project It happens more often than you think in the construction industry. In today’s episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, we had Victor Zhang from Trestle and we got to learn about the hidden profit leaks in construction, why phone calls still beat emails in B2B sales, and how AI is actually being used in construction tech… and many more! Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why construction companies lose money before projects even start ✅ The real reason email marketing fails with general contractors ✅ How proprietary data creates stronger defensibility than AI algorithms ✅ Why now is the perfect time to start a construction tech company Victor shared real examples from his 15 years as a civil engineer and how he built Trestle into an AI-driven risk management platform for general contractors. The talent shortage in construction is so severe that if your startup fails, there will be more jobs waiting for you than when you left. Listen now on Spotify to hear the full conversation about building in the construction tech space.

“Construction scheduling is completely broken. We’re still using PDF files and sticky notes to manage million-dollar projects.” In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Patrick Hennessy from Harkins Builders and we got to learn about why traditional project management tools are failing the construction industry, how AI could revolutionize daily site operations, and the brutal truth about construction tech pricing… and many more! Patrick runs planning and analytics for a $600M general contractor and shares unfiltered insights from the trenches of construction technology adoption. Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why Primavera P6 and traditional scheduling software creates more problems than it solves ✅ How AI daily briefs could replace morning huddles and transform job site management ✅ The real reason construction software pricing is getting out of control and what contractors should demand ✅ Why construction tech websites are completely useless and how startups are losing millions in delayed sales cycles Listen now on Spotify and get the inside perspective on where construction technology is actually heading from someone who evaluates and implements it every day. ———- Chapters 00:00 March Madness and Personal Reflections 01:15 Understanding Project Controls at Harkins Builders 04:06 The Role of Technology in Project Management 09:17 Harkins Builders: Company Size and Structure 11:36 Innovation in Construction: VDC vs. Project Controls 13:01 Evaluating Scheduling Software: The Future of Collaboration 16:06 Traditional vs. Modern Scheduling Practices 20:14 Data Collection and Its Impact on Scheduling 25:28 Accelerating Tech Adoption in Construction 29:32 The Quest for Comprehensive Software Solutions 33:29 The Importance of Clear Messaging in Construction Tech 37:16 Navigating Cold Outreach and Sales Tactics 41:15 The Challenge of Point Solutions vs. Comprehensive Platforms 44:46 Understanding Pricing Models in Construction Software 55:32 The Impact of AI on Construction Processes

You may price a job for two years just to get the chance to build it.” That’s the brutal reality Trey Darnell shared about construction sales today. In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Trey Darnell, Director of Sales at Ediphi, and we got to learn about why construction tech sales is completely broken, how most salespeople get it wrong, and why the industry desperately needs a new approach… and many more! Trey went from writing user guides on construction sites to becoming a sales leader at one of the hottest pre-construction tech companies. His journey reveals hard truths about our industry. Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why 90% of construction salespeople fail at their job ✅ The hidden cost of pricing jobs for years without winning them ✅ Why platforms are becoming “jack of all trades, master of none” ✅ How to sell construction tech without being another annoying vendor This episode will change how you think about buying and selling construction technology. Listen now on Spotify and let us know what you think in the comments. ————— Chapters # Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:03:00 Introduction and Background of Trey Darnell 00:06:02 Challenges in Construction and BIM Advocacy 00:08:50 Transition to Construction Tech and PlanGrid Experience 00:12:10 Sales as a Consulting Approach 00:15:14 Joining Edify and the Evolution of Pre-Construction Solutions 00:20:58 Go-to-Market Strategy for Edify 00:27:01 Building Relationships and Understanding Client Needs 00:33:07 Understanding Time to Value in Construction Tech 00:37:01 Successful Go-to-Market Strategies 00:41:10 Sales Cycle Dynamics and Compression Strategies 00:46:38 Navigating Small vs. Large Accounts 00:52:02 Pricing Strategies and Negotiation 00:54:29 Traits of Successful Salespeople in Construction Tech 00:57:36 Gaining Experience in the Construction Industry 00:59:13 Advice for Newcomers in Construction Tech Sales 01:00:41 When to Hire a Sales Leader

“When we launched PlanGrid, it was the only enterprise product on the iPad. Even Facebook refused to make an iPad app because Zuckerberg didn’t believe in it.” In today’s episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, we had Ralph Gootee and we got to learn about how PlanGrid became the first enterprise app on iPad, the brutal year-long acquisition process, and why pricing decisions can make or break your startup… and many more! Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why iPad was crucial to PlanGrid’s success when even Facebook refused to build an iPad app ✅ The $17,000 marketing hack that involved giving away free iPads to customers ✅ How having 5 co-founders worked despite conventional wisdom saying otherwise ✅ Why AI augments engineers but won’t replace them anytime soon Listen now on Spotify to hear the full story behind one of construction tech’s biggest exits and what Ralph is building next with TigerEye. # Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:45 The Journey of PlanGrid: From Startup to Acquisition 11:37 Product Development and Market Fit: Lessons Learned 21:44 Navigating the Acquisition Landscape: Strategies and Insights 31:41 The Role of AI in Construction: Opportunities and Challenges 41:49 Building for Success: Founder’s Mindset and Company Culture 29:49 From Idea to Prototype: The Birth of a Startup 31:18 Y Combinator: The Turning Point for PlanGrid 33:39 Building a Team: The Importance of Co-Founders 39:45 Solo Founders vs. Co-Founders: A Comparative Insight 42:40 User Acquisition: The Power of Viral Growth in Construction 46:44 Pricing Strategies: Lessons Learned from PlanGrid 53:54 Hiring the Best: Building a Legacy at PlanGrid 54:28 The Legacy of Plangrid and Its Impact on the Industry 54:58 Challenges in Recruiting and Building a Team 56:26 The Importance of Hiring the Right People 58:54 Scaling Challenges and the Need for Fast Decisions 01:02:13 Emerging Companies in Construction Tech 01:03:18 Lessons Learned from Building Plangrid 01:07:12 The Role of AI in Software Development 01:13:08 Introducing TigerEye: A New Venture 01:20:59 Evaluating ROI in Construction Tech

“Elite sales leaders don’t just hire sellers – they hire ‘pirates and romantics’ who can thrive in chaos when everything’s broken.” In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Scotland Foss, who helped build PlanGrid before its $1B acquisition by Autodesk. Scotland shared his proven playbook for construction tech go-to-market success from his journey across multiple ventures. Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why product-market fit must come before hiring salespeople ✅ The power of “mutual action plans” in closing complex deals ✅ How PlanGrid’s freemium strategy created viral adoption on job sites ✅ Why unlimited user pricing models work better than per-seat in construction ✅ How a 90-second video convinced a CEO to take a 2-hour meeting Listen now on Spotify to hear Scotland’s insights on building successful construction tech sales organizations in challenging market conditions.

“I remember bringing Tracy Young to my job site when PlanGrid was just an MVP. She offered us the software for free – we just needed to provide the iPads. My PM and PX didn’t get it. They told me, ‘Don’t waste my time like that again.’” In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Tom Feliz share his journey from construction sites to tech leadership at Data Grid. Tom unpacks the secrets behind effective Go-To-Market strategies in construction tech, drawing from his experiences at OpenSpace, Autodesk, and more. Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why solving real industry pain points is the foundation of any successful ConTech product ✅ How to identify your Ideal Customer Profile across the construction value chain ✅ Why the construction volume pricing model needs to change ✅ The emergence of the “Go-To-Market Engineer” and how AI is transforming sales Listen to the full episode on Spotify to learn how Tom closed 5 enterprise deals in one week and why he believes agentic AI is the future of construction.

“53% of the construction workforce is expected to retire by 2036. And that number is going up, not down.” In today’s episode of Bricks & Bytes, we had Kris from Procore and we got to learn about their just-released Future State of Construction 2025 report, which reveals how technology will transform productivity, design, decision-making, and the workforce crisis. Tune in to find out about: ✅ Why contractors, not architects, will own more of the design process in the future ✅ How construction teams lose 18% of project time just searching for information ✅ The shift from “gut feeling” decisions to data-driven insights using AI ✅ Why Procore is building “Agent Studio” to create company-specific AI you can actually trust Listen now on Spotify and discover how construction’s digital transformation is finally solving its biggest challenges. —————– Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:50 Introduction and Industry Growth 03:49 Leadership Changes at Procore 04:51 The Future State of Construction Report 06:47 Future of Productivity in Construction 13:59 Addressing Data Search Challenges 17:49 Rework and Its Causes 19:46 Future of Design and Automation 22:54 Case Studies in Construction Technology 26:59 Future of Workforce and Talent Retention 38:25 The Intersection of Opportunity and Wealth in Construction 39:00 Cultural Drivers in the Construction Industry 42:21 Data-Driven Decision Making in Construction 46:48 Building Trust in AI and Automation 54:55 The Future of Design in Construction 01:06:09 Inspiring Transformation in the Construction Industry