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Building Progress

Building Progress

By Builders Mutual

This podcast from Builders Mutual discusses trends and real-life events impacting construction job-sites today. Lively roundtable conversations feature a variety of engaging industry experts, from contractors and vendors to our own risk management consultants.

Host: Katie Mariani, Builders Mutual

About Builders Mutual
Builders Mutual is dedicated to moving the construction industry forward. We work with our customers to help their projects go as smoothly as possible by providing safety education, risk management consulting, and complete commercial insurance coverage. BuildersMutual.com
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Fixing Common Job-Site Mistakes

Building ProgressFeb 13, 2024

00:00
28:45
Fixing Common Job-Site Mistakes

Fixing Common Job-Site Mistakes


There’s no way to remove all the risks associated with construction, but Builders Mutual is giving it our best effort. Our purpose is to protect and advance the unique needs of the contractor community, and we are hopeful this episode will do just that. We’ll take a look at four of the most common safety mistakes on the job-site, sitting down with Builders Mutual Senior Risk Management Consultants Andrew Walters and Michelle Fox to find out why these mistakes happen so frequently and what we can do to ensure job-sites are taking the necessary steps to fix these issues.  

Feb 13, 202428:45
Starting Your Own Construction Business

Starting Your Own Construction Business

Have you always wanted to go out on your own? Thinking about taking the leap to start your own business? On this episode of Building Progress, we talk to two Builders Mutual policyholders who did just that. Carlos and Christina Calzadilla of SunSouth Carolinas and Ron Mitchell of MB Drywall join us to share what led to them starting their own business, the challenges they faced along the way, and advice they’d give to someone looking to get started.

Dec 20, 202331:40
Women in Construction

Women in Construction

In this special episode of the Building Progress podcast, we share a live recording from the North Carolina Home Builders Association’s Women in Construction panel. “Breaking the Concrete Ceiling” took place on the final day of the NCHBA’s 21st Century Building Expo and Conference and featured a celebration of women in the industry. The panel was moderated by the President of Brookline Homes, Andi Dirkschneider Bliss, and featured three leading women in building – 2023 NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, author of “The House That She Built” Mollie Elkman, and the CEO and Founder of Hope Renovations and 2022 NAHB Woman of the Year, Nora El-Khouri Spencer. They discussed how they all got into the industry, what needs to happen to get more women involved in building, who inspires them, and much more.

Oct 19, 202301:03:11
Innovation in the Construction Industry

Innovation in the Construction Industry

How are businesses tackling current challenges and changing the way they work? What are some of the latest trends we see as the industry evolves? And what will the industry look like as we move into the future? In this episode, host Katie Mariani gets answers to those questions and much more from Builders Mutual Executive Advisor Bill Schaffner and the Co-Founder and CEO of Plantd, Josh Dorfman. Bill has spent his entire career in the industry and specializes in focusing on what’s happening in the world of construction, and Josh’s company manufactures carbon-negative building materials in an attempt to push the industry forward while protecting the planet.


Jun 27, 202338:29
Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental Health in the Workplace

According to a 2021 study by the American Psychological Association, nearly 90% of employees across all industries think actions from their employers would help their mental health. In this episode, host Katie Mariani is joined by NCHBA President and Owner of Red Tree Builders, Brandon Bryant, as well as his Project Manager at Red Tree, Ryan Kuczynski. They discuss the importance of developing open lines of communication in the workplace around mental health and walk through what they’ve learned from their own personal mental health struggles.

Mar 10, 202329:25
Return-to-Work: Getting a Plan in Place

Return-to-Work: Getting a Plan in Place

A Return-to-Work program allows employees to remain engaged and be productive within their abilities during the injury recovery process, and is a key component for containing and minimizing the cost of Workers’ Compensation claims. In this episode of Building Progress, host Katie Mariani is joined by Builders Mutual Risk Management Regional Manager Stacey Kitchen and Builders Mutual Workers Compensation Claims Manager Wendy Maunu to discuss how policyholders and their employees can benefit from a Return-to-Work program.

Sep 20, 202224:39
Building a Culture of Safety

Building a Culture of Safety

At Builders Mutual, job-site safety is the driving force behind everything we do. And we talk regularly

with customers about the importance of building a culture of safety. In this episode of Building

Progress, we hear how one Florida roofing company made safety a priority—and is reaping the

benefits. Join host Katie Mariani as she talks with Giovanni Colon, Safety Director for

Professional Sunshine Roofing, and Josh Maher, his Builders Mutual Risk Management

Consultant.

Aug 08, 202234:22
Supply Chain Issues and Construction: Industry Impact and Response

Supply Chain Issues and Construction: Industry Impact and Response

Supply chain issues are currently impacting every facet of the economy. For construction, we’re in a unique industry cycle that is being affected by supply, labor, costs, and other factors. To address this important topic, Building Progress host, Katie Mariani, sits down with Dr. Robert Dietz, Chief Economist and Senior VP for Economics and Housing Policy for the National Association of Home Builders, and Mark Martin, home builder and owner of Sandmark Custom Homes.

Apr 01, 202236:12
The Significance of Connectivity - Establishing and maintaining a circle of professional influence

The Significance of Connectivity - Establishing and maintaining a circle of professional influence

You’ve probably heard that it’s not what you know but who you know. This is networking—and it’s a vital aspect of the construction industry. This episode of Building Progress, with our new host, Katie Mariani, focuses on the hows and whys of professional connectivity. Our guests, Brian Pace who is the principal manager of Charlotte-based Pace Development Group and Josh Chappell of Jennings Bryan Chappell Insurance, provide their insights about what it means to sustain relationships for successful business.

Jan 26, 202229:01
Perspectives on Construction Careers

Perspectives on Construction Careers

This special broadcast of Building Progress is from the floor of the 2020 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. We talk with a variety of professionals about the diverse career paths available within the industry. We also chatted with students who participated in the NAHB student competition, hearing their fresh perspective on how and why this industry is providing a bright future for each of them.

“I’m currently sitting on multiple job offers, still comparing them before I make a decision.”

  • Clemson student, Class of 2020
Aug 13, 202017:48
Responding To The Storm

Responding To The Storm

Customer experience matters

July 2020

This episode of Building Progress takes us to Nashville, Tennessee, shortly after the devastating tornadoes in early March. There, we spoke with two long-time customers, Goodall Homes and Cygnus Construction, as well as their agents. We discussed how the storm impacted their businesses, visited the devastated sites, and learned how the response from Builders Mutual affected the recovery experience.

“The first thing (Builders Mutual) asked was, ‘How’s your family? Are you all good?’ I really appreciated that.” ~Rich Pankow, Goodall Homes, Nashville, TN

Jul 23, 202021:23
A Crisis within a Crisis: Opioids Abuse in Construction

A Crisis within a Crisis: Opioids Abuse in Construction

Before COVID-19 became the top public health crisis in our country, opioid abuse and addiction dominated the headlines. Sadly, the construction industry is affected by opioids at a significantly higher rate than the general population. Now, with mandated social isolation of the pandemic further increasing the risks for addiction and overdose, this edition of Building Progress couldn’t be more relevant and timely. Here, Tina Hill, director of workers' compensation claims at Builder's Mutual and David Jaffe, VP legal advocacy with the national association of home builders, address the growing opioid crisis head on.

May 14, 202022:25
Women in Construction

Women in Construction

Growing opportunities to thrive.

Currently, women represent about 9% of the overall construction workforce—and this number is on the rise. At some job-sites, the male-to-female ratio is as high as 2:1. On this episode of Building Progress, you’ll hear straight talk about this demographic shift from two women in the industry: Judy Dinelle from 84 Lumber and Tara LeDuc from Builders Mutual. We’ll discuss the benefits of adding more women in construction and look at ways women can get involved in the industry.

“Women are poised to meet the need and the (industry’s labor) needs, and I encourage women to be part of these groundbreaking opportunities. You can start out by swinging a hammer and eventually own the construction company if you want. Be a role model and make a difference.” ~ Tara LeDuc

Mar 04, 202019:10
Good Hires in Tough Times

Good Hires in Tough Times

Employment tips to combat the labor shortage.

About 80% of construction firms can’t find the labor they need (ACG 2019). Combating the challenging labor shortage is our topic for this episode of Building Progress. Michele Hemric, an HR expert from Builder Mutual, along with Gary Embler from Niblock Homes, will be providing creative ideas for attracting—and keeping—good employees in this competitive job market.

“Creating a positive culture is key. Do your employees love coming to work, and do you love having them there?” ~ Michele Hemric

Feb 05, 202020:19
Put Your Guard Up—and Save Lives

Put Your Guard Up—and Save Lives

Guardrail safety on today’s construction job-site.

This episode of Building Progress focuses on an important yet overlooked safety practice: putting up guardrails. It takes just two minutes to install a guardrail, but the result can be the difference between life and death. Guests Andrew Hilliard, owner of SafetyMaker, and Sean Purcell, risk management technical manager with Builders Mutual, discuss why guardrail safety is so vital, and they address ways to empower construction workers to ensure their job-sites are safe for everyone.

“We all share the responsibly, so act on the safety issue that you see. It’s not just your life that you may save. It may also be somebody else’s." ~ Sean Purcell

Jan 16, 202020:16