The #1 Question Homeowners Never Ask About Concrete

The #1 Question Homeowners Never Ask About Concrete

Why does concrete crack, and how do you make a driveway, patio, or parking lot last decades instead of years? Pat Gerlach of Concrete Solutions Unlimited breaks it all down on 2 B's in a Podcast. In Episode 20, hosts and brothers Brad Jans and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation, a commercial construction company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sit down with Pat Gerlach, Field Superintendent at Concrete Solutions Unlimited (CSU), a full-service concrete contractor in Sioux Falls and part of the Jans family of companies. With more than two decades in the concrete trade, from pouring and finishing to field management, Pat answers the questions homeowners and business owners never think to ask. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - Cement vs. concrete: what the difference actually is (and why it matters when you order a mix) - The one question almost nobody asks a concrete contractor: how do I care for my concrete after the pour? - Why drainage and downspouts quietly destroy driveways, sidewalks, and foundations from underneath - What freeze-thaw heaving is, and why your patio seems to "grow" every South Dakota winter - What salt and ice melt really do to a concrete surface, and safer winter alternatives - Good cracks vs. bad cracks, and how joints tell concrete where to crack - Rebar vs. fiberglass bar vs. wire mesh for driveways and flatwork - Why curing is the most skipped step in concrete, and what spalling looks like when it goes wrong - Concrete vs. asphalt: which parking lot surface lasts longer and why - How a 3D laser screed let the CSU crew place 180 yards, 18 ready-mix trucks, in about an hour - When to schedule a driveway replacement, realistic lead times, and why waiting rarely saves money CHAPTERS 0:00 What separates a foundation that lasts from one that fails? 1:34 Welcome to 2 B's in a Podcast: meet Pat Gerlach of Concrete Solutions Unlimited 1:52 Cement vs. concrete: setting the record straight 2:40 Mix designs 101: 4,000 PSI, high early, and waterproof mixes 3:52 Working inside the Jans family of companies 4:44 The wildest pour: 180 yards in about an hour with a 3D laser screed 5:59 What full-service concrete means on a commercial job 6:53 How weather makes or breaks a pour 8:44 Building relationships with other general contractors 9:38 The question homeowners never ask: caring for concrete after the pour 11:00 Downspouts, drainage, and what water does under your slab 12:57 Why concrete heaves in winter: the freeze-thaw cycle explained 13:55 Salt, ice melt, and safer winter care for driveways and sidewalks 16:07 Sealing your concrete: DIY or hire a pro? 16:57 Good cracks vs. bad cracks, and how to repair one 19:03 Rebar vs. fiberglass bar vs. wire mesh 20:00 Where owners overspend and cut corners: curing 101 22:36 Curling, flat floors, and robot-ready warehouse slabs 23:57 Vibration, voids, and the art of consolidation 26:45 Why adding water to the truck ruins your concrete 27:55 The spalling problem that hit driveways after COVID 30:30 Concrete vs. asphalt: which really lasts longer? 33:02 Concrete MythBusters: winter pours, 28-day strength, stamped concrete, hairline cracks 38:00 The most underrated pour Pat ever finished 40:47 When to plan your concrete project (and current lead times) 43:38 The one thing every owner should do each year 44:38 Handprints, memorial pours, and wrap-up COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE Q: What is the difference between cement and concrete? A: Cement is an ingredient in concrete. Concrete is a mix of cement, water, and aggregate. Cement is the powder that binds it together. Q: How do I make my concrete driveway last longer? A: Keep water away from it. Slope drainage and downspouts away from the slab, seal the joints and surface, shovel snow promptly, and go easy on ice melt. Q: Does concrete last longer than asphalt? A: In Pat's experience, yes. He has replaced far more failed asphalt with concrete than the other way around, especially in parking lots. Q: Are cracks in concrete always bad? A: No. Joints are placed to control where concrete cracks. Cracking becomes a problem when it is excessive or when moisture gets in and makes it worse. ABOUT THE GUEST Pat Gerlach is Field Superintendent at Concrete Solutions Unlimited in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. CSU handles foundations, footings, interior floors, curb and gutter, sidewalks, paving, stamped concrete, and snow removal for commercial and residential clients across the Sioux Falls area. Website: https://www.concretesolutionsunlimited.com Phone: (605) 331-5267 ABOUT 2 B'S IN A PODCAST 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by brothers Brad Jans and Brian Jans, owners of Jans Corporation, a commercial construction company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Each episode features conversations with the family business owners, builders, and community leaders shaping Sioux Falls and the region. Subscribe for more conversations with the people building Sioux Falls. #ConcreteDriveway #SiouxFalls #2BsInAPodcast #Construction #FamilyBusiness

J&L Harley-Davidson's 50-Year Story: Joe & Jimmy Entenman

Two brothers who build things sit down with two brothers who build motorcycle culture. On this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation host Joe and Jimmy Entenman, the second-generation owners of J&L Harley-Davidson in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for an honest, funny conversation about running a 50-year family business. What started in 1975 — when the Entenman family answered an Argus Leader ad to become a single-line Harley-Davidson dealer — has grown into a Sioux Falls institution. Joe and Jimmy talk about learning the business by cleaning bathrooms and pulling weeds, earning their way into ownership over a 15-year transition, buying out their father Jim and uncle Lonnie, and carrying a family legacy that goes back to 1900 in Sioux Falls. It's a real look at family, culture, community, and what it takes to keep a business relevant for half a century. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE - What actually makes someone a "biker" — and why the culture is growing, not shrinking - How the Entenman family won the Harley franchise in 1975 out of 20-plus applicants - Why earning ownership beat being handed it — and how family businesses survive the transition - How J&L grew into Big Sioux Powersports and Harley-Davidson of Fargo - Inside the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy, which trains as many as 200 new riders a year - The oddest jobs of growing up in the business (yes, including the oil-wrestling story) - Why Sturgis matters to South Dakota — and the rain, the T-boned deer, and the global crowd - How the brothers build culture, treat every customer the same, and sell rider-to-rider - Giving back: Make-A-Wish, Emily's Hope, veterans groups, and the Ride for Heroes challenge CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: a few too many beers & a borrowed leather coat 03:25 Welcome: two sets of brothers, and what makes a "real biker" 05:38 Outlaw origins: WWII vets, the first clubs & going mainstream 09:15 The J&L story: answering an Argus Leader ad in 1975 11:38 Growing the family: Fargo, Big Sioux Powersports, Can-Am & Royal Enfield 17:58 The Harley-Davidson Riding Academy: up to 200 new riders a year 21:29 The oddest jobs of growing up in the business 24:43 The 100th-anniversary "oil wrestling" that went sideways 26:20 Sturgis stories: rain, a T-boned deer & a worldwide crowd 35:22 The evolution of the bike: lighter frames, the V-Rod & Livewire 43:48 Building culture: bike nights & treating everyone the same 47:09 Beer & Pretzels with Yogi & passing it to the next generation 52:49 Off the clock: cabinets, Traegers & 25-minute rips 56:04 The most overrated thing about biker culture 58:09 "Make a friend": how J&L sells rider-to-rider 01:00:04 Ride for Heroes & giving back to Sioux Falls ABOUT THE GUESTS Joe and Jimmy Entenman are brothers and co-owners of J&L Harley-Davidson, founded in 1975 by their father, Jim Entenman, and uncle Lonnie Entenman (the "J" and "L" in J&L). Based just off I-29 (Exit 83) at 2601 W. 60th Street North in Sioux Falls, the dealership marked its 50th anniversary in 2025. The Entenman family's operations include J&L Harley-Davidson (Sioux Falls), Big Sioux Powersports (Sioux Falls), Harley-Davidson of Fargo (West Fargo, ND), and Glacial Lakes Harley-Davidson (Watertown, SD). J&L is known across the region for Hot Harley Nights, Soo Foo Moto Fest, monthly bike nights, the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy, and its longtime support of Sioux Falls community causes. ABOUT 2 B's IN A PODCAST 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by brothers Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation, a commercial construction company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The show goes beyond the blueprint to tell the stories of Sioux Falls family businesses, community leaders, and the people building the community forward. New conversations with the owners, founders, and characters who shape Sioux Falls and the surrounding region. Like this episode, share it with someone who'd enjoy it, and drop a comment below — we read them.

From Army Farm Kid to Running a 3rd-Generation Steel Company | P&M Steel

Every building in Sioux Falls is standing on something you'll never see — the steel. In this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation sit down with Mike DeJong, President of P&M Steel, to talk about the work behind the walls: structural steel fabrication, the backbone that holds up the city's schools, stores, and skyline. P&M Steel started in 1970 and is now a third-generation, employee-owned (ESOP) company in Sioux Falls. Mike's own path there wasn't a straight line — he grew up on a family farm in Platte, South Dakota, spent roughly 30 years in the military and National Guard, deployed alongside his own father in 2003, and met his wife on deployment before working his way up to run the company. This is a real conversation about what it actually takes to fabricate steel on a deadline, why communication makes or breaks a project, and how a blue-collar trade is changing with technology, tariffs, and a tight market. In this episode: * The P&M Steel story — three generations and an employee-owned shop * From the Army to the steel floor: Mike's road to running the company * Deploying with his dad — and a Vietnam vet finally getting his welcome home * Why steel is the backbone of a building (and the parts nobody sees) * When is the right time to build? Reading the shop, the schedule, and the market * How 20–25 people touch a single project from bid to delivery * The real timeline: 12–16 weeks from drawings to steel on site * Tariffs, interest rates, and the risk of buying steel before approval * Building schools — including the Harrisburg Freshman Academy his daughter sat in first * Technology and automation: from hand layout to one machine that does it all * Welding programs, young talent, and the future of the trade * Family business, succession, and letting your kids find their own path * Rapid fire: steel vs. concrete vs. wood, and what GCs get wrong ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 The steel keeps getting bigger 00:52 Welcome to 2 B's in a Podcast 01:23 Meet Mike DeJong & P&M Steel 01:55 Three generations of P&M Steel 02:55 From the Army to running a steel company 04:01 Growing up on a Platte, SD farm 05:55 Deploying alongside his own dad 07:01 What people don't understand about steel 07:43 When is the right time to build? 09:17 Bigger city, bigger steel 10:05 Surviving COVID 11:00 Choosing partners — why communication wins 13:27 The backbone nobody sees 14:53 Building schools & the Harrisburg Freshman Academy 15:44 How many hands touch one project 16:45 Drawings to delivery: the real timeline 17:58 Steel mills, buying, and tariffs 20:57 Welding programs & young talent 22:18 Technology: from hand layout to one machine 24:24 Family, kids & finding your own path 26:41 Back to the farm? Cattle, small towns & the hat 29:15 Rapid fire 31:01 The toughest builds: dairy barn trusses & curved steel 33:01 Backlog, paint, finishes & galvanizing 33:57 EOS and the 5–10 year vision 36:18 Employee-owned: what ESOP really means 36:55 Military leadership on the shop floor 38:54 The future of PNM Steel 39:52 Where to find PNM Steel 40:56 Small jobs, big jobs — steel for your home too 41:37 Keep building 🏗️ About the guest Mike DeJong is the President of P&M Steel, a third-generation, employee-owned structural steel fabrication company in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serving the region from Pierre to Aberdeen and into Minnesota and Iowa. 📍 4401 Northwest Port Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 🌐 p,steel.net 🎙️ About the show 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation — a Sioux Falls commercial construction company. We go beyond the blueprint to talk about construction, family business, leadership, ranching, and the people building South Dakota. Connect with Jans Corporation: 🌐 https://www.janscorp.com [https://www.janscorp.com] 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/company/jans-corp/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jans-corp/] 📘 https://www.facebook.com/janscorp/ [https://www.facebook.com/janscorp/] 📸 https://www.instagram.com/janscorporation/ [https://www.instagram.com/janscorporation/] If something here resonated, like the episode, share it with someone in the trades, and subscribe for new conversations every week. #P&MSteel #SteelFabrication #SiouxFalls #SouthDakota #StructuralSteel

Nyberg's Ace Hardware: 7 Stores, One Family, and a Cat Named Kevin

Nyberg's Ace Hardware has been Sioux Falls' helpful place for 68 years — across 7 stores, three generations, and one very memorable cat. This is the story. In this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad and Brian Jans (Jans Corporation) sit down with Kevin Nyberg and his daughter Kelly Nyberg at the flagship 41st & Minnesota store to talk about how a 1958 wrong-turn detour from Hibbing, Minnesota turned into one of South Dakota's most recognized family businesses — Nyberg's Ace Hardware, Nyberg's Dakota Workwear, and Nyberg's Ace Handyman Services. 🔨 What you'll learn: - How Kevin's dad picked Sioux Falls over Torrington, Wyoming in 1958 — and why being the first retailer on 41st Street in 1969 still pays off today - The full history of the downtown Nyberg's Ace location (yes, the old Sid's Liquor — with the Texaco pump, bakery pans, and Al Neuharth / USA Today / Sodak Sports backstory) - Why "Don't chase, Nyberg's Ace is the place" still drives every location decision — and where the next three Sioux Falls stores might land (57th & Highway 100 is the one everyone asks about) - Kelly Nyberg's path from LA stand-in for Selena Gomez to Dakota News Now host to running hiring and marketing at the family business - How the team keeps 27- and 40-year employees — and why hiring people with disabilities is core to the Nyberg's culture - Hot Classic Nights — 10th year of the downtown car show benefiting the Shriners - Why Kevin's dad was the first to bring Weber Grills to South Dakota, and why Ego battery-powered lawn equipment is flying off the shelves right now - The Janss Corp + Nyberg's build history — 10th & Sycamore, Sartoma & 41st, and what goes into laying out a hardware store - The story behind a cat named Kevin Nyberg (you'll have to listen) ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Inside the downtown store: Texaco pumps, bakery pans & Sid's history 00:53 Welcome — meet Kevin and Kelly Nyberg 01:52 The buffalo Hawaiian shirt story 03:39 Is anyone nervous about doing a podcast? 04:10 1958: Hibbing, a wrong turn, and how Sioux Falls beat Torrington Wyoming 05:53 1969 — Nyberg's becomes the first retailer on 41st Street 07:55 Kevin's first paycheck at age 9 — pulling every bolt out of every bin 09:12 Helpful is the culture — traditions Kevin keeps alive 11:05 "Don't chase, Nyberg's Ace is the place" — convenience, quality, helpful 12:25 The downtown store — Sid's Liquor, Texaco, and the USA Today connection 14:14 Hot Classic Nights — 10 years of downtown car shows 16:10 The "golden ticket" — three Sioux Falls parcels and what's next 18:36 Kelly Nyberg: from LA acting to Dakota News Now 22:31 The cat named Kevin Nyberg 26:36 The future of Nyberg's Ace — Eric, the next generation 28:14 The team, the culture, and the 27- and 40-year employees 31:10 Word-of-mouth hiring and why retention is up 60% 32:48 What Sioux Falls is doing right 34:35 The Jans Corporation x Nyberg's build history 36:37 Inside the store layout — visual merchandising the helpful way 39:35 Advice for multi-generational family business 41:10 Family rules and Kelly as "interim CEO" 43:13 What's next — 57th & Highway 100 44:07 Best sellers — Ego, Weber, and Poppy's Popcorn 48:09 Rapid-fire: historical finds at the downtown store 49:14 Who's the better griller? 50:22 The one unwritten rule of working with dad 52:39 Wrapping up 🏢 About the guests: Kevin Nyberg is the second-generation owner of Nyberg's Ace Hardware in Sioux Falls, South Dakota — a 68-year-old family business with five Ace locations (41st & Minnesota, 12th & Kiwanis, 10th & Sycamore, Downtown, Sartoma & 41st), plus Nyberg's Dakota Workwear, Nyberg's Ace Handyman Services, a Watertown store, and a B2B supply division. Kelly Nyberg is on-air at Dakota News Now (segments and the quarterly "Welcome Home" show), and leads hiring and marketing at Nyberg's Ace. 🎙️ About 2 B's in a Podcast: 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation — a Sioux Falls-based commercial construction company. We talk beyond the blueprint about family business, the construction world, ranching, and what keeps people building and moving forward. 🔗 Connect: - Nyberg's Ace Hardware → https://www.nybergsace.com - Jans Corporation → https://www.janscorp.com - Subscribe for new episodes weekly 👍 If something here resonated — a story, a stat, or the cat — like the video, share it with someone in the trades or in a family business, and drop a comment below. #NybergsAceHardware #SiouxFalls #FamilyBusiness #SouthDakota #AceHardware

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum on Crime & Growth

What if Sioux Falls is actually getting safer — not more dangerous — and the perception gap is the real story? In this full episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, hosts Brad and Brian Jans (owners of Jans Corporation, a Sioux Falls commercial construction company) sit down with Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about policing, growth, civic responsibility, and what's actually happening inside one of America's fastest-growing small cities. Chief Thum has spent 20 years with the Sioux Falls Police Department. He grew up at 16th and Duluth in Pettigrew Heights — the same neighborhood he would later patrol as a young officer. Lincoln High School. University of Sioux Falls. A sales job he hated. And the moment he and his wife both pivoted into the work they felt called to do. Twenty years in, he says it was absolutely the right call. What you'll hear in this episode: The numbers vs. the perception. Sioux Falls violent crime is at a six-year per capita low. Property crime is at a per capita low. The city is adding 5,000–6,000 people a year and is now larger than Des Moines proper — yet the narrative many people carry is that crime is getting worse. Chief Thum unpacks why click-driven news and social media drive perception more than statistics. The mentorship gap. He and Mayor Paul TenHaken pushed for 75 mentors across three Title I schools. In a city of 225,000+, only 36 people signed up. The Chief is honest about his frustration — and equally honest that policing alone can't solve the upstream issues that show up downstream as crime. Camp Postcard. A program nobody talks about. For five years, SFPD school resource officers have identified at-risk sixth graders and sent them to camp counseled by cops, with measurable downstream effects on behavior, school performance, and trust in law enforcement. What keeps the Chief up at night. Officer safety in an era when more weapons are being brandished against officers, the gap between parole and meaningful supervision, and the conversation Sioux Falls needs to have about recidivism. The Christmas Eve story. A domestic-violence case that ended in a SWAT call-out in Marion, South Dakota — and an entire team that showed up on Christmas Eve without anyone asking twice. The Chief's reframe of "family first" hits different once you hear it. What cops don't control. The laws. The Chief on why a basic civics refresher might be the most underrated public-safety reform in the country, and the one law he'd write today if he could (hint: smoke-shop synthetic drugs). Construction, crime, and a story Brad and Brian know firsthand. The episode closes with a real Jans Corporation case study — a GPS tracker hidden inside a decoy generator on a Sioux Falls jobsite, tracked off Cliff Avenue, leading to the recovery of a substantial cache of stolen property. Plus the time three Jans Corp decking guns disappeared from a site and reappeared in an apartment closet after a fire alarm. Real lessons for construction companies, homeowners, and small businesses on how to stop being easy targets. Technology, body cams, license plate readers. Why Madison, South Dakota currently has more LPRs than Sioux Falls — and how that technology is already moving cases. Jail and training facility design. Why the new Sioux Falls public safety training center came in at the right time, and what modern correctional and training architecture makes possible for staff and inmates alike. About the guest: Jon Thum is the Chief of the Sioux Falls Police Department, a 20-year veteran of the department who previously served on SWAT and rose through patrol, investigations, and command. A lifelong Sioux Falls resident, Lincoln High School and University of Sioux Falls graduate, he leads a department of more than 340 people serving a city of 225,000+. About 2 B's in a Podcast: 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by Brad and Brian Jans, owners of Jans Corporation — a Sioux Falls-based commercial construction company. Each episode, the Jans brothers sit down with family business owners, founders, and community leaders across South Dakota to talk about building things that last: businesses, buildings, partnerships, and the community itself. Connect with the Sioux Falls Police Department: Website: https://www.siouxfalls.gov/government/departments/police Non-emergency: 605-367-7000 · Emergency: 911 Connect with Jans Corporation: Website: https://www.janscorp.com Chapters: 00:00 McGruff makes a cameo 00:32 Welcome to 2 B's in a Podcast 01:42 How Jon got into law enforcement 06:01 The identical twin brother story 09:11 Sioux Falls growth — and what the crime numbers actually say 12:30 The mentorship gap: 36 sign-ups in a city of 225,000 13:48 Staffing a police force for a city the size of Des Moines 16:54 Recruiting and the national narrative around policing 19:11 What keeps the Chief up at night 21:21 The Christmas Eve hostage call in Marion, SD 23:48 The biggest misconception about crime in Sioux Falls 27:05 Camp Postcard — the program nobody talks about 29:55 What cops don't actually control 31:14 The one law Chief Thum would write today 35:30 An early-career story you won't forget 38:50 Mental health calls and what the system left to police 43:00 Body cams, vehicle GPS, and solving cases with footage 47:24 Jail and prison design — why it matters 51:21 Inside the new Sioux Falls public safety training center 53:57 Construction site crime and a Jans Corp GPS bait sting 1:00:28 Phishing, payroll fraud, and the new crime landscape 1:03:50 Lock your doors, lights, and cameras 1:04:42 The Jans Corp decking guns story 1:06:35 The best part of the job 1:07:11 Cop TV show recs 1:09:11 What criminals hope you don't know 1:10:26 Closing thanks