Episode 41 CJ Nielsen

Episode 41 CJ Nielsen

CJ Nielsen of CNC Electric Co. joins us to share what it's really like running an electrical sub-contracting business from the inside. We get into scaling, systems, crew structure, and how he manages everything from small projects to ultra-high-end builds — each with their own tech stacks, client expectations, and GC dynamics. CJ breaks down what keeps his work consistently sharp no matter the job size. Then we go deep — lighting controls, solar, all-electric (fossil-free) homes, load-shedding panels, and the latest in battery tech. This one's packed. Hope you walk away with as many takeaways as I did. Learn more about Ep. 41 Guest: @CNC_Electric @thebuildshow contributor @finehomebuilding brand ambassador Project per year: 8-15 projects per year Yearly Revenue: $1.5 million Employees: 5-6 (including Dave) Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW @apple @spotify @youtube Sponsors: www.durationmillwork.com  @durationmouldingandmillwork  www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com @hdpocketdoors www.shubee.com @shubeeshoecovers Show Merch: upstatemerch.com @upstatemerch Local Sponsor: www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs! @HireSmooth

Episode 40 Dave Hanes

Dave Hanes is a second-generation builder running a family-owned boutique firm in Northern California. He learned the trade working alongside his father at Hanes Construction — a shop built on hustle, handyman work, and the occasional $200k renovation. The strategy was simple: ballpark the numbers, stay busy, and hope for the best. Dave wanted more. He set his sights on architects and high-end custom projects, which forced him to build real systems, tighten his estimating, and elevate every level of his operation to compete for the work he actually wanted. We cover 25 years of lessons — what's evolved, what's held firm, and what it really takes to grow a boutique build firm without losing what makes it special. You're going to love this one. Learn more about Ep. 40 Guest: @hanes_construction_inc www.hanes-construction.com Project size: $2-5Million Project per year: 1-2 flagship projects per year, infill w/ a couple small projects Yearly Revenue: $5million Employees: 10 (including Dave) Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW @apple @spotify @youtube Sponsors: www.durationmillwork.com  @durationmouldingandmillwork  www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com @hdpocketdoors www.shubee.com @shubeeshoecovers Show Merch: upstatemerch.com @upstatemerch Partnerships: projektnetwork.com @projektnetwork Local Sponsor: www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs! @HireSmooth

Episode 39 Matthew Logue

Matthew Logue of Matte Building Pty | Newcastle, Australia We dive into what’s the same—and what’s completely different—about construction and renovations on the other side of the world. Matt’s cut from the same cloth. Came up through the trades on a similar path, with a real love for building and creating. But where things split? He’s scaled—taking his company from just him and his sister (part-time) to a tight team of 10. No shortcuts. Builders who take pride in every swing of the hammer. We get into how he built that team, earned his reputation, and what it actually felt like hiring that first employee… versus what keeps him up at night now. Great dude. Building something special down in Australia. Hope you enjoy the chat with Matt. Learn more about Ep. 38 Guest: @mattebuilding www.mattebuilding.com.au Project size: $500k-$1.5mil Project per year: 4-8 projects per year Yearly Revenue: $2.2mil Employees: 10 (including Matt) Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW @apple @spotify @youtube Sponsors: www.durationmillwork.com  @durationmouldingandmillwork  www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com @hdpocketdoors www.shubee.com @shubeeshoecovers Show Merch: upstatemerch.com @upstatemerch Partnerships: projektnetwork.com @projektnetwork Local Sponsor: www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs! @HireSmooth

Episode 38 Jason Pietruszka

Jason Pietruszka of JJP Construction, out of Los Angeles, joins us this week on the pod. Jason takes us back to 2008 — when his dad gave him that first nudge into the industry. From there, he’s gone on to build 250+ homes… starting in production, where there’s little to no connection to the end product, to where he is today — designing and building homes in the Palisades, rebuilding in areas impacted by the wildfires. Through his architecture and design firm, Shelter, and his semi-custom construction company, JJP Construction, Jason’s now controlling the full process — from concept to completion. We get into building a team, AI agents, TikTok, branding, lump sum contracts — the pros, the pitfalls — and everything in between. Hope you enjoy this one. Learn more about Ep. 38 Guest: @jjpconstruction @shelterhomesla @goldlandscapers www.jjpconstructioninc.com Project size: $1-4Million Project per year: 10-15 projects per year Employees: 6-8 Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW @apple @spotify @youtube Sponsors: www.durationmillwork.com  @durationmouldingandmillwork  www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com @hdpocketdoors www.shubee.com @shubeeshoecovers Show Merch: upstatemerch.com @upstatemerch Partnerships: projektnetwork.com @projektnetwork Local Sponsor: www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs! @HireSmooth

Episode 37 Chad Coll

Chad Coll of C.S. Spoon & Co. is doing what a lot of us in construction have done — turning a hobby into a business. And the path? It’s almost too familiar. This wasn’t some calculated move chasing market share — “let me go grab 5% or 10% of the spoon market.” Nope. Life unfolded… and Chad stumbled into a niche that gave him purpose, allowed him to support his family, and actually be present — not stuck on-call, running a maintenance grind. There’s something real about that. Chad’s story hit home for me. It’s a reminder that not everything has to be forced or over-engineered… sometimes you’ve got to roll with it and see where it leads. Maybe something better is waiting on the other side of that. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. Learn more about Ep. 37 Guest: @cs_spoonco www.csspoonco.com Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW @apple @spotify @youtube Sponsors: www.durationmillwork.com  @durationmouldingandmillwork  www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com @hdpocketdoors www.shubee.com @shubeeshoecovers Show Merch: upstatemerch.com @upstatemerch Partnerships: projektnetwork.com @projektnetwork Local Sponsor: www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs! @HireSmooth