Bred To Build - Construction Podcast

Victor Sella from United Contractors joins us for a candid conversation on one of the most overlooked parts of running a construction business: payroll, certified payroll, compliance, and back office infrastructure.We dig into why so many contractors invest heavily in the field while ignoring the systems behind the scenes that directly affect profitability, employee trust, and long term growth. Victor shares what he has learned from working with more than 500 contractors, including the common payroll mistakes that quietly cost companies real money every year.We also get into: Union payroll complexityOutdated softwareAI hypeAnd why the best operators are not just better builders, but better system thinkers. Keith brings a real world operator perspective on what it takes to scale, compete above your weight class, and build a business that treats people well without losing control of the numbers.This episode is for contractors who know the back office is not just overhead...it is infrastructure. And when your back-office runs a tight ship, payroll and compliance can become your biggest competitive advantage. --The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and industry conversations from the best of the best.Liking The Podcast? Subscribe. Drop a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialPodcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastHammr's Instagram @wearehammr   LinkedIn @hammrYouTube👷‍♂️ Victor Sella (Guest)LinkedInUnited Contractors👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedIn

Every contractor hits that moment... a big job lands in front of them, and they have to decide: is this rocket fuel or a grenade? Scott Peper has seen both play out hundreds of times. As founder and CEO of Mobilization Funding, Scott has spent over a decade working inside the cash flow crisis that quietly drives contractors out of business - and he knows exactly where the wheels come off.In this episode, Brek & Keith sit down with Scott to break down the real math behind growth: why bigger jobs aren't always better jobs, what most contractors don't account for before they sign on the dotted line, and how to use capital as a tool to build smarter - not just faster.Scott also gets candid about something most lenders would never say out loud: sometimes the best thing they can do for a contractor is tell them no.In this episode:The "rocket fuel vs. grenade" framework for evaluating job opportunities outside your normal scopeWhy your first government contract might be the most dangerous job you ever takeWhat disciplined, healthy growth actually looks like - and why flat years can be winsHow Mobilization Funding underwrites jobs the way a partner would, not just a bankFree tools and resources Scott's team offers whether you're a customer or notResources mentioned:MobilizationFunding.com — free cash flow tool, no strings attachedMobilization Mindset Podcast — construction banking, surety, insurance, and more--The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and industry conversations from the best of the best.Liking The Podcast? Subscribe. Drop a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialPodcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastHammr's Instagram @wearehammr   LinkedIn @hammrYouTube👷‍♂️ Scott Peper (Guest)LinkedInYouTubeMobilizationFunding.comMobilization Mindset Podcast👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedIn

Summary: Tara Cristel explains why subcontractors are built to work but forced to finance. After taking on a $700K project and now sitting 150+ days into a payment delay (with 200 days closing in fast) she started speaking publicly about the cash flow traps, predatory contract terms, and broken systems that keep subs acting like unwilling banks.You can run a lean business, support your crew, do the work, and still get crushed by a payment structure that was never designed to protect subcontractors. Tara Cristel knows that firsthand. She co-owns a commercial glass and glazing company with her husband, and after getting trapped in a massive payment delay, she started saying out loud what a lot of subs only talk about in private: the system is broken.Tara shares the story of a project that grew to roughly $700K, with nearly $500K in material exposure, where the GC expected her company to front the cost, keep performing, and wait indefinitely to get paid. 150+ days in and the damage has spread far beyond one invoice. Attorney fees have erased the project margin, the bank has tightened access to cash, and the business has been forced into survival mode - with 200 days on the horizon and still no check in sight.But this episode is bigger than one bad job. Tara walks through the mindset shift that came out of the crisis: vetting GCs before bidding, reading contracts differently, negotiating terms without apology, and using better tools to spot predatory language before it becomes a disaster. She also explains why she launched The Subcontractor Project and why she believes real reform is possible if more subcontractors start speaking up.This is a conversation about cash flow, leverage, risk, and the brutal reality of what happens when the companies building the jobsite are the last ones protected. If you're a subcontractor, this one will feel painfully familiar.Topics covered:What a near 200-Day pay app delay actually does to a small subcontractor businessWhy "paid when paid" and vague contract language can become a death sentenceHow subcontractors get pushed into acting like banks for general contractorsWhy Tara changed how she thinks about contracts, collections, and customer fitThe tools now helping her vet GCs, flag risk, and negotiate smarterWhy she believes industry reform may be closer than people think--The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and industry conversations from the best of the best. Liking The Podcast? Drop a review. Share with friend.--Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Payroll, HR, Field Ops & Compliance - built for specialty contractors. --Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Tara Cristel (Guest)LinkedIn👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedIn

You can run a tight crew, win good work, and still watch your subcontracting business bleed out. Chris Doyle has seen it happen more times than he can count - and he built Billd to stop it.Chris has been in construction since he was 16. He's framed houses, worked disaster recovery, built renewable energy projects, and eventually found himself fluent in two languages most people can't speak at the same time: construction and finance. That intersection became Billd - a specialty lender in the country built specifically for subcontractors.In this episode, Chris breaks down why cash flow problems aren't a sign of a bad business - they're actually a sign your business is working. He explains why your net profit is silently funding your growth instead of going in your pocket, why "we don't borrow money" is often the most expensive philosophy a sub can have, and what a daily cash report can do for a business that no amount of hustle can replace.He also gets into Billd's new Predictable Pay program - and how partnering with GCs to release payments faster ends up being the most pro-sub move they've made yet.Topics covered:The cash flow problem hiding inside every profitable subcontracting businessWhy retained earnings aren't a safety net - they're a trapHow to think about your capital stack (and what "adequate leverage" actually means)What Billd evaluates before extending working capital - and what they don't care aboutWhy GCs and subs fundamentally misunderstand each other's timelineThe one daily habit that separates businesses that survive from those that don't--The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and industry conversations from the best of the best.Liking The Podcast? Drop a review. Share with friend.--Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Chris Doyle (Guest)LinkedInBilld.com👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedIn

Public work is booming. Infrastructure, data centers, CHIPS Act money. But most contractors still avoid it because of fear, paperwork, and compliance headaches.In this episode, we sit down with Jason Sperfslage from Beneco (part of FuturePlan by Ascensus) to break down how to stop treating fringe as “just compliance” and start using it as a competitive weapon.You’ll learn:Why paying fringe in cash quietly crushes your marginsHow to turn fringe into six-figure savings on payroll taxesThe basics of fringe benefits: what’s allowed, what’s not, and who decidesHow to structure benefits so your bids are sharper and more competitiveReal numbers from a paving contractor who grew public work to ~50% of revenueWhy financial literacy and retirement planning matter so much in constructionThe simple math to estimate how much cash you’re wasting todayIf you’re doing (or thinking about doing) prevailing wage work and feel buried in contracts, certified payroll, and confusion about fringe — this episode will show you how to punch above your weight class without ending up in “spreadsheet hell” or on the front page for the wrong reasons.--The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and industry conversations from the best of the best.Liking The Podcast? Share a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Jason Sperfslage (Guest) Beneco.com 👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedIn

We sit down with Aaron Witt of BuildWitt to unpack what it really takes to build the next generation of the dirt world - from personal reinvention, workforce transformation, and evolving BuildWitt into a modern Learning Management platform built for infrastructure contractors. Topics:Aaron’s Journey: From Bulldozer-Obsessed Kid to Dirt World LeaderWhy the Dirt World Workforce Crisis Threatens Our FutureBuildWitt’s Shift: From Media Company to Daily Training PlatformSecond-Chance Employment: Rebuilding Lives, Not Just ResumésTeaching Money, Marriage, and Life Skills on the JobInnovation in Construction: Killing Bad Ideas and Iterating FastCulture That Sticks: Radical Honesty, Loyalty, and Going First as a LeaderThe Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and more raw, unfiltered industry conversations from the best of the best.Liking The Podcast? Share a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Aaron Witt (Guest)LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeWebsite: BuildWittPodcast: Dirt TalkDirt Talk Episode 380 w/ Brek Goin & Aaron Witt  👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedInWebsite

We sit down with Benjamin Holmgren of Ground Crew to uncover his journey from a blue-collar upbringing to building a community that supports contractors for long-term success.Topics:From Mini Excavators to Ground Crew: Benjamin’s Unique Path  Life-Altering Moments: Resilience and a Shift in Perspective  The Ground Crew Model: Connecting Contractors for Growth  Leadership Lessons: Humility, Hunger, and Building Trust  Industry Insights: Challenges and Opportunities in Construction  The Balance of Chaos and Improvement in Business  Applying Ultra-Marathon Mindset to Business Goals  The Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and more raw, unfiltered industry conversations from the best of the best. Liking The Podcast? Leave a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR.--Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Benjamin Holmgren (Guest)LinkedIn Ground Crew👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedInWebsite

We sit down with Landon Morel of Southern Sun Paving to explore the journey of transforming a family paving business through modern leadership and strategic growth.Topics:Taking Over the Family Business: Navigating the Father-Son DynamicBuilding & Leading High-Performance CrewsThe Southern Sun Tempo: Setting the PaceSocial Media's Impact on Construction Business GrowthModernizing Operations: From Paper to DigitalFinding & Developing the Next GenerationBalancing Quality with GrowthCreating Sustainable Systems for ScaleThe Bred to Build Podcast is built for construction professionals looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and more raw, unfiltered industry conversations from the best of the best. Liking The Podcast? Leave a review. --Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Construction Payroll & HR. "We couldn't do this without Hammr." - Landon, Southern Sun--Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Landon Morel (Guest)@southernsunpaving👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedInWebsite

We talk show with Gloria Marie, a construction business owner and passionate advocate for women in trades and all folks in trades.  TopicsIndustry Perspectives on Women in ConstructionLeadership & CommunicationNext Generation DevelopmentNext Generation Salary Personal DevelopmentIndustry Trends & AIThe Bred to Build Podcast is built for everyone looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and more raw, unfiltered industry conversations. Liking The Podcast? Leave an awesome review--Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Construction Payroll, HR & Operations.Built for specialty contractors who want to simplify Payroll & HR. --Connect on SocialFollow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Gloria MarieLinkedInWebsite👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedInWebsite

We talk show with Angelo Suntres, a passionate advocate for construction workforce transformation, to dive deep into the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the industry today. TopicsThe Hard Truths (Expectations & Realities)Generational Divide: Old School & New School CollideMental Health & Construction Culture Leadership That Actually WorksSmashing The Class SystemThe Crossroads (Technology, Modern Leadership, Mental Health)Retention & Training Building Community The Bred to Build Podcast is built for everyone looking to learn, grow, and level up — subscribe now for fresh episodes and more raw, unfiltered industry conversations.  Liking The Podcast? Leave an awesome review--Podcast Powered by Hammr 🔨Hammr: Construction Payroll, HR & Operations — in one place--Connect on Social Follow our Podcast on Instagram @bredtobuildpodcastFollow Hammr's Instagram @wearehammr   👷‍♂️ Angelo SuntresLinkedInWebsite👷‍♂️ Brek (Co-Host)LinkedInHammr.com@wearehammr👷‍♂️ Keith Callaway Jr. (Co-Host)InstagramLinkedInWebsite