Every episode of First Shift. Real conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
with Andrew Lyon (Studio Lyon/Szot)
Architect Andrew Lyon discusses bridging design and construction, critical collaboration philosophy, and how AI serves as operational tooling rather than creative replacement.
with Peter C Brumley
Denver commercial realtor and GC VP Peter Brumley discusses the gray collar professional role, commercial tenant improvements, post-COVID office trends, and why AI cannot fully replace complex estimating.
with Jim Heimler (JHAI)
Founder Jim Heimler of JHAI shares his journey as an ecoist architect with 3,600+ projects, integrating structural engineering with design, eliminating waste, and how AI could restore heart and soul to architecture.
with Nicole Davis (Fortitude)
Nicole Davis, founder of nonprofit Fortitude, discusses her transition from Wall Street to creating a Life Mastery curriculum that builds confidence and skills in underserved youth through hands-on construction projects.
with Lori Tschohl (Eagle Pipe Heating & Air)
Lori Tschohl details her career arc from McDonald's franchisee to jewelry store owner to HVAC entrepreneur, applying franchise discipline to trades, early AI adoption for dispatch, and her role as President of Women in HVACR.
with Austin Park (Visual Installers)
Austin Park chronicles his evolution from living in his truck to building a nationwide vinyl wrap installation company, with radical AI adoption for estimating, operations, and training AI as a strategic advisor.
with Jeff Wieland
Third-generation builder Jeff Wieland discusses transitioning from volume-based to high-luxury low-volume building, the Mutual Success Agreement for boundary-setting, managing client indecision, and prioritizing mental health over hustle culture.
with Malcolm MacInnes
Veteran GC Malcolm MacInnes shares 40+ years spanning high-rise condos to airport hangars, making your own luck, the Two-Week Look Ahead scheduling method, the iPad complacency problem, and why field staff should memorize jobsites.
with Ben Parco (Parco Studio)
Ben Parco discusses leaving corporate architecture (Google, Uber) for residential design, the Parco Studio Process, viewing himself as a fiduciary artist, and why AI tools like Midjourney represent backward steps for architects.
with Jess Glowacki (EcoPhi)
Regenerative designer Jess Glowacki of EcoPhi discusses living machines using hemp, sorghum, and bamboo, the L3C business model capping profits for affordability, BIM integration, and micro-factories for local material manufacturing.
with Jim Zack (Zack | de Vito Architecture + Construction)
Jim Zack combines licensing as both architect and contractor. Discussion covers the Design-Build model, managing client cost expectations, leveraging AI for proposals and admin, and the pipeline problem of business development.
with Barry Gordon (Gordon's Downsizing and Estate Services)
Barry Gordon discusses transforming a 1950s livestock auction house into integrated real estate and transition services, gap services, online auctions, managing estate transitions, and why project management is undervalued.
with Justin D'Angelo (Printera 3D)
Justin D'Angelo discusses transitioning from IT to 3D concrete printing technology, the chemistry of rapid-set concrete, why focusing on architectural jewelry beats residential housing, and advice on avoiding over-planning.
with Greg Schenk (The Schenk Company)
Commercial real estate veteran Greg Schenk discusses his renter's bodyguard approach, refusing landlord commissions, building trusted advisor networks, and AI's role in lease audits versus the human spidey-sense for detecting problematic deals.
with Alison Alston (Lodestone Real Estate)
Alison Alston discusses how AI voice bots are helping contractors reclaim time, why the industry is getting coasted, and the real impact of automation on service businesses.