Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder

Jesse
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  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

The Learnings and Missteps Podcast is about unconventional roads to success and the life lessons learned along the way.You will find a library of interviews packed with actionable take aways that you can apply as you progress on your path to Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Be.Through these interviews you will learn about the buttons you can push to be a better leader, carve your own path, and build your influence. Find yourself in their stories and know that your path is still ahead of you.

  1. Gas on the Fire: Advocating for Respect and Connection in Construction with Mia McGlynn

    4 DAYS AGO

    Gas on the Fire: Advocating for Respect and Connection in Construction with Mia McGlynn

    Jesse hosts the Learnings and Missteps podcast and introduces guest Mia McGlynn, a Pennsylvania-based construction influencer, writer, photographer, and fractional support partner who focuses on “the people behind the work.” Jesse gives an LnM Family shout-out to Bryce Ager for reviewing one of Jesse’s construction trainings, and notes his business offers training, coaching, and consulting. Maya explains her passion for blue-collar stories comes from building relationships and bridging gaps between management and shop/field workers, emphasizing retention and the need for leaders to “give a shit,” not just attract more people into the industry. They discuss treating people well as foundational to solving construction’s workforce challenges, rising interest in more human-centered workplaces, and how companies that only rely on pay raises and ignore relationships will be left behind. Jesse shares his view that people should leave poor leaders to find better environments and describes how supportive leadership  connect wit Mia Check out Crew Collaborative 00:00 Attraction vs. Retention: If Leaders Treat People Like Crap, Nothing Changes 00:21 Meet Maya McGlynn: Showing Up for the People Behind the Work 02:08 LnM Family Shoutout + What Jesse Actually Does (Training/Coaching/Consulting) 04:45 What Fires Maya Up: The People, the Shop Floor, and Bridging the Office–Field Gap 07:32 “Put Some Gas on the Fire”: Caring, Connection, and Why Liaison Roles Matter 14:25 The Human-Centered Shift: Mental Health, Culture Change, and Companies That Will Be Left Behind 19:56 Quit for a Better Leader: Unlocking Talent by Changing Environments 22:47 Zumba to Construction: Maya’s Fitness Journey and Accidental Entrepreneurship 28:07 Entrepreneurship as Survival: Divorce, Single-Mom Resourcefulness, and Building Independence 33:26 Seeing the People Behind the Work: Validation, Imposter Syndrome, and the Power of Humility 37:58 Learning to Accept Compliments: “I Receive That” + Permission to Celebrate 40:21 From Admin to Marketing: Finding the Holes and Creating Value at Work 43:31 Photography to Published Author: Turning Jobsite Photos into a Children’s Book 46:47 Advice for the Windowless-Office Grind: Skill Up, Build Proof, Move On 48:46 Building Workforce Pipelines: Fixing Leadership Gaps & Creating an Internship Program 51:39 Crew Collaborative Explained: Mission, Ambassadors, and How to Get Involved 54:26 Why the Podcast Exists: COVID, Trades Advocacy, and Doing Something About It 58:17 Money vs Meaning: Choosing Purpose, Setting Boundaries, and Mission-Driven Work 01:08:35 The Closing Question: “What Is the Promise You’re Intended to Be?” 01:14:16 Final Takeaways + Free PDF Gift and Send-Off Get the blueprint to Plan, Commit, and Execute your way into optimal performance: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    1h 16m
  2. Why Relationships Are the Real Foundation of Construction with Mike Chiles

    12 FEB

    Why Relationships Are the Real Foundation of Construction with Mike Chiles

    In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Mike Chiles, a seasoned project director in the construction industry. They discuss the unpredictable challenges of construction, the importance of relationship building, and effective leadership. Mike emphasizes the role of leaders in developing their teams, creating a balanced and supportive work environment, and the value of feedback from those on the ground. They also delve into the importance of character development and the long-term benefits of investing in people-centric approaches. The episode concludes with reflections on the impact of leadership and the legacy one leaves through influence.  00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back  00:32 Introducing Mike Chiles: The Construction Influencer  01:30 LnM Family Shoutout: Gary Martinez  02:40 Getting to Know Mike Chiles  03:56 The Role of a Project Director  05:43 Challenges and Learnings in Leadership  07:47 Training and Developing Future Leaders  11:47 The Importance of Relationships in Construction 20:18 Feedback and Continuous Improvement  23:29 Building a People-Centered Culture  35:10 Project Assignments and Training Responsibilities  36:18 Feedback Loops and Execution Challenges  36:51 Importance of On-Site Feedback  37:18 Lean Principles for Executives 38:23 Building Relationships and Appreciating Workers  40:23 Addressing Labor Shortages and Industry Challenges  44:34 The Role of Old Dogs in Knowledge Sharing  48:32 Lean Construction and Relationship Building  01:03:40 The Promise of Influence and Legacy  01:07:13 Conclusion and Free Book Offer  Get the blueprint to Plan, Commit, and Execute your way into optimal performance: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    1h 9m

  3. 5 FEB

    When Stories Meet Services: Can A Podcast Stay Honest While Owning Its Work

    The truth landed on us after dozens of job site chats: some folks know our training but not the show, and others love the show but don’t know we train crews for a living. So we’re making it obvious. Learnings and Missteps is now Learnings and Missteps by Depth Builder, a single, honest banner that matches how we work and who we serve. New color, same voice, more clarity. We walk through what stays rock solid: candid interviews with builders who’ve earned their wisdom the hard way, and solo sessions packed with practical tools you can use tomorrow. We also share the part that made us pause—featuring clients without turning the mic into a megaphone. You’ll hear the guardrails we’re putting in place to keep the spotlight on guests and the lessons they fought for, not on us. If it drifts, we want you to call it out. That’s the pact. You’ll hear why our deepest impact sits with subcontractors and field leaders—installers, leadmen, foremen, and superintendents—folks who feel the schedule squeeze and still find a way to deliver. We connect the dots between real stories and real training so you can recognize a problem, test a fix, and see it stick. Expect tighter case studies, simpler planning habits, and leadership moves built for crews, not conference rooms. If you’ve been with us for the stories, stick around for even clearer paths to action. If you’ve worked with us in the field, welcome to a sharper platform for sharing what actually works. Tap play, leave a rating, share with a teammate who leads from the front, and tell us where we should push harder or pull back. Your feedback keeps the signal high and the hype low. Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    6 min

  4. 29 JAN

    Stop Living Reactive And Start Choosing What To Optimize For

    What if your calendar isn’t the problem—your priorities are? We walk through the FIRE Box, a clear, practical framework that helps you stop living reactive and start building a week that reflects what you value. Instead of chasing every ping, you’ll learn how to Finish First on the urgent and important, and, more critically, Invest Focus Here on the important and not urgent work that drives real progress. We start by clarifying urgency and importance in plain terms so you can judge tasks without overthinking. Then we tackle the trap everyone knows too well: staying stuck in constant firefighting. From there, we shift to the growth zone—important but not urgent—and name the areas most people neglect until they explode: exercise, sleep, nutrition, and relationships. These aren’t “nice to haves.” They’re the foundation of sustained performance, and treating them like scheduled work is how you protect your energy and momentum. You’ll get simple tactics to design your week with intent: build a shortlist of priorities you want to backfill into new space, set recurring blocks you defend like any critical meeting, and start reducing and extinguishing the noise that hijacks your schedule. Along the way, we share a preview of upcoming strategies to deal with urgent-not-important and not-important-not-urgent tasks, plus tools to help you plan, commit, and execute with less stress and more agency. Ready to decide what you’re optimizing for and make your calendar serve that choice? Listen now, then share one task you’re moving into the Important-Not-Urgent box. If this helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and send this to a friend who’s tired of being busy without progress. Get all the templates for mastering your time: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    16 min

  5. 22 JAN

    Learn How To Plan, Commit, And Execute Without Burning Out

    Most leaders don’t have a time problem. They have a decision making problem. We break down a self-first framework that turns chaos into clarity by separating planning, commitment, and execution into clean lanes—each with its own tool and purpose—so you can stop spinning and start finishing the work that matters. We begin with long-term planning across three human buckets: business and professional growth, personal growth, and meaningful connections. By writing goals down and scoring them on impact and effort, you’ll surface quick wins and park the heavy lifts for later. Then we build momentum with a simple plank: sequence your top items, block time for each, and commit to starting in order. No perfection required, just deliberate starts that compound. Next, we clear space with the Firebox. Finish what’s urgent and important, invest in the vital non-urgent pillars like sleep, exercise, and learning, reduce by optimizing or delegating tasks others can do, and extinguish the non-essential. We audit real life—calendar items plus unlisted chores—to see how overcommitted we are, then make bold cuts. The guiding question stays front and center: what am I optimizing for? Finally, we move to daily execution with a pre-built board that helps you focus on one day at a time, track distractions, and protect your best energy windows. We pair a planning canvas for ideas, a kanban board for commitments, and the calendar for execution, ensuring each thinking mode has its own home. Along the way, we share templates, simple tactics, and a path to accountability through a live workshop, support calls, and community. Ready to manage yourself, not time? Tap play, grab the templates, and start building momentum today. If this helped, subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review with one change you’re making this week. Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    17 min

  6. 16 JAN

    From Overbooked To In Control: A Practical Guide To Strategically Selfish Scheduling

    Ever feel like your calendar is packed but your real life lives off to the side? We dig into a simple, no-fluff system to make every commitment visible, merge the hidden to-dos with the scheduled ones, and carve out protected time for sleep, movement, and deep work—without the guilt. The result isn’t more hustle; it’s a calmer, truer plan that helps us deliver for others while finally honoring the projects and habits that matter to us. We start with a quick refresher on guilt-free future planning: capture big goals, weigh them with a practical matrix, and set a clear order. Then we hit the wall most of us face—there’s “no room” to schedule priorities because our calendars only show meetings while errands, caregiving, community roles, and recovery time sit invisible. That’s where strategically selfish scheduling comes in. We do a one-week extraction of every commitment, including the off-calendar certainties like grocery runs, bedtime, workouts, and drive time. Seeing it all at once breaks the mental negotiation that keeps us stressed and behind. From there, we run a joy vs obligation scan to expose energy leaks and choose the right lever: eliminate what no longer serves, delegate to someone better suited, automate with tools or templates, or optimize through batching and tighter boundaries. We also make the case for a single master view—overlaying personal and work—so conflicts stop ambushing the day. Finally, we place self-first blocks on the calendar before meetings, naming them clearly and protecting transitions. It’s not selfish to do this; it’s the maintenance schedule for a life that actually works and a career that compounds. If this hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s stretched thin, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Want the time management for construction templates and workshop dates? Drop “double D” in the comments and we’ll send the link. Get the blueprint to Plan, Commit, and Execute your way into optimal performance: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    23 min

  7. 8 JAN

    You Can Plan Forever, But Nothing Changes Until You Commit To One Next Step

    Planning feels great until reality shows up. We’ve all sketched beautiful lists, only to watch them dissolve under meetings, family needs, and the next urgent fire. Today we turn planning into progress by committing to a simple, visual flow that respects your bandwidth and fuels momentum: brain dump, weigh impact vs effort with the DAMN Matrix, then sequence one big rock at a time. We start by pulling every idea out of your head and onto a surface—career moves, skills you want to learn, health goals, neglected projects, and relationship investments. Once the fog becomes visible, we score each item for impact and effort so the real priorities stand out. High impact and low effort rise to the top for fast wins; high impact and high effort follow to channel that momentum into meaningful outcomes. Low impact items get an honest review, so time‑sinks don’t quietly steal your focus. From there, we make the critical shift from options to order. Instead of juggling five priorities and delivering average results, we pick a single next move and “walk the plank” one task at a time. We cap Month One at eight items—two per week—to match real capacity and protect existing commitments. No date‑drama yet: sequence first, schedule later. This self‑first framework isn’t selfish for its own sake; it’s how you refill your energy and show up stronger for your team, your clients, and your family. Progress becomes visible, resentment fades, and your calendar starts reflecting what you value, not just what’s loud. If you want the Daily Domination Board and templates, drop “DD” or scan the QR to grab them. Want a deeper dive? Comment “webinar” and we’ll send the invite. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a momentum reset, and leave a review with the one high‑impact, low‑effort win you’ll start this week. Get the blueprint to Plan, Commit, and Execute your way into optimal performance: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    27 min
  8. The Long Game: Stephanie Wood on Culture and Commercial Success

    1 JAN

    The Long Game: Stephanie Wood on Culture and Commercial Success

    In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse Hernandez converses with Stephanie Wood, co-founder and CEO of Coal Build Construction. Stephanie, with a background in organizational leadership and trauma-informed neuroscience, shares her journey from English literature major to a construction industry leader. The discussion covers the challenges and innovations in fostering a collaborative and human-centered approach within construction, debunking the myth of toughness, and promoting grit and resilience. They introduce Builders Grit, an initiative designed to improve workplace culture and performance by addressing trauma and developing leadership skills. Stephanie also highlights the importance of creating environments for flourishing and the transformative impact her company's philosophy has on the industry's future. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 02:45 The Meaning Behind Co Build 04:35 Challenges and Pushback in the Industry 06:33 The Importance of Respect and Collaboration 09:41 Shoutout to LnM Family Member 11:21 Building a Collaborative Construction Business 13:31 Hiring and Leadership Development 24:09 Personal Journey and Neuroscience of Trauma 30:35 Neglect and Abuse in Subcontracting 31:11 Falling into Leadership Roles 32:45 Learning Leadership Skills 33:50 Embracing Leadership and Overcoming Resistance 38:09 The Myth of Toughness in Construction 41:37 Understanding Trauma and Recovery 45:52 Introducing Grit and Resilience Cohorts 53:58 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Get the blueprint to Plan, Commit, and Execute your way into optimal performance: https://www.depthbuilder.com/time-management-webinar-sign-up-page Download a PDF copy of Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Behttps://www.depthbuilder.com/books

    1h 4m
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The Learnings and Missteps Podcast is about unconventional roads to success and the life lessons learned along the way.You will find a library of interviews packed with actionable take aways that you can apply as you progress on your path to Becoming the Promise You are Intended to Be.Through these interviews you will learn about the buttons you can push to be a better leader, carve your own path, and build your influence. Find yourself in their stories and know that your path is still ahead of you.

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