The Construction Leading Edge Podcast

Todd Dawalt
  • 4.8 (265)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This podcast is dedicated to helping construction business owners eliminate chaos, maximize profit, and reclaim their freedom. Designed for leaders who are ready to step out of the daily grind and take control of their business, The Construction Leading Edge Podcast delivers actionable strategies on systematization, time management, increasing profitability, and business growth. Whether it's stopping profit bleeds, building high-performing teams, or creating systems that allow your business to run without you, each episode will leave you with practical tools to unlock more profit, freedom, and impact. Join Todd Dawalt every week for solo episodes packed with insights and guest interviews featuring industry experts who've mastered the art of building self-sustaining businesses. If you're ready to stop wearing so many hats and start leading your business like a visionary CEO, this podcast is for you.

  1. 1D AGO

    The Solution Is Inside the Problem | EP 434

    ☎️ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE EPISODE 434: There's a problem in your construction business right now that you've already identified — but haven't engaged with yet. A tough conversation with a client or employee, a financial trend you keep meaning to address, a hire you've been putting off. And every day you wait, it takes up more mental real estate. And that gap between recognizing a problem and actually engaging it is the breeding ground for fear, anxiety, and 2 a.m. wake-ups. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I borrow a lesson straight from Navy SEAL tactics: the answer is in the room. The solution to the problem is inside the problem, so speculation, hesitation, and waiting for more information won't get you closer to solving it. I share 3 steps to stop standing outside the problem and start solving what's in front of you. 👉 You don't get to decide if you address the problem. You only get to decide when. Tune in and make it now. Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00) The best shirt you're not sponsoring (but should be) (00:57) The problem you've been avoiding in your business (02:48) Jocko Willink: The answer is in the room (10:14) Name the problem precisely (12:07) Collapse the timeline before fear takes over (13:55) Replace imagination with facts (15:35) David ran at Goliath… and so should you (17:06) Why your business keeps producing the same problems (22:05) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team  HERE – ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    28 min

  2. MAR 2

    5 Decisions That Free the Overworked Construction Owner | EP 433

    ☎️ Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – EPISODE 433: Construction business owner buried in reactive mode, watching your business grow while your stress grows with it? Working 60+ hour weeks, stressed about profit, team management, and scaling your construction company… and still feeling behind? If that hits a little too close to home, this episode is for you. Most construction business owners who feel overwhelmed assume they need more people, better software, or tighter time management. But that's rarely the issue. What's really happening is that you've outgrown the current design of your business, and more effort will only increase stress instead of freedom. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I break down the five decisions that determine whether growth creates real freedom or a larger, more chaotic operation. I talk about eliminating root cause problems, designing around results, and systematizing your construction business so you stop being the bottleneck. You don't need to work harder. What got you here won't get you there. If you want to scale, it's time to redesign the system. 👉 Listen now and start building a business that can run without you. Key Takeaways: You've outgrown your construction business design (00:00) Construction business growth and reactive mode trap (02:06) Take ownership of your construction company (11:24) Design your construction business around results (14:05) Define what you want from your construction business (15:52) Eliminate root cause problems in your company (17:43) Redesign your construction business systems on purpose (18:45) Separate business decisions from implementation overwhelm (20:50) The real cost of inaction (25:15) How to systematize your construction business for freedom (27:48) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE ⚡Download the How to Buyout a Construction Project Playbook HERE – ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    30 min

  3. FEB 23

    This Is How We Do It Builders: Leading Clients With a Proven Process | EP 432

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – EPISODE 432: What if the reason your team is stressed, your projects feel harder than they should, and your profits aren't where they should be has nothing to do with labor shortages, material pricing, the market, your subcontractors, or even your clients?  What if the real issue is that you've been letting your clients run your business and, without meaning to, have adopted what I call the Burger King philosophy? In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I break down why letting clients run your business is costing you big time, and how to take back control without losing the relationships you value. You'll learn a clear framework to set boundaries that protect your time and profit, and build a rhythm where clients follow your proven process instead of running your schedule.  👉 If you're ready to take back control, tune in! Key Takeaways:  Burger King Philosophy (00:00)  The Issue with Client-Driven Processes (03:10)  Taking Back Control (08:17) Chaos is a Choice (11:20) 3 Steps to Take Back Control (14:29) Separate the Decision from the Implementation (24:16)  Outro (28:46)  Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    30 min

  4. FEB 16

    Is Indecision Crippling Your Construction Business? | EP 431

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – If you've been listening to podcasts, reading books, going to conferences, and consuming business content for months, but your business still looks the same… this one's going to sting. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I break down how construction business owners use podcasts, webinars and "research" as a way to numb the frustration of being stuck, instead of making the decisions that would actually change their business. I explain why waiting for perfect information is a myth, how indecision creates paralysis, and why the real risk isn't making the wrong move, it's making no move at all.  This episode is especially valuable for those of you who are working 50, 60, even 70 hour weeks, those who know they need to hire, raise prices, systemize, or get help, but keep pushing the decision down the road in the name of being "responsible." Remember: you don't have a knowledge problem. You have an action problem. 👉 Stop using information as a painkiller. It's time to take action. Tune in.  Key Takeaways:  Information as a Pain Killer (00:00) The Cost of Inaction (04:56) Identifying and Addressing Inaction (11:40) The Law of Diminishing Intent (18:05) My Challenge for You (23:31) Outro (35:03) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE -- The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    34 min

  5. FEB 9

    Nail the Handoff System: Build a Rock‑Solid Preconstruction Checklist Your Team Actually Follows | EP 430

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE – EPISODE 430: If your construction projects feel chaotic before they even start, the problem isn't execution, it's the handoff. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I explain how a weak preconstruction handoff creates scope gaps, delays, missed details, and profit bleeds long before work begins. He breaks down why many builders rely on "figuring it out later," how urgency addiction keeps owners stuck in firefighting mode, and why starting jobs with incomplete information guarantees chaos in the field. You'll learn how to design a simple, practical preconstruction checklist that locks in decisions early, clarifies scope, and sets your team up for success from day one. I also share how to involve your team in building the process so it actually gets followed, not ignored. If you're a builder, remodeler, or general contractor who wants smoother projects, fewer surprises, and better margins, this episode will show you how to nail the handoff from office to field. 🎧 Listen now and start eliminating chaos before the job starts. Key Takeaways:  Why Projects Feel Chaotic Before They Even Start (00:00) The Hidden Problem: Urgency Addiction (05:30) The Missing Phase Every Profitable Builder Obsessively Manages (10:45) How to Design a Preconstruction Checklist Your Team Will Follow (15:00) Nailing the Handoff from Office to Field (18:30) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team  HERE –  ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    26 min

  6. FEB 2

    Grow Your Profit Without Growing Your Team | EP 429

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team  HERE – EPISODE 429: If you're hiring more people but your profit still isn't moving, this episode is for you. Many construction business owners assume the only way to grow profit is to add headcount. More project managers. More superintendents. More office staff. But in reality, hiring too early often creates higher overhead, more chaos, and flatter margins. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, I explain how to increase profit without growing your team, and why talent density beats talent volume every time. You'll learn a three-step framework used by private equity and venture capital firms to strip out wasted effort, refocus your team on revenue-producing work, and build a lean, high-performance operation. I break down how to eliminate low-value tasks, load-shed non-essential work, and create specialists instead of "everyone-does-everything" teams. If you're a builder, remodeler, or general contractor who feels maxed out, overworked, and underpaid for the risk you're carrying, this episode will help you rethink how your business is structured before you make your next hire. 👉 If adding people hasn't fixed the problem, listen closely. Key Takeaways: Why Hiring More People Isn't Increasing Your Profit (00:00) The Real Cost of Growing Headcount (06:45) Step 1: Eliminate Low-Value and No-Value Work (08:35) Step 2: Load Shedding and Treating Time Like Capital (13:00) Step 3: Create Specialists (and Why Pre-Construction Must Be Separate) (19:45) The 3 Foundations Required to Unlock Hidden Profit (26:15) Next Steps: How to Find Hidden Profit in Your Business (28:45) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team  HERE –  ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    28 min

  7. JAN 26

    Scale Without Sacrificing Profit, Control, Or Freedom: The 3-Legged Stool Every Builder Needs | EP 428

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE 🚀Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment HERE – EPISODE 428: Trying to scale your construction business in 2026 but feeling stretched thinner than ever? Many builders, remodelers, and general contractors try to grow by hiring more people or chasing more work, only to see construction profit margins shrink and chaos increase. In this episode of The Construction Leading Edge Podcast, Todd DeWalt breaks down three construction business mistakes that quietly hold contractors back as they try to scale. These issues don't always show up on financial statements, but they directly impact control, capacity, and long-term construction business strategy. You'll learn why scaling a contracting business without clear systems and accountability often makes things worse, how weak pre-construction processes create field problems, and which leading indicators in construction actually signal whether growth will help or hurt your business. Todd also explains the 3-legged stool every builder needs to scale without sacrificing profit or freedom. If you're a construction business owner doing solid revenue but still feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you simplify operations, remove chaos, and rethink how to grow sustainably in 2026. 👉 If growth feels harder than it should, listen closely. Key Takeaways: Scale Without Sacrificing Profit, Control, or Freedom (00:00) Pitfall #1: Hiring More People Without Systems (04:07) The 3-Legged Stool: Accountability Chart (04:49) The 3-Legged Stool: Playbook (07:10) The 3-Legged Stool: The Big Five (09:06) Hidden Metric #1: Owner Interruption Count (19:30) Pitfall #2: Chasing More Work Too Soon (20:40) Pitfall #3: The "Just Enough to Start" Trap (25:41) Hidden Metric #2 + How to Scale the Right Way (34:12) Recap and next steps (35:09) Additional Resources: ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    40 min

  8. JAN 19

    4 Hidden Metrics Top Builders Use to Boost Profit and Freedom | EP 427

    ☎️Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE 🚀Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment HERE – EPISODE 427: If it feels like something's off in your construction business, like you're working your butt off, but profit isn't where it should be, jobs are dragging on, and you are always being pulled into every little decision, you need to listen to this episode. It might sting a little... but it could change everything. I'm breaking down 4 simple, unconventional metrics that explain a scary amount of what you're dealing with. They don't show up on your P&L, your balance sheet, or in a report from your CPA. These are the reasons you don't have time: you're stuck putting out fires, and your business feels like it can't run without you. Each one of these metrics relates directly to a design problem in your business. I'll walk you through how to measure them, why they matter, and how they reveal the root causes behind the chaos. 👉 Tune in and let's get to work. Key Takeaways: Introduction (00:00) Owner interruption count (04:53) Handoff completeness score (09:11) Dead day count (16:13) Daily overhead burn (22:09) Recap and next steps (24:31) Additional Resources: ⚡Schedule a Business Evaluation Call with The Construction Leading Edge Team HERE ⚡Is Your Construction Business Ready to Scale? Take the free online assessment HERE – ⚡Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ⚡Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE ⚡Visit The Construction Leading Edge for more information HERE -- The Construction Leading Edge Podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!

    30 min
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4.8
out of 5
265 Ratings

About

This podcast is dedicated to helping construction business owners eliminate chaos, maximize profit, and reclaim their freedom. Designed for leaders who are ready to step out of the daily grind and take control of their business, The Construction Leading Edge Podcast delivers actionable strategies on systematization, time management, increasing profitability, and business growth. Whether it's stopping profit bleeds, building high-performing teams, or creating systems that allow your business to run without you, each episode will leave you with practical tools to unlock more profit, freedom, and impact. Join Todd Dawalt every week for solo episodes packed with insights and guest interviews featuring industry experts who've mastered the art of building self-sustaining businesses. If you're ready to stop wearing so many hats and start leading your business like a visionary CEO, this podcast is for you.

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