The Contender’s Edge

SMARTBUILD Construction Solutions
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The Contender’s Edge is a podcast for small to mid-sized construction companies that want to compete without playing the big company game. It breaks down how real builders use smart moves and technology to win work, protect margins, and stay in control. No theory, no buzzwords, just straight talk from people who’ve been in the field and know what it takes to level the field.

Episodes

  1. May 28

    The Contract Clause That Can Bankrupt Subcontractors in Construction

    Most construction disputes don’t start in court. They start with one contract clause nobody paid attention to until cash flow stops, schedules slip, and lawyers get involved. In this episode of Contender’s Edge Podcast, Zulq sits down with construction attorney Megan Shapiro to break down one of the biggest hidden risks in construction contracts today: cross-default clauses. Megan explains how this clause allows general contractors to withhold payment across multiple projects when a dispute happens on just one job. For subcontractors and small to mid-sized construction companies, this can create serious financial pressure quickly.   This episode also covers: • Construction contract risks contractors keep missing • Why notice clauses matter more than most PMs realize • The biggest mistakes subcontractors make before signing contracts • How project managers can reduce claims and disputes • Why unrealistic schedules create litigation problems later • AI in construction contracts, what works and what doesn’t • How contractors should handle RFIs, delays, documentation, and change directives • Why many construction disputes start long before legal action begins   Megan shares lessons from 17 years in construction law representing owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals across the industry. If you’re a construction business owner, estimator, project manager, superintendent, or subcontractor trying to protect margins and avoid costly contract mistakes, this episode is worth your time. Guest: Megan Shapiro Construction Attorney | Contract Coach | Founder of Converge Construction Summit https://meganshapiro.com   Listen to more episodes of Contender’s Edge for real conversations around construction leadership, operations, contracts, scheduling, risk management, and technology in construction.   #Construction #ConstructionContracts #Subcontractor #GeneralContractor #ProjectManagement #ConstructionLaw #ConstructionIndustry #ConstructionPodcast #ConstructionManagement #ProjectManager #RFIs #ConstructionClaims #ConstructionBusiness #CommercialConstruction #Contractors

    21 min

  2. May 6

    Construction Claims, Delays & RFIs: What Contractors Miss Before It Costs Them Millions

    Every construction project starts with a handshake and a schedule. Then the RFIs pile up, materials get delayed, schedules fall apart, and everyone starts pointing fingers. In this episode of the Contender’s Edge Podcast, Zulq sits down with construction claims and dispute expert Richard Fogarasi to break down what actually causes construction disputes, delay claims, and project breakdowns on job sites. Richard brings experience from both the field and the consulting world, from superintendent and project manager roles to becoming a construction delay and quantum expert working on high-level disputes across the industry. This episode digs into: Why most baseline schedules fail within weeks The biggest mistakes contractors make during delays How RFIs quietly destroy schedules What owners and designers get wrong before construction starts Why daily reports become legal gold later The danger of verbal instructions on site How subcontractors can protect themselves during disputes Why “we’ll figure it out later” costs companies money Contract clauses contractors ignore until it’s too late The real reason claims fail in court If you’re a general contractor, subcontractor, project manager, superintendent, estimator, consultant, or owner, this episode gives you practical advice that can save your company time, money, and legal headaches. Straight talk from people who’ve lived it in the field.

    35 min

  3. Mar 29

    Care About Your Crew or Lose Them: Leadership in Construction with Shaun Dawson

    If you run a construction company and think leadership is about output, this episode will challenge you. Shaun Dawson, President of GEN-PRO, breaks down what it takes to build a company that people stay at.  Not perks. Not talk. Genuine care for your crew. From growing up in the business to taking over ownership, Shaun shares how leadership, health and safety, and mental health support directly impact retention, culture, and long-term growth. Inside this episode: → Why employees leave leaders who don’t care → How real leadership shows up on and off the job site → The role of mental health in construction teams → What small and mid-size contractors get wrong about culture → How to build a team that stays for decades This is for construction owners, general contractors, subcontractors, founders, and leaders who want stronger teams, better retention, and a company people are proud to work for. Experience from the field, from a leader who cares about his people.   #ConstructionLeadership #GeneralContractor #ConstructionManagement #ContractorLife #ConstructionBusiness #SkilledTrades #Leadership #ConstructionCulture

    15 min

  4. Mar 7

    Construction Hiring Is Changing: What Contractors Need to Know Before Their Next Hire

    Hiring in construction has become a new challenge for contractors. The talent pool has shifted, expectations around office culture and hybrid work are changing, and many companies are struggling to attract and retain the right people. In this episode of The Contender’s Edge Podcast, Zulq Malik, founder and CEO of SMARTBUILD sits down with construction recruiters Jim DiVizio and Tania Sarracini to talk about what construction companies should understand about hiring today. They cover: • How the construction job market changed after COVID • Why some contractors struggle to attract strong candidates • What employees are looking for in construction companies today • The impact of hybrid work and salary shifts • Hiring mistakes that slow down recruitment • What contractors should improve in their hiring process   If you run a construction company, general contractor, or development firm, this conversation gives you a clear look at what’s happening in the talent market and how to approach hiring in today’s construction industry.   Tania Sarracini (Owner and Recruiting Partner) - LinkedIn email: tania@bestrecruiting.ca Best Recruiting Jim DiVizio (Owner and Recruiting Partner) - LinkedIn email: Jim@bestrecruiting.ca   #GeneralContractor #ConstructionIndustry #ConstructionCareers #SkilledTrades #HiringStrategy

    32 min

  5. Feb 20

    Stop Letting Bad Schedules and Risk Destroy Your Construction Profits

    Bad schedules. Poor documentation. Risk nobody priced right. That’s how small and mid-size construction companies lose money. In this episode of The Contender’s Edge Podcast, we sit down with Greg Holness (FTI Consulting), a Professional Engineer and attorney with 30+ years of experience helping clients manage change, mitigate risk, and resolve construction disputes involving delay, disruption, acceleration, and lost productivity. He has developed, analyzed, and resolved claims on public and private projects of all sizes, and has drafted and negotiated hundreds of construction and design contracts, giving him deep insight into the terms that often drive disputes. We break down unrealistic deadlines, schedule mistakes, estimating risk, and what general contractors and subcontractors must do to protect their margins. If you run a construction company and want fewer disputes and stronger project control, this episode is for you.

    23 min

  6. Feb 5

    Why Construction Teams Reject Software and How to Fix It

    In this episode of the Contenders Edge Podcast, we sit down with Robert Sheesley, known as the Blue-Collar CIO, to break down why construction software fails and how adoption actually works in the field. We talk about technology adoption in construction, why crews resist new tools, and what leaders must do to get buy-in from blue-collar teams. This episode covers change management, construction software rollout, field worker adoption, CIO strategy, and how GCs and construction companies can introduce technology without slowing down jobsites. If you’re a general contractor, subcontractor, construction executive, or operations leader trying to improve tech adoption, productivity, and jobsite reporting, this episode delivers practical insight from someone who’s done it across multiple blue-collar industries.

    21 min

  7. Jan 21

    Overbilling in Construction, The Cash Flow Trap Most GCs Miss

    Cash flow is where most construction companies get hurt, even when jobs look profitable. In this episode of Contenders Edge, we sit down with Bryce Wisan, a CPA who has spent 15+ years inside construction accounting, to break down overbilling, revenue vs cash, and why money in the bank is not always yours. If you’re a GC or subcontractor who wants fewer surprises, better job costing, and tighter control over cash, this episode will change how you think about the numbers. Byce is a founder of Levvigo.com #1 remote ACCOUNTING solutions for contractors company

    21 min

  8. Jan 9

    While Others Stayed Invisible, This Contractor Built a Brand on Instagram

    In this episode of Contenders Edge, we sit down with Nick from Iron Shake Inc, who started working construction at 13 because he didn’t want to do chores. He shares how real jobsite experience, not shortcuts, shaped his career and how he built his construction company by showing the work on Instagram. We talk trades vs school, learning fundamentals early, and why a digital presence now decides who gets the call. If you run a GC or subcontracting business and want to grow without waiting years for referrals, this episode is worth your time.

    17 min

  9. 12/19/2025

    Field Experience vs Tech Thinking: Who Should Lead AI Adoption in Construction

    Tech keeps trying to “fix” construction without knowing the jobsite. Episode 1 is a real back-and-forth between a 30-year General Contractor and an AI nerd, voice notes vs forms, structure vs “say it and go,” and what actually holds up on site. We get into the stuff you deal with every day, half-finished reports, photo dumps with no labels, getting pulled away mid-task, and trying to remember details hours later. If you build for a living, or run the people who do, press play. smrtbld.com

    28 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

The Contender’s Edge is a podcast for small to mid-sized construction companies that want to compete without playing the big company game. It breaks down how real builders use smart moves and technology to win work, protect margins, and stay in control. No theory, no buzzwords, just straight talk from people who’ve been in the field and know what it takes to level the field.

Information

  • Creator
    SMARTBUILD Construction Solutions
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Contender’s Edge