The Construction Corner

Dillon Mitchell
  • 4.7 (22)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

We Cover Commercial Construction. If you are in commercial construction as an Architect, Engineer, Contractor or Owner, this is the show for you. Hosted by Dillon Mitchell, PE, Founder of Kowabunga Studios

  1. 1D AGO

    #411 - Trust the Man on the Ground: Building Teams That Make Fast Decisions

    In this episode, Dillon shares insights from a book that's transforming how he leads Vertical Design Services: "The Mission, The Men and Me" by retired Delta Force commander Pete Blaber. As the company scales—bringing Kowabunga Studios fully in-house, planning their October summit, and navigating massive contract negotiations—Dillon breaks down the leadership framework that's helping him through the growing pains. The core principle is simple but powerful: evaluate every decision through three questions in order—Does it serve the mission? Does it serve the team? What's in it for me? When you put yourself last, you make better decisions. Dillon also explores the critical importance of trusting "the man on the ground"—empowering team members closest to the work to make decisions without becoming a micromanaging bottleneck. Learn why giving your team spending authority, decision-making power, and genuine trust is the key to scaling fast without losing quality.

    12 min

  2. 3D AGO

    #410 - Speed to Market: Why Decision-Making Velocity Beats Everything in Mega Projects

    In this episode, Dillon dives into what it really takes to run an engineering firm working on mega projects like data centers. He explores the massive challenges around procurement, lead times, and electrical gear shortages in today's infrastructure boom—and reveals why the biggest bottleneck isn't design or labor, it's decision-making speed. Using XAI's rapid data center build as a case study, Dillon breaks down how Elon Musk's team achieved what seemed impossible: a 100,000 GPU cluster built in record time. The secret? Eliminating procurement bureaucracy and empowering people to say "yes" quickly. Learn why paying 5% more to accelerate timelines might be worth 50 million dollars, how single-task focus drives real productivity, and why the ability to make fast decisions is the ultimate competitive advantage in billion-dollar builds.

    8 min

  3. 4D AGO

    #409 - Talent, Timing, and Taking Feedback: Lessons in Team Growth

    Host Dillon shares insights on growing Vertical Design Services' team, starting with the exciting news of hiring their first summer intern. He discusses the unique challenges of building a talent pipeline in the engineering and construction space, from providing housing for interns to creating exceptional experiences that set VDS apart from competitors. Dillon also covers the critical balance of staffing—avoiding both burnout from being understaffed and inefficiency from overstaffing—and explains how to time hiring with project acquisition. The episode wraps up with valuable lessons on taking feedback from clients, the importance of independent problem-solving for team members, and why being a lifelong student is essential in the ever-evolving construction industry.

    17 min

  4. 6D AGO

    #408 - Market Research: The Growing Electrical Industry

    A deep dive into the electrical construction market, revealing how the industry has grown to $170 billion and why electrical work now represents 30% of construction projects—up from just 10% two decades ago. We explore the impact of electrification, the explosion of low-voltage systems in hospitals and other buildings, and why the demand for electricians and electrical engineers has never been higher. Plus, a reminder on why caring about your team matters more than ever in this growing industry. Comment your thoughts below and don't forget to like, SHARE, and subscribe! Want an Engineering firm BUILT for Electrical Contractors? Let's see how we can help speed up your Design/Build projects. Visit https://verticaldesignservices.com/ Connect with Dillon Mitchell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-mitchell-pe/ Vertical Design Services https://www.instagram.com/vertical_designservices/ #Revit #BIM #Automation #VerticalDesignServices #VDS #MEP #Contractors #Engineering #ElectricalContractor

    8 min

  5. MAR 4

    #407 - Market Research in Minutes: How to Actually Use AI

    In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon breaks down the right and wrong ways to use AI in business. While AI tools are everywhere, most people are using them for the wrong tasks—like writing generic emails or generating soulless responses that scream "bot." Instead, Dillon argues that AI's real power lies in strategic work: condensing weeks of market research into minutes, creating total addressable market analyses, plotting historical data trends, and automating time-consuming tasks like transcription and content scheduling. He emphasizes the 95/5 rule: let AI take you 95% of the way, then add your own voice, edits, and human touch for the final 5%. Drawing examples from yacht influencer Kevin's Instagram page and his own content workflow, Dillon makes it clear that AI should multiply your leverage and productivity—not replace your authenticity. Use it for the big strategic moves, not the b******t busy work. Comment your thoughts below and don't forget to like, SHARE, and subscribe! Want an Engineering firm BUILT for Electrical Contractors? Let's see how we can help speed up your Design/Build projects. Visit https://verticaldesignservices.com/ Connect with Dillon Mitchell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-mitchell-pe/ Vertical Design Services https://www.instagram.com/vertical_designservices/ #Revit #BIM #Automation #VerticalDesignServices #VDS #MEP #Contractors #Engineering #ElectricalContractor

    8 min

  6. MAR 2

    #406 - Make Decisions, Stay the Course, Get Better

    In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon delivers a passionate manifesto on the power of making fast decisions and sticking with them. Reflecting on seven years of podcasting and a recent conversation with fellow entrepreneurs, he challenges the paralysis that keeps people from taking action. From Joe Rogan's 500 episodes before anyone cared to Mr. Beast's 15-year grind, Dillon illustrates how consistency and commitment—not perfection—lead to success. He shares practical examples from his own work, including how three days spent refining a simple pole base detail saved clients $50,000, and emphasizes that overthinking kills momentum. Whether it's starting a podcast, creating content, or standardizing construction details, Dillon's message is clear: make a decision, run with it, get better as you go, and stop worrying about looking silly. Be authentic, embrace the learning curve, and remember that the internet trolls probably weren't going to buy from you anyway. Comment your thoughts below and don't forget to like, SHARE, and subscribe! Want an Engineering firm BUILT for Electrical Contractors? Let's see how we can help speed up your Design/Build projects. Visit https://verticaldesignservices.com/ Connect with Dillon Mitchell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-mitchell-pe/ Vertical Design Services https://www.instagram.com/vertical_designservices/ #Revit #BIM #Automation #VerticalDesignServices #VDS #MEP #Contractors #Engineering #ElectricalContractor

    20 min

  7. FEB 27

    #405 - Training Isn't Optional Building a Team That Works Without You

    In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon tackles a common entrepreneurial trap: refusing to train your team because "it's faster to just do it myself." Drawing from a recent conversation with a fellow entrepreneur and his own experience managing a team at 25, Dillon makes a compelling case for why training is non-negotiable. He explains that investing a few hours upfront to teach someone a skill saves countless hours later, empowers your team, and prevents you from working 100-hour weeks forever. From teaching Revit basics to helping contractors open CAD files, Dillon shares practical examples of how giving people the right tools and training creates a more capable, grateful team—and frees you up to focus on growing the business. If you're hoarding knowledge or avoiding training, this episode is your wake-up call.

    7 min
  8. #404 - Tariffs, Data Centers, and the Next Big Construction Wave

    FEB 25

    #404 - Tariffs, Data Centers, and the Next Big Construction Wave

    In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon dives into the impact of tariffs on the construction industry, specifically focusing on the recent doubling of tariffs on Chinese-imported silicon products. With the AI boom driving massive demand for data centers and computing power, Dillon explains how these tariffs will accelerate the onshoring of high-tech semiconductor manufacturing to the United States. From TSMC's Arizona facility to Intel's Ohio chip fabs, he discusses the multi-billion dollar investments reshaping American manufacturing and what it means for construction professionals. Dillon also tackles the political complexities of long-term infrastructure projects that span multiple presidential terms and makes the case for using tariffs—not taxpayer dollars—to incentivize domestic manufacturing. If you're curious about how global trade policy translates into construction opportunities, this episode breaks it down. Comment your thoughts below and don't forget to like, SHARE, and subscribe! Want an Engineering firm BUILT for Electrical Contractors? Let's see how we can help speed up your Design/Build projects. Visit https://verticaldesignservices.com/ Connect with Dillon Mitchell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-mitchell-pe/ Vertical Design Services https://www.instagram.com/vertical_designservices/ #Revit #BIM #Automation #VerticalDesignServices #VDS #MEP #Contractors #Engineering #ElectricalContractor

    8 min
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4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

We Cover Commercial Construction. If you are in commercial construction as an Architect, Engineer, Contractor or Owner, this is the show for you. Hosted by Dillon Mitchell, PE, Founder of Kowabunga Studios

Information

  • Creator
    Dillon Mitchell
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    411
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dillon Mitchell
  • Show Website
    The Construction Corner