Real leadership isn't LinkedIn Oatmeal. In this episode, we share stories from 50+ years in building materials: the bosses who gave us range at 24, had hard conversations, and rewarded behavior over politics—plus the red flags every sales leader needs to recognize.

📅 ADVANCING PREFAB - DALLAS, FEB 2-4, 2026 Use code: BUILDPERSPECTIVES10 for 10% off Register: AdvancingPrefabrication.com

About Build Perspectives: Thought leadership from Carolina Baffigo & Tim Seims on building products, sales, and construction. 50+ combined years of experience.

Brought to you by Advancing Prefabrication, Feb 2-4 2026 in Dallas. Use the code BuildPerspectives10 for 10% off at checkout https://advancing-prefabrication.com/register/

On that note, most people wander through Advancing Prefabrication, IBS, or AIA hoping something "clicks."

In this episode, we break down how industry insiders actually plan events—mapping tracks, speakers, ICPs, and conversations. So, each conference becomes a strategic asset instead of an expensive field trip.

We get into why healthcare and data centers are leading prefab adoption, how to navigate the compressed decision cycle, and what sales leaders need to understand about timing, sequencing, and stakeholder pressure.

We also share our introvert-friendly networking playbook: how to reach out to speakers authentically, how to make conversations effortless with statements instead of questions, and how to become the person people want to introduce—not the one they avoid.

If you want to level up your prefab IQ, build relationships that matter, or turn events into real ROI, this episode gives you the blueprint.

Connect with us:

• Email: tim@buildperspectives.com or carolina@buildperspectives.com
• Find us on LinkedIn/Carolina LinkedIn/Tim
• Subscribe and leave a review to help us grow!

🔗 Take the Project Fluent Assessment at projectfluent.scoreapp.com

Brought to you by Advancing Prefabrication, Feb 2-4 2026 in Dallas. Use the code BuildPerspectives10 for 10% off at checkout https://advancing-prefabrication.com/register/

Most construction pros are never formally taught how contracts actually work—or how risk gets silently shifted onto the people doing the real work. In this episode, we sit down with construction attorney and UC Davis instructor Megan Shapiro, who has spent 15 years litigating disputes and helping subcontractors, manufacturers, and trades avoid the same avoidable mistakes she sees every day in court.

We talk about why some manufacturers absolutely belong on job sites, the dangerous myths around "no redlines," and how Megan's OWN framework (Optimize, Weigh, Negotiate) helps subs protect their business without walking away from the work they need to win.

We also get into power dynamics across the construction food chain, navigating contracts in high-pressure environments, and what it's really like to be a woman showing up with authority in a male-dominated industry. And of course, how Converge Construction Summit went from an offhanded LinkedIn comment to one of the most energizing collaboration hubs in the industry.

🔗 Take the Project Fluent Assessment at projectfluent.scoreapp.com

Connect with us:

• Email: tim@buildperspectives.com or carolina@buildperspectives.com
• Find us on LinkedIn/Carolina LinkedIn/Tim
• Subscribe and leave a review to help us grow!