In this episode of KP Unpacked, KP and Nick break down one of the toughest choices for hardware and robotics founders in AEC:
Should you sell the equipment, offer it as a service, or self-perform the work?

We cover how to size distribution and reduce friction, when CapEx vs OpEx tilts the deal, what risk transfer really costs, and why your choice is not static. We also get into channel pitfalls like exclusivity and rights of first refusal, and share field lessons from companies building real robots for construction.

What you’ll learn

• A simple way to map distribution size vs friction before you pick a model
• When RaaS wins due to OpEx and risk transfer
• When to sell equipment because the interface is mature and buyers have CapEx
• When to go Prime/self-perform for fast payback and control
• How maintenance, spares, and uptime reshape your margins
• Why channel exclusivity and ROFR can box you in
• How to use customer conversations to validate the model early

Examples referenced

• Lumina: electric construction equipment and why self-perform can align incentives
• Okibo: drywall finishing robots and why RaaS speeds product learning

Timestamps

• 00:00 Intro and warm-up
• 03:05 Why cheerful, constructive podcasts work
• 04:45 Founders Podcast and dense learning
• 07:06 The big question: sell, service, or prime
• 09:20 Framework start: distribution size vs friction
• 14:35 Leasing, risk transfer, and unfamiliar tech
• 17:20 RaaS realities: maintenance, spares, support
• 22:35 Heuristics for RaaS, sell, and prime
• 25:20 Incentives when you operate your own machines
• 28:36 Okibo case: production scale and feedback loops
• 33:26 CapEx vs OpEx and incentive alignment on projects
• 39:44 Channels, exclusivity math, and distribution maturity
• 40:39 The ROFR trap and how it kills deals
• 42:19 Ask customers early and often
• 47:39 Wrap

If you’re building in AEC and wrestling with go-to-market, send us your scenario. We’ll pressure-test it on a future episode.

Sounds like you? Join the waitlist at https://kpreddy.co/

Check out one of our Catalyst conversation starters, AEC Needs More High-Agency Thinkers

Hope to see you there!

Welcome back to KP Unpacked, the #1 podcast in AEC!

In this episode, KP Reddy sat down with Ahmad Omar, founder of Slate, also our Mastermind member, to discuss the new wave of entrepreneurship sweeping through the AEC industry. Ahmad shares his journey of leaving a large firm to start his own, highlighting how today's technology, including AI, has shattered traditional barriers to entry for new companies.

This conversation delves into why the rigid, slow-moving systems of the past are no longer a fit for today's innovators. Ahmad explains how Slate differentiates itself through speed and personal relationships, challenging the conventional wisdom of large firms. They also explore the future of the industry, from the potential for AI to be a "great equalizer" to the end of archaic practices like timesheets and multi-phased project billing.

Follow KPR Co on LinkedIn to stay updated on our latest insights and groundbreaking projects.

Ready to get hands-on with the future of AEC? Join us for our upcoming events!

• Vibe-a-thon - October 28th
• AEC Summit - October 29th

See you there!

Sounds like you? Join the waitlist at https://kpreddy.co/

Check out one of our Catalyst conversation starters, AEC Needs More High-Agency Thinkers

Hope to see you there!

Welcome to KP Unpacked of the #1 podcast in AEC.

In this conversation,

KP Reddy and Nick Durham cut through the noise and challenge the stories AEC leaders keep telling themselves. From LinkedIn posts that sparked heated debates to hard truths the industry avoids, this episode doesn’t play safe. It pushes you to rethink how innovation, scarcity, and leadership actually work in the built world.

We revisit KP’s most discussed LinkedIn posts, including:

• Why paradox is a moat.
• The real reason startups fail in AEC.
• What leaders get wrong about exclusivity.
• Wrappers vs. Builders: the value equation no one wants to face.
• Why “safe” advice will kill your vision faster than risk ever will.

💡 Episode Highlights:

• “Innovation in AEC isn’t optional. It’s survival.”
• “Scarcity creates power. Abundance creates noise.”
• “Wrappers aren’t builders. Services aren’t IP.”
• “Safe advice is the fastest way to kill a big idea.”
• “Exclusivity is a moat, but only if you dare to enforce it.”

👉 Explore more at KPR Co and follow us on LinkedIn for upcoming episodes, events, and insights.

Sounds like you? Join the waitlist at https://kpreddy.co/

Check out one of our Catalyst conversation starters, AEC Needs More High-Agency Thinkers

Hope to see you there!