Most construction companies are managing their single biggest cost center — labor — with the same tool they use to track lunch orders. And it's costing them far more than they realize.

In this episode of the ConTech Exec Podcast, Robert Zimmerman sits down with Anna Berger, Co-Founder of Trayd — an all-in-one back office operating system built exclusively for specialty contractors. Anna grew up watching her father run a construction business on razor-thin margins, stepped into his back office, and couldn't believe what she found: a $1.2 trillion industry still running payroll on paper timecards and Excel spreadsheets.

The result? Payroll admins trapped in a seven-day hamster wheel with no time to innovate, a single bad paycheck costing upwards of $960 to correct, and compliance exposure that can dwarf that figure many times over.

What you'll take away from this conversation:

• Why construction payroll is the most complex in any industry — and why tools like ADP and Paychex keep failing contractors
• The real cost of a single payroll error — and why 100% accuracy isn't a goal, it's the only option
• Why unstructured labor data is the single biggest obstacle blocking AI from delivering real value in construction
• How getting field workers genuinely bought into digital tools — not just compliant with them — is the key to clean data
• The compliance trap: how rising regulatory pressure on public works is raising the stakes for every specialty contractor

For C-suite leaders in construction, this episode connects two of the most critical operational realities you face: your data is only as good as the process that captures it, and your margins are only as good as your payroll.

🔗 Connect with Anna: linkedin.com/in/annajberger | buildtrayd.com

🎙️ Follow ConTech Exec on LinkedIn for executive-level insights on the construction company of the future.

Construction doesn’t have an AI problem.

It has a data problem.

In this episode, Robert Zimmerman and Landon Messal unpack why “data governance” is the missing foundation behind productivity, forecasting, and real operational control.

From overlapping project phases to inconsistent data in the field, the conversation exposes how the industry is building faster—but thinking slower.

Key takeaways:

• Why productivity in construction has stalled while other industries surged

• How poor data structure limits AI and decision-making
• The importance of measuring production (not just tracking spend)

• Why solving 80% of the problem beats chasing edge cases
• How to create simple feedback loops that actually improve performance

This episode is a reality check—and a roadmap—for construction leaders who want to move from reactive to predictive.

Connect with Landon Messal on LInkedin

Be sure to check out Sitemarker -

https://www.sitemarker.com/

Construction projects rarely follow the perfect linear process we imagine.

In reality, land development, design, permitting, and construction often overlap, creating incomplete plans, communication breakdowns, and costly rework.

In this episode of the CONTEC Exec Podcast, Robert Zimmerman sits down with Landon Messal from SiteMarker to unpack one of the biggest challenges in the construction industry: overlapping project phases and the lack of reliable field data.

They explore why projects often start before designs are complete, why incomplete plan sets are still being priced and built, and how poor communication leads to costly change orders.

They also discuss how AI, better data governance, and improved field data collection could transform how projects are built.

• Why construction phases increasingly overlap

• The hidden cost of incomplete plan sets

• Why communication failures create project losses

• Why only 4% of AEC data is organized and accessible

• How AI could reshape decision-making in construction

• The role of leadership and change management in adopting new technology

construction industry

construction technology

AEC industry

construction project management

construction productivity

construction data

AI in construction

construction communication problems

construction planning

construction leadership

construction innovation

land development

construction workflow

construction change management

Construction projects often break down in the final phase—and finish trades are the ones expected to save the schedule.

In this episode of the ConTech Exec Podcast, Robert Zimmerman sits down with Rocky Cherry, CEO of Cherry Coatings, to discuss what really happens at the end of a job when trade stacking, schedule compression, and workflow breakdown collide.

Rocky shares stories from the field, lessons from growing a national coatings contractor, and why culture and execution discipline matter more than most companies realize.

Topics include:

• Why finish trades absorb the pressure of schedule delays
• How technology is helping contractors document disruption and cost impacts
• The role of culture and servant leadership in scaling construction companies
• Why safety and planning actually improve production
• Preparing construction teams for the next wave of digital transformation

Rocky also shares an unforgettable story about retiring Derek Jeter at the final game in Old Yankee Stadium—and the leadership lesson it revealed about preparation and opportunity.

If you're a construction executive, contractor, or operations leader navigating workflow complexity, this conversation delivers practical insight into execution clarity in modern construction.

Construction is entering the Age of AI.

Trillions are being invested in data centers, energy infrastructure, and digital transformation.

Yet construction productivity is still 30% lower than 1990.

In this episode of ConTech Exec, Robert Zimmerman sits down with Todd Zabelle, Founder of Strategic Project Solutions and the Project Production Institute, to break down:

• Why projects are production systems — but aren’t managed like them
• The real difference between activity and flow
• How Taylorism still shapes modern project delivery
• Why maximizing trade utilization actually hurts performance
• What AI can’t fix in construction
• Why megaprojects keep failing despite better software

If you care about:
AI in construction
Construction productivity
Project management
Lean construction
Data center construction
Capital project delivery

This conversation is foundational.

Construction doesn’t have a labor problem.

It has a flow problem.

And AI won’t fix what leadership won’t face.

• Summary

  In this episode of the Contact Exec Podcast, host Robert Zimmerman welcomes Cameron Page, the CEO and founder of ClearStory.

  A company that aims to streamline the change order process in construction.

  They discuss the evolution of ClearStory from its original name, X-Tracker, to its current branding, which reflects its mission to bring transparency and clarity to construction paperwork.

  Cameron shares his journey from being a project manager to identifying the inefficiencies in the change order process, which led to the creation of ClearStory.

  He emphasizes the importance of real-time communication and the challenges faced by project managers in tracking costs and managing change orders effectively.

  
  

  Cameron elaborates on the three main workstreams involved in change orders:

  forward pricing,

  time and material (T&M) work,

  and surprise change orders.

  He highlights the manual processes that often lead to delays and miscommunication, stressing the need for a more efficient system.

  
  

  The conversation also touches on the importance of technology adoption in the construction industry, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how ClearStory aims to bridge the gap between general contractors and subcontractors by providing a unified platform for managing change orders.

  The episode concludes with Cameron sharing insights on the future of construction technology and the necessity for industry professionals to adapt to new tools and workflows.

  ClearStory, construction technology, change orders, project management, construction industry, efficiency, transparency, digital transformation, subcontractors, general contractors

  
  

  Takeaways

  "The challenge of change orders is that the nature of the tools for how we communicate and share change orders is not very real time."

  "If you want to get paid for the change orders, the best thing you can do is reduce your cycle time for processing and sending the associated costs."

  "The job of a good software provider is to help drive best practice and good workflow."

  "You can't force software on people to try and reinvent the wheel and change their core workflows and processes, because it won't scale."

  "The more clearly and quickly you can communicate that change, the better off you're going to be."

  
  

  Transforming Change Orders: The ClearStory Revolution

  
  

  "A clear story is an architectural window."

  "I wanted to know what our true cost exposure was."

  "If you want to get paid for the change orders, reduce your cycle time."

  Chapters

  
  

  00:00 Introduction to ClearStory and Its Evolution

  02:03 Identifying the Change Order Challenge

  05:57 Understanding Change Order Workstreams

  11:52 The Importance of Real-Time Communication

  19:42 The Role of Technology in Construction

  29:30 Building a Unified Platform for Change Orders

  39:32 Future of Construction Technology and Adaptation

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Construction doesn’t have a technology shortage.
It has a fit problem.

In this episode, Robert Zimmerman talks with Emma Nazim and Molly Abbott, founders of Constructable, about why mid-market construction firms are underserved by today’s project management software.

They break down:
• What “mid-market” actually means in construction
• Why enterprise tools fail smaller operators
• How user experience impacts adoption and productivity
• The growing gap between modern software expectations and construction reality
• What builders should demand from their tech stack moving forward

Tech isn’t the savior.
It’s the amplifier.

And right now, most systems are amplifying friction.

Join host Robert Zimmerman for candid conversations with the builders, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of the construction industry.

We go beyond the blueprints to discuss the real-world challenges, the leadership lessons, and the cutting-edge technology that is finally solving construction's toughest problems—from minimizing risk and liability to connecting field work and digital documentation.

If you're an Executive, project manager, or a trade professional looking to grow your business, improve project flow, and build a more efficient team, you're in the right place.

Subscribe now to connect with the execs and get the institutional knowledge you need to stay ahead

This weeks Episode

Construction Meets Hardline

Karly Heffernan & Alena Tuttle

Host Robert Zimmerman sits down with Karly Heffernan and Alena Tuttle, founders of Hardline, to discuss their journey from finance and family construction business to launching a game-changing construction tech company.

They reveal the painful $150,000 loss that sparked the idea for Hardline, and how their AI agent is tackling the industry's pervasive problem of undocumented verbal conversations and "selective amnesia."

Learn how they are focusing on building a tool that simplifies the daily work of field teams, takes "something off their plate," and is evolving into a "reasoning model" to anticipate risk before it happens.

Key Discussion Points & Timestamps

• [05:50] The Hardline Origin Story: Karly shares the catastrophic project change that resulted in a $150,000 loss and why it proved the need for better documentation.
• [08:20] The Problem with Verbal Agreements: Why "selective amnesia" and a reliance on trust make construction sites vulnerable to disputes, and how Hardline acts as a solution without requiring extra effort.
• [12:30] Hardline's Product in Action: Details on how the tool passively takes construction-specific notes from phone calls and site walkthroughs, and integrates with systems like Procore, ACC, and Fieldwire.
• [18:00] Technology vs. The Builder: Discussing the "dissonance" between software design and the hands-on nature of field work, and why many existing tools fail to meet workers where they are.
• [25:35] The Liability Waterfall: A breakdown of how risk is pushed down the chain of command in construction, and why digital documentation is crucial for small- to medium-sized contractors to qualify for future bids.
• [35:20] Anticipating Risk with AI: The vision for Hardline to evolve past simple documentation into a "reasoning model" that can flag potential issues, like scheduling roofers during a predicted weather delay.