Innovation Overload
The NECA Innovation Overload Podcast helps contractors make sense of industry tools and decide what is right for their business. Each week, the NECA Innovation Team and a weekly guest discuss and tackle problems contractors across the country are facing.
Episodes
89 episodes since 2020
#89: AI in Construction, Pt 1
"AI is not just a tool; it's becoming the foundation for smarter, more efficient construction practices." Whether you're aiming to leverage AI to streamline operations or stay ahead of industry trends, this episode of Innovation Overload: Contr...
September 06, 2024
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1:11:51
#88: Lance Beck
“Ultimately we all need to make money. Being efficient and trying to innovate and find new ways to do things is at the top of our list.” Join Lance Beck, VP of Contract Operations for an insightful discussion on the dynamic shifts o...
August 23, 2024
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36:47
#87: Lonnie Compton and Adam Ketter
We see the amount of work going up and the number of electricians going down, so we have to focus on process improvement and automation. We need to shift the mentality from "technology is taking our jobs" to "we are filling holes that cannot be...
August 09, 2024
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42:03
#86: Chris Lamb
Innovation is how you make something better for somebody. Whether it's a very simple solution or a very complex solution, how can you make it faster, simpler, and easier to implement. Chris Lamb, Hilti North American Trade Marketing Manag...
July 26, 2024
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31:49
#85: Sarah Bardot
“Innovation can be defined in a number of different ways. I think it can be tangible in terms of a product that you are actually using that is very different than anything you've seen before. I think for me, I work for a company that is v...
July 12, 2024
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35:02
#84: Contractor Takeover | NECA EMERGE Conference
One aspect often overlooked is the importance of relying on your peers. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out to someone. We're here to uplift the entire industry, and if we can offer assistance, we're more than willing to do so."&n...
June 07, 2024
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33:27
#83: Adam Rude
"Don't be afraid to fail. Let's throw things out on the table, let's brainstorm. I really try to empower everyone within our organization to think outside the box. To not just do what we always have done. We need to move...
May 03, 2024
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31:07
#82: Curtis Harbour
“You have to be open minded and look at problems as opportunities if you want to have a culture of innovation.” Curtis Harbour, Senior Vice President at The Brandt Companies joins the Innovation Overload Podcast to offer invaluable insights int...
April 05, 2024
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29:50
#81: Collin Weiner
We're looking at an estimated 1.5 million skilled tradesman shortage over the next 10 years. We really have to leverage all of the advanced technologies that are becoming available to fill that gap. As a contractor you need to be ni...
March 01, 2024
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28:49
#80: ECIC Competition Finalists
“I think the younger generation is definitely where you want to start, you want to start in middle school and high school. I was a sophomore in college before I got into Construction Engineering.” Join the contractor Takeover as Jar...
February 02, 2024
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30:26
#79: Andy Sellers & Mike Oakes
“Coming here really opens up your knowledge to a lot of product that you didn’t know about, which is huge for us!” Mike Oakes, President of First Choice Electrical Solutions and Andy Sellers, Management Executive at Quality Electric join Sean L...
January 08, 2024
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33:30
#78: Todd Reed
Definitely plan your schedule out for conventions, look for what's going to make you happiest and get you the most productive. Join Innovation Overload as we hit the road to the 2023 NECA National Convention in Philadelphia, PA. Gai...
December 01, 2023
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34:42
#77: Dr. Pauline Mosley
"Innovation to me is the opportunity to think, to explore, and to take risks in an effort to solve a challenge, remove an obstacle or optimize a process." Dr. Pauline Mosley, Full Professor, Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information...
November 03, 2023
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37:23
#76: Adam Davis
“We’re going to see AI affect us in ways that we didn’t even anticipate in the next year.” Check out Adam Davis, VDC Project Manager at Miller Electric, as he discusses project coordination, EV charging, AI, robotics, and future opportuni...
October 13, 2023
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1:02:02
#75: Sean McGuire
Innovation is just improvement. You can be innovative in any sector of your operation, it doesn’t have to be just technology focused.” Sean McGuire joins the Innovation Overload podcast to talk about mental health, process improvement, fa...
September 01, 2023
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40:20
#74: Samuel Rokowski
“It’s about constantly changing and critiquing the process and making sure that what you’re doing is the correct path and learning from successes and failures and constantly moving , ...you have to avoid complacency at all costs.” On thi...
August 04, 2023
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37:59
#73: Travis Voss
"I never try to seem like I'm the expert because I'm definitely not when it comes to the actual construction side. If I can keep that mindset right and keep the five 'why's, I can get to the root of the problem and hopefully find the righ...
July 07, 2023
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50:47
#72: Cindy Sanderfur
"The world is big enough for collaboration." Cindy Sanderfur, Communications-DEI&B Manager at Electrical Training Alliance dives into the journey of the apprenticeship from how they started to where they are now. Listen to her perspec...
June 23, 2023
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42:18
#71 Toby Mitchell
"When we were on paper, it could take 30, 45 minutes, to even an hour to complete an invoice. Now, we're probably down to under 5 minutes," Toby Mitchell, President of Classic Electric Consulting joins Jared Christman, Director of Constru...
June 14, 2023
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1:00:04
#70: Jarret Bergkamp
“It’s easy to identify or see problems, potential pitfalls, or risks. Use your community of professionals to form perspective. Then start working down the innovation cycle to implement a plan.” Jarret Bergkamp, the Executive Director of Precons...
May 26, 2023
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29:28
#69: Contractor Takeover - Office to Field Communication
“One of the most simple tools that everybody has, it’s free, we choose how much or how little we use it. And that tool is communication.” Jared Christman, Director of Construction Technology at ELECTRI and Sean Lazarian, CFO of ESSCO dive...
May 12, 2023
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38:44
#68: Joe Aikens
“Change takes time. It’s like everything else in life, you’re going to be a little apprehensive until you start seeing the fruits of whatever you’re trying to do and realize that it’s a timesaver and beneficial to you and the company.”&nb...
April 28, 2023
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30:50
#67: Convention Overload - Alex Bunda
“It’s all about taking meaningful steps in the right direction and embracing failure along the way.” Alex Bunda, Director of Innovation of Southwire Spark, shares the importance of staying up to date on future innovations and the need for adopt...
April 14, 2023
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28:59
#66: Convention Overload – Landon Boyer
“Innovation is pairing technology with a customer problem and making someone's life better.” In this episode Landon Boyer, Vice President of Engineering at Schneider Electric explains the agile process they use to create and innovate prod...
March 31, 2023
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24:47
#65: Convention Overload - Jonathan Marsh
“Innovation is an idea that was divorced from a purpose.” Jonathan Marsh, CEO of Steel Toe Consulting, shares the importance of purpose driven innovation and matching key players to the correct roles in your business. Tune in to learn about pro...
March 22, 2023
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29:45