Advertise on podcast: Jimmy Talks Construction

Jed Coinu from CUDA Group joins James on Jimmy Talks Construction to talk about leaving school in Year 10, going straight into a carpentry apprenticeship and eventually building his own construction and maintenance business from the ground up. What started with flyers, Facebook community pages and literally walking into shopping centres asking for work has grown into CUDA Group — a business servicing shopping centres, schools, hospitals and industrial sites across a wide range of maintenance, construction and small-scale civil work. Jed talks honestly about the realities of starting young, earning trust when people question your experience, doing the jobs nobody else wants, quoting quickly, chasing work and why the hard years of an apprenticeship can shape the way you operate later in business. The boys also get into scaling a construction business, hiring the right people, knowing what roles to delegate, staying close to your strengths, work-life balance, working ridiculous hours and why there is still no shortcut to building something successful. They also discuss AI and technology in construction, where automation might actually make a difference, why blue-collar work is harder to replace and how software is already changing the way contractors quote, manage jobs and handle paperwork. Another proper conversation about construction, business, apprenticeships and the people behind the industry. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with people across construction, civil, earthmoving, trades and infrastructure. Connect with Jed: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuda_group/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jed-coinu-2741652b6/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cuda-Group/61577953295378/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Craig from EDI Tree Services joins James on Jimmy Talks Construction to talk about building a tree business from the ground up, surviving cancer as a teenager, leaving school early and eventually finding a career he genuinely loves. What started with mowing lawns and taking on the occasional tree removal has grown into EDI Tree Services — a Mount Gambier-based operation handling residential, commercial and large-scale vegetation management work across the Limestone Coast and beyond. Craig talks honestly about the realities of running a trade business: hiring good people, competing with unqualified operators, knowing when not to grow, expensive mistakes on site, insurance claims, machinery fires and why he still wants to be out doing the work rather than sitting behind a desk. The boys also get into the future of the arboriculture industry, training standards, licensing, construction accidents, the importance of having the right people around you and some of the jobs that don't quite go to plan. Craig also shares his involvement in the Shitbox Rally, taking a $1,500 car thousands of kilometres through the Australian outback to raise money for cancer research. Another proper conversation about construction, business and the people behind the industry. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with people across construction, civil, earthmoving, trades and infrastructure. Connect with Craig: 🌐 Website: https://www.editrees.com.au/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edidevelopments/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Dylan from Welsh Industries joins Jimmy to talk about building an earthmoving and civil construction business from the ground up. From selling firewood while still at school and buying his first machine, to taking on the small jobs bigger contractors didn’t want, Dylan breaks down the journey of growing Welsh Industries into larger civil projects, plant hire and tendered work. They get into the reality of running a construction business - knowing when to say yes, quoting and variations, learning expensive lessons through tendering, moving from simple quotes to detailed proposals, managing growth, getting off the tools and building a reputation that wins work. Dylan also shares his experience working on the Longwood bushfire recovery, including the confronting process of cleaning up destroyed homes and some of the unexpected possessions they managed to recover from the rubble. In this episode: • Starting a business while still at school • Buying the first machine and finding work • Why saying “yes” helped grow Welsh Industries • Knowing when to start saying no • Quoting, variations and protecting your scope • Moving from small jobs into commercial civil construction • Tendering for bigger projects • Losing money while learning how to tender • Why proposals can outperform basic quotes • Scaling without growing too quickly • Longwood bushfire recovery and cleanup • Communication, reputation and relationships in construction If you work in civil construction, earthmoving, plant hire or run your own construction business, there’s plenty in this one. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people actually building and running Australia’s construction industry. Connect with Dylan Welsh: 🌐 Website: https://welshindustries.com.au/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WelshIndustries/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/welshindustries/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-welsh-a99067123/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Matt Garland has seen the construction industry from both sides of the fence. In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Matt Garland from Nawkaw Australia to talk about his journey through construction, from studying construction management and working for major builders to helping establish operations in London and eventually moving from the head contractor side into the subcontracting world. In this episode: Matt Garland's journey into constructionWorking for Tier 1 and Tier 3 buildersEstablishing a construction operation in LondonGrowing during the COVID construction periodMoving from head contractor to subcontractorHow Nawkaw concrete and masonry staining worksWhy colour matching is more complicated than it looksQA systems and managing client expectationsAvoiding disputes over scope and variationsBuilding systems that allow construction businesses to scaleTechnology and automation in constructionBIM, GPS and modular constructionThe problem with construction's race to the lowest priceWhy innovation costs moneyInvesting in the next generation of construction If you're a builder, subcontractor, project manager, construction business owner or anyone interested in where the Australian construction industry is heading, this is an episode worth watching. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building Australia's construction industry. Connect with Matthew Garland: 🌐 Website: https://www.nawkawvic.com.au/ 🌐 Website: https://nawkaw.com/en-au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nawkawaus/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-garland-000004b5/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Damien and Tara from DA Bricklaying join Jimmy Talks Construction to talk about taking bricklaying from the jobsite to the world stage. Damien has represented Australia in major bricklaying competitions in Las Vegas, laying an incredible 737 bricks in just one hour. But behind the competition is a much bigger story about building a trade business, managing a crew, working alongside your partner and trying to make the numbers stack up in today’s construction industry. Damien and Tara break down how DA Bricklaying began, why a trip to compete overseas helped pull Damien back into the industry, and how they went from running a bricklaying company to developing and launching their own bricklaying tool. They also get into some of the bigger issues facing Australian trades - falling margins, competing against operators with lower overheads, skills shortages, short-form trade qualifications, licensing and whether enough value is being placed on experienced tradespeople. Plus, there are a few lessons from Las Vegas… including why going out until 3am before a bricklaying competition probably isn’t the best preparation. In this episode: • Competing against some of the world's best bricklayers • Laying 737 bricks in one hour • Building DA Bricklaying • Turning a bricklaying tool into a product business • Recalling a product after a manufacturing issue • The real cost of running a trade business • Why competing purely on price doesn't work • Running a business with your husband or wife • Australia's bricklaying skills shortage • Trade qualifications and licensing • The difference between Australian and US masonry businesses • What the next generation of Australian bricklaying needs Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building, operating and changing Australia's construction industry. Connect with Team Amuso: 🌐 Website: https://www.dattools.com/about-us 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamamuso/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamamuso/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-amuso/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Aaron Witt - the man behind BuildWitt and one of the biggest names in the “Dirt World” - joins Jimmy for a wide-ranging conversation about construction, business, leadership, social media and where the industry needs to go next. Aaron takes us back to working on the railroad, launching BuildWitt in 2017 and turning a passion for construction photography into a business and brand recognised across the industry. He explains why authentic content cuts through, why construction companies are struggling to attract people, and why better leadership, training and technology will be critical to moving the industry forward. Jimmy and Aaron also get into the less glamorous side of business - running out of money, making bad decisions, managing people, building trust, staying consistent when motivation disappears and learning from things that simply didn’t work. Aaron shares how Dirt World Summit grew from around 700 attendees to 1,500 and sold out six months ahead of time, why real relationships still matter more than scalable marketing tactics, and why sometimes the most valuable things in business are the things that don’t scale. They also discuss construction influencers, brand deals, authenticity, BuildWitt’s growing software ambitions and Aaron’s latest Australian trip through the Pilbara, Bowen Basin, Gladstone and Snowy Mountains. If you work in construction, run a business or are trying to build something for the long term, there’s plenty in this one. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people shaping the construction industry. Connect with Aaron Witt https://www.instagram.com/aaronwitt/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwitt BuildWitt https://buildwitt.com/ Dirt Talk Podcast https://megaphone.link/IDWOO2325207760 Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Angus Walker started ANA Asphalt in his early 20s with a mate, a bobcat, a couple of rollers and a plan to make some extra cash. Today, the business employs more than 100 people, runs multiple paving and profiling crews, a sizeable fleet of trucks and equipment - and is taking its next step into asphalt manufacturing. In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Angus to unpack what actually happens between starting small and building a serious construction business. They talk about scaling too quickly, going backwards to go forwards, building the right team, the nightmare of middle management, vertical integration, why good people are worth holding onto and learning to let others solve problems better than you can. Angus also shares some of the brutal lessons along the way - including a three-night stretch that cost the business around $170,000 - and why those moments eventually forced him to stop trying to do everything himself. They also get into asphalt logistics, paving in the rain, trucking, building an asphalt plant, technology and AI in construction, incentivising staff, working from home, leadership and why staying curious has remained one of Angus’ biggest drivers. No textbook business advice. Just two construction business owners comparing notes on what it actually takes to build, scale and keep the wheels turning. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people actually building Australia’s construction industry. Connect with Angus: 🌐 Website: https://www.anaasphalts.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anaasphalts/?hl=en 💼 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/ana-asphalts 💼 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/angus-walker-6a066719a Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Samantha from Blue Dog Cranes joins Jimmy for a conversation about building a crane business, creating a strong team culture and what it actually takes to maintain high standards as a company grows. Before cranes, Samantha worked in event management, running major e-commerce conferences and events in Australia and Las Vegas. Then, after her husband Ben saw an opportunity to do things differently in the crane industry, they went all in. They purchased a small crane business with three cranes, battled through finance issues, built their team and eventually grew Blue Dog Cranes to a 12-crane operation across two Melbourne yards. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with the people building, running and changing the Australian construction industry. GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE CONSTRUCTION EXCHANGE: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1612879 Connect with Sam: 🌐 Website: https://bluedogcranes.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluedogcranes/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-dog-cranes/?originalSubdomain=au 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluedogcranes/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthajind/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-charlton-006ba123/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Can content compress a 20-year reputation-building journey into just six? Charley Li, founder of Plot Joinery, joins Jimmy to unpack how brand, trust and operational discipline helped a young architectural joinery business compete against companies with decades of experience. Charley shares how he went from studying construction management and failing to win a single client with his first business idea, to launching Plot Joinery with $20,000, progressively building an approximately 14-person team and moving into an 800-square-metre manufacturing facility. The conversation goes well beyond joinery. Jimmy and Charley discuss why marketing can accelerate both a great reputation and a terrible one, whether every construction business should be creating content, and how long-form media can build the trust required to win higher-margin work. Connect with Charley: 🌐 Website: https://www.plotjoinery.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plotjoinery/?hl=en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plotjoinery/?originalSubdomain=au 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plotjoinery/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@plotjoinery 🎙️Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sitetostudio/?hl=en 🎙️ Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sitetostudiopodcast8482 Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Mathew Ryan from Ryan Developments joins Jimmy to explain how turning over approximately $3.5 million forced him to confront the difference between running a busy building company and running a profitable one. Mathew shares his journey from completing his carpentry apprenticeship in Whittlesea to building Ryan Developments into a specialist custom-home and knockdown-rebuild company operating across Melbourne. Jimmy and Matt discuss: Why high turnover does not guarantee profitThe true hourly cost of employing a tradieMargin versus markup in constructionWhy underquoting is sending builders brokeLosing a major project to a builder who quoted $200,000 lessThe risks of pricing your own labour below industry ratesDifficult clients, unpaid claims and VCAT disputesLosing tens of thousands of dollars on completed workWhy builders need to investigate their clientsFinding a profitable niche in constructionWhy scaling a business is not always the right decisionCreating a strong culture and looking after your employeesWork ethic, apprentices and expectations on site Mathew also explains why challenging sites, steep blocks, custom homes and knockdown rebuilds became the right niche for Ryan Developments—and why knowing your numbers is just as important as being a skilled tradesman. This is an honest conversation about construction pricing, builder profitability, cash flow, leadership, employees and the realities of running a building business in Australia. Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for more conversations with Australian builders, contractors, tradies and construction business owners. Connect with Mathew: 🌐 Website: https://www.ryandevelopments.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryandevelopments/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ryandevelopments/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, James sits down with Michelle Cirson, founder of Subcontractor Legal and The Subbies’ Toolbox, to unpack the contractual and commercial traps costing Australian subcontractors millions. Michelle explains why retentions are often used to support builder cash flow, how Security of Payment legislation works, why being the “good bloke” can leave subcontractors exposed and when suspending work may be the only way to bring a builder to the negotiating table. They also discuss: • A formworker pressured into taking on three high-rise projects with one builder • How payment claims can be deliberately delayed or reduced • Why subcontractors need an accounts receivable escalation procedure • Protecting machinery and equipment through PPSR registrations • An excavator being withheld after a subcontractor entered liquidation • Directors’ guarantees, secured creditors and preference payments • Fixed-price contracts and rapidly increasing fuel costs • Variations, acceleration claims, delay costs and contractual time bars • Why relationships alone will not protect your construction business This is essential listening for subcontractors, civil contractors, trades, plant hire companies, commercial managers, contracts administrators and construction business owners. This podcast contains general information and discussion only and should not be treated as legal advice. How to Claim Costs Increases Under Fixed Price Contracts: https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/cost Connect with Michelle: 🌐 Website: https://www.subcontractorlegal.com.au/ 🌐 Website: https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/ 🎙️Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/68whpTaxxcmIDhWXNdXIu5 🎙️Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-subbies-toolbox-podcast/id1663062832 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

Max Eagles, owner of X1 Plumbing, joins Jimmy Talks Construction to share how his first plumbing business failed—and what he changed before starting again. In this episode, Max and James discuss: The difference between being a good plumber and running a profitable plumbing businessQuoting a $40,000 job when the next price was approximately $70,000The apprentice mistake that flooded an entire basementWhy verbal warnings were not enough during a Fair Work claimThe risks of operating as a sole traderCalculating charge-out rates, overheads, efficiency and profit marginsWhether taking lower-priced work is better than leaving employees at homeLosing money on a job to protect an important client relationshipMoving from residential maintenance into larger commercial plumbing workRebuilding after failure and launching X1 PlumbingHiring, leadership and maintaining company culture while growingSubscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for honest conversations with the people building Australia’s construction industry. Connect with Max: 🌐 Website: https://www.x1plumb.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/x1plumb/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/X1-Plumb-61568419870480/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/x1-plumb-pty-ltd/?originalSubdomain=au 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-eagles-5248822a8/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Andrew Deveson, co-founder and director of Kapitol Group, for one of the biggest conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Andrew shares the full story behind Kapitol Group’s rise — from starting with zero employees, zero revenue, and putting everything on the line, to building one of Australia’s most talked-about construction companies with 550 full-time staff and a projected $1.5 billion in turnover. This conversation goes deep into what actually separates high-performing construction businesses from the rest: customer obsession, losing tenders the right way, managing variations, fixing productivity, dealing with COVID and inflation, controlling waste, building better systems, using data properly, and why AI could completely change the future of construction. Andrew also breaks down the early days of Kapitol, their first $160,000 job, the discipline required to survive during the construction inflation period, why training became mandatory across the business, and why productivity may be the biggest challenge facing the entire industry. This is a must-watch for builders, subcontractors, construction business owners, project managers, engineers, developers, and anyone interested in how a construction company can scale fast without losing sight of quality, culture and execution. Connect with Andrew: 🌐 Website: https://www.kapitol.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

In Episode 52 of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Rhys Cooper, Managing Director of Cooper Civil, a southeast Queensland civil excavation business known for GPS excavation, Cat Next Gen gear, late-model machines and high-quality operators. Rhys shares his story from growing up in New Zealand, working in forestry, travelling across Australia operating machinery, spending years in the mines, and eventually starting Cooper Civil with almost nothing behind him. From buying his first excavator to growing into a fleet of machines, Rhys opens up about the highs, lows, pressure and reality of building a civil construction business. This episode gets into the real side of excavation and plant hire: wet hire versus contract work, GPS systems, tilt rotators, Cat gear, pricing pressure, operator quality, tough markets, the Queensland pipeline, and why growing bigger does not always mean making more money. Jimmy and Rhys also talk honestly about success, reputation, mental health, vulnerability in construction, working with good clients, and what young operators need to understand if they want to build a proper career in the industry. If you are in civil construction, excavation, plant hire, GPS machine control, earthmoving, or you are trying to grow a construction business, this episode is packed with real-world lessons. Connect with Rhys: 🌐 Website: https://www.coopercivil.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coopercivil/?hl=en 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rhys-cooper-688430164?originalSubdomain=au 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coopercivil.com.au/ Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]

In Episode 51 of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Garath Vella from Lorden Vella to talk about the real business of building: margins, risk, hiring, subbies, COVID, cash flow, and what it actually takes to start and grow a construction company in Melbourne. Garath shares his path from plumbing, site supervision and project management into co-founding Lorden Vella during one of the most unstable periods the construction industry has seen. He opens up about starting with no work lined up, navigating COVID, dealing with shut-down businesses, and building a company from the ground up. This episode digs into why builders take on work at low or even negative margins, how subcontractor pricing changed after COVID, why relationships matter more than contracts alone, and why culture, communication and good people can make or break a construction business. They also cover hiring in construction, why resumes don’t always tell the full story, the difference between site-based and tertiary-trained project managers, education and childcare projects, apartment work, government work, and the pressure builders face when the market gets tight. If you’re a builder, subcontractor, project manager, site manager, developer, apprentice, or anyone trying to understand the commercial construction industry, this episode is packed with honest lessons from inside the game. Connect with Garath: 🌐 Website: https://lordenvella.com.au/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lordenvella/?hl=en 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lordenvella/?originalSubdomain=au Connect with Jimmy: 🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/ Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: [email protected] Send in Business Problems: [email protected]