Advertise on podcast: Building The Future

What does it take to turn an after-school mowing business into a commercial landscaping company? On Episode 17 of Building The Future Show, Riley Marvin from Alpha 1 Landscapes traces his path from borrowing his dad’s push mower to leading a team of about 50 people in central Iowa. Riley talks about changing direction in college, learning from an underpriced first commercial project, and becoming a better boss after an early crew quit. The conversation explores the work behind commercial landscaping, from hardscapes and irrigation to erosion control, along with the pricing, seasonal planning, and cash-flow challenges of running the business.For anyone choosing a career or thinking about starting a company, Riley brings the discussion back to practical habits: return calls, do what you say, learn from good employers, and communicate well. He and the hosts also discuss why a company’s culture needs to show up in everyday work and how focused crews can help people grow into leadership.

Knowing the code and finding the fault are only part of the job. On Episode 16 of Building The Future Show, Ben Kolo from Mr. Electric explains why communication, trust, and attitude matter alongside an electrician’s technical skills.Ben walks through the details of residential service, from preparing a van the night before to helping a homeowner understand the work they actually need. The conversation also covers apprenticeship and hands-on training, the responsibility to teach the next person, and Ben’s own change of direction from studying electrical engineering to working in the trade.For people building a career or leading a team, the discussion comes back to a practical question: how do you become someone others want to work with? Ben and the hosts explore curiosity, accountability, leadership, and the value of asking to see a job firsthand before choosing a path.

A skilled career needs a clear starting point. Zach Nunn joins the Building The Future Show to discuss how young people discover those paths, what keeps them from getting started, and why the people who build and maintain our communities matter. The conversation covers apprenticeships, community-college training, rural housing, and the workforce behind new technology. Zach describes his route through military service and into Congress, while the team shares stories of changing careers, learning practical skills, and finding pride in finished work. For students, parents, educators, employers, and anyone considering a new direction, this episode explores how exposure can become opportunity. The discussion returns to communication, lifelong learning, and following through on a plan to help the next generation get started.

What comes after a budget that barely covers the bills? In Affordability Part 4, Ben Sampica joins the Building The Future Show to explore how people can move from getting by toward building a better life. The conversation returns to the series’ household-budget example and asks what meaningful progress looks like when money, time, and local opportunities are limited. The group discusses career growth, asking better questions about pay and benefits, advocating for yourself, and recognizing when a job or location offers little room to grow. They also consider emergency savings, borrowing decisions, extra income, training, and the temporary sacrifices that can come with changing direction. Personal experience and disagreement keep the conversation grounded in the different circumstances people face. For anyone weighing their next step, this episode connects the affordability conversation to a larger question: what kind of future are you trying to build, and who can help you get there? Ben and the group reflect on community support, incremental improvement, and the difference between chasing a lifestyle and creating a better life.

A guest lecture introduced Will Ries to the person who became his boss. That connection led him to Just Add Water, where an internship became a career building ponds, waterfalls, and the team behind them. On the Building The Future Show, Will explains how a water feature becomes a living ecosystem, why the way a customer wants to use a yard matters, and how small design decisions change the finished experience. He also shares what he learned by taking on sales, maintenance, business operations, and production as the company needed help. The conversation moves from craftsmanship to leadership: training through the winter, making progression clear, involving the crew in hiring, and asking about the person behind an attendance problem. For anyone weighing a career move or leading a small team, Will offers a practical look at trying the work, continuing to learn, and earning trust.

What can AI take off your plate, and what still needs a person who knows the work? In Episode 12 of the Building The Future Show, ChatGPT Astra 6 joins us through a MacBook for a conversation about work, judgment, and the limits of a confident answer. We compare our own experiences using AI, challenge what it can do on a jobsite, and put questions directly to Astra. The conversation moves from practical office tasks and software ideas to business advice, apprenticeships, and choosing a career. We also ask whether an AI answer reflects our earlier conversations in the episode, and where human experience still has to make the call. There are useful answers, skeptical follow-ups, and an unexpected response when Astra is asked to stay quiet. For anyone deciding how much to trust a new tool, this episode gives that question a real conversation.

Cassie Cannon of FC Trucking joins Building The Future Show to share a family story that began with her grandfather hauling grain and led to building a trucking business of her own. From childhood rides with her dad to one truck, one driver, and daily calls looking for work, Cassie explains how she found her place in the industry.The conversation covers earning repeat business, working with brokers, buying and maintaining trucks, keeping accurate records, and handling the cash-flow gap between doing the work and getting paid. Cassie also shares the responsibility of providing steady work for a team and what she would tell someone thinking about becoming an owner-operator.For students, young adults, families, educators, and anyone curious about trucking or business ownership, this episode offers a practical look at the work behind the wheel and beyond it. Cassie's advice leaves room to explore apprenticeships, trade school, college, and a career path that fits your interests.

Blake Haan joins Building The Future for Part 3 of our affordability series, continuing the conversation about whether young people can still build a stable life and reach the American Dream. Blake and the group discuss housing, debt, income, lifestyle expectations, sacrifice, and family priorities. They examine how career choices, practical skills, spending habits, and decisions made early in life shape what becomes affordable over time, while asking whether money alone defines success. This episode is for students, young adults, parents, and working families weighing career paths, homeownership, family goals, and the tradeoffs required to build a secure future.

Royce Johns joins Building The Future to share his unexpected path from singer-songwriter and studio owner to excavation business owner. After building his own home, stepping away from equipment, and watching his studio venture fail, Royce returned to the work he enjoyed and began building a business around excavation and land clearing. Royce discusses buying equipment, managing insurance and cash flow, finding customers through door-to-door marketing and Google reviews, and learning from costly jobs. The conversation also covers dump trucks, trailers, competition, hiring, long hours, and the difference between owning equipment and building a sustainable business. This episode is for students, young adults, tradespeople, and aspiring business owners weighing college, trade school, employment, or entrepreneurship.

Ben Sampica returns to Building The Future for the second half of our conversation about affordability and whether the American Dream remains within reach for young people and working families. The group brings the question down to everyday math: buying a home with less than 20% down, PMI and first-time-buyer financing, emergency funds, credit cards, housing and utility costs, transportation, healthcare, food, and lifestyle choices. They also compare college, military service, and the trades while examining wages, job benefits, and what it takes to build a workable monthly budget. Part 2 is for students, young adults, parents, and working families making decisions about careers, spending, healthcare, homeownership, and building a stable future.

Colby Elmitt, who runs Langel and Wood, joins Building The Future for a practical conversation about custom clothing, customer experience, and the business behind a well-made suit. Colby explains the difference between suit jackets and sport coats, how fabric choices range from practical everyday options to luxury wools, and why measurements, fit, color, pattern, shoes, ties, and linings matter. The conversation also covers warm-weather and wrinkle-resistant fabrics, common suit mistakes, and why custom clothing is about confidence and service as much as appearance. Colby also shares lessons from taking over a business, earning the trust of his colleagues, following his passion, and building an experience customers remember. This episode is for students, young adults, business owners, and anyone interested in craftsmanship, personal style, sales, or entrepreneurship.

Ben Sampica joins Building The Future for the first half of a two-part conversation about affordability and whether the American Dream remains within reach for young people and working families. The group examines rising housing and living costs, household income, credit card debt, and the disappearance of affordable starter homes. They also discuss college versus the trades, lifestyle expectations, saving, sacrifice, and how career choices affect long-term financial stability. Part 1 explores the pressures shaping everyday financial decisions and what students, young adults, parents, and working families should consider as they plan for education, work, homeownership, and a stable future.

Denny Deaken joins Luke Bristow for a practical conversation about tree care, jobsite safety, and the judgment behind deciding whether a tree should be protected or removed. Denny explains why healthy trees need thoughtful care, and why dead ash trees can remain dangerous even when they are still standing. They discuss a climbing close call, safety standards, root damage caused by construction, and the challenges of building around massive trees on steep sites. Denny also shares stories about ancient oaks, tough mulberries, hidden tree-removal work, and what young people need to learn before entering the tree industry. The conversation also turns to business: why quality, reputation, and satisfied customers can matter more than a large advertising budget. This episode offers a grounded look at professional tree work for students, tradespeople, builders, property owners, and anyone curious about caring for mature trees.

Peter Cooper joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, skilled trades, apprenticeships, hiring, education, and building a career that lasts. Peter shares how he turned a layoff into an opportunity, the lessons he has learned from building businesses, and why your attitude, relationships, and willingness to keep learning matter just as much as your technical skills. Whether you are a student exploring careers, a tradesperson looking to grow, or a business owner building a team, this episode is packed with practical advice and hard-earned perspective.

Josh Stover, owner of Stover’s Motors, joins us to share how he went from playing jazz saxophone and growing up in rural Iowa to building his own small-engine repair business. Josh talks about trying different jobs before committing to a career, learning through mistakes, and recognizing the difference between aimless job hopping and purposeful career exploration. We also discuss the real grind behind succeeding in the trades, turning mower repair into a side hustle, starting with affordable tools, avoiding unnecessary debt, and upgrading equipment only when the work demands it. Josh also explains how he uses AI to track down hard-to-find parts, why career changes should not be feared, and how he has learned to set boundaries when there is more work than he can handle. This episode is a practical conversation about exploring your options, building useful skills, and creating a career one opportunity at a time.