Activating Curiosity® | Leading Change in the Construction Industry

42 Episodes

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Everyone Wants Skilled Workers. Who Is Willing to Develop Them?

2026-10-1301:11:09

Construction needs skilled workers. But if every contractor is looking for people who are already trained and experienced, who is developing the people the industry will need next? Jennifer Wilkerson, Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), joins Ryan Ware to explore why training and developing people has become a strategic issue for the construction industry. Jennifer brings a unique perspective to the conversation....

Can AEC Professionals Build Wealth in a Low-Margin Industry?

2026-10-0154:54

AEC professionals spend their careers solving complex problems. But are we applying that same problem-solving ability to our finances, businesses, careers, and lives? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Ryan Sullivan, founder of Off the Beaten Path Financials and Off the Beaten Path Advisors, to explore a different question: What if some of the financial realities we've accepted in AEC aren't rules at all? Ryan began his career as a mechanical engineer. At just ...

The Biggest Problem in Construction Isn't Budget or Schedule

2026-09-2201:13:44

Explore construction leadership, operations, technology adoption, and AI’s role in improving company culture and productivity in the built environment. Because construction leaders spend a lot of time talking about budgets, schedules, productivity, and technology. But what if those aren't the real challenge? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Casey Bell, CEO of Aecore and Co-Founder of Buildzen, to explore a different perspective: What if the biggest challenge ...

Why Construction Leaders Can't Hire Their Way Out of the Labor Shortage

2026-09-1754:57

Discover construction workforce challenges, recruiting, talent retention, mentorship, and how culture impacts employee engagement in AEC firms. We know the construction industry has a changing workforce. But are the ways we recruit, hire, and develop people changing with it? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Bryce Batts, Co-Founder of Career Collective and a recruiter with 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, to explore a different question: Can constru...

Construction Doesn't Have a Building Problem. It Has an Information Problem.

2026-09-0801:03:23

Unpack how AI and information management in construction estimating, preconstruction, and project delivery can reshape productivity and housing affordability. Construction has spent decades trying to build faster, reduce costs, and improve productivity. Yet estimating, preconstruction, permitting, coordination, and project delivery continue to consume more time and information. But what if construction doesn't have a building problem? What if it has an information problem? In this episode of ...

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Activating Curiosity® | Leading Change in the Construction Industry