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The Con Tech Crew

Enjoy the ride & Geek out! Your source for the latest construction technology news and interviews w

A podcast about the latest construction technology news & developments hosted by Jeff Sample.

15/09/2025

Bluebeam will never be the same.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample sits down with Michael Echave & Jason Artley to talk about the power of community and why the next wave of Bluebeam will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.

At XCON, it wasn’t just contractors in one corner and architects in another-it was everyone together, sharing and learning as one industry.

That melting pot of ideas is what drives transformation.

And now, with Unbound on the horizon, the next chapter is coming.

Bluebeam won’t just be a “PDF solution” anymore.

It’s stepping into something bigger, more data-driven, and powered by AI that actually works-not just a buzzword.

This isn’t an incremental update. It’s a reinvention. The question is: are you ready for it?

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/A2VfrQ9saz4

12/09/2025

Feeling stupid means you’re learning.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample talks with guests Michael Echave and Jason Artley about why live demos and real-time troubleshooting matter more than polished perfection.

If you never feel uncomfortable, you’re not actually learning.

Mistakes aren’t failures-they’re proof you’re trying something new.

That awkward “I don’t get it” moment? It’s the bridge to competence.

And when experts model this-breaking things live, fumbling through fixes, embracing the messy process-they give permission for everyone else to learn without shame.

It’s not about looking flawless. It’s about showing resilience.

Because the world doesn’t fix itself-you learn to troubleshoot.

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/A2VfrQ9saz4

10/09/2025

Webinars are killing learning.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample sits down with guests Michael Echave and Jason Artley to unpack why their live format has taken off while traditional webinars fall flat.

Because let’s be honest-who wants to log in just to watch another PowerPoint deck?

People don’t want polished slides. They want raw problem-solving.

They want to see real workflows break and then get fixed live.

They want questions answered in the moment, not a week later in a follow-up email.

They want to learn side by side with others facing the same challenges.

That’s why Morning Coffee Review works. It’s not about caffeine. It’s about connection.

And it’s why the industry keeps showing up week after week-because real learning is messy, unscripted, and shared.

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/A2VfrQ9saz4

08/09/2025

Air Quality Impacts Test Scores.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Travis Voss sit down with Matthew Cole, Field Operations Manager at Wing's Testing & Balancing Co., to uncover the life-changing impact of proper indoor air quality (IAQ).

Bad air isn’t something you always see. But you feel it-especially in schools.

Studies prove better air quality leads to higher test scores.

Fresh air circulation reduces the spread of illness.

And post-COVID, certified testing became essential for reopening classrooms safely.

One of his daughters attended a school where his team upgraded filtration and ventilation.

The other went to a school with outdated systems. Only one came home sick.

IAQ isn’t just about comfort. It’s about health. It’s about learning. It’s about protecting families.

And in hospitals, schools, and workplaces-it can literally change lives.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/VGSiKyNZty4

05/09/2025

Fire Safety Starts with Airflow.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Travis Voss sit down with Matthew Cole, Field Operations Manager at Wing's Testing & Balancing Co., to explore the critical role TAB contractors play in fire and life safety.

Most people think fire protection begins and ends with sprinklers. But the truth is far more complex.

Stairwell pressurization keeps smoke out so people can escape.

Atrium exhaust systems evacuate dangerous smoke in large open spaces.

Automatic dampers protect walls and prevent fire spread.

And while we’re running out, firefighters are running in. These systems protect them too.

Life safety isn’t just a building code-it’s a survival system.

And it requires regular testing, validation, and commitment from every contractor involved.

When the alarm sounds, you don’t get a second chance.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/VGSiKyNZty4

03/09/2025

Less Callbacks, More Collaboration.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Travis Voss sit down with Matthew Cole, Field Operations Manager at Wing's Testing & Balancing Co., to explore the real role of TAB contractors in construction projects.

Too often, installers see balancers as “the guy picking on me”. The best installers partner with balancers.

Because when the system is set up right the first time, there are fewer callbacks, less rework, and better project outcomes.

Balancers don’t make the rules; they validate them.

They’re there to test, adjust, and confirm that systems are performing as designed.

When installers and balancers collaborate, projects close cleaner, faster, and with stronger trust between teams.

Partnership eliminates friction. Partnership builds performance. Partnership protects profits.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/VGSiKyNZty4

01/09/2025

Tech leaders win with resource clarity.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Trent Leinenbach sit down with Jen Clark, Project Integration Manager at General Sheet Metal, to dig into how tech leaders make confident, resource-smart decisions.

You’re trying to solve problems without knowing what tools and people-you already have.

Who do we have internally?

What tech already exists in our stack?

Where do we really need external help?

Without that clarity, you end up overbuying, overbuilding, or duplicating efforts.

You don’t need a bigger tech stack. You need a tighter grip on what’s in it.

Decision-making at scale depends on visibility.

Get the full picture and the right plan will follow.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/pWzdUactcN0

29/08/2025

Tech thrives under tech-minded leadership.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Trent Leinenbach sit down with Jen Clark, Project Integration Manager at General Sheet Metal, to explore what true construction tech leadership looks like and how companies can build the structure to support it.

Too often, IT reports into finance. And when tech leaders are buried under budgets and approvals, innovation dies quietly.

But when leadership shifts to someone who understands both tech and operations?

Magic happens. You stop patching problems with tools that never scale.

You start seeing ROI on your IT infrastructure-not just cost centres.

You stop shadow IT from blooming in secret.

You start building apps that solve real problems from the field up.

A collaborative, visionary tech leader doesn't just streamline systems. They build momentum.

They translate across departments, link strategy to ex*****on, and create space for scalable growth.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/pWzdUactcN0

27/08/2025

Too much feedback creates stalled tech.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, hosts Jeff Sample and Trent Leinenbach sit down with Jen Clark, Project Integration Manager at General Sheet Metal, to explore the messy, real process of implementing technology in construction and what it actually takes to make it stick.

Let’s be real: software development is not construction project management.

Trying to apply rigid, field-driven approaches to something that’s meant to be flexible and iterative.

Tech implementation isn’t about making everyone feel heard-it’s about getting the right voices involved at the right time.

Your job isn’t to satisfy every opinion. It’s to get strategic and filter noise before it derails progress.

If you’re building apps, platforms, or workflows internally, this is your reminder: Iterate fast. Test everything. Kill the feedback overload.

Leadership doesn’t mean knowing it all. It means translating across teams and building with intent.

Stakeholder buy-in doesn’t require a committee-it requires trust and direction.

Let your tools evolve just like your mindset does.

🎧 Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/pWzdUactcN0

25/08/2025

Don’t chase the biggest-chase the busiest.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample is joined by Jonathan Marsh, CEO of Steel Toe Consulting and a technology strategist, Nathan Wood, Founder & Chief Enabling Officer At SpectrumAEC, Travis Voss, Director of Innovative Technology and Fabrication at Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and Jacob D’Albora, Director of Digital Building Operations at VIATechnik to talk scale, software, and why construction tech should priorities real operational impact over top-line illusions.

Here’s the reality no one wants to say out loud: that $10B GC?

They might have fewer boots on the ground than a $1B trade contractor.

Why does that matter?

Because if your software is built to “sell big”, but can’t scale operationally to impact people-you missed the point.

Trades are people-heavy. They move faster.

And they need tools that serve actual workflow pain points.

Financial models keep chasing headline logos and market share.

But true ROI lives where software hits real friction.

Let’s stop measuring TAM by revenue size.

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/ofgs9u8g_rc

Survey Form: https://survey.typeform.com/to/BuQAIB0y

22/08/2025

Context matters more than automation.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample is joined by Jonathan Marsh, CEO of Steel Toe Consulting and a technology strategist, Nathan Wood, Founder & Chief Enabling Officer At SpectrumAEC, Travis Voss, Director of Innovative Technology and Fabrication at Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and Jacob D’Albora, Director of Digital Building Operations at VIATechnik to unpack the double-edged sword of AI in construction, especially when it comes to project tools promising more than they can actually do.

AI doesn’t make you smarter.

It gives you leverage-if you stay in charge.

But too many tools today are trying to replace your thinking, not amplify it.

That's when things go sideways. That “automated” project assistant?

It’s probably just a chatbot with access to your data.

That app that claims to “manage the whole job”?

Check for smoke. There's no fire.

Don’t buy hype. Buy clarity. You don’t want a tool that dulls your edge just to tick a box.

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/ofgs9u8g_rc

Survey Form: https://survey.typeform.com/to/BuQAIB0y

20/08/2025

Empower curiosity and watch your team innovate.

In this episode of The ConTech Crew, host Jeff Sample is joined by Jonathan Marsh, CEO of Steel Toe Consulting and a technology strategist, Nathan Wood, Founder & Chief Enabling Officer At SpectrumAEC, Travis Voss, Director of Innovative Technology and Fabrication at Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and Jacob D’Albora, Director of Digital Building Operations at VIATechnik to explore how curiosity, experimentation, and process clarity are reshaping construction tech and why leadership must support both.

You can plan your way to a solution.

But sometimes, you need to experiment your way to breakthroughs.

Too often, construction pros are told to focus only on productivity, deliverables, or core KPIs.

But what if that narrow focus is costing us long-term innovation?

Having a clear plan is crucial.

But so is giving your team permission to tinker-with tools, workflows, and ideas.

The best professionals balance what's required today with what could be better tomorrow.

They chase impact and leave room for evolution.

🎧 Listen to the full episode https://youtu.be/ofgs9u8g_rc

Survey Form: https://survey.typeform.com/to/BuQAIB0y

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