Construction CEO is a long-form, in-person podcast hosted by Jonathan Cor featuring candid conversations with executives leading commercial, industrial, and heavy civil construction companies. We talk leadership, lessons learned, failure, and the realities of building and running firms at scale.
If you are a CEO, Founder, Executive Chairman, President, or Owner of a commercial or industrial construction company and want to be a guest on my podcast, email me at jonathan@constructionceomedia.com
He Got FIRED... Then Built a $14M Construction Company
In this episode, Keone Padilla, founder of Pacific Northwest Traffic Control and Supply, shares how getting fired from a company he helped grow to $8.5 million forced him to start over with almost nothing.
After selling his house, moving into an RV, and scraping together $10,000, Keone built a traffic control company now projected to generate $14 million in annual revenue. We discuss the struggles of starting from scratch, surviving cash flow problems, building a team of nearly 90 employees, leadership, company culture, and the lessons learned through rapid growth.
12 Oct 2026
Why Subcontractors Wait YEARS to Get Paid (And How to Stop It)
In this episode, Jonathan Cor sits down with Joe Kaiser, President of Herzog Glass, Melissa Rossi, CEO of Division 9, and Rob Scott, CEO of Scott Coatings, for the first Construction CEO roundtable.
The conversation centers on getting paid as a subcontractor and the reality that subs often fund payroll, labor, materials, and other project costs long before the money reaches them. The executives share firsthand stories of retainage being held for four or five years, including roughly $400,000 tied up on a single project.
They get into delayed change orders, T&M tickets, contract provisions, payment leverage, GC/sub relationships, and why subcontractors need to understand exactly what they're signing. They also turn the criticism back on subcontractors and discuss how accepting unfavorable terms helps perpetuate them.
The conversation ultimately moves toward solutions: better contracts and documentation, stronger relationships, collective action among subcontractors, and legislative changes such as Washington's retainage reforms. The group also explains what the best GCs do differently and why the underlying payment structure of construction may need to change.
5 Oct 2026
How This Construction Entrepreneur Built a Company From Scratch
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Mike Crain, President of United Contract Flooring. Mike shares his journey from earning a construction management degree and working for general contractors to building his own company alongside his business partner, Serge.
They discuss entrepreneurship in construction, recruiting the next generation of talent, company culture, leadership, competition, growth, mentorship, working through industry downturns, and the lessons learned from launching and scaling a construction business from the ground up.
28 Sept 2026
He Never Planned to Lead a $500M Construction Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Rory Olsen, CEO of McDonald Miller Facility Solutions. Rory shares the unexpected path that took him from mechanical engineer to leading a $500 million construction company, along with the career decisions that shaped his leadership along the way.
They discuss saying yes to uncomfortable opportunities, building company culture, leadership, AI, data centers, developing future leaders, and the lessons learned from leading one of the largest construction companies in the Pacific Northwest.
21 Sept 2026
Why I Left a $10 Billion Construction Company
In this episode, Doug Bardin shares why he walked away from a leadership role at a $10 billion construction company to start DHC Contracting from scratch. He explains the moment he realized he'd regret never taking the chance, the challenges of building a company from the ground up, and what he's learned about leadership, client relationships, and long-term growth.
We also discuss leaving security behind, building a business around service instead of chasing every project, lessons from the military, and the mindset required to create a company you're proud to lead.
14 Sept 2026
How This Contractor Built a $53M Construction Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Mike Dougherty, CEO of Horizon Contracting Group. Mike shares how he went from planting trees as a teenager to building a diversified construction company with more than 240 employees and over $50 million in annual revenue.
They discuss working alongside family, growing a business across multiple locations, leaving a firefighting career to focus on construction full-time, the value of service divisions, company culture, leadership, employee ownership, expansion strategy, diversification, and creating long-term opportunities for people in the construction industry.
8 Sept 2026
Leading a 185-Person Construction Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Ben Faber, President of Faber Construction. Ben shares what it's like leading a 185-person construction company, the responsibility that comes with it, and how leadership changes as a business grows.
They discuss family business succession, working alongside his brothers, mentorship, balancing family and work, Washington state's millionaire tax, expansion into Idaho, public versus private projects, company culture, developing future leaders, and why construction remains a people-first business. Ben also shares lessons learned from decades in the industry and what it takes to build a company that lasts.
3 Aug 2026
He Built a $35M Construction Company... Then Started Over
In this episode, Blaze Pattison shares how he helped build a construction company from an idea in a garage to $35 million in annual revenue, only to leave it behind and start over with Pacific Building Group. He explains what led to that decision, the lessons learned from partnerships, and why he chose to build a different kind of company the second time around.
We also discuss entrepreneurship, culture, acquisitions, diversification, hiring, navigating uncertainty, and the mindset required to build a construction business that's designed to last.
6 Jul 2026
The Hardest Part of Leading a Construction Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Jake Hatfield, President of DB General Contractors. Jake shares his journey from laborer and carpenter to leading a commercial construction company, what the industry gets wrong about growth, why relationships matter more than revenue, and how construction leaders can build teams that actually last.We also discuss mentorship in the trades, burnout in commercial construction, leadership mistakes, work ethic, AI in construction, slow sustainable growth, company culture, hiring, and why the future of the trades still depends on people.
1 Jun 2026
This Contractor Lost Two Key Employees in One Month
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Tammy Birklid, President and Owner of Merit Construction, a general contractor based in Tacoma, Washington. Tammy shares what it was like losing two key employees in the same month and how it impacted culture, leadership, and decision-making inside the company.
They discuss hiring challenges, the difference between strong interviewers and strong employees, leading younger generations, and why leaders need to spend time in the field. Tammy also talks about mentoring through critical thinking, trusting experts to do their job, and why fast growth is not always the goal.
16 May 2026
Why Growing Too Fast in Construction Can Hurt Your Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Melissa Rossi, President and CEO of Division 9, a commercial flooring contractor based in Washington State. Melissa shares how the company navigated losing 40% of its revenue overnight, the decisions leaders face during uncertain markets, and why growth at all costs can create bigger problems later.
They discuss subcontractor realities including chasing payment, negotiating contracts with general contractors, almost selling the business to private equity, and why subcontractors need to be more involved in legislation. Melissa also talks about leadership in construction, supporting women in the industry, and building a company that prioritizes service and relationships with clients.
15 May 2026
From Apprentice to CEO of a 75-Year-Old Mechanical Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Jeff White, President and CEO of Holmberg Mechanical, a 75-year-old mechanical contractor based in Seattle. Jeff shares his journey from apprentice to CEO and what it takes to lead a company through growth, recessions, and industry change.
They discuss why the next generation should consider the trades, how strong relationships matter more than winning every project, why private work often beats public, and what disciplined growth really looks like. Jeff also explains how investing in employees, hiring from within, maintaining mechanical quality, and learning from mistakes have shaped Holmberg’s long-term success.
15 May 2026
He Turned Down Equity to Run A Glazing Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Joe Kaiser, President of Herzog Glass in Seattle, Washington, about leadership, growth, and operating as a subcontractor in commercial construction.
Joe explains why he chose an opportunity with no equity over three offers that included ownership, what he learned transitioning from general contractor to subcontractor, and how growth is actually measured in this industry. They discuss losing a $3 million project to a low bidder, nearly cancelling a construction contract, working on a $1.9 billion project, and why every contractor should build a service division. Joe also shares his perspective on good subs versus bad ones and what he looks for when working with general contractors.
14 May 2026
He Left Boeing and Bought a Steel Company
In this episode, Jonathan Cor interviews Jesse Cherian, President and CEO of ST Fabrication, a former Boeing materials scientist who left the corporate world to purchase a steel fabrication company and grow it from $1.4 million to $25 million.
Jesse shares what he learned transitioning from engineering to ownership, including the realities of acquiring a blue-collar business, why public works and government projects often spiral in cost, and how his experience as both a subcontractor and general contractor shaped his perspective. They discuss the role tariffs play in domestic manufacturing, why the ugliest jobs are often the most profitable, and how project managers have increasingly become contract and risk managers rather than builders.
This conversation also explores what it actually takes to start and acquire a construction business, the tradeoffs of growth, and what operational discipline looks like in steel fabrication today.
14 May 2026
Hard Lessons From A Commercial Painting Contractor
In this episode of the Construction CEO Podcast, Jonathan Cor sits down with Rob Scott, President and CEO of Scott Coatings, for an honest conversation about leadership, delegation, and redefining success in construction.Rob shares how delegating critical responsibilities to the wrong leaders nearly put his company at risk, and what it took to step back in, rebuild trust, and change the direction of the business. From working with family to navigating pride, contracts, and leadership style, this episode is a real look at what happens behind the scenes of a growing construction company.
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