Episodes

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Shawn Dominguez, US Navy Veteran and President of Dominguez Design-Build Inc. Shawn talks about his early life, what led him to the military, and how his upbringing informed the way he looked at the world post military. Resources mentioned: “Fearless” by Eric Blehm: https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Undaunted-Ultimate-Sacrifice-Operator/dp/0307730700 “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino: https://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Salesman-World-Og-Mandin...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with Tyson Barnhart, Senior Project Manager at Siemens EPS. Tyson discusses his recent transition out of active duty and how he adapted skills from the military into his position at Siemens. Resources mentioned: “Good” by Jocko Willink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8 “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447 “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with John Sharkey, COO of VictoryBase. John talks about the struggles he encountered when deciding to leave the military, the key advice he would give to other service members considering their transition, and what rising through the ranks of a startup has taught him about leadership. Resources mentioned: “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari: https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095 “Building a Storybrand” by Donald Miller: https://ww...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with Matt Bell, Civilian in the U.S. Air Force at 787th Civil Engineer Squadron. Matt discusses finding his footing in the public sector, what he has learned to expect, both as and from, a leader, and what it means to him to be a civil servant. Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter where we curate some of the top industry articles of the week and give you a ...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with Joe Evanglisti, former Builder in the US Navy, entrepreneur and CEO of Legacy Developers. Joe describes his journey to the military and the construction world, lessons learned from multiple successful entrepreneurial endeavors, and the most valuable lesson he learned from his time in the Navy. Resources mentioned: Learn more about Legacy Developers at: https://investwithlegacy.com/ “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss: https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-E...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with MCFA’s SkillBridge candidate, Ben Clifton. Ben talks about his journey to active duty in the Army, how he navigated through corporate America, and how he has transitioned into his role at MCFA. Resources mentioned: “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose: https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976 Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com and sign up f...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Bill Watkins, West Point Grad, Former Officer of the US Army Corps of Engineers, and Co-Founder, Coach at Flawless Acceleration. Bill discusses how coaching has shaped his life, his outlook on coaching, and how his time at West Point and as an Officer motivated his mission to help transitioning veterans and veteran CEOs. Resources mentioned: Flawless Acceleration: https://www.flawlessacceleration.com/ “Smart Brevity” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwa...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with MCFA’s own Michael Trump. Michael discusses his experience and journey to the military, his transition into the DOD SkillBridge world, and his unique perspective as a transitioning veteran in MCFA’s network. Resources mentioned: “Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames” by Thich Nhat Han: https://www.amazon.com/Anger-Cooling-Thich-Nhat-Hanh/dp/1573229377 Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with Jeff Plummer, Retired Captain in the US Navy, and Senior Director of Business Operations at Semper Fi & America's Fund. Jeff explores his mission to support our nation’s critically wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and military families through the work he is doing with Semper Fi & America's Fund, and what it means to serve after leaving Military duties. Resources mentioned: Learn more about Semper Fi & America's Fund at: https://thefund.org...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Valerie Peterson, LMHC. Valerie and BJ discuss important strategies for de-stressing the upcoming holiday season, how to set yourself up for success throughout various social scenarios, and the importance of balance when we find ourselves with a packed schedule. Resources mentioned: “The Best Yes” By Lysa TerKeurst: https://www.p31bookstore.com/collections/lysa-terkeurst-books-and-bible-studies/products/the-best-yes Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and ...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Diane Gollhofer, President of DGR Consultants. Diane dives into her hands-on career of directing, overseeing and advising on major public work construction projects, including the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Diane also explores her consulting company, DGR Consultants, and how she found her niche in project management oversight, quality control, and much more. Resources mentioned: “The Rent Collector” by Camron Wright: https://www.amazon.com/Rent-Coll...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Ken Davenport, Author and Co-founder & CEO of Mission Edge. Ken explores his entrepreneurial journey, how his newest mission has been to aid in the transition out of the military, and what it means to be a stoic. Resources mentioned: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman “The Stoic Transition: A Guide: How Veterans Can Thrive in their Next...

On today’s episode, BJ sits down with Sharron Halpert, Owner of Halpert Life Safety Consulting. Sharron breaks down what Halpert Life Safety Consulting’s mission is, how they have mastered firestop installation and safety in the New Jersey area, and what to look for safety wise at different points in a project’s lifespan. Resources mentioned: More information about Halpert Life Safety at: https://halpertlifesafety.com/ “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Eat-Alon...

On today’s episode, BJ talks with Todd Bofinger, VA Office of Construction & Facilities Mgmt West Region Office & CMAA Colorado Chapter Membership Committee Chair. Todd discusses his career journey into a leadership role, the similarities and differences between navigating the public and private sectors, and what leadership strategies he has learned along the way. Resources mentioned: “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High” by Joseph Grenny: https://www.amazon.com/Cruci...

On this week’s episode, BJ sits down with Justin Wright, thought leader in the AEC industry, and Ex-CIO turned Entrepreneur. Justin dives deep into his anything but linear journey throughout his career in the AEC industry, his transition into entrepreneurship, and what shapes his current philosophy on the construction world today. Resources mentioned: 10x Is Easier Than 2x giveaway, Enter here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZ0v9NkpNMEKMU0PwIZpeBFiEKkYr0ijtUyNug5N1Z8MTt1A/viewform?...

On this week’s episode, BJ talks with Steven Mezzacappa, an author and the founder of The Passion With Purpose Organization. Steven discusses his journey throughout the construction world, how he found his true passion, what his experience has taught him about leadership, and what makes the best leaders. Resources mentioned: Passion With Purpose: https://www.passionwithpurpose.org/ Get Steven’s book, “Passion With Purpose - The Fire Within: Building a Life of Fulfillment, Destiny, & Impact”: ...

On this week’s episode, BJ sits down with Matt Handal, Chief Marketing Officer at MCFA. Matt and BJ discuss their perspectives on how to reach the construction industry from a messaging standpoint, their viewpoints on the work MCFA does, and the relationship between this podcast, and you, the listener. Resources mentioned: Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter where we curate some of t...

On this week’s episode, BJ sits down with Mel Gravely, CEO of Triversity and author of “Dear White Friend”. Mel and BJ discuss the beginnings of Triversity and Mel’s introduction into the construction industry, Mel’s book, “Dear White Friend”, and how the conversation at the intersection of business, wealth and race can strengthen relationships and improve our understanding of our teams. Resources mentioned: Mel’s book, “Dear White Friend”: https://www.dearwhitefriend.com/ Chapter from Mel’s b...

On this week’s episode, BJ talks with MCFA’s own Jesse Gemberling-Johnson, Director of Talent Recruitment & Development. Jesse discusses the new implementation of the SkillBridge program at MCFA, a talent development program with the goal of aiding veteran transition out of the military and into a DOD/AEC career. Jesse and BJ speak from their own experience transitioning, and how they plan to utilize the SkillBridge program to leverage the vast skills veterans can bring to the industry. Resourc...

On this week’s special episode, BJ sits down and discusses his birthday, reflections on the past year, and what he is focusing on moving forward both personally and professionally. Resources mentioned: Fish for Life: https://www.fishforlife.org/eastern-region/ Matthew McConaughey winning Best Actor: https://youtu.be/wD2cVhC-63I Calls-to-action: Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter where we curate so...

On this week’s episode, BJ talks with Steve Genn, Senior Vice President of Markon Solutions. Steve discusses his journey into the Air Force, and how he has transferred that knowledge from the military, into an effective leadership education tool. Steve also discusses the growth of Markon, and what new challenges they faced while initially scaling up. Resources mentioned: “Ego Is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday: https://www.amazon.com/Ego-Enemy-Ryan-Holiday/dp/1591847818 “The Primes” by Chris McGof...

On this week’s episode, BJ talks with Scott Kelly, Partner, Architect & Sustainability Consultant and Drew Lavine, Partner & Director of Design at Re:Vision. Scott and Drew discuss the mission of Re:Vision, how sustainability and environmental concerns can be addressed, and how all of us can begin to incorporate eco-friendly design into our projects today. Resources mentioned: Catherine Mohr: “The tradeoffs of building green”: https://www.ted.com/talks/catherine_mohr_the_tradeoffs_of_building_...

On today’s solo episode, BJ builds off of last week’s episode with insight on how MCFA approaches growth, the mindset within leaders at MCFA currently, and what is top of mind for BJ as MCFA continues to grow. “Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership” by Steve Farber: https://www.amazon.com/Greater-Than-Yourself-Ultimate-Leadership/dp/0385522614 Inspiring People and Places is brought to you by MCFA. Visit our website www.MCFAglobal.com and sign up for our weekly newslette...

In this special 101st episode of the Inspiring People & Places Podcast, BJ Kraemer sat down with his partner and co-founder of mcfa, Michael Fuhrman to talk about what they have learned and how the company has grown over the past 20 years. Michael discusses his journey into the A/E/C industry and what led him to the decision to start MCFA. Prior to MCFA, Michael worked in the hospitality industry which taught him the importance of listening to your customer and attention to detail. Today, MCFA ...