Robert Puharich

Generic proposals claim problem-solving capabilities. Your book proves them.

Instead of listing projects, you're showing the strategic thinking behind your solutions. That's what separates premium partners from commodity contractors.

86% of decision-makers invite companies to bid based on thought leadership content alone.

Before the RFP even hits your desk, clients are researching. Your book positions you as THE expert they want to work with—not just another qualified contractor.

Construction profit margins have dropped to just 5% across the U.S. The lowest price doesn't win anymore.

Your published book creates a competitive advantage that most contractors are missing. Here's how it transforms your bidding process:

"When you go on site everybody thinks you're the safety guy right away. You got a camera." Construction photographers must build trust with trade workers who assume they're documenting violations, not capturing the human element that actually attracts talent.

Construction executives spend months perfecting proposals, but clients decide who to invite to bid long before RFPs arrive.

Your published book is working for you during that critical research phase—or your competitors' books are.

They should also write a book. I started @isleflow to help them get their stories out there. If a book can open doors for me, imagine what it could do for people with 20-30 years of real construction experience, or a solid business. I'll share about the experience...follow along

Just sitting down, learning from people who've actually built cool things. And while I'm talking to these experts, I keep noticing the same thing — they have incredible stories and experience, but they haven't shared any of it publicly. Info just sitting there. So I got an idea.

I immediately got invited to a podcast asking for some of the insights. Speaking opportunities came through. But the best part? I'm now in conversations with construction industry experts who I had zero access to before.

I wrote a construction book recently, mostly to for personal satisfaction, but I also had a lot of insights that could help others. It turns out that having a book opens doors you didn't even know existed.

How do you build relationships in your industry and why is it important? How well should you get to know somebody before going into business with them? Join Denis Kouroussis, Founder and CEO of Volta… Building Relationships In Your Industry (With Denis Kouroussis, Founder/CEO of Volta Energy)

Dennis Kouroussis built EV charging systems in 2008 when only 200 electric vehicles existed. It failed. That failure led to Volta Energy, now spinning out ventures like the world's first solid-state circuit breaker. Listen to this throwback: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJEm...

Side projects die from lack of urgency, not bad ideas.
"A plan with no urgency is nothing; you'll probably never get it done." — Farhan Salim
Your 9-to-5 gets done because it has to. Your side hustle gets pushed to "someday."
Engineer urgency: Set deadlines. Go public. Create consequences.

Join Brian Knox, Construction Photographer at B. Knox Photography, on this week's episode of Specified Growth Podcast! In this episode of Specified Growth Podcast, Brian talks about his passion for… Photographing The Construction Industry (With Brian Knox, B. Knox Photography)

Your field teams are taking unusable job site photos right now. Construction photographer Brian Knox reveals the simple fixes that turn phone snapshots into marketing gold.
Watch the latest Specified Growth Podcast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7wK...

Construction and tech have fundamentally different feedback cultures. On jobsites, direct communication drives efficiency despite seeming harsh, while tech environments require entirely different approaches. Bridging this gap is crucial for digital transformation.

Engineering degrees teach advanced mathematics but not how to "square up a building." The disconnect between academic training and practical construction skills highlights why successful industry transformation requires both formal education and jobsite wisdom.

Consider that mobile devices fail in construction because workers can't operate touchscreens for more than 1-2 minutes in freezing temperatures. Smart tech designers now must consider work-gloved hands and extreme conditions when developing tools for jobsites.

With the way things are changing in the job force, and the speed of it, people will start to realize. I think it's a matter of time.

How do you build an effective sales playbook for your company? What is the common language of sales? Join Morné Smit, Founder of Emerse Group Limited, on this week's episode of Specified Growth… Building An Effective Sales Playbook (With Morné Smit, Founder of Emerse Group Limited)

Most sales teams quit at the 5th touch. 83% of sales happen between the 8th-13th.

Morné Smith, Jack Daly's chosen successor, shares the playbook that grew companies from $18M to $180M in 5 years.

His insight: stop selling. Help prospects buy.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mid1...

"You'll speak to 100-150 people. 98% will say no. 2% will say yes. That's a successful fundraise." - Josef Bromovsky
Fundraising truth: Success isn't avoiding rejection—it's persisting until you find the few who believe in your vision.

Join Zulq Malik, Chief Happiness Officer at SMARTBUILD Construction Solutions, on this week's episode of Specified Growth Podcast! In this episode of Specified Growth Podcast, Zulq talks about his… Building Solutions For The Construction Industry (Zulq Malik, SMARTBUILD Construction Solutions)

From meeting Bill Clinton to championing "construction warriors," Zulq Malik reveals why mobile tech fails tradespeople and how Canada's construction renaissance is beginning. A must-watch for anyone at the intersection of building and innovation.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYbf...

Technical product knowledge can be taught. Genuine care for customers cannot. When identifying sales talent, prioritize candidates who see people instead of dollar signs—those who ask how they can improve a client's business rather than just close a deal.

Optimize your sales route by grouping client visits geographically. Avoid "star patterns" that waste precious time. The most successful field reps spend 70% of time with clients, not driving between them. Map tools transform random visits into strategic territory coverage.

"If you don't evolve, you tend to disappear." Sales professionals who fear AI are limiting their potential. The winning formula isn't choosing between tech OR relationships—it's leveraging digital tools WHILE maintaining authentic human connections.

With over 300 interviews in the construction industry, we've heard from a lot of people and gained a ton of insights. I wrote about some of those that stand out. Check out my book, Building Brilliance. Business insights from great people. www.amazon.com/gp/product/1...

How do you build healthy leadership teams? Do you have humility and empathy as a leader? Join Mitch Lewandowski, President of Cymbionic, on this week's episode of Specified Growth Podcast! Welcome… Building Healthy Leadership Teams (With Mitch Lewandowski, President, Cymbionic)

This throwback features Mitch Lewandowski who started a business post-9/11 with a broken collarbone. Learn why going all-in beats testing waters and how his "no buttholes" policy creates high-performing teams.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK44...

"2-hour safety trainings? You absorb 5% now, retain 1% in 6 months." - Gabe Guetta
We keep running the same ineffective programs expecting different results. It's time to reimagine construction safety training with micro-learning, hands-on practice & regular reinforcement.

r/MarketingConstruction A place to discuss construction marketing. What's working? What strategies can we use? Helping businesses grow by sharing experiences. There's a lot of information out there, but here we'll discuss what's...

I tried to help someone on Reddit with construction marketing information and got banned for posting a link... yet I got upvotes. So screw it, I'm starting my own subreddit to build a community specific to construction growth. Join and let's grow together. www.reddit.com/r/MarketingC...

Join Johan Galeano, Territory Sales Manager at Simpson Strong-Tie, on this week's episode of Specified Growth Podcast! In this episode of Specified Growth Podcast, Johan talks about his career… Finding What Works In Sales (With Johan Galeano, Territory Sales Manager, Simpson Strong-Tie)

Seeing clients as people, not dollar signs—that's how this sales leader turned setbacks into a thriving 12-year career. Watch our Specified Growth Podcast episode with Johan Galeano to learn how authentic connections beat technical knowledge every time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ylh...

Construction faces a critical skilled labor shortage despite offering well-paying careers—superintendents who came through trades often enjoy comfortable lifestyles with mountain cabins and nice trucks. Let's teach our kids.

Effective crisis communications requires studying incidents beyond your industry, as major events often create unexpected ripple effects and challenges for companies with no direct involvement in the original situation. Step back and think about it.

In today's media landscape, the average person encounters 3,000 messages daily while attention spans hover around just eight seconds. That's what we have to fight through for attention!