Ep 150: Brian Dietz - Growing a family business, it’s only possible when we’re on the same team.

CONEXPO – CON/AGG Podcast: Construction Business Insights For Contractors

Taylor welcomes Brian Dietz, Co-owner of Bob Dietz and Sons Inc., to the podcast today, and together, they turn their spotlight on achieving enduring success in the construction industry, particularly as a family-owned construction business. Brian shares his personal journey, instilled with an outstanding commitment to excellence and a strong work ethic passed down through generations. The podcast spotlights the potent force of teamwork, harmonious family dynamics, and technology's role in propelling their enterprise towards a prosperous future. Stressing the importance of nurturing a supportive and collaborative work environment as the foundation for success within these unique enterprises, this episode offers invaluable insights into the construction industry, where passion, technology, and strong relationships converge to drive growth and operational efficiency.

Within their illuminating conversation, Taylor and Brian explore various critical themes deeply rooted in the construction realm including the legacy of family businesses, strong stakeholder relationships, evolving roles, and the immense impact that attending CONEXPO can have upon a business. They also examine scaling complexities, technological transformation, effective teamwork, lessons from debriefs, and the cultivation of a vibrant company culture. Taylor and Brian go on to express their enthusiasm for future expansion into new frontiers like deep utilities and seizing technology-driven growth opportunities. In essence, today’s enlightening episode sheds light on how embracing technology and upholding a collaborative ethos are essential components for a flourishing family-owned construction business in the ever evolving construction landscape.

Topics:

• Family legacy in construction
• Harmonious family collaboration
• Building strong relationships
• Role transition for efficiency
• Scaling challenges
• Technology's impact
• Consistency and teamwork
• Lessons for Improvement

Quotes:

"You get out of it what you put into it."

"You win together or you lose together."

"You have to bring all this extra equipment and tools, and there's just a lot. You're making a thousand extra decisions a day."

"We're trying to create a more organized and efficient system."

“We bought our first excavator because we saw it at the 1985 CONEXPO. And then it just kind of led from there and grew…I mean the show has been huge for us in just being educated.”

"People can talk about how they think everybody's a team, and we're one big happy family. But it's like, well, are you really?"

"You have to value every member of your team. If you don't have that, if their wife doesn't like you because they wanted to go on vacation and you're like, 'No, you can't go again,' you're just hurting yourself."

"The productivity is unbelievable. When you hear people complaining about the technology and saying you're not a 'real' operator, I get a kick out of that."

As always, thank you to our good friends over at Komatsu for sponsoring this podcast: https://www.komatsu.com/

Links:

• Taylor White on LinkedIn
• To see highlights from the 2023 show, go to: https://www.conexpoconagg.com/show-experience/show-highlights
• Komatsu: https://www.komatsu.com/
• Bob Dietz and Sons Inc.: https://www.bobdietzandsonsinc.com/