People-First Builders
People-First Builders
Podcast Description
People-First Builders is the ultimate platform for celebrating leadership in construction. Each episode dives deep into the journeys of industry leaders who have made a profound impact by prioritizing their people and embracing innovation.
From family-owned businesses to groundbreaking projects, the podcast showcases the vision, values, and achievements of construction’s finest minds. As a guest, you’ll join a legacy of leaders recognized for shaping the future of the industry through operational excellence, cultural alignment, and unwavering commitment to their teams.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply at https://podcast.fletcherwimbush.com/podcast-guest-application.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers around themes of leadership, talent management, and cultural transformation within construction organizations. Specific episodes cover topics like building a people-first culture, addressing talent shortages, and utilizing innovative recruitment technologies, showcasing industry leaders who prioritize their teams and foster a collaborative work environment.
At People-First Builders, we shine a spotlight on the leaders who shape the construction industry by building more than projects—they build teams, culture, and legacy. This podcast is your gateway to the stories of exceptional CEOs and visionaries who prioritize their people, achieve remarkable success, and redefine what it means to lead in construction.
Discover how family-owned businesses, niche projects, and innovative leadership styles are driving progress in steel erection, bridge rebar, and infrastructure installation. Each episode celebrates leaders who have spent decades honing their craft, advancing their operations, and achieving results that inspire their teams and peers alike.
Whether you’re a construction professional, a leader looking for inspiration, or simply someone fascinated by people-centered success stories, People-First Builders offers valuable insights and actionable takeaways from industry’s best.
While People-First Builders is a new podcast, it’s backed by years of experience. Host Fletcher Wimbush is a seasoned podcaster with over seven years behind the mic, having built a dedicated audience with The Hire Talent—a show focused on optimizing hiring and leadership in the industry. Now, he’s bringing that expertise to People-First Builders, highlighting the construction leaders who are shaping the future through culture, innovation, and operational excellence.
In this People First Builders episode, host Fletcher Wimbush sits down with Matt Aston, founder and CEO of GPRS, a national leader in private utility locating, concrete scanning, and subsurface mapping. Matt shares how a single magazine ad in 2001 sparked an idea that grew from a one person startup into a coast to coast company with more than 900 team members and a reputation for accuracy, safety, and innovation.
Matt explains the difference between public 811 locating and GPRS private utility work, why depth data changes decisions on site, and how early failures shaped a culture that aims to be right the first time, every time. He breaks down GPRS hiring and training systems, including SIM, the company’s subsurface investigation methodology, a purpose built training center, ride alongs before offers, and a multi month ramp with ongoing assessments. The conversation also covers leadership development, a referral engine that drives nearly half of annual hires, incentive based compensation that can make up 30 to 50 percent of pay, and broad based employee ownership that tracks the same class of stock as leadership.
Key takeaways
Accuracy that scales: about 120,000 jobs in the last year with a reported error rate near 0.1 percent.
Private vs public locating: 811 marks public rights of way, while GPRS supports contractors on private property and provides depth data that changes plans and prevents damage.
Hire for character, teach the skill: referrals supply close to half of new hires, followed by structured interviews, ride alongs, and three to four months of training.
Process over heroics: SIM gives field teams a consistent approach, supported by a full training lab and university partnerships for real world practice.
Retention flywheel: once team members pass roughly 12 to 18 months, annual retention jumps into the mid 90s.
Ownership and incentives: field compensation includes meaningful performance bonuses, and an opt in equity program opened in 2020 where everyone holds the same class of stock, aligned with private equity growth goals.
Disclaimer
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