Learnings and Missteps
The Learnings and Missteps Podcast is about unconventional roads to success and the life lessons learned along the way.
You will find a library of interviews packed with actionable take aways that you can apply as you progress on your career path.
Through these interviews you will learn about the buttons you can push to be a better leader, launch a business, and build your influence.
Find yourself in their stories and know that your path is still ahead of you.
Episodes
217 episodes
Stop Living Reactive And Start Choosing What To Optimize For
What if your calendar isn’t the problem—your priorities are? We walk through the FIRE Box, a clear, practical framework that helps you stop living reactive and start building a week that reflects what you value. Instead of chasing every ping, y...
•
Season 3
•
16:13
Learn How To Plan, Commit, And Execute Without Burning Out
Most leaders don’t have a time problem. They have a decision making problem. We break down a self-first framework that turns chaos into clarity by separating planning, commitment, and execution into clean lanes—each with its own tool and purpos...
•
16:53
From Overbooked To In Control: A Practical Guide To Strategically Selfish Scheduling
Ever feel like your calendar is packed but your real life lives off to the side? We dig into a simple, no-fluff system to make every commitment visible, merge the hidden to-dos with the scheduled ones, and carve out protected time for sleep, mo...
•
Season 3
•
23:26
You Can Plan Forever, But Nothing Changes Until You Commit To One Next Step
Planning feels great until reality shows up. We’ve all sketched beautiful lists, only to watch them dissolve under meetings, family needs, and the next urgent fire. Today we turn planning into progress by committing to a simple, visual flow tha...
•
Season 3
•
26:43
The Long Game: Stephanie Wood on Culture and Commercial Success
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse Hernandez converses with Stephanie Wood, co-founder and CEO of Coal Build Construction. Stephanie, with a background in organizational leadership and trauma-informed neuroscience...
•
Season 3
•
1:03:32
.png)
From Broadway to Brand Building: Liberty Cogen on Reinvention
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse Hernandez sits down with Liberty Kogen, a construction social media expert with an impressive background in musical theater and business. Liberty shares her journey from performi...
•
Season 3
•
1:19:13
.png)
How To Stop Doing More And Start Doing What Matters
Want a year that actually changes your life? We break down a practical system to stop chasing busywork and start stacking wins that matter. It starts with a guilt-free brain dump to pull every idea, project, and half-finished goal out of your h...
•
Season 3
•
28:16
No More Mediocre Leadership: Wally Adamchick’s Blueprint for Better Teams
n this episode, Jesse discusses the critical role of servant leadership in the construction industry with Wally Adamchick. They explore how a servant leadership mindset, which includes being respectful, setting expectations, and supporting empl...
•
Season 3
•
1:08:11
.png)
Become the Connection: Bryce Harem’s Modern Take on Leadership
In this episode, Jesse hosts Bryce Harem, founder of BTG Services and creator of the Middleman Mindset, as they discuss the essence of true leadership, personal struggles, and the ways to effectively bridge the gap between office and field in t...
•
Season 3
•
1:05:32
.png)
Stop Spinning Your Wheels And Start Seeing Your Goals
Ready to stop storing your entire life in your head and start building a future you can actually live? We walk through phase one of guilt-free future planning, a simple, practical way to unload your ideas, goals, and projects so you can see the...
•
Season 3
•
21:59
First-Generation Grit: Building a Career Against the Odds with Yuri Salgado
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Uri Salgado, a bilingual business development executive at Detritus. Yuri shares her remarkable journey from helping her mother with translation in her childhood to achievi...
•
Season 3
•
1:03:51
.png)
Lead Like You Build: Brian Anderson on Integrity, Grit, and Growth
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse interviews Brian Anderson, President of Bear Construction. Brian shares his journey of starting his own construction company, driven by his desire to create his own values and me...
•
Season 3
•
1:07:10
.png)
From Curveballs To Focus: A Practical Guide To Managing Distractions At Work
Ever blink at 4 p.m. and wonder where your day went? We’ve been there—busy all day yet weirdly light on results. This conversation lays out a distraction detox that replaces chaos with clarity using two simple moves: track the curveballs that h...
•
Season 3
•
24:09
How to Clear the Chaos (and Your Mind) with Melissa Stecher
Jesse interviews Melissa Stecher, founder of Hopeful Simplicity, discussing her 3S method designed to help busy moms declutter and organize their spaces for a more peaceful lifestyle. Melissa explains the importance of aligning organizational s...
•
Season 3
•
57:05
.png)
Subcontracting Success: Transforming the Trade with Shayne Paterson
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse welcomes Shane Patterson, founder and CEO of Jenga. With a background in finance and software engineering, Shane has focused on solving complex problems in the construction secto...
•
Season 3
•
1:07:11
.png)
This is how professionals actually get more done without working late
Take Command of Your Day with the Daily Domination BoardGear up for the new year ...
•
Season 3
•
23:27
Mastering Modern Marketing with Mohit Bhagchandani
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse interviews Mohit Bhagchandani, a data-led marketing expert and founder of Adeptimize. They delve into the essence of modern branding, discussing the importance of personal and busines...
•
Season 3
•
56:49
.png)
Megan Shapiro: Authenticity as a Superpower
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse reconnects with Megan Shapiro, an accomplished lawyer and repeat guest. They discuss her evolving career and ventures, including launching the Converge Construction Summit and her bus...
•
Season 3
•
1:02:08
.png)
Breaking Down Your Work: A Strategic Guide to Outsourcing and Automation
Ever feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? That sensation of drowning in tasks while your most important work gets pushed aside? You're not alone—and there's a solution hiding in plain sight.In this eye-opening episode, Jesse breaks down...
•
Season 3
•
28:56
Laying the Groundwork: Innovation with Joseph Richards
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse interviews Joseph Richards, the owner and chief takeoff officer at Flooring Takeoffs. Joseph discusses his unique career path, transitioning from an English teacher to a business...
•
Season 3
•
1:08:33
.png)
Culture, Courage, and Connection: The Keys to Better Leadership with Dr. Alejandra Rodriguez Mielke
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse engages with Dr. Alejandra Rodriguez-Mielke, an expert in talent development and organizational analysis, who offers insights on cultural competence and adaptability. Dr. Alejand...
•
Season 3
•
1:00:25
.png)
Why Your Personal Goals Keep Getting Pushed Aside (And How To Fix It)
The Guilt-Free Future Planning method helps prioritize personal goals that consistently get pushed aside when we're busy making things happen for everyone else. This three-step process—Brain Dump, DAMN Matrix, and Walking the Plank—creates a fr...
•
Season 3
•
17:00
The Blueprint for Better Leadership: Kabri Lehrman-Schmid
In this insightful episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse interviews Kabri Luhrman Schmid, a nationally recognized construction influencer and project superintendent at Hensel Phelps. Kabri shares her 18-year journ...
•
Season 3
•
1:03:12
.png)
The Nomadic Entrepreneur: Heather Jones on Transforming the Construction Industry
In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, Jesse revisits a conversation with Heather Jones of Archer Estimation and Consulting. Heather shares her insights on battling estimator burnout and stress, her journey to starting a busines...
•
Season 3
•
1:05:23
Mastering Your Time, Putting Yourself First
We explore a comprehensive time management framework designed specifically for high achievers who excel at delivering for others but struggle to prioritize themselves. This system helps you honor personal commitments without sacrificing perform...
•
Season 3
•
21:22