In this wide ranging and refreshingly honest episode of Atomic Construction, Kevin Hohe sits down with Chuck Mazzanti to unpack one of the most misunderstood and least loved parts of running a construction business insurance.

What starts as a lighthearted exchange quickly turns into a deep, practical conversation about risk, relationships, and why most contractors are unintentionally hurting themselves when it comes to insurance strategy. Chuck shares his personal journey into the industry, shaped by family legacy, loss, and the decision to carry forward his father’s work after losing both parents at a young age. That experience informs how he approaches insurance not as a transaction, but as a long term partnership.

Together, Kevin and Chuck pull back the curtain on how the insurance ecosystem really works. They explore the roles of brokers, carriers, and underwriters, why shopping insurance every year can quietly damage your reputation in the market, and how relationships matter far more than most contractors realise. This episode breaks down the core insurance pillars every construction business should understand, from general liability and workers comp to umbrella, cyber, and employment practices coverage, without turning it into jargon soup.

The conversation also dives into cost realities. What a ten million dollar contractor should actually expect to pay. Why pricing can swing wildly based on trade, claims history, and strategy. And when alternative structures like group captives start to make sense for disciplined operators who want to control their risk and keep profits inside their own ecosystem.

Finally, Chuck shares why he is passionate about ESOPs and employee ownership, especially in construction. In an industry where founders are often told private equity is the only exit, this episode challenges that assumption and offers a different vision for preserving legacy, rewarding employees, and keeping companies rooted in the communities that built them.

• How insurance actually works behind the scenes for contractors

• Why bidding out your insurance every year can backfire

• The difference between brokers, carriers, and underwriters

• What contractors should expect to pay at different revenue levels

• How claims history and experience mods really impact cost

• When group captives make sense and when they do not

• Why relationships matter more than chasing the lowest price

• The hidden downsides of private equity in construction

• How ESOPs offer an alternative path for ownership and legacy

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Atomic Construction, host Kevin Hohe sits down with NK, co-founder and CEO of Track 3D, to explore how cutting-edge construction technology is reshaping the way we see, measure, and manage progress on job sites. What begins as a casual conversation quickly becomes a deep dive into the world of automated “reality intelligence” — where AI and 3D imaging come together to create real-time visibility into projects of every size.

MK shares the story behind Track 3D’s creation, from building digital replicas of entire cities to helping contractors track daily progress with nothing more than a smartphone. The two discuss how the platform serves general contractors, trade partners, and owners alike, offering accuracy within half an inch, effortless reporting, and new levels of accountability across the construction process.

But this conversation goes beyond software. Kevin and MK talk candidly about entrepreneurship, scaling a tech company, and the philosophy of building tools that work for real people on real job sites — not just for data dashboards. The result is a fascinating look at how technology, curiosity, and practicality can coexist in the future of construction.

In this episode

• What “reality intelligence” means and how it’s different from artificial intelligence

• The story behind Track 3D and its evolution from smart cities to job sites

• How technology is closing the gap between field work and digital data

• The future of progress tracking and productivity measurement in construction

• Why simplicity and accuracy matter more than flashy innovation

• The balance between tech adoption, practicality, and human connection

A grounded, forward-looking conversation about where construction meets technology, and how builders can embrace innovation without losing their grit.

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this brutally honest solo episode of Atomic Construction, host Kevin Hohe drops the guest list and opens up about one of the worst projects he’s ever run — and what it taught him about leadership, failure, and how to handle chaos when everything goes wrong.

From lost anchors to angry emails, Kevin walks listeners through the anatomy of a “bad job,” sharing what it’s like to be the small contractor caught in the crossfire of miscommunication, poor planning, and blame. But more than a story about mistakes, this is a conversation about accountability, about how to lead with humility, how to reset a broken relationship, and how to tell the difference between a good project manager and a bad one.

Because at the end of the day, as Kevin says, every construction project comes down to people, and there are only two kinds: Randy, the collaborative leader who takes ownership and helps everyone win, and Billy Bob, the finger-pointer who makes sure everyone else takes the fall.

In this episode

• What to do when a project goes completely sideways

• How to repair trust with clients and GCs after failure

• Why collaboration beats litigation every time

• The hidden power of taking total ownership

• How to spot whether you’re working for a “Randy” or a “Billy Bob”

• Why the best jobs are often the ones you don’t take

A candid, hard-earned masterclass in leadership from the field, packed with real stories, painful lessons, and the kind of truth most builders are too proud to admit.

Stay connected:

• Kevin Hohe | LinkedIn

And let us know what you think with our feedback form.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production.

Produced by Pineapple Audio Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.