Host Kevin Hohe talks to Swedish entrepreneur Tomas about the meteoric rise of his company, and then they talk about what went wrong that ultimately forced him out of his own company! Finally, Tomas shares details about his next chapter, and how you can be a part of it!

Find out more about Tomas' new company - https://www.mountaingrit.com

Atomic Construction website - https://www.ivoryimpact.com/atomic-construction

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.

In this solo episode of Atomic Construction, host Kevin Hohe takes the mic to talk about one of the toughest and most overlooked parts of the construction industry: people and culture. With no guest lined up, Kevin uses the time to reflect on the mission behind Atomic Construction, the growing skills gap, and how the trades can reclaim pride, purpose, and profitability.

Drawing on two decades in the industry and lessons from growing Complete Fence from a five million to a hundred million dollar business, Kevin breaks down what makes great teams thrive and why culture is not a buzzword but a daily practice. From defining company values to firing high performers who do not align with them, he explores how to build a workplace that attracts, inspires, and retains the best talent in the trades.

In this episode

• Why the construction industry is facing a major skills gap

• How to build purpose into blue collar work

• The difference between values written on a wall and values lived every day

• Why culture should be your company’s strongest foundation

• Lessons from growing a business and failing forward

• How to create opportunity for people willing to work and grow

• Why authenticity, grit, and shared purpose define great teams

Kevin closes with a challenge to every tradesperson and business owner: invest in culture, live your values, and build better together.

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, Kevin Hohe sits down with Dan Wheeler, founder of River City Fence and host of The Fence Industry Podcast, to talk about grit, growth, and the lessons learned from four decades in the trades. What begins as a conversation between two builders turns into an honest exploration of evolution, from running family businesses to shaping an entire industry through curiosity and community.

Dan shares how he turned his father’s small town fence company into a multi crew operation while producing more than 500 podcast episodes and helping others grow along the way. Together, Kevin and Dan unpack what it means to lead by example, the tension between craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, and how the trades can reclaim the respect they deserve.

In this episode:

• Why being the best builder is not the same as being the best business owner

• How curiosity and networking sparked the first fence industry podcast

• The power of evolving from hands on work to leadership

• Why mentorship and community matter more than competition

• What it means to build something that lasts, on site and in life

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 laugh-filled episode of Atomic Construction, Kevin Hohe sits down with two of his favorite teammates, Tony and Dale - affectionately known as the goon squad - to talk about the people behind the fences. What starts as a casual chat quickly turns into a story of reinvention, grit and humor inside a growing construction company that refuses to take itself too seriously.

From IT desks and mortgage offices to muddy yards and million-dollar builds, Tony and Dale share how they made the leap into construction, why culture matters more than polish and how their light-hearted video series Fence Levity is helping reshape what people think construction looks like. Expect jokes, honesty and plenty of heart.

In this episode

• How two non-builders became construction professionals

• What it takes to change industries and find purpose again

• The birth of Fence Levity and how humor drives connection

• Why authenticity beats perfection in business and leadership

• Building a company culture where people actually like showing up

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.

Kevin and Kyle are back together on Atomic Construction after a few weeks away, and this conversation is a reminder of why they make such a strong team. Kyle shares what life has been like balancing newborn chaos at home with leading multiple high-stakes construction projects, and how he is learning that life moves in seasons. He talks about what it takes to deliver complex builds under pressure, the safety wins his team has celebrated, and why trust is the real foundation of any successful project.

Kevin opens up about the cultural challenges of scaling his own company, the lessons in leadership he is living out daily, and the balance between hitting financial goals and building a workplace people love. Together they explore the unconventional realities of building core and shell structures while designing interiors on the fly, the two-in-a-box leadership model at Leighton, and how clarity between project managers and superintendents can make or break a job.

Kyle also takes Kevin inside his Notion setup — a project operating system that centralizes roadblocks, risk logs, procurement, and leadership dashboards in one place. He explains why moving beyond spreadsheets gave him a two-hundred percent productivity boost and why a second brain is essential for managing growth and big vision.

This episode is a mix of personal updates, practical tools, and honest reflections on leadership, culture, and the future of construction.

In this episode

• Kyle on newborn life and leading major projects under pressure

• How Leighton’s two-in-the-box model keeps PMs and Supers aligned

• The importance of trust in unconventional project delivery

• Kevin’s story of transforming numbers and now rebuilding culture

• Why clarity on risk, roadblocks, and roles matters more than perfect plans

• How Kyle uses Notion as a project operating system and second brain

• Lessons on productivity, conflict resolution, and leadership in construction

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.