Innovation In Construction Episodes

Affordable housing isn’t just about building more homes—it’s about whether people can actually sustain a place to live. In this bonus episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Nneoma Albert-Benson, founder of BEFA Women and Child Care Foundation, to explore how construction leadership and change in the AEC industry must go beyond supply and into the systems that determine long-term stability. This conversation challenges a common assumption: that homelessness is the problem. I...

The housing crisis isn’t just a policy problem—it’s a production problem hiding in plain sight. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Ryan Smith, Co-Founder of ModX, to explore how construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry must evolve to address housing affordability at scale. This conversation challenges a common assumption: that better policy alone will solve the housing crisis. Instead, Ryan Smith breaks down why housing affordability is...

Mass timber isn’t just a material shift—it’s a mindset shift critical for construction leadership development. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Kristen Slavin, founder of Conifer Advising, to explore how construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry must evolve to explore how construction leadership, change management, and modular construction in the AEC industry must evolve to successfully adopt innovative building systems like mass timber....

In this episode of Activating Curiosity™ | Leading Change in the Construction Industry, Ryan Ware sits down with Kristin Kautz of JAM Idea Agency to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the AEC industry—and why most firms are approaching it the wrong way. This conversation challenges a common assumption: that AI is a tool to implement. Instead, Kristin reframes it as something closer to “air”—an embedded capability that enhances how teams already work, rather than something separate...

In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Ali Salman of Workspace Modular Structures to explore how prefab and modular construction can help solve some of the construction industry’s biggest challenges. This conversation challenges a common assumption: that the industry’s current methods are sufficient. Instead, Ali reframes the opportunity—highlighting how modular construction offers a scalable path to address infrastructure, housing, and labor shortages. Together, th...

Friction slows down decision-making in construction—but removing it doesn’t mean replacing expertise. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Scott Reynolds, Co-Founder and CEO of UpCodes, to explore how construction leaders can reduce friction in decision-making while maintaining control, judgment, and expertise. This conversation reframes a critical challenge in the AEC industry: too much time is spent searching, verifying, and stitching together fragmented inform...

Mini Series Part 3: Clarity doesn’t come before change—it’s built through it. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware explores how construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry often stall because leaders wait for clarity that never arrives. This conversation reframes a common belief: that teams need full clarity before taking action. Instead, Ryan highlights that clarity is personal, evolving, and developed through movement—not planning alone. Through th...

Efficiency in construction isn’t just about speed—it’s about how teams work together. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Brian Skripac of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) to explore how construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry are evolving through collaboration, technology, and design-build delivery. This conversation breaks down a critical shift: moving from fragmented workflows to integrated teams. From early BIM adoption ...

Construction doesn’t have a people problem—it has a connection problem. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Angelo Suntres, founder of The Human Side of Construction, to explore how construction leadership and change management in the AEC industry must evolve to better support the people behind the work. This conversation challenges a long-standing norm: that toughness and technical skill define success in construction. Instead, Angelo highlights how empathy, co...

How are construction leaders managing decentralized teams in an industry built for command-and-control? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware explores decentralized work models and how AI is reshaping staffing in AEC with Mandy McGill, founder of Aedifico. From construction leadership culture to labor productivity, discover why decentralization isn't just a trend—it's the future of how AEC firms organize work. Plus: the leadership mindsets that make it work. Traditional staffing, ...