Check Out All Activating Curiosity® Episodes

Construction needs skilled workers. But if every contractor is looking for people who are already trained and experienced, who is developing the people the industry will need next? Jennifer Wilkerson, Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), joins Ryan Ware to explore why training and developing people has become a strategic issue for the construction industry. Jennifer brings a unique perspective to the conversati...

AEC professionals spend their careers solving complex problems. But are we applying that same problem-solving ability to our finances, businesses, careers, and lives? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Ryan Sullivan, founder of Off the Beaten Path Financials and Off the Beaten Path Advisors, to explore a different question: What if some of the financial realities we've accepted in AEC aren't rules at all? Ryan began his career as a mechanical engineer. At just ...

Construction leaders spend a lot of time talking about budgets, schedules, productivity, and technology. But what if those aren't the real challenge? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Casey Bell, CEO of Aecore and Co-Founder of Buildzen, to explore a different perspective: What if the biggest challenge in construction is the construction experience itself? Drawing from his experience building both a commercial general contracting company and a constructi...

The construction industry has a changing workforce. But are the ways we recruit, hire, and develop people changing with it? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Bryce Batts, Co-Founder of Career Collective and a recruiter with 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, to explore a different question: Can construction really hire its way through a changing workforce? Bryce has watched the AEC recruiting and talent landscape shift dramatically over the past two d...

Construction doesn’t have a building problem—it has an information problem. In this episode, Ryan Ware talks with Patrick Murphy, founder of Togal.AI and Chief Innovation Officer at Coastal Construction, about the enormous data and process complexity facing modern construction. They explore how AI-powered tools and better information management could revolutionize estimating, preconstruction, permitting, and project delivery to reduce costs, speed up timelines, and help solve the housing affordability crisis. Along the way, they highlight the critical role of humans in adopting technology and how reducing repetitive tasks creates more time for value-added work in the industry.

Industrialized construction goes beyond prefabrication to reshape how buildings are designed and delivered. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware talks with Melanie Taylor, Vice President of BILDT, about how leadership, early collaboration, and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) are key to overcoming labor shortages and improving project outcomes. They explore how redefining construction standards can create lasting value for projects, people, and communities alike.

Construction has spent decades improving physical safety. Hard hats. Harnesses. Glasses. Training. Procedures. PPE. But what about the things we can't see? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Dina Fodero, speaker, certified Enneagram Practitioner, and creator of I-PPE™ (Invisible Personal Protective Essentials), to explore the human side of safety in construction. Together, they unpack why protecting people may require us to think beyond physical safety to psych...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the construction industry—but technology alone won't determine who succeeds. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Timber Barker to explore why successful AI adoption starts with people, not software. Rather than asking whether AI will replace jobs, this conversation challenges leaders to ask a different question: How can AI help people do their best work? From architecture and engineering to construction and facilit...

For years, sustainability has often been framed as a choice between doing what's right for the planet and doing what's right for business. But what if the fastest path to climate action has nothing to do with asking people to sacrifice? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Josh Dorfman host of Supercool and co-founder and CMO of Plantd to, explore sustainable construction, climate innovation, building products, and the human side of change. Together, they unpack ...

Affordable Housing Starts With Better Questions | Purpose, Community & Construction Affordable housing is often framed as a construction challenge, with conversations focused on cost, speed, and supply. Yet behind every housing project is a deeper question about community, purpose, and the people those spaces are intended to serve. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Rory Rubin, Founder and CEO of SI Container Builds, to explore her unique journey from socia...