TL;DR - What you need to know about type 1L cement
I wrote the script for this educational "explainer" on a new building material and presented the script for a social video post.
About Me
Making people look and sound good comes naturally to me. Excellent communicator and distiller of technical topics into understandable terms. I'd love to help tell the stories of your brand.
My Latest Work
The deal-maker of New York City
In spite of an upbringing marred by tragedy, Steinberg did his best to keep his chin up and his body busy in his teen years. At age 17, he found a summer job scanning papers for an exterior restoration company in Manhattan. He did well enough at the task to earn the same gig the following summer. The summer after he graduated high school in 2010, Steinberg took on a full-time position at the same firm, this time doing administrative work. In just three years, he worked his way up to Project Mana
How to win at life
Landyn Smith presents an in-real-life education on how to make the most of everything.
Landyn Smith didn’t grow up in a family of construction. He wasn’t really aware of construction as a vocation until his parents customized a tract home in his hometown of Temecula, Calif. In spite of this, Landyn is a 32-year-old, first-generation builder in the middle of the U.S., constructing his career and life according to his precise design, and demonstrating the remarkable maturity and agency of someo
Landyn Smith didn’t grow up in a family of construction. He wasn’t really aware of construction as a vocation until his parents customized a tract home in his hometown of Temecula, Calif. In spite of this, Landyn is a 32-year-old, first-generation builder in the middle of the U.S., constructing his career and life according to his precise design, and demonstrating the remarkable maturity and agency of someo
Herald of helicals
John Montecalvo is on a mission to spread the good news about helical beaming and its ability to minimize life safety hazards and wall restoration costs.
Each year, our national building stock grows one year older and either one year closer to needing repair, or another year overdue for it. Restoration efforts are underway to update a fraction of these buildings; the vast majority remain in need of upgrades – for aesthetic improvements, mitigation of hazardous life safety conditions, or both.
Each year, our national building stock grows one year older and either one year closer to needing repair, or another year overdue for it. Restoration efforts are underway to update a fraction of these buildings; the vast majority remain in need of upgrades – for aesthetic improvements, mitigation of hazardous life safety conditions, or both.
Prosper in preservation
Historic preservation, or historic restoration, is nowhere near being a new industry, but recent economic trends have some contractors following demand and considering this specialization for the first time ever after years spent exclusively in new construction.
The money is there. According to a recent survey from The Campaign for Historic Trades, the total investment in historic buildings last year was close to $37 billion.
The money is there. According to a recent survey from The Campaign for Historic Trades, the total investment in historic buildings last year was close to $37 billion.
The surest defense
When the pro soccer players for St. Louis City SC take to the pitch next year to defend their goal inside the new CityPark Major League Soccer stadium in St. Louis, Mo., the exterior of the stadium will be boasting invisible protection of its own.
That’s because crews at All American Painting Co. applied two graffiti management products from PROSOCO this summer to the stadium’s near-white brick as well as specialized concrete block for its surrounding retaining walls.
That’s because crews at All American Painting Co. applied two graffiti management products from PROSOCO this summer to the stadium’s near-white brick as well as specialized concrete block for its surrounding retaining walls.
Midwest modest
Frank Halsey, president of Mid-Continental Restoration, has fascinating stories to tell about his life and career spent restoring old buildings. Just don't try to give him any credit.
The thing about ego is it’s actually pretty dull and predictable. It’s ubiquitous, unoriginal. It offers so little, so few new stories to tell. Perhaps its worst offense is the way it always dominates the conversation and obscures the good stuff – the really interesting stories that rest quietly in the lives of
The thing about ego is it’s actually pretty dull and predictable. It’s ubiquitous, unoriginal. It offers so little, so few new stories to tell. Perhaps its worst offense is the way it always dominates the conversation and obscures the good stuff – the really interesting stories that rest quietly in the lives of
It wasn't easy, but we did it
This year, we are especially thankful to work in an industry made up of resilient, innovative and tireless people like you. Together, we believe we will all come out stronger, and we remain hopeful and prepared for what's ahead.
#TeamPROSOCO #YouUsTheProject #WeBuiltItTogether #MakeItLast
#TeamPROSOCO #YouUsTheProject #WeBuiltItTogether #MakeItLast
A place of their own
It existed then as a community of people in need of a more purposeful place to worship than in a blacksmith shop on Massachusetts Street. “It” is the St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, which had, in 1863, just broken ground on a lot at the corner of New Hampshire Street and Ninth Street in Lawrence.
The story of this congregation at this location is a short one, because of the tragic significance of the year 1863 for the town of Lawrence.
On Aug. 21, 1863, near the front-end of
The story of this congregation at this location is a short one, because of the tragic significance of the year 1863 for the town of Lawrence.
On Aug. 21, 1863, near the front-end of
Big ambition for tiny homes
His path to building 100% custom tiny homes and campers out of his shop in Ashland, Ore., was anything but conventional. It started with following his Dad around on electrical jobs as a kid, where an occasional jolt of electricity grew a little less shocking each time. Then there were the years he spent handling liquid nitrogen and fixing cryotherapy chambers for a hydrocolonic therapy firm in New York City, where his all-around know-how and ingenuity made him partner within a year.
A therapist
A therapist
How to make construction a more popular career choice & why now's a great time to try
The labor shortage in construction is certainly not a new issue. But many of you can attest that it’s never seemed as critical of a problem as it does today.
There are too many factors and reasons for the “why” of this problem to go into here, and there is no one solution to fix every facet of the issue completely.
I think now is a perfect time to focus on the solutions. Construction is an essential industry during the era of COVID; the labor pool isn’t big enough to meet demand; and construct
There are too many factors and reasons for the “why” of this problem to go into here, and there is no one solution to fix every facet of the issue completely.
I think now is a perfect time to focus on the solutions. Construction is an essential industry during the era of COVID; the labor pool isn’t big enough to meet demand; and construct
All the proof you need: Warehouses are the place to be
Upward trends in online commerce show no sign of receding in 2021. It's safe to say the shift from shopping malls to online shopping carts is not a blip but an evolutionary update in our lives, and warehouse space can't open up fast enough to keep up with demand.
One commercial real estate services firm called JLL estimates that by 2025, it’ll take an additional 1 billion square feet of industrial real estate in the U.S. to store all our stuff.
That’s a lot of finished concrete, and great ne
One commercial real estate services firm called JLL estimates that by 2025, it’ll take an additional 1 billion square feet of industrial real estate in the U.S. to store all our stuff.
That’s a lot of finished concrete, and great ne
Taking the long way home
How Benjamin Warfield found his own path to the success of commercial masonry. As he held his 1-day-old daughter in January 2008, Benjamin Warfield watched the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market in real time on the news: This domino in the housing crisis (and the Great Recession that followed) caused the Dow Jones to record the largest single-day loss in its history. As he thought of his little, new family and their future, his mind kept going back to his past: Growing up working for the
Saved from the brink of destruction
“I actually live in Oak Park and I take the blue line in, so it was fun to watch the transition from the train, and see that ‘Oh, they’re doing this today.’ They had scaffolding up that was covering most of the façade and it was sort of an unveiling. Everyone had seen it really neglected and in rough shape, and then the layers pulled back as the scaffolding came down. You see one section of the building be cleaned and finished and it felt like it was put together. I’m sure it’ll be a project of
Why it makes sense to focus on retrofits during COVID-19 and beyond
Imagine you’re the owner of a multi-story building and you’ve just found out that the exterior brick façade is pulling away from your building, creating a major hazard for tenants and pedestrians.
You anxiously await estimates from your general contractor as you hope for a relatively fast, effective, and affordable fix. Two bids come in at once. The first is for an entire reclad costing about $28 million.
Instead of a reclad, bid No. 2 calls for a technique to re-secure the exterior with mason
You anxiously await estimates from your general contractor as you hope for a relatively fast, effective, and affordable fix. Two bids come in at once. The first is for an entire reclad costing about $28 million.
Instead of a reclad, bid No. 2 calls for a technique to re-secure the exterior with mason
Carnegie Library reimagined for a new use
Nicholas Patrick, Conservator and Quality Control Manager for D.C.-based Grunley Construction, says his company got brought onto the job in 2017 for a full modern update and restoration of the building, inside and out.
Apple’s vision was for the building to be one of just handful of flagship stores across the world – meaning it provides conference and work spaces for the Apple board of directors. As an adaptive reuse of an existing Beaux-Arts-style building, the design would take an understood
Apple’s vision was for the building to be one of just handful of flagship stores across the world – meaning it provides conference and work spaces for the Apple board of directors. As an adaptive reuse of an existing Beaux-Arts-style building, the design would take an understood
Under the radar, above the curve
By flying under the radar, Jayson Barnhart and Tommy Yetts have propelled their business to heights unimaginable in 2009.
That’s the year they started Exposed Design Group, a commercial contracting company in Dallas, Texas. Over the last 12 years, they’ve kept their heads down and their sights focused on building a company the right way. With a marketing budget of virtually nil, they earned a reputation for 1) treating their staff well, including opportunities to grow into leadership position
That’s the year they started Exposed Design Group, a commercial contracting company in Dallas, Texas. Over the last 12 years, they’ve kept their heads down and their sights focused on building a company the right way. With a marketing budget of virtually nil, they earned a reputation for 1) treating their staff well, including opportunities to grow into leadership position
In command and in demand
Part of Robles’ growth since her company’s start in 2018 may be due to her personal communication style with clients, who, by the way, are increasingly women.
“When it really comes down to it, in residential and commercial, the women are the ones who make the choices in the house,” she says. “It’s at least 50/50 now, right?”
Female or male, Robles treats her clients the same and focuses on educating and setting expectations.
“I just talk to people regularly, just like I’m talking to you now,”
“When it really comes down to it, in residential and commercial, the women are the ones who make the choices in the house,” she says. “It’s at least 50/50 now, right?”
Female or male, Robles treats her clients the same and focuses on educating and setting expectations.
“I just talk to people regularly, just like I’m talking to you now,”
Growing up Morris
PROSOCO’s National Sales Manager Al Morris reflects on the gratification of watching his two kids find their own paths in construction.
After 25 years in the construction business, PROSOCO’s National Sales Manager Al Morris has achieved a new milestone he never anticipated, but it’s one that today he treasures the most – watching his two kids find their own passions in the same industry.
Closer to the middle of his professional career, Morris, 57, now enjoys the gratification of witnessing his
After 25 years in the construction business, PROSOCO’s National Sales Manager Al Morris has achieved a new milestone he never anticipated, but it’s one that today he treasures the most – watching his two kids find their own passions in the same industry.
Closer to the middle of his professional career, Morris, 57, now enjoys the gratification of witnessing his
Do you think construction could use a lift? Start by elevating yourself.
I’ve talked before about the labor gap in construction and the various organizations working to fill it in. Work remains to be done in this regard because empty seats remain at businesses all over the country and world. Many companies in construction are hiring now or hope to be hiring in the near future, but are struggling to find qualified applicants.
I believe the construction industry itself could use some help to better publicize the variety of advantages of choosing a career in constructi
I believe the construction industry itself could use some help to better publicize the variety of advantages of choosing a career in constructi
By chance & by design
If the high school version of Nick Dancer could get a look at the 34-year-old version of Nick Dancer, he'd be a little surprised, completely amazed and 100% stoked to jump ahead 15 years into the future.
That view would feature the owner of a successful concrete contracting firm, manager of a staff of 18 team members, published author, mentor, marketer, trainer, father, and husband -- all within the same frame.
Dancer’s life didn’t always seem destined to go that way, though his first job wa
That view would feature the owner of a successful concrete contracting firm, manager of a staff of 18 team members, published author, mentor, marketer, trainer, father, and husband -- all within the same frame.
Dancer’s life didn’t always seem destined to go that way, though his first job wa
7 Graffiti Removal Tips That Every Contractor Should Know
Q6: What would you say is the biggest challenge of a contractor looking to remove graffiti from masonry?
A6: You never truly know exactly what you’re dealing with. It requires some trial and error to figure it out. Even within spray paint, there’s a thousand different chemistries, and a product like Graffiti Remover might work well on it, but not touch something else. If you found the can of spray paint in an alley where you can verify that’s what it is, you can eliminate some of the trial-and-
A6: You never truly know exactly what you’re dealing with. It requires some trial and error to figure it out. Even within spray paint, there’s a thousand different chemistries, and a product like Graffiti Remover might work well on it, but not touch something else. If you found the can of spray paint in an alley where you can verify that’s what it is, you can eliminate some of the trial-and-
Meet the Mathson Family
Construction is a career that has grown with Mark as his interests have changed, and even as his body has changed, Mark says.
“In my late 30s, a buddy and I started a commercial general contracting company. We built water parks and stadiums, high-rise, low-rise, retail, big box, all kinds of things. It was everything I ever wanted to do, but I decided to get out of the working side of construction because physically it’s hard on your body.”
“When you’re a general contractor, you can only look
“In my late 30s, a buddy and I started a commercial general contracting company. We built water parks and stadiums, high-rise, low-rise, retail, big box, all kinds of things. It was everything I ever wanted to do, but I decided to get out of the working side of construction because physically it’s hard on your body.”
“When you’re a general contractor, you can only look
Living Building Challenge and Prosoco
Smart strategies for material reductions led the project team of the City Hall East building in Southern California to choose finished concrete floors.
Adding onto an existing, municipal building registered as a historic landmark didn’t intimidate the project team of the Santa Monica City Hall East (formerly called the City Services Building) in California. In fact, it ended up being just a slight hurdle that motivated the team to go even further in their achievements.
The 50,000-square-foot a
Adding onto an existing, municipal building registered as a historic landmark didn’t intimidate the project team of the Santa Monica City Hall East (formerly called the City Services Building) in California. In fact, it ended up being just a slight hurdle that motivated the team to go even further in their achievements.
The 50,000-square-foot a
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