In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Brad Marotti to unpack the real-world impact of geopolitics on businesses—from tariffs and trade policies to wars, supply chain disruptions, and volatile fuel prices.

What starts as a simple question—“What is geopolitics?”—quickly turns into a practical discussion about how global events ripple through industries, affecting everything from input costs and logistics to financing and long-term planning. Seth and Brad break down the concept in plain terms, framing geopolitics as not just distant policy decisions, but everyday forces that directly shape how businesses operate.

A major focus of the conversation is how rising input costs affect operations. Using relatable examples—from lumber price spikes during COVID to current increases in fuel, steel, and asphalt—they explain how even small shifts in global supply and demand can drastically change the cost structure of a business. Through their own experience in construction materials, they illustrate how a 50% increase in fuel can translate into millions of dollars in additional annual cost.

The discussion also explores how supply chain disruptions and trade restrictions force companies to adapt. Whether it’s navigating tariffs, rerouting logistics, or dealing with limited access to key materials like semiconductors, businesses must continuously adjust to an unpredictable global environment. Seth and Brad highlight how these challenges often require quick decision-making and creative problem solving just to maintain stability.

They also dive into the broader financial implications, including how uncertainty impacts lending, investment strategies, and access to capital. As global volatility increases, companies and investors alike tend to shift toward safer, more stable options—often at the expense of growth opportunities. This shift creates ripple effects that influence everything from expansion plans to hiring decisions.

Another key theme is the role of government policy and infrastructure funding. In industries tied closely to public investment, changes in things like fuel taxes or federal funding can significantly alter the amount of available work. Seth and Brad walk through how even well-intentioned policies—like temporarily reducing fuel taxes—can create unintended consequences for businesses that rely on those funds.

Throughout the episode, they emphasize the importance of communication, adaptability, and proactive planning. From using pricing indexes to manage volatility, to staying connected with industry associations and policymakers, they outline practical ways companies can navigate uncertainty while protecting both their business and their customers.

It’s a grounded, insightful conversation that connects global headlines to day-to-day business realities—showing how geopolitics isn’t just something happening “out there,” but a constant force shaping decisions, costs, and opportunities at every level.

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In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Jeff Hotop and Blake Lingle for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about career paths, leadership development, and the roles that shape how organizations grow and operate.

Jeff and Blake share how their careers unexpectedly led them into finance and banking—starting with small-town roots, early jobs, and moments where natural strengths began to reveal themselves. From Jeff’s transition from the banking world into a CFO role in a construction-adjacent business, to Blake’s progression into senior lending and leadership, they unpack what it really means to evolve professionally and take calculated risks along the way.

A central theme of the conversation is the distinction between visionaries and implementers, and how both roles are essential to a healthy organization. They explore how visionaries think long-term and focus on direction, while implementers translate those ideas into actionable steps. Through real-world examples, they highlight how self-awareness plays a key role in understanding where you fit—and why high-performing teams need both perspectives working together.

The discussion also dives into mentorship and leadership, with Jeff and Blake reflecting on the people who shaped their approach—both good and bad. They examine the differences between managers and true leaders, the importance of trust and autonomy, and how leadership styles must adapt to the individual rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. From servant leadership to people-first leadership, they share how their philosophies have evolved through experience.

Together, they also explore how relationships and culture influence performance, why working with the right team matters as much as the work itself, and how authenticity plays a critical role in leading effectively. They share personal insights on accountability, growth, and the mindset shifts that come from stepping into new responsibilities or environments.

It’s an honest, thoughtful conversation about taking risks, understanding your strengths, and growing into leadership over time—one that reinforces a simple truth: careers rarely follow a straight line, and the most meaningful growth comes from learning who you are and having the courage to act on it.

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In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Brad and Taylor for an honest, practical conversation about one of the toughest challenges leaders face: building the right team. Using a culture‑versus‑skills quadrant as the framework, they unpack how employees typically fall into four categories—and why where someone lands matters more than leaders often realize.

Seth, Brad, and Taylor break down each quadrant in real‑world terms, from high‑culture, high‑skill “stars” to low‑culture, low‑skill “dead weight,” and the dangerous middle ground of high‑skill, low‑culture employees who can quietly undermine a team. They discuss what culture really looks like in practice—not just surface‑level friendliness, but values, integrity, accountability, and how people show up when no one’s watching.

The conversation dives into hiring decisions leaders wrestle with every day: whether to hire for skill or culture, how urgency often drives rushed choices, and why “no help” can be better than bad help. Brad and Taylor share insight into why skills are often more teachable than attitude, how behavioral‑based interview questions can reveal far more than technical checklists, and why the elusive “purple unicorn” hire is rarely realistic.

Together, they also explore how generational perspectives influence workplace culture, how attitudes and expectations have shifted over time, and why swinging too far toward either culture or performance can hurt a business. They examine the importance of ongoing evaluation, self‑awareness, and giving leaders the space to step back and assess what their team looks like today—and where it needs to be tomorrow.

It’s a grounded, thought‑provoking discussion about leadership, accountability, and making tough people decisions—one that reinforces a simple but powerful truth: great teams aren’t built by accident, and culture and skills must grow together if a business is going to succeed.

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In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Kris Latham to unpack a career built from the ground up—one shaped by engineering roots, hard-earned lessons, and a deep respect for people, process, and perspective. From growing up around construction sites in central Florida to leading operations in the aggregates industry, Kris shares the winding path that took him through engineering, finance, consulting, and ultimately into leadership.

Kris walks through his early career choices and pivotal moments, including earning his engineering license, navigating layoffs, working through an airline bankruptcy, and finding his way into the aggregates world. Along the way, he explains how those varied experiences—civil engineering, corporate finance, M&A, performance improvement, and operations—shaped how he approaches problem-solving today. His story highlights an often-overlooked truth: careers aren’t linear, but every stop along the way can become a critical building block.

Together, Seth and Kris explore what stays consistent across roles and industries—solving problems, understanding people, and learning how to influence rather than dictate change. They unpack the difference between advising from the outside and leading from within, the challenges of credibility and trust, and why the “good idea fairy” approach rarely works without strong relationships. Kris offers candid insight into influencing operations, simplifying communication, and meeting people where they are—especially when the day‑to‑day pressures on the ground are very real.

The conversation also spotlights the aggregates industry itself: why it’s misunderstood, why it’s essential, and why it offers durable, meaningful careers that won’t be outsourced or automated away. Kris explains the pride that comes from building something tangible, the importance of safety culture, and how one powerful safety moment reshaped his perspective forever.

Throughout the episode, Kris emphasizes one recurring theme: success is built as much on who you know as what you know. From mentorship and networking to being dependable, likable, and willing to earn your stripes, he shares advice for young professionals—and a reminder that careers are built over time through relationships, curiosity, and consistency.

It’s a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leadership, influence, and growth—one that goes beyond titles and resumes to focus on the people, experiences, and values that truly shape a career.

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In this episode of On the Surface, Seth is joined once again by Brad for a wide‑ranging, practical conversation about how AI is actually being used in everyday business—and why most people are still only scratching the surface. From Copilot and ChatGPT to Claude, Gemini, and agentic AI tools, Seth and Brad break down what works, what doesn’t, and where confusion still exists as these technologies evolve at lightning speed.

They dig into real, hands‑on use cases rather than hype: creating presentations and emails faster, analyzing data, building Excel models, summarizing long documents, turning contracts into podcast‑style audio, and setting up automated systems that pull information every week without repeated prompts. Brad shares firsthand experiences using AI agents to monitor industry projects and generate reports, while Seth explains the differences between creative AI, analytical AI, and autonomous agentic systems—and why prompt quality still matters, even as the tools improve.

Together, they tackle the bigger question many organizations are quietly wrestling with: what does AI mean for jobs? Seth and Brad offer a grounded perspective on efficiency, automation, and workforce change—arguing that while AI won’t replace entire roles overnight, it will reshape how work gets done. They explore which tasks are most at risk, why repetitive and administrative work is the first to be automated, and how early adopters who learn to use AI effectively will be best positioned as companies inevitably move from experimentation to expectation.

The conversation also highlights the human side of adoption—resistance to change, security concerns, and the reality that many people don’t even know the tools they already have can do these things. From personal examples like planning vacations and visualizing home renovations to professional workflows that save hours or days of work, this episode emphasizes one core takeaway: AI is just another tool—but curiosity, experimentation, and willingness to adapt will determine who benefits the most.

It’s an honest, approachable discussion about AI in the present—not sci‑fi futures or fear‑based narratives, but the real efficiencies, limitations, and opportunities unfolding right now for people willing to engage with the technology rather than ignore it.

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In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down once again with fan‑favorite guest (and unofficial co‑host) Taylor Kirn for an honest look at what really happens when you step into a management role for the first time. From the shock of overnight responsibility to the emotional weight of leading people you once worked beside, Taylor breaks down the challenges new managers face—and the parts no one warns you about.

Taylor shares her early experiences overseeing team members, including her struggle with delegation, learning to trust others’ processes, and discovering that there’s more than one “right” way to get things done. Through stories about mentors, technology mishaps, and even a paper‑folding machine she found way too late, she explains how growth often comes from embracing discomfort, letting go of control, and making room for people to surprise you.

Together, Seth and Taylor unpack the toughest parts of becoming a manager: balancing daily tasks with new leadership responsibilities, navigating the pressure of constant communication, managing personalities, setting boundaries with former peers, and building resilience when the job feels like “getting punched in the face for a year.” They explore why the first management jump is the hardest in any career—and why trusting your team, asking for help, and being honest about what you don’t know are essential skills, not weaknesses.

Taylor also sheds light on the critical role HR plays in supporting new supervisors, from handling sensitive conversations to navigating policies like FMLA, time off, and compliance issues that can quickly go sideways without guidance. She explains why bringing HR in early matters, how communication shapes culture, and why consistency and follow‑through are the foundations of effective leadership.

It’s a candid, insightful conversation about the human side of managing people—the mindset shifts, the uncomfortable moments, the lessons learned the hard way, and the growth that happens when you finally realize: management isn’t about doing the work…it’s about leading the people who do.

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In this episode of On The Surface, Seth and Brad welcome back Taylor Kirn for a deep dive into one of the most pivotal decisions any company faces: internal promotions vs. external hires.

From the real costs of leadership transitions to the morale boost of promoting from within, the trio breaks down what makes these decisions so impactful—and so challenging. They explore how to identify true leadership potential, when a fresh external perspective is worth the investment, and why succession planning matters more than ever in today’s shifting workforce.

Taylor sheds light on the growing skills gap and what it means for career paths in construction and manufacturing, while Brad talks candidly about performance, cultural fit, and why soft skills often outweigh technical ability at higher levels of leadership. The group also shares practical advice for anyone who's been passed over for a promotion—and how to turn that setback into fuel for growth.

Whether you're leading teams, building a career, or just curious about how organizations make people decisions, this episode is packed with insight, transparency, and a few hard truths.

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In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Justin Counce—Delta’s Safety Coordinator—to explore the unconventional path that led him from chemistry labs and chromatography machines to job sites, quarry pits, and the front lines of safety culture. From studying finance for “30 minutes” to working in manufacturing and eventually discovering a passion for helping people work smarter and safer, Justin shares how curiosity, real‑world experience, and relationship‑building shaped his entire career.

He walks through the evolution of safety at Delta—from the early days of reactive compliance and paper forms to proactive culture-building, CI teams, and digital inspections that keep crews protected and projects moving. Justin opens up about the shift toward collaborative safety, the importance of trust on a job site, and how complacency can sneak in even for the most experienced workers. He also breaks down what safety really looks like today: navigating regulations, supporting crews across multiple states, investigating incidents, managing environmental compliance, and preparing for a future filled with sensors, AI tools, autonomous equipment, and smarter training.

Justin also draws surprising parallels between his role at Delta and his life coaching youth sports. From teaching attitude and effort to managing emotions, building mental toughness, and holding people accountable with empathy, he explains how lessons from the baseball field translate directly into leading teams and keeping people safe. Along the way he shares stories about wins, missteps, tough inspections, community complaints, and why treating everyone with respect—no matter their job title—remains his guiding principle.

It’s an inside look at the human side of safety: the culture, conversations, and coaching that make a difference long before any paperwork ever does.

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