When payroll runs clean, nobody throws a party.

If it breaks… everyone notices. With profanity. The creative kind.

Every week, someone in your company has to make sure people get paid.

That’s the stakes. Every Tuesday.

The obvious move was to digitize timecards. Capture time at the jobsite. Replace paper with an app. Faster. Better. No brainer.

And still, the promised gains rarely show up where it counts.

Hard-fought efficiency won in the field gets drained in the office. Someone is still poring over spreadsheets, hunting errors, re-keying data — doing whatever it takes to make sure the yelling doesn’t start.

We’re not talking hours. Days.

Every week.

Tens of thousands in lost productivity.

And one person who can’t take a vacation.

The payroll administrator.

Labor is the heartbeat of the operation. It’s where margin is made—or bled.

And it’s the one information flow that never gets to slip.

Nobody asks why. They ask who.

So if you want the truth about your project information, don’t stare at your ConTech stack.

Look at Tuesday. (Or Wednesday without the safety net.)

If Tuesday is a war room, you’re not running a process. You’re running a rescue mission.

The payroll admin is the one person who knows the whole dance: rate exceptions, union rules, zones, shift extras. Every “who’s on first.” Every “it depends.”

And too often, they’re the only one—because the process lives in their head.

They can’t call in sick on Tuesday. They don’t really vacation. They just change locations.

Because payroll can’t fail.

Under-appreciated. Mission-critical.

Casandra. Kelly. Cathy. Linda. Dawn. Raj. Steve.

These are their stories.

Over the next eight weeks, we’re going to trace labor information from field time to payroll — and share what we see as we operationalize labor data flow across +60 construction operations.

Because every breakdown shows up the same way:

• manual cleanup work

• missing visibility

• burned capacity

• technology that never pays off

Each week: one recurring failure pattern, the costs, and the shift that makes labor data flow reliabily.

This is what Project Information Operations looks like in practice: turning weekly payroll heroics into reliable project intelligence.

Hoping you’ll join us!

—Chris

“That’s it exactly!”

You could hear it in his voice—recognition and relief.

It was my first meeting with the CFO of a $100M construction client. We had helped them streamline data flow to accelerate client billing. We’re already on a good foundation.

Showing conclusively that we understood the technology problem in construction took the dialog to another level.

Seeing that someone understands your situation (maybe even better than you do) is galvanizing. It gives you confidence that there is a way out—a better future—even if you’re not sure exactly what that is, yet.

It’s empowering to emerge from the fog—the quagmire—and to stop doing more of what’s not working.

The 4 symptoms of the ConTech Quagmire:

1. Manual Data Work – People stuck with ‘hands on keyboard’—copying and pasting instead of analyzing or building.

2. Poor Operational Insight – information that is missing or arrive too late to matter.

3. Limited IT Resources – Not enough people, time, or know-how to fix the mess.

4. Lack of Results from Tech Investments – High spend, low impact, loss of momentum.

Around and around we go. One step forward and two steps back.

But seeing the problem clearly is a major step forward.

The underlying false assumption that creates the quagmire:

More Technology = More Results

• It’s a deeply held belief in construction.

• The industry rally cry is “digitize” or “adopt more tools.”

• But here’s the truth:

Technology is not a business outcome.

Profit is.

When you name the real problem, the fog lifts.

When you understand the pattern, you can break it.

The roadblocks holding you back are the way to move your operations forward.

Now What?

It’s time to break the cycle.

→ Check out the Data-Powered Playbook to see what it’s costing you—and how to break free with practical, proven steps.

→ Or drop me a note, I’ll personally walk you through it.

Best,

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

Ever worked really hard - on the wrong thing?

We got an email from one of our favourite trailblazers, Steve:

Steve was looking to integrate his take-off estimation data directly into his project management solution in order to automatically create the project budget.

It makes perfect sense - on the surface…

And we stayed on the surface—that was a mistake.

And we worked really hard to make the integration work. Mistake #2.

I hate the word “integration”. For me, it means:

• seemingly good (but actually bad) idea, that won’t make anyone happy…

And here we are. Here is how we got here.

Steve is a growth, oriented business leader—in our lexicon a trailblazer. Self-proclaimed:

Maybe you can identify with the sentiment.

Our critical mistake here was getting missile-locked on the technology outcome.

The “#@\$!” integration.

Had we gone deeper it would have been obvious why Steve “wanted” the integration. He didn’t really want an integration (who does really?).

What we wanted was:

• Accurate budgets available immediately at the outset of the project.

• Having the project get out of the gate on the right foot.

• Avoiding being four weeks into the project and your actuals to budget already a disaster.

• Chasing the project until the end—hoping it turns out ok.

Improving operational visibility, project information. That was the business objective. That is what he wanted. A better shot at profitable projects. So he could aggressively grow his company.

Not the ”#@\$!” integration!

(are you picking up my frustration?!?)

Business Results via Project Information Operations

It's a lot more fun for everyone when we get it right!

When we’re collectively hitting the “business results bull’s eye!"

A story from another of our favourite trailblazers, Terri.

We started working with Terri's organizations streamlining data flows from field labor to finance.

By “streamlining”, what we mean is that we reduced manual data movement and data entry by double-digit hours - every week!

Right away we have a business outcome with the elimination of low-value, soul-sucking work. People are happy! Win!

But wait, there’s more!

Through the improve data flow, that labor data was now stored, staged, and available.

We were able to spin up a concise and compelling weekly operations overview - every Monday morning rather than (maybe) at the end of the week.

This new information asset - the weekly operations overview - became the centrepiece for the weekly leadership meeting.

Cheaper, faster, and better.

All tangible contributions to the bottom line. Meaning more profit.

And more still…

Once a paradigm has shifted, it opens new ways of seeing things, new opportunities.

Terri’s team is now actively engaged in designing and architecting new project information assets that moves their construction operation forward.

Improve operations at every step.

Learning the “Faster Horses” Lesson

Sometimes the learning is delivered as a punch to the face. And we took a good one on the chin. We hate disappointing clients.

So if we find ourselves chasing technology outcome - we’re off track. Even when our clients ask us.

Especially if our clients ask us.

We’re the experts in data elevation and project information operations. I can say this with confidence because we invented both.

Improving project information operations (with the technology already in place) is the direct line to improving project profitability.

It’s our mission—our duty—to guide our clients to expanding profit margins by harnessing data.

To make their project information cheaper, faster, and better.

People run construction projects. Information makes them profitable.

What’s the real business result hiding behind your current tech headache?

Share it with us by hitting “reply”.

Best,

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

P.S. Our apologies Steve.

“We have a problem!"

Generally, this is how we meet construction companies. They have something they are dealing with that is a pain in the A$$: trapped data, repetitive manual entry, slow inefficient processes, lack of operational insight.

You get the picture - maybe too well.

But lately we've been meeting firms that seem to be on offence rather than defense.

They’re coming to us with strategic initiatives. Quarterly objectives. Wanting to improve project operations and the overall business.

These are smart, motivated leaders - trailblazers - demonstrating genuine strategic intent. They know these strategic imperatives directly impact profitability, competitiveness, and long-term success.

Getting it wrong means lost opportunities and stalled growth.

Yet despite this, these effort often stalls out. Or fails to deliver.

The reason: mistakenly equated technology with strategy.

Imagine deciding it’s finally time to get fit. You eagerly buy the best treadmill, cutting-edge gear, and premium fitness apps. Weeks later, the equipment gathers dust, and your fitness hasn't improved.

Why?

Because the tools alone don’t produce results. Lasting change demands intentional habits, consistent exercise, and disciplined nutrition.

These are the paths to results.

Construction technology follows the same logic. Tools alone won’t transform your business—the real results come from clarity, strategy, and disciplined execution.

A construction firm approached us seeking PowerBI training, believing proficiency with the tool would unlock streamlined and improved monthly financial reporting.

They hadn’t considered underlying challenges like data access issues with their antiquated finance software, data quality concerns, or the importance of storytelling with data.

Proficiency with the reporting solution alone wasn’t going to get them to their desired results. No progress. Just more frustration.

Another firm came to us looking for help integrating new data pipelines into their freshly minted data lake. Their vision, centralized and accessible data - naturally yielding powerful insights and operational improvements.

I’ve seen this one play out hundreds of times over the past two decades. By the time the data lake or warehouse is built, the company is “fatigued” and enthusiasm has waned.

When they are finally ready to address the meaningful questions—the "what now" of their data—the momentum and interest had gone.

Another failed tech project.

However, there’s a better way.

Recently, a client leader came to us focused deeply on optimizing her company’s tech stack. During our discussion, we shifted the focus with a simple question:

"Forget technology for a moment—what business outcomes do you really want?"

Her response was immediate and energizing—a detailed monologue describing precise business improvements, growth opportunities, and clear constraints. Suddenly, the path forward was obvious, clear, and motivating.

An incredible inventory of business improvement opportunities.

The key takeaway: technology isn't your strategy.

Your strategy must be driven by information and clarity about the outcomes you genuinely need.

Before asking, "Which technology should we adopt?" first answer:

1. What outcome or result are we looking to achieve?

2. Is it worth it—will this move the financial needle enough to matter?

3. How do we practically get from where we are today to where we want to be?

Focusing on outcomes and information first ensures clarity, drives early wins, and creates sustainable momentum.

Remember, information is what drives strategy and results. Technology simply supports and enables it.

If you've felt technology fatigue or frustration from initiatives that didn't deliver, the shift you need is from technology-first to information-first.

Information over Technology: I > T

🚀 Ready to find your early wins? We’d love to help.

Best,

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

What if the next three years of construction completely rewrite the rules of the game?

This was the sentiment of the panelist at this year’s MEP Innovation Conference keynote panel: Becoming a Data-Empowered Contractor.

Most panel discussions? Empty calories. Big names. No preparation. Just a string of disconnected monologues.

This session was not that.

The panelists were prepared, engaged, and openly shared their companies successes and learnings. The discussion was led masterfully by Jeff Sample, who also contributed meaningfully to the sharing.

It was clear through the discussion that the executives of these three large MEP firms were designing and leading their companies based on a data-powered future.

The key theme?

Contractors that take control of their data are the ones positioned to thrive.

So how are today’s smartest contractors using data to stay ahead? The panelists shared a battle-tested playbook—one that could change how you run your business.

We outline the key lessons and take-aways of becoming a data-powered contractor below.

In Part 2 this week, we'll dive into a practical breakdown of how smaller contractors can adopt and implement these insights - without the costly dedicated IT department or major investments in new technology.

Stay tuned!

The Panel: Data-Powered Leadership

This definitely wasn’t a tech vendor sales pitch.

It was a straight-up discussion with construction executives who have been in the trenches — leaders responsible for navigating their companies through rapid growth.

The Panelists:

• Joseph Lansdell, President, Poynter Sheet Metal

• Chris Weaver, Director of Technology, Andy J. Egan Company

• Matt Lamb, CIO, Rosendin

• Moderator: Jeff Sample, Iron Man of IT, The ConTech Crew podcast

So what kind of companies are leading the charge? Each of these firms has scaled beyond $250M—some even into the billions. But what they’re doing with data isn’t reserved for giants.

The overarching theme from the discussion is that the contractors with the vision and initiative to harness their company's data are the ones that will come out ahead.

Let's dive in!

What Industry Leaders Get Right About Data That Most Contractors Miss

Every company is facing the same pressures—rising costs, labor shortages, tighter margins. The difference between those who thrive and those who struggle? How they use their data.

1. The Pace of Change in Construction is Accelerating

2. Data is the Difference Between Winning & Losing

3. Flavours of IT: Information vs. Operations (vs. Traditional)

4. Your ERP is More Important Than AI (For Now)

5. Stop Hoarding Data—Start Sharing It

6. People Are the Biggest Factor in Tech Adoption

7. The Next Generation Will Be Digital-First (But Change Fatigue is Real)

• The next three years will reshape construction more than the last 25.

• The winners won’t be the ones with the most technology, but the ones who harness data best.

• Winning won't be about chasing every new tool—but rather about clarity and being intentional with data, business processes, and decision-making.

Aedo POV: It’s not about the rate of change. It’s about who’s actually benefiting from it. The best construction companies don’t just adopt new tech—they make sure it pays off. Going slow and being focused on business outcomes will reduce the “new tech noise”.

But recognizing change is only step one. The real question is: will your business be on the winning or losing side of it?

2. Data is the Difference Between Winning & Losing

• One of the panel companies lost $1.5M on a project due to poor tracking—this was the wake-up call.

• Subsequently they took harnessing data and project insight very seriously. They haven’t lost money on a single job since.

• Visibility into costs and labor prevents last-minute scrambling and financial hits.

Aedo POV: Never let a good crisis go to waste—it’s about taking action. This contractor had a galvanizing business moment that drove change and created a better future. Look for - and manufacture if necessary - your organization’s “why”.

Clearly data makes the difference. Knowing which IT tools drive results is vital.

3. Flavours of IT: Information vs. Operations (vs. Traditional)

• ConTech OT (Operational Tech): BIM, total stations, reality capture—tools that drive construction work.

• ConTech IT (Information Tech): ERP, project management, field solutions, data reporting—the tools of "information" that allow you to manage your operation.

• Traditional IT: networks, security, email and storage—the IT that all industries have.

• If IT and OT don’t work together, your data is stuck in silos.

Aedo POV: We take a different perspective on this—the categories of construction information technology is less nuanced and largely doesn’t matter. Any technology that is improving the use of data is an information technology.

Information is what creates the business outcome - not technology. And fundamentally, construction is an information business.

To build you need a solid foundation.

4. Your ERP is More Important Than AI (For Now)

• One of the panelist companies stressed the importance of getting their ERP and data foundation right early on.

• This is the solid data foundation for business growth.

• AI can’t fix bad data. If your ERP and reporting systems are a mess, AI will only automate and propagate bad information faster.

Aedo POV: The ERP/finance platform is one of the foundational "galaxies" for a construction company. Of course it's crucial to get it right - for the job it needs to do.

You also have project management and field information "galaxies" to content with. An often overlooked opportunity is streamlining and optimizing the flow of data across these galaxies.

Once you break down the data silos, you can make information available where it matters.

5. Stop Hoarding Data—Start Sharing It

• Many construction firms keep data locked away in leadership.

• The companies seeing the best results turn data into visibility for every level of the organization—so teams can make better, faster decisions.

• Overcome the reluctancy to make important information available.

Aedo POV: If your data isn’t being used to make decisions at every level of your company, it’s dead weight. The best companies build a culture of data visibility, not just collection.

The biggest challenge isn’t the tech or data—it’s getting your team on board.

6. People Are the Biggest Factor in Tech Adoption

"I'm already rounding third and heading for home. I have to realized that the rest of the organization is just getting to the batter's box."

• The biggest challenge isn’t the software—it’s the people.

• If tech is forced onto the field without clear benefits and buy-in, it fails.

• The best rollouts involve getting people from all areas of the operation engaged early in the process.

Aedo POV: Tech adoption isn’t about features—it’s about relevance. If your teams don’t see how a tool makes their job easier, they will fight it.

The new entrants to the industry are primed and ready, but too much too fast will hit a wall.

7. The Next Generation Will Be Digital-First (But Change Fatigue is Real)

• New workers expect digital tools.

• However people are also burning out from constant new software rollouts.

• Successful companies prioritize what actually moves the needle instead of chasing every new platform.

Aedo POV: Every rollout adds cognitive load. If it doesn’t remove friction, it’s just more noise.

When technology is "working" it's like a magic trick - it disappears into the background and gives the user back time.

Start assessing potential rollouts through a time creation and business outcome lens.

These takeaways paint a clear picture: the future belongs to data-powered contractors.

From Inspirational to “Now What?”

Each panelist brought a distinct yet complementary perspective, making it one of the most cohesive and actionable conversations on data-powered construction we've seen.

Technology. Information. Leadership.

The value came not just from their individual experiences but from the way they connected the dots—proving that data-powered success isn’t just about software and technology, but about strategy, execution, and cultural alignment.

The challenges shared were familiar. The business performance outcomes compelling.

But for many contractors it can feel overwhelming.

How do you implement these insights when you don’t have a dedicated IT department or vast resources?

If you’re measuring revenue in millions, not billions, it’s easy to feel like these insights don’t apply to you. But they do. The difference isn’t resources—it’s focus.

In Part 2, we’ll strip away the complexity and show you exactly how smaller contractors can win with data—without a large IT department, without massive tech investments, and without getting lost in the noise.

Ready to become data-powered at 1/10th investment? Let’s get started together!

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

Your Data Business Improvement Team, On-Demand

Innovation.

In recent years, the word - and the mandate - has become tarnished in the industry.

Innovation has been mistakenly equated with technology, leading many in construction to invest in tools and systems that fail to deliver results. These efforts often create new frustrations: more silos, increased inefficiencies, and a continued lack of visibility into critical business decisions.

This is the essence of the ConTech dilemma.

Let’s move past the obsession with "shiny objects" and the buzzwords like "disrupting the industry" – after all, who really wants to be disrupted??

"Take your innovation theatre and get out of here!"

What if we reframed - and reclaimed - innovation?

Innovation isn’t a grand gesture—it’s the deliberate steps you take today to create measurable positive change.

The creation of value is the defining characteristic of innovation.

Next week, we’ll join leaders at the MEP Innovation event in Los Angeles, where we’ll undoubtedly hear about game-changing technologies and bold visions. What I'm eager to get a pulse on is how much of the conversation is anchored in real bottom-line business improvement.

That might sound hypocritical coming from someone who works in the "data" world - a former innovation theatre performer - but let me explain.

Innovation isn’t a shiny gadget or a big, bold idea that grabs headlines. True innovation—the kind that changes businesses—is a deliberate process anchored in creating measurable value.

It begins not with leaps, but with small, purposeful steps to make something better and create value.

Let me tell you a story. We've been working with a company that has a vision to implement a critical information asset they use to monitor every active project.

They have a great vision supported by the right technology and compelling project-critical information asset developed.

The only problem?

It doesn’t work. It takes too long to run and fails about half the time.

Late last year, we got our chance at fixing the performance issue. Long story short, we reduced the refresh run time by over 90% - from hours to single-digit minutes, pretty much real time information.

Big win!

The point of this (self-serving) story is that we had an idea an how to make the project monitor better - in this case timely and trusted. When the new project monitor is rolled out - timely, trusted progress information will improve project outcome.

It will expand profit margins.

By how much? That is the business science and art of "data alchemy" - a game-changing tool in innovation management.

If Trailblazers were to reclaim "innovation" in the pursuit of profit expansion, what would that look like?

• Prioritizing business outcomes over "silver bullet" technologies and "innovation theatre".

• Assessing the potential business benefit of the business improvement initiative - measured in dollars.

• Starting now - rather than waiting for the "ducks to align" (hint: they never do)

A Trailblazer recently told us they wanted to "hold off" until they had a new executive in the seat.

"Bad idea," I let them know. "Newton's First Law, an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stay in motion".

This is a common challenge: waiting for the "perfect moment" often stalls progress. Momentum drives innovation, and even small steps forward can create that momentum while aligning with long-term goals.

You can change the size of the step - the pace of innovation - but why would you ever stop improving the business?

Reclaiming innovation - real innovation - is about making the business better—improving processes, reducing inefficiencies, and expanding profit margins. If you can’t measure it on your income statement, is it really innovation? I don’t think so.

Here’s the hard truth: waiting for the perfect time or the perfect tool doesn’t work. You have to create innovation. You have to manufacture measurable business improvements.

It’s work - important and game-changing work.

When is “now” the right time to start?

Here are a few questions to kickstart your thinking:

• Where is value trapped in your business?

• Is manual data entry eating up your team’s time?

• Are you struggling to make decisions because your data lives in silos?

Pick one area. Just one. And take the first step.

Small steps create big impact.

They’re not flashy, but they’re meaningful. They’re not loud, but they’re powerful. One step forward today sets you up for better decisions, stronger margins, and a more resilient business tomorrow.

Trailblazers like you know this. That’s why you’re here, reading this, thinking about what comes next. The future of innovation isn’t a grand leap—it’s built step by step.

So, what’s your first step going to be?

Make it now. And don’t look back.

If you're a Trailblazer and would like to riff, call me. No charge.

Chris

Founder & CEO, Aedo

Your Data Business Improvement Team, On-Demand

Grow your profit margin by 20%. Or stay stuck, frustrated, and wasting time.

You decide.

We’ve seen leaders like you break free from the cycle of frustration—and it all starts with small, purposeful steps.

We can show you how and guide your team there. We're confident because we've been there already.

Let me explain…

A look back on 2024

2024 was the year where the magnitude of the harnessing data opportunity came into sharp focus for Aedo. A modest cohort of growth-oriented leaders - trailblazers - were the early beneficiaries. Several of these leaders declared Aedo to be a “forever partner”.

Our intent is to double-down on the concept and playbook of data-powered construction for many years to come. Creating a community of growth-oriented forever partners.

A look at 2024 by the numbers:

• ~50 construction companies streamline the flow of the operations data through Aedo on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily basis.

• The most frequent data flow is the movement and transformation of time card labor data to payroll - typically eliminating 1–5 days of manual, low-value, and error-prone data work. Annualized benefit for these companies: $15,000-$75,000.

• Many of our clients have taken advantage of the improved availability of this labor data to get better insight into their business: weekly operational overviews, absenteeism management, and lunch and break compliance (avoiding the 6-figure fines that some companies have been hit with).

• Improving the quality and availability of project insight has created major benefits for dozens of our clients. Examples include:

  1. Quantifying and pricing change-orders: $500,000 annualized savings plus the operational benefits of the dramatically improved change order turnaround times.

  2. Weekly T&M tag reporting: reducing data-entry efforts by 2 days per week and providing accelerated fidelity into project activity.

  3. Internal equipment management reporting: where a self-perform company realized they were inaccurately charging project and poorly managing equipment utilization.

  4. Monthly safety reporting: eliminating 40 hours of manual report development and providing weekly and daily on-demand safety information.

  5. Self-perform project monitor: improved the performance of the "real-time" monitor from a 4 hour to a sub-10 minute refresh.

  6. Streamlining and synchronizing field, project, and finance systems to ensure that everyone is operating off the same information.

  7. Improve WIP reporting and streamlining client billing processes.

These are just a few proof-points from the past year. Each can be assessed in terms of bottom-line financial impact. And the benefits continue to accrue for these companies with each improvement, year after year.

We demonstrated how to do this "back of the envelope" impact assessment in our 30-minute workshop right before holidays. I'd invite you to check it out - once you understand the simplicity of the Impact Horizon assessment, you can't un-see the "alchemy of construction data".

What we learned, and why it matters to you:

Through the work with our clients, we had a number of "ah ha's!" that fundamentally shifted our approach to working with Aedo clients:

• Construction has a technology problem. A dilemma. We're stuck in a quagmire. And you can't solve a technology problem with technology.

• The "fallacy of integration". Everyone is talking about it. Nobody really understands what it means. Integration as a desired outcome is going to disappoint. Trust me.

• In IT (Information Technology) it's the "I" that matters, not the "T". Turning data - "the new oil" - into information that has a benefit and impact is the point.

• Impact and benefit are measured in $$. Creating business outcomes - not technology outcomes - is the objective.

A couple of big "so what's" from this:

1. We envision the emergence of a new function or role inside construction companies focused on harnessing data to create measurable, bottom-line expanding impact: Construction Information Operations or CIOps.

2. We're evolving the Aedo offering to assist in identifying, quantifying, and capturing our clients' business improvement opportunities.

Our vision for 2025: Aedo as your on-demand CIOps partner, helping drive continuous business improvement with the technology you already have in place.

Think of CIOps as your operations team’s secret weapon, ensuring your data works as hard as your people do.

What if your business could turn every $1 invested into $3 of additional profit? How much would you invest?

That’s not a pipe dream—it’s what Aedo clients are already achieving by making their data work harder than ever. The secret? Small, focused improvements that eliminate inefficiencies, free up your team’s time, and deliver insights that create tangible bottom-line results.

In 2024, we worked with companies who captured over $50,000 (often significantly more) in measurable impact in just two months.

Imagine repeating that six times a year. That’s the start of a compounding cycle—one that can expand your profit margins by 20% or more.

No new tech. No major overhauls. Just unlocking the full potential of what you already have. It’s not about fancy software or grand plans. It’s about solving the right problem, one step at a time.

Every day spent stuck is another day you’re leaving money on the table. Let’s stop that cycle and start building momentum—together.

Or let 2025 be another year of missed opportunities while others move forward.

Stuck, lamenting technology, wasting your team's time and breaking their spirit wrestling with trapped data, and wishing for better information.

Calling the Trailblazers

Let's get after it. Together.

Harness your data and get it powering your construction operations.

Small changes, starting now, create big results. The second-best time to plant a tree is today. When is the right time to start building your momentum? Every day spent stuck is another day your profit margin stagnates.

The choice is yours.

Ready to make 2025 the year you grow your profit margin by 20%?

Start today. Let’s talk about how small, focused changes can lead to big outcomes for your business.

👉 Book Your Call

Not ready for a call? Stay inspired and informed. Sign up for our newsletter to see how other Trailblazers are rewriting their 2025 story.

The Idea: Everyone knows "data is the new oil"...

Imagine dark pools of sticky liquid oozing into your world—a messy nuisance, inconvenient and seemingly useless. But what if that mess held the key to transforming your entire operation? That’s data in construction today: chaotic, untapped, and bursting with potential.

But right now, your data feels more like a burden than an asset.

Just like oil - the black, sticky liquid seeping out of the ground in Pennsylvania in the 1800's.

Sure, some people found uses for it, like burning it for light or smearing it on wounds, but for the most part, it was just "stuff lying around"—a byproduct that people didn’t quite know what to do with.

Just like data.

Then everything changed. Someone figured out how to refine that crude oil into kerosene, gasoline, and other fuels.  They turned the byproduct into energy that powered the Industry Revolution and largely formed our world today.

That messy puddle lying on the ground? It turned out to be the most valuable resource on the planet.

Today, your data is like oil in 1859—a messy, untapped resource waiting to be refined. Scattered. Stuck. Siloed. For many, data feels more like a burden than an opportunity.

The potential to harness and refine your data lies in understanding how to elevate it—turning it from a messy byproduct into a dynamic asset.

At Aedo, we call this process Data Elevation—a structured approach to transforming raw data into energy that powers better decisions, smoother operations, and business growth. Just as refining oil unlocked the Industrial Revolution, elevating your data can unlock new horizons for your business.

First a Story: From "data Tartarus" to "weekly insights at our fingertips"

All of our client relationships start from their pain. Pain and absurdity. Invaluable project operations and administration people spending the majority of their week doing manual data drudgery.

Data entry.

Moving data from one system to the next.

Creating spreadsheets that are out of date by the time they are ready.

It’s like being trapped in data Tartarus—a tormenting abyss where every week is an endless cycle of manual drudgery, frustration, and inefficiency.

But what if there was a way out?

Like many, one commercial drywall contractor was in this ‘data hell’ - a gruelling cycle of repetitive tasks that drain time, energy, and morale.

Every week they would be crushed on Monday and Tuesday, wrestling with timesheets to get payroll done and out the door. Incorporating complex region and rate rules. Ensuring lunch and break compliance.

Only to shift gears on Wednesday and start creating the Excel Manager Reports. Friday was "mistake fixing day"

A never ending deluge.

The way out of this hell was to first understand the job the data needed to do as it flowed from timecard to payroll. By understanding the business need and the manual work done between the field and office, the necessary data manipulation was streamlined and automated.

Before: Two gruelling days of data entry. After: Just 30 minutes validating information and catching errors before they occurred.

From 10+ hours to 30 minutes.

But wait, there's more.

By Monday at noon, leadership teams had this:

Not only was the data flow to payroll streamlined - leadership teams gained instant access to weekly insights—no delays, no drama, just results.

At. Their. Fingertips

The payback on this investment was absurd. We're not event going to try and tell you the return, because you won't believe us.

Join us next Thursday for 30 minutes and we'll show you how to do the impact math in your business. Details below.

The Framework

Their escape from data Tartarus started with the Data Elevation Framework—a step-by-step process that transforms messy, siloed data into actionable energy.

Here’s how it works:

1. Technology Utilization: Ensuring tools and systems are optimized for capturing and managing data efficiently, like refining oil for energy.

2. Improving Data Flow: Breaking down silos and streamlining data movement to eliminate inefficiencies— the intelligent pipelines moving data from where it is to where it needs to be.

3. Insight to Results: Turning refined data into actionable insights that impact business outcomes, much like using fuel to drive machines or power grids.

When teams focus on these areas, they elevate their data’s potential, transforming it into a dynamic asset rather than a stagnant cost-intensive resource.

Instead of wasting time on manual tasks, their team redirected energy toward high-value work that improved decision-making and operational clarity.

The Action

The industry has a technology problem.

The answer isn’t more technology—it’s a new perspective. If data is the new oil, how will you unlock its power to fuel your business?

For the trailblazers ready to act, start here:

1. Identify the bottlenecks in your operation. Where are your people stuck in frustrating, repetitive workflows?

2. Apply the Data Elevation Framework to your thinking of the situation:

   • Are the IT systems helping or hurting us?

   • Is the data flowing efficiently to where it needs to be?

   • Are we getting the information we need to run the operation?

This clarity is your starting point for harnessing data and driving dramatic business improvements.

👋 Ready to kickstart 2025 with data-powered momentum?

Join us on December 19th at 11:00 AM EST for an exclusive 30-minute workshop designed to help you unlock real, tangible business improvements.

Spots are limited—register here today! 🤩

Find all the details below.

Uncovering the "Missing" in Construction

The curious incident of the dog that didn’t bark!

Sherlock Holmes famously solved a mystery by seeing what others couldn’t. Sometimes the biggest clues aren’t what we see—but recognizing what is missing.

There are many theories on the 'big mystery of construction'—the ConTech Dilemma—the unsolved conundrum of what’s holding the industry back from moving forward.

But what if the technology problem isn’t really about the tech? What if it’s about the piece we’re just not seeing?

Frustrations of a Growth-Oriented CEO

Last week, I had a conversation (over an adult beverage) with the head of a large trade contractor. He’s a razor-sharp visionary—a trailblazer who has an uncanny ability to get straight to the heart of the matter.

As we talked business, he got animated:

In an industry where every project is a “make or break” affair, he lamented the toll of pulling strong operators out of the heart of the business to focus on tech rollouts.

He was pointing to a larger issue: the gap between technology outcomes and construction outcomes. The 'missing' that we can’t see—but everyone can feel.

Rewind One Week...

A week earlier, I was in a business workshop, getting worked into fighting shape by the godfather of category design. As we delved into the Aedo story, he lit up, instantly recognizing a familiar disconnect—the major divide between internal teams and misaligned interests in organizations.

With his signature, 'to make a long story longer,' he dove into how this divide had stifled growth and short-change outcomes.

The solution?

Revenue Operations (RevOps).

RevOps is a strategic framework that brings together all revenue-related activities in an organization. This includes aligning marketing, sales, customer success, and finance under one umbrella to drive business growth. RevOps ensures that every team across the revenue-generating lifecycle is pulling in the same direction, using consistent processes and technology.

It’s a simple idea, but one that completely transformed how these companies approached growth.

Which got me thinking: What if construction had its own version—a function dedicated to aligning technology and project operations to drive better outcomes?

The Concept: Construction Information Operations (CIOps)

What if the missing piece in construction wasn't technology, but rather a focus on the information needed to "power" project operations and create outcome?

The emphasis is on the "I" rather than the "T." Having technology serve as the means to achieve the desired construction information outcomes.

Construction Information Operations (CIOps) isn't about piling on more technology that results in more trapped data. Nor is it about "seamless integration" that just moves the bottleneck from one place to the next.

CIOps is about purposefully designing data flows to create the business outcomes we’re aiming for—ensuring that information reaches where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.

• Reduced manual data entry and costs: Less manual work means lower labor costs and fewer errors.

• Fewer chokepoints and accelerated processes: Streamlined data flow eliminates bottlenecks, keeping projects on track.

• Better decisions with timely business insights: Reliable data at the right time empowers faster, smarter decision-making.

The best part: these all have measurable P&L benefits, directly impacting the bottom line.

The Potential of CIOps and Data-Powered Construction

Think of CIOps as the backbone and engine of Data-Powered Construction:

1. Technology as the means—not the solution. CIOps ensures your tech works to serve your business goals, not the other way around.

2. Data flow matters more than system integration. CIOps focuses on how information moves between systems, teams, and decision-makers to eliminate friction and inefficiencies.

3. Clarity is the superpower. With actionable insights driving decision-making, CIOps turns messy data into real business impact.

Bridging the Divide

Remember the CEO who mentioned losing critical operations people to IT?

Construction is already hard enough without the added frustration of technology pulling teams in different directions.

CIOps just might be the missing link—the bridge that lets your project team stay focused on what they do best, while equipping them with the best information possible.

CIOps eliminates the tug of war between technology rollouts and construction outcomes by systematically aligning your projects, people, and data to ensure smooth and efficient collaboration.

We've identified the "missing"—the gap between technology and operational outcomes that has been holding us back. And by seeing it clearly, we can begin moving forward with purpose.

Where are the obvious opportunities—the "barking dogs"—to start improving your business today?

Let's get after it!

"Chris? Not known for his brevity..."

A friend recently told me: 'I love these lessons, but I can't finish any of them!'"

Ouch.

Today, let's skip the long trails and get straight to the point—quick and impactful.

Want to skip reading altogether? Check out this 15 minute conversation based on the Data-Powered Construction sprint.

*Check of the PS at the bottom of this note.

Do You Want to Improve Your Construction Operation?

Duh! If "no", best move along.

Yes, Captain Obvious, I want to improve my construction company. Next.

Less Obvious: Technology Does Not Equal Better

Technology doesn't guarantee improvement. Often slamming a piece of tech into the mix can result in unexpected consequences that are worse than the issue we were trying to address.

Unaligned ConTech is like giving a toddler a power tool: risky and chaotic.

The Key Shift: Business Outcomes Over Tech Hype

Forget shiny gadgets—focus on business outcomes.

Information drives value, not tech. Think I > T (Information over Technology).

The unlock is to think about the "information" creating improved business outcomes:

• Reducing manual data entry;

• Streamlining data flows;

• Improving insight for better decision-making.

Business outcomes are galvanizing as the potential impact can be assessed in $$.

Data Elevation: From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs

So how do you make tech work for you?

By recognizing that you have an abundant resource available for your to harness: raw data. The challenge is that this data is messy, scattered and trapped throughout your operation.

Data Elevation turns messy, scattered data into a valuable asset. It moves data from being a cost to an asset that highlights risks and opportunities—helping your bottom line.

Data-powered construction.

Key Principles for Data-Powered Success:

1. Clarity as a Superpower: Clear problems, outcomes, and a path forward—clarity is a game-changer.

2. Worthy Problems: Identify challenges, inefficiencies, and chokepoints that, once solved, unlock opportunities to move forward. These problems are gifts.

3. Impact Horizon: Confidently know the value of your tech and data investments. The "payback"

4. The TrailMap: A plan to get from where you are to where you want to be—your TrailMap creates your outcome.

5. Data-Elevation Team: You need strategy, business, and technical experts to turn the TrailMap into action.

6. Leadership: That's you—the Trailblazer who leads the team toward a better future.

The End of the Sprint - The Beginning of Your Journey

Data-powered construction is the promise.

Ditching the ConTech frustrations. Getting unstuck. Stacking wins and creating unstoppable momentum.

It's your choice—take the leap or stay where you are.

Ready to embrace data-powered construction? We'd love to join you on that journey. Contact us.

What to Expect Next from Aedo?

More. We're at the end of the Data-Powered Construction sprint. But I believe we're still at "starting line" of the data-powered construction movement.

At Aedo, we aim to 'arm the rebels' in this movement.

Stay tuned for more of our best thinking on the topic.

Join us in our upcoming workshops to harness data and turn these concepts into action.

Finally, we've been fine-tuning our consulting offering - Aedo Blue - in order to best serve our Trailblazers. Understanding their operational realities and meeting where they are.

We are currently testing the new approach with current clients. We're planning the market launch in early 2025. Contact us to join the waitlist if you are interested in early access.

Happy Thanksgiving to our US audience.

Here to catching our breath - and then crushing the rest of 2024!

Best,

Chris

CEO of Aedo

You Data Team, On-Demand

PS. The conversation was generated by AI (NotebookLM) based on the DPC Sprint content [mind blown]

Welcome back, Trailblazers!

Over the past six weeks, we've laid the foundation for transforming your construction business into a data-powered machine. Now, it’s time to put that knowledge to work and build unstoppable momentum.

This week, it’s about compounding success—turning each win into even bigger victories and reclaiming the power of innovation.

Let’s take everything we've learned and kick your business improvement journey into high gear.

Table of Contents

1. The Power of Momentum

2. Creating Momentum Through Clarity

3. Taking Back “Innovation”

4. The Flywheel Effect: Turning Wins into Unstoppable Progress

5. Decide: Taking Action Today for a Better Future

Let’s put it all together.

• We have the recipe for data-powered business improvements.

• We know how to harness the abundant energy of data in our operations.

• We can design and manufacture business outcome “wins”.

Momentum turns these small wins into unstoppable progress. It’s the force that takes a business from being stuck to transformed.

This week, we’ll explore how to build and sustain momentum with data—and why it’s time to reclaim true innovation in your construction operations.

4. The Flywheel Effect: Turning Wins into Unstoppable Progress

Once you start stacking wins - creating momentum - something incredible happens. You start to see the flywheel effect where each win builds on the previous, leading to even more success.

The effort becomes easy. Continuous improvement becomes automatic. Your team expects to win - because that is what winning teams do.

Think of every problem you solve as part of an Impact Registry—a list of all your wins that shows the business impact of each improvement.

How did the improvements benefits compare to your Impact Horizon? What did you learn?

Where do you want to go next?

The Impact Registry allows you to see and track the compounding value you’re creating.

Your first wins lead to your next opportunities. The more problems you solve, the more you grow, and the faster you move forward.

This flywheel effect enables your company to reclaim "innovation" - moving it from the realm of theater and special effects, to the most effective company growth tool in the leader’s toolbox.

True innovation happens when you combine clarity of purpose, measurable progress, momentum, and a dedicated team. When these elements come together, your business becomes unstoppable.

Keep Building Momentum, Trailblazers

Welcome back, Trailblazers!

We’ve spent the past five weeks setting the groundwork for transforming your construction business through data - becoming data-powered.

This week, it’s all about taking action and putting the plan into motion. We'll take a moment to recap the journey so far and then dive into how you can take action with confidence.

Table of Contents

1. Our Data-Powered Journey To Date

2. Summiting Your Company's "Everest"

3. Importance of a Guide

4. Role of a Data Team

5. On-Demand - A Better Way

6. Taking Action - Your Next Steps

2. Conquering Your Business "Everest" - One Leg at a Time

As we know - overcoming construction technology challenges can feel like trying to climb an insurmountable mountain. Your company's Mount Everest.

Through the lens of data-powered business improvement, we now can conquer that mountain one leg at a time. Each initiative drives smarter operations and better business outcomes.

You have all the tools to understand chart a business improvement initiative:

• the challenges and business opportunity,

• the investment to get to your destination, and

• the benefits - the $$ payback - from making the investment.

Like climbing the mountain, each leg of the journey not only improves the operations of your company, but also creates momentum and a culture of continuous improvement.

You're clear on the opportunity, the team is aligned, your galvanized to take action.

What could go wrong???

Next Week: The Power of Momentum

Come see us at Procore Groundbreak on November 20-21.   We'll be at booth 320.

Welcome back, Trailblazers!

This week, we’re transforming concepts into an actionable plan—your TrailMap.

This is your ultimate guide, helping you navigate the twists, turns, and surprises on the way to your data-powered business improvement goals.

Let's get after it!

2. TrailMap - To Get You from Where You Are Today to Where You Want to Be

Are you ready to blaze your data-powered trail to success? Let’s get moving!

The TrailMap is your guide to a powerful, data-driven future. Like any trail, business improvement requires adaptability and seizing opportunities. Your TrailMap keeps you focused on your ultimate goal, with built-in adaptability for challenges and new possibilities.

Imagine this journey map guiding you—each waypoint brings you closer to your vision, and every fork refines your path to success.

3. Elevating Construction Data to Power the Business

Imagine elevating your data, one strategic step at a time—moving from raw inputs to powerful insights driving business growth.

At the core of your TrailMap lies the Data Elevation Framework, built around three key stages that represent the journey of data value:

• Technology Utilization: Picture yourself scaling the 'rock face pass' by optimizing your tools— ensuring they're fully leveraged to overcome the (all to common) early technology pitfalls.

• Data Flow: Visualize reaching the 'hidden lake,' where data flows seamlessly, creating deeper, actionable insights.

• Insight to Results: Finally, you reach the 'end-point vista,' where data transforms into insights that create value, fueling every decision.

Each stage elevates data from raw form to a strategic asset, purposefully supporting your goals for impactful business growth.

Next Week: From Plan to Action!

Come see us at Procore Groundbreak on November 20-21.   We'll be at booth 320.

The Data-Powered Construction Sprint is a 6-week journey to help you overcome construction technology frustrations and unlock your company’s potential.

In this lesson week explore assessing opportunities for data-powered business improvement initiatives.

1. The Problem with Typical ROI Promises

Have you ever bought into an ROI promise that sounded too good to be true? For many construction leaders, the answer is yes.

Once the contract is signed, the sales rep vanishes. The promised ROI becomes a mirage. You're left cleaning up the ConTech mess.

Traditional ROI has become more of a hollow sales tactic than a reliable predictor of potential business impact.

The critical problem with the traditional ROI is that the number is tied to the "buy now!" technology. It’s like trying to measure the value of a car based solely on its advertised horsepower without considering how well it performs on the road.

It’s time to stop falling for hollow promises and start focusing on real, concrete benefits.

What is the impact to our business over the horizon?

3. Unlocking the Power of Your Data

Construction companies sit on piles of potentially valuable data, but it’s often locked away—trapped by silos, manual processes, and of limited utility.

And that is the opportunity for trailblazing construction leaders.

Harnessing data to drive business performance has been proven across industries. Leading advisory firms like Gartner and McKinsey tout developing and executing a company data strategy as being the most effective technology investment:

Imagine your team making smarter decisions, finding new opportunities, and providing better service—all because you harnessed your data.

The message is clear: data can be a powerful strategic asset.

But it’s not just about "having data". It’s about harnessing your data to power your business.

Tapping into your data to turn everyday challenges and bottlenecks into opportunities for improvement and growth.

And each challenge you tackle is a step toward transforming data from a cost and liability into a strategic business asset.

How?

Come see us at Procore Groundbreak on November 20-21.   We'll be at booth 320.

The Data-Powered Construction Sprint is a 6-week journey to help you overcome construction technology frustrations and unlock your company’s potential.

In this article we look at the need of a visionary leader - a Trailblazer - to drive data-powered business improvement and growth.

Seeing the Need for Change

"It's about time we move into the 21st century..."

The president of a specialty trade contractor lamented on a call. He was contemplating how to improve the flow of data from the field through his finance and project management platform. Burned by past IT projects, he still knew this was a 'no brainer.'

Another construction leader exclaimed,

"You just showed me the first three metrics I wrote down!" - as he flipped the Post-it note over his shoulder.

"I'm sitting here wishing, and you can give it to me with the push of a button!"

We all have defining moments when we glimpse a better future beyond immediate challenges. Often, it's when we reach a point of exasperation and declare, 'There has to be a better way.'

And sometimes, when the universe answers, Trailblazers are born — visionaries who refuse to settle for the status quo, who see beyond today’s obstacles and envision something better.

Not because it’s easy. But rather once you see it, creating that future becomes necessary.

Come see us at Procore Groundbreak on November 20-21.   We'll be at booth 320.