Dirt Talk Podcast – Episode 410

Guest: Ben Warren (Warren Land Solutions)
Host: Aaron Witt (BuildWitt)
Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this candid and insightful conversation, Aaron Witt sits down with Ben Warren, President and Founder of Warren Land Solutions, a prominent land clearing contractor in the southern U.S. Both in their early 30s and seasoned by a decade of entrepreneurial experiences, Aaron and Ben explore the realities of business ownership in the dirt world, reflections on personal growth, faith, the value of community, family legacies, and the gritty details of land clearing operations. The discussion is raw, practical, and often philosophical—offering valuable takeaways for business owners, leaders, and dirt world enthusiasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hard Lessons in Business Ownership

• Business Burn & Legal Battles ([00:00]–[02:44])

  • Both agree everyone eventually gets "burned" in business; it's inevitable.
  • Avoid making legal battles the "hill you die on"—often no one wins, and it’s draining on time, money, and spirit.
    • Quote – Aaron: “You’re better off just getting kicked in the nuts, taking a deep breath, and just keeping on. Most of the time.” ([02:45])
  • Ben highlights that many business conflicts result from honest mistakes, not intentional harm.

• Cash Flow Struggles & Vulnerability ([03:24]–[05:45])

  • Both admit to having, at times, delayed payments to vendors to prioritize essentials (eg. payroll).
  • The pressure to appear fiscally stable makes open discussion about financial strain rare but necessary.
    • Quote – Ben: “It’s probably the biggest thing that’ll keep you up at night.” ([04:58])

2. Growing Up in Business

• Starting Young ([05:45]–[07:11])

  • Ben started WLS at age 20, hiring friends with CDLs to move equipment as he wasn’t old enough for a license.
  • Aaron reflects on how the common “contractor starter pack” includes a skid steer and how foundational that is.

• Reflections on Turning 30 ([07:27]–[10:48])

  • Both wrestle with the milestone of 30, noting how age forces perspective on achievement, health, and the pressure cooker of the 20s.

3. Family, Identity & Leadership

• Family Life & Reward ([10:48]–[12:24])

  • Ben describes the rewards and challenges of raising a young family while running a business.
    • Quote – Ben: “It’s so rewarding. It’s not hard. Does that make sense?” ([11:25])
  • Both compare notes on learning to be a business owner, leader, and an adult at the same time—often without guidance from a father (both lost theirs young).

• The Legacy and Parental Impact ([12:20]–[14:29])

  • The hosts reflect on the impact of their absent fathers and the bittersweet aspect of wanting to share entrepreneurial successes with them.
  • “Not having that ability to use them as a guide in a way really grows you up fast.” – Ben ([14:05])

4. Coping, Health, and Spirituality

• Stress & Wellbeing ([15:04]–[17:40])

  • They both stress the importance of treating themselves like athletes—maintaining health, sobriety, and regular exercise to survive the grind.
    • Quote – Aaron: “I stopped drinking two years ago. Cutting that out was a no-brainer…” ([15:47])
  • Exercise as a non-negotiable for mental health.

• Rediscovering Faith ([17:40]–[26:28])

  • Aaron shares a renewed focus on spirituality, finding peace through a personal—rather than institutional—relationship with faith.
    • Quote – “You don’t need church. It’s kind of made up. It’s just you and God, you and the Bible.” ([19:32])
  • Ben adds that the real value is in having believing friends who can offer wise counsel, and how “church” is more about community than a building.

• Philosophy, Faith & Personal Growth ([26:28]–[37:03])

  • Deep dive into the themes of good, evil, and internal struggle with faith and doubt.
  • “I’m really glad I’m struggling with [faith], if that makes sense.” – Aaron ([32:43])
  • Importance of staying curious, asking questions, and not being afraid of doubt—even in religious spaces.

5. Travel, Perspective, and Humility

• How Travel Shapes Worldview ([37:03]–[41:13])
  • Aaron discusses how traveling, especially to “backwoods” America and abroad, reshaped his understanding of people, privilege, and judgment.
  • Money, while useful, loses its shine when exposed to vast cultures and extremes.

6. The Role of Money & Wealth in Life

• Chasing Money vs. Creating Value ([41:13]–[56:38])
  • Both acknowledge their ambitions, but warn about the dangers of defining success only by wealth.
    • Quote – Ben: “My dad always taught me your child spells love, T-I-M-E, not what BMW you’re buying them.” ([50:21])
  • Observations that “most people with money in America… have just consumed and destroyed in most ways” unless they’re actively creating.
  • Construction is praised for being a creation-focused industry, unlike much of finance.

7. Legacy, Kids, and Multigenerational Business

• Handing Down Wealth or Businesses ([57:27]–[66:44])
  • Both express reservations about simply handing over money/assets to their kids; experiences and work ethic are valued over inheritance.
  • Ben shares his approach: assist if he sees the drive and intent in his kids, but avoid creating expectations of handouts.
  • The complexity of multigenerational business succession in construction is debated. Both stress the need for children to find their own calling, not just inherit the family business.

8. Land Clearing Industry Deep-Dive

• Curtain Burners, Chippers, and Grinders ([68:00]–[83:01])

  • Discussion on curtain burners: advantages, limitations, and regulatory hurdles.
  • Equipment talk: grinders, chippers, feller bunchers (mostly Tiger Cat brand), operational strategies for clearing, stumping, chipping, and grinding. Differences in workflow between the Southeast and Northwest, and the sheer costs and complexity of running specialized machines.
    • Quote – Ben: “It is not, if you want to make money, do not get in the clearing industry.” ([54:01])
  • Some insights into the equipment (e.g., Tiger Cat’s innovative clutchless grinder) and why brand loyalty forms around high-reliability machines.

• Chipper vs. Grinder Operation ([77:12]–[82:00])

  • Chippers use knives and are faster for clean wood; grinders use blunt force and are more versatile but slower.
  • On-site logistics of chipping, stump removal, and how the job is staged.

• Right-of-Way, Railroads, Airport Work ([84:44]–[101:11])

  • Ben shares perspectives on right-of-way clearing, the niche world of railroad/pipeline contracts, and the generally insular nature of these sectors.
  • Minor forays into demolition and trucking: Starting their own trucking arm due to logistics needs, challenges with for-hire trucking (insurance costs, etc.).

9. Trucking Expansion and Challenges

• In-House Heavy Haul ([92:24]–[96:11])
  • The decision to start a separate trucking entity for operational control and backhaul opportunities.
  • Eye-opening costs related to insurance for for-hire heavy haul trucking: $6,000–$7,000/month/truck.

10. Local Projects & The Boring Company

• Nashville’s Infrastructure Boom ([101:11]–[107:14])
  • Musings on airport expansions (“they’re only getting going”), project sectioning, and how local work remains largely invisible, even to industry insiders.
  • The Boring Company’s new Nashville tunnel: surprise at how quickly the project is advancing, questions about permitting, excitement at the prospect of new transportation tech under the city, and the local buzz it’s creating.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Aaron: “If the kitchen’s too hot, then just leave the damn kitchen.” ([01:37])
• Ben: “You can work with perfect integrity, but still have enemies.” ([03:11])
• Aaron: “It’s like, I need to be healthy. I stopped drinking two years ago. ...When I can’t exercise, I make sure I get at least 15,000 steps in a day.” ([15:47],[16:21])
• Aaron on faith: “You don’t need church. It’s you and God, you and the Bible.” ([19:32])
• Aaron on family legacies: “One of the best things my dad did for me was, ‘That’s it, you’re an adult now. Have at it, bud.’” ([59:27])
• Ben on kids and wealth: “My dad always taught me, your child spells love T-I-M-E, not what BMW you’re buying them.” ([50:21])
• Ben (on the land clearing business): “If you want to make money, do not get in the clearing industry.” ([54:01])
• Aaron on travel: “Once you break [judgmental barriers] down, you’re like, I can’t see the world the same ever again.” ([36:25])
• On The Boring Company tunnel:
  Aaron: “People are getting upset about it. It’s like, what is there to get upset about? They’re making a tunnel. They’re paying for it. What’s the problem?” ([106:29])

Segment Timestamps

• [00:00–05:45] – Business hardships, legal battles, and cash flow struggles
• [05:45–10:48] – Early starts, milestone birthdays, and lessons from their 20s
• [10:48–15:04] – Starting families, business vs. manhood, loss of fathers
• [15:04–17:40] – Stress, health, and lifestyle choices for entrepreneurs
• [17:40–26:28] – Spirituality, religion vs. personal faith, and finding community
• [26:28–41:13] – Faith, philosophy, world travel, and humility
• [41:13–56:38] – Wealth, value creation, and the seduction/danger of chasing money
• [57:27–66:44] – Family legacy, kids, and passing down business/wealth
• [68:00–81:38] – Deep dive: curtain burners, grinders, chippers, feller bunchers
• [84:44–101:11] – Right-of-way, trucking operations, insurance costs, airport and infrastructure work
• [101:11–107:14] – Nashville’s infrastructure surge, The Boring Company tunnel, and local flavor
• [107:14–End] – Wrapping up, tornado memories, honest reflections

Tone & Style

This episode is frank and friendly, blending practical advice, war stories, and philosophical reflection. Both speakers strike a balance between hard-nosed realism and thoughtful introspection—offering listeners a sense of camaraderie and an unfiltered look behind the scenes of leadership in construction and land clearing. Humor punctuates heavier moments, especially regarding the absurdities of bureaucracy, big machines, and business mishaps.

For New Listeners

This conversation is a perfect snapshot of the Dirt World’s realities—part therapy, part technical deep-dive, and part motivational talk for anyone grappling with the highs and lows of running a business in a challenging industry. Whether you’re a contractor, business owner, or just curious about the people building America, Ben and Aaron’s transparency offers both lessons and a sense of kinship.

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