Dirt Talk by BuildWitt Episode: Bulldozer Art, New Hires, and Seating Charts (BuildWitt Update #26) — DT 389
Date: November 10, 2025
Host: Aaron Witt

Episode Overview

This week’s update offers a transparent, behind-the-scenes look into the latest happenings at BuildWitt. Aaron Witt, the founder and host, reflects on recent travels, key business wins, exciting new hires, and innovative planning for the upcoming Ariat Dirt World Summit. As always, Witt underscores BuildWitt’s commitment to transparency, sharing candid thoughts about both successes and challenges inside the company.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Philosophy of Transparency at BuildWitt (00:20–02:00)

• Aaron reiterates that transparency is a core value at BuildWitt.
• The purpose of the Monday updates is to give listeners an honest, weekly peek “behind the curtain” at the people and operations powering BuildWitt.
• Quote:

  “One of our values is transparency wins. It always wins. So it’s not just transparency, it’s that, hey, you’re always better off being transparent, even when it’s not fun, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s inconvenient.”
  — Aaron Witt (00:20)

2. Bulldozer Art with Quality Enterprises in Florida (02:05–05:30)

• Witt describes a visit to Naples, Florida, to film a large-scale earthwork art project.
• The team recreated a D6 dozer image using a six-color, GPS-modeled design over a 200x200 foot quarry area—an impressive exercise in both marketing and craftsmanship.
• The “bulldozer art” project showcased the precision and skills of the construction crew.
• Marketing rationale: investing in innovative projects like this can be more impactful than traditional marketing.
• Quote:

  “We could either go spend X amount of dollars on traditional marketing or we could spend it on this, which is a lot more eye catching to a lot more people.”
  — Paraphrasing Howard from Quality Enterprises (04:29)

3. Construction Site Visits: From Florida to Charlotte (05:34–11:00)

• The team’s intended plan to film with C.W. Matthews in Georgia was derailed by weather, but they pivoted to document Anderson Columbia’s night paving on I-75.
• Witt gives a detailed account of the scale: crews milled and replaced 14 inches of shoulder over 20+ miles to add a future fourth travel lane.
• Fun moments on site—high energy, but always safe.
• A grueling travel schedule: after night work near Ocala, Witt drives overnight for a noon meeting with Hoopa in Charlotte, followed by a podcast taping and then on to Asheville for a speaking engagement.
• Witt delivers a new keynote to the NUCA of the Carolinas, expressing excitement and pride in this season’s “fresh” talk.
• Quick stop at Ames Construction’s I-40 project, viewed massive post-hurricane restoration efforts.
• Quote:

  "We did some just dumb stuff. Nothing unsafe of course, would never do that, but some dumb stuff. You’ll see it on YouTube if you watch our videos. We’re having a good time nowadays."
  — Aaron Witt (08:05)

4. Major Business Wins: Software Sales and New Hires (11:05–16:30)

Software Advancements

• Signed two major three-year BuildWitt Improve software deals—one new, one renewal—which Witt emphasizes as a “massive win.”
• The long-term commitment signals customer confidence and helps with the company’s cash flow in a critical period.
• Quote:

  "It means that they believe in what we’re doing…so much that they’re willing to say, hey, we’re in it for the long haul, which is great for us."
  — Aaron Witt (12:05)

Key Hires

• Announcement of a new VP of Engineering—uniquely experienced in civil construction, software development, and online learning.
• Adds capacity for further development hires, crucial for hitting 2026 goals.
• Witt expresses his enthusiasm for bringing in fresh talent and perspectives.
• Quote:

  "The guy is a unicorn when it comes to what we needed and he has everything. So we’re really excited to bring this position into place."
  — Aaron Witt (14:10)

5. Refocusing Marketing & Expanding Support (16:45–22:00)

Marketing Focus

• Recent decision to fully dedicate marketing resources: their lead marketer will focus exclusively on the BuildWitt Improve product after the upcoming Ariat Dirt World Summit.
• New junior marketing hire in the works to focus on growing the Dirt World brand alongside Jason and Nikki.
• Highlights the challenge of split focus and the importance of wowing customers and reducing churn.

Customer Support

• Plan to hire two additional support roles to bolster the growing Improve platform, each paired with existing support staff.
• With nearly 300 customers, more support is needed to drive product adoption and retention.
• Acknowledgment that while the platform migration is now complete, support will be a major focus moving forward:
• Quote:

  "We’re going to invest in support as much as we will product because that is key to achieving what we have to, which is lowering churn, creating a great product that supports the field, delivers more value for the people doing the work."
  — Aaron Witt (21:15)

6. Dirt World Summit: Event Innovations and Seating Charts (22:10–26:00)

• Team met to finalize networking strategies for the upcoming Ariat Dirt World Summit (attendance: 1000+).
• New approach: assigned seating by role (e.g., company presidents together) during day two, with a facilitated introduction activity, led by “Wally.”
• Goal: intentionally foster connections that might not emerge naturally in large groups.
• Witt emphasizes striving for a world-class event and experience, aiming to outdo previous years.
• Quote:

  “The value of the Ariat Dirt World Summit I would say is more so in the audience, in the room, than on the stage. … We want every year to be a lot better than the last.”
  — Aaron Witt (23:30)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On transparency:

  “Transparency wins. It always wins.” (00:20)

• On industry innovation:

  "If they’re capable of pulling off something like that as if it’s business as usual, how is their overall quality, craftsmanship with work? It’s probably pretty good." (04:50)

• On hiring growth:

  “I love hiring new people, getting new experiences, new perspectives, new skills. … boy is it fun to bring new people into the business.” (15:25)

• On event community:

  “It can be like the cafeteria in grade school or high school...But the value of the Area Dirt World Summit is more so in the audience, in the room than on the stage.” (23:10)

Noteworthy Timestamps

• 00:20: Transparency as a core value
• 03:10–05:30: Bulldozer Art project walkthrough
• 06:10–08:30: Paving project and travel saga
• 12:05: Three-year software contracts announced
• 14:10: “Unicorn” VP of Engineering hire
• 18:10: Refocus in marketing roles
• 21:15: Expansion of support team
• 23:10–24:45: Assigned seating and event innovation at Dirt World Summit

Final Thoughts

Aaron Witt’s frank narration makes this episode a valuable listen for anyone interested in innovation, leadership, and scaling a business in construction or tech. The blend of travel tales, business news, management philosophy, and event planning makes for a lively, informative update—peppered with memorable lines and honest reflection. The big takeaway: BuildWitt is pushing hard on all fronts—product, support, community, and culture—to make impactful strides in the Dirt World.