Dirt Talk Podcast: Judd Palmer w/ JP Excavating – DT 414

Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Aaron Witt
Guest: Judd Palmer, Founder of JP Excavating

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode features a deep-dive conversation between host Aaron Witt and Judd Palmer, owner of JP Excavating, a leading civil contractor based in St. George, Utah. They explore Judd’s personal and entrepreneurial journey: from humble beginnings in Idaho, to launching a single-machine grading business, to building one of Southern Utah’s most respected, vertically integrated civil construction firms. Beyond project war stories, the discussion focuses intently on Judd’s business philosophy, leadership, people-focused values, and adapting to challenges like economic cycles and changes in workforce culture.

Tone: Down-to-earth, candid, direct, and highly practical, with memorable asides and lessons for any construction pro or aspiring entrepreneur.

KEY THEMES & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. Judd Palmer’s Backstory and Initial Struggles

• Judd grew up in Idaho Falls, ID, and later moved to St. George, UT at 21 (01:20).
• Coming from a farming background, Judd details his family's bankruptcy and relocation, and how a severe accident led him to St. George to support them (07:31).
• Initially working in landscaping (which he hated), Judd’s transition to excavation was motivated by his love for equipment and his desire to try something new (09:03).

“We bought a 8,500-hour backhoe—I think it was like 10 grand, 14% interest, because I didn’t have a job. … That’s what we started with.”
— Judd Palmer (09:36)

2. Building JP Excavating from Scratch

• Started JP Excavating in 1993, buying a used backhoe with help (a loan from his wife’s grandfather at 14%!) (09:49).
• No business plan, no industry experience—learned by doing and reading books (13:09).
• Operated solo with no employees for four years, doing everything from bidding to billing to work in the field (13:23).
• Emphasizes slow growth, extreme financial conservatism, and learning through mistakes (14:13, 40:07).

“We gutted it out, gridded it out, and to just be able to do this doesn’t seem fair sometimes.”
— Judd Palmer (14:04)

3. Key Strategies: Loyalty, Adaptability, and Vertical Integration

• Loyalty to local suppliers and partners, especially Wheeler CAT, was key. Judd notes switching entirely from John Deere to CAT after support issues—and remaining “99% CAT” since 2000 thanks to dealer relationships (16:55).
• As opportunity arose, JP Excavating expanded carefully, learning new scopes as needed and staying within a tight radius of St. George (15:18, 30:38).
• The company is now vertically integrated: excavation, sitework, trucking, paving, concrete, and its own land development—helping with flexibility and control (“circle of life” business model) (94:54, 98:21).

4. Major Projects and the St. George Landscape

• Played a vital role in developing subdivisions, municipal work, and emergency riverbank stabilization after historic 2005 floods (18:36).
• “Emergency work is some of my favorite… all the rules that typically apply, don’t apply. And then it’s unlimited money essentially—and it’s just get it done as fast as possible.”
  — Aaron Witt (23:16)
• The St. George area presents unique earthmoving challenges: soil variety, groundwater in the desert, weather swings, and volatile market competition from out-of-town firms (43:04, 15:04).
• JP Excavating has touched almost every part of St. George within 45 miles (17:28).

5. Company Growth, Challenge, and the Great Recession

• Judd describes strategic preparation for the 2008 crash: obtaining DOT certifications in UT, AZ, NV, and rightsizing the fleet just before the market collapse (34:09–35:36).
• “We went from a golf course job, 270 lots, to I-15… and we lost about $500,000 just because we—I had no idea what we were doing.” (34:33)
• Maintained employee retention by drawing on personal savings during hard times—a major source of company loyalty and culture (37:26).

6. Innovation and Doing It “Different”

• Known for trying new methods, especially on challenging jobs (e.g., St. George Airport runway rebuild, Amazon sitework). Often intentionally ignores conventional wisdom; prefers to learn “by screwing up every single day and try not to mess up again” (69:54).
• Extensive discussion of the St. George Airport rebuild—a massive clay removal and moisture conditioning effort, featuring Judd’s creative use of K-Tec scrapers with rock trucks (51:54–54:22).
• Commitment to keeping a five-day workweek, rarely working Saturdays or Sundays, to protect his team (56:36).

“Our methods of doing it were completely unconventional. No one had ever even seen it in St. George. Everyone till the day we were done thought we would fail miserably.”
— Judd Palmer (51:17)

7. Industry Trends and Market Insights

• Discusses the unique economic ecosystem of Utah—entrenched Salt Lake giants trying (usually failing) to compete with his local network (26:03).
• Observes the fundamental inefficiencies of construction: despite new tech, real productivity hasn’t increased in decades due to increased bureaucratic tasks and consulting layers (85:13).
• Engineering quality is declining; contractors have increasing responsibility but less leverage (Chapter at 85:40–88:56)

8. Values, Leadership, and People Development

• Values: Schedule reliability, quality, family-company environment, direct communication, intense employee pride and loyalty (31:48, 33:08, 112:13).
• Nearly all operators and crew have only ever worked at JP Excavating—most started young and learned by doing (33:08).
• Known for fostering a unique company culture with high standards—machines and trucks are pristine, every operator “owns” theirs (111:54), lots of branded gear and morale support (84:46, 79:17).
• Believes heavily in leadership by example; still visits jobs, sometimes operates, and never asks anything he wouldn’t do (89:42, 93:09).

“If you are not paying attention enough to hit the back of that thing or hit something, then you’re probably not someone we need on our project.”
— Judd Palmer (111:54)

9. Embracing Change: Workforce and Training

• Candid about challenges with new generations, evolving his approach to interviewing and onboarding (101:50).
• Implemented structured, multi-week onboarding—including simulated training and “boot camp” for all hires (including operators) to ensure fundamentals (102:42–109:43).
• “You have to explain why all the time. … They’re more than willing to do it, but you have to be way more… just ‘go do that’ doesn’t work anymore. You gotta explain the outcome, where they’re going to go.” (103:16)
• Focus on building better people—company-sponsored marriage/family counseling, leadership training for all, policy of growing from within (103:16, 104:19).

10. Company Image, Branding, and Standing Out

• JP Excavating is locally famous for “the gray mafia”—every machine has a unique dark gray and red color scheme, tinted windows, black wheels, light bars, and minimal dealer branding (77:03–79:18).
• Judd believes a company should never look like a commodity; looking good and being different are essential to morale, culture, and recruiting (77:27, 83:21–84:00).

“I want my guys to feel like badasses when they leave their house because they’re going to get annihilated all day.”
— Judd Palmer (81:38)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On Building Without a Plan:
  “There was no intent. I had no thoughts of anything. There was no intent of starting this business …And even to this day I don’t even know truly where we’re always going.” (29:55)

• On culture, pride, and standing out:
  “If we painted it and we didn’t perform, we’d look really silly. … But we don’t, we perform. So it’s all right.” (83:52)

• On leadership:
  “How can I ask them to do anything if I’m not willing to do it?” (89:48)

• On new generations and hiring:
  “You have to explain why all the time. … Once I shifted my mindset, that dramatically changes everything.” (103:16)

• On risk and liability:
  “My opinion has always been, I got all the risk anyway. I’m screwed anyway. I need to go all in and protect what I can.” (74:48)

• On business focus:
  “We want to just keep our same values going all the time... If we start doing [more], then our quality and what the core of what we truly are will start just diminishing.” (30:53)

NOTABLE TIMESTAMPS

• [01:11] Judd’s origins and move to St. George
• [09:36] Buying the backhoe and starting the business
• [13:23] Four years solo—no employees
• [15:18] Expansion and taking on new types of work
• [18:36] 2005 flood emergency work
• [34:33] The Great Recession and business adaptation
• [51:17] The airport runway job—innovative approaches, massive challenges
• [56:36] Commitment to five-day workweeks
• [85:13] Construction productivity and engineering inefficiencies
• [103:16] Shift in mindset regarding today’s workforce

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Colorful Anecdotes

• Judd married his wife after just five weeks; she’s been a major part of JP’s financial stability and growth (09:01, 39:22)
• JP Excavating’s training boot camp and onboarding program, along with leadership workshops and even offering marriage/family counseling for employees (104:19).
• Use of unique onboarding: every new hire (labors or 30-year operators) starts in the trench; must pass basic skills and simulator training before progressing (102:42–109:43).
• Company vehicles, including all superintendent F350s, are “like showroom trucks” (81:36), and every operator has their name on their truck/equipment (113:51).

Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Contractors

• Start with one machine and learn everything yourself (12:01).
• Protect your company’s core—don’t chase every opportunity (25:54–26:03).
• Be proactive with risk and vertical integration (74:48, 98:21).
• Focus on people, culture, and leadership by example (89:09, 91:59).

FINAL THOUGHTS

This candid conversation delivers both inspiration and pragmatic guidance for anyone in the construction world. Judd Palmer’s story shows what’s possible through grit, humility, an obsession with doing things differently, and a readiness to put values and people at the center of a successful business. JP Excavating isn’t just a civil contractor—it’s a lesson in focused growth, community loyalty, and building culture from the ground up.

Find JP Excavating:
Website: jpexcavating.com
Instagram: @jpx1993