Podcast Summary: Dirt Talk by BuildWitt

Episode: Thank You, Support, and Announcements (Building BuildWitt #33) — DT 403

Host: Aaron Witt (BuildWitt)
Date: December 29, 2025

Overview

This episode centers on gratitude, support, and updates at BuildWitt – with host Aaron Witt reflecting on the company’s mission to develop the “Dirt World,” sharing heartfelt thank-yous to industry workers and leaders, outlining company updates, and offering a look ahead at both team developments and upcoming events. Aaron’s tone is thankful, candid, and motivational, aiming to energize listeners for the end of the year and reinforce the importance of the industry’s next generation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Core Mission & “Thank Yous”

[00:00 – 08:00]

• Clarifying BuildWitt’s Purpose: Aaron explains, “Our intent has always been to make the dirt world a better place, to build the dirt world’s next generation. And we can't do it alone. I certainly can't. I am a drop in the bucket that is the dirt world.” (A, 03:39)
• Thanking Followers & Supporters: Sincere appreciation for anyone engaging with the brand – listeners, newsletter readers, social media followers, and YouTube viewers.
• Recognizing Industry Leaders: He highlights leadership responsibility: “Our future is ultimately on the shoulders of the leaders of the dirt world. And I have the utmost respect for those striving to make the dirt world better.” (A, 06:31)
• Acknowledging Every Worker’s Impact: Aaron underscores how essential construction workers are to society: “Without you, there would be no food, water, and shelter… and without food, water, and shelter, there’s no society, there’s nothing.” (A, 07:26)
• Sobering Perspective: He reflects, “If you stop, everybody else stops. So a huge thank you to those building our world, because again, without you, I wouldn’t be here. Life wouldn’t exist.” (A, 07:45)

2. What Does BuildWitt Actually Do?

[08:00 – 12:30]

• Mission Restated: “Our purpose is to build the dirt world’s next generation. The dirt world is the companies and people building the critical infrastructure… that we need to live the lives that we do.” (A, 08:06)
• Two Business Pillars:
  • Training and Development: Through BuildWitt Improve, a daily training and development software used by ~300 civil construction companies, aiming to create better workers and better people.
  • Dirt World Summit: Annual leadership event, next one on November 9-11, 2026, in Phoenix, AZ.
• Invitation to Connect: “Check us out. BuildWitt.com, book a meeting with us and we'll talk to you soon.” (A, 11:31)

3. Holiday Culture & “Separation Season”

[12:30 – 19:40]

• Meaning of Two Weeks’ Holiday Break: Aaron explains the company gives two weeks off over the holidays, inspired by Ed Mylett’s “separation season.”
• Philosophy Behind the Break:
  • Not just a perk—"It's a privilege. It's not something that's automatic." (A, 17:55)
  • To “earn the privilege, we don't take our foot off the gas in December...We go flat out, give it all we have into the break.” (A, 18:18)
  • “The speed in which we run out of it because everybody is recharged is awesome.” (A, 18:47)
• Motivational Culture: The team is urged to finish the year strong and start the new year at full pace.

4. Team Update: Doubling Down on Support

[19:40 – 28:20]

• Customer Success Team Expansion: BuildWitt is hiring two people, doubling the support team to better assist civil construction companies using BuildWitt Improve.
• The Need for Modern Training:
  • Shift in industry: Previously, most had hands-on backgrounds, now, “life is much different…A lot less of a rural population today. It has removed the next generation from work and from building that skill set early on in life, which is me.” (A, 24:13)
  • Aaron’s personal story: He lacked a construction background and nearly missed out: “I would have gotten in and I would have washed out. I would have had my my ass kicked. It would not have been welcoming and I wouldn't be here today.” (A, 24:47)
  • The industry now “calls for a corresponding change in training and development within the construction industry and the trades.” (A, 25:27)
• Support’s Role: The team works with customers to “marry their existing training programs with our daily training approach to give their teams access to training every day to build a daily training habit.” (A, 26:07)
• Crew Leader Development: “The most influential position within the construction industry is the crew leader. And right now the crew leader is wildly under trained and unequipped for that role.” (A, 27:35)

5. Product Updates: Announcements Feature

[28:20 – 32:10]

• Product Focus: “Team is heads down on making the existing training product world class, but we do have some projects to add additional features…In testing as we speak is called the announcements feature.” (A, 28:50)
• What It Does: Lets leaders create custom video updates for their team, sent directly through BuildWitt Improve.
• Bridging Communication Gap: Aaron highlights how digital tools haven’t solved the disconnect between the field and office: “Ironically, with as many digital tools as we have, I think [the field-office communication gap] is bigger than ever.” (A, 30:35)
• Impact: “It's simple communication like this that makes a big, big impact…People just want to be in the know.” (A, 31:01)

6. Event News: Dirt World Summit Sponsor Update

[32:10 – 34:40]

• New Platinum Sponsor: Final Platinum Ariat Dirt World 2026 SP secured with Devlon. This means “we now have almost every major equipment OEM involved.”
• Industry Inclusion: Mentions John Deere, Hyundai, Komatsu, Lugong, Hitachi, and a tongue-in-cheek nod to Caterpillar (“a certain color that rhymes with mellow”). (A, 33:19)
• The Vision: Not aimed at replacing traditional trade shows, but “creating something totally new” for the dirt world.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gratitude: “I joke saying I'm the world's worst influencer because it's not self-serving. I don't really like the influencing thing.” (A, 02:15)
• On Legacy: “I'll never see that better future, but my kids will see it. And if they don't see it, their kids will see it. And if we're not striving to make the future better again, what's the point of all of this?” (A, 06:57)
• On Team Culture: “We go flat out, give it all we have into the break. So run into it full speed...And then coming out of it, we're not just hanging out that first week. We're not getting warmed up Monday. We're getting after it, man.” (A, 18:26)
• Industry’s Big Shift: “This dramatic change in our society that's happened within just one generation...calls for a corresponding change in training and development within the construction industry and the trades.” (A, 25:27)
• Communication Matters: “It's simple stuff. People just want to be in the know. They just want to know what the heck is going on.” (A, 30:54)
• Event Vision: “…We're not here to recreate Con Expo or any of the traditional trade shows. They'll always be far better from an exhibitor standpoint. But we're creating something totally new.” (A, 33:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Thank You and BuildWitt’s Mission: 00:00 – 08:00
• What Does BuildWitt Do?: 08:00 – 12:30
• Holiday Philosophy & Team Culture: 12:30 – 19:40
• Support Team Expansion/Training Evolution: 19:40 – 28:20
• Product Update (Announcements Feature): 28:20 – 32:10
• Dirt World Summit Sponsor Update: 32:10 – 34:40

Final Thoughts

Aaron closes with thanks to the Dirt Talk community, an open invitation to connect, and his signature, “Stay dirty, everybody.” The episode reinforces BuildWitt’s commitment to pushing the dirt world forward through gratitude, development, effective communication, and continuous improvement, ending on a hopeful, action-oriented note.

(All times approximate; relevant speaker: Aaron Witt)