Podcast Summary: "The Dog Versus the Hydrant (BuildWitt Update #15)"

Podcast: Dirt Talk by BuildWitt
Host: Aaron Witt
Episode: DT 367
Date: August 25, 2025

Overview

In this candid and introspective Monday update, Aaron Witt, founder of BuildWitt, shares a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s recent challenges, the realities of business communication, and the emotional ups and downs of leading a growing team. With trademark honesty and humor, Aaron unpacks the meaning behind the episode’s title—"The Dog Versus the Hydrant"—to highlight the predominance of tough weeks over celebrated victories in business, and offers solidarity to others navigating similar struggles.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. BuildWitt’s Evolving Focus

• Company Profile

  • BuildWitt started as a marketing company but sold that division in January to focus on training and development software, specifically "BuildWitt Improve."
    • “Everybody always asks me what does BuildWitt do? Which is a great question because I've done a terrible job explaining that.” (00:27)
  • Currently serves about 250 civil construction companies across the U.S.
  • Annual Ariat Dirt World Summit continues as a key event, now in its third year, with growing attendance.

• Team and Structure

  • BuildWitt now employs about 50 full-time people, with most energy focused on the software side, alongside the event and brand aspects.

2. State of the Industry and Leadership Event

• Ariat Dirt World Summit
  • Set for November 5-7, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.
  • Focused squarely on leadership in the broader “dirt world”—encompassing various critical infrastructure fields beyond just traditional construction.
  • “It's quickly becoming... the top leadership conference in the industry. And we are not resting on our laurels. We're here to make it better and better.” (03:10)
  • Features a high-profile speaker lineup, including Jesse Cole, James Clear, Kim Scott, Mark Miller, and Tim Grover.

3. The Realities of Business Communication

• Critical View of Standard Practice

  • Aaron disparages typical business communication as inauthentic and hollow:
    • “I've been in business long enough to recognize that most, most business communication is complete dog shit. I just don't have a better word, a term for it.” (07:24)
  • Notes that AI-generated content often exacerbates this lack of authenticity.
    • “If you're writing your post with AI, it's pretty obvious. So just so you know, you're not getting away with anything because AI makes what you would write even worse.” (08:58)

• A Push for Authenticity

  • Values leaders who speak like genuine people.
  • Warns against the performative nature of constant positivity and self-promotion prevalent across industry communications.

4. The Meaning of "The Dog Versus the Hydrant"

• Embracing the Struggles

  • The phrase captures the cyclical nature of business highs and lows:
    • “Some days you're the dog, others you're the hydrant.” (15:00)
  • Aaron contends that most businesses, especially leaders and younger professionals, are led to believe others are always winning while they alone struggle.
    • “Am I the only one screwing everything up?... Are we the only business that's made hiring mistakes?... Are we the only business that's struggled to make payroll?” (17:25)
  • Shares that the past week was especially difficult (“a hydrant week”—“just getting pissed on left or right”) (19:30).

• Radical Transparency and Team Support

  • The BuildWitt team confronted their problems head-on, placing all challenges on the table without sugar-coating:
    • “Reality is reality. It doesn't matter what we think, what we feel, reality is reality. So until we acknowledge that... we can't get better.” (21:25)
  • Instead of adding to anxieties, this openness brought Aaron and the team “a pretty significant sense of peace and understanding.” (22:15)
  • Communicating honestly about setbacks and mistakes not only enables improvement but also normalizes difficulty for others.

5. Encouragement for Listeners Facing Challenges

• Solidarity Over Solutions
  • Offers no easy answers—just assurance that setbacks are universal and ongoing:
    • “If you are another hydrant out there... if you're getting pissed on left or right too, just know that you're not the only one.... I'm right there, too.” (25:40)
  • Suggests that frequent adversity is actually a sign of being on the right path.
    • “If you are the hydrant a lot of weeks, it's probably an indicator that you're on the right path.” (27:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I've been in business long enough to recognize that most, most business communication is complete dog shit. I just don't have a better word, a term for it."
  — Aaron Witt (07:24)
• "When somebody that is a great communicator comes along, it's like a breath of fresh air, boy. They're just talking like a normal person."
  — Aaron Witt (08:14)
• "Some days you’re the dog, others you’re the hydrant."
  — Aaron Witt (15:00)
• "We were the hydrant on the busiest street corner in town. The most dog walking traffic in the whole city. That street corner, that hydrant, that was us just getting pissed on."
  — Aaron Witt (19:30)
• "Reality is reality. So until we acknowledge that, until we acknowledge the reality of the situation, call our baby ugly for lack of better term, we can't get better."
  — Aaron Witt (21:25)
• "If you're another hydrant out there... I'm right there, too. I understand. You're not the only one. This is going on behind the scenes at every company, every team, every country, every organization, everywhere."
  — Aaron Witt (25:40)
• "If you are the hydrant, a lot of weeks, it's probably an indicator that you're on the right path."
  — Aaron Witt (27:45)

Important Timestamps

| MM:SS | Segment | |--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:13 | Episode intro and BuildWitt update explanation | | 02:40 | BuildWitt's company overview: transition to software and event focus | | 04:35 | Description of the Ariat Dirt World Summit | | 07:24 | Honest critique of standard business communication and the rise of AI “noise” | | 15:00 | Explanation of episode’s title: “The Dog Versus the Hydrant” | | 17:25 | Addressing feelings of inadequacy and comparison in business | | 19:30 | Candid description of a “hydrant week” and BuildWitt’s recent struggles | | 21:25 | Value of radical acknowledgment and transparency | | 22:15 | Shift from individual burden to team collaboration in problem solving | | 25:40 | Message of solidarity for those enduring difficult times | | 27:45 | Affirmation that adversity is a sign of being on the right path |

Takeaways

• Authenticity matters: Real talk about difficulties is rare and valuable in today’s professional world.
• Team honesty over image: Lasting growth at BuildWitt comes from facing uncomfortable truths together.
• Solidarity over solutions: Sometimes the best support is to let others know “you’re not alone” in feeling like the hydrant.

Contact Aaron:
If you have questions or comments, email Aaron at aaron@buildwitt.com.
Next Episode: Stay tuned, and as Aaron Witt closes: “Stay dirty, everybody.”