In this insightful episode of the People-First Builders Podcast, host Fletcher Wimbush speaks with Ryan Schmidt, CEO and Visionary at Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors, Inc. His 300-person firm is redefining success in heavy civil construction by building a culture centered on growth, ownership, and values-driven leadership.

Ryan shares the full story of how his firm nearly failed after a series of disastrous projects and financial hardship. Instead of cutting losses, he doubled down on his people. He opened the company books, shared real-time financials with everyone from laborers to executives, and began a journey toward full employee ownership through an ESOP.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

How Ryan guided Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors, through its lowest point and emerged with a stronger team and culture
Why every new hire, including laborers and field workers, goes through a structured two-day onboarding program led by Ryan himself
How radical transparency and profit sharing created deep loyalty when the company was losing money
What inspired the creation of “The Forge,” an internal training facility staffed by top performers turned full-time coaches
How Ryan stepped back from day-to-day operations by naming a company president, allowing him to focus entirely on vision, people, and culture
How the company conducts weekly all-staff financial huddles to help every employee think and act like an owner
Why company values such as accountability, character, and team are reinforced through regular events, team breakfasts, and internal rituals
How the team reacted when they received their first ESOP stock statements and saw the long-term rewards of ownership
Why Ryan believes he is more fulfilled as a partner to his employee-owners than he ever was as a solo founder

Ryan’s story is not just about surviving adversity. It is about creating a business that invests in people at every level. From new hire training to internal leadership development and long-term wealth building, Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors' culture is built to last.

Whether you're a contractor, business owner, or simply passionate about values-based leadership, this episode offers a real-world blueprint for building a company that thrives through its people.

Digging Deep: How Ryan Schmitt Reshaped Construction with People at the Center