“Pain plus reflection equals progress.”
- Ray Dalio
THE ART OF LEADERSHIP
Turn Pain Into Leadership Progress
Reflect on Mistakes to Accelerate Team Growth
Progress is a product of honest feedback loops. When something hurts, do not hide it. Convert the pain into a data point. Write down the failure, ask what reality is telling you, and design a process change. Treat your leadership like a system that learns. Iterate until outcomes show compounding improvement.
Radical truth and radical transparency create the conditions for that system to work. Surface problems quickly, invite dissent, and weigh opinions based on believability. The most credible voices are the ones with deep experience and strong track records. Put their ideas to the test with small experiments. Keep score so learning is objective.
Over time, convert insights into clear principles that anyone can follow. Teach the Team to reflect on their decisions after every action. Ask what we expected, what happened, and what we will change. Make the answers public. When pain triggers reflection and reflection produces principles, the organization continually upgrades itself. Do this repeatedly, and progress becomes your default.
Document one painful problem, reflect on it, craft a principle, test it, and review the results with the Team this afternoon.
Voice AI Security That Impacts Your Bottom Line
Learn how enterprise IT and ops leaders are using compliance to unlock Voice AI scale—deploying faster, reducing risk, and accelerating procurement.
This guide shows why HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC 2 are now deal-makers, not blockers. From securing PHI to routing across 100+ sites, see how security-first platforms reduce friction and enable real-world rollout across healthcare, insurance, and more.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
Vegas Builder Elevates Client Care
Nevada contractor grows legacy through service and teamwork
Austin General Contracting is a Nevada-based full-service builder founded in 2004 by Michael Austin, delivering commercial projects across the Southwest. The firm pairs thoughtful planning, clear communication, and tight controls to protect schedules and budgets. With six Nevada licenses, it ranks among the few self-performing general contractors capable of delivering projects from start to finish.
Its portfolio spans amusement parks, hotel tower remodels, casino additions, restaurants, bars, retail spaces, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, corporate offices, entertainment venues, and agricultural facilities. The vision is to build lasting legacies. The mission focuses on unsurpassed customer service and quality that nurtures lifelong client relationships. Core values guide decisions every day: accountability, character, creativity, customer service, and teamwork.
Culture shows in leadership. Founder and President Michael Austin emphasizes the importance of trusting employees. Director of Operations Paul Verratti emphasizes a commitment to customers and staff, while Director of Safety TC Hansen stresses the importance of quality and respect. Design, build, and self-perform capabilities position AGC as a dependable commercial partner.
INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY
Chicago Builds Beloved La Placita
Groundbreaking Launches Belmont Cragin Plaza For Community Gatherings
Shovels flashed at Grand and Fullerton as the Chicago Department of Transportation joined community partners to break ground this week on La Placita at Belmont Cragin. This plaza turns an empty lot into a gateway. The project is the first of three public space upgrades scheduled to begin this year and is funded with Community Development Block Grant dollars, reflecting neighborhood priorities.
Designs feature a small performance area with festive string lights, shaded seating and umbrella clusters, a walking loop, and a central lawn, as well as spaces for rotating public art. New trees and plantings frame bike racks and bins, while entry columns echo local branding and Latin American heritage to anchor the plaza.
Work will sequence utility relocations and earthwork, followed by foundation pours and hardscape, with completion expected soon in spring 2026. CDOT also begins improvements at 18th and Leavitt in Pilsen and at Jose De Diego Academy in Wicker Park, widening neighborhood access to safe and lively public space.
RESIDENTIAL RESEARCH
Starts Jump Builders Recalibrate Quickly
July data shows uneven momentum across homebuilding segments
Fresh data show a mixed July for housing. Single-family starts rose 2.8 percent to a 939,000 annual rate, and single-family permits rose 0.5 percent to 870,000. Overall starts climbed 5.2% to 1,428,000, while total permits fell 2.8%.
The uptick reflects builders breaking ground on pre-sold lots as mortgage quotes eased. Yet, multifamily led the month, with starts jumping 11.6% to the strongest pace since May 2023, even as multifamily permits dropped nearly 10%, signaling that momentum may be fading.
On job sites, purchasing managers shorten bid validity, pair lighter lumber hedges with contingencies, and favor quick-move-in inventory where appraisals are held. Land teams prefer townhouse plats near schools and transit, while maintaining strict single-family specifications. Watch the subsequent releases to see if stabilization becomes growth.
TOOLBOX TALK
The Importance of Hydro-Excavation & Vacuum Truck Safety
Introduction
Good morning, Team! Today’s toolbox talk covers safe hydro-excavation (“daylighting”) and vacuum truck work.
Why It Matters
High-pressure water can inject fluid through skin; vacuum hoses can pull in loose items; and missteps around buried utilities can cause shocks, gas leaks, or service outages.
Strategies for Safe Operations
Locate & Tolerance – Verify utility locates, mark tolerance zones, and use reduced pressure near marks; hand-dig to confirm when required.
Control the Wand – Never point the lance at people; keep both hands on it; use manufacturer-approved pressures and tips; pause if soil “boils” or utilities are exposed.
Vac Hose Discipline – Establish an exclusion zone, use two hands, avoid loose clothing, and never look directly into the nozzle; fit screens and relief valves according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Stability & Spoils – Park on level ground with chocks; manage spoils to prevent surcharging trench edges; keep runoff out of drains.
Overhead & Atmosphere – Maintain clearances from power lines; monitor confined/excavation atmospheres as required; bond/ground when loading flammable materials to prevent static.
Discussion Questions
Where are today’s tolerance zones and exclusion areas?
What pressure/tip limits, as well as spoil-management steps, are we using at this dig?
Conclusion
Right locates, controlled pressure, disciplined hose handling, and stable setup make hydro-excavation precise and safe.
Expose Smart Dig Safe!
Transform Customer Support with AI Agents
How Did Papaya Scale Support Without Hiring?
Papaya cut support costs by 50% and automated 90% of inquiries using Maven AGI’s AI-powered agent - no decision trees, no manual upkeep. Faster responses, happier customers, same team size.