Building Trust First on Complex Construction Projects with Melissa Drew

What does it take to successfully launch a construction management company and immediately take on a $53 million project? In this episode of People-First Builders, Fletcher Wimbush sits down with Melissa Drew, Founder & CEO of InSite Build, to discuss how strong relationships, trust, and people-first leadership can transform complex construction projects. Melissa shares her journey from spending 20 years with a national contractor to building her own company focused on commercial and state government projects. She explains how InSite Build creates alignment between owners, subcontractors, and project teams through intentional communication, collaboration, and culture-building practices that improve both project outcomes and team morale. From building interconnected jobsite trailer communities to bringing hot chocolate and snow cones to crews in the field, Melissa reveals how small human-centered actions can create massive impacts on trust, productivity, and project success. The conversation also dives into entrepreneurship, hiring strategies, leveraging relationships, managing large-scale government work, and creating successful partnerships in the construction industry. If you're interested in leadership, construction management, company culture, and building stronger teams in the trades, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world lessons. 🎧 In this episode, you'll learn: How Melissa launched InSite Build with a $53M project from day one Why relationships and trust are critical in construction success Strategies for improving communication on complex projects How to create stronger collaboration between owners and subcontractors Practical ways to support and appreciate field teams Lessons learned transitioning from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship