Men In Labor

We've been on hiatus for awhile and will be getting back on track. I've been up north selling a condo and working in the construction biz with my family. Also trying to find a house for my daughter in Sarasota has been challenging. Construction Comedy School will be kicking off its 28th season and we tell you a little bit about that.

I met Art Steedle in 2021 in Burbank, CA after months of watching audition videos for a show I was working on for Tough Built industries. We were looking for personalities to discuss construction related topics on a show called "Hammer It Out". Art was one of the guys we chose and when I went out to Burbank to produce the show we hit it off immediately. Unfortunately the show never took off but I continued to stay in touch with Art through social media. Art has since moved from California to Tennessee like so many others who have escaped for a better life with less government destruction. Art tells about his career in the industry and about how his life has changed from moving from California. He calls it a Reverse Beverly Hillbillies. 

Tim Moffett a.k.a. Tim the Dairy farmer is definitely not a politician or motivational speaker. He is a Florida dairy farmer and stand-up comedian. I met Tim at McCurdys Comedy Theater in Sarasota Florida over 15 years ago, I think it could be more. He specializes in dairy farmer humor acquired from growing up on a farm and still to this day running a dairy farm business. We discuss cow behavior, Florida heat, cow history, stand up comedy and much more. 

Another great episode of Men in Labor with mechanic/comedian Bill Pettifer. Bill is an up and coming comic that works his day job as a auto mechanic. We talk about the business of auto repair and the wacky world of customers that bring their vehicles to him. Please be humble when you bring your vehicle to the experts is a message that you will learn when listening to this pod. Bill works in Florida where the garage is hot and there is no extra combat pay for these conditions. Customers, conditions, tools, pay and even female mechanics are discussed here. Enjoy this my friends. Check him out on Instagram @bill_pettifer

Usually we get just a man in labor but today we have a plumber that turned into a professional comedian. Nathan Wallace worked in the plumbing industry full time until about a month ago after 20+ years in the business. Nathan decided to hang it up and go full time into the stand up comedy biz. I met Nathan at least 10 years ago at a gig he was running near the dog track in Naples, FL. He is always jovial, funny, hilarious and having a good time. He talks about how he has done pretty much everything in plumbing including belonging to a plumbing union in West Palm. This is a great episode about how versatile a human can be. Nathan is a lot of fun and catch him on my comedy pod The Carmen Ciricillo Show

When I first got started doing construction comedy and construction seminars I met Tracy and Jeff Forrest from Winter Park Construction. I was invited to torment their employees by pretending to be a newly hired project manager. This is the story of how Winter Park Construction helped me realize how much fun you could have with a construction company while still getting it done. Jeff Forrest is one of the most easy going guys that took the reigns of WPC from his brother Tracy and now has handed them down to his son Jeff Forrest - keeping it in the family. You can have fun, live a big life and be one of the most reputable construction businesses in Florida and make it look easy. I did shows for WPC for more than 20 years and I was jealous of the employees that worked there full time.

On this episode we talk to Carmen's pool guy Bob Grier from Progressive Pools. Carmen and Bob talk about swimming in the client's pool and the importance of getting a job with side benefits like working around pools. The guys also discuss indoor vs outdoor pools and talk about the awesome Pebbletech job Bob contracted out for Carmen's last pool. The lure of Florida and how it was marketed in the 70s to up north kids with Disney and orange juice commercials is also delved into. Bob has a $9000 bike and that tells you a little bit about the pool biz in Florida.

Howard Wheeler is a community builder. He is the president of Chris-Tel Construction and not only builds structures he builds community. Howard is dedicated to the Lee County (Ft. Myers) area of Florida and has been there for generations. I've known Howard for over 20 years through my construction school and we talk about some of the major events that have shaped Florida including Hurricane Ian that affected his area. We also discuss leaving your area to find greener pastures vs staying in one spot. How to help the next generation of leaders in the construction industry is also important to him and he talks about his internship programs and how he hires. Don't think this pod is not entertaining, the amount of information Howard offers is staggering but he's jovial and a great personality that knows how to have fun. If you're a beginning entrepreneur or a seasoned business man this pod will not only be insightful but also entertaining for you.

Mike Padgett is a successful custom home builder that I met in the 90s at a stand up comedy show. He is the owner of Vision Group and they are doing well according to Mike's K1. Mike is also driving a Cadillac V now but there were times when the V wasn't around. We talk about the great recession of 2008 of course, since all contractors have trauma from that era. Listen how Mike got into the business selling homes with his father and uncle and how he was so successful early on that they told him to slow down. Another great episode with insight from another 30+ year construction veteran.

Mark Baldwin Construction Design is in a sweet spot. Mark is a boutique builder that stays close to the beautiful county of Sarasota when it comes to work. He doesn't have to or want to veer too far to make a living in one of the most sought after coastal communities in the US. We talk about how he acquires customers, the permit systems, his parents 70s DIY business that made it on TV back in the day and much more. His professors at college told him he could make hundreds of thousands of dollars if he stayed in construction for 10 years but he was already doing that while he was taking courses. And as always we keep this very entertaining.

On this week's pod Carmen talks with longtime friend, high school baseball announcer partner and custom home builder Jeff Eslinger from E/M Custom Homes. Jeff and Carmen talk about the millennials in construction, the teasing and b busting of new guys and how the older boomers dish out a beating when it comes to talking with each other. Florida born and raised native Jeff also discusses how he got into construction and his respect for those who got him in the biz. Southern talk and politeness and how other cultures compare is also discussed. Jeff also talks about becoming friends with customers and what is required when your selling pickles out of cart or custom homes.

So much toilet talk in this one folks. Briggs, Eljay, Toto sounds like characters in the Wiz of Oz but its just some of the favorite brands you love to own in your bathroom. Randy Mask is a longtime friend and plumbing contractor that has been around the Sarasota, FL area for decades. He discusses with me how he got into the plumbing game and the state of the youth work ethic today. Randy use to make toilet runs back in the day during the great toilet shortages up north. He has toured the factories of the greatest thrones on earth and made it through the recession of '08. Jetting and Re-piping are the new businesses for Randy and he gets into that seldom discussed podcast discussion. There is a tense moment at the end where he challenges Carmen on what Green Building is but they still end up friends when the pod is over.

This is our first episode of Men In Labor with special guest General Contractor, Jeff Charlotte, from J.E. Charlotte out of Sarasota Florida. Because of our success entertaining contractors in our Construction Comedy School and the thousands of construction related stand up comedy shows I've done for the industry we are broadening into podcast for the blue collar man. In this episode Jeff and I talk about how me met, his entry into becoming a GC, working with his father and construction in Florida plus much more. As always we keep it entertaining so you can dig and listen and be happy.