What if the biggest threat to your construction company’s growth wasn’t labor shortages, supply chain delays, or competition… but your own marketing?
That’s exactly what Tony Iannessa believes. And as the founder of BIG Construction (a commercial GC on track to hit nine figures), he’s got the track record to prove it.
In a recent episode of Titans of the Trades, host Ryan Englin sat down with Tony to unpack what’s really going on in the construction labor market, and why most companies are aiming at the wrong target.
From Union Laborer to CEO
Tony started in the trades young, as a union concrete laborer in Chicago during college. But his curiosity drove him deeper. He wanted to know what foremen, project managers, and superintendents actually did… and more importantly, how the whole machine of a project came together.
That curiosity eventually turned into a career and a company. Today, BIG Construction operates in multiple cities, manages millions in projects, and still self-performs with in-house crews.
But ask Tony what keeps him up at night?
It’s not revenue. It’s recruiting.
We Don’t Have a Labor Problem
If you’ve been around this industry, you’ve heard the complaint: “No one wants to work anymore.”
Tony’s take? That’s lazy thinking.
The real issue is that we’ve been selling construction like a dead-end job, not a high-opportunity career. For decades, parents have told their kids, “Study hard or you’ll end up in construction.”
It’s time to flip that script.
Tony and Ryan both believe that we’ve skipped the most important group: parents. They influence whether the next generation ever even considers the trades. And right now, many are still shaming kids out of the industry.
Playing With Tonka Trucks Should Lead to Trades
Every five-year-old builds with Legos or digs in the backyard. But when that same kid says, “I want to be a carpenter,” we don’t celebrate it. We redirect them to engineering school.
If we want construction to be “Plan A,” we need to show parents (and the public) the pride, opportunity, and professionalism that exists in today’s industry.
We’ve got to turn childhood play into purposeful careers.
Tech Giants Are Waking Up
Companies like Google and NVIDIA are finally realizing that without skilled tradespeople, there is no AI, data, or tech revolution.
They’re investing in training electricians. But the rest of the construction ecosystem hasn’t caught up.
If Silicon Valley sees the value, why don’t we?
Stop Selling Jobs and Start Selling the Industry
Construction websites are packed with portfolio images; but empty on culture, purpose, or inspiration.
If you want to attract next-gen talent, your careers page needs more than a list of job openings. It needs to sell:
- Why this work matters.
- What your company values.
- How someone can grow with you.
Think of it this way: You already market to clients. Start marketing to candidates with the same intensity.
Scaled by Building Your Leadership Team
In the final part of the episode, Tony shares how he transitioned from founder-led hustle to executive leadership. The key? A peer group that held him accountable, questioned his decisions, and helped him scale.
He says every business owner should ask:
- Are you still doing everything yourself?
- Have you hit a ceiling?
- What kind of leadership do you need around you to go further?
Tony believes building your business, and the next generation of tradespeople, starts with investing in people.
Want to Help Solve the Labor Crisis?
It won’t happen overnight. But it starts with one conversation, one presentation, one post that says: Construction is Plan A.
Start today.
For the full conversation with Tony, including more hiring and leadership insights, listen to the latest Titans of the Trades episode.
Connect With Tony:
Website: https://www.buildbig.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-iannessa-018b994/
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