Building Perspective by Master Builders SA

Welcome to the fifth episode of the fifth season of Building Perspective. In each episode, Master Builders CEO Will Frogley talks to some exciting characters within the building and construction industry.

In this episode, we hear from the Floriani Brothers, Nick, Mitch and Chris, who tell their family’s incredible story of immigration, perseverance and passion in the building and construction industry.

The Floriani brother’s grandfather, Napoleon immigrated to Australia from northern Italy in the 1920s, bringing with him a strong work ethic, knowledge and fine craftsmanship. He started his small business making concrete troughs, terrazzo and columns and delivering the products on bikes, then founded Floriani Brothers in the 1950s with his brother Leo. The siblings continued with producing pre-cast concrete products which included architectural pre-cast as well. The business successfully persisted and in 1957 their Gepps Cross yard was purchased. Russell Bianco then bought their business in 2004, creating what is now known as Bianco Construction & Industrial Supplies.

Bianco is still a very family-centric company, despite its size and success, where the Floriani brothers continue to work to this day.

The trio also discuss their father’s hard work in building the business which has laid the foundation for their current successful careers in the construction industry.

If you want to hear a fantastic business success story, this episode is a must-listen!

This podcast is sponsored by Bluescope.

Welcome to the fourth episode of the fifth season of Building Perspective. In each episode, Master Builders CEO Will Frogley talks to some exciting characters within the building and construction industry.

In this episode, we hear from Theo Maras, a true immigration success story and proud South Australian. Theo and his family immigrated from the small island of Icaria, Greece and have made every moment count since calling this great land home. From humble farming to flourishing property developing, Theo thanks his grandfather’s views and persistence on the importance of education for where he is today.

Theo studied architectural design and building technology at the Institute of Design which then led him to starting his own business at just 25 year old. He bought properties, both residential and commercial, using capital gains to turn profits and then with a friend, started developing larger commercial spaces, mainly in the CBD.

Now at 75, Theo is incredibly thankful of the success that life in South Australia has given him and speaks on the importance of education and gives valuable advice and encouragement for people starting their career journeys. Theo also talks about his work with the homeless through “Common Ground” and how that has impacted his outlook on life.

Theo is also very passionate about housing affordability and it impacts the growth and success of the state. Will discusses Master Builders SA’s proposal to move Yatala prison in order to free up land close to the CBD and the pair also chat about how to help the next generation through the current housing crisis and their thoughts on the current state government and CFMEU.

If you want to hear a fantastic business success story, this episode is a must-listen!

This podcast is sponsored by Bluescope.

Welcome to the third episode of the fifth season of Building Perspective. In each episode, Master Builders CEO Will Frogley talks to some exciting characters within the building and construction industry.

In this episode, we hear from Matthew Pezzuto, Managing Director of Horizon Constructions. In addition to winning the 2023 Master Builders SA Young Builder of the Year Award, Matt also earned the same award on a national scale last year. They discuss Matt’s journey in the construction industry and the pivotal part that his uncle has in the current success of Horizon Constructions.

Starting with year 10 work experience at his uncle’s small building business, he knew the construction industry was where he wanted to pursue his career, so he continued as a labourer in school holidays and then went on to study Construction Management after high school. He was then hired by Marshall Brougham where he learnt fundamental skills in estimating, contract administration and project management. Matt has always wanted to run his own business so he then launched Horizon, starting with a very small job worth just $1600, and now 11 years on, this business is clearing projects worth $20 million.

Matt also speaks about the one job that really challenged him and gave him the confidence to keep moving forward to growing his business, where he wants to take Horizon Constructions in the future and how important sub-contractor relationships are to ensuring a well-run building company.

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in a career in construction and the possibilities of running their own business.

This podcast is proudly supported by BlueScope.

Welcome to the second episode of the fifth season of Building Perspective. In each episode, Master Builders CEO Will Frogley talks to some exciting characters within the building and construction industry.

In this episode, we hear from Tom Lawson from Vision 2 Estimating. This company was started in 2020 an since then made leaps and bounds in improving the estimating game for residential and commercial builders. Tom speaks of the details and intricacies of construction and how Vision 2 Estimating works in order to ensure an accurate estimate before being released to site.

Tom started his career in the industry as a timber framer, slowly learning more about construction and with a bit more study moved into estimating. Vision 2 Estimating is now a team of approximately 20 people and has expanded nationally and recently, to the USA. This is a huge achievement for such a young company and Tom thanks its success to the building boom of the pandemic era and the multitude of first home owner grants as well of increase in civil construction.

Will and Tom discuss the dire need for trades and how having a reliable and skilled trade force within close reach is detrimental to supplying a quality and accurate build estimate. Tom also explains how 3D technology has supported the success of the business, which quickly flags clashes and quality control before a project goes to site.

This episode is a must-listen for those interested in the complexities of construction stages – listen now!

This podcast is proudly supported by BlueScope.  

Welcome to the first episode of the fifth season of Building Perspective. In each episode, Master Builders CEO Will Frogley talks to some exciting characters within the building and construction industry.

In this episode, we hear Chris Blowes’ amazing story of resilience, commitment and passion. Chris is a Born To Build Field Coordinator, but before that he was a carpenter (a former Master Builders SA apprentice) who by an amazing miracle, survived an attack by a great white shark.

Chris is an amazing public speaker, which has transferred well to his current role, educating and inspiring students about career pathways in the building industry. He speaks about his attack where he lost half of one of his legs and how he managed to get up and keep going with life after such a life-changing event. After the attack, Chris tried a few different career paths, still in the construction industry, although not on the tools and then started his own carpentry business. A little while later, Will brought him on board as a RISE coach, providing support and guidance to anyone in the industry needing an ear to talk to and helpful ways to prepare for work after injury. This then evolved into his full-time role with Born To Build.

Chris’ passion for surfing has never waned and he still catches waves to this day, even competing in international competitions.

Listen to more of Chris’s incredible story, his work with the Born to Build program and RISE – it’s a must listen!

This podcast is proudly supported by BlueScope.  

Welcome to the eighth episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, we hear from Kristina Shepherd and John Kernahan. Kristina is a designer and project manager for Thorne Constructions, working on both residential and commercial projects, as well as a keen division 1 football player for SMOSH West Lakes. John is the CEO of Adelaide Footy League, and has played a major part in securing an exciting partnership with Master Builders SA’s Born to Build program, educating and inspiring young footy players to consider a career in the construction industry.

Around 13,000 Adelaide Footy League participants are aged 18 to 35, so sport and construction can make a natural pairing, and Born to Build offers those who like to be active a great opportunity to find a career they love. The trade shortage in SA is prevalent, so encouraging a stable career with bountiful chances of great success is a real passion of both John and Kristina. John speaks about how apprenticeships gives young people stability and a chance to learn valuable life skills, as well as earn money debt-free whilst they figure out who they are after the confinements of school. The partnership with Adelaide Footy League has also gone a long way in cutting down parent’s misconceptions of the building and construction industry, educating them on the high-paying and exciting career options that their child can consider.

Kristina is also a Born to Build ambassador, educating young kids, and especially females about the different career possibilities of the industry. Her motto is “you can’t be what you can’t see” which pushes her to be an inspiring figure and further increase the number of women in executive positions.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys being active and is looking for a stable career that allows them to keep fit.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the seventh episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, we hear from Teagan Carbone, who is the 2023 winner of HiViZ Women Building SA - Outstanding Woman In Construction Award. Teagan is a contract administrator at Built, handling contractors and budgets for multi-million dollar commercial builds. She studied marketing in Cairns, working a temp role at a construction company which she loved, before moving to Adelaide, still in marketing, to work with Built. She has always has a keen interest in building in construction and wanted to move towards working on sites. With the support of her colleagues, Teagan began in a smaller site administrative role which then grew to her current position of contract administrator. With such large projects as Adelaide Festival carpark, Lot 14 and 60 King William Street, Teagan is thoroughly enjoying working amongst the hustle and bustle of worksites.

Teagan also speaks about how she has juggled motherhood with her role at Built, having fallen pregnant during her first project on site, and how the team were incredibly supportive and adaptive to her needs during this time. Her experience has then helped other women who are now pregnant or have young children, as well as the Built team as a whole, navigate working with family life.

Teagan was nominated by her construction manager for the major HiViZ award, which she is incredibly grateful for. The win has encouraged a fantastic network of her fellow nominees in which they regularly meet and share their experiences in the industry. Marissa and Teagan also discuss the brand new award categories that have been added to the HiViZ Women Building SA Awards for 2024.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is wanting to enter the construction industry, even if they are not necessarily wanting to be on the tools.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the sixth episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, we hear from Anika Cardamone, the first female Fleet Sales and Strategy Manager for Toyota Motor Corporation Australia. Anika holds a prestigious executive role for this incredibly large company and takes an immense amount of pride in her career, stating “you can’t be what you can’t see” for empowering females to undertake high-level positions.

Toyota Australia has had a long-standing relationship with Master Builders SA, providing support and membership perks with vehicle purchases. Anika has been with Toyota National for 16 years, starting in Human Resources, moving to Parts and Accessories and is now with National Sales. She speaks about the huge juggle that her position can bring, managing a team 12 direct reports and also the balance that needs to come with that in order to have a well-adjusted personal life. Anika has experienced extreme burn-out, and speaks about what she does now in order to ensure a more balanced work environment for herself and her team.

Marissa and Anika also discuss how working in executive roles as females can feel like they need to work much harder than their male counterparts in order to prove themselves, and give some advice for women wanting to enter the construction or automotive industry, both with a long history of being male-dominated.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is wanting to strive for an executive-level position in a male-dominated industry.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the fifth episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, we hear from award winning Litsa Adamou, South Australia’s first female qualified building inspector and RISE support Coach. Litsa speaks about her incredibly diverse career path and the journey to finding her dream job in the construction industry. Starting with accounting, she became an office manager at just 18 years old, before moving to a government graduate program. From there, she rose through the ranks in many different sectors including health and Aboriginal housing, then federal health where she managed a large team. After a 12 year progression, and raising two children in the process, Litsa still felt like something was not right with her career and decided to join her husband, a building inspector, for a day at work. She had always had a keen interest in housing and construction, having completed many side projects with her husband in the past but never thought she could break into the sector.

After joining her husband at work for that one day, she felt a light-bulb moment and knew this is what she wanted to do. From here, Litsa studied and trained to become more knowledgeable with construction and then was able to leave her government position to start her new path in building inspection. She now works with her husband at House Inspect Australia where they are seeing a great deal of growth within the company.

Litsa has a passion for advocating for skillset based recruitment and helping women find their way in the building and construction industry. She says that no matter what one’s current path is, skills are always transferable to construction and she wouldn’t be where she is today with her earlier experience in accounting and management.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has a keen interest in building and construction and is wanting to break into the industry.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the fourth episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, we hear from Danica Trimboli from BADGE Group and Patrick Murphy from Chappell Builders. Both our guests are members of the HiViZ Women Building SA committee and are strong advocates for extending diversity in the construction industry and encouraging women to work and retain in this field.

Danica is now the Business Continuity (QSE) Manager from BADGE but she originally came from a marketing background. She was very fortunate to find a great support centre with her current employer who allowed her to try different areas of the business and expand her repertoire to where she is now. Patrick has over 15 years of experience in building and construction, having started out as a tradie and now moved up into construction management with Chappell Builders (part of the BADGE Group). Similar to Danica, Patrick has been fortunate to have colleagues advocate for him in order to move up into management roles and develop further expertise.

They both speak about how they want to help others feel the confidence within themselves to speak up, ask questions and look to their employers for assistance in generating new skills to grow and succeed in the industry.

They also speak about the great work that companies in the industry have done in order to be more female-inclusive as the number of women on site steadily increases, but there is still a lot more work to do. There are many different pathways into building and construction, which Danica and Patrick also touch on.

This episode is a must-listen, providing great information and insights for any woman looking to jump into the construction industry.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the third episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, Jodie Jones and Ally Pettifor, who met via the Women Building Australia’s mentorship program, join the podcast and speak about the aforementioned program, their journey in the construction industry and how they have grown with the help of the incredible and experienced people around them.

Ally is a new business owner, having spent 10 years working in the industry before branching off to start her own business, a female-led bathroom renovation company. With the help of the mentorship program, Jodie has assisted Ally in growing confidence as a business owner and is always there to lend a helpful ear and provide recommendations. Ally is excited to give back and be a mentor herself once she has gained more experience as a manager and business owner.

Jodie has a vast repertoire of experience in the building and construction industry, holding both an interior design and construction degree. She has also been both self-employed and worked for large building companies which makes her knowledge as a mentor extremely valuable to the mentorship program. This will be Jodie’s 3rd year as a mentor for Women Building Australia, and she is thoroughly enjoying lending her expertise to Ally.

The pair also discuss how they both juggle family life with their very busy schedules and how they have conquered some common obstacles that come with being a female in the construction industry.

This episode is a must-listen, providing great information and insights for any woman looking to jump into the construction industry.

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the second episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, Dena English and Melisha Willington from Sarah Construction join the podcast and speak about their incredible respective career journeys including how they came to be in their roles and what they hope to accomplish in the future.

Melisha, a project manager at Sarah Constructions, has spent 20 years working in the building and construction industry, also gaining the title of our first ever HiViZ Outstanding Woman In Construction award winner. She started off in the residential building sector with selections and has now found her passion in the commercial construction space which she feels is the right fit for her.

Dena has 15 years’ experience in the industry and is now working as Sarah Constructions’ group executive quality, health, safety and environmental and sustainability manager. With a civil engineering background, Dena wouldn’t have anticipated to have ended up in her current role but she thoroughly enjoys the challenging and fresh aspects of the job. She is also a law student, currently entering the last year of her degree.

The pair speak highly of Sarah Constructions and the company’s ability to support women in the industry as well as the exciting projects they have both been working on recently.

Hear Dena and Melisha’s fascinating insight into the commercial construction industry today!

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.

Welcome to the first episode of the NEW Master Builders SA podcast, ConstructHER. In each episode, we shine a light on females and businesses in the building and construction industry doing great things.

In this episode, Amanda Hewer, Born to Build Field Coordinator with Master Builders SA, speaks about how she became a telecommunications specialist, the road that took her during her 18 years on the tools and then now a Field Coordinator for Born to Build, encouraging and educating young people about trade opportunities.

Amanda also speaks about how mentoring young people in the construction industry has been so incredibly rewarding, providing support to other women who are breaking down barriers and restrictions that some females can face in the industry. She also speaks about her son and juggling being a working mother, as well as her work as a Field Coordinator, presenting in schools and giving them a taste of a practical, hands-on career.

Tune in to hear Amanda’s inspiring interview!

This podcast is proudly supported by HiViZ and Toyota.