In this high-energy episode, Heather and Robin finally step onto the construction site—and they’re bringing the sawdust with them. It’s the phase everyone thinks about first… but the truth is, most owners arrive here exhausted and underprepared. From weekly OAC meetings to managing RFIs and unforeseen conditions, this episode is all about one mission-critical skill: managing information flow.
Whether you’re an overwhelmed owner, a nonprofit navigating a remodel, or someone just trying to keep your team on schedule, this episode will equip you with the tools and mindset to lead your construction project like a pro.
Key Takeaways:
✔ The role of an owner during construction
✔ What to expect from weekly OAC meetings
✔ The danger of disrupting the information hierarchy
✔ Managing change orders and unforeseen conditions
✔ Why “rapid informed decisions” are your superpower
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Welcome: Construction’s the main event
01:55 – The owner’s new job: Manage information, not people
05:12 – How a missing paint color can derail a job site
08:27 – The GPS mindset: Track your RFIs like a pro
11:34 – What construction administration actually covers
15:21 – Weekly OAC meetings: Why they matter and how to use them
20:42 – The golden rule: Never give direction to a sub
25:00 – The power of rapid, informed decisions
27:17 – Change orders and unforeseen conditions
30:10 – Do you need an Owner’s Rep? (Spoiler: maybe yes)
32:44 – Owner’s Edge Academy: Learn it or let us do it for you
Hosts: Robin Escamilla & Heather Plank
Length: 21:41
Before construction begins, there are critical steps owners need to understand and own. In this episode, Heather and Robin break down the Mobilization Phase—an often rushed but essential part of every commercial construction project. From permitting and bidding to third-party inspections, they unpack what needs to happen before the first hammer swings. Learn how to save time on your timeline, avoid costly change orders, and build with confidence.
Whether you’re a first-time builder or a nonprofit navigating accountability, this episode is packed with insider advice to help you become a more effective owner.
🎧 Listen to learn:
How city permitting actually works (and what’s your role)
Why bidding the GC before stamped plans might be a smart move
What third-party inspectors do (and why you hire them)
How to shave 4 weeks off your construction schedule
What to expect during the 10-12 week mobilization window
00:00 – Intro & Mobilization Overview
02:10 – City Permitting Process Explained
04:45 – Owner’s Role During Permitting
07:15 – Bidding Your General Contractor While Permitting
10:00 – Efficiency vs. Tradition: Tandem vs. Sequential Process
12:45 – Contractor Selection & Bid Awarding
14:20 – Third-Party Inspectors: What They Are & Why They Matter
16:40 – ADA/TAS Compliance & Owner Responsibilities
18:35 – How to Find Reliable Inspectors & Vendors
20:00 – Owner’s Edge Academy Sneak Peek + Client Spotlight: Good Cup Coffee Co.
21:41 – Closing & Call to Action
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📺 Watch full episodes + behind-the-scenes: www.tdonovancreative.com/podcast
🌐 Learn more: www.ownersedge.info
What’s the cost of checking out too early in the design phase? Spoiler: it’s higher than you think.
In this episode, Heather and Robin guide you through one of the most misunderstood parts of a construction project—the design phase. From coordinating engineers to reviewing construction documents (CDs), this is where owners must stay engaged to avoid costly surprises down the line.
You’ll learn:
Why architects aren’t the only ones designing your space
The key milestone reviews: 25%, 50%, 75%, and how to use them
What decisions cost nothing now—but a fortune later
How to ask better questions (even if you don’t speak engineer)
Why Owners Edge Academy exists—to help you lead smarter
Because whether you’re involved or not, design is happening. Make sure it reflects your vision.
00:00 – Intro + Hard Hats Sponsorship
01:15 – Who’s really on your design team?
03:40 – Structural, civil, MEP & geotechnical explained
06:05 – Architect vs. engineers: managing the moving parts
08:10 – A real HVAC failure that cost more than comfort
12:30 – You don’t have to be an expert—just ask the right questions
15:40 – Understanding your CD reviews: systems, finishes, fixtures
26:00 – What success in the design phase actually looks like
27:15 – New Owners Edge Academy episode drops May 30th
📌 Catch up on earlier episodes:
Episode 1 – “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
Episode 2 – “What’s a Program? And Why You Need One”
Episode 3 – “The Hidden Power of Planning: Program First”
🔔 Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode
📲 Learn more: @tdonovancreative
In this episode of Construction Confidential, Heather and Robin peel back the curtain on the planning phase—arguably the most critical part of any construction project. By diving into the concept of a “program,” they show how a clear, well-developed plan can align your entire team, protect your investment, and prevent costly change orders down the line.
What You’ll Learn:
The Value of a Program: Why a detailed planning phase costs you nothing—but saves you millions later.
Effective Owner Leadership: How creating a guiding vision with your stakeholders sets the stage for success.
Charrettes Unpacked: Discover the power of a creative, collaborative work session (a “charrette”) to unlock game-changing ideas.
Architect Benefits: See why a well-crafted program makes your architect’s job easier—and your building better.
Avoiding Field Changes: Understand how thoughtful planning today protects your budget and your project’s future.
Key Takeaways:
An effective planning program isn’t just paperwork—it’s the foundation that transforms scattered ideas into a cohesive, aligned vision. When you’re fully engaged from the start, you empower your team, inspire creative solutions, and dramatically reduce the risk of expensive surprises during construction.
00:00 – Intro & Sponsorship: Heather and Robin kick things off with a word from Hard Hats—your head’s best friend.
00:30 – Entering the Planning Phase: What it means to start at the top of a project and define your program.
02:00 – Effective Owner Leadership: How a clear, guiding vision sets every stakeholder on the same page.
04:00 – The Cost of Change vs. Planning: Why decisions made during planning cost nothing compared to field changes.
06:30 – Architect & Owner Synergy: The benefits of coming to your architect with a complete program.
09:00 – The Power of Charrettes: How these creative, collaborative sessions drive innovative solutions.
12:00 – Aligning Your Team: Bringing together stakeholders and subject matter experts for a shared vision.
15:00 – Planning for Success: How a detailed program protects your aesthetics, design, and budget.
18:00 – Real-World Benefits: Avoiding costly change orders with a comprehensive program.
20:00 – Wrap-Up & Reminder: A quick reminder to check out our upcoming Cornerstone event—our Owner’s Edge conference in May. (See the registration link in our show notes!)
Episode 1: “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
YouTube • Spotify
Episode 2: “What’s a Program? And Why You Need One”
YouTube • Spotify
🔔 Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts for more insider secrets on effective construction ownership.
📲 Follow us @tdonovancreative for updates, tips, and behind-the-scenes content!
⏱️ Timestamps📌 Catch Up on Past Episodes
Welcome back to Construction Confidential! We’re Heather and Robin—and if you’ve ever found yourself leading a construction project and thinking, “Wait… how did I become the one in charge?” — this episode is for you.
Today, we’re diving into the pressure that comes with being the “owner” in a construction project, especially when you're mission-driven and don’t have a dedicated team to manage the build. We talk about the weight that lands on your shoulders, the common pitfalls that even experienced leaders fall into, and why trying to carry it all alone just doesn’t work.
You’ll meet two client profiles—Dan and Rachel—and hear how their opposite approaches both led to stress, delays, and second-guessing. We also walk through the structure of Owner’s Edge Academy and how it’s designed to guide owners like them (and you) from the very first meeting to project closeout with more clarity, less panic, and better results.
🧠 In This Episode:The mental load mission-driven owners face during construction
What happens when leaders try to do it all (or delegate too much)
Dan: the confident builder who skipped the details
Rachel: the cautious planner who overthought everything
How Owner’s Edge Academy closes the gap between vision and execution
Why owner education = owner empowerment
A preview of next week’s episode: What is a charette?
⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: When you’re in charge and unsure
01:38 – The emotional weight of being the “owner”
04:45 – The two types of clients we see most often
06:55 – Dan: confident, but missing context
09:12 – Rachel: cautious, but overwhelmed
12:50 – Why so many owners feel stuck in the middle
14:40 – What Owner’s Edge Academy was built to solve
17:25 – The support owners actually need
20:10 – What empowerment looks like in action
23:45 – Why the system doesn’t serve owners by default
25:05 – Next episode preview: What is a charette?
🔗 Links & Resources:🌐 Website: www.tdonovancreative.com
🎓 Owner’s Edge Academy: www.tdonovancreative.com/ownersedge
📩 Contact Us: heather@tdonovancreative.com
📱 Instagram: @tdonovancreative
👍 Like what you hear?
Follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a fellow leader or builder who’s navigating the construction world.
Let’s build smarter, together.
Welcome to the debut episode of Construction Confidential! We’re Heather and Robin—two women with deep (and slightly weird) construction backgrounds—here to pull back the curtain on a high-stakes industry that too often leaves owners in the dark.
In our very first episode, we’re sharing how we got here, why we do what we do, and what you can expect from this podcast. From learning construction the hard way (on the job site) to helping nonprofits avoid six-figure mistakes, this episode lays the foundation for everything to come.
We’re not just here to tell stories — we’re here to empower mission-driven leaders, nonprofit owners, and first-time builders to confidently step into their construction projects with the clarity and tools they need to succeed.
🧠 In This Episode:
Why we launched Construction Confidential
Heather’s real-world masterclass in construction management
How Robin went from ministry to managing builds
The inefficiencies built into the system — and how we challenged them
The origin story of T. Donovan Creative
Why we created Owner’s Edge Academy to empower, not just lead
What it means to truly shepherd a project as an owner
00:00 – Welcome + why two women are talking construction
01:15 – Heather’s job site design crash course
04:00 – How construction communication breaks down
05:30 – When one wrong paint color takes weeks to fix
07:05 – Philanthropy meets project management
10:15 – The birth of T. Donovan Creative
11:45 – Robin’s career path: from banking to buildings
14:45 – Their first meeting — and instant business alignment
16:00 – Breaking the bottleneck and building scalable systems
18:05 – Teaching owners what they don’t know
19:30 – The launch of Owner’s Edge Academy
22:40 – Final thoughts + invitation to subscribe
🌐 Website: https://www.tdonovancreative.com/podcast
🎓 Owner’s Edge Academy: www.tdonovancreative.com/ownersedge
📱 Instagram: @tdonovancreative
👍 Like what you hear?
Follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a fellow leader or builder who’s navigating the construction world.
Let’s build smarter, together.