Level up your game with these book recommendations from four construction leaders.

Brandon Escandon, CEO of Maven Group picks... Street Smarts

By Norm Brodsky and Beau Burlingam

A practical, no-nonsense guide to building and sustaining a successful business. With a sharp wit and candid tone, Brodsky emphasizes the importance of instinct, discipline, and learning from mistakes, arguing that street smarts often matter more than formal education when it comes to navigating the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship.

Jessica Stack, Principal at TinkerMa Architects picks..."Turn the Ship Around"

By L. David Marquet, Captain, US Navy

A compelling leadership memoir that recounts how a U.S. Navy Captain transformed one of the worst-performing submarines in the fleet into one of the best by empowering his crew to think and act like leaders, and creating a culture of ownership, accountability, and trust. A practical framework for building empowered teams in any organization.

Tony Boals, VP at Wright Brothers Construction picks... "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York"

By Robert Caro

A Pulitzer Prize–winning biography that chronicles the life and staggering influence of Robert Moses, the master builder who shaped much of 20th-century New York City and its surrounding infrastructure. Caro reveals how Moses amassed unprecedented power to build parks, highways, bridges, and public housing—often at the expense of communities and democratic process.

Matthew Jeffrey, Owner of Chattanooga Floor Care picks... "Beyond the Hammer: A Fresh Approach to Leadership, Culture, and Building Teams"

By Brian Gottlieb

A multiple award-winning, compelling, and practical guide that blends storytelling with actionable leadership insight.  It takes readers through a real case study of a remodeling company fraught with turnover and failure. Through a mentorship incorporating five pillars of leadership, the company experiences a transformational journey into a powerhouse, high-performing team.

Hydrate to Operate

Just a 2% drop in body water can impair focus, slow reaction times, and increase the risk of heat-related illnesses. That means more mistakes, more injuries, and more downtime. Make hydration a priority.

Structure For Your Life

Too many people in our field pour everything into their work while pushing their own health to the side. We are wired to deliver for our bosses ... for our clients ... for others, but we don’t prioritize our own well-being. That’s why wellness in construction isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity.

Building Structure for Health and Happiness

In the rugged, high-pressure world of construction, conversations about emotional wellness, physical health, and spiritual strength rarely take center stage. But one construction professional is changing that narrative, and building something that could outlast steel beams and concrete.

Construction’s Silent Crisis

Too many of our friends in construction are feeling empty, alone, and like they don’t matter, but they don’t know why. These aren’t just bad days. They’re signs of one of the biggest health crises in our industry: depression. Our “tough it out”
culture tells us to shake it off, but t’s time to stop suffering in silence.

Charlie York’s Journey from Broken Man to Redemption

If you’re reading this and you’re tired, burned out, or buried under pressure, I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve stumbled through divorce, addiction, shame, and suicidal thoughts. I’ve lost family to drugs and alcohol. I’ve destroyed things I thought I was building, but I’m still
standing, and not because of anything
I did on my own. God rebuilt my life. And now I’m trying to help others in this industry do the same.