On this highly anticipated episode of the podcast, Taylor White takes on the hosting duties and is joined by his very special guest, Scott Colclough. The pair talk about Colclough’s life, his business, his experiences with CONEXPO-CON/AGG, and the upcoming 2023 show. Upon getting his start in construction as an operator in Alberta, Scott acquainted himself with all of the skills, tools, and techniques that he could. Now after years and years in the industry, Colclough has taken to social media under the username @pushysix to teach people about construction and inspire others. He’s always felt that he had a purpose larger than himself, and unlike most people, Scott practices what he preaches.
The pair also dig into:
- Scott’s varied construction experience
- Making moves for the future of the industry
- CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023
- Coming up in Alberta’s heavy construction scene
- Authenticity and caring for others
- Changes in construction content
Watch now:
Listen now:
If you want to listen to more recorded podcasts, click below to see the CONEXPO-CON/AGG archive of episodes.
Listen on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Spotify | Stitcher
Join more than 50,000 industry peers who receive construction industry news and trends each week. Subscribe to CONEXPO-CON/AGG 365.
Episode Transcript:
Taylor White: Welcome to the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Podcast. It has been a while since we have last spoken to you, but we are back and we are gearing up for more. If you've been a loyal listener of the podcast in the past, you might notice something new here.
My name is Taylor White. I'm from Ken White Construction. I'm a third gen business owner here in Ontario, Canada. And I want to thank Missy for her time as a host. But I'm excited to be the new official voice of the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Podcast.
I look after the marketing for my business here in Ontario. My grandfather started it in 1968. I’m carrying on the torch that he lit a while back. So, on the podcast, we're gonna be coming to you one to two times per month, and it's with exclusive stories and insider secrets for some of the most accomplished people in the construction industry.
Starting today, we have my main man, the original Instagram gangster, I call him Scott Colclough. He didn't tell me how to pronounce his last name correctly, so that's how I'll go with it. AKA Pushysix. We're going to talk about his life, his business, and his experiences with CONEXPO and the upcoming 2023 show. Let's get into it.
Scott, what's going on?
Scott Colclough: Hey, man, how's it going?
Taylor White: It's going good, dude! I'm happy to have you on. Thanks for doing this. I know I said the other day on Instagram that you've been on my list of people that I've wanted to talk to forever. I want to touch on your roles in the last CONEXPO as well as coming up to the 2023 CONEXPO-CON/AGG show.
But I want to give people a brief summary kind of maybe about like, I want to talk about you and where you're from and what you've kind of created and what you're doing now, like what you're all about because I know that and it’s super corny, and I mean this honestly, but like, whenever I first was on Instagram and not doing, I was just creeping. I wasn't there doing anything with my business. And I remember seeing Pushysix and it was actually the first time that I saw you. You were at a different trade show and it was incredible watching.
I was like, ‘Man, this guy's created the following around this!’ You inspired me and I'm sure that you've inspired a lot of other people. So, maybe kind of just talking about what you do and how did you start doing what you did, to give people a bit of a background.
Scott Colclough: Well, I guess what I do now is a little bit different than what I used to do. It's evolved throughout the years, I guess, and for the better. So, I've just always been trying to find a way to help teach people about construction and inspire people, like yourself. There have been lots of people, which was kind of my goal with all of this purpose. I try to do everything with some type of purpose, and this too, right?
So, I started and I was an operator for many years and then I moved up to a foreman quite fast. I have a very broad spectrum of knowledge in construction. I've worked multiple positions, right? So, that I guess helps me become who I am today. I have a lot of knowledge, I guess in general, which I try to pass down.
Taylor White: It shows.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, well I try, right? I'm not trying to be better than anybody. I'm just trying to pass down knowledge. No one in construction is doing a damn thing to help anybody really. There are some people, and it's changing but for a long time it is really hard to learn about construction and get a job in construction. So, I was like, 'Hey, I have the skill set. Here's my background to try and help people, right?'
So, it was very hard for me to come up in construction. To be honest, I had to lie to get my first dozer job. But not everyone can do that. You need a certain level of passion to make that happen. Sink or swim, right? Yeah, it was tough.
But throughout the years I kind of began as an operator and foreman. I began posting online in 2011, I think, got a YouTube channel, and then it evolved from there and then I now see things like Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. So, I kind of backed off YouTube and kind of went full-on to Instagram with the hopes to funnel or direct people from Instagram to my YouTube channel because that's where I could make money, right?
But I kind of lost that and just kind of stuck with Instagram because I was like, ‘Wow, I can reach a lot of people and it's interactive.’ So, I found myself teaching people about construction. In my posts, in the past especially, like, I'll put 3-4 hours into a post.
Taylor White: It shows.
Scott Colclough: It takes so much work. I'm trying to be different. I don't compete with people. I just do my own thing and I don't really care what else is going on. I just do me and that's the way I've always been.
Taylor White: Yeah, that honestly shows, like, through what I see, you don't give yourself almost enough credit. You have this drive that is pretty infectious, like, just listening to you talk and you make it sound so nonchalant. I mean, 'Everything I do I have a purpose.' When you say that, a lot of people can't even recognize that about themselves. For you, you understand that and you're doing it for a purpose and you're doing it for other people, and it's pretty incredible that you've been able to grow what you have online and not even care about what people think or, or going out and trying something new.
So, what are you doing differently now? I know the answer but I want you to explain that. What are you doing? What's different from you now? You're in a studio now. I saw you have editors. You have, you're doing staff now. That's like the two feet in process that I wanted to talk to you about. What made you take this leap into like, alright, I'm in it now. I'm doing this now versus what you were doing before? Like, what's the difference there?
Scott Colclough: Well, I have a grand vision, and I have a purpose, so I'm trying to do things with a larger purpose than myself. I'm doing things for the industry and for the next generation. It sounds kind of cheesy but that gives me so much drive to do what I do.
So, yeah, I retired from a daytime job in 2018, I think. I was a one-man show doing YouTube, Instagram, and all forms of media. I just can't keep up with everything. So, I recently took the giant jump risk, took every penny I own, I cut my lifestyle into a quarter, got rid of all the fancy stuff, and risked everything to start a business where I can really make more of an impact and help even more people, even outside of construction. But my main focus is construction, obviously.
That being said, yeah, I got an office and I hired a bunch of people. I'm one guy and I can't do everything. So, to be better, I hire people that have better skill sets than me, right? So, now I can achieve anything. Yeah, I risked everything. Now I run a company, marketing, film production, sound design, graphic design, websites, and everything.
Taylor White: Yeah, it's crazy seeing you do that, man. I mean, I totally see it. I mean, two feet in approach. Like you said, you put a lot on the line, and you're doing it. That takes a lot of guts to do that, man. I’m super impressed by you actually doing that.
And like you said, you're not only inspiring people or doing it for people that are in construction, necessarily, even though that is your main focus, but I see some of the people that you're hiring as well, too. Like, necessarily, they don't have a construction background but you're like, ‘Hey, I'll teach you and I'll show you.’
It takes a big man to just stand there and go, ‘Listen, I know what I'm good at but I can't do everything. I will hire people that are better at doing those things than I am.’
Scott Colclough: Absolutely! Yeah! I'm trying to hire younger people, like in their 20s. I am now 41.
Taylor White: No way!
Scott Colclough: I’m up there. Yeah, the younger people can connect with the people that we're trying to inspire in ways that I can't. I try to hire everyone with at least some type of background in construction because that helps. The thing I want to do is have us market construction companies in a way that other people can't because we have such a big background in construction itself. Who better to teach people about construction than people who live it or have lived it, right?
Taylor White: It's a super, super niche skill set that you have. I know this firsthand; I'm not doing it on the scale that you're doing it but I just hired a videographer/editor. We were on site the other day and I was using my little drone and I was getting a shot. He just turned me and he's never shot construction before, and he's like, ‘How did you know to position the drone there and to go over the right-hand side of the truck?’ I'm like, ‘Well, the stockpile was on the left and I know that he's gonna boom up when the trucks are ready there and he honks, so I knew that it was time to start.’
You know how to operate on a construction site and you also know how to do the multimedia side of it. That is such a niche that I think people don't understand. And I'm still comprehending it. It's such an important thing to have doing what you're doing. If you have those two things, you'll be successful at it.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, well, I will be at anything I put my mind to because if I do something, that's what I do, right? I give it everything I've got. And this is not any different. This is a great example of me doing exactly that.
Taylor White: It's so crazy, like you said, you’re at 41, which is still relatively young. But I mean, at 41 You're like, 'I'm putting everything on the line and I'm going balls to the wall, and I'm doing it.'
Scott Colclough: Exactly.
Taylor White: I think that's awesome. That's pretty badass.
Scott Colclough: I'm trying to do something. I'm trying to help the industry and help people. I love helping people. When I help people, I don't expect anything in return. And that is so rare. I wish there were more people that would do that. I don't know, man, I'm just being me doing what I do, trying to make a difference, and that's kind of where I'm at.
Taylor White: It's showing 100%. To switch gears a bit here. Obviously, I want to talk more about you. But if this is looped around talking about you, as well, because of what you've created, who you are, and what you start, like you started on Instagram, and started doing this journey in 2011, at the 2020 CONEXPO Show, you were on a live tech talk with Ryan Priestly from Priestly Demolition, correct?
Scott Colclough: I sure was.
Taylor White: I want to ask how did it feel? That's a big thing to be asked at the world's largest construction exposition. I mean, to be able to go there and sit on a panel and talk to people about this, how did that feel?
Scott Colclough: It felt great. But the thing with me is, I don't think about that stuff. I just achieve one thing, and my mind is already on the next couple, right? But to stop and think about it, that's amazing.
Ryan Priestley is such a huge guy, especially in your area. Since then, he's turned into a good friend. Yeah, the CONEXPO talk was great. I was honored to be a part of it. I love CONEXPO. I love what they do versus other trade shows. It is the greatest one, I feel. Worldwide, there are others but I like CONEXPO more because it's more North American.
Taylor White: Yeah, no, it hits closer to home. I think that's kind of what it is. It hits closer to home. I think what's so cool about a CONEXPO is that you realize how much of a small world it is. When you go down there and you see somebody from one town over almost, but then you find people from across the globe. It's crazy.
Especially even being on social media, you get to meet people that you see on social media as well, too. Like, I think that's the cool thing about it, too. It’s like actually putting a real face, just IRL, like in real life. Seeing them is pretty surreal almost at these shows, and just being able to sit up there and talk.
I'm sure the people that got to sit there and listen to your live tech talk, it was pretty awesome. You're humble. Obviously, you're super humble. But I think that's a pretty big accomplishment – a good notch on the belt to talk about, I would say.
Scott Colclough: Yeah. I would like to mention about CONEXPO. Another reason why I liked him so much and I like doing this, that's why I say yes to doing this. CONEXPO is so ahead of their time. I’ll use the last show as an example and even this podcast.They're doing things. They're involving people like me when other people don't even see the value, let's say in the kind of what I do or involving younger people. It’s just trying to direct people into construction, right? They're so ahead of everybody.
I didn't do a podcast myself. When everyone else was doing podcasts, I didn't do one because to me, the CONEXPO Podcast was the first OG podcast in construction. I have so much respect for them for that. They had me on the podcast. For me, that was huge. For me, that was huge.
Taylor White: Yeah, no, I was going back and I was looking and obviously listening to previous ones and I was like, this is not gonna be his first time on this but I definitely want Scott on this again. You're the first, dude. I mean, I think we picked the perfect guest for this.
As far as the 2023 CONEXPO Show, I mean, I guess we kind of were talking about that as well, too. I know that I'm excited for it. What are you looking forward to at the 2023 show? Do you have any big plans for it? What are you looking forward to?
Scott Colclough: I have plans, but I can't tell you everything. But yeah, I'm excited. I'm big on technology, and I can't wait to see what else is coming. I know some things that are coming that I can talk about.
I recently made somewhat of a deal with Hexagon. So, we're going to see them there. They're gonna have some cool stuff. I recently went to California with a company to test driving a remote-control bulldozer, D10.
Taylor White: It’s just a D10.
Scott Colclough: Yeah.
Taylor White: Just a casual D10. No big deal.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, I'm pumped to see kind of their tech at the show and others, too. Every brand kind of uses that show to premiere their latest, greatest stuff, and I love construction and I love tech. That combined, it's like I'm in heaven.
Taylor White: No, I totally agree. It's cool because it's the best of the best, right? It's all the highlights that you get to see everything. This is how to explain it. It's like all the cool stuff that you see on people's Instagram but in person.
Scott Colclough: Mm hmm.
Taylor White: Yeah, it's exciting. Well, I'm looking forward to definitely seeing you there as well, too. So, CONEXPO, obviously, we definitely want to reach out and talk about the podcast as well, but I like you as a person and talking to you as a person.
So, what kind of have your own battles – this is what I find interesting and it’s when we were talking like, hey, nothing's off limits, which I respect because I'm the same way. I'm an open book, I got nothing to hide, so I feel like that's the best way to run your life – but what are some of your own battles that you've had in the industry over the years?
This is something that I wrote down to ask you because I think that you might have an interesting response, or maybe not, but I feel like you've learned a lot being honored enough times, and now kind of transitioning to something else. The same thing but different, we'll call it. What can you share about that?
Scott Colclough: How real do you want me to get?
Taylor White: Well, I mean, I want to hear it, dude. I mean, I want to know what battles you have had to overcome. And then, maybe other people doing this have done. Like, what personal stories can you share of what you've learned over the years?
Scott Colclough: Alrighty! Yeah. So, I came up in heavy construction at a much different time than it is now. It was plagued with drugs and alcohol and wearing shorts to work with no shirt.
Taylor White: Were you in Alberta?
Scott Colclough: I was in Alberta.
Taylor White: For people listening, sorry, not to cut you off, but that almost was a different level than where I'm from Ontario. You guys are out there. It was way more savage. Even now, the differences are there, too. I know what you're saying. I just want people to understand that it is super, super heavy blue collar and rough tough what you're talking about.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, for sure. We're like Texas of Canada, right? So, out here, it's still kind of pretty cowboy. It's getting better.
Taylor White: Totally.
Scott Colclough: So, there's a challenge trying to maybe keep your stuff together and not get caught up in that. But you know, I've dealt with some addictions and stuff like that, years ago now. But that's something that was huge in the industry. You would see that at work. People were doing stuff at work. You couldn't escape it, right? You just had to do your best to kind of get away from it.
Now it's changing a lot. It's a lot safer. I had to work out of town. I have kids. That causes issues with marriage and stuff. So, I got divorced and I went through hell with that and had to keep working. As upset as I was, I had to go to work every day and I couldn't stop, right? I have kids that depend on me and stuff like that.
There are a bunch of unfair things that happened on the job site. The thing that really gets me is a foreman will choose their buddy for a position over someone who deserves it. So, that's something that many of us have had to deal with no matter what region - that happens everywhere.
And things like not getting training. They expect you to have experience but you can't get the job unless you have experience but they won't give you experience. It's a whole thing. So, like, how does one get into construction?
Taylor White: Yeah, no, totally.
Scott Colclough: That's getting a little bit better. Guys are now investing in new hires. They have no choice because there's no one to work. So, they've been forced into it. But there's stuff like that, too. I don't know. I can keep going on. I could ramble on about a bunch of challenges, but...
Taylor White: No, man. I didn't know about that stuff. But it sounds like you're just a strong guy. I think you're mentally strong as well, too. I mean, we all deal with our own battles, obviously, in our own heads, like, hey, me too, but you definitely sound like you've kind of been through it. It's pretty impressive to stay on the right path, especially in blue-collar work.
Like, I was out in Alberta for a bit when I was 18 and 19. I totally know what you mean by sticking in the right crowd. It's easy to go left or right. Do you want to hang out with the guys that are doing this after work? Or are you going to be a loner and do nothing yourself?
I chose kind of doing nothing by myself because I remember when I was going out there, my parents were like, ‘Hey, you could either do this or you can do that but remember why you're going out there.’ I went out there to make money and to work but a lot of people have a hard time pushing away with that.
Yeah, you get caught up in your own battles as well, too. That's life, right? But I feel like it's interesting that everything that's kind of led you to where you are now, right? It's both impressive and inspiring to hear that.
So, going forward, what is Scott? What is Pushysix? What are you doing 5 years from now? Like, where are you 5 years from now in your vision, like, what's your mission?
Scott Colclough: It evolves all the time; I have different ideas. I have an end goal but that goal is always going to change so I'm never really ever going to reach my end goal because it evolves all the time.
What happens is I have ideas. I work towards it. If it fails, I pick the next one. It's just this constant moving ahead trying to succeed at things and build different types of things.
Yes, right now I actually have more than one company that I'm doing. So, I have something on the side, which I'll premiere one day, which will be in my opinion, game-changing, especially when trying to hire new people for construction, doing some stuff that's never been done.
But it evolves, right? I am on the path of trying to help people. So, I want to help people on a very large scale in construction, outside of construction, from employment, mental health, and training for machines. I just have a plethora of things that it's kind of hard to explain all at once. It wouldn't really make sense to you.I see it, but...
Taylor White: You have the same brain as me. I know where you're going with that. I have the same thing. My brain is running faster than my words coming out. I've got so much going on some of the time and then I literally halfway through a conversation, I'll be like, ‘Wait, what?’
That's why you're successful. That's huge. I know it exactly. You're not doing that because you're spacing out, you're doing that because you just got so much in your head coming out and it's not going quick enough to hear.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, man!
Taylor White: I mean, when you say you want to help, what's the driving factor behind it because you mentioned helping people a lot? Like, what's the driving factor behind it? Why do you care to help people? I think that's really important.
Scott Colclough: Because no one else does and someone has to. I don't know why I'm like this. I grew up this way. I just have this extreme drive to help people and work for a bigger purpose than myself.
Taylor White: No, it's super impressive. I mean, you touch on it a lot. It sits equally. I mean, a lot of people were just kind of looking out for themselves and it's pretty impressive that although you do have to look out for yourself, you care heavily about helping other people in the industry, and people not even in the industry as well, too.
I feel like by sharing your story, it actually kind of really helps people in that sort of way, too. Like, hearing where you're from, and what you've been brought up with, and maybe some of the battles that you've dealt with, those are all really interesting as well.
So, you kind of mentioned where you see yourself going in 5 years and you have lots of plans and ambition, which no matter what you do, you'll be successful out, I know that for sure.
[Advertisement]
If you need to meet them, they're here at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG. You'll meet industry leaders and friends. You'll build new relationships in the community. You'll find the equipment services and the people within your construction field.
Registration is now open. To save 20% off show admission with the promo code: podcast20. Once again, the promo code: podcast20. I'll be going. Scott, you guys heard, is for sure going and tons of people will be going. It's just gonna be an awesome time. So, check out conexpoconagg.com for more info.
[End of Advertisement]
As far as social media as a whole, because I feel like no matter what you do, social media is still going to have a strong point, whether it's issuing a new product, you promote that on social media, whether it's building your brand, it's social media, where do you see Instagram and social media in the construction space heading? What do you see as far as trends?
I remember this – sorry, I'm the king of asking a question and answering it myself, but I want to hear your take. But I remember when I first went on Instagram, I was doing edits to some Skrillex Dubstep stuff and there weren't too many people doing that. But now, I'm sure you see it on Instagram reels, I mean, you were doing it as well too, and I remember a guy, Dirt Gang. He's down in North Carolina or South Carolina. He was making bulldozer videos with these crazy mixes.
There was a handful of guys and girls doing it but it wasn't like everybody and now I feel like so many people do that. It's finding that next style of content that I find is riveting for me, like, what's really hitting? What's new? What's cutting edge? So, where do you see Instagram and social media heading in the construction space, or what excites you about the content on construction on social media?
Scott Colclough: Okay, well, I'll start with kind of how it's changed. So, yes, we used to make sick edits with tons of production time going into it. Now they've changed everything to compete with TikTok so it's all now the short base stuff.
Taylor White: Short bursts.
Scott Colclough: Even one clip with no cuts, no anything, that has taken over everything, and it pisses me off because I got these big fancy cameras.
Taylor White: I agree.
Scott Colclough: And it's geared towards using your cell phone with single cuts.
Taylor White: I hear you. You know what bugs me about it is I'll spend honestly, sometimes 4 or 5 hours on a 15-20 second clip, and then upload it to TikTok and it's like, I don't know, maybe 3000-4000 views.
And then, you upload something that is replying to a question or just a one take on the job site with my iPhone and it's like, 30-40,000 views, and I'm getting a bunch of followers from it and engagement. I'm like, ‘Man, what the heck? Why couldn't you guys like the one that I spent 5 hours on?’ It's weird. It's interesting knowing what people are clicking on now.
Scott Colclough: Yeah! Well, like I think the guys who run those platforms, they're experimenting, right? This has never been done before. So, they're trying to see what works and what doesn't. I think they'll kind of scale this back a little bit and kind of go back to what we were all doing before and just have like, a balance between the longer stuff and the shorter stuff. I hope so because it's really hard to teach people or connect with people with a short little clip.
Taylor White: It's hard to tell a story, I find.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, that does nothing. So, to me, good content is more than just a good picture or a good reel, or even a good video. Have some substance to it. Have a purpose for your post, not just trying to attract followers, like say something, anything, your opinion, teach people. I don't care what it is but put value into it.
Taylor White: That's super important. I mean, I think the exact same, and I get caught up in that too, right? I mean, I think, me, I don't want to speak for you, but definitely, sometimes you're like, you're doing something and you just like throw it up and like now with Instagram's new update, I frickin hate it so far because it's just, it's like TikTok now.
I don't know if you've updated Instagram lately, but it was just like two days ago, for me, it just swapped. The background is black. You can't see multiples at the same time. It's literally just like a TikTok.
I was scrolling and I’m like, ‘This is driving away descriptions.’ People aren't going to click more to see descriptions now because the whole thing, they just want it to be video or picture top to bottom. And I'm like, ‘How am I supposed to talk about this photo or the story behind a photo when people aren't going to do that anymore because they just want to keep scrolling, like, or follow?’ It’s like, ‘Okay, great! Scroll to the next.’ So, like you said, hopefully, the longer form stuff does come out so we can actually tell a story that's behind it, right?
Scott Colclough: Yeah. And if not, what I will do is I will evolve with it and try to crack the code of what works. I’m always trying to do that type of stuff. You may have to become the content, become the short reel yourself, right? Through 15 seconds, you can spit out your description of what you would have explained, right? And do a thorough video. I don't know where this is going.
Taylor White: It's interesting though.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, it is. It's hard to say but I don't know where it's going.
Taylor White: It definitely shocks me and I tried to put a pin on it every time and think that I have something figured out but I don't. But there's definitely, I think a lot more people doing Instagram and social media, further construction companies now than there was before. I feel like it's because of guys like you that actually kind of went out and started doing this. You inspired me to do what I'm doing. Do you know what I mean?
So, I think that that's a good thing. But I also feel like there are so many people doing it now that it's an influx. And over time, I feel like you get some form of overlap or copying of like, ‘This guy's content is just like this guy's content.’ or like, I've already seen this before because like everyone's doing that.’
So, it's really important to try to stay different. So, like you said, you're trying to figure out what it sounds like you spend a lot of time trying to understand that but how do you go about trying to put a pinpoint on being genuine and having a different style of content than anybody else?
Scott Colclough: Staying authentic to me is my single biggest thing that I try to do. I don't watch what other people do. I do not care. Like I said, I do not compete. I see what other people do. I want to do the opposite of what other people are doing. I want to do what I want to do.
So, the way I do that is I'm very cautious of how much time I spend on it and what I'm watching. I don't want that to affect maybe the content that I create or my future content, right?
I'm watching. I see what everybody does and it's a lot of the same stuff. To me, that's not impressive. That does not impress me. You're not doing anything. You're not original. You're not authentic. I won't name any names but there's a lot of it.
Taylor White: I hear you, man. I think what's interesting about your content is you definitely can tell that you're like, ‘Hey, man, this is me. Take it or leave it. Love me or hate me, this is who I am.’
I feel like that's what inspires people. It’s seeing that. Even in your posts and some of your write-ups, like, even my dad will send me some of your stuff, and he’ll be like, ‘Did you see Pushys stuff? Did you see what he said in his video? That is awesome. He doesn't care.’
I love that. That's what we both love about your content. It shows that you don't want to just conform and do what everyone else is doing. It's about being authentic and being yourself, right?
Scott Colclough: Yeah, for sure! I must say, I've been watching your stuff. I don't know who films your stuff but he's killing it. You're putting out lots of good stuff.
Taylor White: No, I appreciate that. Yeah, just got a new guy doing it. He started two weeks ago. Yeah, it was the same thing as you man. It was like, ‘Listen, I don't have the time to do it anymore.’ It's important, I feel, when you're running a business to understand what you're good at and what you're not good at.
I guess I enjoyed editing and I still do edit, and I enjoyed filmmaking and I still do my little edits and stuff, but it's important to know that I needed to take a step back and do something else with the business, which is what you're doing. I'm excited to kind of see your journey in that as well too and kind of grow from there and see where you take it next as far as content and staying up with the trends and whatnot.
So, what platforms are you kind of diving into right now? Are you going to TikTok or Instagram or YouTube or anything like that?
Scott Colclough: Right now, I'm trying to focus on the main two, which are TikTok and Instagram. You need to evolve with the times and if it's geared towards short reels and stuff, that's what I need to do.
Taylor White: Yeah, I totally hear you there because a lot of people are going towards the short reels and kind of staying along that path of the shorter form content. And I guess we'll see a lot of that too at the CONEXPO Podcasts or the CONEXPO Show. And as we lead up to CONEXPO, the content that people are producing around it.
But if there were like one or two booths that you had to talk about being super excited about seeing at the show, are you allowed to single out one or two can you say that, or is that something that's like maybe you have your own little project that you're more excited about?
Scott Colclough: I don't know. I love the Cat booth. They knock it out of the park every single time.
Taylor White: Your T-shirt is Cat, too, so
Scott Colclough: Yeah, and my tattoos.
Taylor White: You're a big Cat guy, obviously.
Scott Colclough: Yeah! No, I am. They make good stuff.
Taylor White: Totally! I’m a Cat guy, too. We have a Komatsu and a John Deere as well. But Cat puts out some really good stuff, man. I always say a Cat is the Cadillac, you know.
Scott Colclough: I also like John Deere. I also liked Komatsu. I also like Doosan. There's some stuff from SANY coming out. The thing is every brand specializes in something that they make the best of or top of the line, right?
It just so happens that Cat makes the best grater. The best dozer. The best, well, only scraper. So, they're winning in a bunch of different ways that way. But dude, there's every brand out there right now. I'm excited for every single one.
Taylor White: Yeah, same. It's really cool to see what the companies are coming out with now as far as catering to the operator as well too. And I'm sure we'll see some pretty cool products unveiled at the CONEXPO show as well but I'm excited to see what else they can do from here. John Deere has got their thing. Cat has their next-gen cabs.
Each one, like you said, kind of has its own thing but I'm excited to see where we keep going from here? That's what gets me excited. Like you said, the tech really excites you. That's the same as me. Where do we go from here?
The Cat grade system in our 325 and the 315 is the guys can keep grade with pulling back one joystick right now. Now I have different opinions on whether that's amazing or not, but it is incredible what they're doing now and I think that that's exciting to see like where do we go from here, right? Where do you see it going from here?
Scott Colclough: I see it going to a lot of autonomous type stuff and semi-autonomous like, for example, that D10 that I tried out. I think I'm excited for a bunch of that type stuff because there are actually a lot of applications for it. Yes, I'm all about operating and skills and stuff like that but there are cool applications where this stuff can be used, right?
Taylor White: Is it used on larger? I mean, because our company will work on job sites that are large commercial projects, and we’ll also work in like right now, we have both ends of it, we have a commercial and residential and our residential crew is in someone's backyard. Are they using these remote-controlled or AI machinery in the backyard of someone's house or is there a special use case for it?
Scott Colclough: Yeah. So, there's a special use mostly right now in mining applications where the job is a super simple, slot dozing, trucks hauling and dumping on the same path all day, every day. And to me, I don't like those jobs anyway. Like, you don't need skill to actually do that as an operator. So, I've been saying for a long time, I don't even care about those jobs.
For people, yeah, it feeds people and stuff like that. But there are also a bunch of remote locations where it takes four hours to drive there a day. You could run that dozer from your house, and employ younger people.
But yeah, there's a bunch of stuff. I don't know exactly the direction that it's going to go but what I do know is we're now using a lot of construction tech, LiDAR and stuff like that to actually create reality within the metaverse, which this topic I know, seems funny, but I don't think there's any stopping it. Our world is going towards that rapidly. So, yeah, I can't wait to see where that goes. Or maybe I'm not excited. Haven't decided yet.
Taylor White: No, I totally agree. It is strange. I mean, there's so much talk. I mean, like you can buy land on the metaverse now and do this and do that. Yeah, I don't know. Like, I don't think Cat or John Deere or Doosan or anybody came out with an NFT, or something like that. Have they yet?
Scott Colclough: No, I don't think so.
Taylor White: No, not yet. I mean, it's interesting seeing something because I feel like construction was somewhat far behind. It's not I guess that wouldn't be fair to say. I feel like in the last 5 years, they've really had a push towards technology. And obviously, they're always trying to adapt like technology with it, but now it's like the automotive industry. You know, they’ve got electric vehicles and stuff first, but I guess we have to get the actual technology to have batteries that are capable of running an excavator all day in extreme temperatures as well, too.
But that's something that I'm really excited about too because as a business owner, our fuel bill and everything right now is just disgusting to pay for. Fuel is an incredible expense right now and I'm looking forward to a lot of the battery-powered stuff, which I think we're going to see in some of the smaller stuff. Where do you see that? Do you agree with that? Do you think it'll work?
Scott Colclough: I do agree with it. I think we're a ways away. As you said, they need to develop tech to make it last longer.
Taylor White: Those things get hot, man.
Scott Colclough: They get hot and it's dangerous. When it gets hot, it can fail. However, it's good for a bunch of things as long as you don't have to wait five hours to charge for the day, like at break time or something. Most things last eight to 10 hours depending on how hard you run them, which is great for a farmer that has cows inside a barn. Yeah, that's awesome.
Right now, it's not realistic, I don't think, on a construction site. But we're getting there. I am excited. I love electric because it has way more torque and power, and it's quiet and stuff like that. But for me, it will never replace the excitement of a loud diesel engine in any machine, right? Just that raw exhaust that comes out. That is what makes you an operator or the whole experience as an operator so amazing.
Taylor White: Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, growing up, we had this old 1961 Cat 966 B loader. I remember my most exciting part was it was plus 40 out in the middle of summer and we still had to preheat the thing for like 30 seconds just to fire up and just the plume of black smoke that would come out and the sound of it firing up on it and it would sit in idle like bop, bop, bop, bop, bop.
That's the sort of stuff that I love. Our dozer at work when you throttle it up – the sound of it. I agree and I feel like that's even like an electric pickup and stuff like that, you kind of would lose that, like, that's the sense of construction, we're doing something, and we're working.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, that's what we are, rough and tough blue collar, right? So, going from that to electric with no noise. I don't know. It kind of kills the whole vibe for the thing.
Taylor White: That's like I saw the Ford Lightning truck. It has a button that you can press with a progressive sound. So, whenever you leave a stoplight or something, it'll make the sounds in your stereo of what the motor would sound like. I wonder if they would do that with machinery.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, well, I'm sure they would. That's so cheesy. But whatever. I don't know.
Taylor White: Totally, man. But yeah, that's the sort of stuff that I'm looking forward to seeing at future CONEXPO. Especially the one this year, the 2023 show. I'm excited to see you there as well. I'm sure we're gonna have to share some conversations back and forth over maybe a beer or two or three.
Scott Colclough: Yeah, for sure. I'm, I'm down for that any day of the week.
Taylor White: Awesome! Sweet, man. The one last thing – because you're our first so you're the first one to answer this – I'm going to ask everybody kind of the same question. It is my first one so maybe I'm kind of re-asking a question I've already asked but just on a longer date, and a simple answer, I guess it might be hard for someone like you and me with our minds, but where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Scott Colclough: 10 years from now, I'll be trying to do what I'm doing right now. It's never going to stop. I'm on a life mission. This will only stop the day I die. It won't even then because my kids will hopefully keep me alive in some way, somehow, whether it's construction or not, but they’ll use what I've built to do something positive.
But in 10 years, I’ll just keep doing what I'm doing, trying to make the world a better place, trying to help people, trying to educate and be positive, and spreading that around.
Taylor White: Well, I think you're doing a completely fantastic job with that. And I think that you will have a legacy that will carry on. I think the name Pushysix is something that will be and currently is on its way there. If not already, it is in my house, at least a household construction name.
I genuinely mean that man. It's not because you're on the podcast and I'm trying to sweet talk you. I wouldn't talk to somebody like this if I didn't mean and seriously, dude, you were one of the first actually that I saw doing this online.
I want to thank you for coming on today but I also want to thank you myself for doing what you're doing. I'm pumped to actually sit down and have a chat with you, even though it's a short live conversation. And I feel like I could talk to you for hours. But honestly, dude, thank you so much. And I'm looking forward to seeing you at this year's CONEXPO.
Scott Colclough: Yes! Thanks very much for having me. I’m honored that you thought of me as your first guest. It's awesome.
Taylor White: Thanks, man. All right, we'll catch you guys on the next one. Take care!
[Advertisement]
If you need to meet them, they're here at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG. You'll meet industry leaders and friends. You'll build new relationships in the community. You'll find the equipment services, and the people within your construction field.
Registration is now open. So, save 20% off show admission with the promo code: podcast20. Again, the promo code is: podcast20. I'll be going. Scott, you guys heard it is for sure going and tons of people will be going. It's just going to be an awesome time, so check out conexpoconagg.com for more info.
[End of Advertisement]
