In this 6‑questions‑in‑7‑minutes interview, Professor Pete Alexander talks with Matt Brennan, the CEO and founder of Loveland Excavating and Paving in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brennan explains that his company prepares building sites, handling earthmoving, utilities, paving and concrete work, and describes his role in setting direction, aligning resources, and motivating staff. He highlights the unique satisfaction of creating lasting, physical infrastructure that can be seen and remembered for decades. Brennan stresses that the most important business lesson is learning to "win with people," emphasizing servant leadership, hiring the right talent, and caring for employees. He advises leaders to "keep grinding," not fear failure, and to make decisions even if they might be wrong, aiming for a positive success rate. He adds that empowering teams means hiring good people, giving them tools, and removing barriers. Brennan recommends executive coach Don Frerichs for developing leadership at all levels. He shares his first job sweeping houses for his builder‑developer father, noting how early hard work built a lifelong work ethic. The episode ends with Brennan’s contact details (LinkedIn and Facebook) and a plug for the Winning at Business and Life podcast.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are, and what you do.
Uh, good afternoon. My name is Matt Brennan. I'm the CEO and founder of Loveland Excavating and Paving, here located in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are site contractors, meaning we prepare building sites for the future projects. And so in that realm, we move dirt, we put in underground utilities, we do asphalt paving and concrete work as well. And my role is as the CEO So I set direction, I align resources, and I motivate and inspire.
Matt, it's so great to have you on the show. Question number 2: What's the best thing about working in your industry?
I think what's really unique and kind of fun for us is that we're actually creating stuff. We're actually creating a project. We're creating, you know, a tangible product. So years from now, I drive by projects that we did 10 and 15 and even 20-some years ago, and I can remember those projects and remember what we went through to get them built. And so we have an end product that we can be really proud of, and it stands its test in time. And it's our ability to show my kids and my grandkids, hey, you know, we built that project.
Oh, I think that's so neat because it really— it's something that isn't going to be replaced like, you know, let's say you built a software package and now all of a sudden it's been replaced by newer technology. It's It's physical product that you can see. That's awesome.
Yeah.
Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
I think the number 1 chapter to read is How to Win with People. Um, businesses are made up of a bunch of different types of infrastructure, and it can be machinery and equipment and tangible real estate and all, but at the end of the day, In business, you win with people and you've got to learn to win with people and how to interact with people and how to be a servant leader and how to make sure that your people are taken care of. Um, today I can walk into any equipment store and buy any piece of equipment that I want at any price. It doesn't matter. But finding the right person and finding the person that can run that and finding someone that follows your company ideals and your, and basically your company mantra. That is so difficult. And so you really have to dial down and understand that this, no matter what you do, you are a business with people and you must win with people.
That's very insightful. Thank you for that. Question number 4, other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude and care for customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
I think there's a couple. Number one, we have a saying around here, and it basically is just keep grinding. No matter what you do, just keep grinding. Don't give up. Keep pushing, keep pushing the envelope, keep thinking outside the box. But whatever you do, we are saying, we say it all the time, just keep grinding. The second thing is you can't be afraid to fail. You're going to fail in business. You're going to fail as a leader. And it's better to make a decision and have that decision be wrong than to make no decision at all. So don't be paralyzed by fear. Don't be paralyzed by indecision. Make a decision and realize that all you're trying to do is have a positive batting average. Just make me over .500, you'll be successful. But don't be afraid to fail. Don't be afraid to go outside the box and just keep grinding.
I love that. And it kind of reminds me of, uh, question number 3, where you were saying to be, you know, be the people, uh, be able to work with people. Because the, the people, in order to feel like they shouldn't be afraid to fail, I assume that they need to have that supportive environment in order to take those risks.
Absolutely. You have to live— get out of the— get out of your people's way. Hire good people, and then my job is to give them the tools to be successful and then get out of their way. So don't put up barriers to them. Don't give them barriers. Don't give them rules. Let them run their divisions. Let them run their business. Let them conduct themselves as professionals and just be there to help them along the way. Be there to problem solve and know that they're going to make wrong decisions and they're going to make mistakes and accept that as a leader. Those are growth points. They're not negative points. They're, they're points of growth and it's going to happen. And you have to accept that as a leader, as an owner, and learn from it and move on.
Yeah, absolutely. I love that. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
There's a gentleman that we use a lot. His name is Don Frerichs, and Don is an executive coach. We very strongly believe in executive coaching. We strongly believe in the process of working with outside professionals to determine your personality, determine your insights, and to give give you an example of your worldview. So we really think it's important to work with outside people, get your top executives and your middle management executives into executive coaching so that they can develop themselves and work on professional development. Don has done this for us and has done a miraculous job training the next succession of leaders here at Loveland Excavating and Paving.
Great. I'll reach out to him. Thank you for that referral. And our final question. Question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
You know, I, I look back on my first job. Um, my dad was a builder and developer and I was a rather rambunctious kid. And so, uh, when I was young, my dad would put me in the car and he'd take me up to one of his subdivisions where he was building houses and he'd hand me a broom and a list of houses to go sweep out and clean. And I spent my summers working up in the subdivisions with him. So, That was my first job. I actually got paid. All my friends were playing at the pool and playing with their friends and going off and playing summer baseball. And I worked my summers in construction and learned the construction industry. And at the time, I thought it was the worst job in the world. And I just really hated my dad for making me work so hard. But it developed a work ethic, you know, that still is here with me today. And I'm grateful my father did that for me.
Me.
But that was my first job. And as you can see, I'm now 59 years old. I did that, maybe I started when I was 12 or 13, and I've been in construction ever since. So, and it's pretty well.
I love it. And you know, in addition to, it gave you an opportunity to, to, I guess, build rapport with your dad, even though you hated him for it.
I think hate's maybe a strong word. I just, You know how you're, when you're young and you want to go, all your friends are playing at the pool and here you are sweeping houses out. Uh, but my dad was a builder and a developer and I learned the business through him and, and, uh, he helped me get started in my business. And, uh, so I'm grateful for the opportunity that he gave me and the work ethic that he instilled on me at a very young age.
Great story. Thank you for that. And Matt, thank you so much for being on the show.
Great to be here.
How can people find you?
Uh, I'm on LinkedIn. Uh, it's Matthew J. Brennan. Uh, our company's on LinkedIn, Loveland Excavating and Paving Inc. And I'm also on Facebook.
Perfect. This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. For more insights and ideas, please go to LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, or iTunes and search for the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Thanks for listening.
