Welcome, fine email-readers, to Aaron’s official “Cool Stuff That Happened in 2023” list.
If you are not interested in cool stuff and/or me, I suggest you move along.
With that, I will waste no time and dive into the official list in no particular order of coolness.
COOL STUFF #1
We made weekly payroll for 52 consecutive weeks
While this may seem like no brilliant feat, I bet anyone who’s spent time around business ownership/operation can attest that this is indeed a brilliant feat.
We took on significant investment in 2021 but didn’t have the processes, experience, or discipline as a business to allocate it as well as we could have.
Our spending wasn’t for naught, but it led to many difficult realities at the end of last year and this year, most of which were regarding people.
That said, we are in the strongest financial position in years heading into 2024, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. The biggest lesson is that our mission is meaningless without a viable business model that can consistently care for our team.
COOL STUFF #2
SPORTS
I am not a sports fan… Glances at ESPN playing in airport bars at 6 AM was the extent of my sports-watching in 2023.
Ironically, thanks to the Dirt World, I found myself on some of the biggest stages in global sports, starting with the Winter X Games in Aspen. I didn’t see the games themselves, but I wasn’t disappointed as I saw something better—the building of the entire course with Snow Park Technologies.
Then, in April, I had the chance to spend my first-ever Supercross experience on the floor at the Nashville show. Again, I wasn’t there to see what the tens of thousands of fans were paying handsomely for—I was there to watch Dirt Wurx build, maintain, and load out the course.
Finally, this one is the most head-scratching: I visited ALL THREE current American Formula One tracks. I photographed the resurfacing of the Miami track, then milling at COTA, and the final surface paving for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in the fall. Quite the feather in my hard hat, if I do say so myself.
COOL STUFF #3
Speaking
One of my goals for 2023 was to become a better speaker, which meant taking on most speaking opportunities that came my way.
I can confidently declare I am a better speaker after speaking to 5,000+ people in nine states this year. Not by much, but I am better.
The best engagement by a long shot was our very own Ariat Dirt World Summit, where I followed retired Navy SEAL Commander Jocko Willink. Not only was it my biggest audience to date at around 800 people, but it was a talk I’d technically worked for six years to prepare for.
Speaking of the summit…
COOL STUFF #4
Ariat Dirt World Summit
When Dan pitched us hosting a huge industry leadership event in January, I thought he was nuts. Coming off a challenging year in 2022, we needed to focus.
But he and the other leaders at BuildWitt made a business case, and I am happy to report that I was SO WRONG.
Within six months, our brilliant team assembled a world-class speaker lineup, drafted sponsors (like Ariat, Trimble, and Sany), and, most importantly, talked 700+ Dirt World leaders into showing up.
Based on feedback, it’s safe to say the event was a success. Attendees have said we’ll have a hard time topping it for 2024, but they don’t know our team well enough. 2024 will be TWICE AS GOOD.
COOL STUFF #5
International Travel
I could write a book on my international travel in 2023 alone—Australia 3X, Chile, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The industry access I enjoy boggles my mind. I saw the assembly of the world’s largest mining truck package in the world’s driest desert, an autonomous oil sand mine in subzero temperatures, and the world’s largest construction project.
But beyond the big machines and earthmoving, the people I met and the cultures I experienced are even greater and more exciting.
No matter what corner of the world I visit, the people of the Dirt World are hard-working, kind, creative, and proud. Even when I don’t share someone’s language, I don’t need to. I can sense their pride from a handshake.
The more I see, the more there is to see, and I’ve never been more grateful for the travel I can do.
COOL STUFF #6
BuildWitt Roadshow
I’ve had A LOT of dumb ideas, but this one could qualify for a podium.
I drove the West Coast with friends over two college spring breaks in rented RVs. Could we do the same thing with the Dirt World?
Cut to July of this year, and there I was, alongside Angel and Jack, traveling to 30+ states to visit 40+ Dirt World companies and friends in a rented RV.
I doubt I’d do it like we did again, but I’ll have the memories forever, and we’re still editing the videos and photos from the trip.
The variety of work we saw was spectacular—tunnels, landfills, marine works, paving, coal mining, logging, agriculture, gold course construction, dam construction, and so on…
But again, like the international trip, the best part about it was the people.
Living with people in their home driveways or at their shops brought so much fun conversation and unexpected connection.
I drove away from EVERY visit, thinking, “Those are some of the best people I know.” What other industry has that? I haven’t found another.
COOL STUFF #7
Personal Achievement
I don’t know why, but everyone asks about my personal life, and I always respond with the truth: I don’t have much of one, and that’s fine by me.
I must dedicate myself 100% to our mission to reach my desired level. In the first few years of business, I tried to find “balance,” but I’ve become more comfortable with obsession and dedication over the past few years.
This is why (and NOT because of my lame personality) that I haven’t kept a relationship in my 20s.
So the fact that I dated the same woman all year is quite the “cool stuff” achievement. While she lives in another country halfway around the world, providing a slight wrinkle to iron out, I’m happy we’ve enjoyed each other for this long.
Secondly, in the “personal” department, I finished the third absurd fitness goal I set in 2020: completing a full Ironman triathlon. I’d never done a triathlon, ridden a bike for over 60 miles, or swam in open water before. But I knew I could do it, and that’s all I needed.
COOL STUFF #8
Some Numbers Etc.
I cannot understate the hard work from our team this year! I’ve never felt better about the strength of our team and can’t wait for them to keep knocking my socks off in 2024. I wish I had more neat numbers, but this is what I have off-hand without bothering anyone on the holiday break!
- 900+ New BuildWitt Training Videos Uploaded
- 300+ Companies Using BuildWitt Training
- 200,000+ Visits to BuildWitt.com
- Fifteen New Websites Launched!
- 80+ Flights
- 64 Million YouTube Views
- 187 Million Accounts Reached on Instagram
- 800,000 Dirt Talk Podcast Downloads
- 33 Million People Reached on LinkedIn
Dirt Talk Podcast
Join Aaron and special guest Jim Mathis, the proprietor of Gittaway Ranch and President of WyoTech. If you were to inquire about Jim's profession, he'd humbly mention ranching, which is accurate. However, Jim's role transcends ranching. Alongside managing a thriving cattle ranch, he also assumes the roles of a teacher, skilled diesel mechanic, and the President of Wyoming's sole accredited private university, WyoTech. The university prioritizes a hands-on, practical approach to education. It welcomes students nationwide, imparting values, tools, and the necessary discipline for establishing substantial trade careers. For captivating ranch tales and insights into shaping tomorrow's skilled workforce, tune in to this episode.
Vlog
This summer, we visited marine contractor JE McAmis outside of Astoria, Oregon, to watch them rebuild a historic jetty on the mouth of the Columbia River.
After a century of pounding by the Pacific Ocean, the two-mile stone structure was in disrepair. Since it helps to keep the critical Columbia River channel open to commerce and protects everyone upriver from storm surges, the Army Corps began to draw up plans for rebuilding it.
JE McAmis won the contract a few years ago and is now working to place hundreds of thousands of tons of armor stone over the next few summers.
They built a custom Cat 6020B long reach excavator to place the rock, with nearly 100' of reach. It's a WILD machine, and we loved watching it in action!
I'll see you next month! Don’t miss out!!
