Clay Smith: Helping Leaders Harness Revit at eVolve MEP and Optimizing Software at Applied Software

By Luke Lightning

September 14, 2022

In this week's episode of the Future Construct Podcast (26 min interview), we are excited to feature Clay Smith, CEO at eVolve MEP (@evolvemep) and COO at Applied Software (ASTI) (@Applied_SW), and our host Peck (@AmyPeckXR). eVolve MEP helps leaders in the mechanical, electrical and plumbing industries harness the power of Revit (@AutodeskRevit) for increased revenue, improved productivity, a stronger workforce and enhanced quality. They do this through software and services that enable faster detailer workflow, smarter use of skilled labor, fewer errors, higher quality and ultimately more projects. Partnered with ASTI, one of the largest AEC, Construction, Fabrication and Manufacturing System integrators in North America, eVolve MEP has created a tremendous breakthrough solution to meet the demands of the MEP prefabrication market.

Click to listen to our interview with Clay on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube channels.

As CEO, Clay launched and rapidly grew eVolve MEP, a construction technology start-up and comprehensive SaaS technology platform. He manages a versatile team (6 direct reports/65 total employees) of trade-specific product managers, software developers, and SaaS sales professionals, along with a talented executive team that he recruited and that propelled the business to the top of the subtrade software market. 

Highlights of Clay’s interview with host Amy Peck (@AmyPeckXR) include:

• Drawing a correlation between skills applied in the military and skills applied in the MEP software industry

• The rate at which customers are adopting technology, and how that might pose challenges in the future

• How close we are to doing the "heavy lifting" in the cloud with the admin of 5G, real-time rendering, and edge compute and other tools

• The influx of so much new technology in immersive technology, blockchain, AI, and how these emerging technologies will have an impact in our industry

As the COO, Clay focused on transforming the culture of ASTI from one of misalignment to one that attracts diverse talent from all over the US. He directed operational policies / organizational goals and managed sales and marketing, software development, technical consulting, and information technology. During his 6-year tenure, his efforts created $MM in value as the company grew to 158 employees (12 direct reports). As the empowerment-based culture he implemented flourished, ASTI’s turnaround became a growth story that catalyzed aggressive corporate growth via new client contracts and the subsequent need to recruit additional talent.

Click to listen to our interview with Clay on Apple, Spotify, or Google, or watch on our Facebook or YouTube channels.

SHOW NOTES

0:12  Amy Peck introduces Todd Mustard, Vice President at The Association of Union Contractors.

04:16  It's interesting, because I didn't know you had a military background, but I do seem to come across a lot of people with military background. Do you think there's a correlation in some of the skills you'd apply in the military, you apply in this industry?

5:26  When you think about the work that you're doing, are you seeing customers really adopt technology on an end-to-end basis, or are they solving problems one at a time, and is that going to be an approach that becomes challenging in the future because there's so much technology coming at us now?

9:34  Do you think that with the admin of 5G, real-time rendering, and edge compute, that at some point, we'll be able to do the heavy lifting in the cloud and deliver the end result, or are we a decade away from that?

10:48  So we've talked about your evolution and how you're thinking about software and optimization and the move to the cloud, but there's so much technology coming in immersive technology, blockchain, AI. How do you see these emerging technologies starting to have an impact in our industry?

About BIM Designs, Inc.

BIM Designs, Inc. is an agile BIM design, modeling, consulting, and coordination service provider for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) contractors and developers that desire experienced journeymen detailers and engineers for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection (MEPF) modeling, Laser Scanning, and Virtual Design Construction (VDC) projects.

If you need 3D BIM modeling, design, and MEP detailing services, BIM Designs, Inc. (BDI) has the expert tradesmen who know how to precisely design and model your systems. Contact us today for a free estimate or to discuss your project needs.