#292: Digitizing Construction: The Rhumbix Story with Zach Scheel, U.S. Navy Veteran

Service Academy Business Mastermind

“One of the things that the military really does well to prepare entrepreneurs is creating the ability to be comfortable in an environment with a lot of unknowns, that's highly dynamic, and rolling with the punches with whatever's thrown at you." -Zach Scheel, U.S. Navy Veteran

Zach Scheel is the CEO and Co-founder of Rhumbix, a mobile technology company that empowers construction workers to capture accurate, real-time data in the field while providing project managers with data-driven insights to dramatically improve site safety and labor productivity. Zach has led Rhumbix from its inception in 2014 to the company being recognized as the Forbes #8 Veteran Startup in the U.S. He holds a BSE in mechanical engineering and mathematics from Duke University and an MS/MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. From 2006-2011, Zach served as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer in the U.S. Navy while stationed in the Republic of Djibouti and as an Assistant Public Works Officer and Assistant Resident Officer in the Greater Seattle Area. He is a California Board Certified Professional Engineer, an LEED Accredited Professional, and an active member of YPO. He is passionate about leveraging technology to improve construction efficiency and worker safety.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Zach's career in the Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer, managing large construction projects and facing technology limitations in the field.
• The inspiration for Rhumbix, drawn from Zach's military experience and exposure to systems like Blue Force Tracker while working in the Horn of Africa in Djibouti.
• Rhumbix's focus on field and workforce management for contractors and digitizing workflows, like timekeeping, production tracking, and safety compliance.
• The company's emphasis on user-friendly mobile applications designed specifically for field workers.
• Rhumbix's journey from a venture-backed startup to approaching profitability, with a shift in focus from hypergrowth to unit economics.
• The challenges faced by the construction industry, including skilled labor shortages and the need for increased productivity.
• Challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including workforce reductions and transitioning to remote work.
• Zach's goals for Rhumbix, including becoming the software of choice for craft workers in the construction industry.

Connect with Zach:

• LinkedIn
• Rhumbix
• [e-mail]

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Special thanks to Zach for joining me this week. Until next time!

-Scott Mackes, USNA ’01