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PODCAST

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton

As the Voice for the people who build, innovate, and sustain mission-critical infrastructure, Hands-On Heroes introduces the Podcast Host, Val Crafton who is The Voice of Grit — a trailblazer at the intersection of technology, trades, and transformation. With over two decades in mission-critical construction, she’s made it her purpose to amplify the people behind the progress — the builders, engineers, and innovators shaping our digital world. Val bridges the gap between boardrooms and jobsites,

technology

All Episodes

12:19

Closing a Chapter, Opening a Mission: Hands-On Heroes...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/10/31

This is it. The final episode of Beyond the Megawatt—but not the end of the mission.Since launching in May, Mara and Valerie set out to amplify the voices that weren't being heard at conferences, to dig into the issues that were being talked about but not truly addressed. And over 25 episodes, one theme kept surfacing no matter who they spoke with: the workforce crisis. It became impossible to ignore—and even more impossible to accept inaction as a response. In this bittersweet episode,

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59:12

Redefining What’s Possible in Data Center Development

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/10/30

Luke Kipfer's career path reads like a blueprint for the future of infrastructure leadership—starting at 18 cleaning condenser coils on Liebert units, pivoting through operations, retail colo, and hyperscale development, and now shaping strategy in one of the industry's fastest-growing platforms. His story isn't just about climbing the ladder. It's about understanding every rung—and knowing when to step off and build something better. In this conversation, Luke opens up about the power of

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15:03

Straight from Data Cloud: Live Insights

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/10/16

Beyond the Megawatt took over DataCloud USA 2025, capturing the energy, innovation, and bold conversations happening on the show floor and behind the scenes. This episode is a highlight reel featuring rapid-fire insights from industry leaders solving some of the biggest challenges in mission-critical infrastructure—from behind-the-meter power solutions and fiber connectivity to sustainable energy and workforce development.We also sit down with Lottie and Joe from the DataCloud team to talk about

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49:55

400MW, Half the Time: MOD42’s Modular Reality

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/10/09

The data center industry is racing against the clock, and traditional construction timelines can't keep up. Enter modular data centers: purpose-built, repeatable, and designed to deploy infrastructure at a speed that would make legacy builds look outdated.Chris Abramo and Meg Tock from Mod42 join Mara and Val to myth-bust the misconceptions around modular construction, explain how they're deploying 400-megawatt sites faster than anyone thought possible, and challenge engineers to rethink what

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56:00

Why Non-Destructive Excavation Is Non-Negotiable in...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/10/02

Starting a construction business with zero industry experience? Kristy Black did exactly that—and built Black Hydrovac into a critical player in mission-critical infrastructure. But this isn't just a startup story. It's about partnership, risk, resilience, and redefining what it means to support each other in a fast-paced industry.Kristy spent nearly 20 years in education before COVID shifted everything. When that door closed, she didn't wait for another to open—she kicked her way through. With

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60:44

Climate Optimism: Innovation > Greenwashing

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/09/25

What happens when two self-proclaimed sustainability "experts" sit down to challenge everything we think we know about greenwashing, carbon accounting, and the future of sustainable construction? This conversation cuts through the noise to reveal why sustainability has finally grown up—and why that's the most exciting thing happening in infrastructure right now.Charlie and Catherine bring decades of hard-won experience from both inside and outside the corporate sustainability machine. They're

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50:37

Did YOTTA 2025 Deliver? Voices from Across the Ecosystem

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/09/18

This episode captures the raw energy and honest conversations from the event floor, featuring voices from across the data center, energy, and infrastructure communities. From modular data center builders to energy innovators, from seasoned industry veterans to newcomers finding their footing, everyone had something to say about whether YOTTA succeeded in bridging the tribes of digital infrastructure.In the second half, we sit down with George Rockett, the visionary behind YOTTA, for an

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49:33

Being your Authentic Self on Stage - You know more...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/09/11

The data center industry desperately needs more diverse voices on stage, but too often, women are backing down from speaking opportunities at the last minute. Why are qualified professionals declining panels and presentations? And more importantly, how do we change that?In this conversation, we dig into the real barriers keeping women from stepping up to the microphone, from imposter syndrome to perfectionism to the fear of being judged. Our guests share hard-won wisdom about finding your

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45:03

No Victims, Just Builders: Carrie Goetz on Agency,...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/09/04

In this powerful episode, we sit down with trailblazer Carrie Goetz — author, educator, and industry pioneer. We’ll explore her human story: how she broke into the industry, the challenges she’s overcome, and how she’s helped shape the evolution of the digital infrastructure space. From sparking curiosity in young minds to educating adults across the globe, Carrie’s impact spans generations. Now, as she begins to pass the torch, her legacy continues to inspire the next wave of leaders. Don’t miss

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17:16

Quantum to Kilowatts: What’s New at DataCloud USA

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/08/28

The data center industry is shifting from fiber-first to power-first strategy, and DataCloud USA is bringing all the right players to the table. Joe Howarth and Lottie Westerling share what makes their Austin event different—from quantum computing keynotes to bold predictions about infrastructure's next frontier.Key Themes: • Power-first strategy replacing traditional fiber-first thinking • Quantum computing's impact on data center design requirements • Industry talent pipeline challenges

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56:04

Labor Crisis as a National Emergency

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/08/21

When you flip a light switch, there's no David Copperfield hiding behind the sheetrock. That's science at work, not magic. But what happens when we can't find the people who understand that science? Greg Crumpton, a 30-year veteran of the mechanical contracting industry, calls it what it is: a national emergency. In this unfiltered conversation, Greg pulls zero punches about SMEs who hoard knowledge, the generational divide that's costing us innovation, and why AI is a tool, not a threat. From

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37:22

From Tribes to Transformation: George Rockett on...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/08/14

This isn't just another industry event—it's a movement. 🚀 In this episode of Beyond the Megawatt, George Rockett shares how his vision to unite the "tribes" of digital infrastructure is transforming the way our industry collaborates, innovates, and tackles its toughest challenges.From energy as the new front line to partnerships over competition, discover why the second year of this event is set to double in size and change the game for data centers worldwide. 🎙️ Plus—hear what's coming in

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47:41

Future-Ready Starts Early: Inspiring Kids to Discover...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/08/07

What if the workforce crisis isn't about lazy kids or entitled generations—but about a complete failure to show young people the pathways that actually exist? Michael Wilson from GenTech is proving that early exposure changes everything, from elementary students programming Amazon warehouse robots to former farm workers' kids seeing automation as opportunity instead of threat.This conversation cuts through the usual workforce development rhetoric to reveal what's actually working: turnkey

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47:22

Voices That Move Markets: Live From the WiMCO Tech...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/07/31

What happens when you really listen to the conversations happening in the margins? Four years ago, Jackie Pasierbowicz overheard women talking about professional isolation right after a networking event designed to support them. That moment of recognition sparked the 7x24 Exchange WiMCO Tech Summit – now a sold-out annual gathering that's redefining how we think about professional development in mission-critical industries.This episode takes you behind the scenes of building something the

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49:20

Disrupting the Grid: Veterans, Energy Innovation, and...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/07/24

What happens when a Navy submarine veteran challenges everything the data center industry thinks it knows? You get a conversation that's equal parts uncomfortable and essential. Tony Grayson doesn't just question industry assumptions, he dismantles them with the precision of someone who's managed 14-megawatt floating data centers under conditions most of us can't imagine.Key Insights: • Why veterans managing submarine IT infrastructure are the data center operators we desperately need but

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39:33

Nuclear Power by 2026? The Data Center Energy Crisis

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/07/17

The energy conversation in data centers just got real. In this episode, we dive deep with Alison Krager Hahn from the Department of Energy and Rhea Williams from E3 Energy Partners on the hybrid strategies reshaping how we power digital infrastructure. From nuclear timelines that will surprise you to the natural gas bridges we need today, this conversation cuts through the noise to deliver the hard truths about America's power crisis.Key Insights from This Episode: • Nuclear deployment is

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50:57

The Eight-Week Mark: What We’ve Learned, and What...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/07/10

Eight weeks into Beyond the Megawatt, Mara and Val pause to reflect on what they've learned about starting a podcast, challenging industry norms, and amplifying voices that typically don't get heard. This honest conversation reveals the real motivations behind their platform and why non-traditional career paths might be exactly what the data center industry needs.Key Insights: • The shame of non-traditional paths - Why many successful professionals hide their unconventional routes into

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37:30

Talent That Scales: Redefining People Strategy in...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/07/03

Half of all data center talent will retire within the next decade. At the same time, we need to double our workforce to meet exploding infrastructure demand. This isn't just another workforce challenge—it's an existential threat to the mission-critical systems that power our digital economy.Dr. Tracy Brown (Chief of Staff) and Lisa Stevens (Head of HR at CleanArc Data Centers) join Valerie Crafton to tackle the hard truths about talent development in mission-critical infrastructure. From the

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40:09

Can Data Centers Ever Be Sustainable? These Women Say...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/06/26

What happens when you put three sustainability leaders in one room and ask them to call BS on industry practices? You get the most honest conversation about data center sustainability we've had yet.Karen Cooper (DLR Group), Jenna Middaugh (Green Building Initiative), and Patricia Leyva (Equinix) didn't hold back. From fear-based pricing to parallel study failures, this episode tackles why sustainability initiatives keep getting blamed for project problems—and what to do about it. Key Insights

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47:13

Redefining Power: Transformational Leadership in a...

Hands On Heroes with Valerie Crafton ·

2025/06/19

Leadership in mission-critical industries isn't broken—it's being measured all wrong. This conversation with executive coach Lori Severson and leadership expert Andrea Janzen exposes the invisible barriers keeping transformational leaders stuck and offers a bold roadmap for change.Key Revelations: • Why women's leadership journey feels like "dying by a thousand cuts"—and how those small moments add up to systemic exclusion • The missing metrics that keep our most effective leaders overlooked

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27 results

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