#755 - Framed by Experience: Rich Ruela on Respect, Nepotism & Surviving the Construction Game

In this raw and revealing episode of The Construction Life Podcast, we sit down with Rich Ruela—a union framer with experience on high-rise crews, running his own business, and working alongside family—to talk about the real-life challenges that don’t get covered in any site safety manual.
Rich opens up about:
🔹 Toxic site culture—including a foreman who crossed the line physically
🔹 Nepotism and favoritism—why it’s still a major barrier to fairness and growth in the trades
🔹 The pressure and fallout of working with family—from father-son dynamics to business partnership nightmares
🔹 Competitiveness in the trades—when it pushes you to grow, and when it starts to break people down
🔹 Why respect should be a baseline on site—regardless of title, years in, or last name
Rich keeps it honest, calling out the mental, emotional, and physical toll construction can take—while also showing why he’s still in the game and still standing.
🎧 Tune in for a conversation that’s long overdue, full of truth, grit, and hard-earned perspective.
📸 Follow Rich on IG: @_richrulez
📧 Reach out: [email protected]
#TheConstructionLife #RespectOnSite #FramerLife #ConstructionCulture #TradesTalk #NepotismInTrades #HighRiseReality 🛠️🏗️🧱
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