# Skills vs Agents — The Stack Everyone's Getting Wrong

- Show: [Built 2 Scale](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale)
- Published: 2026-05-03
- Length: 54m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong
- Listen: https://b2spod.captivate.fm

## Summary

Scott Wilcox, founder of W. Build, and Matt Perrott, co-founder of BuildPass, discuss their approach to integrating AI into construction operations, focusing on a framework called DMISA (Direction, Measure, Incentivize, Systemize, Automate). They detail a specific success where BuildPass reduced invoice processing costs from $5–$10 to half a cent using agents, and explain how W. Build is using its WVC accelerator to bring trade partners into this AI-enabled ecosystem. The conversation emphasizes that the new competitive moat is velocity and alignment, with 2026 being a critical year for choosing between legacy systems and AI-driven abundance.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=0) Introduction: Easter in construction and the cost of delay
- [3:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=214) Defining agents vs skills: Thin harness, fat skills
- [3:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=214) Declaring bankruptcy on Notion and building a company OS
- [10:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=620) Hiring specialists and creating skills for AI
- [14:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=841) The DMISA framework and the issues funnel
- [24:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=1489) Reducing invoice processing from $5 to half a cent
- [29:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=1743) BuildPass’s agent-first API strategy and SuperSight
- [38:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=2333) Alignment, Jevons paradox, and abundance
- [45:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong#t=2709) WVC accelerator and compressing construction costs

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- W. Build (company)
- BuildPass (company)
- WVC (product)
- SuperSight (product)
- Granola (product)
- Claude (tool)
- ChatGPT (tool)
- Monday.com (tool)
- Notion (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Emerging Role of AI Agents in Manufacturing w/ Naresh Ram](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-04-08-the-emerging-role-of-ai-agents-in-manufacturing-w-naresh-ram) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Can AI revolutionize EPC?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-12-11-can-ai-revolutionize-epc) (Catalyst)
- [BONUS: From a Sabbatical to Building the First Full-Stack Industrial AI Company with Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-07-07-bonus-from-a-sabbatical-to-building-the-first-full-stack-industrial-ai-company-w) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [AI, Digital Transformation, and Innovations with Arch Systems Cofounder and CEO, Andrew Scheuermann](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-14-ai-digital-transformation-and-innovations-with-arch-systems-cofounder-and-ceo-an) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Down at the Doctor's with Dr. Bill Cardoso and Dr. Eric Miscoll: AI Curiosity, Tariff Turmoil, Economic Uncertainty, and Much More](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-03-25-down-at-the-doctors-with-dr-bill-cardoso-and-dr-eric-miscoll-ai-curiosity-tariff) (EMS@C-LEVEL)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2026-05-03-skills-vs-agents-the-stack-everyones-getting-wrong. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Built 2 Scale.