The Geoholics

Buckle up, Geoholics… this one’s for the builders, the dreamers, and the tech rebels.

This week we sit down with Marc Goldman — part storyteller, part pilot, part GIS evangelist, and 100% believer that location intelligence is the secret sauce behind the future of the built environment.

Marc didn’t follow the “safe” path. He walked away from architecture and engineering school at 21 to start his first AEC-tech company — betting on himself before “startup culture” was even a thing. Thirty years later, after navigating startups, global orgs, and everything in between, he’s still pushing the industry forward… helping architects, engineers, and surveyors finally see how GIS connects all the dots.

And trust us… this isn’t just a “software talk”...this is mindset stuff.

We get into:

Taking big risks early and why failure is the best professor

The real difference between startups and enterprise culture

Bridging the gap between CAD, BIM, and spatial thinking

Where GIS actually delivers value (not just buzzwords)

Digital twins, reality capture, and what’s practical vs hype

Leading teams through change without losing your people

Inspiring early-career pros to find their lane in AEC tech

And what’s next… AI, interoperability, and the data-driven future of our industry

Marc’s passion is contagious — especially when he talks about helping the next generation “take flight” (literally and figuratively). His analogies from flying airplanes to flying careers hit home in true Geoholics fashion.

If you’ve ever wondered how survey, GIS, BIM, and reality capture finally come together into one ecosystem, this episode connects the dots.

Big energy. Big perspective. Big future.

So whether you’re in the field, the office, or cruising at 30,000 feet...hit play and let’s map it out.

As always — Add value. Make friends. TITS OUT & CHIN UP!

Music by Pink Floyd!

This week the Geoholics crew sits down with Rob Cammack — entrepreneur, builder, and CEO/Founder of SmartDrone — a guy who’s basically been innovating since most of us were trading baseball cards. From launching businesses as a kid to founding and selling multiple companies, Rob brings that rare mix of grit, vision, and “there’s gotta be a better way” thinking that our industry desperately needs.

We dive headfirst into the origin story behind Magellan, the first “No Drone Expert Required” LiDAR drone — and why it’s flipping the script on how survey firms adopt technology. No six-figure science projects. No “drone guy risk.” Just practical robotics that turn everyday crews into productivity machines.

But this episode isn’t just about hardware — it’s about mindset.

Rob talks:

-Building companies (and selling them) without losing your soul

-Removing friction so surveyors can focus on surveying

-Why LiDAR is the great unlock for mapping pros stuck in camera-only workflows

-How robotics can upgrade people, not replace them

-What “world-class talent” really looks like in a tech-driven survey company

-And where the surveying industry is headed in the next 5–10 years

It’s equal parts leadership, innovation, and straight-up field practicality — the kind of conversation that makes you rethink how your team operates Monday morning.

If you care about LiDAR, drones, scaling your survey operations, or building a future-proof business…
this one’s a must-listen.

Because sometimes innovation isn’t about flying higher…it’s about making it simple enough that everyone can fly.

Music by The Killers!

In this episode of The Geoholics Podcast, the crew dives deep—both literally and figuratively—into the world of archaeology, GIS, and cultural resource management with special guest Jenna Kent, Archaeologist at Jacobs Engineering Group.

From growing up across Texas, Mississippi, Utah, and Hawaii as part of a military family, to excavating 7th-century monasteries and 12th-century abbeys in Ireland, Jenna’s journey has been anything but ordinary. That geographic diversity helped shape her appreciation for landscapes, cultures, and the human stories hidden beneath them.

The conversation explores what archaeology really looks like beyond the movies—balancing rugged fieldwork with complex office analysis—and why cultural resource compliance is far more technical, analytical, and geospatially driven than most people realize.

Listeners get an inside look at:

>Prehistoric ceramic replication and how recreating ancient pottery reveals insights no textbook ever could

>Surveying 15 miles of wilderness at Bandelier National Monument, one of Jenna’s career-defining projects

>How archaeologists decode fragmented evidence like a massive puzzle with missing pieces

>The growing role of GIS in archaeology, including site density modeling, probability mapping, and interactive story maps

>Where surveyors, mappers, LiDAR professionals, and archaeologists can collaborate more effectively

>The powerful human moments that remind us archaeology is ultimately about people—not artifacts

Jenna closes the episode with thoughtful advice for young professionals looking to enter archaeology, cultural resources, or GIS—encouraging curiosity, patience, and a willingness to embrace both science and storytelling.

This episode is a reminder that whether you’re mapping terrain, scanning infrastructure, or excavating history—context matters, layers matter, and collaboration across disciplines makes us all better.

Song of the Week: “New Orleans Is Sinking” by The Tragically Hip

As former CEO of USGIF, Keith reflects on what fueled the organization’s massive growth, the importance of building strong academic pipelines, and why developing people has always been just as critical as advancing technology. We explore the evolution of GEOINT education, the skills today’s students must master, and why adaptability now outweighs specialization.

The conversation turns toward the future of the industry—interoperability challenges, outdated policies slowing innovation, and the growing tension between traditional mapping workflows and real-time, AI-enabled geospatial intelligence. Keith offers an insider’s perspective on what’s working, what’s broken, and what he would redesign if the GEOINT enterprise were built from scratch today.

As an advisor and investor, Keith also shares what separates startups that struggle from those that truly move the needle—highlighting the mindset, leadership traits, and clarity of purpose required to survive in an increasingly crowded geospatial market.

We close with a powerful reflection on the single lesson Keith believes every geospatial professional must understand to make a meaningful impact in this rapidly evolving industry—plus his personal mantra that continues to guide his journey.

If you care about leadership, policy, innovation, AI, startups, and the future of geospatial intelligence, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Music by Spafford!

Episode 267 is a masterclass in discipline, faith, leadership, and next-level surveying as the Geoholics crew sits down with Dillon Harp—a surveyor whose journey started at just 16 years old and has led him to become a nationally respected leader in the profession.

Born on Carswell Air Force Base and raised with a strong sense of structure and service, Dillon shares how early exposure to hard work, responsibility, and mentorship shaped his approach to both surveying and leadership. From cutting his teeth in his dad’s survey company to earning his RPLS at the age of 23, Dillon’s story is one of focus, humility, and relentless growth.

The conversation dives deep into his dual academic and hands-on education, the value of learning the profession from the ground up, and how those early field lessons still guide how he leads teams today as Director of Survey Operations for Energy & Power. Dillon also breaks down advanced topics like gradient boundary surveys, LSLS projects, and CFedS certification, offering real-world advice for young surveyors who want to push beyond the basics and specialize.

Beyond the technical side, this episode hits hard on purpose and service. Dillon opens up about his faith, his commitment to being a servant leader, and his passion for giving back through TSPS involvement and student outreach. Recognition like being named TSPS Young Surveyor of the Year is discussed not as an endpoint—but as a responsibility to lift others up and leave the profession better than he found it.

Dillon caps it all off by sharing the one piece of advice he’d give his 16-year-old self standing on that first survey crew—wisdom earned through years of experience, mistakes, and growth.

Another episode that reminds us surveying isn’t just a job—it’s a calling, a craft, and a community.

Music by Alan Jackson!!