Building Your People
The Construction Industry’s go-to learning partner.
Helping teams, big and small, create seamless processes that foster thriving, self-sufficient, and engaged employees.
The Results You Can Expect
Investing in your people doesn’t mean breaking the bank. In fact, clients who’ve teamed up with Building PPL have experienced transformative bottom-line business results without overspending (on top of supercharging their workforce).
For our clients by strategically researching and applying to optimal vendors that connect training opportunities that mirror their business goals.
One of our clients saw this reduction in turnover by hiring the right people and investing in their current employees. This kept more funds in their pockets resulting in a $700,000 savings.
When processes are built the right way, employees have the tools needed to be successful, saving money on rework and costly mistakes.
Whether there are 8 people in our workshops or 80, we ensure each workshop is actionable, engaging, and most certainly fun.
" I would highly recommend Building PPL as a learning partner. Krysta and her team take a very customized approach to helping your company. This is not a pre-planned one size fits all approach. They take the time to get to know your goals and jump right in to help you achieve them."
- Timothy Wilson
Vice President & Principal, the lagassé group
" The grant writing process can seem daunting to people who haven't navigated it previously. Krysta broke the process down in a way that made sense for us, and helped us maximize the grants we received. I'd highly recommend that anyone considering applying for a grant to reach out to BuildingPPL and have a conversation with them."
- Randy DiBartola
Director of People Operations at NEI General ContractingYour Learning Partner
You may have noticed we don’t spell out the word “people” in our company name, although it is indeed pronounced“Building People.”
Our namesake is derived from a belief that as people, we’re never truly done growing, learning, or ever fully developed. Hence, “PPL” represents the opportunity to work with you as you continue your learning journey.
Our CORE VALUES
01
Build Better
We don’t just advise, we build and implement, with a healthy dose of fire. Every system we create starts with empathy, ends in clarity, and works in practice – all in the pursuit of thriving teams.
02
Partner Generously
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do. We show up for our clients – and for each other – with honesty, commitment, and unreasonable care.
03
Pursue Progress
We value momentum over perfection and model what we teach: stay curious, try boldly, learn fast, and grow together. We’re not afraid to respectfully have hard conversations because that's how you break through barriers.
04
Legacy Mindset
We show up to strengthen others – leaders, teams, and individuals alike. We share knowledge freely, lead with humility (some may say a low ego), and build confidence that lasts.
MIssion
To help leaders and organizations grow their greatest asset – their people – because strong businesses are built by thriving teams.
Vision
To shape a construction industry where people and performance thrive together.
Meet The Founder
Krysta Van Ranst
Founder and Learning Business Partner
Krysta Van Ranst is a transformative leader in the construction industry, renowned for her profound impact. She’s the type of leader you want to ride into battle with.
With over a decade of experience, Krysta’s expertise has yielded remarkable results, including saving a client a staggering $2.4 million through training initiatives. She’s also secured over $4 million in vital funds for her clients.
Krysta’s journey began in 2009 and has seen her influence flourish at esteemed companies like Suffolk Construction, TripAdvisor, and Dellbrook | JKS.
With a pulse on career alignment, project management (a.k.a getting s*** done), and an unwavering commitment to helping others succeed, she’s helped transform construction companies into award-winning training organizations, pioneered top-tier learning cultures, and remarkably reduced client turnover rates. Facilitating seamless leadership transitions for organizations and delivering tailored management programs to over 1,000 employees is her middle name.
The personification of an achiever and enthusiast personality, Krysta lives, breathes, and eats learning and development (L&D). She’s a firm believer that all people have the potential to be great – all it takes to unleash people’s untapped potential is a little TLC and L&D.
Krysta’s favorite L&D book, podcast, or publication:
- The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek.
As a kid, Krysta wanted to be:
- A jockey or vet. Unfortunately, Krysta is 5 ft. 2 in. so she’s too tall to be a jockey. She was in high school when she joined Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) and learned how much she enjoy solving problems. 20+ years later, and that hasn't changed!
3 things you can always find on Krysta’s desk:
- More books than she could physically read, too many sticky notes filled with ideas, and artwork that her kids made.
On a typical Sunday morning, you can find Krysta:
- Sipping chai while bothering her husband to see what household projects she can get him to do that week.
Meet The TEAM
Olesia Adams
Director of Learning & Development
As a lifelong learner, Olesia Adams translates her curiosity and vibrant energy into her position as the Director of Program Development. Thriving in a fast-paced environment, Olesia weaves together ideas and concepts to create programs that help clients find their “aha!” moment.
Olesia brings over a decade of experience in program management and administration, where she brought innovative recruitment strategies and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to the Building PPL team.
She hones her love for people and numbers by rolling out programs that power employees’ professional lives, connecting programs with business bottom-line goals that help teams retain critical knowledge and optimize processes.
Olesia is happiest hitting the outdoors with her family; Boating, fishing, biking, paddle boarding, and hiking trails are frequent activities at her home on Cape Cod. She also enjoys trying out new recipes with her sous chefs (a.k.a her kiddos!).
Olesia’s favorite L&D books:
- The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni, One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard, and The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
3 things you can always find on Olesia’s desk:
- A water bottle, a cup of tea, and a picture of her family.
On a typical Sunday morning, you can find Olesia:
- From going to church to baking with her little chefs, Olesia is spending time with her husband, son, daughter and dog, Lucy.
Christina Losurdo
Director of Learning & Development
Deeply devoted to our clients’ growth, Christina Losurdo melds a passion for culture with a keen eye for consumer research to create environments where people can thrive authentically.
Having spent over a decade as a consumer insights specialist, Christina blends her expertise in innovative research techniques, brand consulting, and creative event strategy to help brands build culture and create impact. Her superpower–a sense of deep empathy–drives her interest in the L&D space, where she uses her knowledge of data and the psychology of human behavior to track meaningful metrics and create strategic plans that drive business results.
Offline, Christina serves as a volunteer Director of People & Culture for Slant’d, an Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) non-profit and indie publishing house, dedicated to celebrating authentic stories of self-discovery, meaningful connection, and creative expansion. Here, she collaborates with a small, but mighty team to curate a volunteer-run culture and build community on the foundation of strong organizational values.
Besides contributing to the growth of others, nothing fills Christina’s cup like spending quality time with her husband, daughters Taylor (affectionately known as TJ) and Penny, and their loving pup, Mae. She also enjoys early morning runs, baking, and discovering new breweries.
Christina’s favorite L&D book, podcast, or publication:
- Payout by Dan Ariely is a fascinating read to understand the psychology of motivation, especially what motivates people in the workplace.
Three things you can always find on Christina’s desk:
- Her planner, ice water, snacks, and a plethora of Post-it notes to jot down random thoughts.
On a typical Sunday morning, Christina is:
- Making an Americano and pancakes in the kitchen before heading outdoors to create some memories with her little family.
Bradford Selby
Director of Leadership Development
Blend internal expertise with external insight, wildly contagious positive energy, and a background in learning, management, and personal development, and you’ve got our Director of Leadership Development, Bradford Selby.
Bradford started combining his positive energy with a passion for leadership and personal development during college, where he was pushed well beyond his preconceived limits, studying outdoor education. These experiences, fueled by his perspective that learning is a keystone behavior, power Bradford to empowered leadership and management workshops that help our clients and their employees learn, grow, create, and transform in their roles.
When he’s not leading energizing training sessions for our clients, Bradford is practicing improv with his theater group, going for a run, or eating a slice of pizza whenever and wherever possible.
Bradford’s favorite L&D book, podcast, or publication:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear. No matter what he’s trying to accomplish, whether in work or personal life, the lessons in Atomic Habits help get him there!
One thing you can always find on Bradford’s desk:
- A small baseball-sized stuffed animal for when colleagues' kids pop up on a virtual call. It also reminds him not to take things too seriously.
On a typical Sunday morning, Bradford is:
- Headed to Portland, Maine to see his niece and nephew!
Anna Losordo
Director of training
With a deep passion for Learning & Development, Anna loves partnering with others to create meaningful, lasting impact on their professional journeys.
She brings a unique perspective to Building PPL. Moving from an in-house L&D role, to a position that now allows her to support multiple organizations, has only deepened her enthusiasm for fostering learning and driving development.
Anna’s superpower? Creating genuine connections—she loves making people feel valued and empowered. She approaches every project with optimism and energy, ensuring every detail is thoughtfully executed. Outside of work, Anna finds joy in staying active, whether she’s hiking New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers, joining a group fitness class, or exploring new trails with family and friends.
Anna’s favorite L&D book, podcast, or publication:
- The Power of Moments – Chip & Dan Heath.
Three things you can always find on Anna's desk:
- Her nephew's newest piece of art, a cup of tea, and her agenda to plan out the day.
On a Typical Sunday Morning, Anna is:
- On her front porch—rain or shine—curled up with a book and her Corgi, Pearl.
Paige Bilsbury
Learning & Development Manager
Paige is passionate about fostering growth and confidence in individuals, helping organizations enhance workplace dynamics through Learning & Development. With a background in journalism, she developed a talent for navigating complex information and making it accessible to others—a skill that seamlessly translates into her work in L&D. Her experience coordinating training and certification programs at a general contractor gave her firsthand insight into the power of professional development. Paige was drawn to the L&D industry because of its focus on human individuality and employee retention.
At Building PPL, she values the company’s personal approach to learning, making every interaction meaningful. She brings strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills to her role, ensuring that every training initiative is both impactful and engaging.
Whether at work or in life, Paige thrives on meaningful connections and personal growth. She’s happiest when she’s by the ocean, surrounded by friends and family—her ultimate place of peace and inspiration. When she’s not working, you can find her practicing yoga, catching up on her favorite shows, or exploring new places around New England.
Paige’s favorite L&D book:
- The Ballad of Old Man Peters – Jon Franklin
Three things you can always find on Paige's desk:
- An iced coffee, a candle and a daily planner.
On a Typical Sunday Morning, Paige is:
- Making pancakes and going for a walk around Boston.
BUILDING TEAMS
SINCE 2009
The Foundation
is Laid
With a track record that includes learning and development positions with Suffolk Construction, TripAdvisor, and Dellbrook | JKS, founder Krysta Van Ranst set her sights on building companies greatest asset: its people.
Transforming Construction Companies
into Training Leaders
A pulse on business’s unique training and learning needs, Krysta spearheaded learning initiatives that transformed construction companies into award-winning training organizations. At the helm of Krysta’s leadership, construction companies have been named the #27 and #45 best training companies in America.
Pioneering Global Learning Initiatives
in Tech
Transitioned to the global tech space to build her employer's learning department from the ground up. Krysta broke new ground by globalizing learning opportunities to offer both instructor-led and eLearning programs in five languages.
Secured $160,000 in Grants,
Slashed Losses by $700,000
Wrote and received $160,000 in grants to provide additional learning opportunities and decreased the company’s major losses by $700,000 in 12 months as her employer's L&D department of one.
Empowering Through Construction Expertise:
The Building PPL Journey
Married her nearly decade of boots-on-the-ground experience in the construction industry with her unwavering passion to empower individuals by founding Building PPL. With a heightened sense of purpose, Krysta helped organizations access over $400,000 in grant funding to train more than 350 employees in her first year in business.
Elevating Training Funds and Impact:
Krysta's Collaborative Success
Working in tune with regional and national clients, construction companies, training vendors, and employees, Krysta helped double training funds awarded to organizations, fueling $800,000 in grant funds to train upwards of 800 employees.
Unleashing Potential:
Building PPL's Million-Dollar Journey
Along with her small but mighty team, Krysta has accessed over $1M in grant funds and formalized Building PPL’s proprietary framework to build employee confidence through learning opportunities that unleash untapped potential.
New Thriving Teams Program:
Offering Company Wide Coaching for Small Contractors
We piloted a program that would later become our P.E.O.P.L.E. framework, ensuring both operations and non-operations had the tools necessary to build their people.
Setting Sights on the Future:
Providing Learning for All
Utilizing the vast vendor network that was created through the buildout of $8 Million in grant funding, we provided weekly workshops to all of our clients.
“I would ABSOLUTELY recommend any company to partner with Building PPL to navigate the grant process. Paige and Krysta are extremely knowledgeable, helpful, insightful and overall there to help your company successfully complete the grant process and train your people!”
- DREW PECKHAM
VP of Risk Management & Employee Development, UNIFIED CONSTRUCTION GROUP
Schedule Your Call
Let’s take the first step toward building your momentum. Book a call and explore how Building PPL can shape your journey to excellence.