Ryan Basnaw believes that the best solutions come from solving real problems. That mindset has guided his journey from a young engineering student to CEO of Axsus Civil Development Company in Idaho.
Growing up in northeastern Washington, Ryan spent his free time riding dirt bikes, snowmobiling, skiing, and playing music. Those experiences taught him to enjoy challenges and stay curious about how things work. He carried that curiosity into school, graduating from Newport High School before earning an Associate of Engineering degree from Spokane Falls Community College in 2014. He later completed a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering in 2017.
As Ryan built his career in construction, he noticed that many companies struggled with the same operational issues. Communication gaps, missing documentation, and disconnected systems often slowed projects down. Rather than accepting those problems, he looked for better solutions. That thinking led him to help develop PM Axsus, a construction management platform designed to help contractor-based businesses manage time tracking, fleet management, inspections, scheduling, materials, and project costs in one place.
Ryan believes success is built through consistency, accountability, and continuous learning. His leadership philosophy is simple: “Show up and do the work.” He also believes that admitting what you do not know is one of the fastest ways to grow.
Outside of work, Ryan enjoys classic car restoration, real estate investing, business development, cigars and bourbon, and spending time with fellow automotive enthusiasts. Throughout his career, he has remained focused on building systems that help people work smarter while creating more freedom to spend time on what matters most.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Most days start early. I like to review project updates before everyone else gets moving. After that, my day is usually split between construction operations, meetings, software development discussions, and solving whatever unexpected issue comes up. I stay productive by knowing my priorities before the day starts. Construction changes quickly, so having a plan gives me room to adjust when needed.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start by identifying a real problem. If something creates frustration over and over, it deserves attention. Then I break the problem into smaller pieces until I understand it. From there, I test solutions, gather feedback, and keep improving. I don’t believe ideas have much value unless they solve a real problem.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Construction technology. The industry has been slower than many others to adopt modern software, but that’s changing. Better information helps people make better decisions, and that benefits everyone involved.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Consistency. I don’t wait until I feel motivated. I simply show up and do the work.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Never be too proud to admit you don’t know something. Asking questions earlier would have saved me time and helped me learn faster.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I think most business problems are really systems problems. People often blame individuals when the process itself is what needs improvement.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Document everything. Good documentation protects people, improves communication, and prevents small issues from becoming expensive problems.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I step back and focus on one problem at a time. Writing everything down usually helps me separate what’s urgent from what’s simply making noise.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I spend a lot of time listening to the people actually doing the work. Whether it’s someone operating equipment or someone managing schedules, they usually know where the biggest inefficiencies are. Many of the ideas behind PM Axsus came from conversations with people working in the field every day.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
One project required significant rework because completed work wasn’t documented correctly by an inspector. It was frustrating, but it completely changed how I think about documentation. Now we document everything possible. That experience taught me that good records aren’t extra work—they’re insurance against future problems.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
If your business uses five different systems to manage daily operations, ask whether those systems should actually work together. Integrating information is often more valuable than adding another tool.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
PM Axsus, because it’s built around the problems I see every day. It helps organize project information, time tracking, inspections, scheduling, fleet management, materials, and costs in one place. Having information connected makes decision-making much easier.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I enjoy books and podcasts about business leadership, operations, and systems thinking. They remind me that every successful company is constantly improving, regardless of its size.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I enjoy documentaries about engineering, manufacturing, and automotive restoration. I like seeing how complex projects come together because there’s usually a lesson that applies to business.
Key learnings
- Strong systems and clear documentation often prevent problems before they become expensive.
- Consistency and daily discipline usually outperform short bursts of motivation.
- Listening to the people closest to the work often leads to the best ideas for improvement.
- Technology creates the most value when it solves practical problems instead of adding complexity.
- Admitting what you don’t know is one of the fastest ways to keep learning and growing.