Build Up

Send a text In this episode of Build Up, we sit down with Zane Goodwin of Goodwin Luxury Homes to unpack how high‑performance, sustainable homes have become the new quiet status symbol in homebuilding. Instead of treating "green building" as a technical hurdle or a checklist of features, we dig into how to elevate performance, durability, and building science into the language of luxury,...

Send a text In this conversation, Phillip Huffines shares insights into the development of master plan communities, focusing on the importance of thoughtful amenities and community engagement. He discusses the journey of Huffines Communities, the innovative treehouse amenity, and the strategies used to foster social connections among residents. The conversation also touches on design standards, le...

Send a text In this conversation, Jordan and Salina discuss the innovative software Decoro, which enhances the home building experience by integrating technology into the selection process for home buyers. They explore the importance of analytics in understanding consumer trends, the seamless integration of technology to improve customer experience, and the future of home building as it adapts to...

Send a text In this conversation, Steve Griggs discusses the growing trend of outdoor living spaces in home design, emphasizing the importance of treating outdoor areas as extensions of the home and a significant way to increase ROI. He shares insights on creating cohesive designs that integrate indoor and outdoor spaces, the benefits of planning outdoor features during the initial home build, and...

Send a text In this conversation, Alison Girard, Director of Marketing and Placemaking for Brookfield Residential, discusses evolving trends in home design, affordability, and community living. She emphasizes the importance of thoughtful design that accommodates changing consumer lifestyles, the growing demand for outdoor spaces, and the role of townhomes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in add...

Send a text We have some exciting news that just couldn't wait, so we're bringing you a special episode out of season. We're incredibly excited to introduce our partnership with Firehouse Agency , a full service marketing agency located in Dallas, Texas, to our listeners. In this special summer episode, we invited Steven Smith , CEO, and Tripp Westbrook , President & CCO, of Fir...

Send a text It's the final episode of Season 3! 🎉 Thanks for sticking around with us for another season. In this episode, Jordan , Salina , and Shelby recapped their top takeaways from this season, shared their favourite personal brand experiences, and what homebuilders can take away from those memorable moments. What should we discuss next season? DM us on Instagram or comment on LinkedIn w...

Send a text For episode 9, we invited two longtime Storytelling ZGMers, Ryan Kenny , Copy Director, and Scott Steele , Director of Visual Execution, to the podcast. (Fun fact: both Scott and Ryan helped create the Build Up brand in 2021!) In this long overdue episode, we discussed what brand means from a creative point of view, how to help your homebuilder brand stand out from the Sea of Same, and...

Send a text Can you believe we're nearing the end of season 3? For episode 8, we invited Amy Owen , Vice President of Human Resources at Highland Homes , to the podcast. In this episode, we discussed what brand means to Highland Homes, how being an employee-owned company impacts your brand, and more. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to you...

Send a text Welcome back, listeners! For our seventh episode, we invited Derek Hovinga , Full Funnel Content Strategist and Founder of The Inbound Lab , to the podcast. In this episode, we discussed how to implement a full funnel content marketing approach for your brand. We chatted with Derek about how inbound & content marketing has changed since 2015, how to use content marketing to tell yo...

Send a text Can you believe we're officially over the halfway mark for Season Three? For our sixth episode, we invited Sara Kerr , ZGM's Associate Media Director, back to the podcast to discuss how to develop an effective paid media strategy for your brand. Sara shared how brand advertising is different from product advertising, the strongest channels to tell your brand story, and more....

Send a text For our fifth episode of Season Three, we invited Shane Wenzel , CEO & President, and Liz Lipton , Customer Experience Manager, from Shane Homes to discuss brand experience. Shane and Liz shared why Shane Homes invests heavily in the customer experience, their favourite examples of "wow" moments, brand experiences that have stood out to them, and more. Want to get the sho...

Send a text For our third episode of Season Three, we invited Rebecca Walkemeyer , Markeing Manager, and Katie Samycia , Digital Marketing Coordinator, from Cantiro , to discuss branded social strategies. In this episode, Rebecca and Katie share how they approach creating a social strategy around Cantiro's brand purpose, why they include their sales team on social media, how to determine what...

Send a text For our third episode of Season Three, we invited Lina Nguyen , Enterprise Marketing Manager at Rohit , to discuss the power of brand collaboration. Lina walked us through Rohit's recent collaboration with award-winning interior designer Louis Duncan-He and passed on advice for other homebuilders looking to do brand collaborations. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder...

Send a text For our second episode of Season Three, we invited Tim Sloan , VP of Development and Management from our sister company Paper Leaf , to discuss what artificial intelligence is, what programs exist today, and how AI relates to brand and homebuilders. Now the question is....did AI write this? 👀 Editor's Note: We apologize for the construction noise in the background! Pretty on bran...

Send a text In our Season Three premiere (🎉) we invited Dan King , President and Partner of ZGM Modern Marketing Partners on the show to discuss brand and brand platforms. In this episode, learn what a brand is (and isn't),  how brand plays a role in your organization, and why all homebuilders should invest in their brands. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources...

Send a text Robbie Kamaleddine,  realtor and cofounder of The Bureau , joins us on the podcast to chat about how realtors and homebuilders can work together.  In this conversation, we cover what homebuilders need to provide realtors, how realtors need to work with homebuilders, and why new buyers would choose realtors over direct sales. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning res...

Send a text Stuart Wen,  Senior Marketing Coordinator at Rohit Communities ,  and Logan Widdicombe, Content Team Lead at ZGM , sit down to discuss everything homebuilders need to know about influencer marketing.  In this chat, we go through what influencer marketing is, when it makes sense to deploy, and how to work with influencers to get the most bang for your buck.   Want to get the show notes...

Send a text Rob Fairhead, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at ZGM Modern Marketing Partners ,  joins us on the podcast to talk about the big, scary word we can't seem to stop talking about — recession. With 20+ years of experience in advertising, Rob knows a lot about adjusting for economic uncertainty and walks us through how builders should look to update their marketing and advertising p...

Send a text Chris Hartley, VP of Sales at K. Hovnanian , comes on the podcast to discuss how sales and marketing can work together, what it means to sell homes in the digital age, and why the customer journey should be top of mind for anyone in sales or marketing.  Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the show notes: http...

Send a text Allison Watson, Vice President at market research firm Leger, joins Build Up to discuss generational differences and buying behaviours. Learn what is driving millennial purchasing habits, differences in generational values, and the different drivers of brand loyalty in varying age groups. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to your inb...

Send a text Paul Michna, Head of PR at ZGM , is on the show to chat all things public relations. Learn how homebuilders can utilize three core PR tactics in their marketing efforts including earned media, crisis communications, and engagement. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the show notes: https://blog.zgm.ca/en/bui...

Send a text Jeff Archibald, Managing Director for app development company Paper Leaf , is on the show to talk digital transformation. Learn what digital transformation is, hear examples of successful transformation, and how you can get started on the digital journey. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the show notes: ht...

Send a text Diana Carroll, Marketing Director DFW for residential community developer  Hillwood Communities , is on the show to talk master built communities.  Learn how to build a community among your buyers, why realtors should be a vital part of your sales plan, and discover new elements to add into your master planned communities. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resou...

Send a text Bōde's Founder, Jeff Jackson , joins us on the show to discuss all things home buying. Learn what modern day buyers really want from the home buying process, the importance of being transparent to build trust, and how bōde can help homebuilders in the reselling market. Want to get the show notes and other homebuilder learning resources delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for...