Be the Builder of Choice

What does it take to build a winning home building company? In this episode of the Builder of Choice™ Insights Podcast, Emma Wildermuth, President, Shinn Group interviews Cooper Conger, President, NewPad Building Company, on what it truly means to become a “Builder of Choice™ ” in today’s competitive labor and market environment. They discuss how employer branding, company culture, and leadership...

Emma Wildermuth, President of Shinn Group, brings together Danny Lowery, President of Tim O’Brien Homes; Bogdan Constantin, President of Brown Haven Homes and Founder of Oasis; and Thomas Berrington, Director of Information Systems, Shinn Group, for a conversation about technology, data, and AI in homebuilding. The panel explores the challenges of disconnected systems, the importance of creating a...

Emma Wildermuth welcomes Dwight Sandlin, Chairman and Co-Founder of Signature Homes, to discuss how a deliberate focus on cycle time reshaped the company's operations and financial performance. After beginning to rigorously measure build times, Signature Homes reduced its cycle time from 135 days to 100 days per home.  Dwight shares the specific changes behind those results—from restructuring fram...

Emma Wildermuth sits down with David Battany, Director of Capital Markets at Guild Mortgage and former chair of the Mortgage Bankers Association's Residential Board of Governors, to unpack what's driving the housing affordability crisis. David breaks it down to a "math problem": rising home prices, climbing payments, and down payment barriers, made more urgent by a Fed study showing 39% of U.S. ad...

Emma Wildermuth, President of Shinn Group and host of the Builder of Choice™ Insights Podcast, welcomes Jeff Rutt , Founder, President & CEO of Keystone Custom Homes and Founder & Chair of Hope International, along with Matthew Baehr , Executive Director of Homes for HOPE.  Together, they share how a 1997 mission trip to Ukraine inspired the creation of Hope International and its mission t...

On today’s episode of Builder of Choice™ InsightsPodcast, with host Emma Wildermuth, President, Shinn Group, she is joined by Ben Minks, CEO, Capstone Homes and Kenny Siggs, 3rd Generation Owner/Operator, Siggs A/C. Together, they take a practical look at the relationship between builders and trade partners, one of the most critical, and often most challenging, dynamics in residential construction...

In this episode of the Builder of Choice™ Insights podcast, Emma Wildermuth, President, Shinn Group is joined by Thomas Berrington, Director of Information Systems and Business Technology, Shinn Group. Thomas discusses howtechnology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence are shapingdecision-making in the homebuilding industry. Drawing on his experience leading technology initiatives in a hom...

In this episode of the Builder of Choice™ Insights podcast, Michael Bergen, co-founder and VP of Special Projects/AI at Higharc, discusses with Emma Wildermuth, President of Shinn Group, how technology and AI are reshaping the way homes are designed and built. Drawing on his background in architecture and AI, Michael explains how architectural information can be transformed into structured, data-d...

In this episode of the Builder of Choice™ Insights Podcast, Emma Wildermuth, President, Shinn Group interviews Cooper Conger, President, NewPad Building Company, on what it truly means to become a “Builder of Choice™ ” in today’s competitive labor and market environment. They discuss how employerbranding, company culture, and leadership behavior influence workforce perception and retention. Cooper...

In this episode of the Builder of Choice™ Insights Podcast, host Emma Wildermuth speaks with Michael Welty, Consultant at Shinn Group, about his background and experience within the home building industry. Michael outlines his professional path and the work that led him into his current role, providing context on how his experience shapes his perspective.    The conversation explores real-world ch...

Control What Counts and Lead without Compromise.   This episode features a conversation with host Emma Wildermuth and Chris Laping, founder of People Before Things and a former four-time Fortune 500 CIO. Chris shares his leadership journey and outlines his philosophy that leadership is a deliberate, daily choice, not an optional or abstract concept. Drawing on decades of executive experience and o...

In this episode, Emma Wildermuth sits down with DaveBarnhart, President of First America Homes, for a focused conversation on differentiation in challenging times. Together, they explore how economic uncertainty, heightened competition, and operational constraints are making itincreasingly difficult for organizations and professionals to stand out.   The discussion examines why differentiation mat...

In this episode, Emma Shinn sits down with her dad, Chuck Shinn — co-founder of the Shinn Group and one of the industry’s most respected financial and operational voices — to break down what’s really happening in the 2025 housing market. Chuck shares decades of perspective as he analyzes: Interest rate volatility and its impact on buyer demand Cost pressures, margins, and why many builders are fee...

Emma Wildermuth sits down with Paul Winegar, COO of Willow Branch Homes, as he explains how his team breaks down silos and unites every department into a single, cohesive operating system. He shares how strength-based roles, process-driven headcount planning, and clearly definedhandoffs create smoother schedules and more predictable outcomes across the organization.   Paul discusses the importance...

In this inspiring episode of Builder of Choice™ Insights , Emma Wildermuth sits down with Kelly Zitlow (EVP of Marketing & Sales) and Lisa Cortez (National Director of Builder Outreach) from Cornerstone Home Lending to discuss Women Building America — a movement dedicated to empowering women in homebuilding. They share powerful insights on mentorship, representation, and redefining success in...

In this episode, Emma Jane interviews Bob Mirman, CEO & Founder of Eliant, to explore his journey into the homebuilding industry and his lifelong commitment to improving the customer experience. Bob shares how Eliant helps builders strengthen relationships with trades, employees, andhomebuyers—driving exceptional satisfaction and loyalty. With over 1,800 clients worldwide, Eliant delivers cust...

In this episode, host Emma Wildermuth sits down with Kody Smith of NoviHome for a candid, in-person conversation about what’s changing in homebuilding, why marketing matters more than ever, and how builders can improve the buyer experience from first contact through warranty. Kody shares his journey from tech entrepreneurship to homebuilding technology, the lessons learned from mystery shopping ma...

This high value session to cut through the noise, understand what the Fed’s decisions mean for the housing and mortgage industries, and provide home builders with clear, actionable insights on what to expect for the rest of 2025 and into 2026. Most importantly, we’ll explore what builders should be doing — and just as importantly, what they should avoid doing — in light of these changes.

Building More Than Homes: Leadership, Culture & Communication with Kim Cobb. In this episode of the Builder of Choice Insights podcast, Kim Cobb, Director of Field Operations and Warranty at Green Tech Homes, joins us for a powerful conversation on what it really means to be a Builder of Choice. From her early days as a building inspector to leading high-performing teams, Kim shares her journe...

In this episode, join our host Emma Jane Wildermuth and guests Ed Hauck , Senior Consultant, Shinn Group and Jennifer Hoops , Solutions Consultant, Higharc, as they unpack what it really takes to become the Builder of Choice. Ed Hauck and Jennifer Hoops walk through practical product-development decisions—from right-sizing plans and matching product to land, to pricing, options, and cross-team col...

In this episode of the Shinn Group’s Be the Builder of Choice™ Podcast,  Emma Jane Wildermuth , President of Shinn Group, and  Lake Coulson , Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Lobbyist for the at NAHB, team up for a thought-provoking discussion on the current political and operational challenges home builders face—and how to respond with both foresight and precision. This conve...

Join us for a podcast-style presentation followed by a Q&A session with Emma Jane Wildermuth and special guest, Kevin Jewell, President, French Brothers Homes. In today's environment, it can be a challenge to keep your team focused on a common goal. Strategic leadership is essential. A clear understanding of your organization's health is essential for guiding it in the right direction....

In today's environment it is essential to stay relevant to your target market. In this webinar/podcast, Emma Jane and Ed will discuss with Eric how to improve the product development process by focusing on cost reduction and creating maximum value for your buyers at a price they are able and willing to pay. In Part 2 of our Product Development Series we will focus on Elevation Review, Deeper P...

In today's environment it is essential to stay relevant to your target market. In this webinar/podcast, Emma Jane and Ed will discuss how to improve the product development process by focusing on cost reduction and creating maximum value for your buyers at a price they are able and willing to pay. We'll start with the proven Shinn metrics and work through the key players on your product developmen...

As a leader, navigating change is always a challenge. Join April and Emma Jane as they discuss how to tip the odds of change in your favor by managing change and leading people. Understand how leadership is essential to impact the direction you envision for your organization by being the role model your team needs. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from industry experts. Submit your quest...