From Waterloo to the Alamo

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, Traci Wilson Turnquist sits down with Wes Wiggington, owner of Foursquare Builders and board secretary at BGiving, for a conversation that moves between craft, community, and the evolution of custom home building in Central Texas. From his early days building vacation homes in Orlando to more than two decades leading one of Austin's most respecte...

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Lana Lawrence, Vice President of Sales at Community Builders Advisory Services, for a conversation that moves between market intelligence, dispute resolution, and the kind of career that gets built one credential at a time. From a first job in new home sales to leading business development at Zonda and now stewarding partnerships at o...

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Nicole Torres-Cooke, founder of Schmooze Networking, TREC certified CE instructor, creator of VodkaGirlATX, and the force carrying on a family Final Expenses business, for a conversation that moves between social media, small business, and building a life that refuses to fit in one box. From the early days of social media back in 2008...

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Steve Rigby, bestselling author, speaker, and founder of NewWings Consulting alongside his wife Susan, for a conversation that moves between leadership, self-management, and the difference between deciding and doing. From decades spent training three of the country's top ten homebuilders to writing the bestselling S.M.I.L.E. and...

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Calvin Chen, partner at Bercy Chen Studio and founder of Art Hub ATX for a conversation that moves between architecture, art, and the future of Central Texas. From 24 years of building a globally recognized practice to opening one of the largest creative studio spaces in the state, this episode unpacks how vision, craft, and stewardsh...

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , we sit down with Phyllis Overstreet for a conversation that goes far beyond appliances and straight into the heart of what defines luxury in today’s homebuilding landscape. From decades of builder and developer partnerships to the evolving expectations of today’s luxury buyer, this episode unpacks how design, performance, and brand alignment come tog...

💥 Austin isn’t just growing. It’s redefining what economic leadership looks like. On the newest episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , host Traci Turnquist Wilson sits down with Jeremy Martin, CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, for a candid conversation about where Austin’s economy is headed next. Is Austin still in hyper growth mode or entering a smarter, more strategic chapter?  What do CE...

Austin is not just growing. It is defining its next era. On this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , we sit down with Kirk Watson for an unfiltered conversation about growth, housing, density, live music, infrastructure, neighborhood character, and what “Keep Austin Weird” means in practice in 2026. We talk attainable housing for teachers and first responders. We talk development and where Cit...

This week, we’re honored to welcome Amber Vazquez , founder of The Vazquez Law Firm , to the mic. With more than two decades in criminal defense, Amber has built a respected reputation in Travis County for being fiercely strategic, relentlessly prepared, and deeply compassionate. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: fight for people, not cases. In this episode, we explore what first called her t...

Leadership in real estate isn’t about scripts or sales metrics. It’s about people, perspective, and the ability to lead through change. This week, we’re honored to welcome Stacey Borgmann, Director of Sales at GFO Home and nationally respected Keynote Speaker, for a candid and deeply grounded conversation on what it truly means to lead in today’s housing market. With more than two decades shaping...

Before “green homes” were trendy, Peter was already designing them. With roots in building science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Architecture focused on energy conservation from University of Texas at Austin, Peter has spent decades proving that high performance, sustainability, and beauty can not only coexist but elevate one another. In this episode, we dive into: How arch...

🎙️ New Year. New Episode. In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we kick off our first episode of 2026 with Glenn Hart, better known as LinkedGlenn, a connector, strategist, and catalyst helping firms win work, build meaningful relationships, and grow with intention across the commercial real estate landscape. Glenn shares how a natural gift for connection evolved into LinkedGlenn, a busin...

What a year! In this special Year in Review episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , we’re hitting rewind on our favorite conversations from 2025 and spotlighting the Central Texas movers and shakers who helped shape the communities we live, work, and dream in. From visionary developers and industry leaders to community builders and change makers, this year’s guests didn’t just talk real estate, gr...

🔥 New Episode Alert - From Waterloo to the Alamo is back with a conversation that every builder, developer, investor, and future land-shaping visionary needs to hear. This week, host Traci Turnquist sits down with Jack Meredith , Vice President of Masonwood Development , whose rise from Financial Analyst to CFO to Vice President offers a rare inside look at how major land development decisions ge...

This month on From Waterloo to the Alamo , host Traci Turnquist-Wilson and guest co-host/producer Travis Knight take you on a spirited, joy-filled ride through the Greater Austin area! From the eclectic heartbeat of South Austin to the twinkling traditions of the Hill Country, exploring the stories, celebrations, and downright delightful quirks that make December in Central Texas feel electric. Th...

This week, host Traci Turnquist-Wilson welcomes Brandy Price-Harrison, Head of Talent Acquisition, Trainer, and Global Real Estate Advisor, and Eric Perardi, Global Real Estate Advisor, Director of Development & Commercial Services with Engel & Völkers and the visionary team behind Wellness Plaza at Boerne. Set to rise off Herff Road, this 37,000-square-foot development blends medical, ret...

This week, From the Waterloo to the Alamo steps into the shadows of Austin and beyond, exploring the spaces, stories, and spirits that linger long after the lights go out. From the opulent corridors of The Driskill Hotel, where cigar smoke and ghostly laughter still drift through marble halls, to The Littlefield House at the University of Texas, a Victorian masterpiece wrapped in mystery, we’re un...

 Join Traci as she welcomes McCall Flores, the creative force behind the Austin branch of Sensible Redesign, for a conversation that bridges practical design, bold innovation, and a Texas sized dose of hustle. Since stepping into her role in mid-2023, McCall has been reimagining what home staging and interior design mean….transforming vacant houses into market-ready showpieces and turning ordinary...

🎙️ On this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , host Traci Turnquist Wilson sits down with Karissa Kobylecky , founder of Austin-based Damn Good Marketing . Karissa is shaking up the marketing world with a no-cookie-cutter approach, she believes every business has a unique path to thrive and outrank its competition. In this lively and insightful conversation, Karissa shares how her team conduct...

🎙️ From Waterloo to the Alamo with Traci Wilson-Turnquist welcomes Amy Martin,  a powerhouse in builder partnerships, digital marketing, and community leadership. Amy’s career began with an internship at Walt Disney World, where she learned first-hand the art of world-class customer experience. That foundation propelled her to exceed sales goals, earn multiple President’s Club awards, and become a...

On this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo , host Traci Turnquist-Wilson sits down with Jennifer Castenson , a powerhouse leader whose 20+ year career has shaped the built environment through marketing, programming, and public relations. From her influential roles as VP of Programming at Zonda to her current position as VP of Public Relations at Buildxact, Jennifer has worked at the cutting edg...

In this episode, Traci sits down with powerhouse media executive Andrea Deaver, Vice President of Advertising at the Austin American-Statesman, whose 20+ year career has shaped the way Central Texas consumes and connects through media. Andrea takes us behind the curtain of her rise from sales trailblazer to VP at major media companies like Gannett, sharing the pivotal moments that molded her bold...

On this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, host Traci Turnquist-Wilson welcomes Fred Ballard and Jake Bradley, co-owners of Blue Horse Building + Design, as they celebrate 20 years of building homes and strengthening communities across Central Texas. What began as two builders bringing complementary strengths together has grown into a company known for its timeless design, meticulous craftsman...