The Building Texas Show

Welcome to The Building Texas Show Guest: Andy Rawls Host:  Justin McKenzie After experiencing Andy’s craftsmanship as he helped an elementary school aged kid turn his own baseball bat, I was sold. His quiet leadership, attention to detail, and the incredible business he has built over the last 12 years. Somer and I had a lot of questions about the craft, the challenges of a solopreneur, and the l...

Welcome to Building Texas, Guest:  Texas State Representative Jon Rosenthal Host:  Justin McKenzie This was an unexpected guest but an incredible opportunity to learn more about how policy happens in Texas. State Representative, Jon Rosenthal serves District 135 located in Northwest Harris County. He is 1 of 2 practicing engineers in the House and the only oil and gas technical professional repres...

Welcome to Building Texas, Guest:  Will Roman At Building Texas we are proud to be Texan, and today's guest is no different. Will Roman is the Founder of Chisos Boots and is "handcrafting damn comfortable cowboy boots and advocating for Texas land conservation.” Previously Will co-founded a cyrpto company (acquired in 2019) and before that he was born in Austin, raised in Houston, with a stop in S...

Welcome to Building Texas, Guest:  Kyle Biedermann for Texas House This week’s episode spans elections, redistricting, to small business ownership and the economic future in rural Texas. Kyle Biedermann is a business owner who has previously served in the Texas House of Representatives. We discuss why he is running again, and outline his priorities. Get to know Kyle through his bio and website, ky...

Welcome to Building Texas, Have you been to downtown Buda, TX? If you haven’t, make it part of your next trip on IH-35. Escape the frontage road and quickly find yourself in small town, rural Texas. Look around and you will see the Buda EDC is doing big things! Traveling around the State, it is fun to celebrate the personalities building the future of Texas. Jennifer Storm and Shannon Mumley are o...

Welcome to Building Texas, Michael E. Stewart - has enjoyed a 40+ year career as a successful technology entrepreneur and business innovator, starting his first business (Diff’Rent Spokes – a moped rental business for college students) while still an undergraduate student at Baylor University.  Michael is now the Founder/Chairman of Lucid.ai and Krisis.ai, pioneering integrators of hyper-edge AI t...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Do you live in Central Texas? Are you mad about your property taxes? Ellen Troxclair was, and she decided to become a State Representative to do something about it. Representative Troxclair shares her experience across the District and her passion for getting results. Enjoy her bio below as you listen to her vision for the Hill Country and the 202,000 Texans she...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, 2024 kicks off with a bang! Luis Martinez takes the lead in Texas entrepreneurship discussions. Having left a lasting legacy at Trinity University, Luis now serves as the Sr. Venture Associate at Capital Factory. In his current role, Luis actively explores the diverse entreprenuerial ecosystems across Texas. He passionately calls upon leaders throughout the stat...

Welcome to Building Texas, This week, Building Texas continues its tour of Real County, engaging in a conversation with Judge Bella Rubio, the County Judge. Judge Rubio emphasizes the vastness of Real County and the surge in tourism and countywide sales. While this might be considered a positive development, it also presents unique challenges for the region. Emergency Services takes precedence in...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, This week, Building Texas takes you on a road trip to Real County. In Leakey, Texas, we enjoy a conversation with Sheriff Nathan Johnson about rural living, the challenges posed by a 10X spike in population every summer, and the increasing impact of smuggling in this region of Texas. Whether you're a fan of the Frio River or have recently discovered the Nueces R...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Staci Almager is the Chief Executive Officer of Hill Country Family Services (HCFS) and has served in this role since 2018.  During her five years at HCFS, Staci has helped develop innovative programs and services for the Kendall County community including providing 2,500 local professionals five years of access to the LifeSpot Active Shooter App, hiring a...

Welcome to Building Texas, In this episode of Building Texas, we dive into the story of Brad Cornell, CEO of Hope for Heroes Texas, a non-profit supporting first responders in Boerne, TX. Brad shares the organization's origins and its focus on enhancing the experience of first responders and their families through a special welcome known as "The Greeting." Follow along with our hosts, Justin McKen...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Get ready to be inspired as co-hosts Justin, and Somer, bring you Angela Hein, a serial entrepreneur, on Building Texas . Angela, the brains behind partydip.co , is gearing up to present her third startup to investors. In this episode, she candidly shares her journey as a founder in the dynamic landscape of Texas. Follow along with our hosts, Justin McKenzie and...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Welcome, Texas enthusiasts, to another captivating episode of Building Texas! In this edition, we engage in a conversation with Sonia Aguillon, the President of the GVTC Foundation, a true leader and advocate for community betterment. Join us as we delve into the heart of the GVTC Foundation, exploring its widespread impact across 11 counties and the remarkable...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Welcome to another captivating episode of Building Texas, where we explore the dynamic landscape of the Lone Star State and engage with visionary individuals shaping its future. In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting Dr. Joseph Macaluso, a multifaceted individual who has left an indelible mark on the Texas Hill Country through his roles as a City Coun...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Our remarkable guest, Agnes Hubbard, is a true force of nature. In her role as co-founder of Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries, Agnes works tirelessly to lift people across Central Texas to new heights. When we talk about building lasting impact, picture Agnes Hubbard in your mind as she embodies compassion and dedication. Under her leadership, Hill Country Da...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, In this episode of Building Texas, we welcome David Vequist from the Center for Medical Tourism Research at the University of the Incarnate Word to discuss the impact of medical tourism on local economies and the dynamics of public healthcare versus private payment. This rapidly growing industry is reshaping healthcare as we know it, and Dr. Vequist provides val...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, In this episode, we're going to delve deep into the intricacies of Texas' Economic Development strategies. We'll explore how communities can strategically position themselves for success, finding that delicate equilibrium between fostering growth and preserving the cherished quality of life and regional heritage. Super Dave Quinn is nothing short of a hero in hi...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Roman Sandoval is making the world of EVs safer, everyday. As the CEO of San Antonio based start-up, Allosense, Roman and his team set the standard for battery testing in the EV industry. This episodes dives into what it means to be a Founder in the San Antonio region, how COVID changed everything. He helps Somer and I better understand the shift to EV, impacts...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Sustainability is a buzz word for many, but a way of life for Tommy Mathews. Listening to him share how Westward Environmental is impacting projects around the country was interesting, but the meat of our conversation is WATER. Tommy understands our local concerns and has helped communities across Texas create a legacy of a clean and properly managed environment...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Steve Mack, President of Texas Heritage Bank, joins Justin for a conversation about banking in the Hill Country. Steve helps us understand the different style of banks we have in the region and talks about the bright future he sees ahead. Taking a deep dive into how Kendall County funds economic development, is it sustainable? We cover a lot of Texas in Steve's...

Welcome to Building Texas, Follow along with our hosts, Justin McKenzie and Somer Baburek, as they discuss a broad range of topics and interview the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are building Texas. Justin and Somer wrap up the 14th show diving deeper into how they are Building Texas, They share the stories that connected them to their hometown and provided the inspiration for th...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, Follow along with our hosts, Justin McKenzie and Somer Baburek, as they discuss a broad range of topics and interview the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are building Texas. Special guest David Spencer. David Spencer loves the band and the Boerne Band's tradition of the Turkey Dinner. David is a father of 4 who came to Boerne years ago to ensure...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, follow along with our hosts, Justin McKenzie and Somer Baburek, as they discuss a broad range of topics and interview the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are building Texas. With their special guest CS Freeland. CS Freeland joins us from the Texas Venture Alliance. We talk about the Texas entreprenuial ecosystem and how Rural Texas is being impac...

Welcome to The Building Texas Show, follow along with our hosts, Justin McKenzie and Somer Baburek, as they discuss a broad range of topics and interview the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are building Texas. With their special guest Dr. Tommy Price. Dr. Tommy Price looks back at the last 7 years in Boerne and the impact Boerne ISD is having. We celebrate today's teachers, and lea...