The Curious Builder

Ryan Lipchek visits Minneapolis to discuss bringing CBUSA to the local market. He shares how the purchasing group model benefits both builders and suppliers through increased buying power and access to new customers. Lipchek also explains CBUSA's process for launching in a new city and developing critical mass among contractors. Sponsors for the Episode:  Pella Northland Manomin Resawn Timbers Ada...

Interior designer Julia Miller sits down with  Mark D. Williams to discuss her career path from social work to owning her design firm, Yond Interiors. She shares details about her creative process, expanding her business both locally and nationally, and her approach to collaborating with clients. Listeners are given an inside look at Miller's journey and strategies for success in the interior desi...

Hendel Homes is a custom home-building company based in Minnesota.  Rick and Amy Hendel share how they started their company, the importance of building relationships with clients, architects, and trades, and how they have grown their teams over the years. They also talk about the challenges of balancing work in the business with work on the business as an owner and how being part of builder group...

Kura Home Maintenance provides routine maintenance and cleaning services for homes in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. Owner Daniel Felt started the company in 2016 with a focus on providing reliable and high-quality service. The company uses technology, systems, and processes to efficiently serve over 800 clients with 34 different services. Employees are young and well-trained to provide a posi...

Chris Anderson of Monthend provides accounting and bookkeeping services tailored specifically for builders. They organize financial data into meaningful statements and insights with their goal being to help builders gain a better understanding of their finances to improve decision-making and sleep better at night. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Northland https://www.pellabranch.com/minnesota/   M...

Kate Grutzmacher, the owner of The Scout Guide publication, joins Mark to discuss TSG (The Scout Guide) and how it supports small businesses in and around the Minneapolis community. Kate explains how TSG works and how they select clients. She also shares stories about inspiring clients and discusses her day job as president of Cities Management, a property management company. Kate describes how sh...

Kim Senn joins the show to discuss her journey starting off working for creative agencies to owning her Ad firm. She shares her background and her process with clients, specifically how she gets to know a brand and what it stands for. Kim and Mark also chat about what gets them into a creative space, and how Inspiration doesn't just come to you. It's acting on an idea and trying it out. Kim helps...

Alma Homes founders, Kirsten and Ethan, are here to share how their custom home business has grown to its level of success, and the strategies they're implementing to keep scaling up. Future architect turned designer and spreadsheet queen, Kirsten breaks down the analytics across their various platforms and why they especially focus on website traffic to retain traction. Attorney and framer, Ethan...

Episode 16.5 features highlights from the interview with Michael and Danielle Gutelli of Clark and Aldine.

Join us for our first LIVE audience event we hosted at the amazing showroom in Hennepin Made's glass factory. Jackson Schwartz the co-founder of Hennepin Made expounds his thoughts, experiences, and stories in a way that relates to everyone in the pursuit of passion and business. A lively and attentive audience of 60 was in attendance for a deep dive into the pursuit of passion around blowing glas...

Michael and Danielle Gutelli outline their branding and how each project has a naming strategy that makes them unique and special. A 2nd-grade teacher and a marketing and advertising guru, Michael and Danielle left what they knew to start a new business, while also having their first child. Five years and 10,000 hours of practicing their artform in the form of an informative blog transformed them...

Episode 16.5 features highlights from the interview with Mike Schmillen of River City Tile and Stone

Discussion touches on education to high schoolers, the lack of exposure to the trade jobs and how we can help push that forward for our generation. Mike then shares his story of how he used his lumber sales background to expand the tile business he bought into and now owns. College may not be a path to owning a business and we talk a bit about Mike's experience in becoming a business owner. Asking...

Episode 15.5 features highlights from the interview with Matt Calvano of Adaptive.

Matt is one of 3 Stanford grads that decided to create a start-up company. One was an investment guru, one was a rocket scientist (for Space X) and one was a super coder. Together they decided to tackle the hardest problem they could find on the biggest market in the US....Home Construction. Creating a software company that will live up to its namesake, (Adaptive) Matt details out the nuances of t...

Episode 14.5 features highlights from the interview with Mercedes Austin, Founder and CEO of Mercury Mosaics.

Mercedes Austin takes us through her intentional crafting of tile by hand in a "tile bakery" located in Northeast Minneapolis. Mercury Mosaic's tile tells a story, sharing the artistry of the hand crafted approach to a community-based industry and what sets her tile apart. Starting off with mosaic art with tile led down a path of creating unique one-of-a-kind tile that delights those who see it. P...

Episode 13.5 features highlights from the interview with Chase Hicks of Concrete Science

Interview with Chase Hicks of Concrete Science

Episode 12.5 features highlights from the interview with Eric Robertson of NRD Landscape Design + Build

In this podcast episode, Eric shares his unique story of how he met, as well as his journey from studying Oceanography to starting his own landscape design business. He revisits the design foresight of a city that prioritizes tree planting for future generations to enjoy. Eric also emphasizes the value of knocking on doors, stuffing mailboxes, and showcasing his work at Home and Garden Shows to at...

Episode 11.5 features highlights from the interview with Steve Yoch of Felhaber Larson

Steve Yoch of Felhaber Larson expounds upon construction law and the intricacies of starting a business while protecting yourself while running a business with partners. A self described "Dirt Lawyer", Steve shares his depth on scenarios that business owners face while diving deep on specifics in construcion. Regardless of what business you own, these examples are very helpful in understanding how...

Episode 10.5 features highlights from the interview with Sarah Londerville of Manomin Resawn Timber

Sarah shares her incredible family-centric story from salvaging scrap yard metals as a 1st grader to combating the "chainsaw cowboys" with her expertise in sourcing the best barn wood in the Midwest. Sarah celebrates American history by salvaging our barn birthrights to provide them for modern homes. Manomin has put their barn wood everywhere from Punch Pizza and Caribou Coffee to Ralph Lauren in...