Builder Straight Talk Podcast

Sustainable homes are no longer just a “nice to have.” They’re fast becoming the smartest path forward for builders facing tighter margins, supply chain headaches, and rising buyer expectations. Few understand this better than Jake Wilson.

As the founder of Conscious Living Design and Build and Conscious Energy Collective, Wilson has made it his mission to redefi...

Building a healthy home isn’t about slapping a “green” label on a house and calling it a day. For Brian Johnson of Synergy360, it’s about stripping things down to what really matters—health, longevity, and getting builders back in control of the environment they’re creating.

In this episode of Bu...

Scaling a construction business isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. That’s the straight talk from Marti Amos, CEO of The Professional Builder, who joined Michael Krisa on Builder Straight Talk to lay out what he calls the builder’s roadmap to freedom.

For more than 21 year...

When you’ve helped generate over $25 billion in real estate transactions, recruited 5,000 NAHB members, and built communities through double-digit interest rates, you learn what separates the builders who survive from the ones who scale.

For S. Robert August, it’s not product. It’s not price. It’...

Composite SIPs might not sound like battlefield tech—but for Evan Mai, they’re the future of building smarter, faster, and stronger. After logging over 2,300 hours in an F-16 and leading combat missions in Desert Storm, Evan’s new mission is on the ground: disrupting construction with a material most builders haven’t even touched yet.

Evan’s story isn’t your typical builder bio. He grew up ...

Healthy home construction isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s becoming a necessity. Builders across the country are realizing that the way we’ve been framing, finishing, and sealing up homes is creating spaces that look great but quietly make people feel like hell. Brian Johnson has been ahead of that curve for over a decade, and now he’s helping contractors, clients, and communities rethink how ho...

Builder construction loans are the fuel behind most successful projects—but only if they’re built right. James Minarsich has made it his business to deliver funding that moves at the speed of builders—not banks.

As Senior VP of Construction Lending at Sound Capital, James oversees a team that works exclusively with professional home builders,...

Modular home construction isn’t just a trend—it’s a solution. And Harrison Langley is proving it can be done faster, smarter, and more sustainably than traditional building ever could.

As the CEO and founder of MDLR Brands, Harrison is combining cutting-edge materials, rapid fabrication, and high-impact design to solve real-world problems in ho...

Healthy home construction is more than just a buzzword—it’s fast becoming the next frontier for serious builders, and Lauren Riddei is right in the middle of the shift.

Lauren Riddei is a strategic advisor and consultant specializing in building health, indoor air quality, and the use of non-toxic materials. Her background spans br...

Accessory dwelling units are changing the way builders, homeowners, and developers think about growth—and Whitney Hill is right at the front of that movement.

Whitney Hill is the co-founder of SnapADU, a California-based construction and development firm specializing in accessory dwelling units (ADUs). What started as a niche offer...

When it comes to building homes in Florida, Michael Vitale isn’t your average story. He wasn’t born into construction. He didn’t grow up swinging a hammer. He came from the Italian military and police force—then landed in Florida, fell in love, and said yes to a challenge that would flip his life upside down.

Volume building isn't just about stacking houses fast. It's about staying lean, sharp, and structured. And Stephen Connor gets that—because he’s living it.