To get Breakthrough Academy's Strategic Planning Tool (FREE or Build Show Podcast listeners): CLICK HERE. Find Breakthrough Academy at btacademy.com. Find Breakthrough Academy on The Build Show Network here. Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter ....
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt goes deep with guest Will King of High Cotton Homes outside of Huntsville, Alabama. They discuss their different experience in the industry; Matt, with a few decades, and Will as a relative newcomer to the field. Will shares his fears over making the decision to leave the security and benefits of being a paramedic/firefighter to be a builder. They talk about how they handled the grueling hours of the trade and the benefits of being self-employed. T...
In this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Jake Bruton, owner of Aarow Building out of Missouri, joins Matt, and they go deep into how to select an architect or designer. How do you choose a designer? How do you find an architect? What should builders expect from blueprints from a designer or architect? Should you look for one-person companies or larger firms? How hands-on do you want them to be? How much should a set of plans cost? Listen in to hear about Matt's ah-ha moment, their past experie...
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt and drywall expert Lydia go deep about social media and how it affects their businesses. Learn how Lydia got started on social media (find her at @drywallshorty on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok) and what that's meant for her business, personal brand, and future. They also discuss tips and tricks for those in the industry that may want to create their own social media presence and what it takes to succeed.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE...
Download Breakthrough Academy's Bullet-Proof Budget for Builders here: https://trybta.com/bsn-budget Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter .
Today's episode of The Build Show Podcast is part 2 of last week's video, where Matt and Architect Steve Baczek went deep into the building industry's past and present. This week, they'll head for the future and discuss what they see coming down the pipeline. What does the future hold for a well-built house? Is it CLT? Can the building community solve the problems they've created? Don't miss this episode. Do you agree with Matt and Steve?Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: Octo...
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt and his guest, Architect Steve Baczek, go deep into their past, present, and future in the first of a two-part series. They discuss Steve's work with the Building Science Corporation and the opportunities that shaped his career as a new architect. Steve shares what high-performance homes looked like in the late 90s and 2000s. Matt shares his building science story as well, discussing his time as a "warranty guy" in the early 2000s in the pacific no...
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt introduces us to Will King, the newest Build Show Network contributor. Find out how Will got into the trade and transformed his passion for building into a successful design build company working on custom homes. They’ll talk about personal business strategies, investment properties, and what to expect from Will as he joins the team. Will plans to focus on reaching the new builders getting into the profession to encourage the art of building science. In...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt speaks with another of our new contributors: Travis Brungardt, builder, remodeler, and licensed tradesman. Travis' business, Catalyst Construction, is in Prairie Village, Kansas. His focus on The Build Show is to encourage the next generation of builders and tradespeople. He holds two trade licenses: mechanical and electrical. Join Matt and learn why Travis got into the business, why he got two trade licenses, why he joined The Build Show, and what is B...
On this episode of the Build Show, Matt interviews one of our new content experts, Bryan Uhler of Pioneer Builders. If you haven't watched any of his videos, you should. He's doing some great things up in the Pacific Northwest. Bryan's a second-generation builder. His father served in the Vietnam War in the Army Real Estate Corps and returned to, eventually, start Pioneer Builders. Bryan grew up in the business and didn't believe he would stay in the industry. He now co-runs Pioneer Building wit...
In this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt talks to Joe Cook and Travis Brungardt of Catalyst Construction in Prairie Village, Kansas. They touch on Catalyst's history and how it is a one-stop shop for renovations and building. Then, they go deep and discuss continuing education for those in the trade. Between them, Travis and Joe hold four licenses that require at least eight hours of education per license. They talk about how their continuing education requirements ignited their passion f...
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt has a guest host for you: Steve Lesem, CEO of The Build Show Network. Steve interviews Trish Mueller, former Chief Marketing Officer of Home Depot. Trish has had a successful career in retail and just had a custom home built and was delighted with the process. They dive deep into what that process was and what, in Trish's opinion, made it a success. They touch on owner expectations, budgeting, and picking a builder they trust. If you're a builder, ...
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt and Tim Greer do some myth-busting! Tim Greer works at Rinnai, and they get nerdy and dig a little deeper into tankless water heaters. You'll hear compelling arguments to move to tankless, including outdoor mounting and the lengths Rinnai goes to protect its units from freezing. They also debunk some of the myths out there about tankless water heaters and really run the numbers: heating deltas and shower-head flow, traditional venting vs. PVC venti...
In this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt and Kristof Irwin go deep into the subject of mechanical design; duct layout, equipment selection, diffuser selection, and how to run it all through a home with the ultimate goal of occupant comfort and system efficiency. They discuss how builders can get upstream of the HVAC layout so that mechanical designers don't have to make the best of a build that doesn't include room for heating and cooling systems. They define building science and discuss long-...
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt is joined by our very own Lydia Crowder and Brent Hull. Today, our experts are talking drywall and wall finishes. Brent walks us through some of the history of American home building, and how we got from wattle and daub to wire lathe to the plethora of finishing styles today. They discuss finish levels throughout the market and walk through certain applications techniques for several. You can find Matt at @risingerbuild, Lydia at @drywallshorty, and Bre...
On this episode of the Build Show podcast, Matt and guest Robbie Davis, owner of Delta Millworks, an architectural mill and experts in shou-sugi-ban. Matt and Robbie discuss wood as infrastructure and how the industry moved away from its use in outdoor locations like siding, decks, and fascia, but are now using wood more than ever. They talk about forest management, sustainability, and tree farming. If you're a builder, tune in to learn about "pickled wood" and more.Save the Date for Build Show ...
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt speaks to Brian Long, one of the best builders Matt's ever met. Brian is the owner of Brian Long Custom Homes, and he and Matt met back in 2015. The two Texas-based builders discuss waterproofing, covering everything from the "double burrito" to a few of their waterproofing mistakes.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter.
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt meets with Witt Smith, a second generation engineer to discuss residential engineering. They discuss alternative building systems like SIPs panels, insulated concrete forms, and ICFs. Are these alternative methods just hype, or is all the buzz justified?Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter.
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt and Eric Aune are going to take a deep dive into the best plumbing specs. They'll compare plumbing systems and nerd out over PEX. They touch on Viega and Uponor products, talk about copper piping, and Eric shares his experience with dry fitting. They even touch on plumbing for the zombie apocalypse and PTC (Push to Connect) systems. Whether you're a builder, a plumber, or a project manager, you don't want to miss this episode of The Build Show Podcast.S...
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt and Steve Baczek are going to break down everything he knows about Building Science in just about 30 minutes. Whether you’re a veteran of building science or not, this episode is going to be valuable. What you’ll learn: The true definition of the term building science The role of climate, location and water in your builds Were houses built better in the past? Four things that happen when you understand building scienceSave the Date for Build Show LIVE 2...
On this episode of the Build Podcast, Matt is joined by Brian Ciciora, CEO and Founder, Truewerk Workwear, to talk about the story of the American workman and why what you wear on the job matters. Think about it—everything you communicate, what you wear, and how you present yourself is a big deal for your business, so this episode will dive into innovations that protect the American worker, including better, more durable fabrics that look good (and don’t have to be ironed out of the wash). Liste...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt sits down with his VP of Construction, Tim Hill, to chat about why they build homes. Some might say it’s certainly not for the money, though sometimes the money is pretty good, but really, they narrow it down to two reasons: relationships and the fact that they enjoy being heroes. (Yes, you can be a hero in the building industry). Listen in and mull over the question for yourself: why do YOU build?Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: Oc...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is joined by Build CEO Steve Lesem and Tim Hill, Build VP of Construction to discuss client expectations. Many clients start projects with some preconceived notions or ideas set from television shows they’ve watched or prior conversations they’ve had, but those ideas are not necessarily rooted in reality. It’s important for builders to understand what their clients already believe and really process that information. Getting to know clients is one of th...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is joined by Corbett and Grace Lunsford, Hosts of Home Diagnosis, and who Matt considers the OG YouTubers, to discuss building high performance houses and the microbiology that goes into it. They'll talk history of our homes, facts and stats that may surprise you, as well as a deep dive into the chemistry behind indoor air quality and materials we use to build.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single...
The pending possible recession is top of mind for Matt. So, this week he’s sitting down with his friend, and fellow YouTuber, Kevin AKA “Meet Kevin” to talk about what builders, architects, landlords and homeowners should be doing to prepare for what could come. Kevin is an expert in both real estate and investing/finance and the two will discuss the overall market, what happens to housing sales during this time, what to look for in cash buyers, and if we should be selling properties. You’ll gai...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is joined by Rex Tibbens, CEO of Frontdoor and Travi Brungardt, Builder and Co-Owner, Catalyst Construction to talk about a topic that we just can't talk about enough: young people in the trades. You might want to listen to this episode while driving the kids around! The three will discuss the need for more tradesmen in the industry, the value proposition that we could use to talk to young people about becoming a tradesman or woman in our industry. and ...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt gets his VP of Construction, Tim Hill, back on to discuss water, water management, and the mistakes and problems that come along with it. This is a core topic to builders and there's a need to understand this because ultimately water is our number one enemy and a building's number one enemy for durability. Water in all of its forms accounts for 80% of construction defect litigation. And right now, we're in a very litigious market, so buckle in for this ...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is asking what we're all thinking: when will this supply chain get back to normal? After returning from the International Builders Show and listening to fellow builders, he realized that almost everyone is feeling the same way around the country, asking questions like: when will this ease a bit? What will it look like as it changes? Here to join him in this discussion are Jeff Rettig - VP Supply Chain - Builders FirstSource and Bret Dewey - VP of Supply...
Chad Gillespie Senior Manager, Performance Construction at Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US joins matt to take on a very specific topic: a subset of HVAC around ducted and ductless. The two will dive deep into this to tach us exactly what a ducted unit is and exactly what a ductless unit is. (Hint: ductless= an indoor unit that has no ductwork attached and connects to the heat pump system.) The two will address the different applications, benefits and considerations if you find a ductless unit ...
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is joined by Travis and Joe of Catalyst Construction to discuss what it takes to encourage young people to get into the trades. They'll discuss what got them involved in the industry, inspired them to snag multiple skilled licenses, and why it's so important for 20-somethings to get busy early. Find out what makes the industry not only enjoyable, but profitable and empowering for those who are looking to something great with their lives.Save the Date fo...
