Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Sometimes the most interesting relationships in life start for no reason other than you showed up somewhere and were willing to talk.

That's how I met Alexandro Paredas.

I had decided I wanted to build a mobile podcast studio—the Panini Pod. I found a little camper online, showed up at Camping World to look at it, and Alexandro was one of the first people I met. He had only been working there a short time.

I bought the camper, but the more interesting part was the conversation that followed.

Alexandro is a pilot and flight instructor working toward the flight hours needed to take the next step in his aviation career. Flying isn't some new interest for him. It traces back to childhood, got pushed aside as life happened, and eventually became his North Star again after his father's death.

The path since then hasn't been particularly straight.

There have been expensive lessons, failed attempts, career changes, financial realities and moments when it would have been pretty easy to decide the dream wasn't worth pursuing anymore.

He kept going.

Our worlds don't overlap in many obvious ways. I'm a builder and developer. Alexandro is chasing a career in aviation. But that's part of what Beyond The Build is supposed to be about.

We talk about passion, loss, setbacks, relationships, service, making decisions with imperfect information, and what happens when you remain curious enough to keep following an opportunity instead of immediately deciding where it's supposed to lead.

A random trip to buy a camper eventually led to a Saturday morning at an airplane hangar, flying over Kansas City with the guy who sold it to me.

Sometimes you just have to say yes and see where it goes.

Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

Brian Mertz of PC Homes is a developer, builder and former CPA with a substantial footprint across the Kansas City area.

We recorded this conversation on location at Creekside in Parkville, Missouri, sitting in the Panini Pod in the baseball complex parking lot. It was a fitting backdrop. Creekside has grown into a major mixed-use development with apartments, townhomes, single-family housing, hotels, restaurants, retail and sports facilities.

Stucker Construction has had the opportunity to participate in a significant portion of that development, including the baseball complex buildings and dugouts, a 264-unit apartment community with a clubhouse, two 50-unit three-story mixed-use buildings, and 71 four-unit townhome buildings. Altogether, our involvement at Creekside represents roughly $100 million in construction.

But Creekside is only part of Brian's story. Brian grew up around construction, attended the University of Kansas, became a CPA, and eventually found himself drawn back into the construction and development world. Over the last two decades, that path has grown into numerous residential and mixed-use projects throughout the Kansas City region. In this conversation, we talk about development, housing affordability, rising construction costs, regulations, risk, decision-making, building teams, trust, failure, opportunity and what it takes to continue moving projects forward when so much of the outcome is outside your control.

One theme keeps surfacing throughout the conversation: you don't always have to know exactly how you'll accomplish something before you start. You need good people, good information, an understanding of the risk—and, maybe most importantly, the willingness to figure it out.

This is a candid conversation between two people who have spent a lot of years building projects together, learning lessons the hard way and continuing to ask the same question:
"What's the best way forward?"


Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

Lefty Media Co. builds high-quality websites designed to be discovered by AI.

Nathan Hall is the founder of Lefty Media Co in Kansas City, where he helps businesses get known and chosen by the AI tools people now ask instead of Google.

In this podcast episode, Nathan talks about AI discoverability. Through a program called Discover Me, Lefty helps businesses do two things: 

• Make sure the AI tools actually know who they are (GEO)
• And, get named when someone asks those tools for the best at what they do (Pick Rate)

The other half of his work matters to him just as much. Lefty comes into a business, learns how each person actually works, and uses AI to make the day lighter and hand people their Friday back, same work with less weight on it.

Nathan is upfront that Lefty will not help a company replace its people with AI; the whole point is to make work easier and make AI feel less scary. Lefty was recently selected as one of twenty exhibitors at the Kansas City AI Club's AI Expo.

leftymediaco.com

Thanks for listening!


Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

From learning the hard way on job sites to building systems, teams, and leadership habits that actually work—this episode of Beyond The Build with August Chrisman of KABE Construction is packed with real conversations about growth, curiosity, efficiency, and what it takes to keep improving in construction and in life.

🎧 A great listen for builders, leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to figure it out as they go.

⏱️ Key Topics & Time Stamps

• 29:50 — Starting at the bottom & why “sweeping floors” teaches more than people realize
• 32:03 — Leadership, expectations, and understanding people at every level of a company
• 34:31 — Curiosity, risk-taking, and pushing boundaries in business and life
• 42:42 — Constantly improving systems, efficiency, and “how do we do this better?”
• 46:31 — Why communication, process, and relationships make construction projects succeed
• 49:40 — Scheduling, trade coordination, and the daily reality of keeping projects moving

Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

Some partnerships go beyond business. Cheryl has been part of the Stucker Construction journey for years—and in this episode, we celebrate that history right in the heart of Harrisonville.

This episode of Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker is all about "scrappy entrepreneurship." Also available on your favorite streaming platforms and our Facebook page.

Key moments: 

• 0:40 – 3:30 | “This is how it all started (and the chaos of early days)” Topic: Funny intro + early builder/developer stories
• 4:00 – 10:30 | “How Cheryl & Larry built their working relationship” Topic: Origin story + early construction partnership
• 10:30 – 18:30 | “Figuring it out as you go (no plan, just momentum)” Topic: Entrepreneurial chaos + building systems on the fly
• 19:30 – 21:30 | “9/11, market shifts, and holding your nerve” Topic: Market uncertainty + resilience
• 40:00 – 44:30 | “Rebuilding & finding the right fit (Crown Realty)” Topic: Career evolution + long-term success

Thanks for watching & listening! We appreciate it and hope you enjoyed it.


Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

In this episode, Kevin sits down with Logan Conway of Comfort Systems Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Belton, Missouri. 

To say HVAC is in Logan’s blood is an understatement. From growing up in the trade to leading a growing operation, Logan shares the real story behind the work — the challenges, the growth, and the lessons learned along the way.


Key moments:

• ⏱️ ~8:16 – 9:36
  A pivotal moment—Logan explains how watching his dad navigate the 2008 economic downturn changed his perspective. While others struggled, his dad’s stability in HVAC made Logan rethink his career path and fully commit to the family business.
• ⏱️ ~10:06 – 11:59
  Logan walks through stepping into leadership during his dad’s illness, eventually buying the company in 2020. 
• ⏱️ ~14:39 – 16:12
  A powerful segment about legacy and impact. Logan explains how his family created a scholarship fund and annual golf tournament to give back—especially to those entering the trades—keeping his dad’s values alive in a meaningful way.
• ⏱️ ~18:12 – 21:16
  Logan dives into how he’s built a people-first company culture—prioritizing family time, creating a positive work environment, and investing in team morale (gym, events, flexibility). 
• ⏱️ ~33:24 – 35:01
  Logan explains how his definition of success has evolved—focusing on being a great dad, husband, and leader rather than just financial growth. 

If you’re in the trades, building something of your own, or just trying to figure it out as you go — this one will hit home.

And if you’re in need of top-notch HVAC work, be sure to check out Comfort Systems Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Belton, Missouri.

Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

A real conversation on life, perspective, and showing up—no matter what

In this episode of Beyond the Build, I sit down with my cousin and friend Amanda Thompson—a former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader—for a real, unfiltered conversation about life and what it means to keep showing up. Amanda’s path has taken her from the NFL sidelines to working in luxury environments and raising two kids as a single mom. She’s experienced very different worlds—from high-end clients and travel to everyday challenges—but one thing has remained constant. All she knows is go. We talk about where that mindset comes from, how it carries through different seasons of life, and what it looks like when things aren’t perfect—but you keep showing up anyway. Along the way, we get into:

• Growing up, our grandparents, and simpler times
• Chasing success and how the definition of “the dream” changes
• Experiences around wealth, work, and perspective
• The cheerleader mindset—and why some people can’t turn it off
• Finding balance, gratitude, and purpose in real life

This is a long-form, honest conversation—part reflection, part laughter, and part just figuring it out as we go. If you’ve ever felt like life doesn’t slow down—but you still have to show up—this one’s for you.

Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.

In this episode, I sit down with Frank Bankston and his son Matt Bankston. Frank has spent 47 years in the lumber business and has been one of the most respected lumber sales professionals in the Kansas City market. Matt has built a strong career as an electrician, and both have become longtime business associates and lifelong friends.

We talk about work, life, relationships, family, and the experiences that shape how people approach projects. Deep in the conversation, Frank shares a simple breakdown of five reasons jobs fail—a perspective built from decades of experience working alongside builders across the region.

Along the way we also get into car shows, hunting, camping, industry history, and the kinds of lessons that only come from years of working in the trades and building strong relationships.

Skip to:
51:16 – Frank explains the 5 reasons jobs fail

Beyond The Build with Kevin Stucker

Produced by Stucker Construction Inc 
Edited in partnership with ContentKC  

Conversations with builders, developers, and leaders about work, life, and lessons from the field.

Website
https://stuckerconstruction.com
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstucker
Instagram
https://instagram.com/stuckerinc1991
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/stuckerconstructionincorporated
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@stuckerconstructioninc1991

Kansas City, Missouri

© 2026 Stucker Construction Inc. All rights reserved.