Design Development

Most business owners go through a pivotal moment—their first real look behind the curtain at how buyers value companies. For Rens Hayes, that moment came when he went through a sale and due diligence process for his father’s structural steel business. What he learned from that experience completely changed how he approached building and scaling his own company, H&O Structural Engineering.

In this episode of Independence by Design™, Rens and host, Ryan Tansom, break down how he engineered his business for value creation, using Ken Sanginario’s Engineer’s Value Opportunity Profile (VOP) as his roadmap. Instead of scaling haphazardly, Rens built his company by systematically improving the eight functional areas that drive business valuation—the same areas buyers care about most.  

Rens and his partner have taken a deliberate approach to aligning cash flow, valuation timelines, and growth goals, ensuring that every dollar reinvested moves them closer to financial independence. Whether you are preparing for an eventual exit or simply want to build a business that works for you instead of the other way around, this conversation is packed with insights that will change the way you think about scaling, hiring executives, and managing risk.

Rens Hayes is a structural engineer and entrepreneur who transformed H&O Structural Engineering by applying enterprise value principles to modernize the traditional engineering industry. After experiencing due diligence firsthand, he shifted from operator to owner mindset, implementing Ken Sanginario's Value Opportunity Profile to align business growth with long-term value creation. Hayes helps real estate developers maximize returns through strategic design and cost-efficient engineering, while sharing insights on scaling, capital allocation, and executive hiring—expertise valuable for business owners seeking to build wealth-generating enterprises rather than just larger companies.

Resources:

Website: H&O Structural Engineering 

LinkedIn: Rens Hayes 

Podcast: The H&O Podcast 

Sound Bites: 

"Scaling a business isn’t just about revenue—it’s about building an asset buyers actually want." – Rens Hayes 

"The biggest mistake founders make? Hiring executives before they know what success looks like." – Ryan Tansom 

"If you don’t know how to allocate capital inside your own business, you’re just hoping for growth—not engineering it." – Rens Hayes 

"There’s a difference between working in the business and working on the business. The sooner you figure that out, the sooner you get your time back." – Ryan Tansom 

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

For roughly 40 years, developers looked at a six-acre oceanfront site in Long Beach and couldn’t get it done.

Then B2K did.

In this episode of Design Development, Jon Weiss explains what finally unlocked the 1.2-million-square-foot Superblock - and why getting a project built often has less to do with the idea and more to do with timing, local buy-in, construction strategy, and understanding the economics early enough to make the right decisions.

Jon is a fourth-generation builder and partner at B2K Development, where he leads B2K Construction and oversees nearly half a billion dollars in active construction.

We also get into:

• What Jon learned growing up in the family business under his grandfather, Sydney Engel
• Why a “fast” development approval on Long Island can still take years
• How similar buildings can carry dramatically different construction costs depending on geography
• Why B2K brings construction into the process early instead of relying on late-stage value engineering
• How understanding the developer’s pro forma changes the way a contractor approaches design and cost
• Why B2K is expanding into Connecticut and South Florida while remaining deeply rooted in Long Island

It’s a conversation about family business, partnerships, development risk, construction economics, and what it really takes to build smarter.

Don't miss the full conversation of with Jon Weiss, Principal and President of Construction at B2K Development.

Resources:

• B2K Development - Explore more about B2K Development’s projects and initiatives.
• Long Island Builders Institute - For more information about the regional development climate and ongoing projects.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Early in his career, Patrick Carino tracked real estate opportunities with aerial maps pinned to the wall and a binder full of spreadsheets. It worked, but it exposed a bigger problem: real estate is inherently visual, yet much of the information developers use to make multimillion-dollar decisions is fragmented across spreadsheets, maps, inboxes, and relationships. That frustration eventually became DealNav. But it also opened up a much bigger conversation about how great developers actually make decisions.

Patrick Carino is Vice President of Development at The NRP Group, where he sources and executes market-rate multifamily developments across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. He's also the founder of DealNav, a map-based deal-tracking tool he built after years of managing his own pipeline in Excel and Google My Maps — now used by real estate professionals across the globe who want a simpler map-based alternative to bloated CRMs.

Pat also brings a broad perspective across brokerage, entrepreneurial development, and institutional real estate. Before NRP, he worked at RMS and began his career at CBRE, where he was involved in more than $1 billion of investment sales transactions.

In this episode, we get into:

• Why capitalizing good deals may be harder than finding them right now.
• How decision-making changes when you move from one owner deploying his own capital to an institutional investment committee managing other people’s money.
• Why some of the best development opportunities still come through relationships, not simply better data.
• What working on $1B+ of transactions at CBRE taught Pat about validating every assumption.
• Why NRP built a highly specialized organization and how that structure supports scale.
• The Westchester deal Pat walked away from after investing meaningful time and money, and the lesson he refuses to learn twice.
• How NRP is growing its Northeast market-rate pipeline across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
• Why Pat built DealNav and what he learned turning an internal tool into a software business.

The through line is bigger than real estate software.

Information helps you find the opportunity. Relationships get you access. But judgment determines what you pursue, what you pass on, and whether you can ultimately get the deal built.

Resources:

• NRP Group: NRP Group Website
• CBRE: CBRE Website
• Deal Nav: Deal Nav Website
• Book/Resource Mentioned: $100M Offers, Alex Hormozi's work for growth strategies, particularly in sales and business development.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

(Ep. from 10/24) Rens Hayes IV is the co-founder of H+ O Structural Engineering, a pioneering firm focused on innovative solutions in real estate development, design, and construction. With a background in steel construction and engineering, Rens's journey in the industry has been fueled by an early influence from the family business and a commitment to lifelong learning. He is a certified value growth advisor and has utilized his expansive knowledge to scale H+O nationally, emphasizing alignment in design processes and financial efficiency.

Joe Walker, principal at Walker Architects, operates in Georgia and Florida. A previous guest on "Design Development," Joe is recognized for his insights on agile design and leadership in the architecture industry. 

Episode Summary:

Dive into a captivating exploration of cutting-edge design and structural engineering with Rens Hayes IV on the episode of "Design for an Agile World." In this engaging dialogue with Joe Walker, Rens shares his revolutionary approach to engineering through the H+O Cost Index, a model that aligns design efficacy with economic practicality. Learn how H+O Structural Engineering blends innovative business acumen with top-tier engineering talent to create sustainable value in the construction and real estate industry.

Explore the mindset at H+O that drives success in a dynamic industry. Rens shares his philosophy of lifelong learning, applying MBA-level insights to shape H+O's strategic and operational model. He outlines how financial management and enterprise value creation foster balanced organizations, aligning client goals with employee success, and highlights the future of structural engineering's role in real estate development. 

Key Takeaways:

• The H+O Cost Index leverages trained personnel and proprietary data to bring efficiency and cost-effectiveness to structural design.
• Lifelong learning and open book financial management are pivotal to scaling and improving organizational processes.
• Crafting a "design process" rooted in understanding construction costs can lead to significant client value and project optimization.
• Aligning business operations with strategic goals allows for sustainable growth and profitability in the design and construction sectors.
• Embracing technological advancements and AI could revolutionize site planning and the future of architectural design.

Resources:

• Connect with Rens Hayes on LinkedIn: Rens Hayes IV LinkedIn
• Learn more about H+O Structural Engineering: H+O Engineering
• Podcast Recommendation: The Game by Alex Hormozi
• Book Mentioned: "Atomic Habits" by James Clear

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

A dog run almost triggered another stair.

The solution? Convince the building official that the space wasn’t assembly space. It was a fitness center.

For dogs.

That story is a good snapshot of this conversation with Ben Kasdan, Principal at KTGY Architecture + Planning.

Great multifamily design isn’t just about creating something that looks good. Every decision sits at the intersection of resident behavior, building code, construction cost, site constraints, operational efficiency, and ultimately whether the development pencils.

Ben has spent more than two decades navigating those tradeoffs across multifamily, mixed-use, affordable, student, and urban infill housing.

In this episode of Design Development, we get into the decisions shaping the next generation of multifamily development:

• Why the “amenities arms race” may be over and what residents actually value now
• The multifamily efficiency benchmarks triggering an architect’s “BS meter”
• Why co-working space has evolved far beyond one big communal table
• How pools, pet amenities, and even “catios” influence the resident experience
• Why KTGY created a dedicated R&D studio to solve problems before they show up on real projects
• What makes office-to-residential conversions far harder than they appear
• How architects can use research, data, and experimentation to make better development decisions

We also explore a bigger question:

How do you know which design features actually create value - and which ones are simply consuming valuable square footage and development dollars?

Ben brings the architectural perspective. Rens brings the structural and cost lens.

The result is a practical conversation about designing buildings people want to live in without losing sight of the economics required to get them built.

Listen to the full conversation with Ben Kasdan of KTGY on Design Development.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Rens Hayes IV, the host of "Design Development," is a structural engineering expert and co-founder of H+O Structural Engineering. With a lifelong commitment to learning and growth, Rens is passionate about high-powered organizations and leadership. He brings extensive experience in real estate development, design, and construction, aiming to share actionable insights drawn from top industry performers through his podcast.

Episode Summary:

In this insightful episode of "Design Development," host Rens Hayes shares ten actionable steps for young professionals aiming to advance their real estate development, design, and construction careers. Rens emphasizes an "abundance mindset" and the importance of self-reflection and openness to growth, while illustrating effective career strategies drawn from his own professional journey. This episode offers a roadmap for leveraging skills and mindsets to achieve career goals, ultimately helping professionals feel less stuck and more empowered in their career trajectories.

Throughout the episode, Rens explores core concepts such as the four stages of contribution, viewing oneself as a "business of one," and the critical nature of planning. By understanding these principles, young professionals can more effectively navigate their growth trajectories, manage expectations, and break through hurdles that might otherwise lead to career stagnation or burnout. Key strategies like delivering complete work, owning one's future, and recognizing the compound effect are highlighted, ensuring listeners walk away with actionable insights for immediate implementation.

Key Takeaways:

• Four Stages of Contribution: Understand your progression from being dependent to eventually contributing strategically, and strive to acquire skills to move you independently through your career.
• View Yourself as a Business: Treat your role as a "business of one" where your sole client is your manager. Focus on delivering value instead of partial efforts.
• Accountability and Planning: Own your career path and plan your professional development, keeping a clear view of your goals and desired achievements.
• Continuous Learning: Invest in your growth with daily habits and long-term planning, recognizing the power of compound growth in skill development and career success.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: Always propose solutions when seeking input from mentors or managers, transforming every question into a learning opportunity.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Rens Hayes is the passionate and insightful host of "Design Development." With a wealth of experience in architecture and engineering, Rens has dedicated his career to advancing professional growth within the industry. He leverages his podcast platform to share invaluable lessons, engaging discussions, and expert advice to help individuals overcome career plateaus and achieve their professional aspirations.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of "Design Development," host Rens delves into the crucial topic of breaking through career plateaus. The episode aims to challenge conventional career-growth mindsets and provide tangible strategies to advance professionally.

In a thought-provoking segment, Rens emphasizes the importance of judgment over time, referencing Naval Ravikant's insights from "The Almanac of Naval Ravikant." He draws analogies to illustrate how individuals can maximize their value by enhancing judgment and credibility. Rens also underscores the significance of refining weaker areas instead of focusing solely on already strong skills, thereby fostering continuous personal and professional development.

Key Takeaways:

• Judgment Over Time: Leveraging superior judgment can significantly amplify one's professional value, especially in decision-making roles.
• Holistic Skill Development: Professionals should focus on improving weaker areas to become more valuable team members and leaders.
• Effective Communication: Managing every interaction, whether with clients or colleagues, can create compounding positive effects on one's career.
• Transitioning to Management: New managers must reframe their understanding of success, focusing on team development and strategic alignment with company goals.
• Embrace Lifelong Learning: Continuous learning and adapting to new perspectives can prevent career stagnation and promote growth.

Notable Quotes:

1. "In an age of leverage, judgment is far more valuable than time." - Naval Ravikant 
2. "If we only play to our strengths, we might never overcome our weaknesses." - Adam Grant
3. "Every single conversation is an opportunity to leave a positive impression." - Rens Hayes
4. "Success as a manager looks different from success as a doer; it's about developing your team and aligning with strategic objectives." - Rens Hayes
5. "Lifelong learning involves challenging what we believe to be true and thinking differently to solve problems." - Rens Hayes

Resources:

• Naval Ravikant's "The Almanac of Naval Ravikant"
• Adam Grant's "Think Again"

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

In 1933, two teenage immigrant brothers signed over their house to buy $12,000 worth of lumber and bet everything on a single job. Ninety years later, their great-grandson runs the $450 million construction firm they built.

Dave Fontaine Jr. is the fourth generation to lead Fontaine Brothers, and he joins Rens to unpack the question every multi-generation business eventually has to answer: how do you modernize without losing the culture that got you here?

They trace Fontaine's shift from a hard-bid contractor to a CM-at-risk powerhouse — a move that required building a whole new sales and pre-construction engine, and surviving 30-plus losing pitches before the first win. That reinvention helped take the company from $65 million to $450 million in revenue, without ever chasing growth as a target. Dave also gets into how Fontaine balances public and private work, why saying no to projects is one of the hardest calls a leader makes, where AI is actually moving the needle in construction, and why the soft skills — picking up the phone, being straight with people — only get more valuable as the technology improves.

Listen now to hear how one of New England's oldest construction firms is building for its next hundred years.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

A. Brooks Fischer unlocks the key to managing a team of architects - and gives sound advice for future leaders in the field. 

For more than 60 years, Newman Architects has built a respected practice, a strong portfolio, and lasting client relationships.

As the firm entered its third generation of leadership, President and CEO A. Brooks Fischer saw an opportunity to build on that foundation by creating a clearer structure for decision-making, leadership development, and long-term growth.

This week on Design Development, Brooks joins Rens to share how Newman evolved from a founder-led practice into an organization shaped by defined responsibilities, delegated authority, and shared strategic direction.

That evolution includes quarterly leadership accountability, proactive staffing, and financial metrics designed to balance profitability, workload, and team well-being. Brooks explains why Newman gives emerging leaders meaningful responsibility early and rewards initiative, ambition, and results rather than relying solely on tenure.

Looking ahead, Newman is creating opportunities for its next generation of leaders while pursuing selective acquisitions to expand its expertise, strengthen its market position, and support continued growth. Both efforts reflect a firm building thoughtfully on more than six decades of success—honoring the foundation behind its reputation while developing the structure, leadership, and capabilities required for what comes next. 

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.

Barriers to affordable housing often look procedural: tackling zoning, securing funding, and facing opposition.

Andrew DeFranza believes the affordability crisis sits much deeper. It begins with who communities think should be allowed to live there.

This week on Design Development, Andrew joins Rens to discuss how Harborlight Homes treats housing as more than a physical building. The nonprofit develops and operates affordable communities across the North Shore, then connects residents with services tailored to their needs - from seniors and families to formerly homeless individuals, people with disabilities, and young adults aging out of foster care.

Andrew’s conviction comes from years spent working directly with people facing housing instability. He began his career working in homeless shelters and direct-service casework, where he saw firsthand how the lack of stable housing magnifies challenges involving health, education, employment, and long-term security. Those experiences eventually led him from helping individuals one at a time to building organizations capable of supporting entire communities.

Andrew and Rens dive deep into an exploration of the forces limiting housing production across Massachusetts, the history behind exclusionary land-use policies, and why changing the rules may not be enough if the assumptions behind them remain the same.

Today's episode offers a candid look at what affordable housing requires beyond funding and development - and what must change for more people to find a stable place within their community.

Thanks for being part of the Design Development community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday, featuring leaders across real estate, design, and construction.

The goal is simple: learn from how great people think, lead, make decisions, navigate setbacks, and create opportunity.

There is no single path to success.
Careers are not linear.
The lessons are in the story.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/

Let’s go.