Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share From Construction Chaos to Code: Kurt Shank on Building Smart Builder 360 from the Ground Up
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
From Construction Chaos to Code: Kurt Shank on Building Smart Builder 360 from the Ground Up
What if the key to scaling a construction business wasn’t hiring more crews—but writing better code?
In this episode of Builder Buzz by Home Nation, host Quinton Comino sits down with Kurt Shank, Principal at Smart Builder 360, to uncover how a lifelong builder turned his on-site frustrations into a national construction software platform.
After founding Aurora Custom Homes in the early 1990s, Kurt quickly realized that running a profitable building company required more organization than paper notes could offer. So, he did the unexpected—he taught himself to code and built a digital system to manage estimates, specs, and selections. Decades later, that system evolved into Smart Builder 360, a cloud-based platform helping builders simplify operations, boost margins, and scale profitably.
Kurt shares how he rebuilt the platform in React, partnered with another builder to modernize it, and kept one principle at the center: “Built by builders, for builders.” From surviving the 2008 housing crash through self-financing projects to mentoring the next generation of contractors, Kurt’s story is proof that innovation can start right on the job site.
What You’ll Learn:
- How a custom homebuilder created software decades ahead of its time
- Why simplicity and clarity drive Smart Builder 360’s success
- How rebuilding in React made the platform faster, smarter, and scalable
- Lessons from surviving the 2008 housing crash through creative risk-taking
- How to bridge the gap between construction and technology
- Why “built by builders, for builders” is more than a tagline—it’s a mindset
- How mentorship and teamwork fuel Smart Builder 360’s continued growth
- Kurt’s long-term vision for helping builders scale profitably
Connect with Kurt Shank & Smart Builder 360:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kurt-shank-57b706383
- Website: SmartBuilder360.com
Connect with the Show:
- Builder Buzz by Home Nation: https://homenation.com
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/builder-buzz-by-home-nation/id1816072711
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VIgdx6CEGJGJlFTHb3xXO
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d96c24c3-0ed9-41ad-96ed-8a4ef1242edf/builder-buzz-by-home-nation
- YouTube: https://youtube-Builderbuzz
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.
If you liked this episode, share it with someone in homebuilding, real estate, or modular housing, and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!
View all episodes
By Quinton CominoWhat if the key to scaling a construction business wasn’t hiring more crews—but writing better code?
In this episode of Builder Buzz by Home Nation, host Quinton Comino sits down with Kurt Shank, Principal at Smart Builder 360, to uncover how a lifelong builder turned his on-site frustrations into a national construction software platform.
After founding Aurora Custom Homes in the early 1990s, Kurt quickly realized that running a profitable building company required more organization than paper notes could offer. So, he did the unexpected—he taught himself to code and built a digital system to manage estimates, specs, and selections. Decades later, that system evolved into Smart Builder 360, a cloud-based platform helping builders simplify operations, boost margins, and scale profitably.
Kurt shares how he rebuilt the platform in React, partnered with another builder to modernize it, and kept one principle at the center: “Built by builders, for builders.” From surviving the 2008 housing crash through self-financing projects to mentoring the next generation of contractors, Kurt’s story is proof that innovation can start right on the job site.
What You’ll Learn:
- How a custom homebuilder created software decades ahead of its time
- Why simplicity and clarity drive Smart Builder 360’s success
- How rebuilding in React made the platform faster, smarter, and scalable
- Lessons from surviving the 2008 housing crash through creative risk-taking
- How to bridge the gap between construction and technology
- Why “built by builders, for builders” is more than a tagline—it’s a mindset
- How mentorship and teamwork fuel Smart Builder 360’s continued growth
- Kurt’s long-term vision for helping builders scale profitably
Connect with Kurt Shank & Smart Builder 360:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kurt-shank-57b706383
- Website: SmartBuilder360.com
Connect with the Show:
- Builder Buzz by Home Nation: https://homenation.com
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/builder-buzz-by-home-nation/id1816072711
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VIgdx6CEGJGJlFTHb3xXO
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d96c24c3-0ed9-41ad-96ed-8a4ef1242edf/builder-buzz-by-home-nation
- YouTube: https://youtube-Builderbuzz
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.
If you liked this episode, share it with someone in homebuilding, real estate, or modular housing, and don’t forget to leave us a review. New episodes drop weekly!