The Parts Nobody Sees: Women, Leadership & Building Something That Lasts

Leadership is often celebrated for the milestones everyone can see, successful businesses, career growth, awards, and influence. But behind every achievement is a story filled with difficult decisions, quiet sacrifices, self-doubt, resilience, and countless moments that never make it onto social media.

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Mollie Elkman, CEO of Group Two Advertising and founder of the She Built Foundation, for one of the most honest conversations we've had on the podcast.

Together, they explore what leadership actually feels like behind the scenes. From the pressure of business ownership and the loneliness that can come with leading others to the emotional labor women often carry in both their careers and personal lives, this conversation moves beyond the surface-level discussion of women in construction and into something much more universal.

Mollie shares her journey into the homebuilding industry, what inspired her to create the She Built Foundation, and how some of the hardest seasons of her life ultimately shaped both her leadership and her purpose. Sarah and Mollie also discuss being underestimated, finding confidence, creating cultures where women can thrive, balancing ambition with authenticity, and why the strongest leaders are often the ones willing to be vulnerable.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, raising a family, or simply navigating your own next chapter, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn't about appearing fearless. It's about continuing to show up, even when no one sees the weight you're carrying.

In This Episode:

• Mollie's journey into the homebuilding industry and leading Group Two Advertising
• The unseen emotional realities of business ownership and leadership
• Why leadership can feel lonely—even when you're surrounded by people
• Navigating confidence, visibility, and being underestimated
• Building resilience through difficult personal and professional seasons
• The story behind the She Built Foundation and why it became deeply personal
• Creating workplace cultures where women can build both careers and families
• Lessons learned from two decades of entrepreneurship
• What today's leaders can do to better support the next generation of women in the industry

Connect with Mollie Elkman:

Group Two Advertising LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/group-two-advertising/

She Built Foundation: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shebuiltfoundation/

Mollie Elkman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollieelkman/

What makes one model home unforgettable while another blends into the rest? In this episode, Sarah sits down with Kristine from Five Star Interiors to explore the psychology behind memorable model home design. Drawing from years in both home sales and interior merchandising, Kristine explains how thoughtful design supports marketing,strengthens the buyer experience, and helps builders create emotional connections that ultimately drive sales.

In This Episode:

●    Why model homes are marketing tools, not just design projects

●    The psychology behind memorable buyer experiences

●    How “memory points” influence purchasing decisions

●    Designing for buyer demographics instead of personal preferences

●    Why sales, marketing, and design teams should collaborate earlier

●    Affordable ways to create memorable spaces without overspending

Key Takeaways:

●    Buyers remember experiences more than finishes.

●    Great model homes tell the story of the community.

●    Design decisions should support sales strategy.

●    Collaboration between sales, marketing, and design creates stronger buyer experiences.

●    Memorable doesn’t always mean expensive.

Connect with Kristine:

www.fivestarinteriors.com 

In this episode, Sarah Haynes sits down with experience strategist Ashlee Nelson to discuss how homebuilders can use hospitality principles to create better buyer experiences. From sensory design and personalization to CRM strategy and proactive communication, Ashlee shares practical ways builders can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. 

Key Takeaways 

• Hospitality is about how people feel, not just what you deliver.  

• Buyer experience starts long before contract signing.  

• Small details often create the biggest impact.  

• Transparency reduces stress and builds trust.  

• CRM systems can be powerful hospitality tools when used correctly.  

• Memorable experiences drive referrals and brand loyalty.  

• Differentiation often comes from experience, not product.  

  
  

  Connect With Ashlee

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleenelson/

Marketing is about more than generating leads.

The strongest brands, the healthiest organizations, and the most successful leaders all have one thing in common: they've built trust long before they ever needed it.

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Amanda Biffle to explore the often-overlooked side of marketing: relationships, reputation, organizational trust, and the culture that supports long-term success. Together, they discuss why some builders thrive during uncertain markets while others struggle with blame, silos, and disconnected teams.

Amanda shares lessons from her career in marketing and leadership, explaining why reputation is built through consistency, why relationships still outperform technology, and how leaders can create organizations where collaboration and trust become a competitive advantage.

If you're a marketing leader, sales professional, builder, or executive looking to create stronger teams and a stronger brand, this conversation offers a refreshing reminder that people, not just processes, drive lasting success.

• Why your reputation matters more than your logo
• How trust becomes a competitive advantage during difficult markets
• The difference between transactional relationships and strategic partnerships
• Why psychological safety creates stronger teams and better business results
• How relationships continue to outperform automation in homebuilding
• Building authentic connections with buyers, Realtors, and industry partners
• Why marketing has become more technical but relationships still matter most
• How leadership influences culture through trust and transparency
• The difference between networking and building lasting relationship equity
• Practical ways to strengthen your professional reputation over time
• Why relationships are one of the most valuable long-term investments you can make

Amanda Biffle is a longtime marketing leader in the homebuilding industry with experience spanning builder marketing, partnerships, organizational leadership, and relationship-driven growth. Throughout her career, she has helped organizations build stronger cultures, stronger partnerships, and stronger brands by focusing on trust, authenticity, and meaningful relationships.

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandabiffle/

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions people will ever make.

So why do we make it so difficult?

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Lindsay Haltom, Director of Sales & Marketing at Homes by Taber, to talk about one of the most overlooked competitive advantages in homebuilding: removing friction from the buyer journey.

With more than a decade of experience leading marketing, online sales, and sales, Lindsay shares how her team has reimagined the homebuying experience by making it more transparent, more intuitive, and more buyer-focused.

From publishing pricing and structural options online to designing a website that actually answers buyers' questions, this conversation explores how empathy, transparency, and cross-functional alignment can transform the customer experience.

If you've ever wondered why buyers leave your website frustrated, why so many builder websites feel the same, or how to build more trust before a buyer ever walks into a model home, this episode is for you.

• Why builders often forget what it's like to buy a home
• How transparency builds trust and speeds up buyer decisions
• Why "people don't work here" is one of the most important reminders for every builder
• What it really means to create a transparent homebuying experience
• How Homes by Taber approaches pricing, floor plans, and personalization online
• Why so many builder websites look and function the same
• How buyer empathy should shape your website and marketing strategy
• The role marketing, sales, construction, and leadership each play in the customer experience
• What today's buyers expect that builders still aren't delivering
• Where Lindsay believes the future of the homebuying experience is headed

Lindsay Haltom is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Homes by Taber, where she has spent more than 11 years helping shape the company's brand, marketing strategy, online sales, and customer experience. Her passion is making the homebuying process easier, more transparent, and more enjoyable for buyers while helping builders stand out through exceptional customer experiences.

Connect With Lindsay

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayhaltom/

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lhaltom/

Everyone is chasing the next big thing right now… AI, automation, new tools, and “silver bullet” marketing strategies.

But while the industry is racing toward trends, a lot of builders are still struggling with the fundamentals: messaging, follow-up, SEO, and alignment between sales and marketing.

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Matt Riley and I talk about why builders are overcomplicating marketing and why the teams seeing the best results are often the ones executing the basics exceptionally well.

We dive into AI, SEO, buyer behavior, sales alignment, and the difference between using technology strategically versus just throwing more tools at the problem.

If your marketing feels noisy or disconnected right now… this episode will probably hit home.

Connect with Matt Riley

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt__riley__

🔗 International Builders’ Show: https://www.buildersshow.com/

Leadership in homebuilding is often measured by results… butrarely by how those results are created.

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Kirsten Nease, Sales Director at Cornerstone Homes, to talk about what it really means to lead a team with both high standards and genuine care.

Kirsten’s path into leadership is anything but traditional.With experience across design, marketing, and sales, she brings a unique perspective on how teams function and how leadership decisions impact the buyer experience at every stage.

They talk about the balance between being direct and beingsupportive, why “kind and clear” communication matters, and how different personalities across sales and marketing teams can either create friction or strengthen collaboration.

This conversation also dives into something many buildersoverlook… how internal communication and team alignment directly shape the customer experience. From handoff breakdowns to missed details, small gaps inside the team often become big moments for the buyer.

If you’re leading a team, working across departments, ortrying to create a better experience for your buyers, this episode will give you a more honest look at what leadership actually requires.

Connect with Kirsten: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-nease-235b221b/

Growth is exciting… until your systems, communication, and people structures can’t keep up.

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Misty Martin, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services & Experience at Esperanza Homes, to talk about the side of growth that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in homebuilding: operations.

While most industry conversations focus on sales, marketing, and lead generation, Misty shares what happens behind the scenes as builders grow and why strong operational foundations are often the difference between sustainable growth and organizational chaos.

Drawing from her experience building teams, improving organizational structure, and aligning departments across the business, Misty discusses the challenges of scaling, maintaining culture, breaking down silos, and creating systems that support long-term success.

This conversation is packed with insights for builders, executives, team leaders, and anyone responsible for guiding a growing organization through change.

Connect with Misty Martin

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/misty-martin-sphr-89184447/

🔗 Esperanza Homes

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Dusty Talbert from TheProvidence Group to talk about the real challenges behind modern homebuilder marketing. From attribution and analytics to buyer psychology and brand positioning, Dusty shares why so many builders struggle to stand out and howoverusing incentives may actually weaken long-term trust.

Together, they unpack the communication gaps betweenmarketing and sales teams, the pressure to prove ROI, and why builders need to rethink the way they present value to today’s buyers.

In This Episode:

• Why attribution in homebuilding is so difficult
• The problem with last-click marketing models
• How incentives can unintentionally cheapen a brand
• The importance of consumer psychology in marketing
• Why communication between sales and marketing breaks down
• How builders can create stronger differentiation

Connect with Dusty:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustytalbert/

Everyone keeps saying this is a “hard market.”

But what if the market itself isn’t actually the problem?

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with nationally recognized sales trainer Linda Mahoney from Shore Consulting to talk about what’s really happening in today’s homebuilding market… and why many teams are struggling not because the market is broken, but because the required skill set has changed.

This conversation dives into the return to fundamentals, the mindset shifts sales teams need to make, and the uncomfortable truth that buyers now require a different level of communication, follow-up, discovery, and trust-building than they did just a few years ago.

Linda also shares insights around burnout, leadership influence, accountability, practice, and the small habits that separate high performers from everyone else in a shifting market.

This episode is honest, practical, and packed with actionable takeaways for sales leaders, marketers, builders, and anyone trying to navigate today’s industry with more clarity and confidence.

Connect with Linda & Shore ConsultingLinkedIn

Shore Consulting

Sales & Marketing Leadership Summit