LivLive: Design, Building, and the Business of Remodeling

In this episode of LivLive, Dave welcomes a particularly special guest—his older brother, Chuck Pollard—for a conversation about sales, technology, building things, and the relationships behind all of it.

Chuck has spent more than 30 years in sales and sales leadership, watching the technology industry evolve from the early internet and data-storage boom through cloud computing, cybersecurity, and now AI. The tools have changed dramatically, but Chuck argues that one thing hasn't: people still buy from people they know and trust.

Dave and Chuck explore what great sales actually looks like, why solving the customer's problem matters more than simply selling a product, and why the human relationship remains so important even as technology becomes increasingly automated. Chuck also shares his perspective on sales leadership, building teams, developing people, and why nearly everyone—whether they realize it or not—is in sales.

The conversation eventually turns closer to home. The brothers look back at Dave designing an addition to Chuck's house when he was only 15, Chuck's experiences building and remodeling homes, and their shared appreciation for the process of creating something tangible.

And then there are the sandcastles.

Chuck explains how a family project recreating UVA's Rotunda in sand unexpectedly grew into an ongoing creative obsession, complete with college campuses, landmarks, Fourth of July creations, local news coverage—and an Instagram following.

It's a fun, wide-ranging conversation between two brothers about careers, entrepreneurship, technology, construction, creativity, family, and why—whether you're selling software, remodeling a house, or building something out of sand—the relationships you build along the way still matter.

Chapters: 00:00 — Meet Chuck Pollard
02:15 — A Career in Sales
04:15 — 30 Years of Technology
06:15 — The Internet & Data Boom
08:15 — Cloud, AI & What’s Next
10:30 — Sales vs. Sales Leadership
12:30 — Building Teams & Solving Problems
14:15 — Everybody Is in Sales
16:30 — Why Relationships Still Matter
18:30 — Builders at Heart
20:00 — Dave’s First Addition
22:15 — The Pain of Remodeling
24:00 — Chuck’s Remodeling War Story
26:15 — The Need to Build Things
28:30 — The Sandcastle Obsession
31:30 — Building Landmarks in Sand
33:45 — Sandcastle Fame
35:00 — The Art of the Sandcastle
37:00 — Technology & Remodeling
39:00 — Closing Thoughts

What happens when architecture, engineering, computer science, and AI all start to overlap?

In this episode of LivLive, Dave sits down with Danny Karas, a computational designer at Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE studio, to explore a rapidly changing side of the architecture and construction industry.

Danny’s career began in architecture, taking him from UIC to SCI-Arc and eventually SOM, where computational tools became less of a specialty and more of an extension of the design process. Today, he works at the intersection of design, engineering, coding, visualization, and automation—building tools and workflows that allow teams to solve incredibly complex problems faster.

Danny walks through how tools like Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, structural analysis software, AI, and custom computational workflows can communicate with one another. He shares examples ranging from complex skyscrapers and stadiums to automated structural documentation, carbon analysis, visualization, and virtual design and construction.

But the conversation isn't just about software. Dave and Danny dig into a bigger question: what happens to the role of the designer when computers can generate, analyze, visualize, and optimize more of the building?

They explore where AI works today, where accuracy still matters too much to give up control, why remodeling presents a uniquely difficult computational problem, and whether the countless variables involved in residential design and construction can ever truly be modeled.

The conversation finishes by looking further into the future—from generative housing and spatial AI to 4D construction simulation, modular construction, supertall buildings, and even a slightly questionable new concept for elevator technology.

It’s a fascinating look at what happens when computation becomes more than a tool—and becomes part of the design process itself.

00:00 — Meet Danny Karas
01:45 — What Is Computational Design?
03:35 — Computation as an Accelerator
04:15 — Connecting Design Software
07:00 — Automating the Tedious Work
10:00 — Inside CORE Studio
12:25 — AI + Building Analysis
14:00 — Designing Better Visuals
16:10 — Automating Structural Workflows
19:15 — Danny’s Favorite Project
21:30 — Bringing It to Residential
24:40 — How Dave & Danny Met
29:00 — Designing a House With Character
32:00 — AI, Accuracy & Design Control
36:00 — Can AI Actually Design Buildings?
41:30 — Spatial AI + Remodeling
43:30 — AI-Powered Estimating
44:15 — Generative Housing Design
46:00 — How Tall Can We Build?
48:20 — Rethinking the Elevator
50:30 — 4D Construction Simulation
52:35 — What’s Next for Danny

What happens when an architect refuses to stop at the drawings?

In Episode 52 of LivLive, Dave sits down with architect, developer, builder, and educator Thomas Roszak, FAIA for a wide-ranging conversation about architecture, development, construction, and the value of understanding the entire process of creating a building.

Tom traces his career back to his early days at IIT and Optima, where he went from architecture student to working directly in the field—painting, doing carpentry, watching demolition, estimating projects, and eventually sitting in on financing and legal meetings. That experience shaped a career built around an unusually integrated understanding of design, development, and construction.

Dave and Tom discuss why more architects don't become developers, why the floor plan is still the foundation of great design, how density can help address housing challenges, and why good architecture doesn't necessarily have to cost more.

They also dig into the economics behind development, the importance of making decisions with imperfect information, designing projects that can actually get financed and built, and Tom's philosophy that development ultimately begins with something surprisingly simple: math.

The conversation closes with Tom's own home as a laboratory for architectural ideas, lessons learned from Mies and IIT, and the importance of continuing to experiment, make mistakes, and improve with every project.

For architects, builders, developers—or anyone interested in what happens beyond the drawings—this is a great one.

Chapters:00:00 — Introducing Thomas Roszak
02:00 — Learning Architecture by Working in the Field
05:00 — Architecture, Construction & Development as One Discipline
09:45 — From Architect-Builder to Large-Scale Development
12:00 — Inside Roszak's Current Multifamily Work
15:30 — Why Everything Starts With the Floor Plan
17:30 — Density, Housing & Changing Communities
21:00 — Designing Amenities and Places People Want to Live
24:00 — Why Good Design Makes People Feel Something
26:00 — Leaving Space: Development Beyond Maximum Density
29:00 — Building the Right Project Team
31:30 — Learning, Technology & Constant Improvement
33:15 — When Architecture Makes a Project Too Expensive to Build
35:00 — Teaching Real Estate Development at IIT
36:00 — Development Is Math
38:00 — Why More Architects Should Build and Develop
39:30 — Starting a Development Company With $2,000
42:00 — Following the Numbers From Chicago to Evanston
44:00 — Looking Back at Tom's Development Portfolio
45:00 — The Glass House as an Architectural Laboratory
48:00 — Favorite Projects, Mistakes & Making Them Better
50:00 — Mies, IIT and the Discipline of Modern Architecture
53:00 — Keep Learning, Experimenting & Building Better

Season 2 of LivLive kicks off with sales trainer, author, speaker, and longtime remodeling-industry coach Chip Doyle for a conversation that challenges what most people think “sales” actually means.

Chip’s core message is simple: if you sound like you're trying to sell someone, you're already losing.

Instead of persuading, presenting, or rushing to offer solutions, great salespeople ask better questions. Dave and Chip dig into the psychology behind the Sandler methodology and how it applies specifically to remodeling—where homeowners may be making the largest personal investment of their lives, often while inviting you directly into their home.

They explore “head trash,” answering questions with questions, understanding pain and budget before proposing solutions, setting clear next steps, and why experienced designers and remodelers actually have to fight the instinct to immediately solve the problem.

Chip also shares his unlikely path from engineering at General Motors to sales training, how Paul Winans introduced him to the remodeling industry, and why selling a major remodeling project is fundamentally different from traditional B2B sales.

The conversation closes with the difference between marketing and selling, the idea of “behaving famously,” building perceived expertise in your market, and why sometimes the most powerful sales tool available is simply picking up the phone.

If you work in remodeling, design-build, architecture, construction—or anywhere that requires earning a client's trust—this episode is packed with practical ideas you can put to work immediately.

Chapters:00:00 — Welcome to Season 2
02:15 — Stop Selling, Start Asking
04:00 — The Psychology Behind Sandler
07:00 — Preparing for the Conversation
10:40 — Getting Your Head Straight
12:15 — Eliminating “Head Trash”
15:00 — Chip’s Own Sales Struggles
18:30 — From Engineering to Sales
21:30 — How Chip Found Sandler
23:15 — Breaking Into Remodeling
25:30 — Why Remodeling Sales Are Different
29:00 — Selling Inside Someone’s Home
32:00 — Talking About Money
35:30 — Rapport vs. Trust
39:00 — Marketing Is Not Selling
42:00 — “Behaving Famously”
44:45 — Become the Expert
46:00 — Stop Solving Too Soon
47:30 — Pick Up the Phone
50:00 — Final Thoughts

50 episodes. 49 guests. One year of conversations.

For this milestone episode of LivLive, Dave flips the format and takes a look back at the first 49 episodes of the show — the people, conversations, ideas, and unexpected connections that have shaped LivLive so far.

What started as a simple idea born out of great conversations during COVID has evolved into discussions with architects, builders, designers, entrepreneurs, coaches, athletes, technologists, creators, and business leaders.

Along the way, some themes kept showing up: the importance of systems and processes, continuous improvement, authentic creativity, great leadership, embracing new technology, building strong teams, and actually making the things we imagine.

Dave revisits each of the first 49 episodes, shares some of his favorite takeaways, and reflects on what he has learned from a year of completely unscripted conversations.

Chapters

00:00 Episode 50: Looking Back at the First 49
02:16 How LivLive Started
04:04 The LivCo Team & the First Episodes
06:51 Architects, Designers & Creative Thinkers
13:31 Authenticity, Marketing & Building a Brand
15:02 Systems, Processes & Making Room for Creativity
18:08 Teams, Hockey & Lessons Beyond Business
24:29 Makers, LEGO & Creative Entrepreneurship
27:01 Architecture, Culture & Designing Experiences
32:41 AI, Technology & the Future of Building
37:01 Architects Who Build & Design-Build Thinking
39:16 Fintech, Entrepreneurship & Continuous Improvement
42:43 Hockey, Leadership & Building Great Teams
44:19 Growth, Strategy & Scaling Companies
45:58 AI, Automation & the Back End of Business
46:38 Lessons from Recent LivLive Guests
48:36 Episode 49 & “Systems Set You Free”
49:18 Reflections on the First 49
49:35 Season 2 Begins with Episode 51
50:29 Thank You & What’s Next for LivLive

Professionalizing the Business of Construction | George Hodges-Fulton

What does it actually take to turn a construction or remodeling company into a professionally run business—without losing the creativity, entrepreneurship, and people that made it successful in the first place?

In Episode 49 of LivLive, David Pollard sits down with George Hodges-Fulton, business coach, former construction executive, Pinnacle Business Guide, and advisor to LivCo's leadership team.

George shares lessons from his career in construction and remodeling, including his years at BOWA, where he helped build a small-project division into a roughly $15 million business within the larger design-build company.

David and George dig into business operating systems, quarterly planning, leadership teams, accountability, the labor shortage, developing tradespeople into leaders, and why owners themselves can eventually become one of the biggest constraints on growth.

They also explore one of the toughest challenges in design-build: how do you create systems and accountability around creative work without trying to turn design into an assembly line?

George shares one of the biggest mistakes of his career—trying to manage architects and designers like production teams—and what it taught him about the difference between structure and control.

Along the way, they discuss:

• Why complexity kills growth
• How business operating systems create alignment
• When the owner becomes the bottleneck
• Developing great craftspeople into great leaders
• Hiring and managing for both performance and cultural fit
• Why processes can actually protect creativity
• Creating frameworks that give talented people room to do their best work
• Learning from failure and continually investing in yourself

A candid conversation about building stronger companies, stronger leaders, and a more sophisticated construction and remodeling industry.

Chapters:00:00 Meet George Hodges-Fulton
02:45 Business Operating Systems
06:20 The Power of Quarterly Planning
10:00 When Owners Become the Bottleneck
13:00 George's Construction Journey
17:00 Is Construction Really Organized Chaos?
19:00 Construction Management & Education
23:40 George's Start at BOWA
25:30 Building a $15M Division
27:45 Where Growing Companies Struggle
29:25 Solving the Skilled Labor Problem
30:50 From Doer to Leader
32:15 Evaluating Talent & Cultural Fit
37:30 Learning Through Failure
39:45 Why Systems Protect Creativity
42:00 George's Biggest Leadership Mistake
45:00 Managing the Design Process
47:00 Structure Creates Creative Freedom
49:15 George's Final Advice

In this episode of LivLive, Dave turns the tables on Lance Cayko, co-founder of F9 Productions and co-host of the Inside the Firm podcast.

Lance is an architect—but that barely scratches the surface. He’s also a builder, developer, entrepreneur, podcaster, and someone who has spent nearly two decades challenging the traditional boundaries of architectural practice.

Lance shares how he and his partner Al started F9 during the Great Recession with little money, few industry connections, and not even enough experience yet to call themselves licensed architects. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, they figured things out as they went—using detailed 3D modeling, hands-on construction knowledge, experimentation, and a willingness to do things differently.

Dave and Lance talk about the realities of starting an architecture firm, overcoming “analysis paralysis,” learning the business skills architecture school doesn't teach, and why simply getting started is often more important than having everything figured out.

The conversation then moves into the evolution of F9: architecture, interiors, construction, and eventually real estate development. Lance explains why selectively building their own architectural projects has helped create a more resilient business—and how a recent adaptive-reuse project in downtown Longmont brought him back into development as both architect, builder, and investor.

They also explore the future of the profession, including Matterport and LiDAR scanning, virtual reality, adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, and why Lance believes architects should be willing to wear more hats.

It’s a wide-ranging conversation about architecture, entrepreneurship, risk, technology, development—and the value of putting yourself out there and simply doing the work.

Chapters:00:00 — Meet Lance Cayko
01:34 — Starting Inside the Firm
05:00 — Inspiring Others to Take the Leap
06:50 — Starting F9 During the Recession
10:20 — “Model It Like It’s Built”
14:55 — The Advantage of Not Knowing
18:15 — Just Start
21:15 — Learning the Business of Architecture
24:15 — The Mentor Who Changed Everything
25:50 — What Should Architects Charge?
29:55 — F9 Productions Today
33:00 — Architecture + Construction + Interiors
35:55 — Getting Into Development
38:00 — Architect, Builder & Investor
39:40 — Sweat Equity & Playing the Long Game
42:35 — Technology & the Future of Architecture
45:00 — The Opportunity in Adaptive Reuse
47:00 — Find a Mentor
49:00 — Closing & Where to Find Lance

What happens when two mechanical engineers decide to reinvent the remodeling business?

In this episode of LivLive, David Pollard sits down with David Payne, co-founder of Payne & Tompkins Design-Renovations, for a conversation that goes far beyond construction. Dave shares how an engineering mindset, relentless experimentation, and a commitment to continuous improvement have helped build one of the industry's most respected design-build firms.

Rather than chasing perfection, Dave explains why the best companies constantly test, learn, and improve. From Lean manufacturing principles and value stream mapping to leadership, company culture, AI, and developing future leaders, this episode is packed with practical lessons for entrepreneurs in any industry.

Whether you're building homes, leading a team, or growing a business, you'll walk away with actionable ideas on creating systems that allow people—and organizations—to continually improve.

• Transitioning from a family homebuilding business into remodeling• How engineering principles influence leadership and operations• Lean thinking, experimentation, and continuous improvement• Building systems instead of relying on heroics
• Developing people and creating accountability
• Innovation, AI, and the future of business
• Lessons from decades of entrepreneurship

00:00 Welcome back to LivLive

02:15 Dave's transition from family homebuilding to Payne & Tompkins

06:30 Why engineers think differently about business

11:45 Lean manufacturing and constant experimentation

18:30 Systems versus personalities

24:50 Leadership and building better teams

31:20 Company culture and accountability

38:10 Innovation, AI, and what's changing

46:15 Advice for entrepreneurs

52:30 Closing thoughts

David Payne explains why the best businesses never stop experimenting. Drawing from his engineering background and decades of experience building Payne & Tompkins Design-Renovations, he shares lessons on leadership, systems thinking, continuous improvement, company culture, and entrepreneurship that apply far beyond the remodeling industry.

Episode Description

Artificial intelligence is everywhere—but how much of it is actually useful for contractors?

This week on LivLive, Dave sits down with AI entrepreneur and Bizzen founder Jordan Hayashi to separate the hype from the practical applications that are already changing the construction industry.

Jordan has spent nearly a decade building AI solutions long before ChatGPT made artificial intelligence a household term. Rather than chasing flashy demos, his philosophy is simple: find the work that frustrates people most, then eliminate it.

The conversation explores why contractors should think of AI as delegated brainpower instead of automation, how companies can capture tribal knowledge before it walks out the door, and why voice, photos, and field documentation are becoming the new interface for construction management.

Dave and Jordan also discuss AI hallucinations, trust, document management, estimating, proposals, daily logs, financial workflows, and where construction software is headed over the next five years. They explain why the winners won't simply use ChatGPT—they'll build systems that remember everything, connect every piece of project information, and allow teams to spend less time searching for answers and more time solving problems.

If you've been wondering whether AI is worth paying attention to—or are trying to figure out where to start—this episode delivers one of the most practical conversations we've had on the subject.

Chapters00:00 Introduction to Jordan Hayashi and Bizzen

01:15 Why Jordan calls himself an AI "BS meter"

02:30 "Tell us what sucks" — solving real contractor frustrations first

05:00 Why construction has been underserved by software

07:45 Building AI years before ChatGPT

10:20 How AI learns from documents, photos, and company knowledge

13:00 Capturing tribal knowledge before employees leave

16:00 AI as delegated brainpower—not a replacement for people

20:00 Freeing your brain from repetitive information retrieval

22:30 Why document trust is everything in construction

26:00 From checklists to intelligent project management

29:00 AI for job costing, receipts, and financial workflows

31:30 Daily logs, reports, proposals, and administrative automation

34:00 Creating proposals from existing project knowledge

39:00 Separating AI facts from clickbait and hype

42:00 Where AI is actually heading over the next five years

45:00 The "compressed air" analogy for AI adoption

48:00 Why the future belongs to companies that capture knowledge

50:00 Final advice for contractors adopting AI today

LivLive Episode 44: Glen Dall

Episode Description

What separates remodeling companies that plateau from those that continue to grow?

This week on LivLive, Dave sits down with business coach, former CEO, former remodeler, and NARI X keynote contributor Glen Dall for a wide-ranging discussion on leadership, growth, strategy, client experience, and building high-performing teams.

Glen shares his journey from barely graduating high school and working on a Ford Bronco assembly line in Detroit to helping grow a company from $400 million to $2.3 billion, leading a public company turnaround, building a remodeling business, and ultimately becoming a business coach.

The conversation explores one of Glen's core beliefs: growth is not the goal—building a better business is the goal. Growth is simply the result.

Dave and Glen dive into strategy, differentiation, EOS versus Metronomics, leadership team development, niche positioning, and why so many companies struggle when owners become the bottleneck.

The episode concludes with a preview of the upcoming NARI X event and the three themes Glen will be teaching:

• Profitability
• Client Success
• Teamwork & Trust

Together, they discuss why profitability is more than margins, why client success is different from client satisfaction, and why trust is the foundation of every successful team, trade partner relationship, and homeowner experience.

Whether you're a remodeler, builder, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode delivers practical ideas you can immediately apply to improve your company.

Chapters00:00 Introduction and how Dave met Glen through NARI

01:00 From Ford assembly line worker to CEO

06:00 Growing companies, culture shifts, and leadership lessons

10:00 Building and exiting a remodeling company

15:00 Why business owners hit growth ceilings

20:00 Growth isn't the goal—building a better business is

24:00 EOS vs. Metronomics and the role of strategy

30:00 Becoming "the only" instead of competing on price

36:00 Finding your niche and defining your ideal client

42:00 Building leadership teams and avoiding owner bottlenecks

48:00 NARI X Preview: Profitability as a business discipline

52:00 Client Success vs. Customer Satisfaction

56:00 Teamwork, Trust, and the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

1:00:00 Why trust accelerates business performance

1:03:00 NARI X event details and final thoughts