The Building Texas Show

Executive coach and Vistage Chair Jason Straughan on work-life balance for CEOs, and the 18-hour days that stopped his heart.

I was 46 years old working 16, 18 hour days, working eight days a week, and I loved it. I loved every single moment of it until my heart stopped beating while I was walking around Walt Disney World.

In this Season 4 episode, episode 201 of The Building Texas Show, Justin McKenzie talks with Jason Straughan, Executive Coach and Vistage Chair, in San Antonio, Texas. They discuss why the CEO seat has no peers, why the idea of work-life balance simply does not exist for a CEO or a high-level executive, and what Jason learned after his heart stopped beating at 46. The conversation then turns to self-education, to culture as what you tolerate, and to why he sees Central and South Texas as a wonderful place to start and build a small-to-mid-market company.

Released November 13, 2026.

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/QhfEMzRIJtk

Chapters

00:00 Heart stopped at 46

00:30 Meet Jason Straughan

01:15 What a Vistage chair does

03:38 The CEO seat has no peers

04:33 Work-life balance doesn't exist

06:21 When AI hits like COVID

08:28 A bad time to be a candle maker

09:55 The trait successful people share

11:48 How to rethink balance

14:26 Until my heart stopped beating

16:20 You can't catch up on sleep

17:54 What culture really is

19:33 Why Texas is a strong place to start

22:05 Where to find Jason Straughan

23:57 Closing thoughts

Guest and resources

Jason Straughan, Executive Coach and Vistage Chair: https://jdstraughan.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdstraughan/

To schedule a conversation with Jason Straughan, use these links:

Introduction Meeting (15min): https://calendly.com/jasonstraughan/15min

Coffee w Jason (45min): https://calendly.com/jasonstraughan/coffee-w-jason

121 Coaching Session (90min): https://calendly.com/jasonstraughan/2-hour-coaching-session-in-person

Why Every CEO Should Join a Peer Advisory Group (30 sec): https://youtu.be/ojozA0S1ITs

Related episodes of the show

The Hidden Giant: Why San Antonio Is The Best Kept Secret: https://youtu.be/zUBrfqVXZZQ

Houston chamber leadership with Reggie Gray, episode 193: https://youtu.be/KWFBJEJ-6Lc

San Antonio Culture: Why It Matters More Than You Think: https://youtu.be/WYTxiU4CAMU

More from The Building Texas Show

https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1

How can a city, or a business, stand out when every pitch starts to sound the same?

In this Season 4 premiere, episode 200 of The Building Texas Show, Justin McKenzie talks with Brandon Fears, Founder and Managing Partner of Gracchus Partners and Chief Growth Officer of idhubs. They discuss how up-or-down public input can take the heat out of civic decisions, what he learned from vTaiwan, and why city meetings often reward whoever is yelling the loudest. The conversation then turns to how companies and cities find a compelling market edge, the thing a competitor cannot say, and why a sales team that tells four different stories is really four different companies.

Justin also talks with Brandon about his show, Growth Without Fears, and about helping organizations find their through line: where the value is, and how to grow it.

Released November 10, 2026.

Watch on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/Lg0BUiahrlU

Chapters

00:00 Thumbs up, thumbs down

00:21 Meet Brandon Fears

00:53 Putting real content on YouTube

02:00 idhubs and up-or-down decisions

03:30 vTaiwan and taking the heat out of a vote

04:54 What if city councils used this

06:34 Yes-or-no questions and public input

08:11 School districts, comments, and public records

10:50 Gracchus Partners and the through line

13:00 A compelling market edge

13:45 Why every city sounds the same

14:27 When the sales team tells different stories

16:30 Promotion that isn't working

17:25 Where to find Brandon Fears

19:21 Closing thoughts

Guest and resources

Gracchus Partners: https://gracchuspartners.com/

idhubs: https://idhubs.com/

To schedule time with Brandon Fears, use this link: https://gracchuspartners.com/growth-2/

Related episodes of the show

How Tourism Strengthens Texas Communities, with Kathleen Davis, episode 198: https://youtu.be/1sNkPsYAzzg

Buda Mayor Lee Urbanovsky, episode 196: https://youtu.be/6vVjumItU0Y

Houston chamber leadership with Reggie Gray, episode 193: https://youtu.be/KWFBJEJ-6Lc

More from The Building Texas Show

https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1

How does Lockhart turn manufacturing growth into opportunity for local businesses and workers?

Justin McKenzie visits Lockhart, Texas, to talk with Holly Malish, Director of Economic Development at the Lockhart Economic Development Corporation. They discuss food manufacturing, support for existing employers, downtown tourism, film production, and why regional partnerships matter for local jobs.

Holly describes the growth of Ziegenfelder, RealCold, and Hill Country Foodworks, the role of business retention and expansion, and how communities share workforce opportunities. The conversation also covers CTE, career exposure for students, and manufacturing career pathways.

Chapters

00:00 Land, regional partners, and local taxpayers

00:15 Meet Holly Malish in Lockhart

01:39 Food manufacturing and local expansion

02:54 Supporting existing businesses

03:40 Holly's path into economic development

06:24 Building tourism and downtown activity

07:52 Film production and local businesses

11:07 Regional partnerships and shared workforce

12:45 Industrial land and site referrals

13:11 CTE and career exposure

15:08 Manufacturing career pathways

16:07 Closing thoughts

Guest and resources

Lockhart Economic Development Corporation: https://lockhartedc.com/

Meet Holly Malish and the EDC team: https://lockhartedc.com/about-the-edc/meet-the-staff-board

Workforce training and educational opportunities: https://lockhartedc.com/advantages/workforce-training-educational-opportunities

Related episodes of the show

Luling EDC with Ari Arias, episode 197: https://youtu.be/6zJ2Ni5xato

Buda Mayor Lee Urbanovsky, episode 196: https://youtu.be/6vVjumItU0Y

Houston chamber leadership with Reggie Gray, episode 193: https://youtu.be/KWFBJEJ-6Lc

More from The Building Texas Show

https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHWtGFOAQ9U

When visitors come to your town, they don't add a burden to your schools, police or fire departments. They come in, spend money and leave. So who pays to bring them here? Not local residents.

Justin McKenzie talks Texas tourism with Kathleen Davis, CDME, President & CEO of Destinations Texas (formerly the Texas Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus), about how Texas towns grow their tourism economy. They cover what a destination organization (DMO) does, how the hotel occupancy tax is paid by visitors instead of residents, and why Boerne and Dallas fill hotel rooms in very different ways. They also discuss why more Texans are taking regional trips and day trips, how AI is changing the way people plan travel and how small DMO teams market their towns, and what you can do to help your own community welcome visitors.

In this episode:

• What a destination organization (DMO) does

• The hotel occupancy tax: visitors pay, not residents

• Boerne vs. Dallas: leisure vs. convention destinations

• Regional travel and day trips across Texas

• How AI is changing tourism for small DMO teams

• How every Texan can help their local destination

Guest: Kathleen Davis, CDME, President & CEO, Destinations Texas

Host: Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show

Destinations Texas: https://www.destinationstexas.org

Meet Kathleen: https://www.destinationstexas.org/staff

Membership: https://www.destinationstexas.org/membership-information

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1sNkPsYAzzg

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1

More episodes: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

0:00 Visitors spend money and leave

0:19 Meet Kathleen Davis of Destinations Texas

0:57 What a destination organization (DMO) does

1:57 The hotel occupancy tax: visitors pay, not residents

3:54 Heads in beds and filling a Tuesday

4:16 Boerne vs. Dallas: leisure vs. convention destinations

5:30 Know your market: regional travel across Texas

8:03 How AI is changing tourism

10:45 Destinations Texas conferences and why DMOs join

14:09 How to join, or get help as a non-member

15:06 How every Texan can help their local destination

16:48 Careers in the tourism industry

17:49 Wrap-up

"Downtown Buda was a Ghost Town. After about six o'clock there was nobody walking around." Today, Buda's Main Street buzzes every evening and all weekend.

Justin McKenzie is back in Buda, Texas, with Mayor Lee Urbanovsky. Buda is one of the fast-growing Austin suburbs, on I-35 between Austin and San Marcos. Lee has lived in Buda for more than 25 years, joined City Council in 2016 and has served as mayor since 2020. They talk about why he ran (and why he said no twice before running for mayor), planning 20 to 30 years ahead, why a development process that is "consistent and predictable" matters to builders, Garison Park and Onion Creek, Buda Championship Park (formerly the Sportsplex), the 2021 bond projects on West Goforth Road, Old Black Colony Road and Austin Street, and the Buda EDC's HIVE and retail incubator.

The heart of the conversation is Main Street growth — and how the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and the Buda Economic Development Corporation helped small businesses get through COVID. The episode wraps with live music at the Buda Amphitheater, including Railcar Revival.

Guest: Lee Urbanovsky, Mayor of Buda, Texas
Host: Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show

City of Buda: https://www.budatx.gov
Mayor Lee Urbanovsky: https://www.budatx.gov/326/Lee-Urbanovsky-Mayor
Buda Economic Development Corporation: https://www.budaedc.com
Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce: https://www.budachambertx.com
Discover Buda (tourism): https://www.discoverbudatx.com

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6vVjumItU0Y
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1
More episodes: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

0:00 Cold open: Downtown Buda was a ghost town after 6 PM
0:25 Back in Buda with Mayor Lee Urbanovsky
0:44 Why Lee ran for Buda City Council
2:16 From council to mayor: "I said no twice"
3:03 Planning 20 to 30 years ahead
4:13 Permitting in Buda: consistent and predictable
5:53 Garison Park and Onion Creek
7:22 Buda Championship Park, formerly the Sportsplex
8:34 2021 bond: Goforth, Old Black Colony and Austin Street
9:55 The Buda EDC HIVE and retail incubator
10:41 Downtown Buda then vs. now
11:58 Chamber, EDC and city working together
13:20 How to get involved in Buda
14:22 The Buda Amphitheater and Railcar Revival
15:56 Thank you, Mayor Urbanovsky

Texas hemp shops got less than 30 days to comply with new THC rules, and retail registration fees jumped from $150 to $5,000 per location. Sarah Todd, Director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, explains what changed in 2026 and what's still legal to buy.

Sarah walks through the two big decisions of 2026. First, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that DSHS can list synthetic THC as a Schedule I substance. Second, new DSHS consumable hemp rules count THCA toward the 0.3% total THC limit. That takes most smokable flower off the shelf, while compliant edibles and drinks remain. She also covers the fee jump for small businesses, the expanded Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), and priorities heading into the 2027 legislative session.

As of Oct 2026: the DSHS hemp rules took effect March 31, 2026, and parts of them are being challenged in court. Retail registration is now $5,000 per location (was $150) and manufacturer licenses are $10,000 (was $250), before the Texas.gov online fee. Federal hemp changes take effect Nov. 12 and Dec. 11, 2026. This episode is general information, not legal advice. Check Texas DSHS for current rules: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/consumable-hemp-program

Guest: Sarah Todd, Director, Texas Cannabis Policy Center
Host: Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show

Texas Cannabis Policy Center: https://texascannabispolicy.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/txmjpolicy/
X: https://www.x.com/TxMJPolicy

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UR3x9Xe6Pj4
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1
More episodes: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

0:00 Fees jumped to $5,000 and $10,000
1:09 The two big 2026 decisions
3:28 Why smokable flower is hardest to comply with
3:42 Impact on small businesses
4:47 Medical marijuana (TCUP) expansion
6:22 Positioning for the 2027 session
7:10 Where to follow the Texas Cannabis Policy Center

Rural Texas has a healthcare crisis — and this nonprofit is fixing it. Allison Leftwich, Chief Strategy Officer of Frontera Healthcare Network, explains how a 501(c)(3) community health center is bringing primary care, behavioral health, pharmacy, and walk-in services to the Texas Hill Country.

In Fredericksburg, Mason, Menard, Junction, and Brady, Frontera operates seven locations. In several of these rural communities they are the only healthcare providers. Patients no longer have to drive 45 minutes to an hour into Austin, San Antonio, or Kerrville for basic care, same-day prescriptions, or ongoing chronic condition management.

In this episode:
• Why rural Texans still drive hours for healthcare
• How a true community health center works (primary care + psychiatry + pharmacy)
• Same-day pharmacy and discounted 340B prescriptions
• Walk-in care in Fredericksburg
• Case management so patients don’t wait between appointments
• Growing the next generation of rural healthcare providers

Guest: Allison Leftwich, Chief Strategy Officer, Frontera Healthcare Network
Host: Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show

Frontera Healthcare Network: https://www.fronterahcn.org/
Locations: Fredericksburg (3 clinics), Mason, Menard, Junction, Brady

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3CWMyRQ_MPU
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1
More episodes: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

0:00 Understanding Local Healthcare Needs
1:02 Growth in the Texas Hill Country
1:52 Serving Rural Communities
3:42 Advocacy and Patient Support
7:05 Investing in Future Talent
9:22 Affordable Care for Everyone

San Antonio already has the pieces international companies say they want: cybersecurity talent, a growing bioscience corridor, defense and advanced manufacturing, and a city built on relationships instead of transactions. Dr. Lina Rugova’s job is to make sure those companies actually see it.

Dr. Rugova is Operations Chair and a founding member of the San Antonio Applied Innovation Council, founder and president of Emerge and Rise, and co-lead of Founder Institute San Antonio. She looked at Dallas, Austin, and Houston, then moved from New York in 2019 because San Antonio was the better fit. In this episode she and Justin McKenzie talk about how the city gets on the list.
In this episode:

How San Antonio gets added next to Dallas, Houston, and Austin
The Applied Innovation Council’s four lanes: advanced manufacturing, defense and cybersecurity, biomedical and health innovation, and talent
VentureFest San Antonio’s reverse pitch, built around arts, culture, media, tourism, and hospitality.

A soft-landing path with greater:SATX for international firms and the small businesses ready to supply them.

UTSA, Trinity, UIW, and Alamo Colleges as a South Texas talent pipeline, and the quality of life that brings people back
A big city with a small-town pace: family-friendly, walkable, and rooted in Texas history.

Chapters
0:00 Put San Antonio on the list
0:46 What the Applied Innovation Council is building
2:11 The corridor shows up: Austin, Kyle, Buda, New Braunfels
2:47 Why she chose San Antonio
4:35 VentureFest, and this year’s reverse pitch
6:18 South Texas talent, and the life that brings people back
8:01 Soft landing, greater:SATX, and a city international firms can land in
10:17 BiomedSA, UT Health, UTSA, and cyber
12:10 Come as a Texan: the Alamo, the rivers, the frontier town
13:53 Creators, open doors, and businesses of every size
15:51 San Antonio’s own story, not a copy of Dallas
17:56 How Dr. Rugova is building Texas

Dr. Lina Rugova, DBA, advises organizations on innovation, intrapreneurship, and systems thinking. She is an immigrant from Kazakhstan who landed in the Bronx at 16, founded Emerge and Rise for underserved entrepreneurs, and teaches at Palo Alto College.
San Antonio Applied Innovation Council: https://sanantonioinnovates.com
Dr. Lina Rugova: https://linarugova.com

The Building Texas Show: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow
Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmckenzie/
#SanAntonio #BuildingTexas #EconomicDevelopment #TexasStartups #VentureFest

A new Texas outdoor site is about to open between Boerne and Bandera, and it is not a state park. Stephanie Kwiatkowski, superintendent of the Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area, explains why that distinction matters, what 28 miles of trail will actually feel like, and why late fall 2026 is the target to let the public in.

ABK sits on 3,814 acres along Highway 46 at Pipe Creek, on the Bandera County and Kendall County line. Albert and Bessie Kronkosky willed the ranch to Texas. The state accepted it in 2011. The monument is already up. Cabins, screened shelters, tent sites, backcountry camping, and hike-and-bike trails are part of the build. Texas Parks and Wildlife has not posted an exact opening day.

This is a return visit. James Rice, the first site superintendent, joined the show while the land was still in survey and planning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W62mo3ffdK0

In this conversation:
→ State natural area vs. state park, and why ABK lands on the conservation side
→ What changed from James Rice's solo-ranger years to a six-person team
→ The volunteers who surveyed nearly 4,000 acres before staff arrived
→ Canyon viewsheds the site owns on both sides, Bigtooth maples, Red Bluff Creek, and Pipe Creek
→ The July Hill Country flood, and why seeing it before opening was useful
→ What to expect when you reserve: lighter on the land than a recreation park
→ Late fall 2026, cooler weather, and maple color on the trails

Steph came up through Lost Pines (Bastrop and Buescher) and Pedernales Falls before taking the ABK superintendent role in June 2026.

Plan ahead: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/albert-bessie-kronkosky
Location: 7690 Highway 46, Pipe Creek, Texas

Subscribe for more conversations with the people building Texas: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuildingtexasshow?sub_confirmation=1
More on the show: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

Chapters

00:00 Both sides of the canyon
00:19 Welcome back to ABK
01:03 First 90 days, and a team of six
02:18 Why this is a state natural area, not a state park
05:25 The volunteers who built the baseline
07:12 How Stephanie got to Texas Parks and Wildlife
10:29 The July flood, before the public arrives
12:49 Camping, and coming prepared
13:42 What Highway 46 does not show you
16:40 Albert and Bessie Kronkosky's gift
17:29 Late fall 2026, and the Bigtooth maples
18:26 Thank you to the full team

#TexasStateParks #HillCountry #Boerne #BuildingTexas