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Welcome to UNLEARN, the podcast where we talk about bold ideas, fresh thinking, and the mindset shifts needed for real change. Today, I’m excited to welcome John Avrett, former U.S. diplomat, aerospace and electrical engineer, and now Founder and CEO of Hive Modular. With past roles in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Department of State, John is leading a new wave of modular home building in the Philippines, tackling the global housing crisis with factory-made homes and smart design.

John isn’t just a builder; he also loves solving big problems and making homes better for everyone. His journey from engineering and diplomacy to modular homes shows how thinking differently can help fix housing issues in new ways, especially by building smarter and faster in places that need it most.

John has worked across engineering and global trade before starting his company to build homes in a new way. At his factory in the Philippines, his team makes modular houses using a process like a car factory, helping build faster and cheaper. He focuses on smart design and shipping, bringing homes to places that need them, while using skills from aerospace and diplomacy to guide his work.

Key Takeaways:

• Fixing Housing Problems: John shares how factory-made homes can help more people.
• Starting a Business: What he learned from taking a big risk to follow his dream.
• Thinking Differently: Why new ways of thinking are key to solving old problems.
• Global Experience: How living and working abroad shaped his big ideas.
• Smart Building: How using a car-like factory process makes building homes faster.

Additional Insights:

• Mixing Tech and Building: John shows how factory skills can improve home building.
• Working in New Markets: What it takes to build homes in places with big needs.
• Learning from the Past: How John’s old jobs help him find smart new ways to build.
• Solving Real Problems: How he uses design to make homes faster and cheaper.
• Adapting to Change: Why being open to new ideas helped grow his company.

Join John Avrett as he shares how bold ideas, smart building, and global thinking can help solve housing needs and spark new ways to grow in today’s world.

Episode Highlights:

[00:10] - Episode Recap

"John Avrett joins to talk about solving housing issues with modular homes and lessons from past careers."

[01:38] - Guest Introduction: John Avrett

"John is an ex-aerospace engineer and U.S. diplomat now building smart, factory-made homes in the Philippines."

[04:48] - Museum Visit Sparks a Big Idea

"A prefab home exhibit opened John’s eyes to a better way of building and inspired his mission."

[07:25] - From Engineer to Diplomat to Builder

"John shares how his global work helped him spot the housing crisis as a real problem to fix."

[10:09] - Why Housing Innovation Fell Behind

"Homes take longer and cost more today than in the 1960s, John explains why change is overdue."

[13:07] - Rethinking Risk to Start a Company

"Leaving a stable job was tough, but learning to see risk in a new way helped John take the leap."

[14:53] - Turning Homes Into a Factory Process

"John explains how car-style production lines and steel frames help build better, faster homes."

[19:42] - Blending Standard Design with Custom Feel

"Standard frames and flexible layouts allow homes to feel unique while staying easy to build."

[22:24] - Labor and Logistics in Home Building

"Even in a factory, homes take skilled work, and every site brings its own tricky challenges."

[27:02] - Strategy, Scaling, and a Life-Changing Book

"John explains how scaling isn’t about more small homes but bigger impact and how a book by Annie Duke helped shape his thinking."

[33:18] - Global Momentum and What’s Next

"John shares why support from countries like Canada and Australia shows prefab housing is gaining ground and how rising costs may push the U.S. to follow soon."

FOLLOW THE GUEST:

LinkedIn Accounts: 

• John Avrett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-avrett-26891944/ 
• Hive Modular: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hivemodular/ 
• US Department of State: https://www.linkedin.com/company/doscareers/
• US Navy: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-navy/ 
• United States Air Force: https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-states-air-force/ 

Websites:   

• Hive Modular: https://www.hive-modular.com/ 
• US Department of State: https://www.state.gov/ 
• US Navy: https://www.navy.mil/ 
• United States Air Force: https://www.airforce.com/ 

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryoreilly 
• Personal site: https://barryoreilly.com 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barryoreillyauthor/ 
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