Kara Roche, Operations Manager at Castle Haven Construction in Atlanta, explains what it takes to run high-end renovations before construction starts. She covers client onboarding, selections management, moving away from allowances, and the systems that keep projects on track. Kara also discusses post-COVID pricing realities and how they educate homeowners upfront.

Carl Nelson, Co-Founder of Visual PNW, spent over a decade running national rollout programs for brands like Starbucks and McDonald's. Now he's applying those build-at-scale lessons to custom homes and remodels in the Seattle area. Carl explains why residential construction remains painfully inefficient, why the real bottleneck isn't design talent but materials and purchasing, and how he's building a client-friendly solution that ties selections, permitting, ordering, and jobsite delivery together.

Cate Bloom, Vice President at AAA Appliance Service Center, explains how her family's multi-generation appliance service company modernized from paper systems to scalable digital operations. She covers her transition from architecture into the business after 2008, training cross-functional technicians, and rolling out system changes through phased implementations with hands-on support. Cate also discusses their approach to service quality, AI implementation for customer service, and growth plans.

Rob Dalrymple, Executive Vice President at Ryan Contractors, shares how he went from Boston carpenter to helping build a multi-state general contractor operating in 35 states. Rob breaks down the transition from residential to commercial work, how Ryan found success in the cemetery niche, and what contractors really need to know about scaling beyond their home market. He covers margins, change orders, multi-state licensing challenges, and his key advice for aspiring owners: know your numbers and build a real cash reserve before making the jump.

Todd Torbert, President of Level 1 General Construction in Dallas, shares his journey from finance and insurance to building a roofing and storm-restoration company that evolved into a boutique general contractor. He discusses surviving feast-or-famine hail seasons, intentionally shrinking his company to focus on better projects, and his blunt advice on money management and work ethic for younger contractors.

Dave Wageman is the new CEO of Hometown Restyling, a nearly 40-year remodeler in Eastern Iowa that just became 100% employee-owned. We unpack why they chose employee ownership over private equity, what changes when every employee becomes an owner, and how they're setting up for growth as leadership transitions through 2026-2027. We also get tactical on their operating system: doubling down on EOS, their lead engine, and how smart remodelers stay resilient when housing and politics get noisy.

Charnell Griffin, founder of Clean Corp in Atlanta, shares how she built her cleaning business from college startup to systematic operation since 2007. She breaks down the early marketing that actually worked, pricing discipline lessons, and the follow-up automation system that drives 60% of new bookings. Charnell also discusses her ambitious 2026 goals including acquiring another cleaning company and adding voice AI for after-hours calls.

Alicia Powers, President & Owner of Price Builders in San Diego, shares her journey from managing Air Force runway reconstruction to acquiring a 30+ year residential design-build firm. She talks about inheriting outdated systems like paper timecards and Microsoft Access CRM, and the modernization she's implementing with new web platforms, HubSpot, and design tools. We also discuss macro pressures on homeowners, why remodeling in San Diego isn't going away, and why builders need to move toward a more white-glove experience.

Austin Kent, CEO of Kent Development, is a second-generation builder making the shift from general contractor to developer in Dallas. He breaks down how he built a family-run GC, why he's tired of living on other people's timelines, and the moves he's making to own more of the projects he builds. Austin covers his infill spec homes, custom work, and townhome deals, plus the systems he's putting in place so Kent Development can scale without losing control of quality or cashflow.

James Kerr, founder of Boss Security Screens, explains how he went from mechanical engineering and IT security to building an 8-figure break-in-proof screen company. We cover his revenue ramp from $300K to $8M in four years, the three business pillars every contractor needs, and how he's building an asset instead of just a job through preferred contractor and licensee programs.