Rephonic
Artwork for The Curious Builder

The Curious Builder

Mark Williams
Entrepreneurship
Building Industry
Construction Industry
Wellness
Architecture
Client Relationships
Contractor Coalition
Minnesota
Construction
Custom Home Building
Mysa Hus
Mental Health
Contractor Coalition Summit
Interior Design
Sustainability
Leadership
Women In Construction
Branding
Work-Life Balance
Energy Efficiency

The Curious Builder is a podcast that gives a voice to Minnesota building industry professionals, providing them a platform to tell their stories about starting and growing their businesses, highlighting challenges and wins, and revealing insights listeners may apply to their own businesses and experiences.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes293Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessCareersEntrepreneurship

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Curious Builder

Latest Episodes

Billy Beson walked into a million dollar hotel pitch with nothing but a museum poster, told the client he could make the place look like a million bucks for a million bucks, and got the job anyway. He and Mark spend an hour trading stories about Minn... more

YouTube

After pulling off six events in seven days, Mark sits down with Alyssa Abbott and Mary Clark to talk about why in-person connection is still the most underrated marketing strategy in the building industry. They cover everything from swag as a love la... more

PLAAD's Mark Stankey and Matthew Byers join Mark for a deep dive into what actually makes a home authentic, and it turns out the answer has a lot more to do with composition than cost. They talk through never evers like windows to nowhere, soffit ret... more

Two social media experts walk into Mysa Hus, and what comes out is a refreshingly honest take on the wins, the flops, and the algorithm mysteries nobody can fully explain. Alyssa Abbott from Olive and Vine Socials and Mary Clark from Pella swap stori... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Taylor Hall O'Brien
Architectural photographer
Self-employed / architectural photography
Episode: #171 | Taylor Hall O'Brien | Architectural Photographer | Taylor Hall O'Brien Makes AI Nervous and Homes Look Incredible
Anthony Janckila
Owner, Alpine Hardwood
Alpine Hardwood
Episode: Losers are Winners | Anthony Janckila on 20 Years of Floors, Fires, & Friendship
Hans Frees
Founder of Outdoor Escapes, landscape and design-build contractor
Outdoor Escapes
Episode: Losers are Winners | Hans Frees Lost the Spec Home, the Savings, and His Dignity. Then Rebuilt.
Paul Cramer
Author and builder; focus on burnout recovery, sobriety, and personal development
Author of Burnt Peanut Butter Toast / Burnt Peanut Butter Toast (sic)
Episode: Inside the Big Wins | Paul Cramer on Why Surviving Something Shapes Everything
Melissa Oholendt
Founder of Oho Interiors
Oho Interiors
Episode: #168 | Melissa Oholendt | Oho Interiors | The Finish Line to Mysa Hus
Kyle Schlesser
Founder/Owner, Solid Ground Construction
Solid Ground Construction
Episode: Losers are Winners | Kyle Schlesser's Leap of Faith That Almost Took Everything Down
Scott Jaffa
Architect and GC at Jaffa Group Design Build
Jaffa Group Design Build
Episode: #165 | Scott Jaffa | Jaffa Group Design Build | Money, Value, & Why You Should Never Negotiate With Your Architect
Josh Ferri
Owner of Lakeside Decking Co.
Lakeside Decking Co.
Episode: Losers are Winners | Josh Ferri of Lakeside Decking Co. | Josh Ferri Grew Too Fast, Hired Wrong, & Paid the Price
Stephanie Dailey
Founder, Stephanie Dailey Construction, Salt Lake City
Stephanie Dailey Construction
Episode: #164 | Stephanie Dailey | Steven Dailey Construction | No Blueprint, No Budget, No Problem: Stephanie Dailey's Historic All-Women Build

Host

Mark Williams
Host of The Curious Builder; long-running builder, business educator, and community advocate in the Minnesota construction/design scene

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 108 ratings
  • Great Podcast

    This podcast is very educational for other builders who want to find a healthy outlet for all aspects of their business and mental health. We’re not in this alone!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kristen Dawson
    United States8 months ago
  • Great for entrepreneurs

    This is a great podcast for both builders and entrepreneurs!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SteveTankersley
    United States8 months ago
  • All things for Building in great depth

    Mark and his guests do an amazing job of diving into topics that are both geared for beginners and experts in the building industry. From running a business, to building science, to design, to being a good husband or wife, the topics are intriguing and thought provoking. Every episode has a golden nugget of advice, and is WELL worth listening to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Beginners and experts welcome!
    United Statesa year ago
  • Real world Info

    Mark does a great job interviewing and asking important questions to other real builders, designers and vendors that help the industry and shine light on areas rarely discussed. Areas such as healthy financials, marketing, sales and systems. As a fellow custom home builder/remodeler I appreciate hearing these discussions from industry professionals around the country. He is authentic and will share his struggles with his own business as we all have, which for me builds trust and authenticity ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    D-Ross14
    United States2 years ago
  • Informative and entertaining

    Mark not only selects guests that have something to offer his listeners, but he is very thoughtful and deliberate about the questions he asks. The show is engaging and informative; not only for builders and contractors but also for those who are interested in business. Mark is a fantastic podcast host!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Curious Lawyer
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Community-focused and practical with real-world takeaways.
The host digs deep and keeps interviews energetic and informative.
Guests are varied but consistently helpful for builders and designers.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Losers are Winners | Anthony Janckila on 20 Years of Floors, Fires, & Friendship
Q: How has leadership evolved for you after twenty years in the business?
Emphasis shifts from doing every task to placing people in the right roles, embracing servant leadership, and letting others lead parts of the process to sustain growth and motivation.
Losers are Winners | Anthony Janckila on 20 Years of Floors, Fires, & Friendship
Q: What are some challenges you've faced when clients or builders go dark during a project?
The conversation highlights supplier issues, high standards that are hard to meet, and the liability placed on the installer; the takeaway is the importance of clear boundaries, partnerships, and ensuring someone is overseeing the entire process to manage risk.
Inside the Big Wins | Paul Cramer on Why Surviving Something Shapes Everything
Q: What does it mean to do the work and how does one begin rebuilding?
The work involves changing routines, boundaries, and identities, including shifting friendships, sleep, and daily practices, and learning to stay present and authentic rather than acting from fear or a persona.
Inside the Big Wins | Paul Cramer on Why Surviving Something Shapes Everything
Q: What was that like to hit rock bottom and go through therapy?
Paul describes a low point where fear and anger dominated, leading to a realization that he needed to change almost everything about his life, including work, friendships, and habits; therapy helped him confront trauma and patterns, which catalyzed his rebuilding.
Losers are Winners | Good Clients, Bad Fits, & the Courage to Say No with Tim Rascher
Q: Can you share a concrete example where not saying no caused issues?
A project where the client wanted to do most of the work themselves led to a difficult delivery; despite initially negotiating, the team ended up handling only some parts of the project and it created an overall negative experience and outcomes for both sides.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Curious Builder

What is The Curious Builder about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, founder-focused show that centers on builders, designers, and construction firms navigating the realities of starting, scaling, and operating in the built environment. Episodes consistently explore entrepreneurship, leadership, project management, design-build dynamics, branding, and client communications, often through candid lessons learned from fast-growth phases, partnerships, and mentorship. Noteworthy is the emphasis on community-building, collaboration across trades, and real-world tactics like pre-construction processes, pricing strategies, and time-management that listeners can apply directly to their businesses.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Curious Builder?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Curious Builder. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Curious Builder and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Curious Builder get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Curious Builder, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Curious Builder?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Curious Builder, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Curious Builder have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Curious Builder has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Curious Builder?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Curious Builder:

1. Modern Craftsman
2. The Build Show Podcast
3. Brad Leavitt Podcast
4. The Interior Collective
5. The Martell Method w/ Dan Martell

How many episodes of The Curious Builder are there?

The Curious Builder launched 4 years ago and published 293 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Curious Builder?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Curious Builder?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Curious Builder from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Curious Builder?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Curious Builder. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Curious Builder?

Recent guests on The Curious Builder include:

1. Taylor Hall O'Brien
2. Anthony Janckila
3. Hans Frees
4. Paul Cramer
5. Melissa Oholendt
6. Kyle Schlesser
7. Scott Jaffa
8. Josh Ferri

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days