The Builders

Hosted by Matt Levenhagen

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Episodes

281

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

"The Builders" Podcast is designed for those that are 'building' stuff on the web. Whether that's building a business, an agency, building teams, building products, services.. or building websites.. if it's related to building something, it's fair game.

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60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 28149 min

Gary Gitelson – Why a Handful of Relationships Can Change Everything You Build

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Gary Gitelson, founder of Prohana, to explore a deceptively simple idea: some of the most important opportunities in life and business come from a surprisingly small number of relationships. Drawing on nearly three decades in engineering leadership, startups, and large technology companies, Gary shares how a carefully nurtured network became one of his greatest professional advantages. From his early days at Cisco to leadership roles in startups, Google, and VMware, Gary's story reveals a consistent pattern. Every major transition, opportunity, and career breakthrough was made possible by trusted relationships built over years, sometimes decades. Along the way, he learned that meaningful connections are less about collecting contacts and more about investing in people, creating value, and staying genuinely engaged. Matt and Gary dive into the practical side of relationship-building, discussing mentorship, curiosity, reciprocity, and how builders can intentionally develop the kinds of connections that create opportunities long into the future. Whether you're growing a business, building a career, or expanding your network, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for turning relationships into a lasting advantage. Key Takeaways Most career-changing opportunities come from a small circle of trusted relationships. Building relationships is about creating value, not keeping score. Curiosity, generosity, and follow-through are traits that strengthen long-term connections. Strong networks are built over years through consistent, meaningful interactions. Mentors, peers, and former team members can all become future collaborators and opportunity creators. Being top-of-mind often matters more than having the largest network.

June 8, 2026Episode 28033 min

Matt Levenhagen – What Built the Builder? Finding the Pattern in My Story (And Yours)

In this solo episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen introduces the theme behind the upcoming fourth season: What Built the Builder? Rather than focusing only on tactics, strategies, and business frameworks, the next season will explore the experiences, failures, influences, and turning points that shape the people behind the businesses we build.Using his own journey as an example, Matt traces a path through early sales jobs, insurance, contracting, internet marketing, web development, and agency ownership. While those chapters may appear disconnected on the surface, a closer look reveals something deeper: a pattern. Looking backward, he discovers recurring themes of creativity, building, systems, and people that have quietly guided his decisions for decades.The conversation ultimately becomes an invitation for listeners to do the same. By examining your own story, identifying recurring patterns, and understanding the experiences that shaped you, you may discover strengths, opportunities, and insights that have been there all along.Key TakeawaysThe chapters of your life may be more connected than they first appear.Skills learned in one season often become assets in the next.Looking for patterns can reveal strengths and motivations you may have overlooked.Reflection isn't about nostalgia. It's about understanding yourself more clearly.Every builder has a story, and those stories often explain what they're building today.Understanding what built you can help shape what you build next.Tune in for a conversation about story, self-discovery, and the patterns that quietly shape every builder's journey.

June 1, 2026Episode 27950 min

Shaun Modi – Building Products at NASA, Google, Airbnb & Beyond Before Founding Capitol AI

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Shaun Modi, product designer, founder, and builder whose career has taken him from NASA and MIT to Google, Airbnb, startup studios, government projects, and ultimately the founding of Capitol AI.From designing lunar habitats with astronauts to helping shape products at Google during the rise of social computing and contributing to Airbnb during its rapid growth, Shaun offers a firsthand look at some of the most influential technology movements of the past two decades. The conversation explores how great products emerge from understanding people, challenging assumptions, and relentlessly improving the customer experience.The discussion eventually lands on Capitol AI, where Shaun and his team are building the intelligence layer behind high-stakes enterprise workflows. From financial services to government agencies, they’re helping organizations move beyond scattered AI tools toward governed, repeatable systems that deliver reliable outcomes. For builders, founders, and product leaders, this episode is packed with lessons on innovation, execution, and seeing where technology is headed before everyone else.Key Takeaways✔️ Great builders learn to recognize transformational technology shifts before they become obvious.✔️ Customer experience is often the strongest competitive advantage a company can build.✔️ Working alongside exceptional people accelerates growth and sharpens your thinking.✔️ Successful companies stay close to customer problems and avoid building in isolation.✔️ Enterprise AI adoption requires governance, workflows, and repeatability, not just powerful models.✔️ The best opportunities often emerge at the intersection of technology, design, and real-world needs.Tune in for a story of building through curiosity, craftsmanship, and a relentless focus on solving meaningful problems.

May 26, 2026Episode 27856 min

Kim Miller-Hershon – Building Businesses & Teams Around Strengths Instead of Sameness

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with leadership coach, consultant, speaker, and podcaster Kim Miller-Hershon for a conversation about building businesses and teams around human strengths instead of forcing sameness. Kim shares her journey from struggling to fit inside traditional corporate environments to discovering that her greatest strength was helping people better understand themselves, communicate more effectively, and thrive within organizations. Together, Matt and Kim explore leadership, coaching, workplace culture, communication, and the importance of recognizing that people are wired differently.This conversation goes beyond traditional management advice. It’s about designing businesses, careers, and team environments that align with how people actually operate at their best. From entrepreneurship and leadership to creativity and personal growth, this episode uncovers what happens when organizations stop forcing conformity and start building around human potential instead.Key TakeawaysStrong teams are built by understanding differences, not eliminating themOne-size-fits-all leadership often limits creativity and growthHealthy communication is foundational to strong business culturesCoaching helps individuals recognize and operate within their strengthsBusinesses perform better when people feel aligned with their workGreat leaders create environments where people can genuinely thrive

May 18, 2026Episode 27745 min

William Holsten – Stopping Preventable Business Mistakes Through Simple Systems & Habits

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen welcomes back William Holsten for a deeper conversation around the hidden behavioral patterns behind preventable business mistakes. After sharing his entrepreneurial journey and hard-earned lessons in Part I, William returns to explore how founders can reduce risk through simple systems, stronger habits, and better operational awareness. The discussion digs into the psychology of decision-making under pressure, why many business mistakes repeat themselves, and how small issues often spiral when businesses move too quickly without safeguards in place. Drawing from his nationwide study of entrepreneurs, William explains how stress, distraction, unchecked assumptions, and reactive decision-making contribute to preventable failures across businesses of all sizes. Matt and William also unpack practical solutions builders can apply immediately... from checklists and operational routines to lightweight testing, customer validation, and habits that improve focus and consistency over time. This episode is packed with grounded insights for founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners looking to build smarter, more resilient businesses.Key Takeaways Many costly business mistakes follow predictable behavioral patterns Simple systems and routines can dramatically reduce preventable errors Stress, distraction, and fatigue often lead to poor decision-making Lightweight testing helps uncover problems before scaling investments Operational discipline and focus create long-term business stability Small habits can prevent mistakes from escalating into larger problems

May 11, 2026Episode 27649 min

Bob Labbe – Building Solutions Through Curiosity, From Golf to Coasters

Bob Labbe has spent a lifetime building businesses, solving technical problems, and engineering practical solutions. From scaling air pollution control companies to developing a quantitative putting system for golfers, Bob approaches life with the mindset of a builder: observe the problem, test relentlessly, and keep refining until something works. In this episode, Bob shares the journey behind building and selling multiple engineering companies, the importance of long-term partnerships, and the relationships that helped shape his career over more than five decades. He also reflects on retirement, rediscovering golf, and how frustration with his putting game eventually led him to develop and publish Putting by the Numbers, a system designed to help golfers think about putting in a completely different way. What makes this conversation especially interesting is how Bob applies the same engineering mindset everywhere. A frustrating putting problem became years of experimentation and eventually a published book. A ruined silk tie at dinner became the inspiration for a patented coaster design. In both cases, the process was the same: notice the friction, stay curious, and build a better solution. Key Takeaways Great businesses are often built through strong partnerships and complementary skill sets. Innovation frequently starts with frustration and curiosity. Builders train themselves to notice problems other people ignore. Testing, iteration, and patience are essential parts of building something meaningful. Relationships and trust are foundational to long-term business success. Builders never really stop building, even after retirement.

May 4, 2026Episode 27539 min

William Holsten – Turning Product & Business Blunders into Hard-Won Lessons

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with William Holsten to explore the early journey behind his first product… and the business lessons that came from getting it wrong before getting it right.What started as a simple, fun idea quickly turned into a real opportunity. Demand showed up. The product sold. Everything looked like it was working… until it wasn’t. Once the product hit real customers in real environments, the cracks started to show. Complaints rolled in, failures surfaced, and what felt like early success revealed deeper issues in execution and understanding the customer. This episode is about those moments. The ones every builder faces at some point… where assumptions break, reality hits, and you’re forced to adapt. William shares what went wrong, what it cost, and what it taught him about building products that actually hold up in the real world.If you’ve ever launched something, thought you had it figured out… and then learned otherwise… this one will feel familiar.Key Takeaways Early success can hide deeper problems that only show up in real-world use The biggest lessons often come from what breaks, not what works You don’t truly understand your customer until you see how they operate day-to-day Assumptions in design and execution are where costly mistakes begin Listening to feedback is one thing… observing behavior is another Every builder goes through an “uh-oh” moment… what matters is how you respond

April 27, 2026Episode 27441 min

How to Build Something New Without Breaking What You’ve Built, Rebuilding My Art Practice

As builders, we often think change requires a reset. A clean break. Starting over.But what happens when you feel the pull toward something new… and you’ve already built something that works?In this episode, Matt explores what it looks like to build a new path alongside an existing one without disrupting everything in the process. Drawing from his own experience returning to art while running an agency, he breaks down how small shifts in habits, identity, and daily action can create real change over time.This isn’t about big moves or dramatic reinvention. It’s about pattern awareness, intentional practice, and learning how to integrate something meaningful into a life that’s already full.If you’ve ever felt that pull toward something more but didn’t know how to pursue it without risking what you’ve built, this episode offers a grounded, practical way forward.Key Takeaways✔️ You don’t need to start over to pursue something new✔️ Change begins by breaking small, existing patterns✔️ Action creates momentum, not the other way aroundY✔️ ou can integrate new pursuits by replacing low-value time✔️ Clarity and direction come through consistent practice✔️ Builders can evolve intentionally without disrupting what already works

April 20, 2026Episode 27350 min

Silyana Bojilova – Building Without a Blueprint: Turning Instinct and Curiosity into a Career

There’s a certain kind of builder who doesn’t follow a clear path… they discover it by walking it. In this episode, we sit down with Silyana Bojilova, a serial entrepreneur and consultant whose journey spans survival, reinvention, and ultimately finding purpose through helping others build.From growing up in Bulgaria and navigating major life disruptions early on… to moving abroad, struggling through years of uncertainty, and eventually returning home to rebuild from scratch, Silyana’s story is one of resilience in its purest form. Nothing was linear. Nothing was guaranteed. But each step… even the messy ones… stacked into something meaningful.What makes this conversation stand out is how her path evolved. Through failed experiments, side projects, burnout, and unexpected wins, she didn’t chase a perfect plan… she followed curiosity. That mindset eventually led her into consulting, startups, and mentorship, where she now helps others move faster by sharing what she’s learned along the way.At its core, this episode is about trusting yourself when the path isn’t clear… and building anyway.Key Takeaways Resilience isn’t built in success… it’s forged through uncertainty and pressure You don’t need a blueprint to build something meaningful Trying and rejecting paths is part of finding the right one Early “failures” often reveal what actually matters to you Growth accelerates when you stop doing everything alone The real breakthrough comes when you align work with what brings you joy

April 13, 2026Episode 27248 min

Miguel Carranza – Building RevenueCat by Solving Subscriptions for App Developers

Subscriptions sound simple… until you try to build them.In this episode, we sit down with a builder who turned one of the most frustrating parts of app development into a platform now powering monetization for tens of thousands of apps. From early days growing up in Spain to taking a leap into Silicon Valley, this is a story about following curiosity, taking risks, and recognizing when a problem is bigger than it first appears.What started as an internal challenge… billing, analytics, experimentation… quickly revealed itself as a widespread pain point across the entire app ecosystem. Instead of working around it, Miguel and his co-founder leaned in, building a solution they wished existed. That decision became RevenueCat.We go beyond the origin story and into what it actually takes to build and scale something like this… from infrastructure and team building to culture, communication, and constantly evolving as a founder. This is a grounded look at building something real… by solving a problem developers didn’t want to touch.Key Takeaways Subscriptions are deceptively complex and become a major challenge at scale The best opportunities often come from problems you’ve experienced firsthand If developers avoid building something, it might be worth paying attention to What gets you started won’t be what helps you scale Strong communication is essential in remote, distributed teams Founders must evolve constantly and focus on solving the biggest problem at hand