The Curious Builder

Hosted by Mark Williams

Business

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Episodes

308

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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.

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60 recent

September 10, 202628 min

Talking Shop | Brad Robinson on the AI Habit That's Getting You Ghosted

Brad Robinson is putting AI to work, but he's not letting the robots take over just yet. He and Mark Williams talk about AI bots, automated CRMs, financial reporting, and the surprisingly powerful art of picking up the phone. Plus, they explore why authenticity, hospitality, and wellness may be the next big competitive advantage in custom home building. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ RealWoodFloors Website: https://realwoodfloors.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://bradfordbuilds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradfordbuilt/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradfordcustomhomesandremodeling Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

September 7, 20261 hr 4 min

#182 | Billy Beson | Billy Beson Co. | Building a Design Empire on Trust, Not Trends

Billy Beson returns with a résumé that includes decorating an actual presidential palace, mentoring half of the design world, and somehow still finding time to launch a brand new art gallery in his "retirement." He and Mark dig into what makes interior design an emotional art, why hoarding trade secrets is a losing strategy, and why kindness might be the most underrated business skill there is. It wraps with a story about paper clips being declared "dangerously low," which is somehow one of the funniest lines in Curious Builder history. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ RealWoodFloors Website: https://realwoodfloors.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.theartemaxgallery.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyBesonCo Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

September 3, 202626 min

Losers are Winners | The Construction Mistakes Brad Leavitt Won't Make Twice

Brad Leavitt is finishing his own house, past his original move-in date, and has never felt more empathy for his clients in his life. He and Mark cover the SOP gaps that keep showing up project after project, why ghosting in real estate is somehow legal and completely maddening, and what it actually costs when a spec home sits longer than expected. Also: scorpions versus mosquitoes, and Minnesota wins. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ RealWoodFloors Website: https://realwoodfloors.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.aftconstruction.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/aft_construction/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aft_construction Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 31, 20261 hr 17 min

#181 | Wilson Harwood | Soundproof Your Studio | Wilson Harwood on What Builders Get Wrong About Soundproofing Every Time

Wilson Harwood has thought about nothing but soundproofing for six years, and Mark gave him a full hour to prove it. They cover why the quietest room in the world makes people fall over, how a perfectly square tile shower becomes an acoustic disaster, and what builders can actually do to make homes meaningfully quieter without going full recording studio. Mark even brings up Mysa Hus and gets his work graded live, which takes some guts. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ ReadWoodFloors Website: https://realwoodfloors.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.soundproofyourstudio.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soundproofyourstudio Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 27, 202621 min

Winners are Losers | Adam McChesney on the $113,000 Check That Blew Up His Business

Losers are Winners is back with Adam McChesney, who signed away equity in his business for what sounded like a great deal and ended up in an eight month legal battle instead. Mark and Adam talk about the self confidence gap that almost sank him, why he rebuilt bigger and better once the dust settled, and why he now believes collaboration happens at the top while competition happens at the bottom. Mark even breaks out a horse analogy about pulling three times the weight together, and somehow it lands perfectly. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://buildauthority.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildersofauthority_/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 24, 20261 hr 3 min

#180 | Lauren Riddei | Haus Holistics | Lauren Riddei on Why Her Phone Has Been on Airplane Mode for a Year and a Half

Lauren Riddei's body basically staged an intervention on her career, and the fallout turned her into one of the sharpest voices in healthy home design working today. She and Mark talk biomimicry, why your front door should act like a filter, and why bigger houses might be making us sicker instead of happier. It ends on birds building the perfect nest, which somehow makes total sense by the time you get there. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Real Wood Floors Website: https://realwoodfloors.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.hausholistics.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hausholistics/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 20, 202631 min

Inside the Big Wins | Gabe Norcross on Squeaky Floors & Hidden Time Capsules

Mark brought Gabe back to Mysa Hus one more time to talk about the thing that actually makes a house feel like a home, and it is not the granite. They dig into why cracked plaster is a compliment, why Gabe writes hidden notes inside the walls he builds, and why Mark thinks every builder is secretly a choir conductor. It ends on a tattered flag analogy that will hit different if you have ever weathered a storm of your own. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.norcrossbuildersinc.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norcross_builders/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 17, 20261 hr 0 min

#179 | John Brenard | Southview Timberland Investments | John Brenard on Why a Board Game About Sheep & Wood Explains Lumber

Mark spends half this episode geeking out over where lumber actually comes from, and honestly, so will you. John Brenard breaks down why the southeast grows the best trees in the world, why his fund treats a forest like a factory and a warehouse in one, and why a 1919 two by six might just be tougher than anything framing a house today. Mark even brings up Settlers of Catan to explain it, so buckle up. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Contractor Coalition Summit: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.southviewtimber.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrenard/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 13, 202618 min

Losers are Winners | Gabe Norcross Returns to Finish the Story He Couldn't Finish Alone

Gabe Norcross is back for part two of Losers are Winners, and Mark doesn't let him off easy this time. They get into why raising his rates cost him a client but saved his business, the difference between bending and breaking, and how losing his house three years ago cracked open a whole new set of dreams he never would have found otherwise. It ends on a quote Gabe carries with him now, broken crayons still color, and honestly Mark's already designing the merch in his head. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.norcrossbuildersinc.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norcross_builders/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

August 10, 20261 hr 0 min

#178 | Tanner Konrady | Konrady and Son Construction | The Trim Joint That Taught Tanner Konrady How to Lead

Tanner Konrady swore he'd never be a builder, then one Christmas break with a hammer changed his mind for good. Now he runs a 26 person company in coastal North Carolina, building healthy homes and a property services business, all while handing his eight year old a sledgehammer on weekends. Mark and Tanner talk windows nobody should open, hiring, and the leadership lesson hiding in a butt joint. Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you're looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life. Sponsors for the Episode: Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Contractor Coalition Summit: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://konradyandsonconstruction.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konradyandson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/konradyandson/ Where to find the Host: Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/ Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/ Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc