The Curious Builder

Latest Episodes:

#166 | Casey Cloward | Raykon Construction | Lean Business, Big Homes, & No Apologies for Charging More May 18, 2026

Show notes

Casey Cloward doesn't build the most homes, doesn't chase the biggest numbers, and isn't trying to be the loudest guy in the room — and that exact philosophy has built Raykon Construction into one of Utah's most respected custom home firms. Mark and Casey dig into what it actually means to run a lean business on purpose, why Casey treats his five project managers like five in-house general contractors, and how building his own 11,200-square-foot home — after swearing it would only be 6,000 — turned into the best financial decision of his career. There's also a running joke about two builders racing to finish their spec homes before photo day, and it's as chaotic as it sounds.

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://raykonconstruction.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raykon_construction/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaykonConstruction LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-cloward-3684498/

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

Losers are Winners | Kyle Schlesser's Leap of Faith That Almost Took Everything Down May 14, 2026

Show notes

Kyle Schlesser left a six-figure finance career, convinced his wife Katie to leave her executive marketing role, and launched Solid Ground Construction in 2019 with nothing but a leap of faith and a neighbor's porch swing job — and the next few years were exactly as humbling as that sounds. Mark and Kyle dig into the white-knuckle years of doing everything himself, the moment he nearly buried the company by refusing to ask for help, and why hiring for your greatest weakness is the hardest and most valuable thing a business owner can do. It's raw, it's real, and it's the kind of conversation that makes you want to text your spouse and say sorry.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Where to find the Guest: Website: https://solidgroundconstructionco.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solidgroundconstructionco/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solidgroundconstructionco

#165 | Scott Jaffa | Jaffa Group Design Build | Money, Value, & Why You Should Never Negotiate With Your Architect May 11, 2026

Show notes

Scott Jaffa is a rare breed — an architect who's also a GC with an in-house interior design team — and the way he talks about money, value, and client relationships makes it immediately clear why his clients are willing to watch a $3 million remodel quietly become a $10 million one. Mark and Scott dig into why the farm-to-table model works better than assembling a team of strangers, how Scott used a Botox analogy to shut down a client's appliance markup complaint, and why believing in your own value is the most underrated business skill nobody teaches you. This one's equal parts architecture masterclass and hard-won entrepreneurial wisdom.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

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.jaffagroup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaffagroup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaffagroupdb/ YouTube: youtube.com/@jaffagroupdesignandbuild

Losers are Winners | Josh Ferri of Lakeside Decking Co. | Josh Ferri Grew Too Fast, Hired Wrong, & Paid the Price May 07, 2026

Show notes

Josh Ferri of Lakeside Decking didn't set out to build decks — he started with a cabinet shop, pivoted when he realized where the real money was, and ended up running one of the most buttoned-up outdoor living companies in the Twin Cities. Mark and Josh dig into the hiring mistakes that come with growing too fast, why Josh tells every single client "I never want to see you again" with a straight face, and how a $750 design fee weeds out the tire kickers before they waste anyone's time. It's a masterclass in running a tight ship in a very crowded trade.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Where to find the Guest: Website: https://lakesidedecking.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakesidedecking

#164 | Stephanie Dailey | Steven Dailey Construction | No Blueprint, No Budget, No Problem: Stephanie Dailey's Historic All-Women Build May 04, 2026

Show notes

From rallying women across the country to build the nation's first all-female built house, to turning a social media following into 50% of her business leads, Stephanie Dailey has never done things the conventional way — and it shows. Mark and Stephanie get into the real stuff: the emotional weight of watching a parent's identity become intertwined with a business they built from nothing, why more women in construction changes everything, and how losing Ron Jensen at a Contractor Coalition Summit changed the way Mark thinks about open mic night forever. Bring a tissue. Seriously.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

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://stevendailey.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniebuildsit/

Inside the Big Wins | Cinda Pfeil on Empathy, Resilience, & the Personal Work That Changed Everything Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Cinda Pfeil doesn't separate her personal story from her professional one — and honestly, that might be exactly why her business works. In this Inside the Big Wins conversation, she and Mark dig into client relationships that span decades and multiple homes, a business partnership that taught her more than she expected, and how a childhood defined by resilience became the foundation for a career built on empathy. It's the kind of episode that makes you want to call your mentor, hug your best friend, and maybe rethink what a "win" actually looks like.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Where to find the Guest: Website: https://styleinfusedliving.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/styleinfusedliving/

#163 | Renee Bush | Tandem | Stop Reacting and Start Designing Your Business — Renee Bush Explains How Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

What does a design strategist, a former Studio McGee ops director, and a single mom entrepreneur all have in common? They're all Renee Bush, and she joined Mark for one of the most layered conversations the podcast has ever had. Mark and Renee dig into the strategy behind branding, why consistency builds trust faster than talent alone, and what it actually looks like to stop being the bottleneck in your own business. Fair warning: this one will make you want to redesign your entire client experience before the episode is even over.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

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://with-tandem.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/with_tandem/

Losers are Winners | Losers are Winners: Cinda Pfeil Was Told to Stay in Her Lane — Here's What Happened Instead Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

In 1999, a contractor told Cinda Pfeil — to her face — that becoming a builder wasn't going to work out for her, and the reason was exactly what you think it was. Mark sits down with the founder of Style Infused Living to dig into that defining moment, what she did with it, and why 26 years later she's still thinking about the electrician she met on a job site who brought it all rushing back. It's a conversation about patience, empathy, and what happens when you refuse to let someone else's ceiling become your floor.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Where to find the Guest: Website: https://styleinfusedliving.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/styleinfusedliving/

#162 | Mike Weaver | Emser Tile | The Power of Partnerships Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Mike Weaver of Emser Tile isn't your average vendor — he's the guy who walks into a room and immediately starts thinking about how he can connect everyone in it to someone they haven't met yet. Mark and Mike dig into the power of partnerships, why you don't need years to build a deep business relationship, and how a single conversation with the right supplier could collapse months of cold outreach into one warm introduction. If you've ever wondered what it looks like when two people genuinely bet on each other's success, this is that conversation.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

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.emser.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emsertile/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealweaver289/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-weaver-2a2872166/

Losers are Winners | Brad Leavitt on What Happens When Scope Explodes & Deadlines Don't Move Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Brad Leavitt of AFT Construction is back on the podcast, and this time he's serving up a fresh, still-stinging loss that proves even the best builders can forget their own rules. Mark and Brad dig into what happens when scope explodes, timelines collapse, and a superintendent has to get swapped out two weeks before a move-in that was never going to happen anyway. It's messy, it's honest, and it's the kind of conversation that might just save your next project — or at least make you feel better about your last one.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

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.bradleavitt.com/ Website: https://www.aftconstruction.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aft_construction/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleavitt/

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