A quick 7-minute episode to help you make more progress and find some big wins in your business. Credit to Tim Ferriss for his recent blog post on the topic, the inspiration for this episode. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple! Also, we just released new products to take your home b…

We've been obsessed for over a year now with different AI apps that can help home builders. This is an extremely short episode on the best we've found. Enjoy! If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple! Also, we just released new products to take your home building company to the next level…

This is one of the most inspiring episodes I've recorded. I have mentored Joe Hodge over the last few years as he set out on his dream to start his own home building company. Starting alone is difficult enough, but the market forces over the last few years added major complications as Joe came out of the gate. But Joe is a fighter (literally and me…

Gossett & Co recently closed two construction loans with Arixa Capital, and sat down with executive Greg Hebner and his team during their visit to Austin. The group discusses the Austin market, California immigration, the latest market and financing trends, qualities of a good lender, and more. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy listening to the po…

This is the final installment of our series on Charlie Munger, an episode devoted to the memory of the late investor who recently passed away. In this episode we cover the reason to read, the need to get into a great business, and the only way to run a good company. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review o…

In the third installment of our mini-series on Charlie Munger, we delve deeper into the wisdom of one of the greatest investors and thinkers of our time. This episode continues up our series with a focus on Munger's most impactful strategies and philosophies that have influenced generations of investors and entrepreneurs. If you enjoy listening to …

Part 2 of our mini-series on Charlie Munger, one of the greatest investors of all time. He’s also one of the most profound thinkers of our era. This continues a multi-part series of short episodes dissecting some of Jared’s favorite lessons from the investing giant. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review o…

Charlie Munger is one of the greatest investors of all time. He’s also one of the most profound thinkers of our era. This begins a multi-part series of short episodes dissecting some of Jared’s favorite lessons from the investing giant. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple! And don't …

This is a departure from our regular programming - Jared shares a very short story from World War II, and how you can apply it as a problem-solving model in your own business. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple! And don't forget to sign up for our NEWSLETTER where we have all kinds …

Trey Farmer is an architect with Forge Craft Architecturehere in Austin. We interviewed him previously on#63: Lessons From a Passive House Build. Today we revisit some of those passive home principles and also discuss some of his beliefs for building healthier, more grid-resilient homes. If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor a…

It's hard to spend a few minutes chatting with Jacob Deva Racusin without leaving inspired. He is the Director of Building Science and Sustainability for New Frameworks, an innovative, socially inclusive design/build firm in Vermont. He also serves as an Embodied Carbon Analyst and BEAM Trainer with Builders for Climate Action. In this conversation…

In this conversation we sit down with Dan Kolbert, co-author of Pretty Good House, and owner of Kolbert Building in Portland, Maine, to discuss high performance homes, the next evolution in building, and Dan's advice in today's economy. Links mentioned: Pretty Good House Book Water in Buildings, by Bill Rose Christine Williamson's Instagram Huber E…

We have a new, slightly different (and hopefully upgraded) direction for Building Optimal, and are excited to share it with you in this episode. We also visit with Mark Sprague, State Director of Information Capital for Independence Title. Mark is one of the most respected real estate market analysts and forecasters in Texas, and shares some of his…

David Gerstel has written some of the top books available for construction professionals who want to build a better business. His latest book, Building Freedom: A Construction Pro's Path to Financial Independence, is the topic of today's conversation. We cover some novel concepts from David such as Employee-Centered Companies, thinking errors that …

We are visiting with Amy Kerr of Sub-Zero Wolf Cove to discuss supply chain updates and new innovations in their appliance lines. This episode is a short one, but full of great updates. Enjoy! Tools to make more money and grow your biz Need a little help growing your business or making more money at it? In addition to almost 100 free episodes of th…

Wally Staples is back. This time, we talk specifics of his employee compensation practices as well as some of his principles for being an "anti-fragile" builder. And don't miss my first interview with Wally, #68: Ensuring Profitability and Employees First with Wally Staples. Enjoy the episode! Tools to make more money and grow your biz Need a littl…

Vik Szemerei is the Vice President of Sales for luxury plumbing company, House of Rohl. They own brands such as Riobel, Victoria and Albert, and Rohl. We discuss cool new plumbing trends like aromatherapy shower heads, hand-crafted fireclay sinks, touchless faucets, and more. And, to my delight, Vik explains the rise in popularity of biophilic desi…

Jared shares some of the lessons from his home building journey, and announces the latest offering from Building Optimal...our Builder Accelerator, to help others find success and build a great company. To learn more about the Builder Accelerator, go to: https://www.buildingoptimal.com/the-builder-accelerator Use code LAUNCH between now and 5/19/22…

There are a lot of misconceptions about Zip System.® Mike Dye, Senior Engineer at Huber Engineered Woods, joins us to dispel those and also provide some useful ideas to improve the efficiency and sustainability of your builds. Enjoy the episode! New products launching in the Building Optimal Shop! Need a little help growing your business or making …

RAM Windows has emerged as one of the leading window manufacturers in the State of Texas and beyond. We use their modern-design, aluminum windows on most of our projects (you can see them on our recent Kennelwood project here). As a brand partner of ours, I’ve gotten to personally know Eric Spence, President and CEO. It’s easy to see why RAM has ex…

Brian Potter is the author of Construction Physics, the best blog on construction news and innovation that I've found. "Why It's Hard to Innovate in Construction" is one of my favorite and a central theme in today's discussion. Brian is a structural engineer by training. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Progress and previously l…

This is one of my favorite conversations to date with Luke Mezger, a top builder from Austin, Texas. Luke is Owner of Mezger Homes, a superb leader, and a brilliant student of the game. He lays out probably a dozen actionable tips most of us can implement today to build a better company. Enjoy the episode! Have any topics you want me to discuss, gu…

Austin Miller is an Australian carpenter and builder who moved to Canada six years ago to build in the remote Arctic. In this episode we are exploring how building works in one of the world's most inhospitable places. If nothing else, this episode will make you extremely grateful next time you are looking for a bolt on your own jobsite (gotta liste…

Gabe Jewell is CEO of MT Copeland, a new online education platform to learn the building and construction trades. We need more affordable, accessible education within our industry. It’s why I started Building Optimal, and it’s why I’m a fan of what Gabe and his team are doing. Check out the episode to learn about what these innovators are doing to …

Pre-selling your homes under construction isn’t all rainbows and kittens, as many veterans know. Check out this short episode to learn the pros, cons, and nuances of pre-selling. Plus, I share some of my own strategies for crafting a more favorable pre-sell for your company. Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to interview, or feedback a…