The Power to Build Show

In Episode 33 of The Power to Build Show. Bryan Wu and Marco Caracciolo sat down with Lisa Walton, Purchasing Manager at Casa Fresca Homes, a division of Homes by WestBay, Tampa Bay’s largest private new home builder. Lisa has run rental properties, taught school, remodeled, managed construction in the field, and now runs purchasing. She holds a Florida certified building contractor license. It turned into a clinic on what actually changes behind the scenes when a builder widens its product mix.

A few things they get into:

• Why the lowest bid is rarely the best bid, and how trade partners get vetted long before anyone quotes.
• Why the crew that thrives on a complex WestBay home is not always the crew for a repeatable Casa Fresca plan.
• How Homes by WestBay offers more than 6,000 design and structural options without becoming a custom builder.
• What has to be true in your system before a buyer can personalize that heavily and still close on schedule.

In this episode of the Power to Build Show, Andrew Vega sat down with Ralph Williams of Pyvot Homes and Clint Shipley of Riverside Home Builders, two people who have sold and built a lot of homes between them. It turned into a clinic on the part of the job nobody trains for: guiding a buyer from handshake to closing without scaring them off.

A few things they get into:

• Why the walkthrough is your job, not the buyer's, and how Riverside walks every home three times before the buyer sees it.
• Why your buyer has to sell the house twice, once to themselves and once to their family.
• How the design center turns into a meltdown, and why a clear no beats an endless maybe.
• What it takes to run the operation once you are closing hundreds of homes a year.

Most buyers think homeownership is out of reach. Are builders doing enough to change that belief?

That question is at the center of our latest episode of The Power to Build Show, and the answers might surprise you.

Andrew Vega of Constellation HomeBuilder Systems sits down with Clint Shipley of Riverside Homebuilders and Ralph Williams of Sales Solve Everything to get honest about how today's builders think, decide, and grow.

Together, they unpack:

• Where the "homeownership is impossible" narrative comes from and why it persists
• What builders can actually do to shift buyer perception
• The internal team dynamics and decisions that separate growing builders from struggling ones

If you lead a homebuilding team and want to better understand your buyers, sharpen your team, and grow with intention, this one is worth your time.

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Marco and Bryan sit down with Nicholas Czar, Group Vice President of Builder Solutions at New Home Star, to discuss how builders can elevate sales strategies and adapt to a rapidly changing market.Topics include:

• The evolution of new home sales over the past 25 years.
• Why today’s sales associates must be curators, not gatekeepers.
• Leveraging AI and technology without losing the human touch.
• Outsourced vs. embedded sales management models
• Building customer experiences that create lasting impressions.
• What’s next for homebuilding and sales leadership in 2026.

Whether you’re a regional builder or a national leader, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you sell smarter, protect margins, and stay ahead of industry shifts.

In this episode, Bryan and Marco sit down with Matt Chretien, Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Technology Officer at Intellinetics Inc. Matt dives into how builders and regulated industries are transforming document intelligence.

Topics Include:

• Simplifying workflows for efficiency
• Scaling smarter systems to meet growing demands
• Aligning technology with real-world builder needs
• Insights on what’s evolving, what’s working, and what’s next in intelligent document solutions

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Marco and Bryan sit down with Clay Lehman, founder of Lehman Strategic Partners, licensed CPA, Florida real estate broker, and host of Real Estate All Day with Clay.

Topics include:

• Lessons from the 2008 housing crisis
• Building sales resilience in a downturn
• Scaling smarter with AI and systems
• Defining and reaching your ideal buyer
• What’s ahead for homebuilding in 2026

Whether you're a national builder or a local sales leader, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you build smarter and lead with confidence.

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Marco and Bryan welcome globally renowned strategist and Build Smarter 2025 keynote speaker Kaihan Krippendorff to explore how homebuilders can outthink the competition and thrive in a rapidly changing market.

Topics include:

• Strategic resilience for homebuilders facing disruption
• Turning market challenges into growth opportunities
• Empowering teams to innovate—no matter the budget
• Rethinking business models and profit pools in construction
• The power of proximity and customer-centric building
• Practical advice for leaders to spot the “fourth option” and drive change

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Bryan and Marco sit down with Danielle Feidler, Principal at Fired Up Culture, to explore how builders can elevate customer experience in today’s market. Topics include:

• CX Strategy – Building trust, advocacy, and loyalty through culture
• Communication – Managing expectations and proactive engagement
• Tactics – Low-cost, high-impact ways to improve CX across teams
• Technology – CRM, surveys, portals, and AI for smarter service
• Scaling CX – When and how to launch customer experience programs
• Future Outlook – Why CX is becoming a strategic must-have for builders

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Bryan and guest host Andrew Vega sit down with Seth Kelley, President of the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), to explore the evolving homebuilding landscape in Florida and beyond. Topics include:

• NEFBA Spotlight – Advocacy, events, and workforce development
• Workforce Challenges – Skilled labor shortages and apprenticeship success
• Market Trends – Growth, affordability, and regional dynamics
• Policy & Regulation – Impact of legislation and immigration on building
• Future Outlook – What’s ahead for builders in 2026 and beyond

In this episode of The Power to Build Show, Bryan and Marco sit down with Chris Graham, President of Constellation HomeBuilder Systems, to unpack key insights from this year's Builder 100 Leadership Summit and explore what’s next for the evolving homebuilding industry. Topics include:

• Builder 100 Recap – Key takeaways and networking value
• Market Outlook – How builders are handling uncertainty
• Future Focus – Long-term thinking and smarter decisions
• Tech Tools – Real-time data and Builder Metrics
• Industry Shifts – Impact of consolidation and innovation
• AI Potential – How AI can improve building processes

In this episode, co-hosts Bryan Wu and Marco Caracciolo are joined by Alana Tisch to explore how builders are reshaping the future of homebuilding through technology, creativity, and determination.

In today’s conversation, the team dives into:

• The backbone of builder tech
• Modernizing the homebuyer experience
• Optimizing field operations
• Overcoming the fear of change

In this episode, co-hosts Bryan Wu and Marco Caracciolo are joined by Samuel Maione as they share their experiences at NAHB's International Builder's Show and BuildEx Vancouver, offering key insights and memorable moments from both events.In today's conversation, the team discusses:

• Their experience at IBS and BuildEx
• Recently launched NX, the next generation cloud-based ERP for homebuilders
• The rise of the built-to-rent trend
• and more!

Enjoy this new take on the Power to Build Show!

Today, we are chatted with Lionel Romain, Commercial Operations Manager from Kijiji Real Estate. Lionel is based in Toronto where he has worked with Kijiji Real Estate for over a decade, helping connect landlords and tenants across Canada. The topics we discuss in today's episode: -An overview of Kijiji, Canada's leading classifieds website -Lionel's role as Commercial Operations Manager at Kijiji -Kijiji's innovations for real estate marketers -How to get the most out of online classifieds and listings websites -How can online new home ads stand out -Important data for new home marketers -Tips for new home buyers and renters searching online

In this episode, Matt Chretien, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Intellinetics is our special co-host. Together, Matt and Doron interview Donovan Huffman, VP of Finance and Robert Wheeler, AP Manager from the CW Group to discuss how they expanded their NEWSTAR ecosystem and implemented the Intellinetics AP automation solution in collaboration with key stakeholders. In this episode, Donovan and Robert from the CW Group discuss: * Why they decided to modernize their AP processing capabilities * The implementation process they undertook to fully integrate a NEWSTAR AP engine * Key building blocks and the testing cycle they took before going live * The value they are realizing today post-implementation, now that they have modernized their back-office around the payables lifecycle with fully integration with NEWSTAR * How this technology modernization has prepared CW Group for their future About Intellinetics: Intellinetics collaborated with Constellation HomeBuilder Systems to create a seamless AP automation module that is completely integrated with Constellation’s industry-leading NEWSTAR Enterprise ERP software for land developers and home builders. Future compatibility with NX included. The IntelliCloud Payables Automation System utilizes patented artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to eliminate the costly manual steps in GL-coding, workflows and approvals, data entry, and filing. To learn more about Intellinetics, visit - https://www.intellinetics.com/newpay

In this episode, our special guest is Cara Brookins, Bestselling Author and Thought Leader in the Science of Motivation. With Cara, we explore her remarkable story of building her own home with just her children and YouTube tutorials. Plus, Cara shares a preview of her keynote session at October’s Build Smarter Conference in Austin, Texas. In today's conversation, we discuss: * Cara’s background in software development * What led Cara to begin her incredible journey * How to challenge yourself to achieve the seemingly impossible * Challenges and rewards of working alongside her children * How Cara got her story out there, leading to 2 billion views * What to expect in Cara’s keynote session at Build Smarter 2024

In this episode, our special guest is Christian Rinomato, Director of Sustainability at Country Homes. With Christian, we explore how homebuilders can tackle the critical issue of sustainability. In today's conversation, we discuss: * What Christian’s goals as a Head of Sustainability include * What low-hanging fruit builders can action today * An overview of embodied carbon and its impact on builders and the environment * The value of solar energy in homes and what alternatives exist * What regional regulations Christian faces and what he expects going forward * The role of innovation in sustainable construction * How close the industry as a whole is to reaching sustainability

In this episode, our special guest is Seamus Mulroy, Product Manager Data Services at Constellation HomeBuilder Systems where we dive into everything data! In today's conversations, we discuss:

• What excites Seamus the most about his work in data
• What impact he is seeing from inflation and interest rates today compared to the past few years
• In his work analyzing May’s homebuilding data, what regions stood out
• What’s the most important advice Seamus has for builders when it comes to their data
• What does benchmarking mean for a homebuilder and how can it help their business decisions
• What he can tell our listeners about BuilderMetrix, including the kind of data available
• How builders are benefiting from using BuilderMetrix

In this episode, our special guest is John McManus, Founder and President of the Builder's Daily where we chat about many things, including:

* How John sees the economic environment facing builders today

* What the most successful builders done during today's economic challenges

* Whether builders are factoring the US Presidential Election into their plans?

* If the average homebuilder ready for the AI age

* The upcoming Focus on Excellence Summit, Oct 28-30 in Austin Texas and why homebuilder leaders and decision-makers shouldn't miss this event.

Learn about a franchise model finding great success in the homebuilding industry during this look at Epcon Communities business and success.

Jason Neely of Marlin Spring discusses the company's foray into the Greater Toronto Area condo market to share best practices and lessons learned.