#125 | Sara Whicher and Marcy Townsend | Chisel Architecture | “Pattern of Life” Design, Wooly Mittens & the Heart Behind Chisel Architecture
When you combine Midwest warmth, architectural soul, and a passion for people—you get Chisel Architecture. In this episode, Mark sits down with Sara “Wooly Mittens” Whicher and Marcy Townsend to talk about their client-first design philosophy, their origin story, and what it means to design for a client’s real life—not just their Pinterest board. Plus, why naming a home might be the most powerful design move of all. 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/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Adaptive https://www.adaptive.build Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.chiselarch.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiselarchitecture/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chiselarch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chiselarchitecture 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
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Q & A | Losers Are Winners Part 3: Finding Success Through Setbacks with Caleb MacDonald
Lets turn some big loses into some big wins. In this Losers Are Winners episode, Mark and Caleb MacDonald swap stories about their early business blunders—from failed snowboard sales to endless house cleaning gigs—and how those moments shaped them into better builders. Caleb gets real about learning from those flops, staying patient, and why having solid contracts (and good people around you) makes all the difference. 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: Contractor Coalition Summit: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Lake Society Magazine: Website: https://www.lakesocietymagazine.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.kingsridge.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingsridgebuildinggroup/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWz9-pRdGyPNAHiffM9-bgg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-macdonald-39a791108/ 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
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#124 | Kevin and Abbie Arnold | KA Builders | What Most Builders Get Wrong About Pre-Construction (And How KA Builders Nailed It)
In this episode of The Curious Builder, Kevin and Abbie Arnold of KA Builders share their journey as a husband-and-wife team building their business in Ohio. They chat with host Mark Williams about their start in the industry, how their different backgrounds and skillsets complement each other, lessons learned from industry events, and their plans for growth—including moving markets and focusing more on project management over self-performing work. It’s an inspiring and down-to-earth conversation about teamwork, adapting, and growing as young builders in a changing industry. 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/ Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Adaptive https://www.adaptive.build Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.kabuildersohio.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ka_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
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Q & A | Losers Are Winners Part 2: When to Walk Away & Trust Your Gut with Allyson Case
Sometimes, “just get through it” is the worst advice ever. In this Losers Are Winners episode, Mark sits down with Allyson Case of Integro Builders to unpack what happens when you ignore your gut, protect the wrong people, and stick with a project that should’ve ended ages ago. From bad architects to bad breakups (and the clients caught in the middle), it’s a brutally honest peek at how one of Chicago’s top builders learned when to call it — and why consistency is kinder than favors. 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: Olive and Vine Socials Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Contractor Coalition Summit: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Lake Society Magazine: Website: https://www.lakesocietymagazine.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.integrobuilders.com/allyson-case-anderson 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
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#123 | Build Buzz at the Contractor Coalition Summit in Omaha | Building for the Future: How Contractors Stay Relevant and Resilient in Uncertain Times
In this episode of The Curious Builder, Mark Williams shares the Build Buzz pannel conversation at The Contractor Coalition Summit in Omaha. The panel of top-notch builders (Morgan Molitor, Brad Leavitt, Nick Shiffer, and Tyler Grace all dove into highlights, including lessons on scaling your business, smart risk-taking, and the future of contracting. They share real-world stories about everything from onboarding key staff and leveraging AI tools, to future-proofing your business and building a brand that stands out. If you're looking to learn from people who've been through industry ups and downs—and want some actionable tips for thriving in construction—this episode is one you won’t want to miss! 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: Contractor Coalitions Summit Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Pella Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/ Olive and Vine Socials Website - https://oliveandvinesocials.com Adaptive https://www.adaptive.build Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ 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
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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