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Gabe Norcross came back from Contractor Coalition, fired a bad client, set up an investment account, and hired a bookkeeper, all before the next coalition. He and Mark talk through the quiet financial discipline that finally started working, why most builders become the bank for their own clients without realizing it, and what it actually feels like to turn a profit and not feel guilty about it. Short, practical, and genuinely useful. 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
Gabe Norcross built other people's dreams while quietly drowning in his own, and for eight months he told nobody. He and Mark talk through the project that cost him everything, the photo he took of himself on a beach that he still pulls up when he needs it, and what it looks like to rebuild a life from the inside out when you finally decide you are worth saving. This one will stay with you. 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.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
Ashley Ortiz joined the podcast with a client story so fresh the paint was still wet, and somehow it only got worse from there. She and Mark swap war stories about nightmare clients, whether specifying coat counts in your contract actually protects you, and why the painter always gets blamed even when it is the drywaller's fault. It ends with a mutual agreement that some jobs you just have to get out of as fast as possible and count the lessons instead of the losses. 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://bellavistanw.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellavistanw/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BellaVistaNW/ 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
Louise Woehrle is a passionate storyteller whose mission is to shine a light on stories that need to be told with the hope they will serve as catalysts for change. In addition to her work as a documentary filmmaker, she is an Emmy regional award-winning Executive Producer (Grandfather's Birthday), book publisher/editor for Suicide Survivors' Club - A Family's Journey Through the Death of Their Loved One - awarded first place in the Midwest Book Award, and co-founder of the Collaborative Theater that produced an award-winning all-women original play, Women: Scenes From Life. 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.whirlygigproductions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whirlygigproductions/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/whirlygigproductions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whirlygigproductions/ 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
In this exclusive episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber sits down with global movement pioneer Jason Nemer, the co-founder of Acro Yoga and the visionary architect behind an ultra-exclusive, underground wellness movement known as The Body Party. Broadcasting live from Austin, Texas, Jason breaks his silence on the inner workings of his high-investment somatic experiences—where a 1:1 ratio of elite practitioners to guests unlocks deep childhood and ancestral traumas trapped within the physical form. Whether you are single, coupled, a high-performing entrepreneur, or a somatic seeker, this episode explores the profound integration of movement, connection, radical play, and how physical coregulation acts as the ultimate bedrock for a thriving intimacy journey. Main Topics Covered The Intersect of Intimacy and Career: How mastering your relationship dynamics somatic intelligence elevates your performance across corporate structures and personal creative endeavors. The "Love List" Evolution: Navigating the maturation of romantic desire from superficial parameters to core indicators like respect, playfulness, and emotional security. The Genesis of Acro Yoga: The 2003 San Francisco origin story of blending masculine partner acrobatics with the feminine, healing surrender of therapeutic flying. The Trap of the "Instagram Elite": A critique of how modern movement practices prioritize extreme, high-risk acrobatics over beginner-friendly, deeply inclusive community spaces. The Equalizing Force of Movement: How physical touch and play collapse socio-economic, linguistic, and cultural barriers, transforming diverse populations into a unified ecosystem. The Architecture of The Body Party: Unveiling the structural metrics of a 24-to-48-hour technology-free sanctuary featuring 97°F aquatic bodywork (Watsu), live ambient soundscapes, and five-star organic nourishment. The Somatic Storage of Trauma: Examining real-world case studies of deep-seated physical adjustments releasing decades of emotional residue, childhood injury, and psychological armor. Desire to Receive for the Sake of Sharing: A Kabbalistic structural exploration of generating abundance, curated skill sets, and material wealth for the explicit purpose of standardizing a global gifting economy. Key Takeaways Giving is Proof of Having: Generosity isn't restricted to material abundance; offering a presence of kindness, a specialized touch, or emotional sanctuary somatic validation serves as absolute confirmation of your internal wealth. Permanent Identity-Level Change: Lasting somatic transformation does not rely on transient peak experiences or aesthetic external rebranding, but on the quiet expansion of the internal comfort zone. Respecting the Sovereign "No": High-level relationship mastery is built upon immediate, unargued alignment with your partner's boundaries, honoring their intuitive somatic rejections without negotiation. The Body is a Divine divinatory Tool: The physical frame possesses deep cellular intelligence far exceeding the parameters of the analytical mind. True safety is an earned resonance verified through biological relaxation, not verbal promises. Connect with the Guest Website: https://www.jasonnemer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonnemer/ Upcoming Events: Check the digital schedule for Jason's return to interactive training, regional Acro Yoga practice masterclasses, and applications for upcoming Body Party seasonal immersions. Connect with the Host Website: https://wedeepen.com/love-club/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaweber/ Interpersonal dynamics are the single highest determinant of your holistic life span and human fulfillment. If you are ready to stop intellectualizing your healing and start embodying your true relational power, subscribe to the podcast, leave a five-star rating, and share this dynamic conversation with someone in your circle. Apply for our upcoming WeDeepen Love Immersions and step into the live field at wedeepen.com!
What happens when two marketing minds start talking about failure? A surprisingly fun conversation about growth, trust, data, and why "measure, learn, change" beats chasing the perfect plan every time. Chad Guillory of CARD Companies shares hard-earned lessons from 30 years in sales and business development, proving that today's mistakes often become tomorrow's competitive advantage. 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: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadguillory/ 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
Most business owners underprice their work not because the math is wrong but because their fears show up in the numbers, and Etinosa Agbonlahor has built an entire firm around fixing exactly that. She and Mark talk through the psychology of pricing, how to have money conversations with the people who matter most before it becomes an emergency, and why a blank price tag on a truly unique home might actually work against you. It is one of the most fascinating episodes in recent memory, and the wine study alone is worth the full hour. 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://decisionalpha.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/etinosasere/ 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
In this high-vibrational episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber is joined by body therapist, breathwork facilitator, and gene keys guide Dina Maayan. Fresh off the heels of the latest WeDeepen Love Immersion, the duo breaks down the serious mechanics of play and why infusing absolute silliness into modern connection is the ultimate medicine for shifting out of psychological heaviness. Dina pulls back the curtain on her cosmic origin story with her fiancé (Acro Yoga founder Jason Nemer)—involving smuggled Hawaiian mangoes, a symbolic totem box, and a literal coconut tree climb—while mapping out how human beings can alchemize deep childhood panic attacks into modern nervous system mastery. Main Topics Covered Play as a Metric of Success: Reframing comedy, improv, and games like Truth or Dare as high-frequency portals to bypass the adult ego. The Anatomy of a Perfect Prank: Dina's step-by-step formula for cultivating social courage, engineering creative characters, and leveraging vocal accents. The Magic of "Squish": Defining the conscious community's favorite somatic environment: Tempur-Pedic foam, sheepskins, and white fuzzy blankets designed for deep co-regulation. The Alchemical Totem Box: How Jason utilized a carved wooden box containing five specific symbolic items to explicitly anchor and manifest his future wife from the quantum field. Nervous System Leadership: Dina's personal path from experiencing severe childhood panic attacks at age six to training holistic breathwork facilitators globally. www.dinamaayan.com Sober Realities: Shifting away from drug-induced expansions into endogenous breath retentions to access higher, altered states of consciousness completely clean. Gene Keys and the Alchemy of Struggle: A philosophical deep dive into why your deepest structural wound or misfortune contains the precise raw materials to unlock your highest genius. Endings with Finesse: A transparent look at how Christina processed a very public romantic breakup without entering a victim consciousness state. Key Takeaways Inject Play to Dissolve Friction: When partnership or friendship feels bogged down by corporate stress or relational gridlock, strategic play acts as a rapid shortcut back to core alignment. Giving is an Inside Job: Authentic community belonging is established the second you stop searching for validation and instead step into a room as an active additive of service. Nervous System Co-Regulation: Public figures and master facilitators are not immune to social anxiety or blanking out. True safety is a physical, non-verbal resonance shared in real-time between bodies. The Antidote to Trauma is Self-Trust: Holding your breath on empty or full retentions trains the psyche to handle physiological stress, rewriting your baseline relationship with fear. Connect with the Guest About Dina Maayan: Dina Maayan is a Nervous System Expert and human optimization guide specializing in evidence-based somatic recalibration. As the founder of the Breath of Life Institute, Dina blends deep physiological science with ancient wisdom to help high-performing leaders, athletes, and creatives transition out of chronic exhaustion and stress patterns into sustainable clarity, focus, and authentic self-trust. Website: https://dinamaayan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinamaayan/ Connect with the Host Website: https://wedeepen.com/love-club/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinaweber Long-term, soul-level fulfillment requires us to actively trade instant gratification for deliberate, conscious growth. If you are ready to slide onto a completely upgraded timeline of intimacy and play, follow this podcast, rate this video, and share this episode with your favorite fellow good sport. Secure your spot at our upcoming Masterminds and the highly anticipated Sober 3-Day New Year's Eve celebration by visiting wedeepen.com!
SPAN is the smart electrical panel that tells you exactly which circuit is draining your wallet, can charge your car only on solar power, and somehow also looks cool enough that homeowners show it off to their friends. Reina Smyth and Mark cover the origin story behind the product, the wrong QR code that caused two weeks of frustration, and Mark's very ambitious idea to turn his wellness home into a Faraday cage for family quiet time. The idea did not pan out, but it did lead to one of the better rabbit holes in recent podcast 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/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.span.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/get_span/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reinasmyth/ 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
Don Forsman has 45 years of building homes and is currently building his own, which means he has never been more dangerous in a conversation about never evers and always always. He and Mark cover why you can't blame the drywaller for a bad HVAC vent, how external insulation brought wood siding back from the dead, and why precision is the goal and perfection is a trap. This one is basically a masterclass disguised as two guys talking in a sunroom. 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.welchforsman.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/welchforsman 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
Josh Frei spent 17 years as a firefighter before pivoting to custom saunas, which means he already knew how to show up calm, problem solve fast, and never leave a job half done. He and Mark talk through the lessons learned when too many cooks in the kitchen cost a project days of rework, why a quick phone call beats an email thread every single time, and how Symmetry earned a lifetime partnership by driving benches across the country in a rental truck. Also: a former firefighter helping people sweat on purpose is the kind of career pivot that writes its own theme song, and yes, his crew actually made one. 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.symmetrysauna.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/symmetrysauna/ 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
Billy Beson walked into a million dollar hotel pitch with nothing but a museum poster, told the client he could make the place look like a million bucks for a million bucks, and got the job anyway. He and Mark spend an hour trading stories about Minnesota's quietest billionaires, 46,000 square foot homes with bowling alleys and car simulators, and why designing toward feelings instead of materials is the real secret to a legendary career. This one will make you laugh, make you think, and make you wish you had been a fly on the wall at every dinner party Billy's ever thrown. 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.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
Fresh off facilitating at the seventh WeDeepen Love Immersion, host Christina Weber sits down with master coach, intimacy teacher, and professional dominant Yossef Sagi for his first video appearance on the podcast. Together, they unpack how sexuality operates as a primary crucible for confronting deep-seated shame and stepping into radical self-acceptance. From auditing your internal impulses across the "four chambers of desire" to navigating the hidden landmines of modern friendships, this episode is a tactical masterclass in mastering your sexual energy, setting ironclad boundaries, and transitioning from instant gratification to long-term relational fulfillment. Main Topics Covered Shame vs. Sovereignty: Why sexuality is the ultimate arena for confronting internal shame ("bad about who I am") and returning to full self-expression. The Interplay of Love and Discernment: Why true love requires a balance of mercy and rigorous boundaries, acting as a direct antidote to unchecked projection. Can Men and Women Just Be Friends?: Dissecting the gender boundaries of non-sexual intimacy and reframing the psychological trap of the "friend zone." Conflating Intimacy with Sex: How a cultural lack of emotional vulnerability leads men to mistake structural or platonic care for a sexual invitation. The "Four Chambers" of Desires: A holistic framework for auditing your impulses across the Mind, Heart, Body, and Genitals before saying yes to a partner. Separating Desire from Request: A game-changing communication tool that honors your internal truth while giving the other person zero pressure to fulfill it. The Deconstruction of Threesomes: A deep, psychological examination of the "unicorn" dynamic, male entitlement, and the widespread lack of erotic imagination in society. Decentering Men: How custom kink immersions, impact play, and specialized boundary training help women anchor into their terms before entering relationship containers. Key Takeaways Boundaries Are an Ingredient of Love: Firm boundaries around consent, sobriety, and expectations are not limitations; they are the very scaffolding that creates psychological and somatic safety. Desire Is Valid Independent of Fulfillment: By learning to separate your desire from an active request ("I want to kiss you" vs. "Can I kiss you?"), you keep your erotic fire alive without fearing rejection or imposing expectation. Own Your Energetic Field: True safety is cultivated when a man can master, contain, and embody his sexual energy internally rather than constantly projecting it onto the environment as a demand. The Three Stages of Erotic Learning: Navigating the evolutionary continuum from Stage 1 (Innocence/Blind Trust) to Stage 2 (Armored/Protection) to Stage 3 (Skilled/Reclaimed Vulnerability). Connect with the Guest Instagram: @yossefsagi Website: Connect with Yossef for bespoke immersions, private shadow mapping, and individual/couples coaching through his social portal or directly via the WeDeepen network. YouTube Music Connect with the Host Website: wedeepen.com Instagram: @christinaweber True co-regulation and soulful human connection cannot be outsourced to technological platforms or AI. If you are ready to bring your shadow into the light and upgrade your intimacy toolkit, follow this podcast, like this video, and share it with someone you respect. Take your place in the arena and apply to join our ongoing ecosystem at wedeepen.com!
After pulling off six events in seven days, Mark sits down with Alyssa Abbott and Mary Clark to talk about why in-person connection is still the most underrated marketing strategy in the building industry. They cover everything from swag as a love language to why empowering your community to be your advocates beats any ad spend, and Alyssa makes the very good point that sometimes the best business move is just grilling hot dogs and saying thank you to your subs. Turns out the guy who invented fire was an influencer too, and Mark has the quotes to prove it. 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: Alyssa Abbott Website: https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliveandvinesocials/ Mary Clark Website: https://www.pella.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-clark-9b45b2119/ 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
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Amy Boddy, Professor of Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara and head of the Boddy Lab, a human evolutionary biologist whose work asks why cancer varies across the animal kingdom, how pregnancy reshapes the body, and what it means that nearly all of us carry living cells that originated in someone else. In this episode, Amy explains microchimerism, the phenomenon in which foreign cells can invade and persist in our bodies for decades, turning up in the blood, bone marrow, and pancreas; sometimes with a benefit. Amy makes the case that microchimeric cells deserve a central place in how we think about health and inheritance, and in what it means to be an individual when the boundaries of the body prove so porous. ------------------------------ Find the papers mentioned in this episode: Chua, K. J., Quilang, R. C., Sallinger, K., Aktipis, C. A., Arck, P., Bianchi, D. W., Chang, D., Eikmans, M., S Fjeldstad, H. E., Haig, D., Harrington, W. E., Horsnell, W., Jacobsen, D. P., Kanaan, S. B., Khosrotehrani, K., Lambert, N. C., Nelson, J. L., Olsen, M. B., Pan, T. D., . . . Boddy, A. M. (2025). Identifying Key Questions and Challenges in Microchimerism Biology. Advanced Science, 12(48), e14969. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202514969 Boddy, A. M., Fortunato, A., Sayres, M. W., & Aktipis, A. (2015). Fetal microchimerism and maternal health: A review and evolutionary analysis of cooperation and conflict beyond the womb. Bioessays, 37(10), 1106. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.201500059 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Boddy: boddy@anth.ucsb.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu
PLAAD's Mark Stankey and Matthew Byers join Mark for a deep dive into what actually makes a home authentic, and it turns out the answer has a lot more to do with composition than cost. They talk through never evers like windows to nowhere, soffit returns gone wrong, and why a quiet, well composed exterior beats a gable smashed mansion every time. Stick around for the courtyard story that proves the best design lessons sometimes come straight from the client. 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.plaadoffice.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plaadoffice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plaadoffice 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
Two social media experts walk into Mysa Hus, and what comes out is a refreshingly honest take on the wins, the flops, and the algorithm mysteries nobody can fully explain. Alyssa Abbott from Olive and Vine Socials and Mary Clark from Pella swap stories about overworked carousels that flopped, lazy Saturday posts that crushed it, and why chasing every trending audio clip is a great way to end up in murky water. They also tackle the AI elephant in the room, and spoiler, authenticity wins every single time. 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: Alyssa Abbott Website: https://oliveandvinesocials.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliveandvinesocials/ Mary Clark Website: https://www.pella.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-clark-9b45b2119/ 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
Forget renderings, Taylor Hall O'Brien is making the case for real light, real rooms, and real collaboration in an industry that AI is circling like a hawk. He and Mark talk through the art of consistent storytelling across a photo gallery, how Taylor built relationships with top editors one Instagram follow at a time, and why being easy to work with matters more than being the most talented person in the room. It's part photography lesson, part business strategy session, and part really lovely conversation over Diet Coke at sunrise. 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: http://taylorhallobrien.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/taylorhallobrien 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
In this captivating episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber is joined by scholar of love, author, and coach Dana Arielle for an uninhibited, soul-stirring dive into the world of Devotional Tantra. Following a near-death experience at age 25, Dana transformed her lifelong romantic obsession into a 17-year scholarly exploration of intimacy, sacred polarity, and high-value relating. Broadcasted live from the booming wellness mecca of Austin, Texas, this episode serves as a powerful reminder that your desire for big, mythic love is a divine bat-signal—and that true, soul-level safety is always worth the wait. Main Topics Covered The Creative Romantic: Dana's journey from a childhood "yearner" and clinical psychology background to a dedicated scholar of love. The 25-Year Watershed: How a profound near-death experience forced a negotiation with source energy to return to Earth exclusively for true love. The True Meaning of Tantra: Demystifying Tantric intimacy and examining Hindu iconography where consorts are eternally fused across shape-shifting lifetimes. Transactional vs. Reciprocal Love: Navigating the cultural landscape of modern dating without turning access, beauty, or sex into cheap transactions. Money for the Body: Unpacking the philosophy that wealth is a tool designed to provide the physical form with grounding, nourishment, luxury, and safety. The Five Golden Sexual Questions: The essential internal checklist to run through before exchanging sexual energy with a new partner. Rituals Organize the Psyche: Why the subconscious requires physical, intentional closure to let go of old timelines and leap into the new. The Black Stone Ritual: A step-by-step masterclass on a traditional Tantric energetic extraction ritual designed for deep internal cleansing. Key Takeaways Desire is a Divine Directive: The longings that wake you up at night are not accidental; they are custom-crafted blueprints placed in your heart by the divine, meant to be actualized. Soul Safety is Earned: True emotional safety isn't felt instantaneously upon a first impression. It is a slow-burn treasure built over time and proven strictly through repeated action, not promises. Listen to the Mute Animal: Your body holds millions of years of cellular intelligence far superior to the logical mind. Give your body a voice, honor its gut responses, and treat it like a sacred vehicle. Never Settle for Dimness: If a sexual encounter or relationship leaves you feeling energetically drained, minimized, or less radiant, walk away immediately. Protect your preciousness at all costs. Connect with the Guest Website: danaarielle.com Instagram: @schoolofthedivinefeminine Facebook: Dana Arielle Holistic Love and Intimacy Coach Connect with the Host Website: wedeepen.com Instagram: @christinaweber Your true wealth lives inside the quality of your interpersonal relationships. If you are ready to stop settling and step onto a higher timeline of intimacy, follow this podcast, like this episode, and share it with a sister or partner who is ready to unleash their magnetic center. Explore our upcoming live events and immersive masterminds at wedeepen.com!
Twenty years, 30 employees, and one very real fire that nearly took out a parquet floor a month before a major photo shoot. Anthony Janckila and Mark trade stories about clients going dark, why the GC ends up responsible for literally everything whether they get paid for it or not, and the kind of loyalty that shows up at a funeral instead of just sending flowers. This one's got heart, a little chaos, and a genuinely great pitch for a Curious Builder retirement home. 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.alpinehardwoodmn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alpinehardwoodmn/ 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
In this episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber explores the transformative power of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) with NVC teacher and author Micah Salaberrios. Broadcasting from the wellness and podcasting mecca of Austin, Texas, Micah shares how a high-stakes conflict on a documentary set introduced him to "emergency empathy"—and how it completely changed his life. This conversation acts as a practical masterclass for anyone looking to eliminate verbal volatility, own their emotional triggers, and use communication to build unbreakable relational bonds. Main Topics Covered From Volatility to Mastery: How Micah transformed his childhood exposure to verbal volatility into a professional superpower. The "Emergency Empathy" Breakthrough: A real-world breakdown of the exact moment NVC saved a failing professional partnership. The Four-Step NVC Framework: Understanding the classic progression: Observable Fact → Authentic Feeling → Core Preference/Desire → Specific Request. Ditching Fake Feelings: Why phrases like "I feel disrespected" or "I feel cornered" are actually weaponized judgments in disguise. The Power of "Emergency Empathy": How asking a triggered partner specific, one-two combo questions ("Are you feeling [X] because of [Y]?") bypasses fight-or-flight and de-escalates rage instantly. The Illusion of "I feel as if...": Why eliminating passive-aggressive grammatical traps is vital for true authenticity. Tone Over Text: Acknowledging that vocal tone carries more emotional data than the actual words we choose. Aligning with Conscious Pillars: How NVC directly integrates into the WeDeepen Love Club's four core pillars of conscious relationships. Key Takeaways You Are the Catalyst, Not the Cause: No one is responsible for how you feel, and you are not responsible for anyone else's feelings. Blaming others gives away your personal power. Ego Is the Enemy of Empathy: True "emergency empathy" requires you to temporarily step out of your own identity and step into your partner's shoes—something the ego will fight tooth and nail to prevent. Specificity Tames the Beast: Avoid broad questions like "How are you feeling?" when someone is upset. Instead, use a specific guess about their inner world to give them something concrete to anchor to. Unresolved Issues Leak: If you don't use clean communication to sweep small issues out from under the rug, they will inevitably leak out through your body language, sighing, and tone. Connect with the Guest About Micah Salaberrios: Micah Salaberrios is the author of the acclaimed book The Art of NVC and host of the popular Art of NVC podcast. With more than a decade of experience teaching Nonviolent Communication to people around the world, Micah is known for making deep, transformative principles both practical and accessible. He's also a seasoned musician and video editor, driven by a passion for helping humanity communicate with more clarity, empathy, and authenticity. Website: artofnvc.com Instagram: @artofnvc Podcast: The Art of NVC Podcast (Also available on all major podcast platforms) Practice Group: Patreon.com/artofnvc Book: The Art of NVC on Amazon (Look out for Micah's second book focusing heavily on Emergency Empathy, releasing October 2026!) Connect with the Host Website: wedeepen.com Instagram: @christinaweber Greatest joy and greatest suffering both stem from interpersonal relationships. If you want to increase your relational wealth, follow this podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone you want to build a deeper connection with. Learn more about our monthly practice circles at wedeepen.com!
Six months into the Smile Tour, Mark parks himself inside Mysa Hus with a heavily highlighted copies of Buy Back Your Time and Psychology of Money, and he has a lot of thoughts about money, time, and why your inbox should not be your boss. He hits the big ideas from both Dan Martell and Morgan Housel, connects them to real moments from his career, and reminds everyone that a $10 million company was not built on $10 tasks. Consider this your permission slip to hire help, go to bed at 8:30, and stop letting your calendar run your life. 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 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
In this episode, host Chris speaks with Dr. Christine Webb about primate behavior, cognition and consciousness, and dismantling the myth of human exceptionalism. Dr. Christine Webb is an assistant professor in the department of Environmental Studies at NYU, where she is part of the animal studies program. Her work seeks to elucidate the complex dynamics of animal social life and to apply this knowledge to foundational questions in animal ethics and conservation. Specifically, she investigates how animals manage and mitigate social disruptions, and the emotional, motivational , and cultural influences shaping these processes, with a focus on non-human primates. Dr. Webb is interested in how prevailing social norms, values, and institutions shape contemporary knowledge of other animals and the environment more generally. In her new book, The Arrogant Ape, Dr. Webb engages critically with human exceptionalism, and how this pervasive ideology biases scientific exploration of the more-than-human world. ------------------------------ Find the book discussed in this episode: Webb, C. E. (2025). The arrogant ape: the myth of human exceptionalism and why it matters. New York, NY: Avery. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717436/the-arrogant-ape-by-christine-webb/# ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Christine Webb: christinewebb@nyu.edu Bluesky: @christinewebb.bsky.social/ Website: https://www.cewebb.com/ ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and the Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly
Hans Frees of Outdoor Escapes has been in business 25 years, filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy, lost money on a spec home during the 2008 crash, and came out the other side with better relationships, a better location, and a much healthier respect for staying in his lane. He and Mark swap war stories about building spec homes they probably shouldn't have, losing sleep over unpaid subcontractors, and why the small-town bank that bet on them at rock bottom is still their bank today. It's 32 minutes of hard-won wisdom from someone who learned most of it the expensive way. 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.outdoorexcapes.com/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/outdoorexcapes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outdoorexcapes/ 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
Documentary filmmaker Jude Charles came to Minnesota to flip the script and road map the emotional soul of Mysa Hus, and what started as a brand conversation turned into the deepest dive yet into why Mark built the thing in the first place. Jude's "but why does that matter to you" energy draws out stories about childhood cabins, slow mornings, and what it actually means to build a home as a personal thesis. Buckle up, this one earns every one of its 90 minutes. 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.mysahus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysahus/ 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
Paul Cramer sold his business, hit rock bottom, and discovered that being sober for decades doesn't automatically mean you have your stuff together, which is a humbling plot twist for anyone keeping score at home. Round two gets into the real work: two weeks of intensive therapy, rebuilding from scratch, and why the way you survive something becomes the way you live everything. Buckle up, this one hits different. 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.pauljcramer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauljcramer/ 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
Chris and Cristina sit down with Dr. Christine Harper, a biological anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington, whose research focuses on the functional morphology and biomechanics of the human and nonhuman primate postcranial skeleton, with the goal of understanding how musculoskeletal form relates to locomotor behavior. She uses these patterns to place early hominins in context and reconstruct how they may have moved. Her work takes a quantitative, data-driven approach, using tools such as 3D geometric morphometrics, high-density semilandmarks, spherical harmonic analyses (SPHARM), whole-bone trabecular analyses, musculoskeletal modeling, and advanced statistical methods for high-dimensional data. She also develops and tests novel methods to address challenges in analyzing complex, multi-dimensional data. ------------------------------ Find the paper discussed in this episode: Harper, C. M., & Patel, B. A. Functional morphology of trabecular bone in the calcaneus of African apes. Journal of Anatomy. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.70141 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Harper: cmharper@uw.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org, Twitter: @HumBioAssoc Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu
Five days before the Artisan Home Tour, Mark and Melissa Oholendt of Oho Interiors snuck away from a live photo shoot to talk about what the final stretch of Mysa Hus actually looks like — wrong-sized sectionals, a Hail Mary pass to a UK lighting CEOs, and a third-generation plumber who showed up unannounced and left with chocolate-covered strawberries. They walk through the 60-day countdown, three photo shoots with three different photographers, and what it means to build something hard with people you genuinely trust. It's raw, real, and recorded while the house is literally still being shot. 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: http://ohointeriors.com/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/oho_interiors 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
What happens when the entrepreneur dream becomes the thing quietly eating you alive? In this episode of Losers Are Winners, Mark sits down with author and recovering entrepreneur Paul Cramer to unpack startup highs, brutal lows, identity loss, therapy, and the emotional cost of building something from nothing. It's equal parts business therapy session, cautionary tale, and "oh crap… that sounds familiar" moment for every business owner who's ever brought work stress to the dinner table. 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.pauljcramer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauljcramer/ 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
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
In the second-ever video episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber sits down with legendary relationship cartographer Annie Lala. With 17 years of partnership and a wealth of "love codes," Annie explores why she fell for "Mount Everest" (famous dating coach Eban Pagan), how she moved him from a "no" on marriage to a "hell yes," and why your partnership is the ultimate gym for emotional musculature. This episode is for those who refuse to settle for "good enough" and are ready to treat love as their highest life accomplishment. Main Topics Covered The Path of the Love Coach: Annie's journey from IT consulting to becoming a "pain detective" for the heart. Climbing Mount Everest: The origin story of Annie and Eban Pagan, and how she navigated a partner who initially didn't believe in love or kids. Marriage vs. Being in Love: Why Annie believes marriage should be a "decoration" for a life already filled with ungovernable, mythic love. Relationship as a Gym: Why conflict is actually "hormesis" (good stress) that creates the micro-tears necessary for emotional growth. The Visionary Leader: How the feminine acts as the "steering wheel" (direction) while the masculine acts as the "engine" (execution). The "Baby Daddy" Trap: Navigating the biological clock without settling for "good enough" just to have children. Graduation vs. Breakup: Reframing the end of a relationship as a successful education rather than a failure. Manufacturing Faith: How to find your way back to connection when you're in the middle of relational darkness. Key Takeaways Don't Settle for "Familiar": We often mistake "familiar" for "safe" because it mimics childhood patterns. Real safety is found in a partner who acts as a sanctuary for your heart and a trampoline for your dreams. Enrollment Over Ultimatums: To inspire growth in a partner, you must love them exactly as they are while creating a "marketing campaign" for their greatness based on their values. Love is an Accomplishment: High-stakes intimacy is an earned experience that requires due diligence, practice, and the removal of the ego. Desire is Sacred: Your intuition is your future successful self whispering what's next—don't ignore it for the sake of "building an empire." Connect with the Guest Instagram: @lallabird Website: annielala.com Connect with the Host Website: wedeepen.com Instagram: @christinaweber If you're ready to shift from "happily ever after" to "alive ever after," please follow the podcast, like this video, and share it with someone who needs to hear that big love is possible. Join the movement at wedeepen.com!
In the debut video episode of Deepen with Christina, host Christina Weber sits down with life coach and provocateur Jordan Bowditch to explore the raw edges of intimacy, commitment, and personal evolution. From the "freestyle rap" DM that started his 10-year relationship to the creation of a home "sex dungeon" designed for marital healing, this episode is for anyone curious about how to maintain fire and integrity in long-term partnership. Bowditch pulls back the curtain on "monogamish" seasons, the pain of pregnancy loss, and why he believes a man's true capacity for commitment often unlocks at age 30. Main Topics Covered The Origin Story: How Jordan used a voice note and a freestyle rap to capture his partner Alexa's attention on social media. The Age of Commitment: Why Jordan believes men hit a "sweet spot" for marriage around age 30, balancing the "prince" and "king" archetypes. Expanding the Comfort Zone: Christina and Jordan discuss shifting from "stepping out" of comfort zones to permanently expanding one's range in love and work. Navigating "Monogamish" Waters: A candid look at their history with open dynamics, the importance of "masculine stewardship," and why they eventually returned to monogamy. Healing Through Loss: How the couple navigated the grief of a late-term pregnancy loss and an early miscarriage, and the "gym of emotional fitness" required to survive it. The "Sex Dungeon" vs. Pleasure Palace: A deep dive into their intentional home space for intimacy and the concept of using "conscious kink" to transmute resentment into connection. Provision and Devotion: Exploring the "Sugar Daddy/Sacred Prostitute" archetype as a tool for deepening marital polarity. The Reality of Dating at 45: Christina shares her personal journey with marriage, motherhood, and the "trap" of staying in relationships where the door to the future is closed. Key Takeaways Love is an Earned Experience: While grace is freely given, deep intimacy and trust must be built through consistent action and "showing your work" over time. Integrity is Intuitive: Jordan reflects on how "boyish" behavior and small omissions can damage the "feminine intuition" and safety of a partner, even if the actions seem benign on the surface. The Range of Intimacy: Long-term love isn't just about "bliss"; it requires the ability to navigate both the spiritual and the "nasty," the grief and the joy, within the same container. Intentional Community: The "Conscious Couples Coalition"—having a group of peers who are champions for your relationship rather than just individuals—is a vital support system for modern marriage. Be the Plot Twist: Growth often requires a willingness to change the narrative, whether that's launching a video podcast after a year-long hiatus or choosing to stay monogamous after exploring openness. Connect with the Guest Instagram: Jordan Bowditch Website: Jordan Bowditch Coaching Connect with the Host Website: wedeepen.com Instagram: @christinaweber If this conversation sparked a new perspective on love for you, please follow the podcast, like this video, and share it with a friend who is navigating their own journey of intimacy. Let's keep deepening together!
In part two of our conversation with Dr. Kristen Hawkes, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah, we pick up where we left off and turn to the broader evolutionary story that grandmothering helps tell. Building on her original grandmother hypothesis, this episode focuses on her paper "Life History Evolution Explains Features of Humanity," in which she argues that post-menopausal longevity set off a cascade of life history shifts that distinguish us from our closest primate relatives. Dr. Hawkes walks us through how grandmothering can explain features that often get treated as separate evolutionary puzzles: our unusually long childhoods, late maturity, short interbirth intervals, and extended lifespans. From there, the conversation moves into the social and cognitive consequences of this life history pattern, including pair bonding, cooperative behavior, and the distinctive intensity of human social life. She also revisits how comparisons with chimpanzees and ethnographic data from the Hadza continue to inform and constrain the hypothesis. ------------------------------ Find the work discussed in this episode: Hawkes, K., & Jones, N. B. (2018). Hunter-gatherer studies and human evolution: A very selective review. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 165(4), 777-800. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23403 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Hawkes: hawkes@anthro.utah.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org, Twitter: @HumBioAssoc Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu
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 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.emser.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emsertile/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michealweaver289/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-weaver-2a2872166/ 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
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 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.bradleavitt.com/ Website: https://www.aftconstruction.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aft_construction/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleavitt/ 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
Laura Brophy didn't exactly take the traditional path to running a 10-person interior design firm in Newport Beach — sports medicine, upholstery shops, Dolce & Gabbana, and Restoration Hardware were all pit stops along the way. Mark sits down with Laura to dig into how she built a drama-free team, learned to stop being the bottleneck in her own business, and why her husband Rob is the spreadsheet to her vision board. They also go deep on wellness-driven design — saunas, cold plunges, bathtub comebacks, and why your home might be the most underutilized wellness tool you 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/ Contractor Coalition Summit: Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://brophyinteriors.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurabrophyinteriors/ 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
Twenty-two years in the business and Mark still managed to remind himself why taking the low bid is basically a trap with a bow on it. In this solo Losers are Winners episode, he pulls back the curtain on a framing nightmare — missed milestones, disappearing crew members, bounced checks, and one very uncomfortable site meeting — and how it all came to a head with his first-ever mid-project subcontractor firing. The real plot twist? The client ended up trusting him more because of it, not less. 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 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
What happens when Mark hands the mic to his kids? A surprisingly honest, hilarious, and insightful Q&A episode on how builders get clients, what happens when projects go sideways, and why firing someone can wreck your whole week. From tree fort permit drama to client communication and custom home timelines, this one is equal parts kids corner, business therapy, and classic Curious Builder fun. 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 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
In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Chris and Cristina are joined by Dr. Kristen Hawkes, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah and one of the most influential evolutionary anthropologists in the field. Drawing on decades of fieldwork with the Ache of eastern Paraguay and the Hadza of northern Tanzania, her work challenged long-standing assumptions about hunting, showing that men's hunting often functions less as direct provisioning and more as social signaling. Dr. Hawkes is also the architect of the grandmother hypothesis, a foundational idea in evolutionary anthropology. This framework argues that grandmothers play a critical role in supporting offspring when mothers have new infants, helping to drive key features of human life history, including longer lifespans, slower development, and shorter birth intervals. By integrating ethnographic data, comparative primate evidence, and formal modeling, her research has reshaped our understanding of human longevity, menopause, and social behavior. In this episode, we focus on her paper “Revisiting the Grandmother Hypothesis and Human Longevity,” where she returns to the core logic of grandmothering and its role in explaining why humans live so long compared to other apes. Part 2 (airing next week) zooms out to explore how these dynamics scale up to explain broader features of human life history and social evolution. ------------------------------ Find the work discussed in this episode: Hawkes, K., & Jones, N. B. (2018). Hunter-gatherer studies and human evolution: A very selective review. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 165(4), 777-800. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23403 Hawkes, K. (2025). Revisiting “Grandmothers and the Evolution of Human Longevity,” 2003 AJHB https://doi.Org/10.1002/ajhb.10156. American Journal of Human Biology, 37(4), e70045. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.70045 Hawkes, K. (2025). Life history evolution explains so many features of humanity. In Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology (Chapter 27). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-27380-3.00027-0 ------------------------------ Contact Dr. Hawkes: hawkes@anthro.utah.edu ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation/, Website: humbio.org, Twitter: @HumBioAssoc Chris Lynn, Host Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu, E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Cristina Gildee, Co-Host & Co-Producer Website: cristinagildee.com, E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu
Nick Schiffer brings the heat in this Losers are Winners episode, sharing the messy behind-the-scenes stories that rarely make it to Instagram. From takeover projects gone wild to contracts that nearly cost big, this episode shows how failure can become the best business coach in the room. It is sharp, funny, painfully relatable, and loaded with takeaways for builders who want fewer surprises and stronger systems. 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.nickschiffer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nsbuilders/ 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
Mark sits down with Andrew Legge of Havelock Wool for a conversation that starts with sheep and ends in the walls of a healthier home. Andrew shares how a New Zealand idea turned into a fast-growing insulation company in the U.S., why builders are slow to change, and what makes wool such a powerhouse for sound, air quality, and performance. It is smart, surprising, a little crunchy in the best way, and proof that sometimes the best building product has been standing in a pasture the whole time. 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://havelockwool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/havelock_wool/ 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
In this Losers Are Winners episode, Karissa Dunham opens up about the messy middle of running a business, raising a blended family of seven kids, and learning that "balance" might just be a moving target with a bad attitude. She talks about failure, leadership, fitness, golf, and why making memories with family matters just as much as making the next deal happen. It is a fun, thoughtful reminder that success is not just about working harder, but about being present when it counts. 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://suncontrolmn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suncontrolmn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunControlMinnesota LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karissa-dunham-1894a3140/ 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
Tyler Farrell of Killowen Construction gets real about what it actually takes to scale a high-end construction company without losing your mind, your margins, or your people. This episode of The Curious Builder dives into budget meetings, team building, hard client conversations, and the moment Tyler stopped apologizing for expensive work. It is equal parts business therapy, builder truth serum, and reminder that great companies are built by humans, not just job sites and spreadsheets. 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://killowenco.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killowenconstruction/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/killowenco/ 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
This episode is all about client communication—what works, what blows up, and what should make a builder pause. Mark talks with Tim Rascher about how he spots "orange flags" earlier (especially when clients want budget and value-engineering talks behind closed doors). It's a quick, witty listen that'll make builders rethink boundaries, expectations, and how to keep the whole team rowing in the same direction. 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/ Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://www.rascherandco.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rascherandco/ 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
What happens when you lose it all… and decide to build again anyway? In this episode of The Curious Builder Podcast, Mike Riddle of Riddle Construction shares the behind-the-scenes truth of getting sued during the recession, walking through bankruptcy, and slowly clawing his way back with better systems and sharper boundaries. Along the way, Mark and Mike swap honest stories about hiring mistakes, consistency, and why "freedom" isn't a revenue number—it's a team and a process that can run without you. 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/ Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://riddleconstruction.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riddleconstruction.co/ 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
In this Losers Are Winners episode, Mark and Trapper Roderick dig into what's changing fast in high-performance, wellness-forward homes. They connect the dots between building science and real-life health: cleaner air, better water, smarter ventilation, and materials that don't make your body quietly revolt. They also get into the fun stuff—saunas, cold plunges, steam showers, and gyms with the best views in the house (because misery loves a basement…until it doesn't). Come for the wellness trends, stay for the mechanical-room truth bombs and the accidental dad-joke chaos. 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.roderickbuilders.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roderickbuilders Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Roderickbuilders 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
In this episode of The Curious Builder Podcast, Mark and Stacy Eakman unpack the mindset shift from running a builder job to building an actual company you could step away from (or someday sell). Stacy shares why he joined Alair, how their system and software creates accountability, and why writing things down matters more than we admit. Bonus: an all-time excavation story that will make you laugh and also never start a side business ever again. 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/ Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://alairhomes.com/kirkland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alairhomes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-eakman/ 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
In this Losers Are Winners episode, Mark sits down with Luciano Patiño of Elliano Design to talk about failure… and how it turned out to be the best gift of his career. From walking away from a business he co-founded to building his design firm with a true CEO mindset, this one is packed with real talk. We dive into business coaching, identity, collaboration, and the power of asking for help. If you've ever wondered whether your "loss" is actually setting you up for a bigger win, this episode is for you. 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.ellianodesign.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellianodesign/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucianopatino/ 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
Jude Charles flew in and basically flipped the mic on Mark — and they went deep. This episode of The Curious Builder Podcast isn't about countertops and cabinet pulls. It's about burnout, fatherhood, slowing down, and the real emotional "why" behind Mysa Hus. Turns out, the wood-burning fireplace means a little more than Mark thought. 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/ Sauna Camp Website: https://www.saunacamps.com/ Where to find the Guest: Website: https://judecharles.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judecharles/ 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
We're heading to the International Builders' Show with big ideas and even better people. In this episode, Mark sits down with Mike Weaver from Emser Tile to preview their upcoming IBS panel: "If You Could Do One Thing..." From focusing on fewer, better clients to compressing time through peer learning, this convo is a rapid-fire warm-up of real talk, reflective questions, and a few jokes about tile from Morocco. Plus, hear how the Curious Collectives are expanding and what makes this year's IBS a can't-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: 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/michealweaver289 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