Inspiring Tradespeople to Turn Their Ideas into Products with Michael E. Cox, inventor of StepStuds

In this episode of BUILD AMERICA, host Kerry Smith Buck interviews Michael E. Cox, president of Horizontal Base Studs and inventor of StepStuds. Michael, a journeyman carpenter, developed StepStuds in 2018 after witnessing extensive flood damage in healthcare settings, seeking a "better way" to perform repairs.   StepStuds are the world's first patented horizontal base stud, designed to lift drywall off the floor, hidden behind cove base, to prevent water damage. This innovation dramatically cuts repair costs by 75% and reduces room downtime by half after water intrusion. While initially focused on healthcare, StepStuds have also been successfully used in schools.