The Builders

Bob Labbe has spent a lifetime building businesses, solving technical problems, and engineering practical solutions. From scaling air pollution control companies to developing a quantitative putting system for golfers, Bob approaches life with the mindset of a builder: observe the problem, test relentlessly, and keep refining until something works. In this episode, Bob shares the journey behind building and selling multiple engineering companies, the importance of long-term partnerships, and the relationships that helped shape his career over more than five decades. He also reflects on retirement, rediscovering golf, and how frustration with his putting game eventually led him to develop and publish Putting by the Numbers, a system designed to help golfers think about putting in a completely different way. What makes this conversation especially interesting is how Bob applies the same engineering mindset everywhere. A frustrating putting problem became years of experimentation and eventually a published book. A ruined silk tie at dinner became the inspiration for a patented coaster design. In both cases, the process was the same: notice the friction, stay curious, and build a better solution. Key Takeaways Great businesses are often built through strong partnerships and complementary skill sets. Innovation frequently starts with frustration and curiosity. Builders train themselves to notice problems other people ignore. Testing, iteration, and patience are essential parts of building something meaningful. Relationships and trust are foundational to long-term business success. Builders never really stop building, even after retirement.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with William Holsten to explore the early journey behind his first product… and the business lessons that came from getting it wrong before getting it right.What started as a simple, fun idea quickly turned into a real opportunity. Demand showed up. The product sold. Everything looked like it was working… until it wasn’t. Once the product hit real customers in real environments, the cracks started to show. Complaints rolled in, failures surfaced, and what felt like early success revealed deeper issues in execution and understanding the customer. This episode is about those moments. The ones every builder faces at some point… where assumptions break, reality hits, and you’re forced to adapt. William shares what went wrong, what it cost, and what it taught him about building products that actually hold up in the real world.If you’ve ever launched something, thought you had it figured out… and then learned otherwise… this one will feel familiar.Key Takeaways Early success can hide deeper problems that only show up in real-world use The biggest lessons often come from what breaks, not what works You don’t truly understand your customer until you see how they operate day-to-day Assumptions in design and execution are where costly mistakes begin Listening to feedback is one thing… observing behavior is another Every builder goes through an “uh-oh” moment… what matters is how you respond

As builders, we often think change requires a reset. A clean break. Starting over.But what happens when you feel the pull toward something new… and you’ve already built something that works?In this episode, Matt explores what it looks like to build a new path alongside an existing one without disrupting everything in the process. Drawing from his own experience returning to art while running an agency, he breaks down how small shifts in habits, identity, and daily action can create real change over time.This isn’t about big moves or dramatic reinvention. It’s about pattern awareness, intentional practice, and learning how to integrate something meaningful into a life that’s already full.If you’ve ever felt that pull toward something more but didn’t know how to pursue it without risking what you’ve built, this episode offers a grounded, practical way forward.Key Takeaways✔️ You don’t need to start over to pursue something new✔️ Change begins by breaking small, existing patterns✔️ Action creates momentum, not the other way aroundY✔️ ou can integrate new pursuits by replacing low-value time✔️ Clarity and direction come through consistent practice✔️ Builders can evolve intentionally without disrupting what already works

There’s a certain kind of builder who doesn’t follow a clear path… they discover it by walking it. In this episode, we sit down with Silyana Bojilova, a serial entrepreneur and consultant whose journey spans survival, reinvention, and ultimately finding purpose through helping others build.From growing up in Bulgaria and navigating major life disruptions early on… to moving abroad, struggling through years of uncertainty, and eventually returning home to rebuild from scratch, Silyana’s story is one of resilience in its purest form. Nothing was linear. Nothing was guaranteed. But each step… even the messy ones… stacked into something meaningful.What makes this conversation stand out is how her path evolved. Through failed experiments, side projects, burnout, and unexpected wins, she didn’t chase a perfect plan… she followed curiosity. That mindset eventually led her into consulting, startups, and mentorship, where she now helps others move faster by sharing what she’s learned along the way.At its core, this episode is about trusting yourself when the path isn’t clear… and building anyway.Key Takeaways Resilience isn’t built in success… it’s forged through uncertainty and pressure You don’t need a blueprint to build something meaningful Trying and rejecting paths is part of finding the right one Early “failures” often reveal what actually matters to you Growth accelerates when you stop doing everything alone The real breakthrough comes when you align work with what brings you joy

Subscriptions sound simple… until you try to build them.In this episode, we sit down with a builder who turned one of the most frustrating parts of app development into a platform now powering monetization for tens of thousands of apps. From early days growing up in Spain to taking a leap into Silicon Valley, this is a story about following curiosity, taking risks, and recognizing when a problem is bigger than it first appears.What started as an internal challenge… billing, analytics, experimentation… quickly revealed itself as a widespread pain point across the entire app ecosystem. Instead of working around it, Miguel and his co-founder leaned in, building a solution they wished existed. That decision became RevenueCat.We go beyond the origin story and into what it actually takes to build and scale something like this… from infrastructure and team building to culture, communication, and constantly evolving as a founder. This is a grounded look at building something real… by solving a problem developers didn’t want to touch.Key Takeaways Subscriptions are deceptively complex and become a major challenge at scale The best opportunities often come from problems you’ve experienced firsthand If developers avoid building something, it might be worth paying attention to What gets you started won’t be what helps you scale Strong communication is essential in remote, distributed teams Founders must evolve constantly and focus on solving the biggest problem at hand

AI tools are moving fast… but governance isn’t keeping up. In this episode, Matt sits down with AI strategist Jill Heinze to explore what happens when generative AI moves from experimentation into real-world deployment. From chatbots in regulated industries to internal productivity systems, the conversation focuses on the risks that emerge once AI starts interacting with real users and real data.Jill shares how her background in user research led her to focus on anticipatory design and AI governance. Instead of reacting after something breaks, her approach centers on identifying risks early. That includes understanding data flow, training inputs, model behavior, and the unintended consequences that can surface when AI systems are deployed at scale.Together, Matt and Jill explore the shift from prototype thinking to production-ready AI. The discussion highlights the importance of building responsibly, protecting sensitive data, and designing systems that account for both opportunity and risk. For builders, agencies, and teams experimenting with AI, this episode offers a grounded perspective on what it really means to ship AI safely.Key Takeaways Generative AI introduces new risks that require governance before deployment Once sensitive data enters training pipelines, it’s difficult to remove AI systems become more complex as they move from prototype to production Anticipatory design helps teams identify risks early in development Data flow and architecture decisions matter as much as model choice Responsible AI is not just enterprise thinking, it applies to builders too

Michael Haynes shares his journey from large corporate strategy roles to building a practical go-to-market approach for small and mid-sized B2B firms. After years working in banking, consulting, and telecommunications, he saw firsthand how structured growth strategies helped large organizations scale. But when he transitioned to working with smaller professional service firms, he realized those same ideas rarely translated directly.The conversation explores how Michael adapted corporate B2B strategy into something practical and actionable. Instead of complex research and large segmentation projects, he focuses on clarity. Identifying the right markets, understanding buyers, aligning services, and building cross-functional growth plans. The result is a structured yet realistic approach that smaller firms can actually execute.Throughout the episode, Michael also reflects on leaving corporate, starting his own consulting practice, and the lessons learned along the way. From landing his first client to building a sustainable pipeline, the discussion centers on the fundamentals of building a growth strategy that works in the real world.Key Takeaways Corporate growth principles still apply to small B2B firms when simplified Market clarity is the foundation of effective go-to-market strategy Growth comes from acquisition, retention, and expansion, not just new clients Choosing target markets is more powerful than trying to serve everyone Small firms need practical strategy, not enterprise complexity Builders must balance delivery work with intentional business development

What makes people actually use a product… and keep coming back?In this episode, Matt sits down with Tetiana Kobzar to explore behavioral design, gamification, and what it really takes to create products people love to use. Drawing from her background in development and product design, Tetiana explains how understanding human behavior can dramatically change how products are built, moving teams beyond feature-driven thinking into experience-driven outcomes.They dive into the psychology behind engagement, how gamification works when applied thoughtfully, and why small UX decisions can have outsized impacts on adoption and retention. The conversation also explores how builders can reduce friction, create motivation loops, and design products that align with how people actually behave, not how we assume they should behave.If you’re building software, digital tools, or user experiences of any kind, this episode offers a practical look at designing with human behavior in mind… and why that mindset often separates products that get ignored from products people genuinely enjoy using.Key Takeaways Behavioral design focuses on how people actually behave, not how we expect them to Gamification works best as subtle motivation, not superficial rewards Small UX changes can dramatically improve engagement and adoption Feature-heavy products often fail without behavioral thinking Designing for momentum and habit formation improves retention Builders should start with user motivation before designing interfaces

Many great software tools begin with a simple starting point: a manual process that works.In this episode, Matt welcomes back Joel Salomon to talk about the journey of turning his proven stock-screening framework into a scalable software system. After years of teaching clients his five-step process for evaluating companies, Joel began exploring how technology could help automate the research and deliver insights more efficiently.What followed was a builder’s journey that many founders will recognize. From manually screening hundreds of companies each quarter to experimenting with AI tools and working with early developers, Joel shares the real-world challenges of translating personal expertise into working software.Along the way, Matt and Joel unpack the lessons that come from building technology when you’re not a developer. The conversation explores documentation, outsourcing development, managing expectations, and the patience required to turn a good idea into a functioning system.For builders thinking about turning their own processes into software, this episode offers a practical look at what that journey can actually look like.Key TakeawaysMany scalable tools begin as manual systems that prove themselves firstTurning expertise into software requires translating human judgment into clear logicAI tools can accelerate research but still require careful verificationOutsourcing development requires strong communication and iterationBuilders often discover the real complexity of software during the building process

In this solo episode of The Builders, Matt Levenhagen reflects on a discovery that took him back more than three decades. While organizing old notebooks, artwork, and personal archives from the early 1990s, he uncovered a series of audio journals he recorded between 1991 and 1993. Listening back to those recordings today offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of his younger self, a 20-year-old trying to understand who he was and what direction his life might take.What emerges from those recordings isn’t a clear plan for the future. It’s something far more familiar to most builders: uncertainty, curiosity, experimentation, and the slow process of becoming. Matt shares how revisiting these journals reframed many experiences that once felt like failures or detours, revealing how those moments ultimately shaped the path he would follow.The episode also explores how modern AI tools helped him analyze these journals in a new way. By surfacing patterns and themes across decades of personal reflection, AI became more than a productivity tool. It became a way to understand the story behind the builder he has become, and to imagine how others might use similar tools to better understand their own paths.Key Takeaways• The path to becoming who you are rarely follows a straight line.• Experiences that once felt like failures often become essential parts of the story later.• Revisiting old journals or memories can reveal patterns in your thinking across decades.• AI can be used as a reflection tool to analyze your own life experiences.• Understanding your past can bring clarity to the path you are building today.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Jill Heinze, founder of Saddle-Stitch Consulting, to explore an unexpected but deeply logical career evolution: from research librarian to AI governance architect.Jill’s journey began with a love of history and archival research. That passion led her into academic librarianship, where she discovered that modern libraries are not just about books. They are complex digital ecosystems. She managed databases, led web teams, navigated vendor systems, and taught scholars how to access and evaluate information at scale. At its core, her work was about stewardship, access, and trust.That research-driven mindset eventually carried her beyond the university. She moved into agency-side research and product work, integrating user discovery and competitive intelligence into digital strategy. As AI tools accelerated, Jill recognized something familiar: the same questions libraries wrestled with for decades were now re-emerging around data quality, provenance, and governance. Today, she applies that foundation to responsible AI frameworks, helping organizations build guardrails before they scale.This episode lays the groundwork for a deeper dive into responsible AI in Part II.Key TakeawaysResearch is not academic overhead. It is infrastructure for better decision-making.Modern librarianship is rooted in systems thinking and information architecture.Not all information is equally accessible or equally trustworthy.Governance is a building discipline, not a compliance afterthought.Career pivots often reveal continuity rather than reinvention.The skills needed for responsible AI have been quietly developed for decades in adjacent fields.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt sits down with Dan Daly to unpack how a $600M automotive growth playbook became the foundation for an international real estate fund built around Portugal’s Golden Visa program.Dan shares how scaling an automotive startup from a single dealership to nearly $600M in annual revenue wasn’t about chasing more leads. It was about obsessing over customer experience. By personally calling customers and fixing small operational breakdowns, he unlocked profit without increasing marketing spend. That same principle now drives his hospitality and tourism real estate investments across Portugal.The conversation moves beyond real estate into first principles: optimize before you expand, focus on who you already serve, and build systems that increase margin without increasing chaos. Dan also walks through the mechanics of the Portugal Golden Visa, why Porto became his strategic focus, and how he built a $25M fund from a simple journal note that read, “Be the bank.”At its core, this episode is about leveraging experience across industries, trusting instinct, and learning how to do things you’ve never done before.Key TakeawaysRevenue growth often starts with improving experience, not increasing leads.The same asset can become dramatically more profitable with better process.Real estate, especially hospitality, is fundamentally a customer experience business.Portugal offers structural advantages: supply constraints, strong tourism growth, and favorable financing.The Golden Visa creates long-term lifestyle optionality, not just financial return.Big ideas often begin as unclear journal entries — execution makes them real.

Lee Rossey is the CTO and co-founder of SimSpace, and he’s spent the last 25 years building in the deep end of cybersecurity, including 15 years at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. His worldview is refreshingly practical: if you can’t measure it, you don’t really understand it… and if you can’t test it under pressure, you don’t actually trust it.In this episode, we dig into what “proving grounds” means in the AI era. Red teams and penetration tests are valuable, but production systems have guardrails for a reason. You can’t take down a hospital, bank, or power company just to prove a point. SimSpace helps organizations create realistic, representative replicas of their environments so they can push tools and teams to failure safely, run repeatable attack scenarios, and build true muscle memory.AI is the accelerant on both sides. Defenders use it to cut through noise and respond faster. Attackers use it to craft more convincing lures, move through kill chains quicker, and exploit complexity. Lee’s core message lands clean: the future belongs to the organizations that don’t just buy AI security, but prove it… in reality… before betting the business on it.Key takeawaysAI security needs proving grounds, because “trust” has to be earned through testing, not marketing.Production environments can’t be fully stress-tested, so realistic replicas are how you train and validate safely.Automation makes testing practical. If building the environment takes months, it won’t happen often enough to matter.The kill chain is compressing. AI reduces the time from recon to exploit, so defenders must shorten detection-to-response.Agentic tools introduce new attack surfaces like prompt injection and manipulation of decision-making.Humans aren’t disappearing, but their role shifts. The new norm is operators working side by side with AI.

Most builders don’t fail because they lack skill or effort. They struggle because the lessons that matter most only reveal themselves over long stretches of time. In this episode, Tyler Dane joins the show to reflect on the winding path of building. From early career pivots and high-stress on-call roles to indie product experiments and hard-earned clarity, the conversation traces what it actually takes to build something that lasts.Rather than focusing on tactics or tools, this episode digs into the deeper patterns builders encounter. The temptation to chase too many ideas. The illusion of momentum without real feedback. The quiet cost of systems that create constant stress. Tyler shares how stepping away from firefighting roles and embracing focused, reflective practices helped him see where his energy truly belonged.At its core, this is a conversation about finishing what matters. About recognizing that meaningful work often spans decades, not quarters. Through journaling, honest reflection, and learning to narrow focus, builders can reclaim both progress and creative identity. This episode is for anyone who’s realized that the real work isn’t just shipping faster, but building a life and body of work they’ll still be proud of years down the road.Key TakeawaysBuilding careers are rarely linear, and that’s often a strengthFocus matters more than raw output once you’ve learned the basicsEarly feedback prevents years of quiet misalignmentReflection helps solo builders avoid self-delusionSustainable work beats constant urgencyFinishing meaningful work is a long-game decision

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with cybersecurity expert and security educator Robert Siciliano to unpack what it really means to build security in a world that defaults to trust. What begins as a conversation about cybersecurity quickly turns into a deeper exploration of human behavior, denial, and why most people only take security seriously after something goes wrong.Robert shares the personal experiences that shaped his career, from early encounters with physical danger to being hacked during the early days of online commerce. These moments forged a core belief that still guides his work today: security is personal first. Whether physical or digital, meaningful protection starts with awareness, responsibility, and habits built before a crisis.Together, Matt and Robert explore the concept of the human firewall. Not as a technical solution, but as a mindset shift. Rather than relying solely on tools, policies, or fear-based training, they focus on first principles and practical behaviors that turn individuals into active participants in their own security. The result is a grounded conversation about building security that actually sticks.Key TakeawaysMost security failures are human problems, not technology problemsTrust-by-default thinking creates blind spots attackers exploitPeople often ignore risk until they experience consequencesSimple habits like password managers and 2FA go a long wayCredit freezes are one of the most underused security toolsReal security awareness is built through understanding, not fear

In this solo episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen reflects on what it really means to become a builder without shortcuts. Drawing from his early years as a self-taught artist in the pre-internet era, Matt explores how learning through books, libraries, and trial and error shaped more than just technical skill. It built patience, discipline, and the ability to stay in the work when progress wasn’t obvious.Matt then connects those early lessons to building his digital agency from the ground up. Without a day-one blueprint, he learned through experimentation, real clients, pricing mistakes, and constant iteration. Rather than discarding everything that didn’t work, he kept the “bricks” that held, slowly forming a foundation that could support growth, contraction, and rebuilding.The episode makes a thoughtful case against shortcuts in business, including buying outcomes without understanding how they were built. Matt argues that real resilience comes from lived experience, not borrowed tactics. For builders in the trenches, this conversation is a reminder that staying with the work is often what turns uncertainty into long-term strength.Key Takeaways:Shortcuts often outsource understanding instead of building itBlueprints can show outcomes, but they don’t create judgmentConfusion and friction are part of how builders develop resilienceFoundations are built by keeping what works and discarding what doesn’tBuilders who do the work can adapt when things break or changeStaying in the process turns you into someone who can carry what you build

In this episode of The Builders, Matt reconnects with Lorraine Ball, nearly 200 episodes after her first appearance, for a deep conversation on what it really means to build effective teams inside agencies. Rather than focusing on hiring hacks or org charts, Lorraine walks through the foundational thinking that separates high-performing teams from groups that simply execute tasks.Drawing from her journey from corporate leadership to running a successful agency, Lorraine explains why many agencies unknowingly train their teams to be order takers. She shares how shifting teams toward strategic thinking starts with two deceptively simple questions: who is the customer’s customer, and what does winning actually look like in the next 12 months. Without those answers, even great work becomes generic.The conversation digs into the real mechanics of building teams that think holistically across ads, content, design, and web. Lorraine outlines how intentional coaching, small learning loops, and better internal communication transform not just the quality of output, but the confidence and ownership teams bring to client relationships.Key TakeawaysHigh-performing teams are built by teaching people how to think, not just what to produceAgencies lose value when teams act as order takers instead of strategic partnersKnowing the customer’s customer changes every decision, from ads to UXMost clients can’t articulate success until you help them define itOne-off training fails; consistent, focused coaching sticksStrong teams are created through clarity, communication, and shared context

In this episode of The Builders, Matt reconnects with Rob Broadhead, founder of RB Consulting, to explore how businesses can make better technology decisions in an era dominated by AI hype, tool overload, and constant pressure to “keep up.” Rather than chasing shiny solutions, Rob makes the case for slowing down and clearly defining the problems technology is meant to solve.The conversation digs into a common pattern founders face today. Tools pile up, automations get layered on, and suddenly the business feels more complex instead of more efficient. Rob explains why technology should serve the business roadmap, not dictate it, and why speeding up broken processes only multiplies dysfunction. AI, he notes, amplifies intent. If the problem isn’t well understood, the output won’t be either.Matt and Rob also explore AI’s most overlooked value. Not automation alone, but its role as a thinking partner. Used well, AI becomes a sounding board that helps leaders uncover blind spots, test assumptions, and discover better questions to ask. The takeaway is refreshingly grounded. Builders do not need to implement everything at once. They need to start small, stay intentional, and let clarity lead the build.Key TakeawaysTechnology should fit the business, not force the business to adapt to toolsAI accelerates outcomes, good or bad, depending on how well problems are definedOverwhelm often comes from chasing solutions without clarityStart with one meaningful use case instead of trying to “AI everything”AI is most powerful as a thinking partner, not just an automation engineStrong systems evolve through intention, not pressure or fear of being left behind

Stephanie Sylvestre’s path to becoming CEO and co-founder of Avatar Buddy is anything but linear. Born and raised in Belize, Stephanie expected to return home after college and step into a defined future. When political change erased that path overnight, she was forced to adapt, relocate, and reimagine what building a life and career really meant.That adaptability led her into diplomacy as the youngest Honorary Consul of Belize in Miami, where she spent years navigating relationships, influence, and advocacy at a deeply human level. In parallel, an unexpected internship at Hewlett-Packard introduced her to technology through systems thinking, mentorship, and early software development. Rather than chasing hype, Stephanie learned how complex systems actually work, and where they fail the people relying on them.Those lessons carried forward into consulting, corporate IT, and eventually the founding of Avatar Buddy, a managed AI services company built around trust, safety, and human amplification. In this episode, Stephanie shares how a background rooted in diplomacy and quality-first thinking now shapes her approach to building AI systems that help humans do better at the work they already do.Key TakeawaysBuilder paths are rarely linear, and detours often create the strongest foundationsTrust and relationships drive real outcomes more than process aloneEarly mentorship shapes how builders think about systems for lifeQuality matters because real people live with the resultsAI works best when it amplifies humans instead of replacing themExperience outside of tech often produces better technology leaders

In this solo end-of-year episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen pulls back the curtain on what he’s been building behind the scenes and why it matters far beyond AI hype.After briefly reflecting on a challenging couple of years in his agency, Matt dives into the real work: designing and building a deeply personal, enterprise-level system that unifies personal insight, business data, and AI into a single command center. This isn’t about tools or dashboards. It’s about creating structure that reduces friction, preserves context, and enables better decisions.The episode explores how understanding your past, protecting your data, and eliminating constant context switching can become a powerful competitive advantage. From layered personal and business hubs to a daily command center and outreach workflows, Matt shares how building systems for yourself can quietly change how you think, work, and rebuild for what comes next.Key TakeawaysThe real “killer app” isn’t software you sell, it’s the system you build for yourselfFragmentation, not effort, is what drains momentum in modern businessesPersonal clarity and business clarity are deeply connectedSecurity and ownership are essential for honest thinking and reflectionA single command center can eliminate decision fatigue and context switchingBuilding custom systems creates leverage that off-the-shelf tools can’t match

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt welcomes back Damon Darnall to explore what happens when technology reaches a tipping point. While their first conversation focused on Damon’s background and the early days of drones, this discussion goes deeper into the drone revolution itself and how it dramatically lowered barriers to entry, unlocking hundreds of new business opportunities.Damon breaks down how drones evolved from complex, expert-only machines into accessible tools powered by sensors, automation, and onboard computing. That shift didn’t just make drones easier to fly. It changed who could participate, which business models became viable, and how real-world problems like inspections, safety, and data collection could be solved more efficiently.The conversation expands beyond drones into a broader lesson for builders. When technology removes friction, opportunity scales. Entire markets open up, new operators enter, and smart builders focus less on the novelty of the tool and more on creating repeatable, practical businesses around it. This episode offers a clear blueprint for recognizing those moments and building with intention when barriers fall. Key TakeawaysThe drone revolution lowered skill, cost, and complexity barriers, unlocking hundreds of new businesses“Easier to use” technology often leads to higher-value outcomes, not lower onesAutomation and AI enhance human judgment instead of replacing itSafer, faster workflows create stronger and more scalable business modelsSuccessful builders design systems that reduce friction for newcomersThe biggest opportunity is rarely the tool itself, but what it enables others to do

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Rob Broadhead, founder of RB Consulting, to explore the experiences that shaped his business-first approach to technology. What begins as a story about curiosity and problem-solving quickly becomes a reflection on early failures, missed assumptions, and hard lessons learned inside consulting firms and startups alike.Rob shares how watching software projects struggle, not because of bad code but because of unclear business problems, fundamentally changed how he thinks about building systems. From enterprise consulting to scrappy startups, each setback became a data point, teaching him that technology only works when it serves clearly understood processes and constraints.The conversation turns pivotal as Rob recounts the accidental founding of RB Consulting, including launching his company just one day before September 11, 2001. Navigating uncertainty, stalled projects, and shifting markets forced Rob to refine his thinking. Those early failures didn’t slow him down. They shaped the philosophy he still operates by today: business clarity first, technology second.Key TakeawaysEarly failures often reveal what theory and training cannotMost software problems begin as business problemsSetbacks in startups provide a practical education in operationsIncremental progress beats over-engineeringA business-first mindset creates more durable systems

Dan Daly’s story is a blueprint for builders who didn’t start with a roadmap but found clarity through experience, self-awareness, and a willingness to study what works. In this episode, Matt sits down with Dan to trace how three core principles — personal brand, clear vision, and unwavering commitment — shaped each chapter of his growth. From his early days in a blue-collar “lifer” job to scaling nine automotive dealerships into hundreds of millions in revenue, Dan shows how intentional identity and consistent behavior created trust everywhere he went.The conversation dives into the pivotal moments that forced Dan to rethink who he wanted to be and how he wanted to build. He shares how he learned to differentiate himself in crowded markets by studying people, modeling successful patterns, and avoiding the habits that hinder growth. That instinct to refine and personalize his approach became the foundation of his personal brand — one that inspired teams, attracted customers, and opened doors across industries.As the episode unfolds, Dan shares how defining a vision others can trust — and then committing to it long enough for compounding effects to kick in — made all the difference. Whether launching a private equity hospitality fund or teaching sales teams to lead with intention rather than pressure, the throughline is unmistakable: brand, vision, and commitment aren’t abstract ideals. They’re operating systems for building something real, and they repeat themselves across every business he touches.Key TakeawaysBrand begins with behavior. Who you are in the room shapes opportunities more than any product.Vision recruits people. When others can see where you’re going, they help you get there.Commitment compounds. Growth accelerates when you stop pivoting away from the work too early.Intention drives trust. Educating, not pressuring, is Dan’s core sales advantage.Principles scale across industries. Automotive, real estate, private equity — the pillars stay the same.

When UI/UX designer and longtime developer Oksana Kovalchuk returns to The Builders, we shift from her personal journey into the foundation of her design philosophy: research. Not the academic kind… the practical, roll-up-your-sleeves understanding of markets, users, and constraints that separates products that work from those that fall apart under real-world pressure. Oksana walks us through how her roots in development shaped the way she thinks about design. Writing code at age five, building early iPhone apps with tiny screens and strict guidelines, she learned quickly that great design is never guesswork. Back then, if you missed a detail, you didn’t just ship a flawed app—you lost six weeks waiting for a new App Store review. Those constraints taught her the same lesson today’s teams still need: research saves time, money, and whole cycles of revision. That focus surfaces again in one of her most striking stories—a weather app project derailed because the designer delivered twelve icons when the U.S. market required more than fifty. A perfect example of why design fails when the domain isn’t understood. Research isn’t extra. It’s the job. And in crowded red-ocean markets, where thousands of products look identical, understanding the space deeper than your competitors becomes your real advantage. We explore why ideas are cheap, why competitors are “free data,” and why differentiation rarely comes from reinvention. It comes from clarity, context, and the willingness to understand how people actually use the things you’re building. This conversation pulls design back to first principles—grounded, real, and focused on what actually moves a product forward.Key TakeawaysResearch is the foundation of good design. Without understanding users and markets, design becomes guesswork.Competitors are a research resource, not a template. Study what works… don’t clone it.Constraints drive clarity. Early mobile dev shaped how Oksana strips design to what matters.Ideas are cheap—execution is market-tested reality. Research turns ideas into viable products.Differentiation doesn’t require novelty. It requires doing one thing better than the weakest competitor.Reality matters. Even big visions must align with physics, budgets, timelines, and user behavior.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Oksana Kovalchuk, founder and CEO of a long-running UI/UX agency with a story that feels like a masterclass in survival, rebuilding, and sheer entrepreneurial grit. Oksana founded her company at twenty, grew it to seventy people, and enjoyed years of booming demand… until a perfect storm hit. COVID wiped out more than half of their clients, and the partner supplying 80 percent of their revenue suddenly stopped paying, leaving her with over $100,000 in unpaid invoices and a team she could no longer support. What followed was a crash many founders quietly fear: blocked messages, disappearing partners, and the realization that her agency had to shrink from seventy people to only five just to survive. Oksana talks candidly about the emotional fallout, the denial and grief that follow a blow like this, and the moment she accepted that she had to fire people she cared about in order to keep the company alive. Through it all, she frames business as an instrument — something that should ultimately make your life better, not hollow you out.But the rebuild is where the real builder’s mindset emerges. With a tiny team, she clawed the agency back by taking any project she could find, relearning sales discipline, and reestablishing the fundamentals she’d been able to ignore during the boom years. Her honesty about mistakes, trust, cash discipline, and leadership under pressure offers a blueprint for founders navigating their own storms. This conversation is equal parts cautionary tale and reminder that you can rebuild from almost anything if you stay clear-eyed, humble, and willing to do the work.Key Takeaways (4–6 bullets)Growing fast is exciting, but relying on one revenue source is a structural risk that compounds silently.Crises force clarity — from financial discipline to team alignment to true client loyalty.Cash flow rules everything; a profitable business can collapse if payments stop.Leadership during collapse requires emotional resilience and decisive action, even when it hurts.A smaller, tighter, more intentional team can often rebuild stronger than a bloated one.You can come back from almost anything if you stay humble, rebuild your systems, and start again. Tune in for a raw, honest story of collapse, resilience, and the real work of rebuilding — a reminder that builders aren’t defined by what breaks, but by what they choose to rebuild next.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt talks with Damon Darnall, a lifelong flyer and the founder of Sky Eye Network. Damon has been building and flying drones since the 1970s, long before the industry existed. What began as a childhood obsession turned into a career shaped by persistence, skill, and a fascination with what flight can unlock.Damon shares how the long path of building shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. From spending 13 months assembling his first drone kit, to destroying it in seven seconds and rebuilding it over and over, to competing at high levels and setting world records, every chapter pushed him toward new possibilities. His first commercial break came with a 32-foot advertising blimp that led him into arenas, promotions, and eventually a career as the go-to drone guy for a wide mix of industries.Today the civilian drone industry has crossed $30B in annual revenue, and projections show it could reach $1.5 trillion within eight years. Damon explains why this moment is a rare window for builders. The tech is easier to adopt, the demand is rising fast, and many industries still have major gaps that drones can fill.Key TakeawaysHow Damon turned a lifelong passion into a career built on experimentation and resilienceWhat the 32-foot blimp project taught him about pitching, rejection, and finding the right marketHow drones transformed inspections, safety, cinematography, advertising, and search and rescueThe shift in drone technology that lowered the barrier from thousands of flight hours to fast adoptionWhy the drone industry is moving from $30B toward $1.5T and where builders can create opportunityA preview of Part 2 that dives into Sky Eye Network, dronepreneur training, and real-world businesses

In this milestone solo episode, Matt Levenhagen pulls back the curtain on how he now builds — with AI employees as part of his core team. After scaling down his agency and returning to hands-on development, Matt discovered a new rhythm: collaborating daily with Claude, Composer, Codex, ChatGPT (Atlas), and Grok. These digital teammates help plan, code, debug, research, and even design. Through real examples, Matt shows how each one contributes to his workflow and how this collaboration has reignited his passion for creating and problem-solving.Far from replacing people, these AI employees extend what’s possible for both Unified Web Design and ⁠UnifiedLabs.ai⁠. Matt reflects on the practical lessons, the creative breakthroughs, and how this shift will influence future hiring — where developers are expected to partner with AI rather than avoid it. It’s an inside look at how one builder is redefining what it means to have a team in 2025. 🔑 Key TakeawaysAI employees are part of Matt’s real core team — daily collaborators, not replacements.Real-world examples show how each model adds value to the creative process.Future hires will be empowered by AI fluency and collaboration skills.Efficiency meets creativity: faster builds, deeper experimentation.UnifiedLabs.ai stands as the proving ground for this new hybrid model.The Builders’ spirit endures: revealing how things are truly built — by people, process, and now, AI.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Nikita Vakhrushev, founder and CEO of Aspekt, an eCommerce retention agency helping brands grow smarter through email and SMS marketing. Nikita’s journey from high school side hustles to leading a specialized agency is a story of experimentation, focus, and persistence. What started as a love for design and selling custom t-shirts evolved into a deep understanding of how to engage and retain customers in a crowded digital landscape.Nikita shares how his early experiences tinkering with Shopify stores, print-on-demand, and Facebook ads gave him the foundation for building his own business. But the real turning point came when he realized the power of focus—niching down to retention marketing and cutting out distractions from running multiple services. That clarity allowed Aspekt to scale, grow a team, and refine a process that delivers real value to over 100 eCommerce brands.From hiring and leadership lessons to tactical insights on email flows, segmentation, and customer lifetime value, this conversation highlights the first principles of building a modern digital agency. It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things really well.Key Takeaways🎯 Focus Wins: Scaling came when Nikita narrowed services to email and SMS, cutting noise and complexity.🧩 Start by Building Something: His first business—selling custom merch—was the foundation for every skill he uses today.💬 Retention - Acquisition: Sustainable eCommerce growth depends on nurturing relationships, not just chasing new customers.👥 Hiring by Instinct: After hundreds of interviews, Nikita learned how to spot genuine talent versus rehearsed answers.⚙️ Systems Over Chaos: Documented processes, automation, and client clarity drive better results and happier teams.🧠 Keep Learning by Doing: Every stage of his journey—from solo freelancer to agency leader—came through hands-on experimentation.

Aleksandar Svetski’s story is one of bold moves, brutal lessons, and a relentless drive to build. He made his first million by 23—then lost it all when government policy shifts crushed his solar energy business. From sales to renewable energy, from hospitality to tech startups, Svetski’s path has been anything but straight. Each rise and fall hardened his conviction in one thing: true builders create systems that outlast them.That conviction led him to Bitcoin. As an entrepreneur and one of the most prolific Bitcoin writers of the late 2010s, Svetski helped reframe the narrative around Bitcoin—not as a speculative asset, but as a savings instrument and a tool for personal sovereignty. He went on to co-found the world’s first Bitcoin savings app, sparking an entire category of products that followed his lead.Today, he’s just as focused on the why as the how. Through his books—The Uncommunist Manifesto and The Bushido of Bitcoin—and his latest venture, Sattlantis, Svetski blends philosophy with practicality, challenging entrepreneurs to think deeper about what they’re building and why. His message is clear: decentralization isn’t just a financial model—it’s a mindset.Key TakeawaysFailure is the best teacher. Losing millions early forced Svetski to build with deeper intention.Bitcoin is philosophy in motion. It’s less about money and more about freedom, responsibility, and virtue.Government intervention can both create and destroy markets. Builders must adapt quickly and think independently.True builders think long-term. Each project—win or lose—teaches resilience and systems thinking.Writing clarifies purpose. His books reflect not just crypto ideology but timeless principles of discipline and ethics.Decentralization starts with individuals. Building a freer world begins with personal sovereignty and moral grounding.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt sits down with Isioma Utomi, leadership development consultant and founder of Catalyst Experience Solutions, to unpack what it really takes to help people succeed at work — not just perform tasks. Isioma’s journey began in engineering and process improvement, where she learned that behind every efficient system are people who make it work. Over time, her curiosity about what drives success led her to create the PEER Framework — a practical model built around four core pillars: Priorities, Education, Enablement, and Relationships.Through this framework, she helps leaders and organizations think intentionally about how they work, grow, and win. The conversation dives into how leadership is less about authority and more about designing environments where people thrive. From starting workshops during COVID to building a full-fledged consultancy, Isioma shares her story of transformation, responsibility, and purpose.Her insights remind us that success isn’t an accident — it’s built through clarity, systems, and genuine human connection.🔑 Key TakeawaysSuccess starts with self-awareness. Understanding your purpose and priorities sets the foundation for everything else.Leadership is design. The best leaders intentionally create systems and cultures that help people succeed.Relationships matter most. Professional growth is built on authentic connection and collaboration.Enablement is the modern differentiator. Technology, habits, and environment shape performance as much as skills do.Courage creates clarity. Taking the leap — from corporate to entrepreneurship — often leads to deeper purpose and alignment. A thoughtful, human-centered conversation about building leaders who don’t just adapt to change — they design it.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Ed Oyama, founder of Super Simple Marketing, to unpack what it really means to simplify — in business, in messaging, and especially on camera. Ed shares his unexpected journey from math major and aspiring game designer to educator and entrepreneur, including 12 years in Asia running English programs and learning the art of communication the hard way. Through that experience, he discovered a universal truth: complexity kills momentum.Now, Ed helps smart professionals create simple, authentic videos that connect, convert, and build trust. This episode explores how simplifying your message can lead to clearer communication, better marketing, and stronger relationships with your audience.🔑 Key Takeaways:Simplicity is a strategy. The clearer your message, the stronger your connection.Perfectionism kills progress. Authenticity and action are more persuasive than polish.Testing beats guessing. Build through experimentation and feedback, not theory.Video builds trust. Simple videos create genuine connections that drive sales and impact.Keep it human. Whether teaching or marketing, empathy and clarity always win. If you’ve ever overthought your content—or hesitated to hit “record”—this episode will show you how to start small, stay simple, and build something meaningful through video.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen sits down with Lorie Spence and Carolyn Pritchard, co-founders of Bridge Medical Communications—a life-sciences agency that helps biotech and pharmaceutical companies better connect with healthcare providers and improve patient outcomes. Together, they explore what it truly takes to build a lasting partnership, navigate change in the healthcare industry, and grow a business that balances purpose, innovation, and trust.You’ll hear how two women from different professional paths—one from nursing, the other from communications—came together to build a company that thrives on collaboration and shared values. Fourteen years later, their story is a masterclass in what it means to build together.Key TakeawaysStrong partnerships start with shared purpose, not just complementary skills. Lorie and Carolyn credit their longevity to alignment in values and vision before all else.Plan the partnership like you’d plan the business. Early on, they created a structured model that defined roles, expectations, and communication rhythms—key to avoiding common co-founder pitfalls.Boutique scale = big advantage. By staying intentionally lean, Bridge can remain nimble, innovative, and deeply connected to client needs—something larger agencies often struggle with.Purpose drives resilience. Their backgrounds in healthcare give deeper meaning to their work, keeping the mission of improving patient outcomes at the center.Women building in healthcare are shaping the future. Lorie and Carolyn’s leadership shows how empathy, collaboration, and adaptability create not only strong companies, but stronger industry connections.Longevity is built on trust and adaptability. Fourteen years in, Bridge continues to evolve by anticipating change, mentoring others, and holding onto the values that sparked its creation.

On this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Tiffany Slowinski, owner of Team Spark Advisors and an Executive Advisor using Culture Index to help leaders stop guessing about people. Tiffany shares how a zigzag career through psychology, journalism, counseling, and local media sales led her to people analytics—and why builders should treat talent like any other core system: define the job, measure the fit, and manage to how people are wired. They break down how a quick word-choice survey surfaces innate drives, making it easier to place the right people in the right seats and coach them effectively. Tiffany walks through real-world scenarios—stuck employees, misaligned roles, and the lure of “industry experience”—showing how data clarifies whether to coach, re-seat, or part ways. The result: better hires, clearer management, and teams that actually build.Key TakeawaysStop winging it: use people data to hire and manage with intent.A 10-minute survey can reveal innate strengths and role fit.Coach to wiring: adjust communication, motivation, and expectations.Hire for fit within existing team dynamics, not just résumés.Don’t over-index on industry experience; look for the right drives.Distinguish managers from doers—align the job to the person.When performance doesn’t rebound, make the hard (humane) call.Software makes the data actionable—no manual number-crunching.

Stephen Wilson Downey returns to The Builders to share what changed since his last visit and why he pivoted from building an AI WordPress maintenance plugin to doubling down on services at Speire. We talk through the hard lessons behind that shift—protecting the “core” business, the realities of cost/scale, and how clear communication and measurable ROI became the bedrock of growth and client retention.From there, we unpack GEO—Generative Engine Optimization—and why builders must evolve from “ranking pages” to “being the answer” as behavior shifts to AI Overviews, LLM search, and voice assistants. Stephen contrasts GEO with classic SEO, emphasizing research around real questions (not just keywords) and the need to show up where assistants actually pull answers.The episode gets tactical: orchestrate credible multi‑channel signals (site, YouTube with transcripts, Reddit/communities, maps/listings, and third‑party reviews), apply E‑E‑A‑T across everything, and keep content fresh so you’re consistently cited. We also hit PR/trade journals for authority, and Stephen’s simple playbook: map ICPs, cluster their questions, publish answer‑first content across channels, and maintain cadence.Key TakeawaysBe the answer, not just a result: Shift from chasing blue links to being the concise, credible answer assistants surface.Signals > single channel: Build consistent signals across website, YouTube (with transcripts), Reddit/communities, maps, listings, and reviews.E‑E‑A‑T everywhere: Show Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness in every artifact—owned content, PR, and third‑party sources.Freshness & cadence matter: Update often; assistants vary citations and reward up‑to‑date, active sources.Protect the core while experimenting: Keep your main value engine healthy; retention follows relationships + ROI.Simple GEO playbook: ICPs → question clusters → multi‑format, answer‑first content → broad distribution → iterate.

In this solo episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen shares a candid reflection on redefining success. After years of growth and managing a larger team, he faced the challenges of revenue flattening, downsizing, and recalibrating his vision. Instead of chasing an old 3–5M agency target, Matt reframes success around gratitude, retention, and daily delivery. He dives into the realities of agency life in 2024/25, from the difficulty of letting people go to the joy of jumping back into code. Matt now thinks of his business less as an “agency” and more as a studio—lean, focused, and happy. By choosing gratitude first and growth second, he’s building a baseline that feels like success today, while still leaving the door open for future opportunities.Key TakeawaysDefine your baseline. Decide what “enough” looks like and anchor to it.Gratitude first. Appreciate your contracts, relationships, and craft.Retention as strategy. Delight existing clients—quality is your moat.Adopt the studio mindset. Smaller core team, elastic talent when needed.Daily delivery matters. Measure success by what you ship each day.Growth is optional. Remove the stress of chasing constant scale.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Michael Kenny of Digital Gearbox to explore how businesses can thrive in a noisy, tech-driven world by leaning into timeless principles: ethics, relationships, and human value.Michael shares lessons from his diverse career—from hospitality and real estate to leading PPC campaigns at Digital Gearbox—and how those experiences shaped his people-first approach to marketing. Together, we dig into what it means to build a business that not only adapts to change but becomes truly irreplaceable to its clients.Key takeways:Why ethics are the cornerstone of long-term trust and resilienceHow to balance AI’s rise with the irreplaceable human touchWhy being “as useful as you possibly can” is the ultimate growth strategyHow relationships and empathy matter more than flashy tech or quick winsPractical ways to leverage referrals, case studies, and client networks for sustainable growth Michael’s perspective is a reminder that while tools and platforms will continue to evolve, the real edge lies in integrity, adaptability, and genuine connection.Whether you’re building an agency, running your own business, or simply navigating the AI buzz, this episode will leave you with clear, actionable principles for becoming indispensable to those you serve.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Madi Waggoner, founder of Building Remote, to unpack her framework for helping entrepreneurs scale without burnout. With over 14 years of experience in tech startups and consulting, Madi has guided more than 40 founders through the shift from solopreneur to CEO. Her LYFT framework — Leadership, Infrastructure, Fuel, and Team — provides a blueprint for building businesses that grow sustainably while giving leaders the freedom to step back from the grind.Together, Matt and Madi dive into:How to transition from “doing it all” to empowering your teamWhy structured hiring and candidate experience shape long-term cultureThe role of systems, communication cadences, and accountability in remote teamsStrategies to protect your time and avoid entrepreneurial burnoutReal-world lessons from leaders who learned to let go and scale smarter Whether you’re leading a fully remote company or just looking to streamline your operations, this episode is packed with insights on building the foundations of a business that supports both growth and balance.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen sits down once again with returning guest Jennifer Denny, founder of Elevated Marketing Solutions. Together, they explore how AI is reshaping not just marketing, but the way entire businesses operate day-to-day.Jennifer shares her hands-on approach to using ChatGPT projects and folders to streamline workflows, organize client deliverables, and eliminate overwhelm. From content creation to client communications, she demonstrates how AI can be a true partner in building smarter systems.But this isn’t just about marketing. Jennifer and Matt dive into broader applications—from automating HR communications to assigning tasks after client calls—showing how AI is becoming a backbone for overall business efficiency.At the heart of the conversation is a key theme: automation should enhance, not replace, the human touch. AI may handle the mundane, but creativity, strategy, and authentic connection remain essential to building lasting businesses.If you’re curious about how builders are putting AI to work in real business settings, this episode is packed with practical examples and forward-looking insights.Key TakeawaysOrganize with Purpose: ChatGPT projects and folders help segment workflows by client or function, reducing overwhelm and boosting efficiency.Content at Scale: AI can generate written content, email campaigns, and SEO insights quickly—giving marketers more time to focus on strategy.Beyond Marketing: From HR communications to client call notes, AI tools can streamline internal processes across an entire business.Balance Matters: Efficiency gains are powerful, but creativity and human connection remain irreplaceable in marketing and client engagement.The Builder’s Mindset: Embracing new technology means experimentation, adaptation, and finding the right equilibrium between humans and machines.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Téa Phillips, CEO of ATS and inventor of MetaFlex — the world’s first grip-strengthening compression glove.Téa shares her journey from engineering student to award-winning entrepreneur, driven by a personal mission to help her grandmother and others struggling with arthritis. From early prototypes to manufacturing hurdles, mentorship, and market challenges, her story is a blueprint for building with empathy, resilience, and innovation.Listeners will walk away with insights into the invention process, navigating real-world business roadblocks, and scaling a product that changes lives.Key TakeawaysEngineering with empathy: Téa combined technical skills with compassion to design MetaFlex for arthritis patients — later expanding its use to carpal tunnel, Parkinson’s, and athletes.The power of mentorship: Surrounding herself with mentors and advisors across healthcare, sales, and business was critical to her success.Prototype to product: Market research, user feedback, and iteration ensured MetaFlex was not only effective but also comfortable and practical.Overcoming hurdles: From a year-long delay in finding the right manufacturer to navigating crushing tariffs, Téa shares how adaptability is key in building a business.Building beyond one idea: With a notebook “full of products,” Téa shows how inventors can continue creating while scaling their first breakthrough. Tune in for a story that blends invention, perseverance, and the drive to build solutions that last.

In Episode 237 of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen sits down with Hunter Jensen, CEO of Barefoot Solutions and founder of Barefoot Labs, for a deep dive into the mindset and methods of a modern builder. Hunter shares his journey from freelance developer to leading innovative AI solutions — all while keeping true to his philosophy of staying “cutting edge, not bleeding edge.” This conversation explores the balance between curiosity and practicality, why tinkering is more than just a hobby, and how embracing change without chasing every shiny object can set you apart in the rapidly evolving tech world.Key Takeaways:Stay Curious, But Grounded – Innovation thrives when paired with a measured approach. Hunter’s philosophy keeps his team close to the edge of technology without unnecessary risk.Build What Fits – Custom, secure AI solutions are in high demand, especially among mid-market companies looking to boost productivity without sacrificing data privacy.The Builder’s Mindset – Tinkering, experimenting, and continually learning are the core habits that drive innovation and adaptability.Agentic AI is Coming – The future of AI will be integrated, autonomous, and operational at the heart of business systems.Listen to the Market – Deep conversations with customers can reveal opportunities, refine ideas, and ensure solutions truly meet business needs. Whether you’re a tech entrepreneur, product builder, or just fascinated by the future of AI, this episode is packed with practical insights and big-picture thinking.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen converses with Carol Tice, a digital nomad and expert in developing thriving online communities. Delving into the intricacies of starting and growing paid communities, Carol shares her journey from freelance writer to the founder of a successful online business. She highlights the pivotal moments that led to her success, the innovative strategies she used to boost membership, and her transition towards guiding others in creating impactful online spaces.The conversation pivots around the evolving landscape of online communities, emphasizing their importance in today's business world. Carol discusses the benefits of paid communities, including creating stable income streams and engaging in meaningful work without an overemphasis on marketing. Driven by real experiences and examples, Carol explains the critical steps in building a community: from initial idea validation and audience building to leveraging existing networks and affiliate marketing. Her insights underscore the vitality of nurturing a community where passion translates into prolonged success.Key Takeaways:Simplicity in Tools: The choice of community platforms like Skool, which integrates essential functionalities seamlessly, can simplify the complexities associated with running an online community.Passion-Driven Engagement: Building a community around what you love creates sustainable growth and genuine engagement.Affiliate and Legacy Memberships: Leveraging affiliate programs and offering legacy low-cost memberships can drive retention and steady expansion.Diverse Community Ideas: Your community doesn’t have to match your day job—it can stem from personal interests or complementary passions.Transitioning Leadership: Structuring your community to eventually operate without you sets it up as a sellable, standalone business.

In this solo episode of The Builders, Matt Levenhagen reflects on a pivotal moment in his business journey—one that many founders, creatives, and agency owners will relate to.After years of scaling a successful agency and managing a distributed team, Matt finds himself craving the simplicity and satisfaction of doing the work again—of coding, building, and being the craftsman. In a world that glorifies growth at all costs, this episode unpacks a dilemma many builders face: Do you keep scaling big, or do you get back to the craft that started it all?He shares what he’s rediscovered, how AI tools like Cursor have amplified his creative flow, and why being in the work can be the very thing that sets you apart. It’s raw, honest, and a powerful reminder that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building.💡 Key Takeaways:Scaling isn’t the only measure of success—joy and fulfillment matter.Sometimes stepping back into the work is the best way forward.AI can enhance craftsmanship, not replace it.Being a builder again can be your differentiator in a crowded market.Growth is personal. The right path is the one that aligns with what lights you up.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt talks with Matthew White, CEO of PlatypusOS—a new kind of browser designed for the AI-powered future of work.Matthew shares how a simple frustration with too many tabs sparked the idea to build a smarter, more structured browser—one that integrates seamlessly with your tools and acts like an assistant, not just a gateway to the web.From the foundation of PlatypusOS to the rise of AI agents and cloud-based automation, Matthew outlines a bold vision: a world where AI becomes the operating system that runs your digital life.Whether you're building SaaS, streamlining your business, or just drowning in browser tabs, this episode is full of insights on how the way we work online is rapidly evolving.💡 Key Takeaways:PlatypusOS replaces browser chaos with structure. Built on Chromium, it integrates your most-used apps directly into a sidebar—no more tab overwhelm.AI is embedded, not bolted on. The browser acts like an assistant, helping users access and use tools without deep technical knowledge.Agents are the future. These no-code workflows allow automation across apps, replacing repetitive tasks and reducing the need for traditional SaaS.Headless, cloud-based browsing is coming. Faster performance, better sync, and added security will soon define the next-gen browser experience.Small businesses need AI they can trust. PlatypusOS prioritizes accessibility, data control, and real use cases over hype.AI isn’t just a tool—it’s your new team member. Matthew frames AI not as a replacement, but as a partner that can work alongside you.

In this episode, Matthew Stafford shares his evolution from physical labor to digital growth—unpacking how he built an agency that helps e-commerce brands grow by focusing on revenue per visitor, not just flashy CRO tactics. He breaks down what “revenue optimization” really means, why traffic alone isn’t the answer, and how AI is giving builders a superpowered edge.This is a must-listen for anyone serious about scaling an online business, building smarter systems, or turning browsers into buyers.🔑 Key TakeawaysStart with the Customer Journey: Revenue optimization begins the moment a visitor lands on your site. Every step—from homepage to checkout—should have one clear purpose.It’s Not About More Traffic: Stafford emphasizes that most e-commerce sites are leaking money due to poor UX and unclear messaging. Fixing that beats buying more visitors.Hierarchy of Focus Wins: Understanding the primary action on each page (e.g. filter, narrow, add to cart) is essential to guiding users toward conversion.Data + AI = Scalable Insights: Stafford shares how his team uses AI to analyze reviews, behavioral data, and analytics at scale—unlocking insights no human could spot manually.You Don’t Need Perfection to Start: Stafford reminds builders that action beats over-planning. Test. Learn. Improve. That’s how scalable systems are built.The Right Clients Make the Difference: BGS looks for businesses doing $100–200k/month who are ready to invest in growth—not beginners or discount hunters.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt sits down with Gerry Hayes — founder of Dorio and the creator of Venture Staking, a bold new model that reimagines how people invest in startups.Gerry shares his journey from the world of law and government to entrepreneurship, and how his early frustration with the gatekeeping of traditional venture capital led him to build a more inclusive system — one designed not just for the wealthy elite, but for everyday people eager to learn and grow alongside real founders.Through the lens of education, Gerry walks us through the concept of Venture Staking: how individuals can buy low-cost “stakes” to follow a startup’s journey, learn from real entrepreneurs, and eventually earn the right to invest. It’s a system built on shared learning, shared risk, and shared opportunity — flipping the script on everything we’ve been told about startup investing.Key Takeaways:Traditional Venture Capital Is Built for the Elite: The Accredited Investor Rule, rooted in 1930s-era thinking, excludes everyday people from participating in high-upside investment opportunities — and it’s long overdue for disruption.Venture Staking = Education + Access: Gerry’s model isn’t about selling equity upfront — it’s about letting people learn the game of entrepreneurship by riding along with founders through their early journey."Buy a Ticket to the Journey": For as little as $10, you can become a venture staker — gaining access to behind-the-scenes updates, insights, and potentially future investment opportunities as the startup grows.Training Founders from the Ground Up: Dorio screens entrepreneurs not by their pedigree, but by their passion, preparation, and potential. Venture stakers are encouraged to back builders who are just getting started — but ready to go the distance.Global Momentum Is Growing: While the U.S. hesitates, international markets are embracing the idea of democratized venture funding. The future of retail VC might emerge outside Silicon Valley entirely.Entrepreneurship Starts from the Inside Out: Gerry emphasizes that building something meaningful starts with deep intention, not external validation — and that focus, clarity, and mission are the foundation of lasting impact.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with James Elliman — a cybersecurity-focused IT expert who’s built a thriving managed services company by eliminating complexity and frustration for small businesses. James shares how his journey began with tearing apart computers at age six, progressed through corporate IT burnout, and ultimately led to creating all-in-one tech solutions that puts the customer experience first.💡 Key Takeaways:Corporate inefficiencies sparked innovation. James left the world of meetings and semicolon debates to build something faster, leaner, and more personal.He built a business by eliminating vendor finger-pointing. Clients don’t get bounced around — James and his team handle everything, from licensing and routers to security and support.Simplicity is the innovation. James transformed tech chaos into clarity with a standardized flat-fee model and clean, easy-to-understand service packages.Life experience matters. Bartending helped James develop top-tier communication and sales skills — key to his growth and client trust.Networking over ads. His business scaled through genuine relationships, referrals, and word of mouth, not just pay-per-click.AI is powerful — but not a silver bullet. In cybersecurity, pattern recognition is valuable, but human intuition and service still lead.Ongoing innovation with a human touch. James is doubling down on scalable systems while hiring sales help, staying true to his vision of service-led tech. Whether you’re scaling an IT business, building customer-first systems, or wondering how to balance AI and service, this episode offers grounded, story-driven insights for builders.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen sits down with Yaakov Sash, founder and CEO of Novospir, to explore how game currency, social interactivity, and AI are coming together to reshape the gaming landscape. With roots in Wall Street and a deep background in digital asset technology, Yaakov shares his unique journey — from building trading systems at major financial institutions to launching massively multiplayer puzzle games that foster real community engagement.Discover how Yaakov is reimagining monetization through portable game currencies, designing digital playgrounds for brands and nonprofits, and using AI to build in public. Whether you’re a gamer, a tech builder, or just curious about what’s next in digital experience design, this episode delivers powerful insights into the future of interactive systems.💡 Key Takeaways:Game Currency as a Foundation: Yaakov shares how Novospir is reinventing in-game currencies to unlock new design possibilities and create economic value for both developers and players.Building Social-Driven Games: Multiplayer games can act as collaborative digital spaces—more like community playgrounds than solo challenges.Portable, Regulated Currencies: Novospir’s model allows players to move value across games without cashing out, creating continuity without complexity.Stack the Pixels & Brand Experiences: Learn how Yaakov’s platform allows communities to build digital tapestries together—unlocking trailers, prizes, or even brand-based virtual theme parks.AI-Powered Development: Hear how Yaakov is using AI tools to speed up development, reduce barriers for indie creators, and usher in a “rebirth” of what it means to be a developer.Wall Street Meets Gaming: Yaakov draws from his experience in fintech to explore how regulated digital currencies might scale beyond games—potentially reshaping how digital value moves across industries.

In this solo episode of The Builders Podcast, Matt Levenhagen opens up about the state of his agency and how he's actively positioning for long-term success amidst a rapidly changing world.From economic pressures like tariffs to the accelerating rise of AI, Matt breaks down how these forces are impacting service businesses—and how he’s turning disruption into opportunity. Instead of reacting with fear, he shares a grounded, strategic framework for expanding offerings, introducing AI and automation, and deepening consulting capabilities—all while staying rooted in his core strengths.You’ll hear the nuts and bolts of how Matt built and launched new landing pages, repositioned service offerings, and even created a lead-gen funnel using tools like Canva, ChatGPT, Mailchimp, and WordPress—in a matter of hours. But more importantly, he reflects on the first principles behind why he’s doing it all.If you’re a founder, service provider, or agency owner navigating the same turbulent waters, this is your behind-the-scenes guide to building with intention.🔑 Key TakeawaysAI is here—and it’s not just a threat: It’s a powerful tool that agencies can embrace to add value, not replace it.Speed matters: When the ground shifts, the builders who move fast are the ones who stay standing.Your clients still need you: Business owners want human guidance. Many don’t have the time or skill to implement AI on their own.Don't burn it down—build on what works: Unified Web Design isn’t being replaced, it’s expanding with AI-led services and consulting.Marketing infrastructure is critical: Even a quick-and-dirty funnel (like the “Three Smart Moves” guide) can plant seeds for future opportunities.Community and outreach still win: Reconnecting with your network and engaging in communities is as essential as ever.

In this episode of The Builders Podcast, host Matt Levenhagen welcomes Eli Tansman, CEO and co-founder of Cygnostic. With deep expertise in cybersecurity and AI security, Eli shares his journey from military cyber operations to building a global company at the forefront of protecting modern development workflows.Eli’s story is one of rapid evolution and intentional pivots—shifting from cybersecurity services to product-driven solutions that address the urgent challenges of AI, application, and cloud security. This episode digs into the shift from reactive to proactive protection, emphasizing the importance of building security directly into the development process—before vulnerabilities ever make it to production.From real-time vulnerability detection to preventing prompt injection attacks on LLMs, Eli outlines how his team is redefining the security blueprint for a fast-moving digital world. He also shares how the reseller model enables startups to scale globally while maintaining localized security standards—without overextending their teams.Whether you're building with AI, deploying in the cloud, or launching new software features, this episode offers an insider’s look at how to secure it all—intentionally.🔑 Key Takeaways:Building Security Into Dev Workflows: They integrate integrate real-time vulnerability detection directly into the developer’s workflow—making R&D and security teams true collaborators (“BFFs”).AI Security Isn’t Optional: Eli explains how AI introduces new threat vectors—from prompt injections to LLM jailbreaks—and why catching these early is essential for both startups and enterprises.Proactive Cloud Security Is the New Standard: Instead of reacting to misconfigurations after deployment, their solutions stop them from ever hitting production—minimizing downtime and long-term risk.Specialization as a Competitive Edge: By narrowing focus to AI, application, and cloud security, they stand out in a crowded field—offering startup-friendly, deeply technical, and highly focused protection.Global Distribution Through Strategic Partnerships: Eli’s unique reseller model gives cutting-edge security startups global reach while keeping them focused on the U.S. market—bridging innovation with international demand.

In this episode of The Builders, Matt sits down with Dan Bennett, founder of Hot Sauce Video, to explore how creativity, calm under pressure, and strategic reinvention can carry a business through adversity. From playing in rock bands to helping entrepreneurs shine on video, Dan shares the building blocks of his journey — including how the pandemic pushed him to pivot hard and reimagine everything.Whether you're an early-stage founder, solo creator, or scaling agency, Dan’s story is packed with practical wisdom for navigating uncertainty and building something that truly sticks.🔑 Key Takeaways:Face fear with intention — Dan shares how he “played poker with fear” during COVID and found opportunity by leaning into service, not panic.Your superpower may surprise you — Authentic feedback from his network revealed that Dan’s calm presence was his greatest asset in a noisy world.Rebranding isn’t just about visuals — It’s about aligning your brand with who you’ve become and what truly resonates with your audience.Start scrappy, evolve smart — Hot Sauce Video began as a throwaway phrase and grew into a powerful, sticky brand.Build systems that suit your brain — From naps to Eisenhower matrices, Dan walks through how he structures his time and energy for sustained creativity.Let your clients be the heroes — Dan’s model empowers others to look and sound their best on video, proving that teaching can be as powerful as doing.This episode is a blueprint for turning chaos into clarity — and building a business with voice, vibe, and staying power.