Levelheads

The Puppy - Jan Goryl

He goes by Puppy — but don't let the nickname fool you. At just 23 years old, Jan Goryl is helping to run job sites, operating Bobcats, and holding it down as a superintendent for Greenside while most guys his age are still figuring out what they want to do. In this episode, we get a rare look inside one of the most organized GC operations in the game, hear how Jan went from flipping houses with his dad in high school to managing multiple projects on his own, and dig into what it really takes to earn trust on a job site without waiting for someone to hand it to you. Plus — who's actually the boss at Greenside? Mike or John? Jan spills it. Don't miss this one.

CJ Neilsen - CNC Electric

In this episode, we sit down with CJ Nielsen, owner of CNC Electric and a Build Show contributor, to dive deep into the realities of running a high-end electrical contracting business in today’s custom home market.
CJ shares his journey from starting in the trades at 17 to building a respected boutique electrical company in Northern California. We get into everything—from wildfire rebuild booms and scaling a subcontracting business, to hiring and training the right people, and why attitude often beats experience in the trades.
We also unpack the real challenges behind custom home construction:
Why early collaboration between builders and trades is critical
The growing complexity of lighting design, controls, and smart home integration
The fine line between craftsmanship and running a profitable business
And the constant balancing act of staying busy without overcommitting
CJ brings a candid, boots-on-the-ground perspective about what it actually takes to deliver high-quality work while navigating schedules, demanding clients, and evolving technology like Lutron lighting systems.
If you're a builder, subcontractor, or anyone serious about high-performance homes, this episode is packed with real-world insight, lessons learned the hard way, and a few strong opinions on how to do it right.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Levelheads episode without some laughs—stick around for the rapid-fire “This or That” segment at the end.

Building Consensus Guys

What happens when podcast hosts interview podcast hosts? Chaos—in the best possible way.
In this episode we sit down with Travis Brungardt and Brandon Jones from the Building Consensus Podcast for a wide-open conversation about building science, high-performance homes, construction tech, and the real challenges builders face today.
From jobsite scheduling headaches and software frustrations to building better houses and surviving remodels of your own home, nothing is off limits. Expect builder banter, industry insights, and a few laughs along the way.

Paul Taylor - TCI

What do you get when you mix zero software, a yellow legal pad, 1,000 pushups a day, and a guy who’s been building monster custom homes since the 1970s?
You get Paul Taylor.
In this episode, we finally nail down the hardest man in construction to schedule (seriously—it only took a year). Paul breaks down how he builds some of the largest, cleanest custom homes in California without superintendents, office staff, or apps—just experience, discipline, and an almost unreasonable level of standards.
We talk:
Why Paul refuses to use construction software (and somehow still beats everyone’s schedules)
How growing up poor, starting in 6th grade, and learning every trade shaped his no-BS approach
Running multi-million-dollar projects solo while serving 30 years in the military
The infamous mutiny that made him fire everyone and rebuild his company leaner than ever
Why crooked lights, sloppy work, and “good enough” don’t exist in his world
And yes… the This or That questions get absolutely unhinged
If you want motivation, perspective, and a reminder that mastery still matters—this one hits hard.
Huge thanks to our sponsors for supporting the show:
Andersen Windows – when precision and performance actually matter
Ressio Project Management Software – for builders who do like staying organized
Purezawood Flooring – craftsmanship that holds up to Paul Taylor standards
Hit play. Just don’t expect excuses, shortcuts, or sleep.

Year End 2025

The Levelheads look back on 2025—job changes, market surprises, permit nightmares, exploding porta-potties, and why building custom homes is anything but efficient. We also give away an RR Buildings tool belt, roast ourselves, and accidentally drop one of the best construction stories of all time. Consider this your warning.

Everybody Deserves a Little R&R (Buildings)

After about a year and a half of chasing him—and thanks to some brutal Midwest weather—we finally got Kyle Stumpenhorst of RR Buildings on the Levelheads Podcast.
Kyle went from IT desk job to building massive post-frame shops, then accidentally built one of the biggest construction channels on the internet (1.8M YouTube subscribers 👀). We talk about how barns became content, why post-frame beats remodels, the real truth about making money on YouTube, burnout in the trades, and why Kyle still straps on a tool belt every single day.
We also get into his brand-new RR Buildings tool belt, bad sponsorship offers, life in the cold, and wrap it all up with a wildly unhinged This or That segment involving chickens, orangutans, and questionable life choices.
🔥 GIVEAWAY ALERTTo celebrate the episode drop, The Levelheads are giving away an RR Buildings tool belt on Instagram. Keep an eye on our feed for how to enter.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.#LevelheadsPodcast #CustomHomeBuilders #ConstructionLife #NoFluff #BuilderTalk #HomeBuilders #ContractorProblems
 
Special thanks to our podcast sponsors @andersen_windows , @purezawood & @ressiosoftware
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Hosts:Zane EllisJamie Verdura Mike Conneely

On The Level

On this episode of the Levelheads Podcast, the guys kick things off with a high-stakes game of “silence chicken” before diving headfirst into end-of-year chaos, impossible deadlines, trim fights, shadow gaps, door jamb wizardry, and whatever fresh hell designers have cooked up this week. Jamie casually drops that he can summon thirty workers in fifteen minutes like some kind of construction Jedi master, while Mike and Zane debate whether budgets actually exist or are just myths clients tell themselves. From bonfires on job sites to brain-melting finish schedules to deciding whether the design or the dollar drives the boat, this episode is basically therapy for builders—and entertainment for everyone else. Buckle up. It's a ride.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.#LevelheadsPodcast #CustomHomeBuilders #ConstructionLife #NoFluff #BuilderTalk #HomeBuilders #ContractorProblems
 
Special thanks to our podcast sponsors @andersen_windows , @purezawood & @ressiosoftware
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Hosts:Zane EllisJamie Verdura Mike Conneely
 

Fred Trainer - F.E. Trainer Construction

On this episode of the Levelheads Podcast, Mike, Jamie, and Zane sit down with the man brave enough to manage job sites and Zane — the legendary Fred Trainer of F.E. Trainer Construction.
What begins as a conversation about building a powerhouse construction company quickly turns into a masterclass in leadership, growth, and why scaling too fast feels like fighting an orangutan with a broadsword once a year. Fred breaks down how he went from a two-man crew to a fifty-person operation, while Mike questions all his life choices, Jamie keeps stirring things up, and Zane quietly prays he still has a job when it’s over.
It’s insightful, it’s unfiltered, and it’s way funnier than a construction podcast has any right to be.
If you want real talk about growth wrapped in pure chaos, this episode is for you.

Reece Barnes

This episode of the Level Heads podcast has it all: AI, booze, construction, and a very confused orangutan! We sit down with Reece Barnes, Head of Construction Network at Adaptive, to talk about cutting-edge AI bookkeeping and how technology like Toggle is actually saving time on the job. Reece dishes on his past life cold-calling builders for Builder Trend (spoiler: it involved lots of dialing and screaming voicemails) , the ongoing debate of Cost Plus vs. Fixed Price , and what it's really like to go from Denver to Boston. But the real hard-hitting questions come at the end, where Reece is forced to choose between punching his grandmother and taking on a giant chicken every time he gets out of his car. Pop a beer, turn up the volume, and prepare for some serious laughs and construction gold!

Mitchell Kasselman - C0-Founder of Ressio

What do project management software, AI agents, and three butt cheeks have in common? This episode of The Levelheads Podcast.
This episode we’re joined by Mitchell Kasselman, CEO and co-founder of Ressio Software—the fast-rising project management tool shaking up the building world. Mitchell breaks down his startup journey, the headaches with field adoption, and how AI “agents” might soon handle the busywork for builders. We cover growth, innovation, and even some laugh-out-loud “this or that” questions (including three butt cheeks). Packed with insights and banter, this one’s not to be missed.