Levelheads
New construction related podcast featuring Michael Conneely from Greenside Design Build, Jamie Verdura of Verdura Construction and Zane Ellis of Collective Build Co.
Episodes

Nov 2, 2025
Nov 2, 2025
1 hr 9 min
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!

Sep 25, 2025
Sep 25, 2025
58 min
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.

Sep 12, 2025
Sep 12, 2025
1 hr 14 min
This week on The Levelheads Podcast: Matt Howell from Smrter Home drops in from Downers Grove to talk low-voltage, AI-powered home networking, and sound systems that are getting way too smart. We dive into Matt’s start in the industry, the case against ‘dumb dimmers,’ and why Zane still can’t wrap his head around Japanese. Don’t miss it.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.#LevelheadsPodcast #CustomHomeBuilders #ConstructionLife #NoFluff #BuilderTalk #HomeBuilders #ContractorProblems
Special thanks to our podcast sponsors @andersen_windows & @purezawood
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Hosts:Zane EllisJamie Verdura Mike Conneely

Aug 11, 2025
Aug 11, 2025
1 hr 2 min
This week, Mike drops a HUGE announcement about joining the Build Show Network — and we get the inside scoop on what that means for his future (and for seeing more of his face online). We swap hilarious stories about Cousin Johnny, including why the internet’s obsessed with him and whether we can finally get him out of his “content closet.” Plus, we talk Grappa-fueled misadventures, behind-the-scenes in custom homebuilding, crazy 20-something work stories from Australia, and how scaling a business can change your life. It’s part big news, part comedy, and part masterclass in building — you don’t want to miss this one.

Jul 1, 2025
Jul 1, 2025
1 hr 24 sec
This week on The Levelheads Podcast, things get weird—in the best way. Jamie’s gearing up for a mysterious wedding trip that may or may not involve livestock, questionable fashion, and zero cell service. Meanwhile, one of our clients spotted something truly horrifying in a neighbor’s window… and now we all need brain bleach.
We also dive into the rise of AI and what a dwindling labor force could mean for our future (spoiler: it’s either utopia or total robot domination—no in between).
Tune in for laughs, awkward mental images, and a healthy dose of existential dread. You won’t want to miss it.

May 14, 2025
May 14, 2025
58 min
This week we have Jeff Sweenor, founder and owner of Sweenor Builders in Rhode Island. We get into a bunch of topics like cycling, growing a company, This Old House and how Jeff bought a masonry company because he coulndt afford to lose them to another builders job for 6 months! Check it out!
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.#LevelheadsPodcast #CustomHomeBuilders #ConstructionLife #NoFluff #BuilderTalk #HomeBuilders #ContractorProblems
Special thanks to our podcast sponsors @andersen_windows & @purezawood
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Hosts:Zane EllisJamie Verdura Mike Conneely

May 1, 2025
May 1, 2025
1 hr 7 min
This episode features Jim Lundquist, known as "the Swede," a trim carpenter, inventor, and self-described "happy-go-lucky guy" and "monkey wrench". Jim shares insights from his 40-plus-year construction career, which started in Seattle before moving to Arizona, navigating periods like the Great Recession which led him to work with a cabinet company importing from China for seven years. Now 60, he works as a lead carpenter and tackles diverse tasks on job sites. He discusses his unique perspective on aging in the trades and an exit strategy, considering a transition to a handyman role due to increasing demand and income potential. A highlight is his patent-pending invention, "the Swede," a multi-tool combining a scribe, magnet stud finder, and margin tool, which he sells and manufactures in the USA using 3D printing. Jim also touches on his past as a rock musician, balancing touring with construction work, and humorously credits turmeric with pepper for alleviating his hip pain

Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025
1 hr 1 min
Hosted by Zane Ellis, Jamie Verdura, and Mike Conneely, The Levelheads is the podcast for custom home builders who are sick of the BS. Zane’s had more knee surgeries than he has patience for business coaches, Jamie’s allergic to fluff, and Mike’s got no time for clunky construction management software that doesn’t get the job done. Together, they tackle the real challenges of building high-end custom homes—without pretending there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. If you’re tired of being pitched “the next big thing” and just want straight talk from guys who actually build, you’re in the right place.

Mar 11, 2025
Mar 11, 2025
2 hr 5 min
We caught a whoppa. You gotta listen. Our longest podcast yet.
Johnny bears all. He's a stud in our industry who faced a ton of challenges. We talk it out.
Special thanks to our podcast sponsor @andersen_windows
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Hosts:Zane EllisJamie Verdura Mike Conneely
#answerquestions#levelheadspodcast #customhomes #Designbuild #buildingscience #luxurybuilder #craftsman #newconstruction #remodels #renovations #architect #architecture #custombuilder #homebuilder #deconstruction #finehomebuilding #podcast #builderpodcast

Feb 21, 2025
Feb 21, 2025
1 hr 2 min
This week we have Lisa McNealy a commercial broker in Knoxville TN that also operated in Scottsdale AZ. We talk about selling businesses, cadavers, basketball, and more. We get into how Lisa thrives in a male dominated industry and how her strong personality is an asset when competing with the "good ol' boys" in the business. We also find out how she got the title Miss USA. Listen in!




