Start In Your Own Backyard

Serenbe Media Network

Start In Your Own Backyard is a mini-series about how the choices we make, both big and small, can transform the world around us. For host Steve Nygren, this is personal. Two decades ago, while running through the woods on his beloved family farm, he spotted bulldozers toppling trees for what he feared was another soulless suburban development. That sobering moment sparked a question that changed the course of his life: Isn’t there a better way to build community? One that works with nature, not against it? The answer became Serenbe, a community built on biophilic principles, sustainable living, and the idea that well-being starts in the everyday spaces where we live, work, and connect with others. Through stories, guest experts, and personal reflections, Start In Your Own Backyard invites listeners to find their own sense of agency. Whether it’s rethinking your diet, running for school board, planting edible landscapes, or advocating for change in your city, the podcast explores what it means to take action right where you are. With a strong belief in the power of optimism, even when things feel tough, this series shows how each of us can create ripples of positive change.  The question is simple: What gifts do you bring? And are you ready to use them? Want to dive deeper? Steve’s book, Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense, is out now. An instant USA Today Bestseller, this book is part memoir, part guidebook. It offers a blueprint for building sustainable, connected communities, places where wonder exists in the everyday and people of all ages can truly thrive.

  1. 6d ago

    Grant McCargo on Responsible Development & Building for the Future

    Grant McCargo, a longtime friend of Serenbe, is an environmentalist and the founder of Urban Villages, a real estate development company creating walkable, culturally rich, nature-connected places designed to stand the test of time. One of the most striking examples of this work is Populus, a hotel in the heart of downtown Denver inspired by the aspen tree and rooted in biophilic design. It is also the first carbon-positive hotel in the United States, designed to capture more carbon than it emits. But Grant’s approach isn’t always about building something new. In Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square, Urban Villages is breathing new life into existing buildings through adaptive reuse, an approach Grant believes can be one of the most powerful things we can do for the environment. In this conversation, Steve Nygren and Grant explore what happens when environmentalism becomes part of good business practice, why quality and thoughtful design can create greater value over time, and what we might build differently if we took a long term view instead of focusing on the next quarter or the next sale. They also talk about why, ultimately, protecting the natural world should be at the heart of how we think about the places we build. Show Notes Urban VillagesBio-Logical Capital Remembering Stephen KellertSerenbeStart In Your Own Backyard Keywords: Grant McCargo, Urban Villages, Populus Hotel, biophilic design, biophilic cities, sustainable development, sustainable architecture, environmentalism, green building, adaptive reuse, historic preservation, urban revitalization, walkable cities, walkability, nature and cities, nature connected design, long-term thinking, resilient cities, placemaking, mixed-use development, urban planning, Steve Nygren, Serenbe, Start In Your Own Backyard Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  2. Sep 7

    Tim Beatley On Bringing Nature Into Cities

    When Serenbe was in its early stages, people often tried to put a label on it. Terms like agrihood and eco-community came close, but never quite captured the vision. Then Steve heard urban planner and author Tim Beatley speak about biophilic cities and something clicked. A community shaped by a deep connection to nature and a respect for the living systems around us was exactly what he was trying to create at Serenbe. Tim Beatley is the Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities at the University of Virginia, where he has taught for more than 25 years. His work explores how cities and communities can become more sustainable, resilient, livable, and equitable. He is also the founder of Biophilic Cities, a global network connecting cities, researchers, and advocates working to bring nature back into the places we live. In this conversation, Steve and Tim explore how growing up surrounded by nature shaped Tim’s work, what cities around the world are doing to reconnect people with the natural world, and why that connection matters so much to our everyday lives and wellbeing. They also talk about what each of us can do to build a deeper relationship with nature—starting right where we are. Show Notes Biophilic CitiesBiophilic Cities JournalTimothy Beatley Start In Your Own BackyardSerenbeKeywords: Tim Beatley, biophilic cities, biophilic design, biophilia, nature and cities, sustainable cities, sustainable communities, urban planning, urban design, city planning, regenerative design, resilient cities, livable cities, equitable cities, nature in cities, reconnecting with nature, urban nature, green cities, green infrastructure, environmental design, nature-based solutions, Serenbe, Steve Nygren Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  3. Aug 31

    Mehmet Kalyoncu Is Rethinking How We Build Cities in Istanbul & Beyond

    In this episode of Start In Your Own Backyard, Steve Nygren sits down with Mehmet Kalyoncu, a developer and visionary rethinking how architecture, mobility, community, and nature can shape the future of cities. What began with a visit to Serenbe has grown into an ongoing exchange of ideas between Serenbe and Mehmet’s work in Turkey. Raised in the architecture and construction business, Mehmet was deeply involved in the development of Istanbul Airport before turning his attention to a bigger question: How can we build communities that are more connected to people, nature, and one another? That question led him to found Ion, whose first major neighborhood project, Ion Riva, sits near Istanbul’s Black Sea coast. After visiting the project earlier this year, Steve was struck by its scale, beauty, connection to the landscape, and the collaborative team behind it. The conversation also explores how the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Turkey reshaped Mehmet’s thinking about development, community resilience, and who gets a voice in shaping the future of a city. Show Notes Ion Global on InstagramIon Conversations at MIPIM 2026 Snøhetta and BIG among architects of "landscape-led masterplan" for Istanbul (Dezeen)Mehmet Kalyoncu (Urban Future)Mehmet Kalyoncu on Instagram Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  4. Aug 24

    Ellen Dunham-Jones Wants To Retrofit Suburbia

    When Serenbe was first conceived, Steve Nygren had the opportunity to rethink almost everything from the ground up. But most of the places where people live don’t have that luxury. They’re already built, and in many cases, they’re struggling. That’s where our guest today, Ellen Dunham-Jones, comes in. An architect, urban designer, and longtime professor at Georgia Tech, Ellen has spent more than two decades exploring how existing suburbs can evolve.  In this conversation, Steve and Ellen explore everything from transforming abandoned malls and creating more third places to stormwater parks, autonomous transportation, climate migration, and what the suburbs might look like twenty years from now. If Serenbe is an example of what can happen when you start with a blank slate, Ellen’s work asks an equally important question: What should we do with the places we’ve already built? Show Notes: Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June WilliamsonCase Studies in Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Strategies for Urgent Challenges by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June WilliamsonEllen Dunham-Jones: Retrofitting suburbia (TED)Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU)DPZ CoDesign (Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk)Nygren Placemaking SerenbeAre You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  5. Aug 17

    Price Bell Is Bridging Growth and Stewardship

    Price Bell Jr., grew up at Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, a working thoroughbred farm that his family has cared for for generations. But Price’s story isn’t just about preserving what his family inherited. He spent years working in real estate and urban development, particularly in Nashville, where he learned about the power of neighborhoods, adaptive reuse, and, perhaps most importantly, what can happen when people work together toward a shared vision. And then he came to Serenbe. What began as a visit to The Biophilic Leadership Summit – and later a family trip where he watched his children explore the woods and simply experience the joy of being outside – opened up a new way of thinking about what might be possible at Mill Ridge and in the surrounding city of Lexington. Now, Price is thinking about how to balance growth with stewardship, how to bring people back into relationship with land, and how we can create places that are better for the generations who come after us. Show Notes About Price Bell Jr. Mill Ridge FarmQ&A: Price Bell on Land, Legacy, and Lexington’s Next ChapterThe Biophilic Leadership SummitNygren Placemaking Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  6. Season 2 Trailer

    Introducing Season 2 of Start In Your Own Backyard

    Season 2 of Start In Your Own Backyard premieres Monday, August 17. What if the places we build could help solve the problems they’ve helped create? That question sits at the heart of Season 2 of Start In Your Own Backyard, as visionary placemaker Steve Nygren looks beyond Serenbe to meet people who are rethinking the way we live, work, connect, and care for the places we call home. The built environment, as it exists today, is at the root of many of our biggest challenges. But it can also be a powerful part of the solution. And there’s a bigger lesson running through these conversations: we all have the power to take agency where we are, using whatever skills, resources, and opportunities we have. With a belief in the power of optimism, even when things feel difficult, this season explores how each of us can create ripples of positive change by starting right where we are. Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  7. 10/07/2025

    The Spark of Possibility

    In this final episode of the Start In Your Own Backyard mini-series, Steve Nygren reflects on the journey of building Serenbe. What started out as an unlikely idea, sparked in a moment of fear and panic is now a living, breathing community where nature and people are woven back together. You’ll hear from neighbors like Gil Mathis, who traded a corporate finance career for a more authentic life rooted in connection, and Gigi Wilborne, an artist and entrepreneur who has poured her creativity into nearly every corner of Serenbe. You’ll also meet Price Bell, whose visits to Serenbe inspired him to spark change in his own hometown. Together, their stories remind us that change doesn’t always start with grand plans. Instead, it begins in backyards, on front porches, and in everyday choices that ripple outward to transform lives. As we close this series, we return to the bigger lesson running beneath it all: you don’t need to wait for permission to imagine a better way of living. Wherever you are, the spark of possibility is already in your hands. Sometimes all it takes is the courage to begin. Show Notes Pre-Order Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Steve NygrenStart In Your Own Backyard SubstackLearn more about SerenbeSerenbe Stories Podcast Keywords: Serenbe, community building, placemaking, biophilic design, sustainable living, connection to nature, intentional communities, local food, community gardens, shared meals, walkability, small sparks of change, starting in your own backyard, radical common sense, meaningful change, authentic living, neighborhood design, creativity, wellness, joy, beauty, possibility, better way of living Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

  8. 09/30/2025

    A Place That Feels Like Home

    A lot of what we’ve been exploring on this podcast comes back to an idea known as placemaking: the art of designing spaces that feel meaningful, welcoming, and rooted in community. At its core, it’s about creating places where people truly want to gather and belong. At Serenbe, that spirit comes alive every day. Visitors might arrive for goat yoga or a stroll through the nature trails and end up moving. A coffee-and-ceramics studio, dreamed up and run by neighbors, has become a beloved local hangout. And community traditions like Porchfest transform front porches into concert stages and art galleries, turning ordinary moments into something magical. These experiences are joyful on the surface, but they also weave the deeper social and cultural fabric that makes a community thrive. In this episode, Steve Nygren explores how visitors bring fresh energy and perspective, how local businesses reflect and shape a community’s values, and why even the simplest neighborhood gatherings can spark lasting connections.  Whether you’re dreaming of creating something new in your own town or simply curious about how thriving communities take shape, this episode offers inspiration and practical ideas for inviting people in and building places that feel like home. Show Notes Pre-Order Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense by Steve NygrenStart In Your Own Backyard SubstackLearn more about SerenbeSerenbe Stories PodcastMinro StudioPorchfest at SerenbeSerenbe Real EstateKeywords: placemaking, community, hospitality, belonging, Serenbe, Steve Nygren, intentional living, visitors, local businesses, Porchfest, goat yoga, nature trails, meaningful design, walkable communities, neighborhood traditions, connection, joy, events, potlucks, concerts, bake sales, sustainability, thriving communities, home, invitation, culture Are You Ready For Radical Common Sense? Visionary placemaker Steve Nygren chronicles the rise of Serenbe, a pioneering model of biophilic living outside Atlanta, and charts a path for others wishing to challenge the status quo, embrace optimism, and reinvent their communities…and themselves.  Order the book today.  Subscribe on Substack and receive a free essay from Steve every week.

See All (14)

Trailer

5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Start In Your Own Backyard is a mini-series about how the choices we make, both big and small, can transform the world around us. For host Steve Nygren, this is personal. Two decades ago, while running through the woods on his beloved family farm, he spotted bulldozers toppling trees for what he feared was another soulless suburban development. That sobering moment sparked a question that changed the course of his life: Isn’t there a better way to build community? One that works with nature, not against it? The answer became Serenbe, a community built on biophilic principles, sustainable living, and the idea that well-being starts in the everyday spaces where we live, work, and connect with others. Through stories, guest experts, and personal reflections, Start In Your Own Backyard invites listeners to find their own sense of agency. Whether it’s rethinking your diet, running for school board, planting edible landscapes, or advocating for change in your city, the podcast explores what it means to take action right where you are. With a strong belief in the power of optimism, even when things feel tough, this series shows how each of us can create ripples of positive change.  The question is simple: What gifts do you bring? And are you ready to use them? Want to dive deeper? Steve’s book, Start In Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where You Live with Radical Common Sense, is out now. An instant USA Today Bestseller, this book is part memoir, part guidebook. It offers a blueprint for building sustainable, connected communities, places where wonder exists in the everyday and people of all ages can truly thrive.

Information

  • Creator
    Serenbe Media Network
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Start In Your Own Backyard
  • Show Website
    Start In Your Own Backyard