LivLive: Design, Building, and the Business of Remodeling

David Pollard
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

LivLive is a conversation-driven podcast about design, building, real estate, and the business behind it all. Hosted by Dave Pollard, architect and co-founder of LivCo, LivLive brings together architects, builders, developers, and industry leaders to talk honestly about how projects really come together — from early ideas and design decisions to construction, ownership, and long-term value. Each episode blends professional insight with real-world experience.

  1. 1d ago

    LivLive Ep. 0000051 - Chip Doyle: Stop Selling, and Start Asking

    Season 2 of LivLive kicks off with sales trainer, author, speaker, and longtime remodeling-industry coach Chip Doyle for a conversation that challenges what most people think “sales” actually means. Chip’s core message is simple: if you sound like you're trying to sell someone, you're already losing. Instead of persuading, presenting, or rushing to offer solutions, great salespeople ask better questions. Dave and Chip dig into the psychology behind the Sandler methodology and how it applies specifically to remodeling—where homeowners may be making the largest personal investment of their lives, often while inviting you directly into their home. They explore “head trash,” answering questions with questions, understanding pain and budget before proposing solutions, setting clear next steps, and why experienced designers and remodelers actually have to fight the instinct to immediately solve the problem. Chip also shares his unlikely path from engineering at General Motors to sales training, how Paul Winans introduced him to the remodeling industry, and why selling a major remodeling project is fundamentally different from traditional B2B sales. The conversation closes with the difference between marketing and selling, the idea of “behaving famously,” building perceived expertise in your market, and why sometimes the most powerful sales tool available is simply picking up the phone. If you work in remodeling, design-build, architecture, construction—or anywhere that requires earning a client's trust—this episode is packed with practical ideas you can put to work immediately. Chapters:00:00 — Welcome to Season 202:15 — Stop Selling, Start Asking04:00 — The Psychology Behind Sandler07:00 — Preparing for the Conversation10:40 — Getting Your Head Straight12:15 — Eliminating “Head Trash”15:00 — Chip’s Own Sales Struggles18:30 — From Engineering to Sales21:30 — How Chip Found Sandler23:15 — Breaking Into Remodeling25:30 — Why Remodeling Sales Are Different29:00 — Selling Inside Someone’s Home32:00 — Talking About Money35:30 — Rapport vs. Trust39:00 — Marketing Is Not Selling42:00 — “Behaving Famously”44:45 — Become the Expert46:00 — Stop Solving Too Soon47:30 — Pick Up the Phone50:00 — Final Thoughts

    LivLive Ep. 0000051 - Chip Doyle: Stop Selling, and Start Asking

  2. Aug 27

    LivLive Ep. 0000050 - Reflections on the First 49

    50 episodes. 49 guests. One year of conversations. For this milestone episode of LivLive, Dave flips the format and takes a look back at the first 49 episodes of the show — the people, conversations, ideas, and unexpected connections that have shaped LivLive so far. What started as a simple idea born out of great conversations during COVID has evolved into discussions with architects, builders, designers, entrepreneurs, coaches, athletes, technologists, creators, and business leaders. Along the way, some themes kept showing up: the importance of systems and processes, continuous improvement, authentic creativity, great leadership, embracing new technology, building strong teams, and actually making the things we imagine. Dave revisits each of the first 49 episodes, shares some of his favorite takeaways, and reflects on what he has learned from a year of completely unscripted conversations. Chapters 00:00 Episode 50: Looking Back at the First 49 02:16 How LivLive Started 04:04 The LivCo Team & the First Episodes 06:51 Architects, Designers & Creative Thinkers 13:31 Authenticity, Marketing & Building a Brand 15:02 Systems, Processes & Making Room for Creativity 18:08 Teams, Hockey & Lessons Beyond Business 24:29 Makers, LEGO & Creative Entrepreneurship 27:01 Architecture, Culture & Designing Experiences 32:41 AI, Technology & the Future of Building 37:01 Architects Who Build & Design-Build Thinking 39:16 Fintech, Entrepreneurship & Continuous Improvement 42:43 Hockey, Leadership & Building Great Teams 44:19 Growth, Strategy & Scaling Companies 45:58 AI, Automation & the Back End of Business 46:38 Lessons from Recent LivLive Guests 48:36 Episode 49 & “Systems Set You Free” 49:18 Reflections on the First 49 49:35 Season 2 Begins with Episode 51 50:29 Thank You & What’s Next for LivLive

    LivLive Ep. 0000050 - Reflections on the First 49

  3. Aug 19

    LivLive Ep. 0000049 - George Hodges-Fulton: Freedom Through Systems

    Professionalizing the Business of Construction | George Hodges-Fulton What does it actually take to turn a construction or remodeling company into a professionally run business—without losing the creativity, entrepreneurship, and people that made it successful in the first place? In Episode 49 of LivLive, David Pollard sits down with George Hodges-Fulton, business coach, former construction executive, Pinnacle Business Guide, and advisor to LivCo's leadership team. George shares lessons from his career in construction and remodeling, including his years at BOWA, where he helped build a small-project division into a roughly $15 million business within the larger design-build company. David and George dig into business operating systems, quarterly planning, leadership teams, accountability, the labor shortage, developing tradespeople into leaders, and why owners themselves can eventually become one of the biggest constraints on growth. They also explore one of the toughest challenges in design-build: how do you create systems and accountability around creative work without trying to turn design into an assembly line? George shares one of the biggest mistakes of his career—trying to manage architects and designers like production teams—and what it taught him about the difference between structure and control. Along the way, they discuss: Why complexity kills growthHow business operating systems create alignmentWhen the owner becomes the bottleneckDeveloping great craftspeople into great leadersHiring and managing for both performance and cultural fitWhy processes can actually protect creativityCreating frameworks that give talented people room to do their best workLearning from failure and continually investing in yourselfA candid conversation about building stronger companies, stronger leaders, and a more sophisticated construction and remodeling industry. Chapters:00:00 Meet George Hodges-Fulton02:45 Business Operating Systems06:20 The Power of Quarterly Planning10:00 When Owners Become the Bottleneck13:00 George's Construction Journey17:00 Is Construction Really Organized Chaos?19:00 Construction Management & Education23:40 George's Start at BOWA25:30 Building a $15M Division27:45 Where Growing Companies Struggle29:25 Solving the Skilled Labor Problem30:50 From Doer to Leader32:15 Evaluating Talent & Cultural Fit37:30 Learning Through Failure39:45 Why Systems Protect Creativity42:00 George's Biggest Leadership Mistake45:00 Managing the Design Process47:00 Structure Creates Creative Freedom49:15 George's Final Advice

    LivLive Ep. 0000049 - George Hodges-Fulton: Freedom Through Systems

  4. Aug 12

    LivLive Ep. 0000048 - Lance Cayko: Architect, Builder, Developer & Entrepreneur

    In this episode of LivLive, Dave turns the tables on Lance Cayko, co-founder of F9 Productions and co-host of the Inside the Firm podcast. Lance is an architect—but that barely scratches the surface. He’s also a builder, developer, entrepreneur, podcaster, and someone who has spent nearly two decades challenging the traditional boundaries of architectural practice. Lance shares how he and his partner Al started F9 during the Great Recession with little money, few industry connections, and not even enough experience yet to call themselves licensed architects. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, they figured things out as they went—using detailed 3D modeling, hands-on construction knowledge, experimentation, and a willingness to do things differently. Dave and Lance talk about the realities of starting an architecture firm, overcoming “analysis paralysis,” learning the business skills architecture school doesn't teach, and why simply getting started is often more important than having everything figured out. The conversation then moves into the evolution of F9: architecture, interiors, construction, and eventually real estate development. Lance explains why selectively building their own architectural projects has helped create a more resilient business—and how a recent adaptive-reuse project in downtown Longmont brought him back into development as both architect, builder, and investor. They also explore the future of the profession, including Matterport and LiDAR scanning, virtual reality, adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, and why Lance believes architects should be willing to wear more hats. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about architecture, entrepreneurship, risk, technology, development—and the value of putting yourself out there and simply doing the work. Chapters:00:00 — Meet Lance Cayko01:34 — Starting Inside the Firm05:00 — Inspiring Others to Take the Leap06:50 — Starting F9 During the Recession10:20 — “Model It Like It’s Built”14:55 — The Advantage of Not Knowing18:15 — Just Start21:15 — Learning the Business of Architecture24:15 — The Mentor Who Changed Everything25:50 — What Should Architects Charge?29:55 — F9 Productions Today33:00 — Architecture + Construction + Interiors35:55 — Getting Into Development38:00 — Architect, Builder & Investor39:40 — Sweat Equity & Playing the Long Game42:35 — Technology & the Future of Architecture45:00 — The Opportunity in Adaptive Reuse47:00 — Find a Mentor49:00 — Closing & Where to Find Lance

    LivLive Ep. 0000048 - Lance Cayko: Architect, Builder, Developer & Entrepreneur

  5. Jul 29

    LivLive Ep. 0000047 - Dave Payne: Leadership, Innovation & the Curiosity Mindset

    What happens when two mechanical engineers decide to reinvent the remodeling business? In this episode of LivLive, David Pollard sits down with David Payne, co-founder of Payne & Tompkins Design-Renovations, for a conversation that goes far beyond construction. Dave shares how an engineering mindset, relentless experimentation, and a commitment to continuous improvement have helped build one of the industry's most respected design-build firms. Rather than chasing perfection, Dave explains why the best companies constantly test, learn, and improve. From Lean manufacturing principles and value stream mapping to leadership, company culture, AI, and developing future leaders, this episode is packed with practical lessons for entrepreneurs in any industry. Whether you're building homes, leading a team, or growing a business, you'll walk away with actionable ideas on creating systems that allow people—and organizations—to continually improve. • Transitioning from a family homebuilding business into remodeling• How engineering principles influence leadership and operations• Lean thinking, experimentation, and continuous improvement• Building systems instead of relying on heroics• Developing people and creating accountability• Innovation, AI, and the future of business• Lessons from decades of entrepreneurship 00:00 Welcome back to LivLive 02:15 Dave's transition from family homebuilding to Payne & Tompkins 06:30 Why engineers think differently about business 11:45 Lean manufacturing and constant experimentation 18:30 Systems versus personalities 24:50 Leadership and building better teams 31:20 Company culture and accountability 38:10 Innovation, AI, and what's changing 46:15 Advice for entrepreneurs 52:30 Closing thoughts David Payne explains why the best businesses never stop experimenting. Drawing from his engineering background and decades of experience building Payne & Tompkins Design-Renovations, he shares lessons on leadership, systems thinking, continuous improvement, company culture, and entrepreneurship that apply far beyond the remodeling industry.

    LivLive Ep. 0000047 - Dave Payne: Leadership, Innovation & the Curiosity Mindset

  6. Jul 9

    LivLive Episode 0000046: Jordan Hayashi — AI Isn't Replacing Contractors. It's Giving Them Their Brain Back.

    Episode Description Artificial intelligence is everywhere—but how much of it is actually useful for contractors? This week on LivLive, Dave sits down with AI entrepreneur and Bizzen founder Jordan Hayashi to separate the hype from the practical applications that are already changing the construction industry. Jordan has spent nearly a decade building AI solutions long before ChatGPT made artificial intelligence a household term. Rather than chasing flashy demos, his philosophy is simple: find the work that frustrates people most, then eliminate it. The conversation explores why contractors should think of AI as delegated brainpower instead of automation, how companies can capture tribal knowledge before it walks out the door, and why voice, photos, and field documentation are becoming the new interface for construction management. Dave and Jordan also discuss AI hallucinations, trust, document management, estimating, proposals, daily logs, financial workflows, and where construction software is headed over the next five years. They explain why the winners won't simply use ChatGPT—they'll build systems that remember everything, connect every piece of project information, and allow teams to spend less time searching for answers and more time solving problems. If you've been wondering whether AI is worth paying attention to—or are trying to figure out where to start—this episode delivers one of the most practical conversations we've had on the subject. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Jordan Hayashi and Bizzen 01:15 Why Jordan calls himself an AI "BS meter" 02:30 "Tell us what sucks" — solving real contractor frustrations first 05:00 Why construction has been underserved by software 07:45 Building AI years before ChatGPT 10:20 How AI learns from documents, photos, and company knowledge 13:00 Capturing tribal knowledge before employees leave 16:00 AI as delegated brainpower—not a replacement for people 20:00 Freeing your brain from repetitive information retrieval 22:30 Why document trust is everything in construction 26:00 From checklists to intelligent project management 29:00 AI for job costing, receipts, and financial workflows 31:30 Daily logs, reports, proposals, and administrative automation 34:00 Creating proposals from existing project knowledge 39:00 Separating AI facts from clickbait and hype 42:00 Where AI is actually heading over the next five years 45:00 The "compressed air" analogy for AI adoption 48:00 Why the future belongs to companies that capture knowledge 50:00 Final advice for contractors adopting AI today

    LivLive Episode 0000046: Jordan Hayashi — AI Isn't Replacing Contractors. It's Giving Them Their Brain Back.

  7. Jul 1

    LivLive Ep. 0000044 - Glen Dall — Build a Better Business, Not Just a Bigger One

    LivLive Episode 44: Glen Dall Episode Description What separates remodeling companies that plateau from those that continue to grow? This week on LivLive, Dave sits down with business coach, former CEO, former remodeler, and NARI X keynote contributor Glen Dall for a wide-ranging discussion on leadership, growth, strategy, client experience, and building high-performing teams. Glen shares his journey from barely graduating high school and working on a Ford Bronco assembly line in Detroit to helping grow a company from $400 million to $2.3 billion, leading a public company turnaround, building a remodeling business, and ultimately becoming a business coach. The conversation explores one of Glen's core beliefs: growth is not the goal—building a better business is the goal. Growth is simply the result. Dave and Glen dive into strategy, differentiation, EOS versus Metronomics, leadership team development, niche positioning, and why so many companies struggle when owners become the bottleneck. The episode concludes with a preview of the upcoming NARI X event and the three themes Glen will be teaching: ProfitabilityClient SuccessTeamwork & TrustTogether, they discuss why profitability is more than margins, why client success is different from client satisfaction, and why trust is the foundation of every successful team, trade partner relationship, and homeowner experience. Whether you're a remodeler, builder, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode delivers practical ideas you can immediately apply to improve your company. Chapters00:00 Introduction and how Dave met Glen through NARI 01:00 From Ford assembly line worker to CEO 06:00 Growing companies, culture shifts, and leadership lessons 10:00 Building and exiting a remodeling company 15:00 Why business owners hit growth ceilings 20:00 Growth isn't the goal—building a better business is 24:00 EOS vs. Metronomics and the role of strategy 30:00 Becoming "the only" instead of competing on price 36:00 Finding your niche and defining your ideal client 42:00 Building leadership teams and avoiding owner bottlenecks 48:00 NARI X Preview: Profitability as a business discipline 52:00 Client Success vs. Customer Satisfaction 56:00 Teamwork, Trust, and the Five Dysfunctions of a Team 1:00:00 Why trust accelerates business performance 1:03:00 NARI X event details and final thoughts

    LivLive Ep. 0000044 - Glen Dall — Build a Better Business, Not Just a Bigger One

  8. Jul 1

    LivLive Ep. 0000045 - Will Boland — Rethinking Homeownership: Building the Future with Henry Homes

    In Episode 45 of LivLive, Dave Pollard sits down with Will Boland, co-founder of Henry Homes, to explore why owning a home is still more complicated than it should be—and how technology can make it dramatically easier. Will reflects on the entrepreneurial journey that began with launching CarLotz, the challenges of raising capital and scaling an early-stage business, and the lessons that shaped his newest venture. The conversation then shifts to Henry Homes, where Will and his team are building a platform designed to help homeowners organize maintenance, understand their home's condition, connect with trusted professionals, and make smarter long-term decisions. Along the way, Dave and Will discuss AI, customer experience, hiring great people, founder psychology, and why curiosity and persistence matter more than having all the answers. It's an insightful conversation for homeowners, entrepreneurs, remodelers, architects, and anyone passionate about building businesses that genuinely improve people's lives. Why today's homeowner experience is still fragmented and reactiveThe vision behind Henry Homes and creating a digital home for every homeownerHow AI can help homeowners prioritize repairs and maintenanceWhy inspection reports, manuals, warranties, and service records should all live in one placeHow trusted contractors can build lifelong relationships instead of transactional projectsLessons learned from launching and scaling startupsWhy customer feedback matters more than perfect ideasWhat the future of homeownership could look like over the next decade00:00 – Welcome & Introducing Will Boland 01:10 – Growing Up Together in Richmond & Early Career Paths 02:30 – The Idea That Sparked CarLotz 05:40 – Reinventing the Used Car Buying Experience 08:29 – Returning to Richmond & Launching CarLotz 13:20 – Raising Capital and Scaling an Early-Stage Startup 18:30 – Lessons Learned from Entrepreneurship and Exits 23:20 – Why Homeownership Inspired Henry Homes 26:00 – The Problem with Inspection Reports and Home Maintenance 30:50 – Helping Homeowners Get Unstuck 35:45 – Building Trust Through Skilled Service Professionals 41:45 – Founder Lessons: Letting Go, Hiring, and Building Teams 47:50 – Designing Better Experiences for Technicians 53:40 – Home Improvements vs. Home Maintenance 59:45 – Communicating Difficult News to Homeowners 1:04:00 – Curiosity, Hard Work, and Advice for Entrepreneurs 1:08:00 – Final Thoughts & The Future of Henry Homes

    LivLive Ep. 0000045 - Will Boland — Rethinking Homeownership: Building the Future with Henry Homes
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

LivLive is a conversation-driven podcast about design, building, real estate, and the business behind it all. Hosted by Dave Pollard, architect and co-founder of LivCo, LivLive brings together architects, builders, developers, and industry leaders to talk honestly about how projects really come together — from early ideas and design decisions to construction, ownership, and long-term value. Each episode blends professional insight with real-world experience.

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