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. 5d ago

    LivLive Ep. 0000056 - Nik Rokop: Engineering Entrepreneurship

    What happens when you combine an engineer's problem-solving mindset with an entrepreneur's ability to recognize opportunity? In Episode 56 of LivLive, Dave welcomes back Nik Rokop for a second conversation exploring engineering, first-principles thinking, business ownership, and the unexpected paths that lead people into entrepreneurship. Nik's journey is anything but conventional. Born in Hungary, he immigrated to the United States, studied mathematics at Carnegie Mellon, nearly attended law school, and ultimately joined his father's steel-industry engineering business. He later earned a mechanical engineering degree while working full-time, traveling internationally, and raising a family. That combination of mathematics, engineering, and hands-on business experience helped shape a philosophy Nik returns to throughout the conversation: simplify complicated problems by understanding their fundamental principles. Dave and Nik explore how that mindset translates into entrepreneurship, including the difference between strategic planning and recognizing opportunities as they arise. Nik shares stories from his own entrepreneurial journey—from helping grow his father's business and launching an early internet café at Pittsburgh International Airport to unexpectedly becoming a partner in a manufacturing company. Some ventures succeeded, others didn't, but each created opportunities to learn. They also discuss entrepreneurship education, the importance of selling, the role of relationships, and how technology continues to create new possibilities. The conversation even ventures into architecture, the work of Mies van der Rohe and Bertrand Goldberg, AI-powered networking, and Nik's latest venture with his son involving a new programming language inspired by Gödel, Escher, and Bach. It's a conversation about curiosity, simplicity, lifelong learning, and the ability to see possibilities where others see problems. Whether you're an entrepreneur, engineer, architect, business owner, or simply someone who enjoys figuring out how things work, there's plenty to take away from this episode. Chapters: 00:00 — Nik Returns to LivLive 02:45 — From Hungary to Carnegie Mellon 06:00 — Mathematics & Problem-Solving 08:15 — The Family Engineering Business 12:30 — Choosing Engineering Over Law 15:30 — Lifelong Learning 18:00 — Thinking in First Principles 20:30 — Teaching Entrepreneurship 24:30 — Finding Business Opportunities 27:00 — The Airport Cyber Café 30:30 — Lessons From Failure 34:00 — Unexpected Opportunities 38:00 — The Accidental Entrepreneur 39:30 — Buying a Manufacturing Company 43:00 — Building Businesses & Partnerships 47:00 — Relationships & Creating Value 50:00 — Passion vs. Profit 52:30 — Architecture & First Principles 55:30 — Ideas From the Next Generation 59:00 — Gödel, Escher, Bach & AI 63:00 — Closing Thoughts

    LivLive Ep. 0000056 - Nik Rokop: Engineering Entrepreneurship

  2. Oct 7

    LivLive Ep. 0000055 - Nik Rokop: What Makes an Entrepreneur?

    What actually makes someone an entrepreneur? In this episode of LivLive, Dave reconnects with Nik Rokop, longtime entrepreneurship educator, founder, mentor, and former director of the Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at Illinois Tech. Nik was never technically one of Dave’s professors—but his influence during Dave’s graduate studies at IIT went far beyond the classroom. When a young architecture student showed up with an idea for wirelessly powering a home, Nik connected him with electrical engineers, patent attorneys, business resources, and experts across the university. The invention never became a business, but the experience helped shape how Dave would eventually think about entrepreneurship and build LivCo. That story becomes the jumping-off point for a much bigger conversation about how entrepreneurs actually learn. Nik explains why he doesn't believe in doing the work for entrepreneurs, why building a network can be more valuable than having all the answers yourself, and why entrepreneurship requires curiosity, resilience, experimentation, and a willingness to act without knowing exactly where you'll end up. Dave and Nik explore venture capital and bootstrapping, the difference between entrepreneurs and small-business owners, whether entrepreneurship can actually be taught, and the role that family, childhood experiences, education, mentors, and even failure play in creating an entrepreneurial mindset. They also dig into the realities of running a business: cash flow, growth, debt, risk, hiring, decision-making, and the constant challenge of figuring out what comes next. After years of teaching entrepreneurship, Nik has now retired from academia and returned to where he started—as a founder himself. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship not as a job title, but as a way of thinking: find problems, connect ideas and people, create value, learn constantly, and keep moving forward. Chapters: 00:00 — Meet Nik Rokop01:30 — From Founder to Professor05:30 — How Dave & Nik Met08:15 — Connecting Across Disciplines11:30 — Funding a Business16:15 — What Makes an Entrepreneur?20:30 — Risk & Entrepreneurship23:30 — Where Entrepreneurs Come From27:30 — Growing Up Entrepreneurial31:30 — Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught?35:30 — Learning by Doing38:00 — Building a Lasting Business42:30 — Knowing When to Pivot46:30 — Growth, Debt & Cash Flow50:00 — The Entrepreneurial Mindset54:00 — Mentors, Networks & Experience58:00 — Nik’s Next Chapter1:02:00 — Final Thoughts

    LivLive Ep. 0000055 - Nik Rokop: What Makes an Entrepreneur?

  3. Sep 30

    LivLive Ep. 0000054 - Chuck Pollard: The Business of Relationships

    In this episode of LivLive, Dave welcomes a particularly special guest—his older brother, Chuck Pollard—for a conversation about sales, technology, building things, and the relationships behind all of it. Chuck has spent more than 30 years in sales and sales leadership, watching the technology industry evolve from the early internet and data-storage boom through cloud computing, cybersecurity, and now AI. The tools have changed dramatically, but Chuck argues that one thing hasn't: people still buy from people they know and trust. Dave and Chuck explore what great sales actually looks like, why solving the customer's problem matters more than simply selling a product, and why the human relationship remains so important even as technology becomes increasingly automated. Chuck also shares his perspective on sales leadership, building teams, developing people, and why nearly everyone—whether they realize it or not—is in sales. The conversation eventually turns closer to home. The brothers look back at Dave designing an addition to Chuck's house when he was only 15, Chuck's experiences building and remodeling homes, and their shared appreciation for the process of creating something tangible. And then there are the sandcastles. Chuck explains how a family project recreating UVA's Rotunda in sand unexpectedly grew into an ongoing creative obsession, complete with college campuses, landmarks, Fourth of July creations, local news coverage—and an Instagram following. It's a fun, wide-ranging conversation between two brothers about careers, entrepreneurship, technology, construction, creativity, family, and why—whether you're selling software, remodeling a house, or building something out of sand—the relationships you build along the way still matter. Chapters: 00:00 — Meet Chuck Pollard02:15 — A Career in Sales04:15 — 30 Years of Technology06:15 — The Internet & Data Boom08:15 — Cloud, AI & What’s Next10:30 — Sales vs. Sales Leadership12:30 — Building Teams & Solving Problems14:15 — Everybody Is in Sales16:30 — Why Relationships Still Matter18:30 — Builders at Heart20:00 — Dave’s First Addition22:15 — The Pain of Remodeling24:00 — Chuck’s Remodeling War Story26:15 — The Need to Build Things28:30 — The Sandcastle Obsession31:30 — Building Landmarks in Sand33:45 — Sandcastle Fame35:00 — The Art of the Sandcastle37:00 — Technology & Remodeling39:00 — Closing Thoughts

    LivLive Ep. 0000054 - Chuck Pollard: The Business of Relationships

  4. Sep 16

    LivLive Ep. 0000053 - Danny Karas: Computing Design

    What happens when architecture, engineering, computer science, and AI all start to overlap? In this episode of LivLive, Dave sits down with Danny Karas, a computational designer at Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE studio, to explore a rapidly changing side of the architecture and construction industry. Danny’s career began in architecture, taking him from UIC to SCI-Arc and eventually SOM, where computational tools became less of a specialty and more of an extension of the design process. Today, he works at the intersection of design, engineering, coding, visualization, and automation—building tools and workflows that allow teams to solve incredibly complex problems faster. Danny walks through how tools like Rhino, Grasshopper, Revit, structural analysis software, AI, and custom computational workflows can communicate with one another. He shares examples ranging from complex skyscrapers and stadiums to automated structural documentation, carbon analysis, visualization, and virtual design and construction. But the conversation isn't just about software. Dave and Danny dig into a bigger question: what happens to the role of the designer when computers can generate, analyze, visualize, and optimize more of the building? They explore where AI works today, where accuracy still matters too much to give up control, why remodeling presents a uniquely difficult computational problem, and whether the countless variables involved in residential design and construction can ever truly be modeled. The conversation finishes by looking further into the future—from generative housing and spatial AI to 4D construction simulation, modular construction, supertall buildings, and even a slightly questionable new concept for elevator technology. It’s a fascinating look at what happens when computation becomes more than a tool—and becomes part of the design process itself. 00:00 — Meet Danny Karas01:45 — What Is Computational Design?03:35 — Computation as an Accelerator04:15 — Connecting Design Software07:00 — Automating the Tedious Work10:00 — Inside CORE Studio12:25 — AI + Building Analysis14:00 — Designing Better Visuals16:10 — Automating Structural Workflows19:15 — Danny’s Favorite Project21:30 — Bringing It to Residential24:40 — How Dave & Danny Met29:00 — Designing a House With Character32:00 — AI, Accuracy & Design Control36:00 — Can AI Actually Design Buildings?41:30 — Spatial AI + Remodeling43:30 — AI-Powered Estimating44:15 — Generative Housing Design46:00 — How Tall Can We Build?48:20 — Rethinking the Elevator50:30 — 4D Construction Simulation52:35 — What’s Next for Danny

    LivLive Ep. 0000053 - Danny Karas: Computing Design

  5. Sep 9

    LivLive Ep. 0000052 - Thomas Roszak, FAIA: Beyond the Drawings

    What happens when an architect refuses to stop at the drawings? In Episode 52 of LivLive, Dave sits down with architect, developer, builder, and educator Thomas Roszak, FAIA for a wide-ranging conversation about architecture, development, construction, and the value of understanding the entire process of creating a building. Tom traces his career back to his early days at IIT and Optima, where he went from architecture student to working directly in the field—painting, doing carpentry, watching demolition, estimating projects, and eventually sitting in on financing and legal meetings. That experience shaped a career built around an unusually integrated understanding of design, development, and construction. Dave and Tom discuss why more architects don't become developers, why the floor plan is still the foundation of great design, how density can help address housing challenges, and why good architecture doesn't necessarily have to cost more. They also dig into the economics behind development, the importance of making decisions with imperfect information, designing projects that can actually get financed and built, and Tom's philosophy that development ultimately begins with something surprisingly simple: math. The conversation closes with Tom's own home as a laboratory for architectural ideas, lessons learned from Mies and IIT, and the importance of continuing to experiment, make mistakes, and improve with every project. For architects, builders, developers—or anyone interested in what happens beyond the drawings—this is a great one. Chapters:00:00 — Introducing Thomas Roszak02:00 — Learning Architecture by Working in the Field05:00 — Architecture, Construction & Development as One Discipline09:45 — From Architect-Builder to Large-Scale Development12:00 — Inside Roszak's Current Multifamily Work15:30 — Why Everything Starts With the Floor Plan17:30 — Density, Housing & Changing Communities21:00 — Designing Amenities and Places People Want to Live24:00 — Why Good Design Makes People Feel Something26:00 — Leaving Space: Development Beyond Maximum Density29:00 — Building the Right Project Team31:30 — Learning, Technology & Constant Improvement33:15 — When Architecture Makes a Project Too Expensive to Build35:00 — Teaching Real Estate Development at IIT36:00 — Development Is Math38:00 — Why More Architects Should Build and Develop39:30 — Starting a Development Company With $2,00042:00 — Following the Numbers From Chicago to Evanston44:00 — Looking Back at Tom's Development Portfolio45:00 — The Glass House as an Architectural Laboratory48:00 — Favorite Projects, Mistakes & Making Them Better50:00 — Mies, IIT and the Discipline of Modern Architecture53:00 — Keep Learning, Experimenting & Building Better

    LivLive Ep. 0000052 - Thomas Roszak, FAIA: Beyond the Drawings

  6. Sep 2

    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

  7. 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

  8. 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
See All (54)

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.

Information