The Matthew Byrd Podcast

Matthew Byrd + Reality Capture Network

This is a podcast for those who push boundaries, embrace innovation, and strive for excellence. Matthew sits down with disruptors, innovators, and lifelong learners across multiple industries, from reality capture and emerging tech to entrepreneurship, branding, and personal growth. In every conversation, we break down the mindsets, habits, and lessons behind success, because having a vision isn’t enough. It takes relentless action. If you’re driven to evolve, think bigger, and shape the future, let’s learn together from the journey of others. Join me and subscribe to this podcast!

  1. R-CON 2026 Is Leveling Up — Bigger Venue, Bigger Vision, Bigger Opportunities

    9h ago

    R-CON 2026 Is Leveling Up — Bigger Venue, Bigger Vision, Bigger Opportunities

    RCN 2026 is leveling up in a massive way. In this episode, Matthew Byrd and Phillip Ellering break down the biggest changes coming to this year’s conference, including the move to the Boise Centre, a 70-booth expo hall, hands-on technical workshops, the new Innovation Village & Hackathon, upgraded VIP experiences, and the community-focused networking that has made RCN one of the most unique events in the reality capture industry. From LiDAR, drones, surveying, BIM, digital twins, robotics, and AI to startups, enterprise companies, and career opportunities, this conversation dives into why RCN is more than a conference — it’s a growing ecosystem built to connect people, spark innovation, and create real opportunities across the industry. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & why this year feels different 01:00 – From small venues to the Boise Centre 03:30 – Building the conference & improving every year 04:45 – The new expo hall experience 05:45 – Hands-on workshops & technical training 07:00 – Gamifying growth & solving challenges 09:15 – Lessons from the first conference 11:15 – Why RCN feels different from other events 12:00 – Innovation Village & Hackathon announcement 14:15 – Solving industry problems through collaboration 15:00 – Venue accessibility & attendee experience 16:30 – VIP lounge & networking upgrades 18:00 – Growth in exhibitors & attendance 19:00 – Why RCN happy hours are legendary 21:00 – The power of networking outside the conference room 23:00 – Real career & business opportunities created through RCN 24:00 – Who attends RCN? 26:00 – The mission behind the conference 28:00 – Matthew’s personal approach to building community 30:00 – Why the team goes all-in on marketing 31:00 – Ticket options & conference flexibility 34:00 – Final thoughts & what to expect this year 🎟️ RCN 2026 📍 Boise Centre — Boise, Idaho 📅 October 12–15

    36 min
  2. From Air Force Pilot to CEO | What Military Leaders Do That Corporate America Can't | Nate Amidon

    2d ago

    From Air Force Pilot to CEO | What Military Leaders Do That Corporate America Can't | Nate Amidon

    Nate Amidon didn't plan on starting a company. He flew C-17 cargo planes for 12 years on active duty, transitioned out of full-time service, and landed a program management role at Microsoft, where he quickly realized his military skills were a perfect fit for the tech world. When his firm wouldn't hire his fellow veterans, he built Form 100 Consulting to do it himself. In this episode, Nate breaks down what military leaders bring to corporate teams that no resume or interview can reveal, how to run meetings worth having, and why companies that approach AI with a human-first mindset will outpace everyone else. If you lead a team, run a business, or want to think more clearly about getting things done, this one delivers.  TIMESTAMPS [00:00:00] Introducing Nate Amidon and Form 100 Consulting [00:01:39] Growing up in Minnesota and joining the  Air Force Academy [00:05:07] What bootcamp was actually like  [00:08:37] What kept him going through training and into pilot school [00:09:22] Flying the C-17 and 23 years of military service [00:10:37] What the military teaches you that business cannot [00:15:21] Transitioning out of active duty and taking a 50% pay cut [00:17:24] Seeing the gap, starting Form 100, and having no idea what he was doing [00:21:44] Why alignment and communication are the real problems inside every tech company [00:25:16] Finding the right balance between structure and engineering freedom [00:29:07] The program execution chart every organization is missing [00:31:06] Death by meetings and fixing the problem [00:36:07] How to run one-on-ones that actually build relationships [00:43:10] The AI reality check: most companies are nowhere near real ROI [00:50:05] A human-first framework for implementing AI incrementally [01:02:41] Authenticity, AI avatars, and why people still want people [01:13:17] Final advice: lean into the hard thing, fail forward, and find mentors

    1h 42m
  3. The Anti-Bank Bank: Real Estate, Mortgages & the Wealth Strategy Most People Miss | Harrison George

    May 19

    The Anti-Bank Bank: Real Estate, Mortgages & the Wealth Strategy Most People Miss | Harrison George

    Harrison George grew up on a thousand acres in the California Bay Area, the son of the founder of CMG, one of the largest privately held mortgage companies in the United States. But his path into the family business was anything but a straight line. In this episode, Harrison shares how he found his footing through failure, why he calls CMG the "anti-bank bank," and how a product called the All-in-One loan is helping homeowners pay off their mortgages years early. He also breaks down his own real estate investment strategy, the mindset behind choosing default happiness, and why sitting with failure is the most underrated growth tool most people skip. If you are thinking about buying a home, building wealth through real estate, or just trying to figure out how to enjoy the journey, this one is for you.  TIMESTAMPS [00:00:37] — CMG Mortgage, the family business and getting licensed in 48 states [00:02:18] — Buying a bank: what Bank CMG is and why it matters [00:03:29] — Growing up: The culinary school detour [00:04:25] — How one campus visit changed everything [00:06:35] — Life on a thousand acres in the Bay Area [00:08:03] — Failing the loan license exam and what he learned from moving back home [00:09:41] — Moving to Boise on 45 days notice with a U-Haul and woodworking equipment [00:10:13] — A home, another and then a duplex: How he built his portfolio [00:15:27] — The 2008 housing crash as the son of a mortgage company founder [00:23:27] — What it is actually like to have your dad as your boss

    1h 6m
  4. From Platinum Records to Point Clouds | Building a Drone Career the Hard Way with Mark Martin

    May 12

    From Platinum Records to Point Clouds | Building a Drone Career the Hard Way with Mark Martin

    From Music Studios to LiDAR Systems | How Curiosity Built a Drone Career with Mark Martin  Mark Martin has reinvented himself more than once… air traffic control, music production, heavy equipment, drones, and now LiDAR at a large Midwest engineering firm. All of it is connected by a habit of  continual learning, doing and showing up before anyone expects you to. Mark gets into what it actually takes to build a drone program inside an engineering firm, why AI in geospatial is coming whether you like it or not, and the advice he gives anyone trying to break in. If you're curious about where drone technology is heading and what it takes to grow in this space, this episode is for you.  TIMESTAMPS [00:00:39] — What Mark does now: building a UAS program at Prairie Engineers [00:01:52] — Air traffic controller at 19 and the road into music [00:02:31] — Moving to Nashville, interning for free and earning five platinum records [00:03:04] — Digital downloading kills the studio business and what came next [00:04:29] — Buying a Mavic to film Frisbee dogs and accidentally discovering drones [00:05:00] — From hobbyist to geospatial: teaching himself photogrammetry from scratch [00:09:07] — What the music industry taught him about curiosity, showing up and being seen [00:11:07] — What a drone program actually solves for an engineering firm [00:14:11] — Why firms spend $300K on equipment and never use it [00:25:29] — Solid state batteries, hydrogen drones and what Mark plans to fly next [00:29:54] — AI in data processing: what it's replacing and what it's not  [00:32:44] — Embracing AI: the drum machine lesson and why resistance never wins [00:37:44] — Career advice for breaking into geospatial: certifications, project resumes and flight hours [00:40:12] — Scanning SpaceX at Boca Chica and what he saw standing 100 feet from the rocket [00:42:25] — Mounting an MX9 to a train and scanning 60 miles of railroad track [00:43:41] — Using a 360 camera and a bullhorn to count birds for the Department of Natural Resources [00:49:07] — Life advice: find someone doing it, show up, carry the battery cases

    1h 6m
  5. Stop Working for Your Boss, Start Working for Yourself | Career & Leadership with Jake Blanc

    May 5

    Stop Working for Your Boss, Start Working for Yourself | Career & Leadership with Jake Blanc

    Jake Blanchard has spent his career parachuting into organizations, fixing what's broken and moving on. From an unpaid six-month internship at St. Luke's that turned into a career, to consulting for billion-dollar companies, to now leading OEM sales for a cutting-edge cybersecurity firm, Jake has built a career around solving problems others can't see. In this episode, he breaks down the most common leadership and communication failures he encounters across industries, and what actually separates high-performing teams from stuck ones. He also shares why his best advice to anyone starting out is simple: be a professional at whatever you do, even if it's stocking shelves.  TIMESTAMPS [00:00:35] Jake’s current projects  [00:06:27] Growing up in Louisiana, moving to Alaska & losing his accent in speech therapy [00:11:44] Following a girl to college, switching majors, and landing on supply chain [00:13:47] The unpaid six-month internship that launched his career [00:15:36] Why Jake realized he is a great contractor and a terrible employee [00:17:18] Consulting for UCLA Medical Center & seeing his son for only 70 days that year [00:22:03] The wake-up call: overweight, burned out, & unable to enjoy being a father [00:26:20] Running to the stop sign every day and rebuilding his identity [00:27:36] Getting tapped out by a 15-year-old in jiu-jitsu and deciding to come back [00:31:00] Why most businesses run like a sitcom built on miscommunication [00:36:47] The leadership trap: why top-down decision making slows everything down [00:46:38] The Five S framework & why sustain is always the hardest step [00:52:21] Setting a minimum standard for yourself and rebuilding self-trust [00:57:23] What the best leader Jake ever worked for did differently in every one-on-one [01:01:00] Living & what you are actually trading your time for [01:07:48] Kaizen, the Toyota production system, and empowering the people doing the work [01:15:25] Time collapsing: why the best investment is finding someone with the experience [01:21:50] Final advice: pick a thing and decide to be a professional at it, whatever it is

    1h 31m
  6. Relationships Are the Business: From Strength Coach to Real Estate Entrepreneur | Heath Van Patten

    Apr 28

    Relationships Are the Business: From Strength Coach to Real Estate Entrepreneur | Heath Van Patten

    Heath Van Patten spent nearly 15 years as a strength and conditioning coach before walking away from an MLS opportunity to start a family in Idaho — and then had to pivot again when the company that brought him here shut down the day after he bought his first home. That forced pivot eventually led him to build three vertically aligned real estate businesses: Next Home Treasure Valley, VIP Commercial, and Vision Property Management. In this episode, Heath shares the lessons that carried over from fitness to real estate, why relationships are the only strategy that actually works long-term, and what it really takes to operate multiple businesses without losing your mind. If you're building a business, navigating a career change, or getting into real estate in the Treasure Valley, this conversation is for you. TIMESTAMPS [00:00:18] — Heath’s 3 real estate businesses: residential, commercial & property management [00:02:44] — Building Elite Fitness: 15 years as a strength & conditioning coach [00:07:07] — Turning down an MLS opportunity to choose family & move to Idaho [00:09:00] — Stranded by the business that relocated him [00:13:40] — Buying a business & building it into a brokerage [00:14:40] — The hardest part of building a real estate business [00:16:51] — What separates successful agents from average ones [00:23:15] — Hiring lessons: slow to hire, quick to fire [00:28:25] — Managing three businesses: what makes it possible [00:31:22] — Heath's take on work-life balance [00:33:46] — Why so many real estate agents fail: the freedom myth vs. the reality [00:34:28] — Daily habits: 75 Hard, morning workouts, faith & feeding your mind early [00:36:01] — Closing advice: do hard things, build relationships & don't burn bridges

    51 min
  7. No Satellites, No Beacons, No Problem | Building a GPS Alternative with John Ferrara

    Apr 21

    No Satellites, No Beacons, No Problem | Building a GPS Alternative with John Ferrara

    In this episode, Matthew Byrd sits down in the studio with John Ferrara, the founder and CEO of Juxta, a startup building a GPS alternative that tracks people and assets anywhere on earth, using sensors already built into the devices we carry every day. In this episode, John shares how a simple late-night conversation with his Navy doctor dad sparked the idea, the problem with forcing ideas, and how to make your own luck. Whether you're interested in deep tech, startups, or what it actually takes to build something from the ground up, this one is worth a listen. [00:00:00] — Intro: What Juxta does [00:01:41] — Growing up with Navy parents & early exposure to GPS limitations [00:02:38] — Teaching himself to code at 14 and launching startups [00:03:06] — Pursuing journalism to become a better communicator [00:04:52] — The conversation that sparked the idea for Juxta [00:08:34] — Raising $500K with no customers and dropping out of school [00:13:19] — You can’t force a startup idea- the 11th attempt [00:17:44] — Y Combinator: the 0.6% acceptance rate and midnight phone call [00:20:31] — Raising $5M after Demo Day and what changed [00:27:52] — How the technology actually works [00:39:09] — Scaling by area: from a single warehouse to hundreds of square miles [00:45:23] — Roadmap: robotics, Z-axis tracking, and replacing GPS entirely [00:57:35] — The long-term vision: Juxta Maps, FEMA integration, and disaster response [01:03:16] — Biggest lessons learned

    1h 16m
  8. Fastest Growing Tech in Construction | BIM, VDC & Reality Capture with Jacob Hansen

    Apr 14

    Fastest Growing Tech in Construction | BIM, VDC & Reality Capture with Jacob Hansen

    The construction industry is experiencing unprecedented demand for BIM, VDC, and reality capture professionals, and there aren't enough skilled people to fill it. That gap is one of the biggest career opportunities available right now, and most people don't even know it exists. Jacob Hansen stumbled into BIM with zero experience and was leading his own teams within nine months. Today he owns and operates Hansen Consulting Group, helping businesses navigate the complexity of adopting and implementing BIM, VDC, and reality capture on large scale semiconductor, oil and gas, and advanced manufacturing projects nationwide. In this episode he shares how he built his career from the ground up, why technology ends up in a closet when companies skip the education piece, and what it actually takes to make these tools work in the real world. Whether you're a student figuring out your next step, a professional looking to pivot, or a company trying to get more out of your technology investment — this conversation is for you. Want to go deeper? Join us at our next conference where industry leaders like Jacob come together to share insights, build relationships, and push this industry forward.  [00:05:00] — Introduction to BIM & learning on the job  [00:08:00] — Recognizing the gaps and starting his own business  [00:10:00] — The hardest part of going out on your own   [00:12:00] — Technology adoption is the biggest challenge  [00:18:00] — Decision paralysis -  too many tools, not enough guidance  [00:26:00] — The labor shortage - demand is outpacing talent  [00:33:00] — The remote work problem - get on site, get involved  [00:41:00] — Leadership lessons - hiring for character over credentials  [00:45:00] — Why companies fail at technology adoption and how to fix it  [00:57:00] — The future of BIM, VDC and reality capture

    1h 18m
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About

This is a podcast for those who push boundaries, embrace innovation, and strive for excellence. Matthew sits down with disruptors, innovators, and lifelong learners across multiple industries, from reality capture and emerging tech to entrepreneurship, branding, and personal growth. In every conversation, we break down the mindsets, habits, and lessons behind success, because having a vision isn’t enough. It takes relentless action. If you’re driven to evolve, think bigger, and shape the future, let’s learn together from the journey of others. Join me and subscribe to this podcast!

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Byrd + Reality Capture Network
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    117
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Matthew Byrd + Reality Capture Network
  • Show Website
    The Matthew Byrd Podcast

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