Healthy Home Construction, Building Smarter, and the Future of Better Homes with Lauren Riddei
Release Date: 05/01/2025
Builder Mindset to Business Mindset with Duane Johns of Alair Homes
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Most builders hit a wall. They work 80-hour weeks, carry tools, manage crews, chase payments, and somehow still struggle to make ends meet. Sound familiar? That was Duane Johns twenty years ago, grinding it out in Charlotte, North Carolina after moving from the Hamptons. Then 2008 hit. While other builders went under, Duane used the crisis as a mirror. "I think that that too, one thing that happened in that 2008 environment, especially the few years after, was everyone got reduced to a commodity, you know, I mean, the builders or modelers, they had the lower hand, no doubt." The...
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Scaling a Construction Business: From College Dropout to $100M+ Builder
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Starting a construction company during the 2008 recession sounds insane, but sometimes desperation breeds the best business decisions. Matt Millsap's story starts like a lot of ours do - working weekends with dad, thinking he was going to hang out with friends but ending up tearing out bathrooms instead. What makes his story different is where it goes from there. After flunking out of college, Matt found himself cutting grass for a builder who saw something in the kid. That builder, Mark, became the mentor who taught him everything. It was old-school apprenticeship at its finest, and Matt...
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Road to 1,000,000 Doors: Will You Join Us? | Brian Coffman of Sound Capital
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
You know that moment when you're staring at a project and wondering if you're about to make a fortune or lose your shirt? Brian Coffman, Director of Homebuilder Finance at Sound Capital, has been on both sides of that conversation thousands of times, and he's got some real talk for builders ready to scale up. Michael Krisa sits down with Brian to tackle a question that keeps a lot of builders up at night: what separates those who successfully jump from 10 houses to 50 houses from those who flame out trying? Turns out, it's not about having the best crew or knowing the slickest...
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From One Man Show to 800 Doors a Year: Learning to Let Go | Adrian C. Avila
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Picture this: an eight-year-old kid on construction sites, already reading blueprints like other kids read comic books. That's how Adrian C. Avila's story begins, learning from his uncle who took him everywhere and taught him the fundamentals that would shape his entire career. Fast forward to today, and Adrian runs AVICA Construction and Development, averaging over 800 doors a year across residential, commercial, and industrial projects. But the most compelling part of his journey happened when he was 29 and faced what he calls a "death experience" that forced him to completely rethink how he...
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What Builders Get Wrong about Marketing with Kelly Bosetti Primeau
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Michael Krisa welcomes Kelly Bosetti Primeau, an award-winning marketing strategist who has spent 28 years helping builders and developers scale their businesses. This episode quickly evolved into a masterclass on residential marketing strategy. Kelly reveals that many builders essentially forgot how to market during the COVID boom years. Now that the market has normalized, builders are scrambling to relearn fundamental marketing skills they neglected during the easy times. One of Kelly's core principles involves comprehensive research before launching any campaigns. She shares compelling...
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Third-Generation Builder, First-Time Entrepreneur: How Cammie Hancock Beckert Carved Her Own Path
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Sometimes the best builders are the ones who never planned to build. And Cammie Hancock Beckert proves that taking the long way around can lead to exactly where you're supposed to be. As the founder of Cameron Custom Homes & Renovations and a third-generation member of the Camelot Homes family, Cammie spent years avoiding the family business only to discover it was her calling all along. On this episode of Builder Straight Talk, Cammie breaks down how she went from market research and land brokerage to leading a custom division that's redefining luxury building in Arizona. "I had to prove...
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Chaos to Systems: Why Professional Builders Need Coaching, with Cole Tilbury
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Building houses? You've got that covered. But building a business that doesn't rely on you working 80-hour weeks while making $25 an hour? That's where most builders hit the wall. Cole Tilbury, performance coach with The Professional Builder, is helping construction pros break free from the chaos cycle and build businesses that actually work for them instead of against them. With nearly two years coaching builders across North America, Cole has seen the same pattern over and over: skilled craftsmen trapped in their own success, spinning plates instead of scaling profits. On this episode of...
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Laborers to Leaders with Sergio Barajas
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
In this episode of Builder Straight Talk, Michael Krisa invited Sergio Barajas to explore the construction industry's critical labor shortage and how the NHCA is addressing it through education, networking, and business development. Sergio shares how the alliance grew from zero to 2,500 members across eight markets in just 14 months, with plans to reach 5,000 members in 15 markets by year-end. The conversation covers the stigmatization of blue-collar work over the past 20 years and how removing shop classes from schools disconnected young people from building trades. With only 1.3-1.4 people...
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Building Legacy: Patrick Lawler on Second-Generation Leadership in Construction
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
In this episode of Builder Straight Talk, host Michael Krisa welcomes Patrick Lawler, Vice President of Lawler Construction, Inc., to discuss his journey from professional baseball player to construction industry leader. As the son of company founder Jim Lawler (), Patrick shares insights on family business dynamics, faith-based leadership, and the evolving challenges facing the construction industry. What we discussed with Patrick: From Sports to Construction Patrick's unexpected path from minor league baseball to the family construction business during the 2008 recession. Working on...
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Building More than Houses with Tanya Cromwell of Caddis Builders
Builder Straight Talk Podcast
Michael Krisa sits down with Tanya Cromwell, one of the founding and managing owners of Caddis Builders in Eastern Idaho, to explore the practical side of running a successful construction company in today's competitive market. Tanya's journey began in 1995 when she couldn't find a house design she liked and decided to teach herself AutoCAD and build her own home. Three decades later, she's built an impressive dual career running both Idaho Home Design, which designs 125 homes a year and creates renderings for Parade of Homes magazine, and Caddis Builders, which handles everything from...
info_outlineHealthy home construction is more than just a buzzword—it’s fast becoming the next frontier for serious builders, and Lauren Riddei is right in the middle of the shift.
Lauren Riddei is a strategic advisor and consultant specializing in building health, indoor air quality, and the use of non-toxic materials. Her background spans brand strategy, marketing, and now an intense focus on how homes affect the health of the people living in them.
In this episode of Builder Straight Talk, Lauren breaks down why healthy home construction isn't just for luxury clients anymore—it’s something buyers are starting to demand across all market levels. From indoor air quality and moisture control to material selection and smart ventilation, Lauren lays out how even small decisions during construction can have huge impacts on long-term occupant health.
“The way we’ve been building for speed and cost efficiency has introduced real health problems—especially in energy-tight homes.”
Lauren shares how the industry’s push for energy efficiency created a second problem: homes that don't breathe properly. Without better ventilation, filtration, and smarter material choices, today's "tight" homes can trap pollutants inside, leading to serious health consequences over time.
She’s clear about this: healthy home construction isn’t just about switching to non-toxic paint or eco-friendly insulation. It's a full systems approach that builders need to understand if they want to future-proof their projects—and protect their reputations as client expectations rise.
Lauren also highlights simple, practical ways builders can start improving their builds today:
- Choosing low-VOC and formaldehyde-free materials
- Implementing balanced ventilation systems
- Designing for proper moisture management from slab to roof
- Educating clients early to set realistic expectations about upgrades and options
“You don’t have to flip your entire process overnight. Start small. But start thinking differently.”
One powerful insight Lauren shares is how the pandemic shifted consumer awareness. People are now more concerned than ever about the air they breathe indoors—and that awareness is bleeding into how buyers shop for homes, especially in competitive markets.
Builders who lean into healthy home construction now will be positioned as leaders, not laggards, when these demands become standard across the industry.
She also touches on the financial angle: properly executed healthy home features can actually increase property value, drive better appraisals, and offer a new angle for marketing homes in crowded markets.
“You can’t afford to ignore this. The clients are waking up. It’s not a niche anymore—it’s an expectation.”
If you’re a builder, developer, or tradesperson serious about staying ahead of market shifts, Lauren’s insights will show you how to integrate healthy building practices without blowing up your margins or operations.
Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen here or on your favorite podcast platform.
About Lauren Riddei
Lauren Riddei is a building health consultant and brand strategist dedicated to improving the construction industry's approach to occupant wellness. After years in corporate brand strategy, Lauren pivoted to focus on healthy home construction, indoor air quality, and building biology. She works with builders, developers, and architects to design homes that support better health, performance, and peace of mind.
To learn more about Lauren Riddei’s work and her upcoming resources for builders, visit HAUSHolistics.com
About Michael Krisa
Michael Krisa is the host of Builder Straight Talk, where builders, developers, and tradespeople come for real-world strategies on scaling businesses, funding smarter, and building legacies. With over 20 years of experience in real estate investing, digital marketing, and brand strategy, Michael delivers straight-talking insights that help construction entrepreneurs grow without the corporate noise or fluff.