Women at WIRC

Women at WIRC

A podcast for and about women in residential construction (WIRC), remodeling and design, brought to you by Custom Builder, Pro Remodeler and Pro Builder magazines. Join the conversation, and meet up at our next WIRC Conference.

Episodes

November 4, 2025 30 mins

In this episode, Pauline Hammerbeck of Custom Builder talks with Melissa Kennedy, president of Meadowlark Design Build in Southeast Michigan, about the evolution of project management in custom homebuilding. They discuss the rise of the “construction concierge” model, how client expectations have changed post-COVID, and strategies for delivering high-touch service without burning out your team. Melissa shares practical insights on ...

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The 2025 Women in Residential Construction Conference wrapped on Sept. 26, but the work is not over. On the final day of the conference, attendees heard from Camille Jenkins, who provides coaching and consulting services through her business, Camille's Keys. 

Having attended WIRC over the past several years, Jenkins shares with audience members the importance of keeping conversations going and continuing to be inspired by other wom...

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In this episode of Women at WIRC, we sit down with Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki of tst ink and Nancy Keenen, CEO of Dahlin Architecture, Planning, and Interiors, to unpack the just-released findings from the America at Home Study.

The data shows what many in housing are missing: the pandemic permanently reshaped how people want to live. Affordability pressures, new household formations, and the rising demand for wellness-focused environment...

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Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing at home remodeling and design platform Houzz, knows her way around the client. From understanding client expectations to helping housing industry professionals navigate ever-changing AI tools, Hausman has experience with it all.

In this episode of Women at WIRC, we talk with Hausman about her role at Houzz and how home builders can stay up to date on the latest marketing tools—and...

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Kat Klingenberg, founder of passive building non-profit Phius, discusses the explosive growth in passive building interest. From building the first certified passive house in Champaign, Illinois, to working on 53-story towers in Brooklyn, she explains how the movement has evolved beyond energy efficiency. Secondary benefits like air quality and grid-resilience are now the primary selling points, "energy savings is just gravy," she ...

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Mary Peters, owner of Sasquatch Contracting in Boise, Idaho, discusses a new division of her business: Yeti Services, launched this year to deliver small home improvement and home maintenance work. Her diligence in verifying the market need, building a dedicated team, and effectively cross-marketing the two businesses offers a roadmap for others looking to diversify, find new sources of revenue, and address underserved needs in the...

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Cammie Beckert, managing director and co-owner of Cameron Custom in Scottsdale, Arizona, shares her experience of transitioning from a highly successful, family-owned luxury production builder to leading the start-up (and suffering the growing pains) of a new division with a very different business model.

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In this episode of Women at WIRC, Candice Rania, president of LEFF Design Build, discusses the transition of the company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) from a sole ownership model. With LEFF two years into this change, Candice shares insights into the cultural transformation, operational logistics, and goals for the company's future. She also delves into her personal journey from studying interior design to leading a ...
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In this episode of Women at WIRC, Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Alaina Money-Garman, CEO and co-founder of Garman Homes (garmanhomes.com), who was honored as Woman of the Year at the WIR+CC Conference (womensconstructionconference.com). Alaina believes that accepting projects that don't monetarily move the company forward pays dividends by moving the industry forward. Garman Homes does this through its Operation Coming Home...
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In this episode of Women at WIRC, Custom Builder Online Editor Caroline Broderick interviews Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs, about the emerging field of neuroaesthetics. Ginger shares her personal journey through significant life challenges, including her daughter's leukemia and her own battle with breast cancer. She discusses how these experiences influenced her instinct to create beauty and embrace the rol...
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In this episode of Women at WIRC, Bree Jones, founder and CEO of Parity Homes, shares her transformative journey from Wall Street to affordable housing development. Driven by incidents of racial injustice and gentrification in her Bronx neighborhood, Bree purchased and renovated an abandoned building in the Bronx, providing a deeply affordable home for three families. She had found her calling, created Parity Homes, and moved her...
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LEFF Design Build Director of Operations Morgan Thomas is tired of ineffective, boring meetings. At LEFF, Thomas has learned—and taught—how to maximize everyone's time through engaging, productive meetings. After all, design-build remodeling thrives on communication, so you better do it correctly. On this episode, Thomas shares her background in construction while providing the best practices for effective meetings. This includes ...
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Stephanie Dailey of Steven Dailey Construction has more than 110,000 followers @stephaniebuildsit on Instagram—and most of that happened within the past year. On this bonus track for Women at WIRC, Dailey shares her Instagram growth story and actionable tips for contractors looking to up their social media game. 00:00 Opening Question on Social Media Presence 00:28 The Journey of Instagram Growth 01:47 The Power of Authenticity ...
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Every business needs a story. Steven Dailey Construction's story is its people, its reputation, and its community. On this episode of Women at WIRC, Vice President Stephanie Dailey shares how the contractor shares its story to gain clients through its website, community involvement, social media, and more. "We don't do any marketing. The most marketing that you'll see come out of us is my Instagram," says Dailey. "And even at th...
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On this episode of Women at WIRC, Bridget Bacon, development manager at Red House Design Build (https://redhousecustombuilding.com/), discusses the journey she underwent to systematize the pre-construction process at the Rhode Island-based remodeling company. Bacon identified issues all contractors have faced: slippage, a delayed design process, and low pre-construction team morale. On this episode, Bacon outlines each step she to...
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Laura Burnes is the director of project planning and design at Adams + Beasley Associates in Carlisle, Mass. On this episode, Laura delves into her approach to leadership and project management, which relies on an emphasis of effective communication, in addition to sharing insights into the company's winning culture. Laura shares insights into conflict resolution, communication styles, and the company's commitment to diversity, hig...
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Remodeling goes through ups and downs, depending on the economy. It’s inevitable. But not everyone can withstand those ups and downs. But Medford Remodeling can, as long as they follow their plans. The company uses its airtight systems, detailed analytic tracking, and thorough scale up and scale down plans to prep for contraction and expansion. On this episode of Women at WIRC, CEO Kourtney Davis tells us all the details, plus ho...
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On this episode of Women at WIRC, Alison McLennan joins us to talk about making the decision to strategically grow a remodeling business. Though McLennan co-founded the business, McLennan Contracting (https://www.mclennancontracting.com/), with her husband, she remained in a supporting role for the first 15 years of operation. But five years ago, when the two decided it was time to either shut the doors or grow strategically, Alis...
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Dolores Davis of CG&S Design-Build (https://www.cgsdb.com/) joins us on this episode of Women at WIRC. Dolores chats about her approach to transitioning out of the business through developing leadership teams. We talk about the best ways to get buy in from employees, why this approach works for her company, and what her role looks like as she transitions. Stay updated on all things women in construction: www.proremodeler.com...
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Jessica Cargile is the Co-Owner & CFO of North Ridge Contracting Inc, a Custom Home Design/Build firm operating out of North Idaho, which she and her husband Dale own and operate together. That dynamic requires an ongoing effort to strike a healthy work/life balance, especially when running a business in challenging times. Learn more: North Ridge Contracting: https://www.homesbynorthridge.com/ Pro Builder: https://www.probu...
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