Ashley Brundage says Dallas doesn't have a housing shortage so much as a resolve shortage, and she's done waiting on somebody else to fix it. As President and CEO of Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, she's spent two years rebuilding a program that had quietly shrunk to 15 homes a year, with a plan to get it back above 25. In this episode, Chris sits down with Ashley Brundage, President and CEO at Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, to talk about what it actually takes to build, and finance, affordable housing in a city that keeps getting more expensive. Habitat's homeowners aren't given a house, they're buying one, with a real mortgage, alongside the neighbors who help build it. The next phase of growth isn't more volunteers on more lots, it's partnerships with private developers who can do what Habitat can't: assemble land, run utilities, and build density. And Dallas' oldest freedmen's town, Joppa, is getting a 40th anniversary spotlight this October with Rock the Block, a week of public volunteer projects capped by a neighborhood block party. Full episode: https://arringtonroofing.com/buildingdallas/ashley-brundage-dallas-area-habitat-for-humanity TOPICS COVERED: Habitat's volunteer construction model, from wall shop to move-in day Becoming a core volunteer and a house leader through Habitat University Corporate sponsorships versus public volunteer opportunities The Habitat ReStores, and how they help fund the mission Zero percent, zero down payment mortgages and who qualifies New developments in Duncanville, South Dallas' Mill City, and Joppa Rock the Block, Habitat's 40th anniversary celebration this October CONNECT WITH ASHLEY BRUNDAGE: Website: dallasareahabitat.org LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashleybrundage ABOUT BUILDING DALLAS:  Building Dallas is a podcast about the people making our city a better place to build, belong, and become - produced by Arrington Media and sponsored by Arrington Roofing.

He started his construction company in 2010, in the teeth of the worst housing downturn in a generation - and today he still walks every job site himself to pick up nails. In this episode, Reese sits down with Billy Rousseau, Founder of RJA Construction, LLC, a Dallas-based custom home and renovation firm now celebrating 15 years in business and a two-time Remodeler of the Year and McSAM Award winner. Billy traces his path from a Texas Tech business degree he didn't know what to do with, to framing homes as a laborer in the mountains of New Mexico, to building RJA into an award-winning firm that partners with the city's top architects and design groups. Reese and Billy get into when saving a historic Dallas home beats tearing it down, how RJA sources and matches salvaged brick for century-old facades, why cost-plus contracts and contingency budgeting protect clients from surprises, and why Texas' lack of contractor licensing worries him after going through New Mexico's process himself. They also cover the case for trade schools over a four-year degree, the skilled-labor shortage the industry has faced since the 2008 recession, and how faith and servant leadership shape the way Billy runs his company. Full episode + show notes: arringtonroofing.com/buildingdallas TOPICS COVERED: * Starting RJA Construction in 2010, in the middle of the financial crisis * From a Texas Tech business degree to framing homes in New Mexico * Why the construction industry lost a generation of skilled trade talent * The case for trade schools over a four-year degree * Renovate vs. rebuild: when saving a historic Dallas home beats tearing it down * Sourcing and matching salvaged brick for historic renovations * Cost-plus contracts and building in contingency for budget surprises * Why Texas has no contractor licensing, and what that costs homeowners * The Disney Streets whole-home transformation and winning Remodeler of the Year * Faith, servant leadership, and picking up nails on every job site CONNECT WITH BILLY ROUSSEAU: Website: rjadallas.com Instagram: @rjaconstructiondallas Facebook: RJA Construction, LLC LinkedIn: RJA Construction, LLC ABOUT BUILDING DALLAS: Building Dallas is a podcast about the people making our city a better place to build, belong, and become. Produced by Arrington Media  Hosted by Arrington Roofing 

He drove himself to the hospital and died on the table, and it still was not the moment that changed his life. Today, Jason Nemes runs one of the fastest-growing roofing companies in Texas, and he is convinced the same discipline that finally got him sober is exactly what wins in business. In this episode, Reese sits down with Jason Nemes, Founder & CEO of Summit Solutions Roofing and Construction — a two-time heart attack survivor, bestselling author, and TEDx speaker known online as The Tatted Prez. Summit is not yet two years old and already expanding into six states, and Reese and Jason talk about company culture, warranties that actually mean something, and what two decades in network marketing taught him about building a team. Jason opens up about the night in Costa Rica that got him sober for good, the brother he lost to a heroin overdose, and why he thinks a college degree would not have taught him a single thing his own hustle didn't already cover. He and Reese also compare notes on pricing against fly-by-night roofing competitors, why AI is not about to replace a roofer anytime soon, and why he believes there is no such thing as work-life balance in entrepreneurship. Full episode + show notes: [arringtonroofing.com/buildingdallas](https://arringtonroofing.com/buildingdallas/jason-nemes-summit-solutions-roofing-and-construction?utm_source=transistor&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-nemes-summit-solutions-roofing-and-construction&utm_content=show_notes) TOPICS COVERED: * Founding Summit Solutions Roofing and Construction from nothing * Surviving two heart attacks and finding sobriety * Losing his brother to a heroin overdose * Building company culture and hiring the right people * Online reviews, reputation, and the cost of one bad hire * Non-prorated warranties and F-Wave synthetic shingles explained * Pricing against fly-by-night roofing competitors * AI, robots, and the future of the roofing trade * Why there is no such thing as work-life balance in entrepreneurship * Faith, money, and what real success requires CONNECT WITH JASON NEMES: Website: roofsbysummit.com Instagram & TikTok: @TattedPrez (The Tatted Prez) Facebook: Jason Nemes / Summit Solutions Roofing and Construction ABOUT BUILDING DALLAS: Building Dallas is a podcast about the people making our city a better place to build, belong, and become. Produced by Arrington Media Hosted by Arrington Roofing 

He hunted submarines from the sky, helped build self-driving cars at General Motors, and scaled a fintech startup to a 125 million dollar valuation. Today, Robert Reagan pulls water well pumps out of the North Texas ground, and he is convinced the same handful of principles win in every one of those worlds. In this episode, Reese sits down with Robert Reagan, CEO of Flowcore Water, a water well and plumbing company serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, to talk about discipline, faith, and what actually builds a business that lasts. Robert opens up about running mission crews on submarine-hunting aircraft off the coast of Libya during the fall of Gaddafi, engineering test vehicles for GM's autonomous vehicle program in the wake of the DARPA challenge, and coming on as employee number three at a Y Combinator-backed mortgage startup that grew from three guys on laptops to a 125 million dollar valuation. He shares why he hires for coachability instead of a perfect resume, how he builds his own talent when the skill does not exist to hire, why he refuses to compete on price, how he uses AI to train technicians and analyze every customer call, and how faith and excellence sit at the same table in the trades. TOPICS COVERED: Hunting submarines and flying missions off the coast of Libya The DARPA challenge and how self-driving cars were born Coming out of the Navy and into General Motors and Columbia Business School Scaling a fintech mortgage startup to a 125 million dollar valuation Why you hire for coachability and humility, not a perfect resume Making your own talent when you cannot hire the skill Faith, excellence, and glorifying God through your work Escaping the commodity trap and never selling on price Using AI to train your team and analyze every customer call What is next for Flowcore Water across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex CONNECT WITH ROBERT REAGAN: Website: www.flowcorewater.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-reagan-/ Serving the entire DFW Metroplex from between Keller and Haslet, north of Fort Worth ABOUT BUILDING DALLAS: Building Dallas is a podcast about the people making our city a better place to build, belong, and become. Produced by Arrington Media. Hosted by Arrington Roofing.

He was broke, drunk, and driving Chicago land deals with a truck and a dream. Forty years later, Bill Cawley has built one of Dallas's most prolific commercial real estate firms - and he's convinced the deals were never the point. In this episode, Reese sits down with Bill Cawley, Chairman and CEO of Cawley Partners, to talk about faith, addiction, and building a real estate empire from nothing. Bill opens up about getting sober, the motorcycle accident that led him to Christ, and the 90-day handshake deal that launched his development career with zero dollars down. He also shares how he survived the 2008 financial crisis, why he only invests in what he understands, and what it actually looks like to make amends with the people you've hurt. TOPICS COVERED: Longevity, wellness real estate, and separating real health advice from BS Getting sober and rebuilding a life from the ground up The Dallas Stars, the Mavericks, and the Luka Dončić trade Finding faith and sharing it with family Breaking into commercial real estate with no capital Surviving the 2008 financial crisis Delegation, "unique ability," and building a business around your strengths What's next for Cawley Partners - Uptown, the Tollway, and Plano CONNECT WITH BILL CAWLEY:  Website: www.cawleypartners.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/cawley-partners Also hear Bill as host of TREC's Legends of Commercial Real Estate podcast ABOUT BUILDING DALLAS: Building Dallas is a podcast about the people making our city a better place to build, belong, and become.  Produced by Arrington Media. Hosted by Arrington Roofing.