The Builder Nation Podcast

The Builder Nation Podcast — hosted by real estate developer and entrepreneur Brian Koons (a.k.a. The Builder Brian) — dives deep into how high-performing entrepreneurs, investors, and creators use leverage to build wealth, health, freedom, and legacy.Each episode breaks down the real playbooks behind millionaire entrepreneurs and developers who do more with the same 24 hours — no silver spoons, no shortcuts.Expect raw conversations about business, systems, fitness, family, mindset, and building a life that actually cash flows — in every sense of the word.New episodes weekly. Built for the ones who want more out of life… and are willing to build it.

The Builder Nation Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Brian Koons, with 33 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Brian Koons hosts The Builder Nation Podcast, a business show with 33 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #6

  From VA Loan House Hacking to 1,100 Units w/Morgan Hampel | TBN 035

  Sep 24, 202638 minS2

  At 22, Morgan Hampel walked away from his own startup's payout so his co-founders could survive without him. By the day he left active duty in the Navy, he had built a portfolio of 1,100 apartment units while still wearing the uniform. In this episode of The Builder Nation Podcast, Brian sits down with Morgan, co-founder of Hammer and Hampel and VP of Capital Formation at Comfort Capital, to break down exactly how he went from house hacking in Charleston to raising $32.5 million for a single mobile home park deal. The first apartment offer he and his partner ever submitted got accepted, and they had to raise $1 million having never raised a dollar before. They closed on day 88 of a 90 day escrow. If you're a high earner, a veteran, or anyone who's been "getting ready" to invest for years, this conversation is the push you've been waiting for. Morgan and Brian get real about why most partnerships blow up (and the one conversation that prevents it), why the fear of a bad decision keeps more people broke than any bad deal ever will, and why relationship capital compounds faster than money. What you'll learn: How Morgan cash flowed $400 a month while living for free on his first VA loan property The "joint custody" framework for structuring business partnerships before they go sideways How they went from 0 to 174 units in six months with no track record Why San Diego real estate is an equity and tax play, not a cash flow play The Outliers framework that finally convinced him to leave the Navy Why mobile home parks might be one of the most overlooked asset classes right now Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Get in touch: https://form.typeform.com/to/N94A3a27 Follow Morgan Hampel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-hampel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganhampel/?hl=en Morgan's fund: https://www.instagram.com/hammerandhampel/?hl=en Follow The Builder Brian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

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  Episode #4

  How To Not Be An A**hole Developer w/David Namazy | TBN 034

  Sep 9, 202641 minS2

  Most real estate investors think adding density is an automatic ticket to wealth, but the modern ADU gold rush is quietly wrecking portfolios across the country. While the hype promises easy cash flow and fast scaling, the reality on the ground involves bitter neighborhood wars, crushing management overhead, and unexpected legal battles that catch high-income earners completely off guard. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the hidden pitfalls of property development and break down what it actually takes to build a sustainable, long-term portfolio without sacrificing your sanity. We also discuss: The Density Trap: Discover why chasing high-density studio units might look incredible on a spreadsheet, but ultimately ruins your long-term peace of mind with crushing vacancy rates and constant management headaches. The Designer Blindspot: Find out why hiring a standard architect who only cares about making things pretty - and doesn't understand your performance or tenant rentability - is secretly sabotaging your cash flow. The "Spirit and Intent" Rule: Learn how ignoring municipal regulations and cramming properties into spaces neighbors genuinely hate will land you in expensive legal trouble and neighborhood lawsuits. Building for Retirement, Not a New Job : Hear how to shift your mindset from mindless expansion to creating a lifestyle portfolio that actually lets you enjoy life rather than trading one exhausting career for another. If you are tired of following generic real estate advice that leads straight to stress, this conversation will completely change how you look at property development, mentorship, and building true wealth. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Get in touch: ⁠https://form.typeform.com/to/N94A3a27⁠ Follow David Namazy Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/davidnamazy/?hl=en⁠ Email him: ⁠ david@catalystcoastalcapital.com ⁠ Follow The Builder Brian: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian⁠

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  Episode #4

  What Goes On Inside Big Pharma w/Max Sandquist | TBN 033

  Aug 26, 202643 minS2

  Max Sandquist was in his early thirties when a doctor told him he had Crohn's disease, handed him a prescription he would take every morning for the rest of his life, and said there was nothing he could do about it through diet or lifestyle. He decided not to accept that. Six years later he is off the medication, running a fitness and nutrition coaching business, and working with couples going through fertility treatment on the parts of the process their clinics rarely address. In this episode Max and Brian get into why the easy button never works, what he learned about prescribing behavior from inside the pharmaceutical industry, and the two questions he asks every potential client before he will coach them. The conversation moves from health into identity, purpose, and what it costs to choose the uncomfortable option on purpose, including the string of signs that convinced Max and his wife to leave San Diego for North Carolina. They also cover the difference between a strong why and a weak one, why most people quit the moment something becomes inconvenient, and how one man getting his health in order can change an entire family.If you have built the career and the bank account but you are not sure your body is going to let you enjoy any of it, this one is for you. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Get in touch: https://form.typeform.com/to/N94A3a27 Follow Max Sandquist: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max_sandquist/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maxssandquist/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellsandquist Follow The Builder Brian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

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  Episode #2

  The Digital Nomad Millionaire w/Sumner Healey | TBN 032

  Aug 13, 202651 minS2

  Sumner Healey left San Diego for Bali in 2024 and kept running four real estate businesses from 15 hours ahead. In this episode he breaks down how he built a land flipping operation that could survive the move, why he thinks land is the most overlooked asset class in real estate, and what America gets wrong about community that Bali gets right. We get into the hiring mistakes that cost him years, why every person on his team now has a profit share, and the three-year sprint he believes almost anyone can run to buy back their freedom. He also shares the identity work he did before any of the habits stuck, and why he treats his personal life with the same intensity he brings to his companies. Sumner started the land business in 2019 with $7,000 after finding tax delinquent lists online and mailing handwritten letters. Today his team buys rural land at 30 to 60 cents on the dollar in high demand markets and resells in about three weeks, and he has built a coaching community, a software company, and a call center around it. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Get in touch: https://form.typeform.com/to/N94A3a27 Follow Sumner Healey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sumnerhealey/?hl=en Youtube: ​​ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd6Lb4HYOzQj8LMMlyZsmA LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sumner-healey-ba002b318 Follow The Builder Brian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

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  Episode #2

  The Capital Raiser & Yacht Captain w/Scott Kidd | TBN 031

  Jul 15, 202639 minS2

  What does a 25-year yacht captain know about building wealth that most real estate investors don’t? Turns out, a lot. In this episode of The Builder Nation Podcast , Brian sits down with Scott Kidd - yacht captain, capital raiser, and podcast host - who’s spent his career in the rooms of billionaires and the ultra-wealthy. From getting laid off in the dot-com bust and landing in Fort Lauderdale with twenty bucks in his pocket, to putting together capital stacks on major development deals, Scott’s path is anything but conventional. We get into the surprising skills that carry over from running a yacht to closing real estate deals, what genuinely wealthy people have in common (it’s not what the internet tells you), and the one thing money can never buy no matter how much of it you have. Scott also drops some hard-won wisdom on partnerships, why the way someone handles a bad deal tells you everything, and the kind of assets that actually build lasting wealth. If you’re building a business, raising capital, or just trying to figure out what “success” is really supposed to feel like, this one’s worth your time. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form Follow Scott Kidd; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yachtierealestateinvestor His Podcast: https://investwithscottkidd.com/yachtie-podcasts YouTube: https://youtube.com/@scottkidd1969 Follow The Builder Brian: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

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