Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey team, welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! In this episode, I chat with the high-energy and insight-packed Kurt Hegetschweiler, founder of Builders Coach and author of 'The Builders Business Coach'. Kurt’s worked with heaps of small to mid-sized builders across Australia, helping them build better, smarter and more profitable businesses. We unpack what sets high-performing businesses apart, from leadership and culture...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! G’day legends! On this episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I sat down with Anthony and Paul Mancini, the powerhouse brothers behind Mancini Made, one of Melbourne’s leading luxury residential builders. From stunning multimillion-dollar homes to their integrated ventures Framed and Home, these blokes have built more than just houses, they’ve built a brand. We unpack their journey from family roots in construction to delivering...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! G’day legends! On this episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I sat down with Richard Austin, CEO of Omnii, one of Australia’s leading fire engineering and services consultancies. But this chat isn’t really about fire… it’s about people. Richard’s leadership journey spans travel, insurance, finance, and now construction, and here’s the kicker: he’s not a technical expert in any of those fields. Instead, he brings a razor-sharp, ...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! G’day legends! In this episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I’m joined by Tony Phillips, Executive GM at AltForm, a bloke with deep industry roots and big ideas on doing things better. We unpack Tony’s journey from steel sheds in rural Vic to product innovation at AltForm, plus how they’re tackling speed, safety and sustainability on-site. We also get into culture, leadership, and shaking up a pretty traditional industry. If y...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey Legends, welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! We’re handing the mic to the next generation in this episode, three sharp construction management students from RMIT: Lewis King, Abhishek Mithbavkar, and Sam Mandaliti. We dive into what it's really like preparing to enter the construction industry today. From navigating uni and cadetships to figuring out career paths, leadership expectations and workplace culture...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! In this episode, I chat with Martin Deil, CEO of ClearVue Technologies and a global façade veteran with 30+ years’ experience. From leading PERMASTEELISA to now driving solar glass innovation at ClearVue, Martin shares how façades are transforming into clean energy assets. Imagine a skyscraper wrapped in glass that powers itself completely. That’s not a pipe dream. ClearV...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! We’re shifting gears from design and delivery into the world of property investment. I had a great chat with Liam Carmody, General Manager at Palise Property, about how everyday Aussies can get started in building a property portfolio, even without loads of cash or experience. Liam’s career began in civil engineering before he moved into property development and investme...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! In this episode, we’re stepping into a part of the design world that often flies under the radar, but impacts all of us daily, landscape architecture. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Debbie Laporte, Director at Orterra, a Brisbane-based design practice making serious waves in shaping the way we move through, experience, and connect with public space. While we’ve...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! We're diving into one of the industry's hottest topics—Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)—with Scott Hearne, Director of Integration & Innovation at Sensum. Scott breaks down what MMC actually means, why it's growing fast, and how it can help solve Australia’s housing crisis, improve efficiency, and drive long-term industry innovation. From timber framing to 3D p...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to another episode of The Building Talks Podcast! Ever feel like the construction industry’s in a bit of strife? Well, you’re not alone - and neither is John Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association (ACA). I finally caught up with John to talk about the big stuff; industry reform, procurement chaos, cultural burnout, and what we can actually do to sort it out. We had a cracking chat abou...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to another episode of The Building Talks Podcast! This week, I had a brilliant chat with Dr Gretchen Gagel, a global construction leader with 40 years of experience across the US, Australia, and beyond. She’s the founder of Women Thriving in Construction and a key voice in driving cultural change in the industry. With her new book, Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! This week, I had a great yarn with Nauman Akhtar, one of Melbourne’s go-to guys in the world of building services. He’s worked with some big names—D&E Air Conditioning, Multiplex, and Kapitol Group—and now he’s running the show at his own outfit, INSITE Advisory Group. We got stuck into what building services are all about—the gear and systems behind the scenes ...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to another episode of The Building Talks Podcast! This week, I’m catching up with Damien Quinn, a bloke who’s made the bold move from construction project management to tech entrepreneur. Starting out as a cadet while studying, he climbed the ranks at Multiplex, then took the leap into software, start-ups, and securing capital to grow—and he’s got some cracking insights to share! We chat about the shift fro...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into a fascinating and thought-provoking topic—Post Carbon Inclusion. Our guests for this episode are Ralph Horne and Louise Dorignon from RMIT University in Melbourne. Ralph is the Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor at the College of Design and Social Context, while Louise serves as the Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Together...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to the first episode of Season 4 of The Building Talks Podcast! This week, I’m chatting with Mick Hawes, a high-performance business coach specialising in the construction industry. As a bestselling author and former elite sports coach with Tennis Australia, Mick brings a unique perspective on achieving success in both business and life. We dive into practical strategies for boosting productivity, profitabi...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to the final episode of The Building Talks Podcast Season 3! I’m Martin Preece, and I’m thrilled to close this season with an inspiring conversation featuring George Abraham, Managing Director of Hickory —one of Australia’s most innovative construction companies. George shares his journey from starting without industry connections to becoming a leader in the construction space. We chat about his...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to this week’s episode of The Building Talks Podcast! I’m Martin Preece, and I’m chatting with Rory Hunter, founder and CEO of Model, a pioneering build-to-rent development and investment group. Rory’s journey into property development is incredible—starting in 2005 when he bought an island in Cambodia, transformed it into a world-renowned holiday resort, and later returned to Australia to establish Model, ...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! I’m Martin Preece, and in this episode, I’m diving into Australia’s housing crisis with the insightful and passionate Rob Pradolin. Rob’s a seasoned pro in property development, having spent years with big names like Australand (now Frasers) and leading his own projects since he was 23. He's not only got the know-how but a deep drive to tackle the housing crisis head-on. ...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey, Legends! Welcome to another exciting episode of The Building Talks Podcast with me, Martin Preece! This week, I had an awesome chat with Tom Macrokanis, founder and director of Macro3D and Macrofab, a fabrication and engineering firm in Victoria. We dive into Tom’s work at Macro 3D, where he's shaking up the construction world with 3D concrete printing solutions. What's really cool about Tom? He’s not your typical construc...
Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text! Hey Legends! In this week's episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Nick Travers, the owner and director of Techne Architects. Nick’s firm has made a big name for itself here in Melbourne, designing some of the city’s most iconic hospitality venues. From trendy cafés to buzzing pubs and restaurants, Techni Architects is all about creating spaces that Melburnians love to hang out in...