The Building Texas Show
by Justin McKenzie
Latest episode
Why Every City Sounds the Same — And How to Stand Out | Brandon Fears
Why Every City Sounds the Same — And How to Stand Out | Brandon Fears
About this podcast
The Building Texas Show with host, Justin McKenzie, where he talks about the balance of business and governance and growth across Texas. We interview the local leaders affecting the issues, business owners creating momentum and founders who are working to change the world, and inspire you to uncover the power you have to forge the future.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 197 episodes
- Why Every City Sounds the Same — And How to Stand Out | Brandon Fears · 20 minHow can a city, or a business, stand out when every pitch starts to sound the same? In this Season 4 premiere, episode 200 of The Building Texas Show, Justin McKenzie talks with…
- Is This Texas Town Quietly Winning the Manufacturing Race? · 17 minHow does Lockhart turn manufacturing growth into opportunity for local businesses and workers? Justin McKenzie visits Lockhart, Texas, to talk with Holly Malish, Director of…
- Why Your Texas Town Wants Tourists, Not New Residents | Destinations Texas CEO · 19 minWhen visitors come to your town, they don't add a burden to your schools, police or fire departments. They come in, spend money and leave. So who pays to bring them here? Not…
- Is This the Best Paid Job Training in Texas Right Now? · 13 minLuling is known for the Watermelon Thump and Buc-ee's. Now X-Bow Systems is making it the primary site for its solid rocket manufacturing. Ari Arias, Executive Director of the…
- This Austin Suburb Was a Ghost Town. Now It's Packed Every Weekend · 16 min"Downtown Buda was a Ghost Town. After about six o'clock there was nobody walking around." Today, Buda's Main Street buzzes every evening and all weekend. Justin McKenzie is…
- Texas THC Ban 2026: Hemp Rules, Medical Program & What's Next · 9 minTexas hemp shops got less than 30 days to comply with new THC rules, and retail registration fees jumped from $150 to $5,000 per location. Sarah Todd, Director of the Texas…
- Rural Texas Has a Healthcare Crisis — This Nonprofit Is Fixing It | Allison Leftwich · 11 minRural Texas has a healthcare crisis — and this nonprofit is fixing it. Allison Leftwich, Chief Strategy Officer of Frontera Healthcare Network, explains how a 501(c)(3) community…
- The Hidden Giant: Why San Antonio Is The Best Kept Secret · 19 minSan Antonio already has the pieces international companies say they want: cybersecurity talent, a growing bioscience corridor, defense and advanced manufacturing, and a city…
- Why Your Money Might Be Leaving Texas (And Where It Goes) · 17 minBig bank deposits leave Texas for New York. In Fredericksburg, community banks put that capital back into the Hill Country. John Wells, Market President of Texas Regional Bank…
- New Texas State Park Near Boerne: Why It Isn't a Park | ABK · 20 minA new Texas outdoor site is about to open between Boerne and Bandera, and it is not a state park. Stephanie Kwiatkowski, superintendent of the Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State…
- Inside VentureFest: How CTEC Powers Hill Country Student Pitches · 21 minCTEC at VentureFest: $12K wins and a $100K student pitch. Central Texas Electric Co-op sponsors VentureFest and Incubator EDU in Fredericksburg. Tachi Hinojosa, CEO and…
- Houston Chamber Stopped Doing Parties. Here’s What They Do Instead | Reggie Gray · 21 minMost chambers of commerce drifted into parties, golf tournaments, and events. The Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce in Houston deliberately went the other way. Reggie Gray…
- Why One House Survives a Wildfire (And the Rest Don't) · 8 minAshe juniper, the "mountain cedar" covering the Hill Country, is native here. There just used to be a lot less of it. Grass fires swept through and killed the young trees…
- How Texas Youth Are Changing The Game at VentureFest · 11 minTexas kids are pitching on stage in Mason while a Hill Country co-op backs the schools and the tents behind them. Madysen McDonald of Hill Country Telephone Cooperative sits…
- Building Content for the Algorithm: Are You Doing It Wrong? · 23 minYour content has two audiences now: humans and machines. Mark Willaman of Newsworthy.ai breaks down why the press release is still the perfect document for AI search, SEO, and…
- The Power of Community: Sisterdale Fire Department · 8 minCelebrate 50 years of the Sisterdale Fire Department. See why the volunteer fire department model is far from dying out. Seventy percent of America's firefighters serve as…
- San Antonio Culture: Why It Matters More Than You Think · 22 minSan Antonio culture is not a side show. It is how the city keeps a downtown worth showing up for, a heritage you cannot outsource, and a free stage most cities only talk about…
- Your Volunteer Fire Department Needs You Right Now · 7 minRoughly 70% of America's firefighters are volunteers, and most of those departments can't find enough people to keep trucks staffed. Kendall County is one of them. Modern homes…
- $400 Electric Bill on 2,000 Sq Ft. He Said It's the Windows$400 to $500 electric on a rental under 2,000 square feet. New 3,200 square foot house in San Antonio: $150 to $200. He said it's the windows. Gabby and Jonathan own First…
- Why Pflugerville Texas Is Quietly Building Austin's Next Economy · 28 minPflugerville Texas went from a joke that you could not buy socks in city limits to advanced manufacturing, semiconductor, life sciences, dual-use defense, and aerospace. Jerry W…
