Columbus Brick by Brick

Welcome to Columbus Brick by Brick — the podcast where we dig into the stories, people, and projects that are actively shaping the city of Columbus, Ohio. Hosted by Jon Styer, broker and owner of Styer Real Estate Professionals, this weekly show offers a front-row seat to conversations with the local leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who are laying the foundation of our city's future — one brick at a time. If you live in Columbus, do business here, or just love seeing how great cities grow from the inside out, this podcast is for you. What to Expect: Every week, we bring you a new guest — from business owners revitalizing historic neighborhoods to investors, developers, and change-makers who are all adding their unique “brick” to the Columbus story. These are real conversations, not just surface-level sound bites. We talk about challenges, celebrate wins, and explore what’s next for the people and projects building up our community. If you're an entrepreneur, a creative, a resident who cares about the city, or someone looking for inspiration to get started on your own path — you’ll leave each episode with insights, connection, and a renewed sense of possibility. Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @ColumbusBrickbyBrick Visit our website at ColumbusBrickbyBrick.com Want to be a guest or recommend someone doing amazing work in Columbus? Reach out through the site or DM us on socials — we’d love to hear from you. Columbus Brick by Brick is more than just a podcast. It’s a celebration of community, creativity, and the ongoing construction of a city we’re proud to call home.

Columbus Brick by Brick is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 35 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Columbus Brick by Brick, a business show with 35 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 #35

  From Zero Closings to a Top-Producing Columbus Realtor

  Sep 23, 202652 min

  Nine months into his real estate license, Conner Kochansky had not closed a single deal. In this episode, Jon sits down with Conner Kochansky, Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Impact on The KR Group, to break down how he got through that first year and built a business he does not have to burn himself out running. ️ About Our Guest Conner Kochansky is a Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Impact on The KR Group in Columbus, Ohio. He got his license in 2022 looking for an education in sales, and spent his first nine months without a closing. He worked part time out of a bar and event space, building clients through the people he met there, before going full time in August 2024. Since then he has grown into a top producer, sold 33 homes last year, and is finishing his second book on self belief while building systems that let him step back from working every weekend. What We Cover in This Episode Why Conner got into real estate looking for an education in sales, not a love of houses The first nine months with zero closings, and the client who backed out mid-honeymoon Working a bar and an event space to stay in the game while building a client base The social media marketing side hustle that led him toward real estate in the first place A TikTok video that hit eight and a half million views right as he went full time Going from 33 homes and just under $9 million last year to a pace near $10 to 12 million this year The mountain-high, mountain-low first year of going full time Building leverage with a mentee agent and a buyer concierge instead of showing every house himself The team philosophy of selling the client on you, not just the house His first published book on serving tables, and the one on self belief he is finishing now What his ideal day looks like five years from now Key Takeaway "I know if I do the right stuff today, it's gonna translate four or five years down the line." Links & Resources Follow Conner Kochansky on Instagram: @connerkochansky Conner Kochansky on Facebook: facebook.com/conner.kochansky.1 Styer Hospitality Co, furnished short and mid-term rental management: StyerHospitalityCo.com Subscribe & Follow New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation with the people building Columbus. Website: ColumbusBrickbyBrick.com TikTok, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube: @ColumbusBrickbyBrick Know an agent grinding through their first year with nothing to show for it yet? Send them this one. Every Brick Has a Story. We're Here to Tell It. #ColumbusOhio #ColumbusRealEstate #RealEstateAgent #RemaxImpact #TheKRGroup #ColumbusBrickByBrick

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  Episode #34

  How Strategic Pre-Listing Updates Sell Columbus Homes Faster

  Aug 5, 202650 min

  Your kitchen is dated, your listing has been sitting for months, and the options seem to come down to a gut renovation or another price cut. What if there is a third one? In this episode, Jon sits down with Hailey Major, Owner of HOMEstretch: Columbus, to break down what actually drives ROI on pre-sale improvements and where sellers should put their money before they list. ️ About Our Guest Hailey Major is the Owner of HOMEstretch: Columbus, a home preparation company that gets houses cosmetically ready to list, covering everything between the listing agreement and staging. Born in Texas, she moved to Columbus in elementary school, went to Ohio State, left for a while, and could not shake the city. She spent the first 15 years of her career in sales, mostly tech, with the last decade or so in startups. A franchise broker introduced her to HOMEstretch, and she recognized the service she had needed when selling her own first home. What We Cover in This Episode Why HOMEstretch takes only work tied to a real estate transaction, even when friends ask Turning around Columbus listings that sat three and six months by putting part of a planned price cut into the house What makes an update strategic, and why a gorgeous basement in a disjointed house still costs money Where the biggest returns show up: painting, flooring, and kitchen updates The Grandview project where the asking price went up in the neighborhood of $50,000 to $75,000 after the work The two mistakes sellers make most: overspending in one room, and bold design choices right before listing Coaching sellers through the emotional handoff from family home to largest asset Pay at close financing and what it does to a seller's decision making Competing against new builds, and what millennial and Gen Z buyers expect from a resale Digital rendering tools that show sellers their own space updated before any work starts Mentorship, and the Columbus women in real estate who opened doors early Key Takeaway "Our goal is to neutralize the space and attract the largest buyer pool possible, so that you have the highest potential to sell your home quickly and for top dollar." Links & Resources HOMEstretch: Columbus: home-stretch.com/locations/oh/columbus Follow HOMEstretch: Columbus on Instagram: @homestretch_columbus HOMEstretch: Columbus on Facebook: facebook.com/homestretch.columbus Hailey Major on Instagram (personal): @hailsmaj Call or text for a free consultation: (614) 532-4663 Subscribe & Follow New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation with the people building Columbus. Website: ColumbusBrickbyBrick.com Instagram, Facebook & YouTube: @ColumbusBrickbyBrick Know a seller who is about to take another price cut? Send them this episode first. Every Brick Has a Story. We're Here to Tell It. #ColumbusOhio #PreListingPrep #HomeSellingTips #ColumbusRealEstate #HOMEstretchColumbus #ColumbusBrickByBrick

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  Columbus Brick by Brick

  Will AI Replace Real Estate Agents?

  Jul 15, 20261h 2m

  Will AI replace real estate agents, or just replace the ones who refuse to change? On this episode of Columbus Brick by Brick, host Jon Styer sits down with Red One Realty agent Jim Ross to challenge the industry's favorite catchphrase and dig into what's actually at stake for agents over the next three to five years. Jim Ross has spent 11 years building a high-volume, investor-focused real estate business in Columbus, and he's not buying the comfortable narrative that AI is "just another tool." In this conversation, Jim and Jon break down which parts of the real estate transaction are already being commoditized, what history's biggest tech revolutions teach us about disruption, and why trust, not information, is about to become an agent's most valuable asset. **In this episode, you'll learn:** - Why the phrase "AI won't replace agents, but agents who use AI will replace those who don't" may be missing the bigger picture - Which parts of an agent's job (market analysis, transaction coordination, information gatekeeping) are most at risk of automation - What past technology revolutions, from the MLS to the internet to Zillow, teach us about surviving disruption - Why AI punishes "gatekeepers" and rewards "advisors" - How to build a personal brand and a defensible "moat" around trust, negotiation, and local expertise - The simple exercise Jim used (tracking every hour of his day, then feeding it into ChatGPT) to find out exactly where his time, and value, is really going - Why Jim believes the number of real estate agents nationally and in Columbus will shrink significantly in the next three to five years, and who will be left standing **About Jim Ross** Jim Ross is a real estate agent with Red One Realty in Columbus, Ohio, licensed since 2015. After starting his career with the goal of becoming a real estate investor, Jim discovered a passion for the traditional agent side of the business, particularly working with investors and flippers. Over the past 11 years he's built a high-volume, top-producing business in Central Ohio centered on repeat investor clients and as-is properties, while staying deeply engaged in how technology and AI are reshaping the future of the industry. Connect with Jim Ross: - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.ross.944 - Instagram: @heyjimross **Mentioned in this episode:** - Styer Hospitality Co — furnished short and midterm rental management: https://www.styerhospitalityco.com **Every Brick Has a Story. We're Here to Tell It.** If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with someone building a career or a business in Columbus real estate. New episodes drop weekly. 🌐 Website: https://www.columbusbrickbybrick.com/ 📱 Follow us: @ColumbusBrickbyBrick on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube #ColumbusBrickByBrick #RealEstateAI #ColumbusRealEstate

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  Episode #32

  How Thoughtful Design Drives Real Estate Value

  May 14, 202646 min

  What if architecture wasn't just an expense on your renovation budget, but the single biggest lever for long-term value in your real estate? In this episode, Jon sits down with Nick Karakaian, Principal and Co-Founder of ArcFluence, to talk design as a multiplier, the ADU boom about to reshape Columbus, and why thoughtful spaces drive better outcomes for investors, homeowners, and entire neighborhoods. 🎙️ About Our Guest Nick Karakaian is the Principal and Co-Founder of ArcFluence, a Columbus-based architecture firm blending design, technology, and real estate strategy. A specialist in maximizing property value through thoughtful design and material use, Nick earned his master's in Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State before launching a construction and design firm in NYC, working for Google, and joining the Keller Williams Realty family. He and his wife Sarah were featured on HGTV's Beach Flip, where they renovated a beach house together in Gulf Shores, Alabama. In 2017, they made Columbus home to take advantage of one of the most exciting real estate markets in the country. Today, Nick is focused on growing ArcFluence with his partners and shaping the spaces that will define the next chapter of Columbus. 🧱 What We Cover in This Episode Nick's path from striping parking lots to the Air Force, to Google, to launching an architecture firm Why architecture is an investment, not an expense — and how design directly drives property value The "third skin" philosophy: how built environments shape behavior, business, and longevity Renovation math: when you get 80 cents on the dollar vs. $1.30 on the dollar back Columbus's new ADU regulation — and why it's a game-changer for homeowners and investors Real ADU use cases: better school districts, multigenerational living, fixed-income retirees, work-from-home setups Common misconceptions real estate professionals have about working with architects Why permit timelines are shifting and how to plan accordingly The rise of universal design, interior design investment, and amenity-driven spaces Lessons in leadership, scope creep, and the shift from self-employed to true business owner What ArcFluence is building next — and the commercial projects beginning to shape the skyline 💼 Key Takeaway "You're not just designing a space. You're creating an environment where humans can perform at their best — and that impacts everything." 🔗 Links & Resources ArcFluence: ArcFluence.com Follow ArcFluence on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn: @arcfluence Styer Hospitality Co. — furnished short & mid-term rental management: StyerHospitalityCo.com 🎧 Subscribe & Follow New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation with the people building Columbus. Website: ColumbusBrickbyBrick.com Instagram, Facebook & YouTube: @ColumbusBrickbyBrick If today's conversation sparked an idea — whether it's an ADU on your lot, a renovation you've been sitting on, or a bigger vision for what your real estate could become — share this episode with someone who'd love it. Every Brick Has a Story. We're Here to Tell It. 🧱 #ColumbusOhio #ArchitectureMatters #RealEstateInvesting #ADU #ColumbusRealEstate #ArcFluence #ColumbusBrickByBrick

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  Episode #31

  How to Build a 10-Property Portfolio Using DSCR Loans

  Apr 29, 202644 min

  Capital is the most powerful tool in any investor's toolbox — but knowing how to use it is what separates investors who scale from those who stall. In this episode, Jon sits down with Alex Rose, Managing Director of DSCR Lending at Renovo Financial, to break down the financing strategies fueling Columbus's most successful real estate investors. 🎙️ About Our Guest Alex Rose is the Managing Director of DSCR Lending at Renovo Financial and one of the top-producing loan officers in Ohio for hard money and investment lending. Over the last two years, Alex has closed more than 1,000 units totaling over $175 million in originations. With deep expertise across the Ohio market and surrounding states, he works at the intersection of capital markets and real estate entrepreneurs — helping investors scale through asset-based financing strategies that go far beyond traditional lending. 🧱 What We Cover in This Episode Alex's path from medical sales at Cardinal Health to leading investment lending in Columbus What DSCR loans actually are — and how to qualify (the 1.0 vs. 1.2 ratio explained) Why net cash flow matters more than headline numbers on multifamily deals Bridge loans, fix-and-flip financing, and the A-to-B gap most lenders miss How portfolio loans work, when they make sense, and the trap of the 120% release price The biggest mistakes new investors make — and how to avoid them Why design quality is now winning flips in a slower Columbus market The case for "walk, don't run" when building your first rental portfolio Why mentorship, partnerships, and abundance mindset matter more than ever What makes the Columbus investor community uniquely collaborative 💼 Key Takeaway "Walk, don't run. You don't have to hit a home run on your first deal — just get on base." 🔗 Links & Resources Renovo Financial: renovofinancial.com Connect with Alex Rose on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.rose.942450 🎧 Subscribe & Follow New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation with the people building Columbus. Website: ColumbusBrickbyBrick.com Instagram, Facebook & YouTube: @ColumbusBrickbyBrick If today's conversation hit home, share it with a fellow investor, agent, or entrepreneur who's building something here in Columbus. Every Brick Has a Story. We're Here to Tell It. 🧱 #ColumbusOhio #RealEstateInvesting #DSCRLoans #ColumbusRealEstate #RenovoFinancial #ColumbusBrickByBrick

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