Glorified Carpenter

Troy’s Journey: From House Moving to Tiny Home Innovation
I loved catching up with Troy and digging into the innovations he and the Fritz team are bringing to the tiny home space.
His path is anything but linear — from growing up in a family house-moving business, to aviation mechanics, to flooring, and ultimately co-founding First Tiny Homes with Kevin and Heather Fritz. Today, they’re building premium tiny homes that challenge the standards of the industry.
One of the biggest takeaways?
Building smaller — and even building indoors — doesn’t magically eliminate the challenges of construction. You’re still creating something custom and unique with human hands. The process still demands leadership, sequencing, culture, and accountability.
We get into what it really takes to build a team before you build an exceptional product — because the structure is only as strong as the people behind it.
Hope you enjoy Troy’s story.

Learn more about Ep. 32 Guest:
@fritztinyhomes
Fritztinyhomes.com

Project size: $155k-$250+
Project per year: 13-16 tiny homes & 4-6 sauna builds per year
Employees: 12

🎥 YouTube Series: #RoadTrip
Video Series —walking sites and talking shop— EARLY 2026
Find my YouTube channel: @heresjohnnyh
*link is in bio

Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW
@apple
@spotify
@youtube

Sponsors:
durationmillwork.com
 @durationmouldingandmillwork 
heavydutypocketdoorframes.com
@hdpocketdoors

Partnerships:
projektnetwork.com
@projektnetwork

Local Sponsor:
www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs!
@HireSmooth

In this episode, I sit down with architect Breck Craparo to dig into the thinking behind the work — not just the drawings, but the decisions. We talk about what it really takes to build an architecture firm, the do’s and don’ts he’s learned along the way, and what actually matters when a design moves from idea to reality.

As builders, understanding how a design is created, why it was created, and the key factors that shaped it changes everything. It leads to better collaboration, smarter execution, and ultimately a better home for the client.

This one’s for anyone who cares about process, intention, and the people behind great design.

Hope you enjoy Breck’s story.

Learn more about Ep. 31 Guest:
@breckstudio
breckstudio.com
https://www.youtube.com/@breckstudio

Project size: $5mil - $15+mil builds
Projects per year: 1-4
Employees: 3-5

🎥 YouTube Series: #RoadTrip
Video Series —walking sites and talking shop— EARLY 2026
Find my YouTube channel: @heresjohnnyh
*link is in bio

Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW
@apple
@spotify
@youtube

Sponsors:
www.durationmillwork.com
 @durationmouldingandmillwork 
www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com
@hdpocketdoors

Zane Ellis is a Project Manager at F.E. Trainer out of Knoxville, TN—and more famously, a co-host of the LevelHeads Podcast.
This industry… the clients, the pressure, chasing money, job security—the list goes on and on. It can be a killer. Zane opens up about how it almost killed him.
Even after being told to step away from the industry, he came back. This conversation dives into how having the right support system—and everyone operating in their own lane—can completely change how enjoyable this work can be.
Zane shares his start, his journey through the trades, and ultimately what forced a “pause” in his career.
Hope you enjoy.

Learn more about Ep. 30 Guest:
@zane_fetrainer
Fetconstruction.com
@levelheads_pod

Project Manager
Project size: $1mil - $6mil builds
Projects per year: Zane Manages 3-4 projects at the same time
Employees: Site Supervisor is on-site running 1-2 projects

🎥 YouTube Series: #RoadTrip
Video Series —walking sites and talking shop— EARLY 2026
Find my YouTube channel: @heresjohnnyh
*link is in bio

Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW
@apple
@spotify
@youtube

Sponsors:
www.durationmillwork.com
 @durationmouldingandmillwork 
www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com
@hdpocketdoors

What a YEAR!!
Couldn’t think of (2) better guys and builders to recap 2025. Jason & Mike join me in discussing all topics

We discuss everything AI, bringing trades in-house, markets, slow or on the rise, ADU’s, BuildShow, Golf, health and everything in-between.

Hope you enjoy the conversation.

Learn more about Ep. 29 Guests:
@artisansignaturehomes
@greenside_design_build

🎥 YouTube Series: #RoadTrip
Video Series —walking sites and talking shop— EARLY 2026
Find my YouTube channel: @heresjohnnyh
*link is in bio

Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW
@apple
@spotify
@youtube

Sponsors:
www.shubee.com
@shubeeshoecovers
For all your floor surface protection & beyond.

www.durationmillwork.com
 @durationmouldingandmillwork 
A 100 yr product w/ the most authentic profiles on the market

www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com
@hdpocketdoors
To solve all your pocket door hardware needs.

Local Sponsor:
www.hiresmooth.com Anything spray-foam!
@HireSmooth

Meet Russ Barstow. Remember the name—because you’ll definitely remember the story.
I don’t use the term “self-made” loosely. Very few people earn that label in my book, and Russ is one of them.
Russ spent years searching for purpose. He found it in the mountains, through hiking. Construction, at first, was simply a way to make a living—to subsidize that purpose. But like most of us, it only takes a couple of meaningful projects and a few incredible clients to pull you all the way in.
Changing people’s lives through the homes we build is a drug in itself.
What I love most about this story is that Barstow is a true husband-and-wife team. Russ and Sue set boundaries between work and life. They set goals together—years out. They check in with each other. Their personal finish line aligns with their clients’ finish line. No shortcuts. No favorites.
Because without their personal happiness and success, there is no Barstow. And without that, there is no construction.
I love Russ and Sue’s priorities and their approach to life and business.
I hope you enjoy their story as much as I did.

Learn more about Ep. 28 Guest:
@barstowconstruction
www.barstowconstruction.com

Project size:
* Customs: $2.5-5,000,000
* Renovations range: $100,000 to $500,000
* Additions approaching 1,000,000 depending on the home.
Projects per year. 3 to 6 including new construction some commercial end renovations/ additions.
Yearly revenue - $600-850,000 best estimate. Depends on the year for sure.
Employees - Just Sue and Russ and a long term site cleanup guy who is awesome.

🎥 YouTube Series:
#RoadTrip
Video Series —walking sites and talking shop— EARLY 2026

Find my YouTube channel: @heresjohnnyh
*link is in bio

Listen • Subscribe • Watch• REVIEW
@apple
@spotify
@youtube

Sponsors:
www.durationmillwork.com
 @durationmouldingandmillwork 
www.heavydutypocketdoorframes.com
@hdpocketdoors

Local Sponsor:
www.hiresmooth.com for all your spray foam needs!
@HireSmooth