A new generation of leaders is changing how teams are led, supported, and motivated. In this episode, Sarah sits down with Emily Studenmund to talk about what it really looks like to lead as a young professional in a high-responsibility role.

This conversation explores how Emily has challenged traditional leadership norms, earned trust and credibility, and built a leadership style rooted in clarity, empathy, and confidence, without burning out or trying to fit outdated molds.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it’s like stepping into leadership early in your career

• How younger leaders are redefining credibility and trust

• Pushing back on “this is how it’s always been done” thinking

• Leading with communication, empathy, and accountability

• Balancing approachability with clear expectations

• Why effective leadership today looks different than it did even five years ago

This episode is for emerging leaders, marketing professionals, and anyone navigating leadership while questioning the old rules.

Connect with Emily Studenmund:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-studenmund/

What if buyers could feel connected to a home beforeit’s ever built?

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Nathan Nasseri, founder of ResVR, to explore howvisualization, VR, and immersive technology are reshaping the way buyers discover, connect with, and purchase homes.

This conversation goes beyond renderings and floor plans.Nathan breaks down how immersive experiences influence buyer confidence, emotion, and trust, and why visualization is no longer just a marketing tool, but a core part of the buyer journey. From selling homes that don’t yet exist to blending data with storytelling, this episode looks at where buildermarketing has been, where it is now, and where it’s headed next.

If you’re a builder, marketer, or sales leader thinking about the future of buyer experience, this episode offers a clear and grounded look at how technology and humanity can work together.

In this episode, we cover:

• How visualization in homebuilding has evolved over the past decade
• Why immersive experiences are changing buyer expectations
• The emotional impact of seeing and experiencing a home before it’s built
• How VR and visualization help buyers feel confident in their decisions
• Why connecting visualization to data matters for trust and accuracy
• What the future of virtual home design and buyer interaction looks like
• How builders can adopt new technology without losing the human touch

Connect with Nathan & ResVR:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathannasseri/

Website: https://resvr.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ResVR_

What if your personal brand is actually your strongest sales strategy?

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Amanda Sheehan, Director of Sales at Bloomfield Homes and creator of the Homegirl Huddle newsletter, to talk about why visibility, authenticity, and consistency matter more than ever for sales professionals.

Amanda shares her honest journey from resisting marketing to embracing it and how showing up imperfectly online helped her build trust, confidence, and real connection. Together, Sarah and Amanda unpack what personal branding actually means for salespeople and how thinking like a marketer can open doors without feeling self-promotional.

This conversation is especially relevant for sales leaders, marketers, and anyone in a traditional industry who knows they should be visible but isn’t sure where to start.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why so many salespeople resist personal branding (and what changes that mindset)

• How to show up online without feeling awkward or “salesy”

• The difference between marketing yourself and building genuine connection

• Common misconceptions about personal branding in sales

• How visibility can shift confidence, leadership presence, and team culture

• What leaders should consider when encouraging their teams to build a voice online

• One small, practical step you can take today to start building your brand

Connect with Amanda:

• Homegirl Huddle newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/home-girl-huddle-7292945602244435968/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-sheehan-tague/

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Morgan Lurz, President of Cannonball Moments for an honest conversation about stepping into leadership roles you never expected, especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

They talk about the moments that shape confidence, the internal work required to claim your seat at the table, and the courage it takes to redefine success on your own terms.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Career pivots and saying yes before you feel ready

• Learning to trust yourself in rooms where you once felt unqualified

• The role mentorship and perspective shifts play in growth

• Balancing leadership, ambition, and motherhood

• Why self-awareness and courage matter more than perfection

• How redefining success can change everything

Connect with Morgan:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-lurz-670579173/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morg0127/

Website: https://cannonballmoments.com/

Email: morgan@cannonballmoments.com

When every builder says they offer “quality, service, andvalue,” how do you actually stand out?

In this episode of Just Make It Pretty, Sarah sits down with Mick Fabar, founder of Green Homes, to talk about what real differentiation looks like in an industry that’s been saying the same things for decades.

Mick shares how Green Homes is changing the conversationaround sustainability by making energy-efficient building simpler, more accessible, and more profitable for builders. From debunking the myth that green building is expensive or complicated to exploring why buyers are craving something genuinely different, this conversation challenges long-heldassumptions in homebuilding.

If you’re a builder, marketer, or industry leader who’s tired of blending in, this episode offers a practical mindset shift and a clearer path forward, one that proves homes can look good and do good.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why most builders struggle todifferentiate and what’s driving industry sameness
• The disconnect between what buyerssay they want and what builders deliver
• How Green Homes simplifiessustainability for builders and buyers
• Why energy efficiency doesn’t haveto mean higher costs or added complexity
• Where U.S. builders are missingmajor opportunities compared to global markets
• How marketing plays a criticalrole in helping buyers understand real value
• Leadership lessons from scaling aninnovative model in a traditional industry

Connect with Mick:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickfabar/

Green Homes: https://ghbuildersusa.com/

Leadership is not about being fearless. It is about staying steady when everything around you feels loud and overwhelming. In this episode, Sarah talks with Jenna Skuza, VP of Sales and Marketing at M/I Homes Tennessee, about the emotional side of leadership that most people never see.

They explore how to stay grounded during moments of anxiety, how to lead with warmth and hospitality, and why emotional regulation shapes the way people experience us at work. This is a relatable, honest conversation for anyone navigating the pressure of leadership.

Connect with Jenna:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-skuza/

In a world where buyers scroll past hundreds of homes beforeever speaking to a sales team, your online listing is your firstimpression. So how do you make that moment count?

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Marisa Kennerson,National Account Director of New Construction at Realtor.com, to talk about how builders can create listings that actually stop the scroll and motivate buyersto take action. From photo strategy to content gaps to data insights, Marisa brings years of national-level experience and breaks down what really separates high-performing listings from everything else in the market.

Whether you are a builder, marketer, or sales leader, thisconversation will help you rethink how you present your communities online and how small improvements can create big movement in buyer engagement.

In this episode, we cover:

· Why Listings Matter More Than Ever

· How to Build a Better Listing

· Smarter Targeting and Data Insights

PLUS Practical Takeaways

• The one thing builders should fix first
• Tools and resources to benchmark what “good” looks like
• How to refine your listing strategy even with limited time

Realtor.com Research:
https://www.realtor.com/research
Connect with Marisa:
 marisa.kennerson@realtor.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisakennerson/

Enjoying the show?

Subscribe, share it with someone in the industry, and tag uswhen you listen. Your support helps us bring more conversations like this to the builder community.

New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Builders love beautiful renderings and polished virtualtours, but today’s buyers expect more than a pretty picture. They expect accuracy. They expect transparency. They expect confidence.

In this episode, Sarah talks with Conor Sedam, Director of Customer and Partner Marketing at Higharc, about the real gap between visuals and data in homebuilding. Most builders don’t realize how quickly static assets become outdated and how that disconnect can quietly erode trust, slow sales, and create friction along the buyer journey.

We cover:
• Why disconnected visuals lead to disappointed buyers
• How real-time pricing, options, and inventory data change the sales experience
• Ways connected data empowers sales teams to focus on relationships
• How visualization tools should evolve in the next 2 to 3 years
• The first step builders can take if they feel behind on digital innovation

Whether you are a builder, marketer, OSC, or industry leader, this episode unpacks the future of digital home sales and what buyers actually expect in 2025 and beyond.

Connect with Conor:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-sedam-053ba02/

Instagram: @conorseven