In this episode of The Curious Builder, Mark Williams chats with Chris Montana from Du Nord Social Spirits about his journey from being a lawyer to running Minnesota’s first micro-distillery. Chris opens up about the importance of work-life balance (especially after having two strokes!), why building a business with community and purpose matters, and how Du Nord’s story and branding evolved. It's an honest and inspiring convo about hustling smart, making a difference, and helping others see themselves as future business owners.

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you’re looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life.

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella
Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Contractor Coalition Summit:
Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/

Olive and Vine Socials
Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/

Adaptive
https://referrals.adaptive.build/u8Gkiaev

Where to find the Guest:
Website: https://dunordsocialspirits.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/dunordspirits
Facebook: facebook.com/dunordspirits

Where to find the Host:
Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/
Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/
Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

In this Q&A, Mark gets candid about a major setback during the 2008 recession, sharing how a failed spec home taught him some hard life and business lessons. Thanks to some wise words from his dad, he learned not to fear failure and how bouncing back can set you up for even bigger wins down the road. It’s a real and relatable listen for anyone dealing with ups and downs in their career!

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you’re looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life.

Sponsors for the Episode:

Contractor Coalition Summit:
Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/

Olive and Vine Socials
Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/

Lake Society Magazine:
Website: https://www.lakesocietymagazine.com/

Where to find the Host:
Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/
Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/
Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc

In this episode of The Curious Builder, Mark Williams chats with Emerson Bredin of Bredin Brothers, based in Muskoka, Ontario. Emerson shares how he and his brother broke into the construction business without any family background, taking the company from a carpentry crew to a 20-person operation specializing in luxury cottages and boathouses. They swap stories about building luxe lakeside retreats, dealing with crazy price swings and tariffs, and juggling business life with raising a young family—plus a little Canadian vs. US construction talk thrown in!

Support the show - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/shop

See our upcoming live events - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com/events

The host of the Curious Builder Podcast is Mark D. Williams, the founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes Inc. They are an award-winning Twin Cities-based home builder, creating quality custom homes and remodels — one-of-a-kind dream homes of all styles and scopes. Whether you’re looking to reimagine your current space or start fresh with a new construction, we build homes that reflect how you live your everyday life.

Sponsors for the Episode:

Pella
Website: https://www.pella.com/ppc/professionals/why-wood/

Contractor Coalition Summit:
Website: https://www.contractorscoalitionsummit.com/

Olive and Vine Socials
Website- https://oliveandvinesocials.com/

Adaptive
https://referrals.adaptive.build/u8Gkiaev

Where to find the Guest:
Website: https://bredinbrothers.ca/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bredinbrothers
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bredinbrothers

Where to find the Host:
Website - https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com/
Podcast Website - https://www.curiousbuilderpodcast.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/markdwilliams_customhomes/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MarkDWilliamsCustomHomesInc/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-williams-968a3420/
Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/pro/markdwilliamscustomhomes/mark-d-williams-custom-homes-inc