Built From the Ground Up

About Built From the Ground Up

Welcome to Built From the Ground Up with Brian D. Hopper, a top producing luxury Seattle real estate broker. Listen to the success stories as business owners share their insights of how they built their empire From the Ground Up. Build from the Ground Up is all about the real journey behind success—from raw hustle to lasting impact. Behind the Empire: The truth about building from scratch Power Moves: Real wins from real players Longevity: Strategies to stay ahead Client-First Formula: Master service, retention & relationships Real Estate: Hustle, deals. Design, Generosity, & many more topics.

Publisher

Brian D. Hopper

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Apr 2025

Latest episode

19 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

3 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Jan 2026

   Episode 3 - Reed Watterson, Owner, Watterson Excavating Inc - From Dirt Work to Commercial Real Estate

   ☑️ In this episode of Built From The Ground Up 🎙️, I sit down with Reed Watterson — Owner of Watterson Excavating Inc. Reed shares his journey from graduating high school in Enumclaw to building a massive excavation business and a diverse commercial real estate portfolio. TOPICS WE COVER: ➡️ Starting from the Ground Up: Transitioning from a laborer to owning a specialized excavation business. ➡️ Strategic Scaling: How staying small and keeping overhead low allowed them to thrive during the 2008-2010 economic crash. ➡️ The Power of "Mailbox Money": Transitioning business profits into commercial strip malls and land development for passive income. ➡️ Management and Growth: The impact of hiring a General Manager and scaling to 100+ employees. ➡️ Branding and Reputation: Why keeping the "cleanest trucks in the business" is a core part of their company identity. ➡️ Entrepreneurial Advice: The importance of maintaining good credit and treating employees like family. Whether you're looking to start a blue-collar business 🚜 or you're interested in the long-term benefits of commercial real estate 🏢, this conversation is packed with real talk on how to build a lasting legacy through hard work and smart investments. 🔔 Don’t forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Built from the Ground Up! → → → CONNECT WITH BRIAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA: ← ← ← ‎⁠➡️ INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/hoppergroup)⁠ ‎⁠➡️ LINKEDIN⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandhopper/) ‎⁠➡️ YOUTUBE⁠ (https://www.youtube.com/@Hoppergroupre) ‎⁠➡️ WEBSITE (https://brianhopper.com/)⁠ Visit Watterson Excavating Inc website: wattersonexcavating.com ‎ ‎🛠️What is -Build from the Ground Up??? ‎Here is a bit about what we talk about: ‎Behind the Empire: The raw truth about what it takes from the ground up. STR's, Investing and more! ‎Power Moves & Success Stories: Real wins from real players. ‎Mastering Longevity in Business: Strategies to stay ahead. ‎The Client-First Formula – Mastering customer service, retention, and relationships. ‎Real Estate: Hustle, Deals, strategies, and PNW market insights. ‎Leveling Up: Mindset, money, generosity and mastery. ‎Strength & Stamina: Workouts that build both body and discipline. ‎Fuel for Greatness: Eating to win in life and business. ‎ ‎#LuxuryRealEstate #InteriorDesign #RealEstatePodcast #LuxuryLiving #DesignInspiration #hoppergroup #STR's #investing #realestate #HighEndHomes #design #RealEstateTips #businessgrowth

2. 

   9 Jun 2025

   Episode 2 - Mike Baiocchi, CEO of Stay Roam - All About Investment Properties

   CEO Mike Baiocchi reveals to host Brian Hopper how he built a short-term rental empire from a single property, discussing strategies for scaling, revenue boosting, and maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset in this interview.

3. 

   19 Apr 2025

   Episode 1 - Award winning Interior Designer, Nicole Hopper, CEO of Nicole Hopper Interiors

   ☑️In this episode, Brian sits down with the incredibly talented award winning, magazine cover gracing Nicole Hopper. Nicole is a sought-after luxury interior designer and CEO of Nicole Hopper Interiors known for creating the most stunning transformations of exclusive homes through out the Pacific Northwest. Together, Brian & Nicole pull back the curtain on the synergy between high-end real estate and interior design—revealing the details and process of a well-designed space and the client experience. 🎬 Chapters for Episode 1: Nicole Hopper – Interior Design CEO 0:00 – Intro & Guest Reveal Brian’s intro, Meet Nicole Hopper, award-winning designer and CEO of Nicole Hopper Interiors. 0:40 – Early Beginnings How Nicole got started with design (and the $10,000 umbrella story). 2:15 – From Side Hustle to Full Business Transitioning from small projects to full remodels. 5:00 – Building the Brand Creating a logo, website, and branding with help from a coach. 6:45 – Finding Confidence Through Coaching Personal growth and professional breakthrough moments. 8:00 – First Magazine Feature Landing a COVER & a five-page spread in Portrait Magazine + Kirkland Lifestyle Magazine. 9:15 – Winning Designer of the Year How local recognition kicked things into high gear. 10:25 – Growing the Team Nicole's support crew and the roles they play. 14:00 – The Client Experience Creating personalized, white-glove service in every project. 16:15 – Design Intuition & Discernment Reading clients, understanding their lifestyle, and nailing the design. 17:55 – The Power of Professional Design Why even great DIY lacks the magic of a designer’s eye. 19:00 – Project Portfolio Highlights Nicole shares a peek at some standout projects (Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland). 21:30 – Behind-the-Scenes Process What happens before the final reveal: renderings, mood boards, and more. 23:30 – From Construction to Reveal Furniture installation, photo shoots, and the big “wow” moment. 25:00 – Real Estate Meets Design How Nicole and her husband (Brian) merge their worlds. 26:10 – Buying Our Dream Home The story of buying a client's house — and making it their own. 28:30 – Expanding to NYC How the Upper East Side became her next big design canvas. 29:30 – Advice for Aspiring Designers Nicole’s heartfelt advice to young creatives entering the field. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe so you never miss an episode of Built from the Ground Up. Follow Brian: Instagram: @HopperGroup Website: BrianHopper.com Follow our guest Nicole: Instagram: @NicoleHopperInteriors Portfolio: NicoleHopperInteriors.com 🛠️What is -Build from the Ground Up- all about and what we talk about: Behind the Empire: The raw truth about what it takes from the ground up. Power Moves & Success Stories: Real wins from real players. Mastering Longevity in Business: Strategies to stay ahead. The Client-First Formula – Mastering customer service, retention, and relationships. Real Estate: Hustle, Deals, strategies, and PNW market insights. Leveling Up: Mindset, money, generosity and mastery. Strength & Stamina: Workouts that build both body and discipline. Fuel for Greatness: Eating to win in life and business. #LuxuryRealEstate #InteriorDesign #RealEstatePodcast #LuxuryLiving #DesignInspiration #hoppergroup #Nicolehopperinteriors #HighEndHomes #design #RealEstateTips #businessgrowth

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

255,666

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

49

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

0

Contact Built From the Ground Up

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.