We’ve started a new series, “AKA” or “Ask Kevin Anything.” And wow, did our listeners deliver! From Kevin’s most difficult issue concerning running a business and then the mantra Kevin uses during dark times to how Kevin goes about creating goals for the future, to a technical question involving external wall material, we had a nice range of subject matter for this first episode, along with many more questions we’ll address in future episodes.

While KCB hasn’t been able to work with Interior Designer Georgia Zikas yet, she’s been a familiar face for years. At this past Luxury Home Design Summit, we bonded over a presentation involving what Summit presenter Seth Cohen calls “Applied Positivity.” Georgia approached us with coming on the pod to discuss this in more detail, especially with how Cohen employs “hope” as a design construct. We also brought up his approach to curiosity as “the most honest form of optimism.” 

This past May at the Luxury Home Design Summit Steve Siegel had a bit of a “moment.” With about sixty seconds to spare at the mic, he rolled out a description of what he and his company does—structural engineering—in a way that set the room of about 400 designers, builders, architects, and trade partners abuzz. It was great writing and a great delivery, making the work of structural engineering feel like something altogether new. While KCB has worked with Steve on several projects and has known of him for decades, this experience got us thinking that we’d love to hear more.

From his role as both managing partner of New England Home magazine and co-founder of the Luxury Home Design Summit, Adam Japko is a force in Boston’s build-design community. With personal interests like fishing and wine tasting, rounding him out, Adam is a genuine one-of-a-kind presence. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to hear him present, you know he’s not only comfortable in front of an audience, he’s a serious thinker with a great sense of humor. 

Of all the discussions we’ve hosted, this one stuck out as not just unique but also evergreen; builders and designers are from two very different worlds. This makes the conversation really amazing when we all get together to talk it out.

Architect Matthew Arnold has been a familiar face in the homebuilding community. Recently, Kevin had a conversation with him where he shared that he left a firm he had been with for 15 years, to strike out on his own. His new business is called ArnoldAnd.