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Modern Craftsman


May 24, 2026

Custom building gets messy fast when every project starts from a blank page. Mike Romanowicz talks through Den, prefab housing, better lead qualification, and what builders can learn from a product-based approach to pricing, systems, and client expectations.

Den Outdoors: https://denoutdoors.com

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Show Notes: 
00:00 Productized Housing
00:20 Meet Mike Romanowicz
03:59 Product First, Founder Second
05:45 Building in Public
09:22 The A-Frame Kit Lesson
14:11 The First Product Bet
20:30 Making Better Housing More Accessible
23:40 What Fasten Does
25:50 From Software to Homebuilding
30:17 The Power of Pre-Designed Plans
31:43 Starting From 100%
35:36 Why Customization Gets Hard
40:47 Where the Process Breaks
47:31 The Business Finally Clicked
55:25 How the Prefab Model Works
57:07 Designing Around Real Materials
61:06 What Tech Teaches Builders
66:33 Turning a Website Into a Booking Engine
71:04 Leading With Price
75:16 Cutting Out Bad Leads

Video Version:
https://youtu.be/WOyN-PR9mHs

Partners: 

Andersen Windows

Harnish Workwear 

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The Modern Craftsman:

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Find Our Hosts: 

Nick Schiffer 

Tyler Grace 

Podcast Produced By:

Motif Media