The Curious Builder Collectives: 2025 Builder Networking Group Review
If there’s one word that defines 2025 for the Curious Builder Collectives, it’s growth. Not just in numbers, though those were strong, but in relationships, collaboration, confidence, and the overall belief that community really can reshape an industry. This year, we saw what happens when builders, architects, and designers step out of isolation and into a true builder networking group built on generosity, shared experience, and the willingness to show up for each other.
This was a landmark year for us. Let’s dig into the highlights.
The First Full Year of All Three Minnesota Collectives
One of our biggest milestones of 2025 was completing the first full year of running three groups in Minnesota: the Builder Collective, the Architect Collective, and the Designer Collective.
The Builder Collective was already in year two, but this was the first full year for both the Architect and Designer groups and watching them take off was incredible. Each group developed its own vibe, its own rhythm, and its own sense of identity. But all three were connected by the same mission: community over competition.
On top of that, we expanded beyond Minnesota in a major way. Arizona gained 30 builders. Texas and Georgia came online. And interest kept pouring in from places like Montana and Washington. That surge of enthusiasm set up our next wave of growth: launching Seattle, Los Angeles (with Stacy Eckman of Alair Kirkland), and Charleston (with Cope Grand Homes) in 2026. We’re also shifting the San Antonio hub to Austin.
The Chicago Mixer
Out of dozens of events this year, the Chicago mixer stands out as one of the unforgettable moments. For the first time, our Minnesota-based Builder, Architect, and Designer Collectives came together for two full days of connection.
All Inc., one of our incredible sponsors, hosted a special mixer that brought about 30 builders into the same room as architects and designers. No agenda. No pitch deck. Just real conversations, shared meals, and people realizing: This is what the industry has been missing.
Our mission came to life. The room was buzzing. Ideas flew. People met collaborators who will become lifelong friends. It was validation that this thing we’re building matters.
AI with Morgan Molitor
Hands down, the most talked-about session of the year was the AI deep dive with Morgan Molitor.
It wasn’t just a class or a panel, it was a shift. Members left that session buzzing with ideas, comparing tools, scheduling follow-up meetings, and (more importantly) taking action. Even weeks later, people were reaching out saying they’d reorganized workflows, reshaped marketing plans, or started integrating AI into daily operations.
That’s the kind of spark the collectives are built for.
Attendance & Engagement
Minnesota saw fantastic participation:
24 builders
18 designers
12 architects
Arizona hit max capacity at 30 builders. Texas and Georgia were smaller, under 10 members each, but building momentum for 2026.
Every room felt alive. The engagement was deep. The conversations were real. And the commitment was obvious.
Relationships That Turn Into Real Collaboration
One of the most rewarding parts of leading these groups is seeing real, tangible collaborations form.
This year alone, my firm took on three active projects with James McNeal Architecture & Design, relationships strengthened through the collective. I also completed a remodel with PK Architects and continue to have ongoing conversations with Awad Architects, Unfold Architects, Charlie & Co., and many more.
On the design side, I’ve worked with Sharia Designs for years, and Melissa from Oho Interiors is my design partner on Mysa Hus. Spending more time together inside the collective has made those relationships even deeper and more natural.
It’s proof that the builder networking group format works. When you put good people in a room consistently, good things happen.
Community Over Competition
This value was on full display in 2025.
Builders like Nathan Carlson and Don Forsman openly asked for help and were met with encouragement, insight, and a dozen people willing to listen. Newer members came with questions about business strategy, pricing, referrals, burnout, you name it. And every time, someone stepped in to support them.
It goes beyond events. Members show up for Sauna Camp. They commit to Boot Camp. They meet for coffee. They DM each other on Instagram. They share wins and losses openly.
That’s the heartbeat of this community. And it’s something you can’t fake.
Leadership Lessons of 2025
This year taught me the importance of showing up physically and relationally.
Engaging with members on social media. Attending their events. Being a sounding board. Celebrating their wins. This work has become something much bigger than networking, it’s friendship.
The people inside these collectives are creative, driven, smart, and incredibly generous. Leading them has made me a better business owner, a better leader, and honestly, a better human.
The Best Is Yet to Come
If 2025 was the year of growth, 2026 is the year of expansion.
Here’s what members can expect:
New hubs in Seattle, LA, Austin, and Charleston
Returning cities in Minnesota, Arizona, and Atlanta
A return trip to Chicago for a seasoned-member-only event
An exclusive mixer at Mysa Hus, including a full walkthrough with collaborators
Priority access to Sauna Camp, Boot Camp, and Contractor Coalition Summit opportunities
We’ve already seen members crossing over into these national events and we expect much more of that next year.
2026 is about scaling with intention. Growing with purpose. And continuing to build a community rooted in generosity and collaboration.
The truth is, this isn’t just a builder networking group anymore, it's a movement. And we’re just getting started.
