RE #78: Antonia Botero - Founder & Principal at MADD Project

On today's episode, Antonia Botero, the Founder and Principal at MADD Project, joins Chris to discuss her experience in large scale multi-family conversions and ground-up development construction in Manhattan. They'll discuss project & construction management in the real estate industry, how to hire a General Contractor, how to make a great contract, early things to do to make a project more successful, ways to save on project costs, holding contractors accountable, negotiating and much more. Enjoy!

Follow Chris on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/FortWorthChris

Learn more about Chris Powers & Fort Capital: www.FortCapitalLP.com

(02:35) - How did you become a wizard in project & construction management?

(06:31) - What does studying architecture mean from your perspective and do you recommend others do the same?

(09:57) -  How has technology opened the ecosystem for people to quickly study architecture?

(11:45) - What does ‘getting into the field’ mean to you? Why were you drawn to it?

(12:37) - Designing Feasible Buildings vs. Buildings that Simply Look Good in a Rendering

(15:29) - What is MADD Project?

(15:57) - Why is having an owner's rep useful?

(19:45) - When is the best time to hire an owner’s rep in a project?

(22:35) - What is it like getting a project done in a mega-city like New York and dealing with community boards?

(27:32) - What’s the difference in breakdowns on the consulting side of MADD Project?

(30:53) - What’s the best way to hold contractors accountable to their timeline?

(33:29) - What are three things that make for a really strong contract?

(35:32) - Are you usually the GC on a project or do you help hire a GC? 

(38:25) - What does bonding mean?

(39:29) - Which incentive structures work best with contractors?

(42:42) - What is a GMP?  (Guaranteed Maximum Price)

(45:20) - When entering a brand new market, what are things you want to hear from a GC before doing business with them?

(47:08) - What do drawings look like in a good place vs. a bad place?

(48:40) - How do you know who’s worked on a certain project when talking to GCs?

(49:25) - Have you learned any major lessons following big mistakes?

(58:07) - How do you deal with change orders if there’s ambiguity in the contract?

(1:00:12) - What next-gen construction form do you see having the most viable cost savings over the next 5-10 years?

(1:02:41) - Are you seeing signs that construction costs will come down?

(1:04:30) - Do you have a morning routine?

(1:06:03) - What’s the best advice you’ve received?

(1:06:22) - What is the best book you’ve read recently?
The Art of Asking - Amanda Palmer

(1:07:05) - How has twitter impacted you and your business?

(1:09:14) - If you owned a billboard on the side of the road, what would you put on it for the world to see?

(1:10:12) - Antonia's Contact Information
Antonia's Twitter

The FORT with Chris Powers is produced by Straight Up Podcasts