Episode #3 - Building Tech, Family and Homes with Omaha's Builtzer

In the heart of Middle America, innovation often looks a little different than the glass towers of Silicon Valley. Sometimes, it looks like a nine-hole golf course in Omaha, Nebraska, where father-daughter duo Bridgette and Shawn Mcguire are redefining how we think about new home construction.

In the latest episode of the Prairie Founders Club Featured Founder Reality Show, I had the pleasure of hitting the links with these two founders to discuss their startup, Builtzer, their unique family business dynamic, and why the "fairway" of entrepreneurship is rarely a straight line.

What is Builtzer?

At its core, Builtzer is a home builder search and home management platform designed to bridge the gap between discovery and delivery. For many, the journey of building a new home is daunting, filled with complex choices and a lack of transparency. Builtzer aims to solve this by creating a software platform that supports how buyers navigate that journey while giving builders a more effective way to guide the experience.

As Bridgette Mcguire explains, it isn't just a tool for managing contacts; it’s about managing the entire new home buying experience. From the builder’s perspective, the software empowers sales managers like Shawn to manage their teams with wholesale efficiency, ensuring that the platform works for exactly what new home builders need.

From NYC Fashion to Omaha Tech

One of the most compelling parts of Bridgette’s story is her unconventional path to software development. Before co-founding a tech company in Nebraska, she spent six years in New York City’s fashion merchandizing industry.

"There's nothing like the New York energy," Bridgette notes, reflecting on how that high-intensity environment shaped her and how everyone feeds off of it.

But how does one transition from fashion to building an app for home builders? Bridgette admits that building software sounds daunting because she doesn't have a traditional technical background. Instead, she leverages her strengths in marketing and user experience, partnering with a local development company in Omaha to bring her vision to life. She tells the development team what she wants, and they educate her on the process of getting there.

This "outsider" perspective is a breath of fresh air in the tech world. It allows her to focus on the human element of the software—making sure it’s intuitive for the families looking for their dream homes.

The Father-Daughter Dynamic: Business and Family

Working with family is often cited as one of the hardest challenges in business, but the Mcguires seem to have found their "sweet spot." Bridgette feels fortunate to have a strong personal and business relationship with her father.

However, they aren't afraid to be real about the friction. Shawn and Bridgette have "hot and heated" conversations about business strategies, but they’ve mastered the art of the "reset." They can go from an intense debate to a family dinner a few hours later, acting as if the conflict never happened.

For Bridgette, much of the respect stems from her father's history. Shawn has experienced both great successes and great failures throughout his career, and she values his honesty about all of it.

Lessons from the Links

As we played our nine-hole scramble, several parallels emerged between the game of golf and the game of business.

1. The Competitive Edge

Bridgette grew up as the only girl among two brothers. This upbringing instilled a natural competitiveness in her—whether she’s trying to out-drive her dad or out-innovate a competitor. In an industry like home building and tech, where women are often underrepresented, that competitive spirit is a vital asset.

2. The Power of "Slowing Down"

When I asked Bridgette what improved her golf game, her answer was simple: Slowing down. By thinking about her approach, taking a breath, and letting the backswing flow, she found more consistency.

The same applies to a startup. In the rush to scale, founders often forget to breathe and evaluate their approach. Slowing down to ensure the "swing" (or the product) is right can save you from landing in the rough later on.

3. Failure is Everything

Perhaps the most profound piece of advice came from Shawn Mcguire as we walked toward the clubhouse. For someone who has developed businesses, communities, and floor plans, this app is a brand-new challenge.

"Failure is everything," Shawn says. "We all fail. The only time you really fail is if you don't try."

For Shawn, entrepreneurship originally started as a means of survival—a way to support his kids. But it evolved into a passion for being the best at what he does. He encourages the next generation of founders to embrace the setbacks, as they are the very things that build the resilience needed to reach the top.

Did We Break Par?

The goal for our three-person scramble was a 36. Between Shawn's "laser" shots, Bridgette's concentration on the green, and some solid teamwork, we managed to finish three under through nine holes.

Setting a record for the year on the Prairie Founders Club was a great feeling, but the real win was seeing the passion this duo has for Omaha and the future of the home-building industry.

Whether you’re a builder looking for a better way to manage your pipeline or an aspiring entrepreneur wondering if you can start a company with your family, the story of Builtzer is proof that with the right partner and a willingness to fail, you can definitely stay on the fairway.