The Story of BOXABL: Why the Modular Housing Dream Didn’t Scale as Promised

Design & Build Your Virginia Home Online: Inside the Configuration Tool I'm Creating

In this episode of Project Notes, I take you behind the scenes of one of the biggest projects I'm building for ESC Homes—an online configuration tool designed to simplify the home-building process in Virginia. Instead of trying to imagine floor plans from blueprints or making hundreds of decisions after construction begins, buyers will be able to explore home sizes, architectural styles, layouts, options, and upgrades through an interactive online experience before breaking ground. I discuss why today's new-construction process often feels confusing, how technology can make it more transparent, and what I'm learning as I build a system that helps buyers understand not only what they're choosing, but why those choices matter. Whether you're considering building a home, work in real estate, or simply enjoy following the intersection of construction and technology, this episode offers an inside look at the future of home buying—and the challenges of creating a smarter way to build. Project Notes follows the real-world journey of developing homes, businesses, and construction technology from the perspective of a Virginia Class A Builder and real estate broker. Thank you for listening to Project Notes. I'm Cheryl Spangler, Virginia Class A Builder, real estate broker, and founder of ESC Homes. This podcast is where I document the real journey of building homes, building a company, and exploring the ideas, technology, and decisions shaping the future of housing—one project at a time. Until the next project, keep building better. IG @cherylspanglerrealestate [https://www.instagarm.com/cherylspanglerrealestate] IG @eschomesva [https://www.instagram.com/eschomesva] FB @liveinoldtown [https://www.facebook.com/liveinoldtown] FB @lifelovescheryl [https://www.facebook.com/lifelovescheryl] LI @cherylspangler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylspangler] https://www.eschomes.com [https://www.eschomes.com] to build your next primary residence or ADU - we focus on raising the standard for small-footprint living https://www.cherylspanglerteam.com [https://www.cherylspnaglerteam.com] to buy or sell your next home in Northern Virginia

The Story of BOXABL: Why the Modular Housing Dream Didn’t Scale as Promised

In this episode, Cheryl Spangler breaks down the real story of BOXABL, the viral modular housing company that promised to reinvent homebuilding. **don't forget I don't edit these so you get them raw that's just the way it is Founded in 2017, BOXABL captured massive attention with foldable homes, celebrity buzz, and bold claims about speed and affordability. But behind the marketing was a far more complex challenge involving zoning, transportation, capital discipline, manufacturing realities, and the often-ignored problem of integrating housing into real communities. This episode explores: 1. Why modular housing is harder to scale than it looks 2. How early decisions created long-term constraints 3. The difference between building a product and making it livable 4. What builders, investors, and real estate professionals should learn before chasing speed If you’re interested in housing innovation, modular construction, real estate development, or startup case studies, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at what actually determines success. #RealEstateTruth #HousingInnovation #ModularHousing #BuilderLessons #CapitalDiscipline > Connect with me below Instagram: @cherylspanglerrealestate On the web: https://www.cherylspanglerteam.com/podcast Send me an email and say "hi" hello@cherylspanglerteam.com visit my Youtube: https://www.youtube.com.com/@goodsideofrealestate ...ask me why I did this episode

The ADU Loophole That Changes Homeownership Forever (Virginia’s Best-Kept Secret)

Accessory Dwelling Units aren’t a trend — they’re a structural shift in how housing, wealth, and affordability actually work. In this on-the-road mini Project Notes episode, Cheryl Spangler breaks down what an ADU really is (and what it’s not), why Virginia is aggressively pushing new ADU laws, and how homeowners, renters, lenders, and even the state itself quietly benefit. You’ll learn: 1. Why an ADU is legally one unit — and why that definition matters 2. How homeowners can add cash flow without selling or moving 3. Why ADUs solve aging-parent housing without sacrificing independence 4. How renters get private, affordable, single-family living again 5. The real reason the state wants homeowners building housing for them 6. Why Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac financing in 2026 changes everything 7. The surprising size limits that make ADUs real homes, not “tiny houses” This episode connects the dots most people miss — and explains why ADUs may be the most powerful real-estate flex of the next decade. If this episode sparked a question, a new idea, or a different way of thinking about your property, I’d love to hear it. This conversation is just getting started. — Cheryl Spangler IG: @cherylspanglerrealestate

If You Waited for Certainty in 2025, You Lost

If you waited for certainty in 2025, you lost. In Episode 1 of Project Notes, Cheryl Spangler pulls back the curtain on what it really looks like to build businesses and manage projects while everything is in motion. This is an unedited, unscripted breakdown of the lessons that shaped her work in 2025—and the systems, decisions, and mindset she’s carrying into 2026. IN THIS EPISODE, CHERYL COVERS: 1. How she more than doubled her business from ~$8M to ~$19M in one year 2. Why contractor quality only reveals itself in a tough market 3. The counterintuitive strategy of waiving commissions—and how it creates leverage 4. How AI replaced low-value tasks and freed time for high-impact work 5. Why most teams don’t need more people—they need better systems 6. How useless meetings and networking quietly drain time and capital 7. Why fear is often the final barrier before real progress WHAT MAKES PROJECT NOTES DIFFERENT: 1. No scripts, no polish, no hindsight storytelling 2. Real projects, real decisions, real consequences 3. Lessons shared while the work is still happening—not years later Each episode delivers weekly, real-time notes from active projects—across real estate, business, systems, and strategy—focused on solving real-world problems as they arise. If you’re building something and don’t want motivation or theory—just honest insight from the trenches—you’re in the right place. Subscribe for weekly episodes. Connect with Cheryl on social and follow along as the work unfolds.

The “You Can’t Do That” Lie That Kills Your Potential

This Thanksgiving episode marks a turning point for Life in Northern Virginia. Cheryl shares the real story behind her evolution from real estate agent to builder, problem solver, and entrepreneur who refuses to accept limitations—especially the ones other people try to place on her. If you’ve ever been told you can’t do that, if you’ve ever doubted your own abilities, or if you’re an entrepreneur surrounded by people who don’t see your potential, this episode will hit home. Cheryl breaks down the mindset shift that changed her life, the unexpected moment that launched her renovation and investing career, and why cutting out the “you can’t” voices might be the only way you grow. This episode is motivation, truth-telling, and a wake-up call to anyone who knows they’re meant for more but hasn’t dared to pursue it yet. https://www.instagram.com/cherylspanglerrealestate https://www.facebook/com/liveinoldtown https://www.twitter.com/cherylshowlive https://www.cherylspanglerteam.com email me: hello@cherylspanglerteam.com #LifeInNorthernVirginia, #CherylSpangler, #EntrepreneurMindset, #NoLimits, #BusinessGrowth, #NorthernVirginiaBusiness, #MindsetShift, #EntrepreneurLife, #MotivationForEntrepreneurs, #BreakTheMold