From Waterloo to the Alamo

She Reads the Texas Market for a Living: Nicole Torres-Cooke on Data, Disputes, and Doing It Her Way

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Nicole Torres-Cooke, founder of Schmooze Networking, TREC certified CE instructor, creator of VodkaGirlATX, and the force carrying on a family Final Expenses business, for a conversation that moves between social media, small business, and building a life that refuses to fit in one box. From the early days of social media back in 2008 to the number one ranked vodka blog on the planet, this episode unpacks how curiosity, hustle, and heart come together to shape a career entirely her own. We dig into what Schmooze Networking looked like at the dawn of social media and how the work has changed, what she really means by teaching you to manage your social life so you can manage your business, and the most common mistake she sees agents and small business owners make online. She shares how teaching TREC agents became part of her world and the one platform she would tell them to prioritize, how VodkaGirlATX grew from a hobby into a global following, and the meaningful pivot of continuing her stepdad's Final Expenses business and how she opens the conversations most people avoid. We talk about what makes Austin networking different from anywhere else, the advice she gives the women she mentors, and yes, the signature drink order, the perfect Austin Saturday, and the three people she would seat at her dream dinner table. Rooted in the perspective and global standard of Engel & Völkers, this conversation reflects the warmth, range, and real connection that define the next era of business and community across Austin and beyond. If you are building a brand, growing a business, or just love a good story about doing it your own way, this is the conversation you want in your ear! 🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio  📺 https://youtu.be/4MZRjjaGGpE  🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1756122919 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1756122919] #EngelAndVolkers #EVRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #GlobalRealEstate #AustinLuxury #AustinRealEstate #SchmoozeNetworking #SocialMediaMarketing #VodkaGirlATX #AustinBusiness #TRECInstructor #RealEstateEducation #WomenInBusiness #AustinNetworking #RealEstatePodcast #FromWaterlooToTheAlamo #AustinTX #SanAntonio

The Best Leaders Don't Pull Strings, They Cut Them: A Conversation with Steve Rigby

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Steve Rigby, bestselling author, speaker, and founder of NewWings Consulting alongside his wife Susan, for a conversation that moves between leadership, self-management, and the difference between deciding and doing. From decades spent training three of the country's top ten homebuilders to writing the bestselling S.M.I.L.E. and its brand-new follow up, Managing to S.M.I.L.E., out this Friday, May 29, this episode unpacks how clarity, trust, and genuine care come together to shape not just teams, but the people on them. We dig into the ideas redefining how leaders lead, including the Six Keys drawn from Rudyard Kipling's six honest serving men, why handing goals down from the top quietly breaks them, what a tricycle reveals about the people worth hiring, and the hallway of magic mirrors that asks who will help and who will hold you accountable. Steve also takes the conversation somewhere unexpected, into addiction recovery, and what it has meant to watch his model work inside a sober living house. Rooted in the perspective and global standard of Engel & Völkers, this conversation reflects the intention, depth, and elevated thinking that define the next era of leadership, business, and personal growth across Austin and beyond. If you are leading a team, building a business, or simply trying to get one corner of your life back under your own control, this is the conversation you want in your ear! 📚 Managing to S.M.I.L.E. releases Friday, May 29, 2026. Grab your copy and follow along. 🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio 📺 https://youtu.be/FYW1rEZvXQ8 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream! https://podcasts.apple.com/.../from-waterloo.../id1756122919   #EngelAndVolkers #EVRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #GlobalRealEstate #AustinLuxury #AustinRealEstate #SteveRigby #ManagingToSMILE #SMILE #NewWingsConsulting #BookRelease #NewBook #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfManagement #SalesLeadership #SalesTraining #TheSixKeys #PersonalGrowth #Accountability #Empowerment #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #LeadershipPodcast #FromWaterlooToTheAlamo #AustinTX #CentralTexas #BestsellingAuthor #Homebuilding #ATX

Architecture, Art, and the Soul of Austin: Inside the Mind of Calvin Chen

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Calvin Chen, partner at Bercy Chen Studio and founder of Art Hub ATX for a conversation that moves between architecture, art, and the future of Central Texas. From 24 years of building a globally recognized practice to opening one of the largest creative studio spaces in the state, this episode unpacks how vision, craft, and stewardship come together to shape not just buildings, but a city. We dig into the projects redefining Austin and the Hill Country, including Oak Creek Village's 486 units across nine acres near downtown and the $350 million Backyards office buildings in Bee Cave, why the timing of design decisions matters more than ever, and what it really takes to protect Austin's creative soul as the city grows. Rooted in the perspective and global standard of Engel & Völkers, this conversation reflects the intention, design intelligence, and elevated thinking that define the next era of real estate, architecture, and culture across Austin and beyond. If you are building, designing, collecting, or simply curious about where this city is headed, this is the conversation you want in your ear! 🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio  📺 https://youtu.be/CNMFYMr6l80 [https://youtu.be/CNMFYMr6l80?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaG9CaGltZUNVRHhVdW5MNnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6s00mOfSVLJ37aVQDQLVNNEkTjljKmDoToY4eLRYN5VbB-LOFgqS6c6GdwFw_aem_3Sr0Hmh1ZvgurPOiP_DGRA] 🎧Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream!  https://podcasts.apple.com/.../from-waterloo.../id1756122919 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-waterloo-to-the-alamo/id1756122919]   #EngelAndVolkers #EVRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #GlobalRealEstate #AustinLuxury #AustinRealEstate #AustinArchitecture #BercyChenStudio #ArtHubAtx #AustinArt #CreativeCommunity #UrbanDesign #ResidentialDesign #ArchitectureAndDesign #DesignDriven #FromWaterlooToTheAlamo #AustinTX #CentralTexasBuilders #RealEstateDevelopment #DesignBuild #FutureOfAustin #AustinDevelopment #OakCreekVillage #BeeCave #BuiltInAustin #RealEstatePodcast

Luxury Lives in the Details: Inside the Builder Mindset with Phyllis Overstreet

In this episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, we sit down with Phyllis Overstreet for a conversation that goes far beyond appliances and straight into the heart of what defines luxury in today’s homebuilding landscape. From decades of builder and developer partnerships to the evolving expectations of today’s luxury buyer, this episode unpacks how design, performance, and brand alignment come together to shape not just homes, but experiences.  We explore how brands like Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau align with distinct buyer mindsets, why the timing of design decisions matters more than ever, and what builders need to understand to truly deliver at a luxury level. Rooted in the perspective and global standard of Engel & Völkers, this conversation reflects the caliber, intention, and elevated thinking that define the next era of real estate across Austin and beyond.  If you’re building, designing, advising, or selling in the luxury space, this is the conversation you want in your ear! 🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio 📺 https://youtu.be/CNMFYMr6l80 📻 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-waterloo-to-the-alamo/id1756122919 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-waterloo-to-the-alamo/id1756122919] #EngelAndVolkers #EVRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #GlobalRealEstate #AustinLuxury #AustinRealEstate #LuxuryHomes #LuxuryLiving #ElevatedLiving #DesignDriven #BuilderLife #Homebuilder #ResidentialDesign #ArchitectureAndDesign #KitchenDesign #LuxuryKitchen #ApplianceDesign #Thermador #Gaggenau #BoschHome #RealEstatePodcast #FromWaterlooToTheAlamo #AustinTX #CentralTexasBuilders #RealEstateDevelopment #DesignBuild #FutureOfLuxury #NewConstructionHomes #LuxuryTrends #BuiltInAustin

Inside Austin’s Economic Strategy with Jeremy Martin, CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce

💥 Austin isn’t just growing. It’s redefining what economic leadership looks like. On the newest episode of From Waterloo to the Alamo, host Traci Turnquist Wilson sits down with Jeremy Martin, CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, for a candid conversation about where Austin’s economy is headed next. Is Austin still in hyper growth mode or entering a smarter, more strategic chapter?  What do CEOs really ask when they’re considering relocating to Austin?  How do housing, talent, infrastructure, and innovation shape the city’s next decade?  Jeremy shares the Chamber’s perspective on Austin’s competitive advantage, the industries poised to lead the next wave, and what it will take to keep Austin one of the most dynamic business cities in the country. And don’t miss the Lightning Round Austin Edition ⚡ where Jeremy’s answers go head-to-head with the responses from last week’s episode featuring Mayor Kirk Watson. Breakfast tacos or coffee first? Downtown revival or neighborhood work hubs? Austin in one word today? 🎙️ Powered by Engel & Völkers Austin/San Antonio 📻 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you stream! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-waterloo-to-the-alamo/id1756122919 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-waterloo-to-the-alamo/id1756122919] #FromWaterlooToTheAlamo #AustinTX #AustinTexas #ATXBusiness #AustinEconomy #AustinLeadership #AustinChamber #ATXGrowth #EconomicDevelopment #AustinInnovation #AustinTech #BusinessInAustin #FutureOfAustin #ATXLeaders #CentralTexas #AustinRealEstate #ATXDevelopment #WorkforceDevelopment #AustinHousing #TexasBusiness #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessPodcast #EngelVolkers #EngelVolkersAustin