#355 How Ellie Knips Built Her Career Around Building
Modern Craftsman
Modern Craftsman
4.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 31 March 2025
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, we sit down with Ellie Knips, a marketing professional with over a decade of experience in the building materials industry. From backing trailers into docks during internships to leading national campaigns at Andersen Windows, Ellie’s journey is one of grit, curiosity, and fearless growth.
She shares how she transitioned from Cambria’s interior-focused marketing to Andersen’s content-driven role—despite having no formal background in social media. We dive into how she built trust with builders, navigated big career leaps, and learned to embrace uncertainty and “figure it out” moments.
We also talk about the importance of authentic storytelling, building strong brand partnerships, and why betting on yourself is often the smartest move you can make.
Whether you’re in construction, marketing, or just trying to level up your career, this episode is packed with real talk, insight, and inspiration.
Episode Outline:
Ellie Kanips' Career Journey and Role at Anderson Windows (0:00)
Ellie's Transition from Cambria to Anderson (5:42)
Leadership and Learning from Challenges (11:51)
Storytelling and Audience Connection in Marketing (23:51)
Building Strong Partnerships with Vendors (33:13)
Challenges and Growth in New Roles (43:57)
Final Thoughts and Reflections (46:47)
Watch this episode on Youtube:
Partners:
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | When I look at my team today and I say, okay, we've never done this before. |
| 0:05.6 | Maybe Anderson has never done this before. |
| 0:07.9 | Maybe this team has never done it before, but we're going to figure it out. |
| 0:11.1 | And if it goes sideways, we'll figure that out too. |
| 0:18.1 | Today's guest is Ellie Kinnips, a marketing professional with over 11 years of experience |
| 0:24.3 | in the building materials industry. |
| 0:27.0 | Ellie spent her first seven years at Cambria, and for the past four, she's been at Anderson |
| 0:31.1 | Windows where she's made a big leap into her social and content-focused role. |
| 0:36.4 | Despite having no formal experience in those areas, |
| 0:39.3 | that leap pushed her out of her comfort zone and sparked tremendous professional growth. |
| 0:44.3 | What sets Ellie apart is her deep connection to the builder community, something she credits to both her husband, |
| 0:50.3 | Casey, who first introduced her to the industry via Instagram and her relentless curiosity. |
| 0:56.0 | She's made it her mission to bring customers' voices into the organization, bridging |
| 1:01.0 | the gap between large manufacturers and the real people on job sites. |
| 1:06.0 | From backing trailers into loading docks during college internships, to betting on herself with every career jump |
| 1:11.6 | Ellie is someone who thrives when the stakes are high whether it's workforce development |
| 1:15.8 | sustainability or the ever-evolving content landscape she's at the forefront always learning |
| 1:21.6 | always adapting at her core Ellie is driven not just by the, but by a love for the people who do it. |
| 1:28.3 | She believes in romancing the grit, artistry, and everyday excellence of builders and makers. |
| 1:33.3 | We're pumped to dive into her story, her strategies, and the mindset that helped her build a standout career. |
| 1:39.3 | So we at Modern Craftsmen are lucky to not call, not only call Ellie a partner with the podcast, |
| 1:48.9 | but also a friend. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 3 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Modern Craftsman, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Modern Craftsman and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.