The Kitchen Table

EPISODE NOTES Ken explains why he's committing to more solo episodes to focus on the "state of the union" of the roofing/home services industry How EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) helps break yearly goals down to weekly, department-level numbers The difference between a mentor (free) and a coach (paid) — and why Ken still values both Recruiting was identified as the company's #1 issue, not...

Justin Donawa has been in the canvassing industry for 8.5 years, starting at age 19 while in college and rising to VP of Field Marketing at Potomac Custom Remodeling. The episode digs into why leads are the #1 challenge for any retail home improvement company — and why canvassing remains the most immediate and cost-effective solution. Insurance restoration vs. retail canvassing: the key structural...

Guest: Cory Smeallie, Owner & CEO of TrueShield Exteriors LLC (Northeast Ohio) Host: Ken Baden, CEO/Owner of Baden Consulting & Potomac Custom Remodeling Cory shares his personal story of addiction and recovery — last use date: April 10, 2014 His entry into sales came through a Facebook video from Josh Diamond Burger of Next Gen TrueShield Exteriors launched just over a year ago; did $300K in year...

Episode Notes Ken is recording solo after a scheduling change — and with a sinus infection The podcast is doubling down on roofing and home services as its primary niche Major roofing companies in the DC metro area are scaling back, cutting staff by up to 50%, or folding entirely — some owing distributors millions Ken shares his philosophy: when the market is down, lean in and grow market share Po...

Guest: Chris Mechanic — serial entrepreneur, founder of WebMechanix (sold after 15 years, 9x Inc. 5000), and creator of Mecha AI , a voice AI platform built for high-volume lead gen businesses. Chris came up through SEO and affiliate marketing, built a nationally recognized digital agency, achieved a successful exit near his 40th birthday, and then dove headfirst into the world of voice AI after s...

EPISODE NOTES Andrew Hathaway is Co-Founder of Freedom. AI and operates out of Cherry Creek, Denver — right in the heart of the private equity and M&A world. His three-part framework for business owners: Executive Assistants for time freedom → AI automation for operational efficiency → Life insurance strategies for financial freedom. The "Become Your Own Bank" concept: using a permanent life insur...

EPISODE NOTES Brent and Kyle Pease are co-founders of the Kyle Pease Foundation, based in Atlanta, GA Kyle has cerebral palsy and competes in full Ironman triathlons alongside his brother Brent In an Ironman, Brent pulls Kyle through a 2.4-mile swim in a boat tied to his waist, pedals a three-wheeled bike with Kyle seated in front for 112 miles, and pushes Kyle in a chair for a 26.2-mile run They...

Guest: Ian McCarthy — President of Blue Claw Group LLC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-mccarthy-a08ab725/ Website: blueclawgroup.com | BidClout AI Estimating Tool (on homepage) YouTube: Ian Blue Claw McCarthy | Instagram: @blueclawgroup Host: Ken Baden — CEO/Owner of Baden Consulting and Potomac Custom Remodeling Website: badenconsulting.net | thekitchentablepodcast.net Companies Mention...

Ken Baden and Jason Nemes first connected at the Blue Collar Ballers event in February of last year, and this episode is the payoff of several scheduling attempts that almost didn't happen. It's worth the wait. Jason's background is anything but conventional for a roofing CEO. He spent years building a 4,500-person downline in the health and wellness network marketing space, and still draws a six-...

Guest: Jesse Spiegel is the founder of NexLev Logic (nexlevlogic.com), an AI automation platform built exclusively for the roofing industry. With years of experience as a top-producing roofing sales rep — including $3.8M in a single storm season — Jesse turned his firsthand frustrations into a full suite of tools that help roofing companies communicate better, close more, and scale without the cha...

Guest: Maryori Jones | Founder, Ave Sportwear  Host: Ken Baden | CEO/Owner, Baden Consulting & Potomac Custom Remodeling  Podcast: The Kitchen Table Podcast | thekitchentablepodcast.net Key Takeaways: Ave stands for Agua Viva Empire — a faith-first brand for women of all body types The brand was born from Maryori's postpartum experience and the loss of identity many mothers face after childbirth S...

EPISODE NOTES Host: Ken Baden — CEO & President, Potomac Custom Remodeling and Baden Consulting Format: Solo episode, no guest Runtime: Approx. 21 minutes People & Companies Mentioned: Dmitry Lipinskiy — Roofing Insights (hosted Ken on his podcast and radio show in Minnesota) Chris Simberman — industry contact discussing business pivots Network shoutouts: John Cena, Chris Jericho, Adam Vidzeme, Br...

Guest Information: Name: Ron Kmetovicz Book: Ghost Money: The Pathway to Financial Independence Website: https://ghostmoneythebook.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-k-34218017/ Background: Retired engineer, 20 years in Silicon Valley, consulting practice owner Current Location: Reno-Lake Tahoe area Age: 78 (still actively skiing, mountain biking, hiking) Key Concepts Discussed: Ghost M...

Guest Background: Saahil Mehta - Based in Dubai (visiting New York during recording) Entrepreneur running three businesses Second-generation entrepreneur (diamond trading business started by father at age 54) First-generation entrepreneur (hospitality business running ~17 years) Author of "Break Free: A Guide to Decluttering Your Life" Success coach and member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coach...

Guest: Reed Nyffeler - Author, franchisor operating in 49 states & 9 countries Books: "Transform Through Purpose" and "Lead Exponentially" Contact: readnyffeler.com Key Topics: Construction to franchise journey Security franchise model with proprietary software New low-cost franchises: Filter Go, window cleaning Franchise vs. entrepreneur: personality determines path Lead Exponentially framework f...

Guest: Chris Zimmerman Owner, At Your Service Roofing and Remodeling Co-founder, Master Your Craft (with John Lombard) 15+ years in roofing industry Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor Based in Cincinnati, OH with branch in Cleveland Key Topics Discussed: Industry Transformation (2024) Market down 20-40% for most contractors Chris achieved best year ever despite no major storms The "thinni...

About Bill Blankschaen: Bill is the author of "Your Story Advantage" and owner of Story Builders, where he's spent 13+ years helping individuals and businesses develop their stories. He's worked with high-profile names like Dean Graziosi, John Maxwell, and Louis Howes, as well as countless businesses building their brands systematically. The Story Ecosystem Framework: Message Maker - Your core bra...

Guest Introduction James Shin is the author of "The Leader's Soul: 52 Reflections for Unlocking Your Inner Leader" and founder of a leadership consulting practice. Originally from South Korea, James immigrated to the United States 31 years ago to pursue his PhD at Penn State. He spent 20 years at Caterpillar, moving seven times within the company and holding various leadership positions including...

Guest Introduction Jason Michael Perry is the Founder & Chief AI Officer at PerryLabs, a consulting company helping businesses navigate the AI landscape. He's the former CEO of mygroove and author of "The AI Evolution: The Role of the Chief AI Officer." Based in Baltimore, MD, Jason has eight years of experience in technology leadership and hosts the "Thoughts on Tech & Things" podcast. Key Topics...

About the Guests Blake Grissom - Charleston, South Carolina Previously featured on The Kitchen Table Podcast approximately one year ago Had a record-breaking year in insurance restoration following South Carolina's largest storm Recently launched his own roofing company Experiencing the "baptism by fire" of starting during a non-storm year Co-founder/partner in BuilderLink CRM LinkedIn: https://ww...

About Doug C Brown: Former President of Sales & Training for Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes organization Managed 166 people, helped grow company 10x during tenure Improved closing rates from 17.8% to 43.2% (sustained for 7 years) Improved front-end sales from 12.7% to 21.2% Has worked with 352+ industries over 30+ years Notable clients include: Intuit, CBS Television, Procter & Gamble, Enterprise Re...

Guest: Taylor Baires Owner: Varadero Roofing Group Founder: Solutions Beyond the Storm (Consulting) Background: Construction, Law Enforcement, Roofing Sales Location: Florida (travels nationwide for consulting) Key Discussion Points: The psychological advantage women have at the door Why retail training makes superior storm chasers Growing up in a GC family and learning work ethic Transition from...

Host: Ken Baden - CEO of Baden Consulting and Potomac Custom Remodeling  Guest: Brian Seidensticker - Chief Executive Officer, Tax Sale Resources, Inc. Key Topics Covered: Transition from aerospace engineering to entrepreneurship How the 2008 financial crisis led to discovering tax liens Building a SaaS platform to solve industry inefficiencies The truth about tax sale properties and foreclosures...

Takeaways: Market Shift: The home service boom (2020–2023) has ended; call volume dropped 30–40% and stabilized at lower levels. Brand over Rankings: Strong, memorable branding now outweighs digital rankings for lead quality and cost-effectiveness. Digital Challenges Ahead: Marketing will become harder and costlier due to saturation and AI platforms diverting traffic. Canvassing Opportunity: Door-...

Takeaways • The Power of Personal Presentation • AI as a Personal Style Assistant: Taelor AI   • Sustainability Through Rental • The Entrepreneurial Focus on Pain Points • Unique Data is King in the AI Era • Strategic Expansion & Licensing • Self-Belief is Paramount   TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL BOOK A FREE CONSULATION CALL NOW!   ******************************** https://badenconsulting.n...