Hire Smarter™ with Tony Misura

Private equity has poured into the building materials industry. But what happens when the people buying the business don't fully understand the business? Tony Misura sits down with longtime industry leader Russ Kathrein, Vice President of Lumber & Building Materials at Do it Best, for a candid conversation about consolidation, leadership, and what separates the deals that create lasting value from...

In the latest episode of Hire Smarter , Tony Misura sits down with Chris Beard of John Burns Research & Consulting and Chris Kliefoth, founder of Premier Solutions Group, to talk about where housing is really headed. It's not the conversation you'd expect. Rates aren't coming to save anyone. Both guests agree 2027 will look a lot like 2026. But the real conversation starts when they zoom out: what...

What does a three-star general and a Harvard-trained negotiation consultant have in common? More than you might think -- and their new book, All the Difference, is the result of finding out.   In this episode of Hire Smarter, Tony Misura sits down with Stuart Kliman and Lieutenant General Todd Leslie Smith to talk about the leadership challenge that is quietly undermining organizations across ever...

Episode 43 | Bob Fieck, CHRO, Wausau Supply Company Grit Is a Choice: Execution and Servant Leadership in the Building Products Industry Bob Fieck has spent 30 years stepping into situations most people would step away from -- broken operations, underfunded startups, businesses in the red, and organizations navigating major cultural change. Today, as CHRO of Wausau Supply Company, he brings that s...

The headlines are loud. The data tells a different story. In this episode of Hire Smarter, Tony Misura sits down with Chris Beard of John Burns Research and Consulting to cut through the economic noise and get to what's actually happening in housing and LBM. From starts and inventory levels to diesel costs, labor shortages, immigration's impact on the workforce, and AI's role in building products,...

What if your greatest profit accelerator is already inside your organization? In this episode of Hire Smarter, Tony Misura sits down with April Murray, Fractional CFO, to explore a powerful truth: When finance and sales teams truly join forces, profitability accelerates. This conversation goes beyond theory. Tony and April unpack: • Why financial acumen is the scoreboard of every business • The te...

Rethinking Legacy Leadership in LBM: A Conversation with Bryan Mellick of Ward Lumber The latest episode of Hire Smarter with Tony Misura takes a deep dive into one of the most important leadership challenges facing today's building materials industry: how multi-generational companies evolve beyond traditional owner-operator models to meet the demands of a modern workforce and competitive marketpl...

Tony Misura sits down with Chris Beard, Building Products Research Director at John Burns Research and Consulting, for a comprehensive look at what's really happening in housing and building materials markets heading into 2026. Chris breaks down the numbers that matter: why single-family starts are down mid-single digits while multifamily is strengthening, what the "magic" 5.5% mortgage rate means...

In this episode, Tony sits down with Rory O'Neill of Rory Thomas Productions, a longtime friend and expert in video storytelling. They discuss the real value of video in talent and customer attraction, the common pitfalls companies face when creating content, and how to capture the genuine, compelling stories that resonate with both customers and candidates. From building comfort on camera to iden...

Hire Smarter Podcast: Land Banking, Risk Mitigation, and Government Policies Shaping the Housing Market Join industry expert John Burns as he explores the evolving landscape of the housing market. In this episode, John breaks down the significance of land banking , risk mitigation strategies for builders, and the lasting effects of government policies like Dodd-Frank . Tune in for valuable insight...

In the latest episode of  Hire Smarter , Tony Misura talks with Joe Page, founder and CEO of Tamarack Software, about his innovative approach to modernizing the wood products industry. Tamarack is building an integrated operating system for sawmills to address the complex, fragmented nature of the industry. Joe explains how the company, despite lacking prior experience in the field, began with han...

In the latest episode of Hire Smarter™, Michael Collins shares insights into his journey in the building products industry and investment banking, emphasizing a strategic focus on large, fragmented markets ripe for acquisition. He highlights the significance of sustainable EBITDA in business valuations, urging listeners to steer clear of one-time or non-recurring items that could skew buyer percep...

Cody Nuernberg, President of BLD Connection, outlines the advantages of joining the association. He emphasizes the benefits of networking, educational opportunities, and the diverse program services provided. Cody also highlights the association's role in legislative advocacy, addressing current issues like credit card fees and potential changes to crane regulations. He underscores the cost-effect...

In the latest episode of "Hire Smarter," we explore how LBM industry leaders can transform their hiring practices and career decisions by leveraging innovative technology to improve estimating processes. The episode highlights the challenges LBM dealers face with estimating and how the groundbreaking Paradigm technology addresses these issues. Paradigm enables a significant boost in estimating cap...

Our guests today are Jack Laverty and Larry Noble from World Vision, an organization that focuses on providing relief and development to underserved communities. They discuss the organizations evolution from typical NGO to solution-based provider for corporations, offering product donation solutions and addressing issues such as obsolete inventory and employee engagement. They highlight World Visi...

In the latest episode of Hire Smarter™, follow along as Tony, Jim, and Michele discuss the explosive value that Hogan Assessments can bring to the LBM industry. Jim dives into how this personality assessment is used to help companies with strategic planning, succession planning, and coaching. While there are many types of personality tests out there, the Hogan Assessment allows for individuals to...

In this episode, Tony dives into Matt Semonik's unexpected journey into the LBM industry and Arnold Lumber's legacy as a fourth-generation family-owned business. Matt elaborates on the company's niche in serving high-end custom home builders in Rhode Island, its diverse offerings, and its growth trajectory. The conversation shifts to non-compete agreements, with Matt discussing their evolving land...

This episode of Hire Smarter dives into the questions to help listeners understand what the cutting edge supply chain tactics are and how first principles can challenge the status quo and help your organization move forward.   The sharpest supply chain leaders start from a cultural perspective in creating a place where there is a more progressive think, challenging teams with best practices and in...

The best step any company can take to become excellent at recruiting is to be excellent at marketing. At its roots, recruiting is a marketing problem. Scott Ericson, Owner of Wheelhouse 20/20, takes pride in having created a full-service marketing resource exclusively for the building supply channel. They specialize in developing and executing strategies that weave together the building industry,...

The greatest leaders take on the toughest challenges. Successfully driving cutting-edge innovation in the home building industry is an enormous challenge. Garrett Moore, the CEO of Agorus , has a mission of building homes from permits to keys in 30 days. How does a leader maintain the level of intensity and focus needed to tackle the boldest initiatives? Mantras help teams effectively maintain foc...

Our guest today is Chalmers Brothers, a best-selling author, certified executive coach, consultant, and speaker. In this episode, Chalmers shares that we don't need to be psychologists to be effective leaders - but to be emotionally literate and capable of utilizing our most effective tool, "the power of language," does require a dedicated effort. We all have heroes, people who have held themselve...

In this episode, Tony speaks with Levi Smith, the CEO & President of Franklin Building Supply, a standout independent LBM dealer. A full line lumberyard in Idaho, they generate over $300m in sales, with 750 people, 17 locations, including door shops and truss plants. What is your best story to effectively attract bright young talent to your company? A great story has three components: A cast of ch...

In this episode, Tony speaks with Craig Webb, the decades-long editor of ProSales Magazine and current President of Webb Analytics, about the importance of excellent communication and how to hone in on your skills. Craig is easily one of the best speakers and communicators in the building materials and construction supply industry.  Craig recommends we ask 3 simple questions: What combination of m...

Are you interested in building a sustained business model that thrives whether you are there or not?   Are you facing scaling or turnover challenges?   Are you curious about what drives a building products business to sell for 6-8x EBITDA instead of 3x EBITDA?   This episode's guest is one of the building industry's top operators, Kendall Hoyd, CEO of the Sharpen Group . His track record includes...

The #1 differentiating factor of great companies is simply the quality of their people. The quality of leadership determines the quality of people. Top talent does not want to report to mediocre leaders. It's the primary motive for most candidates we place.    Our guest today is Mai-Tal Kennedy, Principal Consultant with Building Industry Partners' Center of Excellence. Building Industry Partners...