Titan Talks

In this episode of Titan Talks hosted by Jonathan Stern, Nick Slavik discussed his journey in the painting industry, from working in his family's business as a child to founding his own company, Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co., in 2007 after being told there was no place for him in the family business. Despite the rocky start and initial challenges, Slavik's company has thrived, earning num...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern converses with Kali Sudbrook of Beachside Interiors Design and Remodeling, detailing her unconventional journey from a career in kinesiology to becoming the owner of a remodeling company specializing in fitness and wellness spaces in Newport Beach. Sudbrook recounts the initial uncertainty and lack of a backup plan that led to her business's foun...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern interviews Chaz Smith, the owner of the Dig It Tree Company based in Mason, Ohio. Chaz discusses the journey of his business from its inception in 2011, detailing the decision to move from Wilmington to Mason for better opportunities and the challenges of low-quality equipment and marketing mishaps they initially faced. Despite these early setbacks, D...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern interviews John Brouder, owner of Brouder & Sons Landscaping and Irrigation. John talks about starting his business during college and evolving it from lawn maintenance to specializing in hardscapes, irrigation, and low-voltage lighting due to the low profitability and high competition in lawn mowing. He mentions working through New England’s seasons,...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Joe Hennessey, the owner of Hennessey Landscaping, shares his journey of starting his business. Hennessey's passion for landscaping began in his early teens, providing lawn care and snow removal services in his neighborhood. After initially losing interest and attempting a different career path post-college, Joe reignited his passion for landscaping and eventually e...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Donald Gilbert, owner of 4 in the Fire Fencing, a successful fencing company based in Darlington, South Carolina. Gilbert discusses the origins of his company name, which reflects a biblical reference and the initial partnership with his two sons and a close silent partner friend, Steve. He shares the challenges and learning experience...

In this podcast episode, host Jonathan Stern interviews Adam Kruer, the Director of Operations and Sales at Lamb's Lawn & Landscaping in Floyd's Knobs, Indiana. Adam shares his journey into the landscaping industry, starting from cutting grass during college to eventually joining Lamb's Lawn, where he managed to expand from handling 40 yards on his own to overseeing 400 yards as part of Lamb's Law...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Josh Wagner, owner of Wagner’s Lift and Dock Shop, a leading boat lift and dock installation company in Southwest Michigan. Josh shares his journey from working for extra cash in 2008 to eventually taking over a business dealing with boat lifts and docks with his brothers. Despite early challenges, such as working in cold Michigan wate...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern interviews Jack McLiver, owner of Lake Huron Lawns. Jack discusses his transition from employee to entrepreneur, highlighting that the desire to have more family time and provide for them drove his decision. He began his landscaping and snow removal business part-time during the COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by a lawn maintenance YouTube channel and gro...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Henne shares his journey in growing Jonathan A. Henne Property Services. From starting in lawn care as a child in his father's business until its closure after his father's death, Henne discusses reopening the business and the challenges he has faced, including learning the business side of operations on his own. Now six years into his own venture, Henne em...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Skyler Stocker, the owner of Stocker Lawn Care. Stocker shares his journey from working full-time in a turkey factory to starting his lawn care company almost by accident. Initially, he was mowing lawns for extra cash, but realized that he enjoyed it more than his full-time job. Despite his wife’s wariness, Stocker decided to expand hi...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern chats with Brian Emde, owner of Ozark Deck Company. Brian speaks about how he transitioned from a career in the army to setting up his own deck construction business. Initially working for an unlicensed builder, he decided to start his own company. Brian shares the challenges he faced during his first few projects, particularly under-pricing jobs and...

In this podcast episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Rick Doria, owner of Centex Pressure Washing in San Marcos, Texas. Rick shares his professional journey, starting as a pressure washer vent hood tech while in college in 2003 then working his way up under the guidance of the previous owner. After 18 years working in another role, Rick returned to Centex when offered to buy the...

This Titan Talks podcast features Josh Thompson, the owner of JT's Painting. Thompson started his painting career working for his father's cleaning service before he developed a liking for the painting aspect of the job. JT's Painting now specializes in home painting, staining, and refinishing and prides itself on high-quality service and work ethic. Thompson's aim is to upscale the image of the p...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern hosts Stacey Conkle, the owner of two successful cleaning businesses in Northwest Arkansas — Cozy Cabin Cleaning and A Beautiful Day Cleaning. Stacey discusses how her career in property management sparked her interest in the cleaning business. She initially noticed a massive need for a cleaning company for short-term rental properties, which led her...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Cale Schindler, owner of Fayette Property Solutions, a landscaping contractor based in Fayetteville, Georgia. Started in 2018 by Cale and his father, the company offers both residential and commercial services, with many larger scale projects. Cale shares the company’s origin story, noting that it began with him assisting a neighbor at...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Eric van Overbake, the owner of Prime Painting, a painting company in Charlotte, North Carolina. Eric shares his journey to success, starting with his college gig as a painter and eventually branching off to start his own business. He talks about the instant gratification he experiences with painting and how he fell in love with the wo...

In this episode of the Titan Talks podcast, host Jonathan Stern interviews Conor Farrell, owner of Home Hardening Solutions, a home hardening company in Grass Valley, California. He shares how he started the business after noticing a growing need for home hardening services in his area. Conor explains the four divisions of his company: roofing, concrete/hardscaping, construction, and land clearing...

In this episode of the Titan Talks podcast, host Jonathan Stern interviews Mike Blumenthal, owner of Near Media, a research and media company focused on local search. They discuss the importance of Google Business profiles for home service professionals, the factors that contribute to rankings on Google, and best practices for improving online presence and generating leads. Mike also addresses com...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Jonathan Stern interviews Aaron Allred, owner of Hollywood Detail, an auto detailing service in Northport, Alabama. Allred shares his journey of how he started in auto detailing while working at the fire department and how the business grew rapidly to the point where he had to build a shop at his house. The conversation covers topics such as adjusting the business d...

In this podcast episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Marco Tardio, the owner of Tardio Home Improvements, a construction and remodeling company in Savannah, Georgia. Marco shares his journey of starting his own business in 2018, initially focusing on flooring but gradually expanding to include painting, showers, and full home renovations. He discusses the importance of hiring spe...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Shawn Perillo, owner of Perillo Property Maintenance. Perillo discusses how he got started in the landscaping industry and why he decided to start his own company. He shares the ups and downs of running the business, including the importance of route density and the challenges of finding good help. Perillo also emphasizes the impact of...

In this episode of Titan Talks, host Jonathan Stern interviews Shawn van Dyke, owner of Built to Build, an academy designed to help construction business owners streamline their businesses, make more money, and regain control of their lives. Shawn emphasizes the importance of systems and processes, and why it is critical to understand one's worth and pricing accordingly, Additionally, he recommend...

In this episode of Titan Talks, Luke Hansen, founder and CEO of CompanyCam, discusses the origin of the company as a solution to organizing job site photos, the challenges faced in the early stages, and how the platform has evolved since its founding. Hansen also shares his thoughts on the balance between adopting new technology and focusing on the core work in the trades, why the future is bright...

This episode of Titan Talks features Steve Lockwood, the owner of Lockwood Finishes, a successful painting company located in Springfield, Illinois. The show discusses his start in the industry, how he came to realize that he was a professional, and how making 100 phone calls a day helped boost his business and client base in the early days. Steve shares insights on the importance of job costing,...