The Grit Blueprint

What can a founder learn from a former Navy SEAL who built a brand from scratch? In this episode, you’ll learn how discipline, pressure, and resilience shape better leaders, why mentorship matters more than most entrepreneurs realize, and how small wins stack into real business growth. Sam Mackey, CEO of Outsider, shares hard-earned lessons on entrepreneurship, brand building, purpose, and what it...

What does it look like to lead through massive change without losing the heart of the business? In this episode, I sit down with Do it Best president Nick Talarico to talk about leadership, grit, customer experience, and the real work of helping independents win in a changing market. We get into Retail Pulse, the new data tool built to help stores see what is working, fix what is not, and make sma...

What does it really take to get to 100 episodes when no one cares at first? In this special episode, Ben flips the script and interviews me about how the Grit Blueprint Podcast started, what almost made it stall, and why consistency beats perfection every time. We talk about building in public, learning through bad reps, why niche content wins bigger than broad content, and how real, human media w...

What if the smartest way to grow in building products is to stop selling features and start selling transformation? In this episode, I sit down with Chip Wade to talk about why trust, process, and real-world performance matter more than polished marketing talk. We get into how homeowners actually make decisions, what brands miss when they focus only on product specs, and why the companies that win...

What does it really take to build a business with your spouse and keep both the marriage and the mission intact? Ben and I pull back the curtain on three and a half years of grit and entrepreneurship, from working at the kitchen table to launching Grit Studios in our small mountain town. We talk about pressure, ownership, firing the wrong fits, finding the right ones, and why our culture is built...

 Water intrusion is the number one cause of construction lawsuits, and most of it is preventable. I sit down with Mark Stewart and Jeff Martin of Fortress Building Envelope Consultants to break down why roofs, walls, and windows fail and how small mistakes turn into million-dollar problems. We talk about the subcontractor gap, skipped mock-ups, poor supervision, COVID material substitutions, and w...

Most lumberyards think they have a sales problem. Russ Kathrein says they actually have a systems problem. In this episode, we break down the operational moves that quietly unlock millions in revenue, from billing special orders the right way to turning drivers into sales assets and cutting truck turnaround from 52 minutes to 12. Russ also shares his rule number one, your first loss is your best l...

Windows and doors are hard, and that’s exactly why they matter. In this episode, I sit down with industry veteran Michael Tull to break down why deep product knowledge, jobsite experience, and real relationships still win in a market full of shortcuts. We talk about how mastering installation details protects margin, builds trust, and turns salespeople into long-term partners instead of order take...

 Sales growth is not optional.  In this episode, I sit down with Eric Knox from Do it Best to break down what independent dealers must do now to stay competitive as AI, data, and big-box pressure accelerate.  We get practical on how to build a sales culture that keeps score, sets real goals, and uses tools like LinkedIn and AI to win new business, not just protect old accounts.  Big players are ro...

Some choices change your trajectory. Jim Powell of Culpeper Wood joins us to share why their team refuses big box volume in favor of independence, relationships, and long-term brand equity, and how that stance fuels growth. We dig into the strategy behind niching down, raising grades, and curating product mixes that win in real markets, not just on paper. Jim walks us through Culpeper’s evolution...

Want a real competitive edge that big-box chains can’t copy? Start with a story only your store can tell. We sat down on the floor at the Do It Best Market in Indianapolis with Marketing Director Kerry Hasselbach to unpack how independent hardware and LBM dealers turn authenticity into measurable growth without chasing perfection. Kerry’s journey from designing handbags to leading co‑op marketing...

Ever wonder why some simple, scrappy videos drive floods of real customers while polished promos fall flat? We sat down with Brent of BYOT, a builder-turned-creator with 20 years on the tools, to unpack how clear teaching, strong hooks, and consistent posting turned DIY tutorials into a growth engine. From the dirt-to-lawn video that exploded his channel, to trade show walk-throughs that quietly t...

Fresh off the GlassBuild floor, we dig into the real story behind AI, sales momentum, and the future of windows, doors, and glass. Industry veteran Rick Cross, Account Executive at Paradigm, joins us to separate signal from noise, arguing that the biggest wins don’t come from shiny tools, but from teams that trust each other and processes built to carry weight. We explore how to turn traditional k...

A soft market can fool you into thinking nothing’s moving. Under the surface, single-family starts are edging up, mortgage pressure is easing, and homeowners are about to unlock record equity, shifting windows and doors from isolated upgrades into bigger, General Contractor led projects. I sit down with Todd Tomalak to decode what’s next and how brands can earn the only verdict that matters: the c...

Want a practical playbook for how independent dealers can outmaneuver bigger competitors? I sat down with Gabe Arnold at the Do it Best Market to dig into the moves that matter: consultative selling, smarter buying, and turning human visibility into a real advantage on the yard and online. Gabe’s story spans from Millwork Account Executive to Northeast Regional Sales Leader, and his perspective is...

The fastest way to lose great work is to forget the people doing it. We dive into a candid, high-energy conversation with Chip Gentry, Chief Legal Officer at Quaker Windows, on why relationships still beat automation and how trust turns into measurable growth in the built world. We start with the foundations: face-to-face time, accountability, and agreements that act like partnerships rather than...

What does it really take to build a career and a business that lasts in the building materials industry? Kristy Labrecque’s story offers a rare, ground-level answer. Starting as a teenage cashier in a contractor-focused lumberyard, Kristy spent 37 years learning every aisle, role, and pressure point of the business. That long view became her greatest asset as she helped guide her store through COV...

What if doubling your speed didn’t require a new machine, just fewer steps? We sat down on site at the Do it Best Fall Market with Scott Morrison to unpack how simple, evidence‑based changes turn door shops, warehouses, and lumberyards into faster, safer, and more profitable operations. Scott walks us through his on‑site approach: capture the current state with brutal honesty, map the “dance steps...

A workforce crunch won’t solve itself, and the answer might be hiding in plain sight. From the floor of GlassBuild, I sit down with the National Glass Association’s new CEO, Lakisha Woods, for a fast-moving conversation about elevating women, the workforce gap in glass and construction, and building the kind of partnerships that turn trade show energy into real business. We talk about the first-ti...

Price pressure is loud at the counter, especially when a local roll former can make a panel that looks identical to a premium option. I spoke with Gary Davidson from Metal Sales to cut through the noise and explain how dealers and contractors turn “why does it cost more here?” into a confident YES using proof, not hype. From Texas Windstorm and UL impact ratings to paint chemistry that actually re...

What if one setback could rewire how you lead forever? That’s where Steve’s story begins: a blown knee, a chance conversation, and a walk to a boathouse that forged a lifelong blueprint for excellence, belief, and team-first leadership. From the stern-led cadence of the Blue Boat at Cambridge to the complex reality of general counsel at a fifth-generation manufacturer, Steve shows how grit becomes...

From a live conversation at Rough Creek Ranch with Amber Little, Chief Human Resources Officer at Nation’s Best, we get real about what it takes to support women in a male-dominated industry, attract the next generation, and turn everyday work into a story people want to join. This is a candid look at leadership you can feel: intentional retreats, strengths-based development, and the kind of fello...

What if the fastest way to grow your business is to stop forcing people into boxes they don’t fit? We sit down with general manager Jody Brixie, whose family turned a 700-square-foot lumber shop into two thriving California locations, one a community hub with seasonal retail, nursery, gifts, apparel, and even live bait, the other a contractor-centric powerhouse. Jody shares how she left a high-pre...

Want to make more margin where others see only risk? We sat down on the Do it Best Market show floor with Terry Bailey of DW Distribution to map out how independents turn the complexity of millwork into a durable, competitive edge. From deep inventory to guided e‑commerce and premium door systems, Terry shows how dealers can simplify ordering, avoid costly mistakes, and sell with confidence at the...

What if the most overlooked parts of your house are the biggest levers for comfort, safety, and long-term value? I sit down with John Crosby, president and CEO of the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA), to unpack how high-performance windows, doors, and skylights can shift from commodity to everyday upgrade, and what it will take to get there. We trace the path from policy to perfo...