Best Certified Contractors Network Podcasts (2024)

1
How to Grow Your Business the Right Way: Tips from a $50 Million Roofer Who Retired at Age 47 | Ken Kelly 26:15

1d ago26:15

26:15

In this episode, CCN Director of Member & Partner Experience Drew Barto is joined by Ken Kelly. Ken took over his family business—Kelly Roofing—in 1993 and grew it to $50 million in annual revenue and 300+ employees. He sold the business in 2020 and retired at the age of 47. Ken shares his expert insight on how to properly grow a contracting busine…

1
What Contractors Need to Know About New Lead Gen Laws Before 2025 and How AI Can Help | Nate Joens 23:05

22d ago23:05

23:05

As of January 2025, new FCC lead generation laws will require contractors to have explicit 1:1 consent to call or text leads, impacting how companies can engage with their potential customers. Home improvement companies have until the end of 2024 to freely contact existing leads, making it crucial to ramp up outreach efforts before the laws take ef…

1
No. 23: Vince Venditti, President of Premier Home Pros 46:40

1M ago46:40

46:40

Vince Venditti is an energetic young leader in the home improvement industry. He was previously CMO of American Residential Services and SVP at Leaf Home before making the leap into entrepreneurship. Today he’s president and co-owner of Premier Home Pros in Akron, Ohio. In Talking TOP 500, episode No. 23, Venditti talks about Premier, which just op…

1
Chicagoland Siding, Window, and Door Contractor Talks Marketing Success & Growing Tech Stack | Tara Dawn 29:16

1M ago29:16

29:16

In this episode, CCN Director of Member & Partner Experience Drew Barto is joined by Opal Enterprises Co-Owner and long-time CCN member Tara Dawn. Tara shares how she’s doing more with what she has and how she uses a mix of traditional and modern marketing vehicles with an ever-growing tech stack to improve sales processes and increase lead flow. D…

1
No. 22: Jeff Gunhus, founder and CEO, Home Genius Exteriors 47:17

2M ago47:17

47:17

Jeff Gunhus is founder and CEO of Home Genius Exteriors based in Hyattsville, Maryland. Last year the company generated $73.7 million on 3,755 jobs. Remarkably the company is on track to double these figures to $150 million by the end of 2024. Starting in the early 90s he launched a number of companies across several industries. Then, having just m…

1
The Benefits of Adding Low-Ticket, High-Margin Home Improvement Products to a Contractor's Portfolio | Karen Sager 20:55

2M ago20:55

20:55

In this episode, CCN Director of Member & Partner Experience Drew Barto talks with MicroMeshGutterGuards.com (MMGG) President & CEO Karen Sager. Karen unveils the benefits of adding low-ticket, high-margin product lines that can be installed quickly to inject consistent cash into any contractor’s business. You’ll learn details of her fast-to-cash c…

1
No. 21 Chad Castrilli, Dream Home Roofers 35:51

3M ago35:51

35:51

In episode No. 21 of Talking Top 500, the discussion involves Chadd Castrilli, Vice President of Sales for Dream Home Roofers, which appeared at no. 19 on this year's TOP 500 List with $21 million in revenue on 1,200 completed jobs. Castrilli is an impressive leader in the home improvement industry. He got his start 17 years ago with NuLook Home De…

1
How Contractors Can Create Effective Lead-Nurturing Email Campaigns | Jenni McMorran 20:54

3M ago20:54

20:54

In this episode, CCN Director of Member & Partner Experience Drew Barto talks with Renoworks Contractor Channel Partner Manager Jenni McMorran. The discussion is centered around employing effective email campaigns that result in booking more appointments and closing more sales. You will learn best practices for capturing email addresses, creating u…

1
A Discussion About New Initiatives at Certified Contractors Network | Drew Barto 39:31

4M ago39:31

39:31

In this episode, Gary talks with CCN’s new Director of Member and Partner Experience. The discussion will address many of the new initiatives at CCN, including some changes to our Contractors Toolbox podcast. Other topics will be strategic partnerships, The new L&D branding of CCN University, and changes coming to our financing program, all of whic…

1
No. 20 Adam Shampaine, Homefix Custom Remodeling 47:22

6M ago47:22

47:22

Adam Shampaine is an energetic young leader in the home improvement industry. He's the CEO of Homefix Custom Remodeling in Baltimore, Maryland. Homefix is a very large company with multiple branches in the mid Atlantic region. Last year the company was ranked No. 33 on the Qualified Remodeler TOP 500 list based on $68.3 million in revenue on 3,963 …

1
The Ins and Outs of Offering Financing Options In Your Business | Neal Christensen 47:21

7M ago47:21

47:21

In this episode, Gary talks with Neal Christensen, Assistant Vice President and Relationship Manager at Enerbank. Neal discusses the benefits of financing and various payment options. He talks about the impact it has on cash flow, the financing process, how it increases viable leads for contractors, the positive impact on close rates, and more. He …

1
No. 19: Adam Kaliner, Co-Founder, Power Home Remodeling Group 46:28

8M ago46:28

46:28

Today’s discussion is with a well-known leader in the home improvement industry, Adam Kaliner co-founder of Power Home Remodeling. Power, as many industry observers know, is one of the largest companies in the industry. In 2023, they billed $1.25 billion in sales. That’s billion with a capital B. And the company has a total of 3,500 employees…

1
No. 18: Abby Binder, Abby Windows & Doors 38:47

9M ago38:47

38:47

Episode No. 18 is a discussion with one of the brightest rising stars in the home improvement industry—Abby Binder—owner of Abby Windows & Doors, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is a businessperson with a growth mindset. She’s always looking for new ways to improve her people and upgrade her processes. She's always ready to take the next step…

1
Effectively Utilizing Visualization Tools to Improve Your Sales Process | Brad Finck 26:00

9M ago26:00

26:00

In this episode, Gary talks with Brad Finck, Senior Vice President at Renoworks Software. Renoworks is a market leader in providing various visualization tools for a more professional and sophisticated demo in the customer’s home. Brad talks about how these visualization tools can also be utilized on your website, in social media marketing, home sh…

1
A Contractor with a Passion for Technology Builds a Phenomenal Solution for Contractors | Isaac Barlow 24:23

10M ago24:23

24:23

In this episode, Gary talks with Isaac Barlow, the Founder of BusyBusy. BusyBusy is a technology solution that raises the bar on field labor management and job costing. Isaac talks about how he created the BusyBusy solution for his own contracting company and the results were so strong after 4 years that they began offering the solution to the indu…

1
No. 17: Scott Siegal, CEO of Certified Contractors Network | Maggio Roofing 41:08

10M ago41:08

41:08

Professional roundtable groups—comprised of industry peers and led by business consultants—are a familiar feature of the home improvement and remodeling industries. There are peer groups that focus insurance restoration. Others are focused on full-service and design-build remodeling. For home improvement pros a handful of groups come to mind. One o…

1
How a California Roofing Contractor Successfully Scaled his business to $29M | Pete Scudder 32:25

10M ago32:25

32:25

In this episode, Gary talks with Pete Scudder, owner of Scudder Roofing in Marino, CA. Pete talks about how he got his start in the industry at 18 years old and launched his own company at 24. With a family to feed, Pete talks about what it took to get his business off the ground, how he learned to become a strong business leader, and how he succes…

1
No. 16: Beth Biron, CMO of Reborn Home Solutions and Dreamstyle Remodeling | Renovo 45:15

11M ago45:15

45:15

Beth Biron is a rising star in the home improvement industry. She is the chief marketing and sales officer at Reborn Home Solutions, a leading provider of cabinet refacing, one-day baths and windows based in California. Beth has nearly 20 years of direct sales and marketing experience in the energy, solar power and home remodeling industries, with …

1
Intro to the Different Parts of an Energy Audit 20:23

12M ago20:23

20:23

Understanding what an energy auditor does has to be absorbed in small chunks. I have been doing it for five years and am still learning new things and making mistakes. I hope this intro to the different parts of an energy audit can help you to get better at what you do or maybe even decide that this is something you want to do. Don't let the idea t…

1
How an Ohio Contractor went from a Storm Business to a Booming Retail Contractor | Jon Qualls 29:37

1y ago29:37

29:37

In this episode, Gary talks with Jon Qualls, President and Co-Owner of Bo Lacey Construction. Jon talks about how he forged a close friendship with his business partner, Kevin Lacey, after they played football together in college. He talks about how their first 3 years in business were focused on storms and they came close to going out of business …

1
A Pittsburgh-Based Contractor Leverages His Corporate Background to Launch and Build His Window and Door Business | Steve Rennekamp 33:32

1y ago33:32

33:32

In this episode, Gary talks with Steve Rennekamp, founder and CEO of Energy Swing Windows and Doors. Steve has a fascinating background. He talks about how he earned an Engineering degree and was recruited right out of school to work for Alcoa. He spent 33 years at the company in various roles and truly learned many functional areas of business dur…

1
A Michigan Roofing Contractor Overcomes Challenges and Scales His Business | Jeff Nunham 28:55

1y ago28:55

28:55

In this episode, Gary talks with Jeff Nunham, Owner and CEO of Precision Roofing Services. Jeff talks about how he started his roofing company in 2001 and it took him 14 years to surpass $1 million in revenue in 2015. As he sharpened his business skills and surrounded himself with the right talent, he was able to 11X his revenue in 8 years. Jeff no…

1
No 15: John Anglis, Founder, Care Free Home Pros, Avon, Connecticut 48:31

1y ago48:31

48:31

Episode No. 15 is with John Anglis, founder of CareFree Home Pros of Avon, Connecticut. CareFree is a Bath Replacement business that generated $9.5 million in revenue in 2022, the last year that Anglis owned the company. This past February, Anglis sold CareFree to Sage Home for an undisclosed cash amount. Anglis is not afraid to tell you about the …

1
A Deep Look at Contractor Merchant Services from a Market Leader in the Business Jaron Rice 40:18

1y ago40:18

40:18

In this episode, Gary talks with Jaron Rice, founder and CEO of Magothy Payments. Jaron talks about how he got into the payments industry specifically focusing on home improvement and home services contractors. He then gets into “effective rates” and how to properly calculate them. Jaron discusses funding delays and the ways to avoid them. The conv…

1
How A Rural PA Roofer Built a Highly Successful Company Based on Servant Leadership | Anson Martin 32:40

1y ago32:40

32:40

In this episode, Gary talks with Anson Martin, the founder and CEO of Valley Roofing and Exteriors based in Harrisonburg, VA. Anson talks about how he only has an 8th-grade education and started working for a builder when he was 17 years old. He was drawn to roofing and favored that trade over all other trades within the construction umbrella. Anso…

1
Learn How This GM Worked Closely with an Owner to Rapidly Scale a Contracting Firm | Danielle Jones 27:56

1y ago27:56

27:56

In this episode, Gary talks with Danielle Jones, General Manager of Hutcherson Construction in Michigan. Danielle shares the Hutcherson Construction story and speaks about their rapid growth over the past several years. She discusses the importance of implementing formal systems and processes and how that transformed their company. With a longtime …

1
No.14: Ed Weinfurtner and Michael Hoy, Great Day Improvements 40:37

1y ago40:37

40:37

Among the handful of truly fast-growing home improvement companies—those with plans to grow to be national in scope—Great Day Improvements offers a different path. The company is growing with a ground level, entrepreneurial strategy, and with a deep appreciation for what it takes to run a successful home improvement firm. To that end, companies tha…

1
How Technology Can Improve Payroll Waste and Job Costing for Greater Profits | Derrik Shakespear 45:44

1y ago45:44

45:44

In this episode, Gary talks with Derrik Shakespear, Chief Revenue Officer for BusyBusy, a technology company focused on improving profitability for home improvement contractors. Derrik talks about the company’s founder who owns 5 contracting companies and how his passion for technology, math, and data led him to start BusyBusy to solve job site cha…

1
No. 13: Jason Couto of Couto Construction 33:21

1y ago33:21

33:21

Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch talk with Jason Couto of Couto Construction in New Bedford, Mass. in Episode No. 13 of the Talking TOP 500 podcast. Jason learned the business from his father, who was a Portuguese immigrant to the United States and who founded the company when Jason was very young. Since taking over the firm in 2008, Jason has grown t…

1
Learn About the Tools You Need to Be A Home Energy Auditor 2nd Part 24:28

1y ago24:28

24:28

With over 2000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland, I have tried several different tools and created a few neat tricks to make the job easier and more enjoyable. This Home Performance Company Startup episode walks through several of the things I use and do to make it happen. I have a hub-type website where you can find the different things I ha…

1
No. 12: Emily and Kevin Lindus, co-founders, Lindus Construction 32:38

1y ago32:38

32:38

In Episode No. 12 of the Talking TOP 500 podcast, we speak with a couple who is widely admired in the home improvement industry. They are Emily and Kevin Lindus, owners of Lindus Construction in Baldwin, Wisconsin. They started the company in 1981 out of their kitchen and last year the company generated $43.2 million in revenue on gutters, decks an…

1
Learn About the Tools You Need to Be A Home Energy Auditor 1st Part 11:52

1y ago11:52

11:52

One possible obstacle contractors will face is the up front cost of the equipment required to conduct an home energy audit. In this episode, I briefly describe some of the tools that we use in the field and explain why they are important. I have a hub-type website where you can find the different things I have going on and get in touch if you want.…

1
A Look At the Distribution Side of the Home Improvement and Remodeling Industry | Greg Bloom 33:41

1y ago33:41

33:41

In this episode, Gary talks with Greg Bloom, Vice President of National Strategic Accounts for Beacon Building Products. Greg talks about the state of the building material distribution industry, how it was impacted during the pandemic, and how it has fared post-pandemic. Greg also discusses the consolidation in the distribution space and his view …

1
Revolutionizing Your Lead Mix with Face-to-Face Marketing | Megan Beattie 43:58

1y ago43:58

43:58

In this episode, Gary talks with Megan Beattie, an industry veteran who specializes in face-to-face marketing. Megan discusses the various ways contractors are effectively engaging in face-to-face marketing and she zeroes in on 4 of the common ways contractors can effectively engage in this type of marketing. Megan also talks about the importance o…

1
A Strategic Partnership Initiative to Help Contractors Increase Close Rates &Ticket Value | Peter Ingraham 36:12

1+ y ago36:12

36:12

In this episode, Gary speaks with Peter Ingraham, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Ingage. Peter and Gary talk about the initiative Ingage and CCN have been building out together, by marrying CCN’s proprietary 5P Sales Process with Ingage’s proprietary presentation and analytics software. The result is a highly professional presentation that s…

1
New York Computer Science Professional Creates a Unique CRM For Contractors | Jonathan Weinberg 33:36

1+ y ago33:36

33:36

In this episode, Gary talks with Jonathan Weinberg, the Founder and CEO of Builder Prime. Jonathan talks about how he was introduced to the home improvement contracting industry and how he initially set out to use his Computer Science degrees to create tech software that supported contractors with solutions for estimation and production, however, h…

1
Home Energy Rebates Update & How to Get Prepared 13:04

1+ y ago13:04

13:04

Learn more https://www.homeperformancewebsites.com/ Learn more https://www.ericgans.com https://www.buzzsprout.com/2201117 If you are looking to join a growing community of energy auditors, please visit our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/384354076839150 I have a hub-type website where you can find the different things I have going …

1
The Truth About What a Good Website Really Is 12:03

1+ y ago12:03

12:03

Learn more https://www.homeperformancewebsites.com/ Learn more https://www.ericgans.com https://www.buzzsprout.com/2201117 If you are looking to join a growing community of energy auditors, please visit our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/384354076839150 I have a hub-type website where you can find the different things I have going …

1
A Close Look at Lead Generation Strategy and Execution | Jim Mallers 37:41

1+ y ago37:41

37:41

In this episode, Gary talks with Jim Mallers, Vice President of Sales and Partnerships the EverCommerce Marketing Technology Solutions Group. Jim talks about the differences between lead generation firms and how contractors should evaluate lead generation partners as they grow their businesses. He also explains how contractors should go about expan…

1
A Look at the Updates to CCN's Learning and Development Programs | Melissa Nicholson 27:33

1+ y ago27:33

27:33

In this episode, Gary talks with CCN’s Melissa Nicholson, who is responsible for our learning and development programs at CCN. The conversation covers the return of in-person bootcamp, the addition of several self-paced courses on CCN’s new Learning Management System (LMS), and the addition of several mini-courses on specific topics that will also …

1
5 Reasons Home Inspectors Need to Become Energy Auditors 11:17

1+ y ago11:17

11:17

I think home inspectors should strongly consider getting certified to be an energy auditor. Not only will it grow exponentially over the next ten years it is also easier to do and can be more rewarding financially. Sorry this one is a little late! Been busy!! 2:53 1 Already doing inspections! 3:41 2 The Number of Tasks is Less = Less Work 4:13 3 Le…

1
How a PA Roofing and Solar Contractor Scaled his Business From $800K to $27M in 12 Years | James Henriques 35:26

1+ y ago35:26

35:26

In this episode, Gary talks with James Henriques, owner of Pinnacle Exteriors, based in Allentown, PA. James talks about his humble beginnings, his willingness to take risks and to never fear failure. He talks about the importance of working hard and learning from others. James also discussed the impact that CCN had on his business, and he refers t…

1
5 Things Home Performance Contractors Do 13:51

1+ y ago13:51

13:51

Check out five things home performance contractors do to see if they interest you. 00:00 Show Premise Summary 00:37 Start of the Show 01:14 Thing #1 Looking at Houses in Three-Dimensional Ways 03:27 Thing #2 Unbiased HVAC System Evaluations 06:12 Thing #3 Blower Door Testing 09:20 Thing #4 Air Sealing and Insulating Houses 10:11 Thing #5 Whole Hous…

1
5 Skills You Need & Can Learn to Be a Home Performance Contractor #4 10:28

1+ y ago10:28

10:28

Learn more https://www.homeperformancewebsites.com/ Learn more https://www.ericgans.com https://www.buzzsprout.com/2201117 If you are looking to join a growing community of energy auditors, please visit our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/384354076839150 I have a hub-type website where you can find the different things I have going …

1
The Importance of Excellent Documentation Throughout the Sales and Production Process | Nick Brouillette 34:47

1+ y ago34:47

34:47

In this episode, Gary talks with Nick Brouillette, head of business development for CompanyCam. Nick talks about the importance of excellent documentation for contractors. He explains how internally it helps keep teams organized and on the same page day to day. Nick also explains why this documentation is so important when communicating with homeow…

1
A Source for Keeping Contractors in the Know About All Things Metal | Heidi Ellsworth 33:18

1+ y ago33:18

33:18

Heidi Ellsworth is the CEO of Roofers Coffee Shop. She discusses the launch of Metal Coffee Shop last summer and everything it now has to offer to the overall industry. Metal Coffee Shop is breaking new ground in digital marketing for all things metal in the construction industry. Metal Coffee Shop offers a one-of-a-kind educational, informational,…

1
5 Reasons Why You Should Change to a Home Performance Contractor #3 9:56

1+ y ago9:56

9:56

I run through five reasons you should consider changing your home improvement business to a home performance company. It is less stressful for one. I don't have to deal with some of the problems that come with the aesthetics of exterior remodeling. Those were the problems that would keep me up at night. I don't think you can prepare for all the pos…

1
No. 11: Richard Begalla, Executive Vice President, Window Depot 33:13

1+ y ago33:13

33:13

Episode No. 11 features a conversation with one of the rising startsin home improvement, Rich Begalla,executive vice president of Window Depot’s national network of 82 dealers. He’s also the owner and managerof one of those 82 branches—Window Depot of Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. In 2022 the Window Depot network was ranked No. 17 on the…

1
San Francisco Contractor Builds a Thriving Roofing Company | Carlos Rodriguez 31:28

1+ y ago31:28

31:28

In this episode, Gary talks with Carlos Rodriguez, owner of Mr. Roofing, based in San Francisco, CA. Carlos talks about how he and his parents immigrated to the U.S. and his father started his own roofing company. Carlos took over the business in the late 1990s and has grown Mr. Roofing into an extraordinarily successful roofing company. Carlos tal…

1
Home Performance Could Have Saved My Replacement Window Business #2 12:16

1+ y ago12:16

12:16

I left the hotel business in 2006 to help run a replacement window company with a high school friend. We did some fantastic things with the company and had some great experiences. In 2015 we had to shut the doors. I lay awake at night for months in a cold sweat with fear and anguish. I had no idea it taught me valuable lessons and created a pathway…

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