Preston Hiller grew up in the garage door industry, literally. He was on the truck as a teenager, took over his family’s business years later, and then made the hard shift from being a technician to building an actual operation.

In this episode of Lifted, Preston breaks down what changed when Gecko Garage Doors went from a small, family-run shop to a six-truck company and what didn’t.

We talk honestly about burnout, why wrench-turning doesn’t scale, and how putting the right systems in place was the only way to grow without losing control. Preston explains how CRMs changed their business, where companies quietly lose jobs without realizing it, and why hiring for culture matters more than resumes.

A major part of this conversation centers on the Google Business Profile suspension, which Preston calls “Google jail.” After opening a second location, Gecko Garage Doors lost visibility almost overnight, cutting off a significant portion of inbound calls. We get into what happened, how vague Google’s enforcement has become, and what this kind of disruption actually costs real businesses.

We also cover:

Growing from one truck to six in a competitive market

Hiring techs outside the garage door industry

Why home-based operations can scale further than people think

Email marketing that works without burning your list

Social media and video content that actually builds trust

Old-school tactics that still compound over time

This episode isn’t theory or hype. It’s a real conversation about growth, mistakes, systems, and adapting when the rules change mid-game.

If you’re building a garage door company or thinking about taking it to the next stage this one’s worth your time.

Interview by Blair Witkowski

Kyle Dudley didn’t leave the fire service on a whim.

In this episode of Lifted, I sat down with Kyle to talk through what it actually looks like to grow a garage door company the right way while still holding down another career.

We covered:

Hiring your first full-time techs — and knowing when it’s finally time

Training from scratch without burning customers or your sanity

Why service work (not installs) became the backbone of his business

The hidden cost of bad distributors, dented panels, and rescheduled jobs

Old-school marketing that still works when everyone else is chasing ads

What keeps a growing owner up at night — and what doesn’t

Kyle’s background in the Marines and fire service shows up in how he runs his company: debriefs, accountability, pride in the trucks, and respect for the people wearing the uniform — whether that’s turnout gear or a DSS shirt.

If you’re trying to scale without losing control, or you’re wondering whether you’re closer to that next truck than you think, this conversation will hit home.

I sat down with Seth Neumann from Legacy Garage Doors for one of my favorite conversations so far on Lifted.

Seth has been in the garage door industry for over a decade, but his path hasn’t been clean or easy. We talk honestly about starting a business too early, watching it fail, swallowing pride, and going back to work to actually learn the trade the right way. We also get into how getting sober completely reset his mindset — not just as a business owner, but as a person.  

What makes Seth’s story especially interesting is that he’s growing a garage door company in southern Mississippi without the safety net most guys rely on. No Google Maps listing, no big brand, no franchise — just experience, consistency, and doing what he says he’s going to do.   

We talk about real-world lead sources, new door installs, hiring before you feel ready, branding, financing options, training techs, and what it looks like to build a company you actually want your name attached to. 

This episode is for garage door owners and techs who want something real — not motivational noise, not theory — just an honest look at what’s working, what’s hard, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

In this episode of Lifted I sit down with JJ and Mark from Choice Garage Doors in Pittsburgh. JJ grew up in the garage door world. His uncle ran a shop for 40 years and the trade has been part of his family for decades.

Mark came out of banking and analytics with a mindset built for systems and growth. Together they’re scaling a lean and efficient garage door company by focusing on the fundamentals and doing the work most people skip.

We talk about what growth actually looks like when you’re still in the truck every day. Answering every call. Running every install. Managing reviews. Ordering doors. Keeping customers happy.

They break down how reviews and customer experience fuel their business, how Google’s updates hit their map rankings, and why staying focused on garage doors instead of adding side services helped them move faster.

We get into wrapped vans, branding, residential vs commercial work, repair versus install revenue, scaling challenges, hiring, and why answering the phone is still one of the biggest advantages in this industry.

If you’re a tech thinking about starting your own company or an owner pushing through the early grind, this episode gives you real insight from two operators who are building it the hard way and the right way.

Hosted by Blair Witkowski. Visit BlairWitkowski.com and Garage Door SEO Experts for more resources on growing your garage door company.

In this episode of Lifted, I sit down with Tim Glenn, the owner of Glenn Brothers Garage Doors, for a conversation that is packed with honesty, experience, and real-world business insights.

Tim has built one of the most reputable garage door companies in his area, and he did it the hard way, the slow way, and the right way.

We talk about how he and his brother got started, what it really takes to grow a service company in today’s market, and how his mindset shifted as the business matured.

Tim opens up about pricing, branding, hiring, systems, customer experience, and why he believes small disciplined companies can thrive even in competitive markets.

He also shares the lessons that shaped him as an owner, including the moments he doubted himself, the decisions that moved the business forward, and the habits that help him stay focused on the long term.

If you are building a garage door company or thinking about stepping into the industry, this episode is a grounded and practical look at what growth really requires. Tim gives straightforward advice from someone who is doing the work every day and constantly improving the way he leads, sells, hires, and builds systems.

This is one of the strongest episodes yet for anyone who wants a more stable, predictable, and profitable garage door business.

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Kuehlhorn from Kooler Garage Doors in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Matt started with a single Ford truck he named Princess and built a culture-rich, customer-obsessed company that focuses on homeowners, not just builders.

We dig into sales process, branding that makes people search your name instead of a generic repair term, using ServiceTitan the right way, where AI actually helps, apprenticeship and training that sticks, and why financial literacy matters more than hacks.

What we cover

• How Matt went from painting houses to launching Kooler Garage Doors and why that unusual start became an advantage

Matt brings a level of honesty and strategic thinking that you don’t often hear in the garage door world. If you’re looking for practical ideas, inspiration, or a model to follow as you grow, this is an episode you’ll want to bookmark.

In this episode of Lifted: The Garage Door Podcast, I sit down with David from Seaside Garage Door Experts out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. David’s story is a great example of what it looks like to take real pride in this trade — starting as a subcontractor, learning the hard way, and building a growing garage door business built on service and reputation.

We talk about what it takes to get licensed and legit in Virginia, how he handles working with subs, what good customer service really means, and how he manages to bring in 40 to 50 calls a month through his own SEO work. He’s figured out how to grow a company the right way — one customer and one honest job at a time.

What I really liked about this conversation is how open David was about the business side of things. He talks about what’s working, what’s not, and how AI tools and marketing can actually help small garage door companies compete.

View The Video Version On YouTube

If you run a garage door business or you’re thinking about starting one, you’ll get a ton of real-world advice and ideas from this episode.

— Hosted by Blair Witkowski

🎧 Listen to more episodes of Lifted: The Garage Door Podcast

In this first episode of The Garage Door Podcast, I sit down with Ty Greneaux, co-owner and president of Acadiana Garage Doors in Lafayette, Louisiana. Ty’s company has been the local leader in garage doors for nearly 40 years, serving communities across South Louisiana with a mix of hard work, family values, and top-tier craftsmanship.

We talk about what it takes to run a growing business while keeping your roots strong. Ty shares how Acadiana Garage Doors went from a small home operation started by his father-in-law, Frank Urban, into one of the most respected garage door companies in the South.

View the video version on YouTube.

This episode covers real-world lessons every garage door business owner can relate to:

If you run a garage door business or work in the trades, you’ll take away practical advice from someone who’s done it right — without shortcuts.

About Acadiana Garage Doors: