Guest:
Davey Cox – Founder, Cox Roofing (St. Louis)

Guest Socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.cox.1420354/
Company: https://coxroof.com/

This episode tells the raw, unfiltered story behind Cox Roofing’s resurgence, exploring how discipline, patience, and relentless execution rebuilt a roofing company after an eight-year federal prison sentence. It breaks down how Davey Cox returned to the industry in 2024 with zero shortcuts, rebuilt trust through transparency, and turned Cox Roofing into one of the most recognizable brands in St. Louis in under two years without relying on Google Ads or traditional paid media. The episode dives into street-level marketing tactics that actually work, including advanced yard sign placement strategies, branding simplicity, truck uniformity, and neighborhood saturation rooted in repetition rather than volume. It explores how skills from seemingly unrelated past experiences graffiti, street hustle, and door-to-door discipline translate directly into modern roofing marketing, sales psychology, and territory dominance. The discussion also covers why most companies misunderstand brand recognition, how visibility compounds faster than lead gen, and why placement matters more than scale. Beyond marketing, the episode examines sales culture at Cox Roofing, including hands-on owner involvement, daily ride-alongs, zero-tolerance standards, and why retaining elite sales reps requires personal investment rather than commissions alone. It also unpacks the creation and impact of one of the largest roofing Facebook communities in the country, how authentic content outperforms polished messaging, and why open dialogue even chaos builds real influence. The episode closes by emphasizing patience, self-accountability, and long-term thinking as the true drivers of sustainable success, showing how slowing decisions, avoiding emotional spending, and staying present in the work ultimately separate surviving contractors from dominant ones. 

Guest:
Paul Burleson – Sales Strategist & Consultant, Westlake Royal Building Products

Guest Links:
Website: https://www.westlakeroyalbuildingproducts.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remodelingrockstar
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-burleson-34464a43/

This episode explores the evolution of roofing and home improvement sales, tracing how the industry moved from high-pressure, scripted closing tactics to modern, consultative systems built on trust, psychology, and simplicity. It explains why relying solely on insurance proceeds limits both customer outcomes and contractor profitability, and how reframing sales around homeowner needs creates stronger closes and longer-term relationships. The episode breaks down why rigid, overcomplicated sales systems often fail at scale, how unnecessary steps kill momentum, and why elite sales teams learn to read buying signals instead of blindly following scripts. It dives into objection handling early in the process, the importance of uncovering the true reason a homeowner called, and why asking better questions consistently outperforms talking more. The discussion also covers how homeowners now arrive educated through AI tools, why sales professionals must reclaim expert positioning through preparation and product mastery, and how affirming buyers instead of fighting them increases trust. The episode examines mindset shifts that separate average salespeople from top performers, including viewing sales as service, understanding the emotional impact of home improvement decisions, and recognizing the responsibility to protect homeowners from poor outcomes. It also unpacks the concept of “the better the show, the better the dough,” explaining how storytelling, humor, personalization, and even pet acknowledgment reduce anxiety and increase engagement. The episode concludes by showing how modern sales success comes from simplification, empathy, and repeatable systems that allow teams not just individuals to win consistently in an increasingly competitive market. 

Guest:
Zachiary Kuper – Owner, SNK Construction & Remodeling

Guest Links:
Website: https://skroofingandconstruction.com
 

This episode dives deep into advanced DIY roofing SEO strategies that go far beyond basic meta titles and keyword research, using real-world execution from a roofing website with one of the strongest organic footprints in the industry. It breaks down how Zachiary Kuper built long-term search authority through consistent, field-driven content creation, why answering highly technical homeowner questions compounds trust and rankings simultaneously, and how real jobsite scenarios translate into high-performing blog content. The episode explores advanced keyword research methods rooted in homeowner pain points, inspection conversations, and technical roofing problems rather than relying solely on third-party SEO tools. It explains how internal linking, topical siloing, and location-based service pages work together to strengthen relevance, how to identify striking-distance keywords with real purchase intent, and why local intent terms often outperform higher-volume national keywords. The discussion also unpacks backlink strategy at an advanced level, including anchor text ratios, brand-link cushioning, guest posts versus link inserts, niche directories, and when higher-risk tactics like expired domains may or may not make sense. It further examines why updating top-performing pages annually, adding original diagrams and jobsite photos, and optimizing image naming and alt text unlock additional traffic from both search and image results. The episode closes by covering Google Business Profile optimization, the real impact of photos and reviews, common myths around geo-tagging and CTR manipulation, and why disciplined execution of fundamentals over time consistently outperforms shortcuts.

Guest:
Brynn Wilson – Sales Consultant, Hook Agency

This episode breaks down what a realistic and effective roofing marketing budget looks like heading into 2026, and why many roofing companies either overspend emotionally or underspend out of fear—both of which stall growth. The episode explains why most roofing companies should expect to invest roughly 5–10% of revenue into marketing depending on market size, competition, and growth goals, and why that range feels uncomfortable in today’s increasingly aggressive landscape. It explores how private equity, higher competition, AI-driven tools, and expanded channel options have permanently raised the cost of visibility, while also clarifying when it actually makes sense to not be in growth mode. The discussion walks through when traditional channels like TV, radio, and billboards begin to make sense—typically in the $5–10M range—and why those channels only work when branding is strong, memorable, and differentiated. It dives into the importance of sticky brand names, visual identity, and cutting through noise before spending on awareness channels. The episode then outlines where most roofing companies should prioritize budget first: high-intent search channels like Google Ads and Local Service Ads, local brand visibility through trucks, yard signs, jobsite branding, and community presence, and social media that features real people on camera rather than generic posts. It also explores low-cost, high-effort strategies such as Facebook group engagement, referral ecosystems, networking groups, geographic dominance (“five-mile fame”), sales enablement materials, and compounding word-of-mouth. Finally, the episode emphasizes the principle of layering instead of chopping, explaining why sustainable growth comes from stacking channels over time rather than constantly restarting marketing efforts, and why focusing on being referable, visible, and trusted in a tight local market outperforms spreading efforts thin. 

Guest:
Max Rosenblum – Founder, Supplement Experts & Creator of Adjust.ai

Guest Links:
Website: https://www.supplementexperts.net

This episode explores how AI is fundamentally changing insurance supplementing, estimating, and MRP workflows for roofing and exterior contractors, and why simply using ChatGPT is nowhere near enough to gain a real advantage. It breaks down how the industry is shifting toward Managed Repair Programs, why contractors are now being forced to master Xactimate and estimating accuracy, and how supplementing has evolved from an optional service into a critical profit-protection function. The episode explains how AI becomes powerful only when paired with massive historical datasets, including tens of thousands of claims, emails, call recordings, and outcomes, and why those data points—especially failed supplements—are just as valuable as successful ones. It dives into how AI can be used to dramatically reduce supplement turnaround times, improve carrier communication, and determine which battles are worth fighting based on time-versus-outcome tradeoffs. The discussion also covers the technical reality behind AI workflows, including why guardrails matter, how hallucinations occur, the role of tools like N8N, Zapier, and multi-model stacks, and why development oversight is essential. Beyond technology, the episode examines operational discipline, including photo documentation, labeled jobsite evidence, task-based file management, and follow-up systems that prevent revenue leakage. It also addresses the misconception that AI replaces people, explaining instead how it amplifies skilled teams, stabilizes seasonal volume swings, and protects cash flow during storm-driven cycles. The episode concludes with practical insights on preparing for future claim volume, why early adoption matters, and how contractors can position themselves to thrive as AI-powered estimating becomes the industry standard.

Guest:
Noah Williams – Founder, Home Doctor Sales System

Guest Links:
Website: https://homedoctorss.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noahwill99/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noahwill99/

This episode breaks down why most roofing and home service sales conversations fail long before pricing is ever discussed, and how elite sales systems are built around mindset, trust, and structure rather than scripts alone. The episode explores the Home Doctor Sales System and its holistic approach to sales performance, focusing on bi-directional trust, discovery-based selling, and identifying homeowner pain points early in the appointment. It explains why common objections like “I need three estimates” are symptoms of poor framing, not price resistance, and how elite reps prevent those objections by reshaping the conversation before they appear. The episode dives into paradigm-shifting techniques such as guided discovery questions, test cases during inspections, and the PAP presentation framework, which personalizes the presentation, addresses pain, and reframes affordability into controllable budget conversations. It also covers why too many options kill confidence, why narrowing product choices increases margins, and how visual sales decks eliminate complaints and misaligned expectations. Beyond tactics, the episode explores the deeper role of belief, energy, and leadership in sales performance, why business owners act as “chief energy officers,” and how misalignment between owners, managers, and reps destroys trust internally. It closes by outlining how structured coaching, masterminds, and shared accountability systems help contractors scale sales teams sustainably, build belief-driven cultures, and replace hustle-based insurance sales with repeatable, high-margin sales processes. 

Guests:
Jason Burg – 40-year industry veteran, retired GC, national MRP consultant
Jim Greer – 40+ years in B2B consulting, national carrier & vendor network strategist

Jason Burg: 407-782-1772

This episode explores why MRP (Managed Repair Programs) and DRP (Direct Repair Programs) are becoming essential revenue streams for roofing contractors—and why the traditional door-to-door storm model is becoming increasingly unstable. The discussion breaks down how shifting insurance policies, rising deductibles, declining storm frequency, ACV-only policies, and market restrictions are changing the economics of storm restoration roofing. The episode explains how MRPs, DRPs, TPAs, and MGAs actually work, why most contractors misunderstand them, and how these programs create recurring, predictable revenue while improving business valuation. It details why door-to-door alone has become feast-or-famine, why free roofs are disappearing, how contractors can still achieve 35–40% margins through the right programs, and why insurance carriers urgently need more vetted roofers—especially during CAT events and daily claims. The episode also clarifies misconceptions around low margins, lack of control, and qualification barriers, outlining how background checks, onboarding, and vendor approvals actually work. Real-world examples show contractors getting approved within days when introduced through the right relationships. Ultimately, this episode provides a blueprint for shifting from a volatile storm-chasing model to a sustainable, diversified revenue system built on direct carrier work, recurring repair opportunities, and long-term business stability.

Guest:
Tracy Bookman – Owner, Homestead Roofing (Colorado Springs)

Guest Links:
Website: https://homesteadroofingcolorado.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HomesteadRoofing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-bookman-620902155/

This episode explores how Tracy Bookman, after years of refining a homeowner-focused content strategy, built one of the most trusted and effective roofing education channels in the country. The episode breaks down how his YouTube library consistently generates high-quality inbound leads, why educational content outperforms traditional sales material, and how answering real homeowner questions creates compounding momentum across YouTube search, Google search, and the overall sales cycle. It explores the categories that currently drive the most traction—roofing scam prevention, shingle education, color guidance, insurance navigation, and Tracy’s in-depth “how to choose a roofer” series—along with his insights on why YouTube leads convert far better than social media or Google traffic. The episode also examines the tension between ethical roofing practices and the scam culture affecting homeowners, the nuance behind storm chasers and commission-based sales models, and how Tracy has evolved his content to avoid painting all roofers negatively. Additional topics include DIY roofing content opportunities, the power of niching into formats like metal or synthetic roofing, long-term compounding from a consistent content catalog, using videos as sales assets to close jobs like Brava tile projects, and the strategic advantage of going all-in on one marketing channel rather than spreading efforts thin. Overall, the episode illustrates how intentional educational content can create seven-figure revenue impact and establish a durable trust moat around a local roofing brand.

Guests:
Dustin Mitchell – Co-Owner, Half Moon Plumbing
Tiffany Mitchell – Co-Owner, Half Moon Plumbing

Guest Links:
Dustin Mitchell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-mitchell-364310250/

Tiffany Mitchell: (no public LinkedIn available — can add another link if preferred)
Half Moon Plumbing Website: https://HalfMoonPlumbing.com

In this episode of The HVAC & Plumbing Hustle, Tim talks with Dustin & Tiffany Mitchell from Half Moon Plumbing in the Tulsa Metro. After years of steady but stagnant growth, they recently hit $10M+ in plumbing-only revenue, placing them in rare company. They break down the mindset shift, business acumen, leadership development, and operational changes that made it possible.

What We Cover

• How Half Moon Plumbing went from stagnant to scaling
• The mindset shift behind their $3M → $10M breakthrough
• The marketing leap that changed everything
• Why technical excellence became a growth limiter
• Building leaders internally as they scaled
• Their in-house technician training university
• Culture challenges at $10M vs. $3M
• Why strategy + intention beats relying on skill alone
• The personal growth required to grow a company

👉 Subscribe for more home service growth episodes
👉 Learn more about Hook Agency: https://HookAgency.com

If you’re a roofing or home service owner thinking about selling in the next 1–5 years, this is required viewing. Tim and Gregg Schonhorn (Business Development Advisor, SF&P Advisors) unpack the real story behind platform roll-ups, the Minnesota Rusco / Nucco situation, AirPros, and why roofing is still 5+ years behind HVAC, plumbing, and electrical on the private equity curve.

You’ll hear why some buyers are rock-solid long-term partners… and others are ticking time bombs built on ugly debt structures and bad covenants.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• How roofing PE platforms are actually structured (and where they make their money)
• Why deals like Minnesota Rusco and AirPros went sideways – and what warning signs you can spot early
• How storms, demand cycles, and “one huge year” really factor into your valuation
• The difference between real platforms and “let’s bundle 10 shops and flip” con jobs
• How to vet a buyer’s debt, covenants, and capital stack so you don’t get wiped out by their financing
• Why integration (systems, CRMs, chart of accounts, handbooks, compensation) is what creates real enterprise value
• How culture, community reputation, and referrals quietly drive higher multiples for roofing businesses
• Practical steps to add 3–5% net and hundreds of thousands of EBITDA before you go to market

If you want to protect your people, your brand, and your upside when you sell, this episode will give you the questions to ask and the traps to avoid.