Talking TOP 500

Brian Gottlieb is widely regarded as one of the most innovative entrepreneurs in home improvement today. Starting from scratch he built the three businesses to approximately $150 million in revenue and 800 employees.

He is founder of Tundraland Home Improvement, Renewal by Andersen of Wisconsin, and Jacuzzi Bath Remodel of Arizona. Jacuzzi Corporation acquired his Arizona business in 2021. Leaf Home Enhancements acquired Tundraland that same year. And late last year the executive management team of his RBA affiliate bought that business.

In the few short months since his last transaction, Gottlieb has been a consultant to several of the largest companies in the industry. The conversation with Gottlieb for Talking TOP 500 focuses on - the latest ideas in lead-generation - leadership - developing people - creating culture and - scaling a business

About Talking TOP 500

The Talking TOP 500 podcast takes its name from Qualified Remodeler's annual ranking of the largest remodeling and home improvement companies. It features interviews with leading remodelers from around the United States and focuses on all aspects of growing and succeeding in home improvement and remodeling. Qualified Remodeler co-owner and publisher Patrick O'Toole as well as industry veteran Tim Musch, recently named a Legend of the Home Improvement industry serve as hosts of the podcast.

Qualified Remodeler is a leading business-to-business media brand serving remodelers since 1975. To learn more and subscribe go to www.QualifiedRemodeler.com/subscribe. QR

The spring home-show season is here. All around the country, remodelers and home improvement pros are preparing to exhibit at one or more of these popular local consumer events. For many remodelers, home shows are their bread and butter. The leads generated at these events can make-or-break their year, or, at the very least, put them on the path toward a successful year. For others, home shows are just one of many reliable lead sources at their disposal. Regardless, success at these events takes planning, preparation, and solid strategy for engaging with consumers who are ready to make improvements.

That is why the Talking TOP 500 podcast turned to an expert on face-to-face marketing for Episode No. 8—Mr. Tony Hoty. Hoty is a long-time entrepreneur in the industry. This year his company, Window Depot of Cleveland, will hit $6 million in installed sales. He's also a leading consultant to other remodelers and home improvement pros, particularly when it comes to the topic of generating leads. Hoty is a frequent presenter at TOP 500 LIVE and is host of the popular LeadCon conference, which is presented each spring. This interview with Tony Hoty offers a great primer on how to put your best foot forward at home shows and events in 2023. About this Podcast

Talking TOP 500 is a reference to Qualified Remodeler magazine's long-running annual ranking of the largest remodelers and home improvement pros by revenue. Co-hosted by Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch, the podcast focuses on issues facing entrepreneurs in this space. To learn more, go to QualifiedRemodeler.com or subscribe to the podcast on Apple iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. To subscribe to Qualified Remodeler magazine or one of its newsletters, click here.

Chris Counahan is the chief sales officer of Leaf Home, the No. 2 company on Qualified Remodeler's annual ranking of the industry's largest remodelers and home improvement firms—the TOP 500. In 2021 Leaf Home hit $1.43 billion in revenue on a staggering 337,340 jobs.

Our conversation with Counahan offered a mix of Leaf Home history along with present-day opportunities and challenges. He also spoke about how he got into the industry and his friendship with Leaf Home founder Matt Kaulig, which dates to when both played football at the University of Akron. Counahan explains that Leaf Home, despite its size, is like all home improvement companies today. In 2023, it must fine-tune its approach to generating leads and it must make the most of new technology.

Other topics discussed include: - Leaf Home's acquisition philosophy - It's plan to one-day become a publicly traded company - The company's outlook for 2023

About Qualified Remodeler Qualified Remodeler is published in print, online and through virtual and in-person events. If you are a remodeler or home improvement pro, we encourage you to subscribe to our print edition or one of our weekly newsletters. Pros might also be interested in attending one of two in-person events planned for 2023. The first is FAST Remodeler Live, which will be held May 16-17 in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the industry's only technology conference focused on the business needs of remodelers and home pros. Additionally, Qualified Remodeler will be hosting its 6th Annual TOP 500 LIVE conference and networking event at the M-Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Oct. 16-18, 2023.

Qualified Remodeler is a SOLA Group Inc. media brand. All rights reserved 2023.

B.J. Werzyn is the CEO and founder of West Shore Home, which was ranked No. 7 on the TOP 500 last year. That ranking was based on 2021 installed revenue of $659.8 million on 57,572 jobs, up from approximately $40 million in 2018. Today the company operates in 35 markets and has 3,000 employees in several regions around the country.

In his Talking TOP 500 interview with co-hosts Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch, Werzyn discusses the company's phenomenal growth trajectory, which has occurred in two ways: the launch of new West Shore locations in key geographic regions, and the purchase of existing companies around the United States. As Werzyn explains, it began with rock-solid systems and processes and also requires reliable leadership development process, and a dependable core of technology systems. West Shore Home is not yet a fully national company, but it is clearly on its way. Learn more by listening to this edition of Talking TOP 500.

Qualified Remodeler is published in print, online and through virtual and in-person events. If you are a remodeler or home improvement pro, we encourage you to subscribe to our print edition or one of our weekly newsletters.

Pros might also be interested in attending one of two in-person events planned for 2023. The first is FAST Remodeler Live, which will be held May 16-17 in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the industry's only technology conference focused on the business needs of remodelers and home pros. Additionally, Qualified Remodeler will be hosting its 6th Annual TOP 500 LIVE conference and networking event at the M-Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Oct. 16-18, 2023.

Qualified Remodeler is a SOLA Group Inc. media brand. All rights reserved 2023.

For over three decades, Vince Nardo and his brother Anthony have run the family-owned cabinet refacing business based in Anaheim, California. During that time, they've grown the firm dynamically. Today the firm operates six branches in California, Nevada and Arizona and is ranked No. 24 on Qualified Remodeler's ranking of the largest 500 remodelers. Last year they billed $86.1 million on 6,305 jobs. In the podcast Nardo talks about the evolution of the firm from its roots as a startup in 1983 to 2022, when it was acquired by Audax Private Equity and merged with Renovo Home Solutions. He shares his bullish outlook for cabinet refacing, for Renovo and for the home improvement industry at large.

Talking TOP 500 catches up with Scott Berman, owner of Florida Window & Door based in Lake Worth, Fla.

Berman's firm is among the largest independent operators in the nation. With six locations in the Sunshine State, his firm will bill over $100 million this year. Much of the company's growth has come in since 2015 but Berman's success has been years in the making.

He started in the business in the early 1990s in Ohio working for his father and he owned an earlier company in Florida before launching Florida Window & Door in 2009.

In our conversation, Berman talks about how a repeatable, systemized sales system got his firm on the right track to scale up his business. He also discusses why he did not sell his company during the ongoing private-equity boom. Other topics include marketing best practices and his outlook and mindset heading into 2023, a year that is forecast to be slower due to higher interest rates and lower consumer demand.

In 2021 Berman was honored by being named a Legend of the Home Improvement Industry by Dave Yoho Associates.

In 2021, Bob Quillen sold Quillen Brothers Windows of Bryan, Ohio to Leaf Home. It was the culmination of years of hard work to develop rock solid systems and processes. Quillen is known for operating his business at very high levels of net profit.

UPDATE: Bob Quillen had been scheduled to speak at TOP 500 LIVE in Columbus, Oct. 18-19 but had cancel. We will be sure to have him back. Enjoy our conversation with a rock-solid home improvement professional.

On this episode of Talking TOP 500, Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch chat with Amy Zimmerman (CMO Leaf Home | Tundraland Home Improvements) about the latest trends in lead generation for home improvement companies.

• Zimmerman previews her TOP 500 LIVE panel discussion featuring four All-Star marketers who will present their top lead-gen trends in-person Oct. 18-19, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio.
• The impact of the economic slowdown on lead-generation activities today.
• Trends in marketing technology: Zimmerman highlights the latest tools with the biggest lead-gen upside. From the newest website bots to personalized text messaging, the key, she says is to keep the messaging targeted and authentic. Success with marketing technology hinges on clearly identifying your target clients.

Amy Zimmerman will lead a panel of All-Star Lead-Generation pros at TOP 500 LIVE.

To learn more about attending the event in person, go to www.TOP500LIVE.com.

Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch Kick off the brand new Podcast from Qualified Remodeler Magazine: Talking TOP 500!