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In this Roofing Road Trips® episode Karen Edwards sits down with Kerry Cloyd, vice president of Customer Financial Services (CFS) at ABC Supply to discuss critical financial aspects of the roofing business. Explore the financial challenges contractors commonly face and how ABC Supply's CFS offers tailored support, helping both commercial and residential roofing projects stay on track. Whether you're dealing with cash flow concerns or just looking for insights on managing finances, this podcast offers actionable advice and real-world examples to help contractors navigate the financial side of roofing. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/ Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Sign up for the Week in Roofing! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/sign-up Follow Us! https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://x.com/RoofCoffeeShop https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rss #ABCSupply #RoofersCoffeeShop #MetalCoffeeShop #AskARoofer #CoatingsCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
As O-Cell faces a choice between a black clad attack squad and the real truth of what lies inside ABC Supply, they must decide how to survive and what they are willing to do.
O-Cell dives head long into ABC Supply, hunting for the truth behind what could keep the package alive this long. Inside, O-Cell makes a unique new friend.
This week on Sustainability Now!, we reconnect with a former guest from several years ago, Todd Bluechel, who is now Renewable Energy Sales Specialist with ABC Supply (https://abcsupply.com). Join host Justin Mog as we explore the state of distributed renewable energy in Kentucky and around the country. We'll especially focus on supply chain issues in the solar industry and common sense connections to the roofing industry. Todd has worked in sustainability for 25 years now, having held positions with Balboa Pacific doing waste to energy (pyrolytic gasification); CollectiveSun doing solar financing exclusively for nonprofits nationwide (churches, schools); OilTech collecting and converting used cooking oil into biofuel; and the largest EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) company in California, where he served as a Senior Commercial Energy Consultant. Now he's helping the nation's largest supplier of roofing materials, ABC Supply, develop its solar offerings in the Midwest (covering IN, OH, TN, and KY). Don't miss this opportunity to get a hopeful, insider's view into the future of the solar industry in our region! As always, our feature is followed by your community action calendar for the week, so get your calendars out and get ready to take action for sustainability NOW! Sustainability Now! is hosted by Dr. Justin Mog and airs on Forward Radio, 106.5fm, WFMP-LP Louisville, every Monday at 6pm and repeats Tuesdays at 12am and 10am. Find us at http://forwardradio.org The music in this podcast is courtesy of the local band Appalatin and is used by permission. Explore their delightful music at http://appalatin.com
Tuvo que trabajar como conejita en un Playboy Club tras ser madre adolescente. Su astucia en la crisis financiera convirtió a ABC Supply en un gigante en el sector de la construcción. "No quiero ser granjera y no quiero casarme con un granjero", se repetía a sí misma de pequeña Diane Hendricks para escapar de un destino que parecía inevitable. Su familia vivía en Osseo, un pueblo de Wisconsin de menos de 2.000 habitantes donde las oportunidades laborales más allá del campo se contaban con los dedos de una mano. Pero lo cierto es que esa niña a la que su padre no le dejaba ni ordeñar una vaca ni conducir un tractor porque era "trabajo de hombres" cumplió con su palabra. En la actualidad, Hendricks posee una fortuna de casi 22.000 millones de dólares y es la empresaria hecha a sí misma más rica de Estados Unidos. Clara Ruiz de Gauna, redactora jefe del periódico y autora de la saga sobre los personajes que han hecho historia en el mundo financiero que se publica todas las semanas en EXPANSIÓN, y los redactores del periódico Amaia Ormaetxea y Antonio Santamaría analizan el legado de esta genio de las finanzas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this Coffee Conversations, we speak with Amparo Sancen, the founder of Latinos En Roofing, Jaqueline Sancen, marketing and events for Latinos En Roofing and Itzel Najera of RoofersCoffeeShop, to discuss the challenges and successes of Latino contractors in the roofing industry. Amparo shares her journey from facing business obstacles to building a supportive community through expos and partnerships, emphasizing the importance of organizations like Latinos En Roofing. She explains how her grassroots initiative turned into a vital resource for bilingual roofers, the key role of partnerships like ABC Supply in expanding training opportunities and how Jacqueline's CRM expertise is helping Latino-owned businesses thrive. During the conversation, we'll also highlight upcoming programs designed to support roofers and provide guidance on getting involved in this growing community. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/ Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Sign up for the Week in Roofing! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/sign-up Follow Us! https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://x.com/RoofCoffeeShop https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rss #ABCSupply #RoofersCoffeeShop #MetalCoffeeShop #AskARoofer #CoatingsCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
Music man Shannon Lynn joins david and Roger on Morning Mayhem thanks to ABC Supply.
ABC Supply is the nation's largest building products distributor, responsible for 1 in 3 American roofs, and now they are setting their sights on what goes on top of our roof: solar panels. ABC Supply is positioned as “the necessary handshake across the aisle between the roofing and solar industry.” This conversation delves into the solar market from a roofer's perspective, exploring how the building supply industry is about to seize the many growing opportunities in solar energy.James Mason, Vice President of Renewables at ABC Supply, has been pivotal in driving this transformation from within the company. With nearly two decades at ABC, James has a unique perspective on the future of solar and roofing, outlining the company's strategy and how both roofers and solar installers must work together if this market is to scale appropriately.Expect to learn:How ABC Supply's 40+ years in building products distribution enables seamless solar integration.Key strategies behind the national expansion of ABC Supply's renewables division.How to address the "ease of doing business" challenge for roofers transitioning into solar.The company's approach to training and educating roofers on solar integration, and solar installers on roofing!Watch this and other insightful conversations recorded live at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage over at www.suncast.live!If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalusMentioned in this episode:CPS July 2024 V2
On this episode of Roofing Road Trips, Karen Edwards is joined by Jacqui Brueggeman of ABC Supply to discuss how contractors can leverage marketing to differentiate themselves from the competition. They explore the key role of marketing in contractor businesses and the strategies that drive success. Choosing the right partner to help with your marketing program is critical and ABC Supply has made that easy through their Freedom Programs and much more. Tune in to learn about the expert guidance, marketing tools and business solutions available to help grow your business. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/ Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Sign up for the Week in Roofing! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/sign-up Follow Us! https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://x.com/RoofCoffeeShop https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rss #RoofersCoffeeShop #MetalCoffeeShop #AskARoofer #CoatingsCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry #ABCSupply
In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards is joined by Rick Davis of ABC Supply to talk about some of the best sales tips in the industry. Rick will dive into his four-stage strategy experience — Promise, Sale, Project Installation, Post Installation. Regardless of what stage you are at, Rick's expertise in the industry is sure to aid contractors every step of the way. Rick will also share some contrarian concepts he offers, such as Best, Better, Good Selling, his stance on open-ended questions and more. Tune in for an engaging episode of new sales tips you can start implementing immediately! Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://twitter.com/RoofCoffeeShop #RoofersCoffeeShop #ABCSupply #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
In the latest installment of Coffee Conversations, sponsored by ABC Supply, we talk about everything you need to know related to renewable energy. This episode will feature industry experts who will discuss the latest advancements, challenges, and opportunities in renewable energy. Grab your coffee, settle in and get ready to explore topics such as solar, battery storage, policy developments, and the economic impacts of transitioning to renewable energy sources. Our panelists will also share real-world examples and success stories, offering a comprehensive look at how renewable energy is reshaping our world. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://twitter.com/RoofCoffeeShop #RoofersCoffeeShop #ABCSupply #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
In this immersive experience of The Big Ticket Life, we sit down with Richie Contartesi, a truly inspiring leader whose journey from a 5'7”, 150-pound walk-on football player at Ole' Miss to a record-breaking sales performer and bestselling author embodies the essence of resilience and determination. Featured in the movie “Rudy Ruettiger: The Walk On,” Richie's story is one of defying the odds and achieving greatness against all expectations.Now, as the founder of the Next Play® accountability system, Richie partners with companies to scale to 8-9 figure differences, transforming leadership and performance through a proven approach that drives results. He's worked with industry giants like IBM, ABC Supply, and Hewlett Packard, and his insights have been featured on ESPN, CBS, and ABC.Join us as Richie shares how leaders can apply the Next Play® system to overcome challenges, elevate their teams, and create lasting impact in their businesses and lives. This episode is a must-listen for leaders ready to be challenged, inspired, and equipped with the tools to lead with courage and purpose. Tune in and discover how to transform your leadership journey and leave a legacy that resonates with those you lead and the communities you serve.
Diane Hendricks, the co-founder of ABC Supply, is the richest person in the construction industry with a net worth of $20.9 billion. She started the company with her husband and grew it to a $6 billion revenue before his tragic death. Since then, she has taken the company to new heights, with over 695 locations and a net worth of $23 billion. Hendricks offers valuable advice for entrepreneurs, including being open to different paths to achieve your goals, doing thorough research and planning before starting, and having a passion and commitment to your business. She emphasizes the importance of thinking outside the box and not being afraid to take risks. In this conversation, Sean and Catherine discuss various topics related to their personal experiences in the construction industry. They touch on the importance of building a portfolio and skill set, balancing work and family life, seizing opportunities, and the significance of labels for environmentally friendly construction materials. They also engage in a trivia game about construction-related topics.
On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, join Karen Edwards and Kris Kieffer of ABC Supply as they talk about integrating technology in business. Today, we're diving into the world of digital tools for contractors with a focus on ABC Supply's platforms myABCsupply and ABC Connect. As a leader in the building materials industry, ABC Supply has developed a cutting-edge technology platform designed to streamline operations, enhance productivity and boost profitability for contractors. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://twitter.com/RoofCoffeeShop #RoofersCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry #ABCSupply
Join us for a heartwarming episode of Coffee Conversations, sponsored by ABC Supply. In this special edition, we will delve into the incredible work of Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. We'll explore stories from Homes For Our Troops recipients, their time at the Indy 500 and more about the collaborative efforts to provide veterans with the homes they need to regain their independence and rebuild their lives. Whether you're a roofing industry professional, a supporter of Veterans' causes, or simply interested in learning more about how businesses can make a difference, this webinar promises to be both informative and uplifting. Grab your coffee and join the conversation as we celebrate the power of community. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw https://twitter.com/RoofCoffeeShop #RoofersCoffeeShop #ABCSupply #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
In this Roofing Road Trips® episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with Brigadier General USA (Ret) Tom Landwermeyer, president and CEO of Homes for our Troops (HFOT), and Staff Sergeant (Ret) Liam Dwyer, an HFOT Veteran and 2020 Home Recipient in Lake Worth, Florida. ABC Supply supports HFOT year-round, but in the month of May, with AJ Foyt Racing, they are building awareness with a HFOT themed INDYCAR livery that will race in the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, along with a pledge to match donations made between now and May 31, 2024, up to $1 million. As a nonprofit dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, HFOT enables veterans to rebuild their lives. The organization aligns with ABC Supply's core values of Give Back and American Pride. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop #RoofersCoffeeShop #ABCSupply #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
In this Roofing Road Trips, Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with ABC Supply Co. Inc.'s VP of Residential New Construction, Jeff Leyden, and West Region - Business Development Manager, Stephanie Lyons, to talk about residential new construction trends and the importance of distributor relationships with both builders and roofing contractors. They share what new home builders both small and large are focusing on along with their current challenges. Sharing how important it is to build strong relationships with distribution, Jeff and Stephanie talk about the amazing resources that ABC Supply offers contractors along with their ability to connect builders and roofing contractors for success. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop #RoofersCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry
Join us in this episode as we dive deep into the world of leadership and business with the Zach Carlin. From being the seventh fittest man in the world to navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, Zach shares insights on setting up teams for success in the founder's absence, increasing talent density, and transforming sales and marketing strategies. Discover how Zach's passion for fitness and crossfit seamlessly merged with his entrepreneurial journey, leading to the growth and diversification of multiple gyms. Learn about his experiences in optimizing square footage, building teams, and achieving remarkable 10X growth. Explore the lessons Zach gleaned from his foray into consulting, where he leveraged his expertise to propel a company from 1.8 million to over 20 million in just a couple of years. More about Zach: Former 3-time professional athlete turned serial entrepreneur. Owned and flipped over 6 performance facilities, scaled online service company from 5 employees to over 200. Turned consultant to companies like HP, ABC Supply, Tamko, Car Gurus, and more. Connect with Zach: Facebook Linkedin ------------------------------------------------------------------ Want more Business Choreography? Check out… Business Choreography Website Join The Business Choreography Group Text Us "CHOREO NOW" To Get Started: 385-442-7188 Need the tech to build your Business Choreography? Check out.... ChoreoSuite
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Todd Carlson of LP Smartside
In this Roofing Road Trips® episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with Kyle Stavish and Chris Kuykendall of Mule-Hide, an ABC Supply subsidiary, about the value of completing a robust training program, training options that are available, and the ongoing need for coatings training in the industry. They will also talk about the Roofing Installation and Systems Education (RISE) program along with all the coatings training that Mule-Hide offers. Listen to learn what contractors can expect from these training programs and what impact it can have on your business. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up Follow Us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply
Coffee Conversations is BACK and better than ever. We are bringing you the fifth season of the beloved live webinar series, starting off with a green thumb. We will be welcoming the experts at ABC Supply to answer YOUR questions on all things renewable energy. Have you been wanting to include solar and other renewable energy sources in your company's offerings but just don't know where to start? Consider this Coffee Conversation as your beginner's guide to bringing solar and other green solutions to your customers' homes and buildings.You won't want to miss this season kickoff of Coffee Conversations! Watch the Webinar! More Coffee Conversations! Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com!
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Cian Chase with Paul Davis Restoration.
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Sam Auseth with J. Becher and Associates.
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon of ABC Supply and John Heinrich with Czars of Tar.
Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with James Mason and Eric Cieslak of ABC Supply about the future of rooftop solar. They will cover the history, current trends and misconceptions of solar in the roofing industry. Whether you're already working with solar or looking to get into the growing category, you won't want to miss this conversation. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Sign up for the Week in Roofing!
Kyle Miller and Brianne Burdette of All Around are hosting and joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Mike Hilborn with Roof To Deck.
In this Coffee Conversation, sponsored by ABC Supply, we'll hear from Brigadier General USA (RET) Tom Landwermeyer about ABC Supply's involvement in Homes For Our Troops (HFOT). ABC Supply Co., Inc. supports HFOT year-round but in the month of May they are celebrating with a HFOT-themed Indy Car that will race in the Indianapolis 500 later this month, along with a pledge to match donations made between now and May 31, 2023 up to $1 million. As a nonprofit dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans, HFOT enables veterans to rebuild their lives. The organization aligns with ABC's core values of Give Back and American Pride. Bring your questions about how your business can be involved with Homes For Our Troops and learn more about the special ABC Supply donation match. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Sign up for the Week in Roofing!
Heidi J. Ellsworth road trips east to virtually meet with Rich Thompson, ABC Supply director of marketing to talk about racing for a cause. In this very special Roofing Road Trips, Heidi and Rich talk about how ABC Supply dedicated the design of its Indy car to Homes For Our Troops and are matching all donations made up to $1 million in the month of May. With a commitment to Give Back and American Pride, ABC Supply has been working with Home For Our Troops who build and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. ABC Supply encourages everyone to help with donations in May to HFOT that they will match up to $1 million and to watch the Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2023. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Sign up for the Week in Roofing!
Join Heidi J. Ellsworth and James Ellsworth as they sit down with Deborah Mazol from the National Roofing Contractors Association, Charles Antis and Jesus Zermeno to talk about Roofing Day 2023. This panel of Roofing Day alumni visit with Deb about the importance of everyone participating. They talk about the upcoming Roofing Day in Washington, D.C. on April 18-19, 2023 discussing top issues including workforce development, immigration and tax reform. Don't miss this critical Coffee Conversation sponsored by ABC Supply where you too can be a part of one of the best days of the year for the roofing industry. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Sign up for the Week in Roofing!
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman are joined by Robin Johnson of High Road Heating and Cooling, and Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman of All Around are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Robin Johnson of High Road Heating and Cooling.
Today Dave is talking with Anthony Halkyer, business development manager at ABC Supply Co. Listen in as they talk about Anthony's journey into the solar industry, the future of peer-to-peer energy solutions, and how Anthony is working to turn roofers into solar installers.
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Andy McNair of the Minnesota Real Estate Team.
Mike Hilborn of Roof To Deck is guest hosting and joined by Jan-Marie Hall of RTD Power Washing, Cian of Paul Davis Restoration, and Mitch Turgeon of ABC Supply.
By popular demand, Jon tells you all about Diane Hendricks in today's episode. Find out how she went from dropping out of high school and having a baby at the age of 17, to being a Playboy bunny, to being the wealthiest self-made female entrepreneur in all of US history. Jon breaks down all the pivotal points in her life to inform you how she got to where she is today. Visit JonDavids.com for more info. And follow Jon across social: Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
How did Diane Hendricks, a high school dropout and a Teen single mom built ABC Supply, the largest wholesale roofing distributor in America, and rose to become a Billionaire Entrepreneur, even though she faced unbearable personal truama in her life. Let us check out her wonderful story.
In this Roofing Road Trips, it is all about "Making it Easy." Join Heidi J. Ellsworth as she welcomes ABC Supply's South Central District Manager Brad Messer to learn more about how the company is committed to making it easy for contractors to run their businesses. From easy-to-use technology and apps like myABCSupply to programs that support contractor success through marketing and financial understanding, the company is truly committed to being "the biggest, best and easiest building materials distributor to do business with." Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com! Sign up for the Week in Roofing!
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Eric Robeck with J. Becher and Associates.
Join RoofersCoffeeShop in this very special Coffee Conversations, sponsored by ABC Supply, that celebrates the heart of the roofing industry as we talk about the roofing contractors, professionals and companies we have Caught Doing Good. These individuals are doing good both inside and outside of the roofing industry every day and we will be celebrating their efforts during this uplifting Coffee Conversation.
Kyle Miller of All Around and Mike Hilborn of Roof To Deck are hosting this week and joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and John Miller with Northstar Associates.
Charles Thayer and Nick Zeman are joined by Mitch Turgeon with ABC Supply and Reuben Saltzman with Structure Tech.
Reuben Saltzman with Structure Tech and Mitch Turgeon of ABC Supply are co-hosting and joined by Cian Chase with Paul Davis Restoration
Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech and Mitch Turgeon of ABC Supply are guest hosting and are joined by John Miller with Northstar Associates and John Heinrich with Czars of Tar.
Ben checks in from the road following his first visit to Beloit's ABC Supply Stadium. Also, Tyler and Sam discuss the Major League debuts of Vinnie Pasquantino and Mark Appel, and Josh makes a mess of things in Ghosts of the Minors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech and Mitch Turgeon of ABC Supply are guest hosting and are joined by Daniel Felt with Daniel Felt with Kura Home Maintenance and Ross Wegge with Owens Corning Shingles.
In this Roofing Road Trips, Heidi J. Ellsworth visits with Rich Thompson, Director of Marketing and National Business Development at ABC Supply about their forty years of roofing history and how the company has built a very successful culture focused on their employees. Since 1982, they have become the country's largest wholesale distributor of roofing supplies and one of the largest suppliers of siding, windows and exterior and interior building products, tools and related supplies. Rich and Heidi talk about the history of ABC Supply, their commitment to giving back and how they are moving rapidly into the future by offering the myABCsupply technology that has enabled contractors to grow their businesses. Learn more about ABC Supply Learn more about Homes For Our Troops DONATE TODAY!
Tonight on Trackside, Kevin Lee and Curt Cavin recap the F1 Miami GP, which was attended by nearly half of the IndyCar paddock. Kevin and Curt discuss the spectacle around Hard Rock Stadium, what was done well, some of the issues from the first event, and whether they think the Miami race has staying power with a Las Vegas GP coming next year. They talk about Michael Andretti's efforts to join the F1 paddock as he talked to team principals over the weekend, and discuss the criticism of Indy 500 coverage from the Liberty Media CEO. Later in the show, Kevin and Curt break down the newest Silly Season news and rumors, including Alexander Rossi confirming to the IndyStar that his 2023 destination has been finalized. Our News of the Day, brought to you by the Indianapolis Speedrome and Circle City Raceway, is the livery reveal for J.R. Hildebrand's red, white and blue car with A.J. Foyt Racing and ABC Supply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this Coffee Conversation, sponsored by ABC Supply, we'll hear from Brigadier General USA (RET) Tom Landwermeyer about ABC Supply's involvement in Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit dedicated to building and donating specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, enabling them to rebuild their lives. The organization aligns with the company's core values of Give Back and American Pride. Bring your questions about how your business can be involved in helping veterans' organizations like Homes For Our Troops. Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com #ABCSupply #CoffeeConversations #RoofersCoffeeShop #RoofingContractors #RoofersForum #RoofingIndustry Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/what-is-r-club Follow us! https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop?
Connect with Michael Moore and Bob WieremaThe Climb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-climb-podcast/Bob Wierema: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-wierema/Michael Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpmoore/Connect with Brendan DeelyGabriel's Light: https://www.gabrielslight.org/Brendan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdeely/Banner Solutions: https://bannersolutions.com/TheClimb_BrendanDeely[00:00:00] Brendan Deely: Let me tell you a problem. You go from 2.6 billion to 1.1 billion in a year in sales. That's a problem. Bob Wierema: Wow. Brendan Deely: That was a problem. So, we had to go from 5,500 people to 2,100, close a hundred facilities, and just try to stop the cash burn. And so that was the business – fight or flight. I'm all in and it said online, the Dragon Slayer, you ever see that Teddy Roosevelt speech about people just basically saying, “if I die, I'm going to die knowing that at least I was in the arena.” All these naysayer and bullshit sideliners who don't do anything. Bob Wierema: Welcome to The Climb: Crossroads and Defining Moments. Today, Brendan Deely joins Michael and myself for conversation about business, about his family, about some of his personal trials and tribulations and how he got through them.Brendan's an amazing friend of mine, a mentor, and just a hell of a guy. You're definitely going to enjoy this episode of The Climb. Thanks for joining us.Brandon Deely, welcome to The Climb. We appreciate you joining Michael and me today. Brendan Deely: And to be here. Bob Wierema: You know, this is a fun one for me. Brendan, you and I started in working together through business and since, it's turned into a personal relationship. That means a lot to me in a lot of different ways. We'll talk about that a little bit, but I think a good way to kind of kick things off is giving us the overview of who is Brendan Deely? Brendan Deely: Well, thanks Bob. It's been a hell of a relationship that we've built and continue to build. I'm glad to be here and tell you a little bit about me and maybe how I think about [00:02:00] things.So, Brendan Deely, I'm a husband, and I'm a father to five first and foremost. I really liked building things, businesses, teams, to good outcomes. I don't have all the answers and I don't want to. And so, I think it's how do you leverage people? How do you deal with things truthfully? And I think I've learned over the years that it's just hit things head on and be real and there's always a way out, and to never, ever give up, I think I've found out over time that there's that fight or flight. I don't run. And I think I always want to win. I don't always win, but God damnit I go into everything wanting to kick ass and win. And so, there's just a mentality. I see people that just meander through their careers and just incredibly boring for me. I think the only thing you'd do to wreck a business is do nothing. Michael Moore: Sounds like he's got a little Texas in him. Bob Wierema: I was hoping that we were going to be able to avoid the Texas comment, but it took all of about two minutes for it to come into the conversation from Michael. Michael Moore: Just born and bred, baby. Brendan Deely: I was born an army brat. I was an army captain for a couple of years. And then I've been in kind of building materials for 30 years almost. So, some of those toolkits have helped me kind of move through my career. Bob Wierema: When you're an army brat, Brendan, as you say, what does that mean? Were you guys traveling a lot when you were a kid, were you guys all over the place? Give maybe a little background there and growing up in that type of world? Brendan Deely: I was the youngest of six, and we're six and a half years apart, so good Irish stock. So [00:04:00] my dad did three tours in Vietnam. I didn't really know him until I was five. Didn't have that as a problem, but it just what it was. I was born in the U.S., moved to Germany, moved to Brazil, moved to Panama, left the U.S. when I was three, came back when I was 12, 13. I don't watch a lot on TV because of that, because it was never in my language.And I think if you're in an environment where you move a lot as a kid, I think you're going to go two paths: introvert or extrovert. And so, I've always found it pretty easy to talk to people. I've always found when you moved into a new place, you meet the dorks first because they're starving for friends, and then you move it forward. But I mean, I didn't know any different, but I think that's helped me. When I went to college, it was kind of a non-event, but the people that lived in their same town just went crazy, I had my versions of fun too, but it's a good background. And I think it gives me a perspective that most Americans don't realize that there's other countries that have far worse issues, and we have two sons adopted from Ethiopia. So, it's just the whole perspective is healthy. I think a lot of times people see poor countries and they're frankly, some of the happiest people I've met because they don't have anything but faith and food. We can break an ATM card and everybody's triggered for a day.So, it's just keeping balanced, I think is good. Bob Wierema: You mentioned you're one of six. So where is everybody today? And were you close brothers and sisters? You mentioned some people down in Texas.Brendan Deely: My mother's still alive. She's 86 in Philly. My twin sister is in Philadelphia as well. And then I have a sister and a brother in the Dallas area. And then two brothers outside of DC in Virginia. So, we've gone West [00:06:00] as it were, but still very close. And it was kind of cool with you're a kid when you move in – I had three older brothers. I'm six foot. They're both six foot four. So, we came in, we took over the neighborhood. We had every kind of coverage. And if you want to bug me, I got some big guys behind me. It was pretty cool, but it was really close now. But one of the things that's come out of this whole COVID gong show is we do a weekly zoom calls with my mother, with all of us. So, it's how you do immediate bingo with my wife's mother and family.We never did that, so we're talking a hell of a lot more than and seeing each other more than we ever did. So, there's always good that comes out of bad. Bob Wierema: And then you mentioned you did some time in the army, right? Was that after college? Before? Where did that fall in that spectrum?Brendan Deely: It was after college. I went to ROTC. I had a four-year scholarship and I went to basic training when I was 18. So, I was in the reserves while I was in school, but I got commissioned in 1988 and I'm an infantry officer and – at 22 years old – here's 40 guys for you to take care of.Well, okay. They're all mostly older than me, but had some good success. I was stationed at Fort Bragg and then Fort Drum and then reserved for a little bit, but we were activated for desert storm. Ready to go, and I was a company commander at the time, so I had 210 people. I'm 25, 26?You do all this training and you're prepared for it – and then it gets real. Live ammo, here we go. And so, we were down at Fort Bragg, ready to go and the air war [00:08:00] hit. And then they said that the tanks and the cabin, it was basically over in two weeks. So, we didn't go. I was willing to go and, but I was okay not to go, but it was a huge amount of responsibility at 26 years old.And I think that's where I really learned. And the military is the same rank structure and organization design as it was a hundred years ago. So, I think of all the companies that dick around with organizations all the time; hospitals, military and universities are kind of stuck with what works.Throughout my career I've been leading functions or businesses where I was on the lower end of the age. But I think that's where you're going to lean on the. It's just, how do we get this thing together? And when bullets start flying are they going to shoot you or they're going to run with you? And so, it's, how do you leverage people's capabilities? I still ref soccer. I sent a message out to our team when COVID first hit. And I said, “this is like a good soccer team. It only has 11 positions. And you got to put a center midfielder and a striker position. You're going to suck. If you get the right people in the right positions, you're really going to do well”. And then the key is sometimes working with people to let them see that, “this is not really what you're best at. And I can put you in this role and give you the latitude to do what you need to do”.It's usually pretty amazing how people don't want them to be micromanaged. I'm fair, but firm in how I approach things, but I'll give you an avenue to work because – especially in business – people report to me as a CEO, they're not making 50 grand a year. They should be able to do what's necessary and if [00:10:00] they need help, reach out and I'll be there, but I just approach it that we're all adults and make a good call and adjust on the fly.They're always saying it in the military that you can come up with a plan and there's this thing called net T mission, enemy time terrain, as far as planning. And they do all the shit and then it all is great until you start moving and then you've just gotta adjust. You gotta have a plan, you gotta have a strategy, but you gotta be fluid and just keep moving. Michael Moore: So, you really feel like the training and the perspective you gained with your time in the army carries forward into your approach to business and building companies and managing teams? It seems like there's a lot of parallels there for you.Brendan Deely: I do.I think it's especially in a private equity environment, which I've been in for the last two years. I think they get a bad notion, right? So, if it's a growth equity private equity firm, and they're great, they're looking to grow the business. They're looking to invest; they're looking to us to have a strategy and to execute the strategy.And so, there's other ones that turn around, “I'm not interested in that, I want to grow businesses. I'll deal with things if I have to”, but I think it's zero failure mission all the time. We might get wounded, we might get hurt, but let's keep the end in mind and bob and weave as we need to, but we've got to deliver the goods. And so, they're getting people who see that, who feel like they're part of the solution – it is great. Because I've bought enough businesses – about 29 companies throughout my career. If there's a dominating personality running the business, I got no use for it. If you have a dominating strategy, I'd [00:12:00] rather have that over a dominating personality because there's usually weak people below them or ‘yes people' and no creativity. And so, I think that's what the military forces on people as everybody has to play a role here. And that's what I try to do in my businesses.I'm a CEO, but if I have to make all the decisions, I got the wrong people. So, I think creating an environment where it's okay to speak your mind. Actually, I want it. But if you think something's wrong, you better have a pretty good idea how to fix it. Because we're not talking world hunger, we're talking about 7% more door hardware, and it's important, but I think it's that self-reflection of let's keep things in relative perspective. Bob Wierema: Brendan when your first bigger gig, when you started buying some more businesses that was at USG, right? Brendan Deely: Correct. Yeah. And so, I was there for 26 years, great company, Chicago based. I spent 26 years there, 12 of it on the manufacturing sheet rock you've heard of before, sealing a bunch of different roles, general manager roles. I moved over to the distribution business called LNW Supply, which is now owned by ABC Supply, and I had kind of a CEO role for a couple years. And then in 2002, at 36, I took over the business and it was 900 million in revenue at the time, basically operated East of the Rockies and 2,500 employees. And it been growing mostly through Greenfield expansion over the years, it was established in 1971, but we saw a real potential to consolidate this industry. And so, we put together a plan for the board of directors, got approval and in a little over two years, we acquired 15 companies, over [00:14:00] a billion dollars' worth of revenue, and it went from 900 million in 2002 to our peak year which was 2006 at 2.6 billion. 5,500 employees – so to pull that off and integrate the systems and the people and put people in the right roles, I have a good, great HR person, great operations people, great finance, and so I think sometimes the CEO gets too much credit.So many people make this thing happen. One of the things I didn't say before, when I was 19, I worked at a drywall yard and I loaded wallboard. I drove a truck; I operated a boom and I never lost sight of that's really the business. It's not the 18th floor. And so, it's the people out there operating around power lines every day and operating safely, not hurting themselves or other people. Safety was a huge part of that business. And I think it goes back to working on a firing range and using automatic weapons. It's just, that is such a core thing.You don't fuck with people. I mean, you've got to take care of them and you gotta treat them right, but yeah, it was a great run. We got to the peak and then the recession hit. I was telling my team recently about COVID and all this stuff, which is real. I'm going to tell you a problem.You go from 2.6 billion to 1.1 billion in a year in sales, that's a problem. Those are problems. So, we had to go from 5,500 people to 2,100. Close 100 facilities and just try to stop the cash burn. And so that was kind of the business fight or flight. I'm all in, and it said that old line the Dragon Slayer. You ever see that Teddy [00:16:00] Roosevelt speech about people? It was basically saying if I die, I'm going to die knowing that at least I was in the arena. Naysayer bullshit side liners who don't do anything. Bob Wierema: Brendan during that time, how did you keep people motivated as you shed this many people off? In that role, you're talking, “hey, the CEO gets too much credit”, but at the end of the day, I gotta imagine you gotta be there to keep people around too. Brendan Deely: You're a little bit of bipolar, I think – we were in a meeting one time, we had made an agreement as a management team that we're going to take out 700 salary positions and there's back and forth with burning cash. We're doing all this stuff and we can't do that. So, I'm like, “guys, let's agree we got fucked here and let's get over it. We have got to save this business”.And so, they were short, and I said, “look, we agreed to this thing. It's not fun, but we have to do it. We got to get to the other side, three people have to leave fairly” and it was back and forth and I said, “look, you can either do it the right way, or we're going to oracle(?) and start with the letter S and start picking names. Because my first girlfriend was Susan. We can be that arbitrary”. And I hung up the phone and they did it, and that wasn't fun, but it needed to happen. And on the other side of that, when this was going on, I traveled a lot. I wanted to be out in the field and we had 42 locations in Florida and we ended up with eight. I remember I was out in Sacramento at a big facility and they were talking about what's going on and people are always like, “oh, are you done with the restructure rooms?”(?) I'm like, “I can't tell you that. What we see now, yes. But I'm not going to sit here and tell you, I can't, I gotta be honest with you”.And there's one lady accounting [00:18:00] person. She's like, “hey, how do you deal with it? How do you deal with the stress?” And I have always found humor is a part of me, and it helps cool things down. And I said, “look, I sleep like a baby”. I wake up from two in the morning crying, and I'd wet the bed. It's like, “hey, look, we're all in this thing. We all have to be honest about it,” but I had to let friends go, but I would say we'd laid off 3,200 people. We never had labor lawsuit. So, I was proud that we treated people the best we could in a horrible time.And we also dealt with Chinese wallboard at that time. Have you guys heard about that?Bob Wierema: Yeah, I remember that. Brendan Deely: So, we're the only company who fixed every house that we shipped to. Only one, we were the only company that wasn't part of the class action suit. And so, it's really tough times. What do you stand for?What do you stand for now? I think that was a beast, but you know what? We got through a breakeven point when we came out of this thing at 60% less volume than we did before. And that's everybody getting behind it. Michael Moore: Yeah, that's efficiencies, right? Brendan Deely: It is, and we restructured the whole company.We took layers out; we had three core principles. We got to mitigate the losses. We got to prepare for the upturn, and we have to think big. It can't incrementalize our way to losing. I remember in September of 2006, we lost $18 million that month. Imagine. And the fourth thing was, how do we change the rules in this industry?And so that's one thing that I've tried to do for the last couple of [00:20:00] companies is, where are the inefficiencies in the industry? Where are the points of differentiation? And to drive price into the third sentence, not the first. Service value proposition, team, all those things, because it's wallboard, it's door hardware.There's gotta be a reason why. Insurance: why do Bob and I have the relationship we do? It's execution. You're there. It's bringing ideas. It's saving money and it's giving a shit. That's pretty easy to see. And most times you don't Michael Moore: Brendan with 29 companies that you've been a part of the acquisition, are there some key themes, takeaways, a strategy that you've now developed over time so that you deploy that now every single time? Or is everyone different? Talk to us about the lessons learned in that, because that's a big number.Brendan Deely: Yeah, I would say most of them were pretty good and I almost put them in buckets. Just tuck in and you can run it, keep most of the team, and keep going.But what we call a cornerstone acquisition where we bought a business in 2005, 600 million in revenue and in 35 locations, but really had a great team below the people that were leading so that I think that's one of the keys. If there's no talent below the seller, you got no business. The biggest mistake I made was we bought a business in an area that we wanted to be in and it was a terrible culture. I mean, total opposite around safety, around financial controls and all these things that were kind of core to us. We wanted people to be entrepreneurs, but I always tell people, you can't be an entrepreneur with somebody else's money. But I want you to have the spirit of an [00:22:00] entrepreneur, but there's no rules.And so, we bought this business which had 16 locations in the auto industry, in the early 2000s, in the crapper and got enamored by the revenue and the market share and spent four or five years restructuring and putting in a new team. And it's a fine business now. But it wasn't a good use of capital and we should have really just put the flags up. So, culture kills it every time for me. And as you need a new facility or need to upgrade the team, you can do that, but when it's just diametrically opposed to how you believe you should operate, run. There's another business out there.Bob Wierema: How do you assess that as you're going through those acquisitions? Is it just during that diligence phase, getting to know folks and going on the floor? Brendan Deely: I think once you get a handle on the people below them, or you can get at it. And in the industries that I've operated in, you know, like [inaudible] business, or Walmart business, even the door hardware is just a great business. Everybody kind of knows everybody enough. You can tap into manufacturers in a non-direct way about how they operate, a word of mouth from customers… So, it's not that you have to do psychological interviews or anything like that, but I think once you get below that team that you're dealing with them seeing if there's some chaps there, that's why the diligence phase – we do try to do HR stuff early, before close. Bob Wierema: And Brendan, when you said culture a few times throughout, in your mind, as you're building these businesses, what does foster create a culture that you see is good?Brendan Deely: I'm trying to simplify it for me, is would I want to be part of this family personally? Would I want to live in a [00:24:00] house with these people personally? If there was some inland on the counter, a hundred bucks, would they take it or not? And so it's not so much the financial side of it. I guess the best way to put it is when you read somebody's resume, it's what they've done. But I want to know who I'm going to be working with. I've never sold a business where the growth trajectory wasn't the Nike shoe. I think it's really, who are you going to be with good times and bad? And don't expect all to be the same, and financial controls matter, doing things safely matters and taking care of your team.Bob Wierema: So, Brendan after your transition from there, why don't you talk to us a little bit about your experience and time at H Harris? Brendan Deely: So, H Harris was a business that was owned by a private equity firm in Chicago called Front Neck. And I was talking with those guys after I left L&W, taking some time and trying to figure out what I wanted to do.They had a nice approach to how they invested. They find the leader first, and then go in an industry and then they go find deals, and they had bought a company maybe a year before I got involved with them that was a multi-location distribution business much like L&W but in the Northeast of the U.S. – been around 100 years, great reputation, owned by another private equity firm, but family for a lot of years.And so, I invested money in it and started being a board member; I was on a board of a public company and still am. I liked board work, but I didn't want to be 50 when to throw up the shoes , but the thought was, I'll do this if I can help them. And then we'll continue to look for a business. And then there were some issues going on with integration of a very large acquisition. [00:26:00] So they bought the business and then they bought about eight months later a business that was 70% the size of it. So, it was a big elephant swallow and I'd done that, so I thought I could help.The management team kept giving me the Heisman, and so I'm not here to be management, but I can give you some help. And this is one of their biggest investments and the team was just kind of Bush league. And so, I finally told the guys I'm not going anymore. It's a waste of my time. But I'm okay with the investment. But then we just decided let's make a change. And they asked me if I would run the business and I was living in Chicago, so not moving, but I had an apartment there and ran the business. We hired a great CFO who worked with me and we brought in some team and that business was just more of, hate to be blunt, but let's get some adults in the room and set budgets and hold people accountable and let's win, but I'm looking for effort and U12 soccer, not in a business, you've got to post school. Bob Wierema: I liked that one. Brendan Deely: And so, we changed the team and we challenged them to really move and put in brands, performance, metrics, and I always said there's 55 locations there's always going to be one on the bottom. Just kind of get off the bottom. It's going to happen, but what are you going to do to get off it? And so, what we saw was a $400 million business. We could grow this thing to a billion or more just by moving South and West. And so, we got agreement to go through a sale process, to get with a larger PE farm to really grow this thing. And then at the last minute, a strategic came in and paid over 10 times for it. And I said, “here's the case, have fun with it”. It was a smart move for them, and they've been great to the employees.It wasn't the outcome [00:28:00] we wanted, but it was a super business. Bob Wierema: That was a quick turn, that was what? Two and a half year business for your business there?Brendan Deely: Two and a half. Yeah. Because we got a five-year plan done in two and a half. And so, it was one thing I learned, from speed is your friend if you have the right people. But no, that was a really good win and they're great people. And they went to a company with great culture. So that's how I feel about that. And then I've been with Banner Solutions for two and a half years and it's again PE owned, was recapped Halloween of last year.So, it's been over a year where together with [inaudible] out of New York are awesome guys. And so, we're looking to, we call it ‘banner 2.0', is to take this thing to the next level and double or triple it over the next couple of years. And then sell it again. And so, it's a great market. Do you think about how many doors there are? How many handles there are? Commercial buildings? Residential? So it's a great replacement business. And the competition is generally pretty good, but it's the safety and security item. If it's broken, you fix it. And we've seen a lot through COVID around hands-free, a lot of that. And then ironically, the only mineral that really fights COVID is copper. And so, that's coming back, that you just use a dead item (?). So, there's some pretty cool macros in this space that's a hell of a lot nicer than the macros and the commodity drywall business. That's a gunfight every day. So, you know, this is not easy, but it's a better environment. Michael Moore: When you say copper fights it from a transfer standpoint. Brendan Deely: It kills the virus. Don't ask me any more about it because I got nothing, Michael Moore: But that is interesting. [00:30:00] Brendan, just from your vast perspective in business and in buying and selling and running of companies, Bob and I talk a lot on this podcast, because it has taken off in the era of COVID, do you see the role of private equity continuing on like it has, or like a lot of things pivoting and changing?Brendan Deely: Yeah. It's interesting because I would say the banker who sold our business to tell him(?) with me, [inaudible] I talked to him last week and he said in November, there was like a fundamental shift in private equity where it's back to pre-COVID levels.And a lot of diligence remote. We integrated two businesses we bought recently remotely, and I've never done that in 29 acquisitions. I never even thought you can do it, but ERP system financials, all remote. And so, I think it's coming back. I think the vaccine helps. I think there'll be a real chasm at the end of the day, from how companies did through COVID or not as far as multiple expansion. And we're up this year organically. And so, I think it goes back to the markets, but I think we have a hell of a team who's out there slaying the dragon every day. So, we just keep doing it. But I think it's just a recent kind of Jeff(?). Michael Moore: A comment you made earlier that you love to build to a good outcome, define for us what is a good outcome?Brendan Deely: I think it's not incremental. It's how do we, if we're a regional player doing a good job, how do we really get national? How do we widen the moat between us and our competition? Because customers [00:32:00] have choices. So as technologies and service offer – because its speed to the market is a team, and I think a lot of the time in distribution businesses, there's a notion that the sales cures all.It's sales, it's operations, it's finance, collecting the money. Everybody plays a role. And so, it's more of how do we leave this business dramatically better than it was when we got here? And that's creating jobs, that's creating EBITDA(?) expansion. That's making some stupid mistakes and learning from them. Which is plenty of those, but I think I've learned more from my losses than my wins. And it's really about creating an environment where I go into a business, I'm thinking who's replacing me? So if I don't have it in the team, how do I get it? How do I develop it? Because I think the CEO's job is their own succession and strategy at the end of the day. And then creating a team that can execute and have to be much more complicated than that, but that's not an easy solution. And so, being responsible and not doing things illegal, but most competitors who are independent family-owned businesses, they're not thinking about an ERP system or how do you use a CRM system to really grow your top line? Or how do you get pulled through sales, a share of wallet growth?And so, I think coming from larger businesses, going into a couple hundred-million-dollar businesses, you kind of know what good looks like. So, if you find good people that can augment your management team, then you got five people, it's better than one.So build the right team and let people know where you're trying to get to too. Michael Moore: That's a good point. And so, for listeners that are in the maturation of building their businesses and climbing to the revenue goals that they've set out for themselves, have you noticed benchmarks at certain [00:34:00] revenue where things have to change? You can't keep doing it the same to get to the next level? And if so, what are those?Brendan Deely: Yeah. And you hit those inflection points in businesses and I think it's either a hundred or $200 million increment somewhere where I'm coming from, where you kind of hit that point where – we want to get North of a half a billion. So, I want a team right now who knows how to do it, not in three years. And I think it's really being honest, develop your strategy, develop a structure that does that, and then talk about people and then create the incentives – in that order. And if you maniacal on that, then you really do be thoughtful. But I think you're going to make some mistakes and move people around, but I've seen it in roles like CFOs where you get to a certain point and they don't have the breadth and I changed out of CFO last year, a little over a year ago for that reason. He started in small businesses. He says, “well, God, we're moving at such a pace with these acquisitions”. And I drank drinking out of the firearms and I'm like, “get a bigger mouth. This is the business we're in.” And so I think you get to a point where you've got to find somebody else who can reset the pace, and that can really bring in skills that are missing in the business. And I hired a COO recently who's done that and the CFO and some FPDA(?) people. I had a person that was working for me and running operations and I'd put a COO over him. And I said, “if I put you in this role, you'd fail. And that's not fair to you. And I think if I find the right person, they could maybe get you to where you need to be that the next time, you know, there's a role here, but otherwise I've seen it too often where you [00:36:00] just, people flounder in these roles,” and just be honest. And shit, I've been fired. It happens.Bob Wierema: Yeah. So, Brendon, you and I have talked a lot over the years on some things. I think one of the things is we're transitioning and what I was thinking is, you've shared a lot with me on how you're kind of pushing yourself and your kids and your family each and every day to get better and improve. Maybe talk about that, and then what that looks and feels like for you. Brendan Deely: We have five kids and, I have a Junior in college and a freshman in college, 11th grader, and then a 7th grader. And we lost our son two years ago to suicide at 12, still my son, he's still part of the family, but prior to that horrible thing happening, we were a cool family. The three girls naturally, and then we adopted two boys from Ethiopia, not related, our son Gabe who passed, he came home 14 years ago yesterday. And then Isaiah who's 13. And so, we're totally cool with it. You could go through an airport with nine kids looking like me, nobody looks. But with us as an interracial family, we don't blend in and I don't like the blended. Bob Wierema: it's because Isaiah's going to be the best dressed one there. I've seen that little man walking around. Brendan Deely: Wearing his Yeezys and all that. But we always told our kids, “yeah, just make a difference in life. You don't have to be a CEO – I didn't know I was going to be a CEO but be a good person”. You know, corny sounding, “climb every mountain” song there. Just find your path and be good at it. If you're going to work in construction, be good at it. If you're going to be a [00:38:00] doctor, be good at it.And so, no pressure to do anything other than what you feel you can do. And so, we provided the environment for our kids, and they all were doing well and then November 14th of 2018, our life changed forever. And my son was in seventh grade and my daughter was in college, the oldest one. My wife took the other three to Iowa for a day and a half to see her mom then Gabe had confirmation thing on Saturday. So, I took him and drop them off – actually Carol left the house and I said, “all right, mom's gone. Let's go to Juul and get whatever you want. We just got to throw it out before she gets home”.He gets his food, and we go off and we have a great weekend. They just stopped and went out to dinner at a diner. And I was walking to Menards that morning, looking for someone walking down the street and we're actually held hands, which you didn't do. And I said, “Gabe you're doing great in school. I'm proud of you,” and he said, “dad. I'm lit”. I took him to basketball practice on Monday night and then Wednesday, he was gone, no signs, no warning, no crying, nothing to his brothers and sisters, just existential crisis for all, like how you know? And so, it was a real defining moment and you're trying to get yourself to breathe let alone take care of your family, and fuck business. I didn't care. It wasn't anyone around, but it was such a crazy environment. Like I said, I've run three businesses at a time, in the army. Okay. There's a problem. What's the situation? What could we have? What's the workaround?There's a child to suicide. There's nothing. It's a total. You're in no man's land. And [00:40:00] so yeah, we went about the whole burial and then it just all kinds of awful, right? Families, kids are suicidal. It's just like, fuck this has happened. We were, you know, not, you know, the Cunninghams, but we were a pretty good family. I didn't even think a 12-year-old thought about that at all, especially when it was great looking, funny as shit, had a bunch of friends. Subsequently we found out that he wrote a note, and he was being picked on in school. He was the only one of two black kids in his school, a Catholic school. And we didn't know anything about it. There was cyber bullying, he was searching suicidal stuff on his iPad during school. And so cyber bullying, all crazy, just surreal, the whole thing. And so we started Gabriel's Light, which Bob is involved with, to really never let it happen to another kid.And he slipped through the cracks and I'm fucking pissed. And I can either wallow in it, or we can affect change. Because the pain is going to be there regardless. And so, we've been out since November 13th of last year. And I give my wife all the credit, I call her a steam roller, with velvet gloves. It's kind of a couple of pillars; it's around internet security at schools, the Reagan Trust [inaudible], because kids are smarter than we are, a lot of training around cyber bullying and how do you recognize it? Both for teachers and for parents, just thoughts around bullying in general.When we were kids, we had to be kind of big to be a dick. Now you can be whatever you want, and the stuff they say is just nasty. You can just wipe [00:42:00] out a friend, I forget the word they call it, but you don't matter anymore. And then a lot around kindness campaign. So we've kicked us off grass roots. My wife's been on Norah O'Donnell from CBS news – and this is all pre-COVID. And so, we know of several kids that we've impacted positively, and we only wanted to impact one and that would have been a win, but I think COVID just kind of exacerbated it. So, we're better, but it's a grind. My other son struggles mightily and as does everybody else, but time helps. Therapy, which I've been in for quite some time has been hugely formative in me working myself through this thing. I was a stage four cancer guy, 26 years ago. I never thought for one minute I could cure this thing by myself. And so, when it comes to mental health, how could you possibly – your most complex thing in your body – figure you can work through it?And so that's kind of whole thing about Gabriel's Light, too is that it's okay not to be okay. I've been fucked up most of my life, but I think that really, when he gets to something like this, it truly resets what's important in yourself. I once told somebody, “I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy's trainer”.And it's still sometimes surreal. I still want to call Isaiah, Gabe, nobody gets upset. He's still part of the family, but being able to take a horrible, horrible outcome and do something good, it's really helped us as well. And I think it goes back to kind of the core of who we are is good people. We want to do good and want to make things better and want to do it with a big group of people. We've had a friend of mine, very close friend, whose daughter died by suicide. This fall, we've known him for 29 years. It's such a horrible thing. And [00:44:00] the amount. It's the number two leading cause of death, of people 10 to 24. I never knew that. And COVID just exacerbates that. I tell my kids that “look, Gabe is part of our family. What happened is part of our family, but that doesn't necessarily define us entirely”. We've come up with this family mantra – we kind of stole pieces out of it, but it's “get up, look up, never, ever give up and giddy up. And you're going to face shitty things. I don't know that you'll face anything harder from here, but don't give up, no way. Not for my kids, not for business and if I'm gonna die I'm gonna swing it. would say my relationship with my other son is probably dramatically better now. I sensed a bit of a gift from his brother. I was talking to him one time and he's a stubborn motherfucker like me, but I said, “I think coming through this whole thing, you and I have a better relationship than we ever did. And I'm really glad”. And I said, “it's, mostly on me”. And he said, “no, it's not just you. It was me too”. And this is an 11-year-old at the time.And so, you live, you learn from everything. I think the relationship with Bob just got that much more real when he told me two months after about some of his struggles, and you can't judge a book by the cover. It gets to the heart of people and you really find out who's real when things get really bad. Because it was interesting – we lost some people that were friends that just, I don't spend a lot of time on it, but it's just, wow. Because it's the whole ‘people act how they want', but I don't need that. I think that's when you really [00:46:00] separate, who's a friend and who's not. And as tough as it might be, it's an interesting process to know who you'd really go with. Bob Wierema: Brendan. Well, first of all, thank you for sharing. One of the things that I was thinking about as you talk and was like, you're obviously struggling as you're going through this, but you probably also got your family there – coming to you is the rock within that family and how did you deal with that? Because there's probably like the part of, “hey, how do I make sure everybody's good here? But I also got to take care of me. There are both parts of that. How did you work through? Brendan Deely: Gabe died in November. I went back to work in December just because I thought I should. And in March I lost it. I just collapsed and had never experienced anything like that, but you can only bullshit for so long, especially when it's as real as it gets.And so, I give credit to the previous PE firm, the guy came, and he said, “do you need time off?” And I started crying and I lost it and I said, “yeah, I do”, and I found a therapist, Neil, who may have saved my life. I certainly got back on track and he just listened, man. The first time I met him – he cried the first three times, and I was like, “who the fuck is paying for this?”He was just a genuine soul – we don't talk about Gabe all the time, it was incredibly invaluable to me. And I'd never thought about doing therapy, save the world, but I like being vulnerable. That's how I got to, how am I going to fix me? Because I realized I couldn't [00:48:00] help my family until I got myself to a spot where I was manageable or at least not spinning down. Because I was just going down a tough spot and faking it with my kids. And so, we did some family therapy, and the other thing that I found is I cried in front of my kids and I meant to do it, but it just came out, but I think for them to see me truly hurting allowed them to say, “all right, let's try to work through this thing”.And so there's smaller much smaller versions of that in business, but I think get yourself fixed first and if you've got problems, deal with them, head on. Because my experience was that they are only going to get worse. So, I went to church – my family's not back at the church because of the stuff with the Catholic school. I swear like a sailor, but I really truly came out in the last couple of years. I don't do the rosary it matters to me. I don't like some people in the Catholic church, but I still have faith. It took me a while, but I've separated those two. My advice would be taking care of yourself and your mind before your body and know that it's going to be work and it's going to be bumpy. It's that line that it's easy to sail when it's smooth water, but the other thing we showed our kids is that grief is like the oceans; sometimes it's smooth and sometimes it's rough as hell, and you just better know how to swim. I ‘m much better at talking about it now because I want to help people. If anybody's out there struggling, get help. You don't want to go [00:50:00] through what we went through?Bob Wierema: Brendon, I remember when we sat down at dinner, after when it was just you and I and we went to that summer house over by you up there. I shared with you some of the stuff I went through when I was in my twenties, and I remember one of the things that you said to me that has always stuck with me is what you just mentioned, which is that you got to take care of your mind as much as you got to take care of your body. And for some reason, a lot of people just want to neglect that and just think they can do it on their own and to go out and get help and to do that, I think is so hugely important. Also, I think what's amazing about you is that I've always loved your humility, your honesty, and your vulnerability. The way that we were able to share was because you opened up when we were talking and that's what's created such a great friendship between us. Now what you guys are doing with Gabriel's Light and all of that, it's going to have a positive effect on so many people and probably so many people you don't even know it has an effect on. And it's really amazing to see what you guys are doing. You and Carol are amazing people and it's been so good to get to know you guys.Brendan Deely: Thank you. Because the year after Gabe died some friends did a mass at the church, and I talked to people because Carol couldn't and I'll say anything, but I remember saying that we would have never signed up for this role. But it's ours now and watch out because we are all in on this thing. I had a guy who – I don't know if it was just down in Texas – but his son Brad Huxtable(?) or something, his son, same kind of thing, 12 years old, last year. And I reached out on Facebook and I'm like, [00:52:00] “man, I'm so sorry. And he immediately texted back and he's starting to build this thing, but his momentum around youth suicide and prevention and it's almost therapeutic for me to help or just listen, or cry with the person, whatever. I think that's the thing that when we were going through it, I didn't want to hear stories. I just wanted my buddy to sit with me at the restaurant. And then it evolves.I learned more in the last two years than I learned in the previous 52 – about me, about how you deal with struggles. My team at Bader Solutions is awesome. One of them asked me one time, “how do you come back and do this?” I said, “this is what I do”. I had to do it for Gabe, but I have to do it for my wife Carol, and Margo, and Nora May(?). I said, “it's just that these are the cards I was dealt, and I'm gonna play them. Michael Moore: Brendan, thank you as Bob said, for, for just sharing so deeply your experiences with us, I'm glad you brought up Brad Hunsville(?) because I was doing a little research before the podcast and noticed that you were connected with him on LinkedIn. He actually runs a business here in Fort Worth. I've been following what he's been sharing on LinkedIn and his story, and it's truly amazing as well. Brendan Deely: So you read about the personality of his son and my son, like God, it's like the same person, same age. There's another fight person, not going to fly.Michael Moore: His vulnerability in the way he's turned into it, well technology and the connectivity brought by all of these social media apps [00:54:00] that have the best intentions in the world. We're seeing the unintended consequences of the way kids interact with each other now. It's a hidden monster. It's people like you that are willing to put yourself out there and start something and be humble and share that they're going to turn it around. So, I just want to thank you for that.Brendan Deely: Much appreciated and there's technologies and other things that people can use as kids. I think it goes back to what I told our kids – just make a difference in whatever you do. And this has become part of our making a difference – a painful reason, but we're gonna do it.Michael Moore: Brendan, you've talked a lot about Isaiah and obviously the commonalities there with Gabe, but how are your other children doing? And how's your wife doing? Brendan Deely: My wife, she's a machine. Everything she does she does exceptionally well. She found Gabe and so had to go through some post-traumatic stress training called EMDR – it – worked, and then Margo, she was at school in Connecticut, came back for a year and now she's back at St. Mary's in Notre Dame, finishing her nursing degree. Then Norah is a freshman at NYU, and then May is a junior at Jones College Prep here in Chicago. But everybody went through therapy – some more than others. I'm still involved with it and there's no right or wrong on that. We do some family therapy, but I would say everybody's back to living their life. I wear a band, a Gabriel's Light band and I will for the rest of my life, but it's my way of keeping him with me. I've got his card in my iPhone. I just know he's around. He was psycho about orange. He wore it all the time. So, every place we [00:56:00] go, we bring an orange ribbon and we put it on a chair.So, it's a weird balance to try to figure out how to heal and not forget. We screwed it up, I think we've gotten pretty close, but I would say that our family is as direct as any family I know. I think we were pretty much before. If people are in a bad mood I'm like, “are you suicidal? No? Great.”We shouldn't be scared to say that because somebody might say yes and then maybe you could actually help them with therapists, but I appreciate you asking that. I think you get through it; you don't get over it. And so, the raw intensity, everybody's different, but they said it's easily two years to get over it.I'm like, it's going to be what it is. The tears and the crying are far less than it was. And so, I want to remember his birthday and the day he came home, not the day he died. I mean, celebrate life and then the way he left, but then also remember him for the 13 years he was alive. He was a nut, he was a blast and had one bad day, really bad day. One funny story – he's like 10 at the time. We lived in the city so there's small ass yards and the leaves are down. So, we're raking the leaves and he takes the rake and – it's like 10 in the morning – he just throws it at the storm window and shatters it. And I'm like, “what the fuck?” He's like, “well, I wanted to see if it breaks,” and I'm like, “hey”, he's like, “what's up?” I said, “start running”.Bob Wierema: That's good. Brendan Deely: There's plenty of good stuff. Michael Moore: So, Brendan, if you think about this new world of [00:58:00] podcasts, why it is one of Bob and I's main passions is that it captures stories forever. And so, in thinking about that medium of capturing your story now that people interested in Gabriel's Light can come back and listen to, your wife and kids can go back and listen to, you can go back and listen to. There's this saying out there that it's not what you know, it's who you know, but we've reversed it around. And we say, it's not who you know, it's who knows you. So, in thinking about this podcast, what do you want people to know about you and with this medium, what do you want your wife and your kids to know about it?Brendan Deely: Great question. I always loved the quote by Walt Disney. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” That happens with thought, passion, energy, building a team, teaching people. But I think there's a lot that people can learn from Gabriel's life that's going to make the world a better place. From tragedy comes good. That's a great thing. We told our kids to be defined by how you got back up, not by how you got knocked down. Because we didn't see it coming. It was a steamroller. But you're still good people. You still got things you can do and you're going to be successful and you're going to get married and you'll have kids. I don't care if you're gay or straight. I just want you to live a good life and to give back. And so, you know, for me personally, I have people that have come and work for me from two different companies. I got some still coming back to where I am. So, I think I'm generally a good person. I'm honest, I'm genuine, and don't ask me a question if you don't want the answer. But also humble enough to know I need really good [01:00:00] people, really smart people that want to make a lot of money and do some great stuff for this business, but I also have a perspective of at 26 I was diagnosed with stage four cancer, told I was going to live three months, I said, “fuck that, I'm not gonna do that”. And then get married, have a bunch of kids, and then we lost Gabe to suicide and you hit these defining moments. Neither of which I signed up for, but I think it helped me really understand that you know what, I'm at the core of who I am. I just want to be able to say that I left this place a little bit better than when I got here.I don't think I would have said that two years ago. I think I really mean that now. So, there's more work to do. Bob Wierema: That's a hell of an answer, Brendan. We appreciate you coming on and sharing everything with us today. Thanks so much. And as I've told you a million times, I'm blessed to have you as a person in my life and can't wait to continue to build our relationship together.So, thank you. Brendan Deely: No, no. It goes to the same and Mike and Johnny. Thank you. And I still don't know why she married you. Bob Wierema: We can cut that part out, Johnny. Michael Moore: No, no, there we go. Brendan Deely: Happy holidays. Bye.Michael Moore: Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of The Climb. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider subscribing. And if you know someone who you would think would enjoy the podcast, feel free to share this with them. Thanks again. And we'll see you on the next episode. [01:02:00].
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