Mission Control

Podcast

Mike sits down with David Carroll, Founder of DOPE Marketing, to discuss his incredible journey from spending four years in prison to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the contractor space. David shares raw insights about reinventing yourself, overcoming destructive habits, finding gratitude as an entrepreneur, and the internal work required to stop running on chaos and start living with intention. This conversation goes deep into sobriety, fatherhood, ego, expectations, and the turning points that forced him to confront who he really wanted to be.

Mike sits down with Brock McClelland, Owner of McClelland Contracting & Roofing in Pittsburgh, for a powerful conversation about overcoming addiction and rebuilding life through discipline. Brock shares his raw journey of resilience, redemption, and finding purpose through faith, family, and fitness. This episode goes beyond business to explore how change is possible even when life throws its hardest punches.

Mike sits down with Kyle Weber, co-owner of Hometown Roofing Services, to discuss the business’s rapid rise since launching in October 2022. Kyle shares his transition from repair technician to business owner and explores his modern growth strategies including BNI networking, Company Cam utilization, and authentic video content. The conversation highlights how attic inspections provide a competitive edge by building homeowner trust and uncovering hidden issues before projects start.

Mike interviews Bradley Dillon of Virginia-based Dillon Roofing, a company celebrating 30 years since its founding by Bradley’s father. Bradley shares his journey from decade-long laborer to partner, discussing his efforts to modernize the business through CRM systems, digital roof measurements, and social media branding. The conversation explores perfectionism in business, organic growth strategies, and Bradley’s commitment to maintaining high-quality craftsmanship while building lasting customer relationships.

In this episode, Mike Stearns interviews George Schiano, owner of Epic Exteriors in New Jersey, who shares his journey of launching his business six years ago after his previous employer cut his sales commissions. George discusses how he expanded from roofing to full exterior services, his unique sales strategies including 48-month interest-free financing, and the importance of accountability in customer service.

Jeffrey Teitelbaum, owner of RST Roofing and Renovation, shares his unique journey from Atlanta police detective to insurance adjuster to roofing company owner. He discusses his strategic “slow burn” approach to growth, focusing on organic SEO and brand building rather than high-pressure lead generation. Jeffrey also explores the operational challenges of running a roofing business and his ambitious goals to dominate his market through consistent video content by 2026.

Mike Stearns sits down with Pete McKendrick, Product Strategy Lead at Roofr, to discuss the shifting roofing industry landscape entering 2026. They explore the challenges of a ‘stormless’ 2025, the need for business diversification into services like siding and gutters, and strategies for managing rising customer acquisition costs. The conversation covers the ‘high floor’ strategy for 2026 and the emerging influence of AI-powered search engines on homeowner behavior.

Mike sits down with Austin Fricker, Owner and CEO of A. Fricker Roofing & Waterproofing out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Austin shares how he’s built one of the most respected roofing companies in his market through culture, leadership, and understanding the numbers that drive business forward. He discusses managing storms, scaling systems, building teams that thrive under pressure, and balancing revenue goals with healthy margins.

Brock McClelland from Pittsburgh and Corey Combes from Tampa share the real numbers behind their roofing companies’ growth in 2024. They discuss navigating market shifts, the impact of consistent branding and marketing investment, and strategies that separated them from competitors. The conversation covers $800K commercial jobs, generating 700+ leads per month, and what most contractors still don’t understand about effective marketing.

In this episode, Mike Stearns sits down with Reggie Brock, Co-Founder of Propel, to discuss how his cultural operating system predicts performance by measuring how employees think and feel. Brock argues that traditional KPIs are merely ‘history lessons,’ whereas his approach focuses on early detection of emotional lags that drive 90% of workplace performance. Using his ‘Seed and Soil’ analogy, he explains that businesses must cultivate a healthy environment for talent to thrive, as even the best ‘seeds’ will die in poor ‘soil’.

Mike Stearns sits down with Andy Keys, Owner and CEO of FoxHaven Roofing Group for a raw conversation about what it truly takes to build an empire. Andy shares his incredible journey from battling addiction and living in his car to running massive roofing and metal supply companies. They dive into strategies for growth including video content, SEO with AI search, tracking true ROAS based on gross profit, and transitioning from chasing short-term leads to playing the long game.

Mike Stearns interviews Pancho Serrano, founder of Roofers Going Digital, about his journey from a corporate BMW role in Mexico to the U.S. roofing industry. Pancho details his transition into commercial roofing sales and the eventual launch of his agency, which focuses on a three-pillar LinkedIn strategy involving organic content, Sales Navigator prospecting, and targeted ads. The conversation highlights the critical importance of building an authentic brand and maintaining back to basics fundamentals like networking and local community involvement to stay competitive as AI changes the digital landscape.