Torsion Talk - The Garage Door Industry Podcast

Welcome to a special episode of Torsion Talk, hosted by Ryan Lucia. Today marks a significant moment as we bid farewell to Tamara, the Chief Operating Officer of Garage Door University (GDU), on her last podcast. Tamara is embarking on a new journey, joining her family's business as the Vice President of Operations, where she'll be overseeing cleanup efforts alongside her husband, who handles production and administration. In this heartfelt episode, Ryan expresses the bittersweet emotions of losing a longtime collaborator. He acknowledges Tamara's profound impact on the garage door industry and GDU, emphasizing the importance of hiring great people, fostering strong relationships, and recognizing that some connections are only meant for a season. Tamara, who started as a virtual assistant (VA) with Ryan, reflects on the fulfillment and lifelong friendships she gained during her time at GDU. Despite the excitement of her new role, Tamara acknowledges the pressure to ensure GDU's continued success and her deep emotional connection to the team. She shares her commitment to implementing systems, processes, accountability, and financial order—lessons learned from her tenure in the garage door industry. Ryan introduces Jen, who will be stepping into Tamara's shoes. Having known Jen since 2016, Ryan highlights her background as a business development representative at BELAY, where she engaged with entrepreneurs and gained valuable insights into their businesses. The episode comes full circle as Jen and Ryan reconnect through We Recruit Well, showcasing the intertwined paths of their professional journeys. In a heartfelt farewell, Ryan expresses gratitude to Tamara for her remarkable contributions to GDU and working alongside him. As Tamara embarks on her new venture, the episode serves as a celebration of growth, change, and the enduring impact of collaboration within the Garage Door University community. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In a candid episode of Torsion Talk, host Ryan Lucia, owner of Aaron Garage Doors, bares it all about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, focusing on a pivotal aspect—leadership. Ryan reflects on his journey, sharing a profound realization about the connection between leadership and business success. The episode delves into the fundamental question: What is leadership? Ryan emphasizes the stark choice between being a proactive leader or a reactive one, categorizing leaders into those who are either good or bad. A key query emerges: Are you developing leaders within your organization? You’ll hear about the pivotal moment when Ryan realized he was falling short as a leader and how it triggered a cultural shift in his organization, demonstrating the profound impact of visionary leadership.  Learn how Ryan's revelation about his role as a visionary and the subsequent turnaround in sales underscores the profound connection between organizational culture, revenue, and profit. Listeners are encouraged to be proactive about leading, focusing on working on the business rather than in it. Ryan offers five practical ways to do so. Torsion Talk leaves the audience inspired to cultivate great leadership, recognizing its pivotal role in shaping a positive organizational culture, driving revenue, and ensuring long-term success. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, Ryan and Tamara sit down with Adi (Didi) Azaria, CEO of Workiz, to discuss practical strategies for garage door business owners to grow and succeed in a competitive market. Adi (Didi) Azaria is a Growth Hacker, Inside Sales Expert, Startup Builder, and Investor. After co-founding Sisense, he now holds the position of CEO at Workiz. His commitment to Field Service Management and the pursuit of excellence in his domain is matched only by his dedication to empowering and fortifying the Workiz team. Find Didi at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adiazaria/ http://www.workiz.com Link to exclusive 30% discount for Torsion Talk Listeners:  https://www.workiz.com/partners/garage-door-lpoc/?partner_key=garage-door-u Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In the first half of this episode, Ryan goes over announcements for Sales Training and GDU and shares some updates from the Steel Industry. We then move into why he is no longer taking calls from private equity firms, and what Aaron Overhead Doors year-end planning sessions look like. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

Learn how Blake got his start in the business, how he sets himself and his team up for success in a competitive market, why he is passionate about training his team, and his unique approach to leadership. Blake Furry is the owner of Furry Overhead Door Company, a garage door business with locations in Central Illinois and Southern Alabama. Blake is a husband, father of soon to be 3 boys, and a young entrepreneur trying to be the best. Find Blake at: www.furrydoors.com www.furrydoors.com/southern-alabama  Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, Ryan talks about how he is planning to make the most of 2024 and shares some helpful advice on how you can, too. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, Ryan is joined by Anthony Gonzales, CEO of Cobalt Services Partners. Learn common misconceptions about private equity firms, what they are looking for in businesses, why EBITDA is important, and more. Anthony is the co-CEO of Cobalt Services Partners, an Alpine Investors portfolio company focused on buying and building commercial overhead door, access control, and gate companies throughout the United States. Previously, Anthony played 5 seasons as a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, helped lead a software startup, earned his MBA from Stanford University, and served in the United States Congress for two terms. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, Ryan shares some quick updates on industry happenings and then dives in to his recent journey and why you should make taking care of yourself your top priority. Find Ryan at: https://garagedooru.com https://aaronoverheaddoors.com https://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors! Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.com Surewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, hear from Ryan's video wizard, Robert Pancake, about his recent trip to VidSummit in Dallas. Learn how to leverage video marketing in your garage door business, Robbie's key takeaways from the summit, common misconceptions, what's actually important, and the only thing you need to get started. Find Robert at: https://www.robertpancake.com/about Find Ryan at:https://garagedooru.comhttps://aaronoverheaddoors.comhttps://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.comSurewinder - https://surewinder.com

In this episode, Ryan is joined by Buck Marshal, founder of NorthCurrent Partners, Brad Goodwin, President of DGD Garage Doors and Joe Clark, President of United Garage Door Company to discuss acquisitions and private equity. Tune in to learn how to prepare for a conversation with a private equity firm, what these firms are looking for, common misconceptions, key terminology and what you can do to help make the valuation of your business better. Brad Goodwin is the President of DGD Garage Doors, a leading garage door service, repair, and installation company serving residential customers throughout the state of Florida. Prior to joining DGD, Brad spent several years as a management consultant working with companies to improve margin and reduce operating costs. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and resides with his wife and three girls in Tampa, FL. Find Brad at: https://dgdoors.com Buck is a founder and Managing Partner at NorthCurrent Partners, an investment firm that partners with and acquires American businesses with a focus on growth and home/commercial services. NorthCurrent has made 3 garage door company investments and acquisitions, supporting their growth by helping the existing teams recruit additional employees and open up new offices to expand geographically. Buck lives in New York with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and enjoys fishing, baseball, and American history.  Find Buck at: https://northcurrentpartners.com Business Development Team: bd@ncpartners.com Joe Clark is the President of United Garage Door Company and an operating partner to NorthCurrent. He has spent the last sixteen years in the Garage Door industry, starting out as an installer. Prior to joining the Garage Door Industry, Joe proudly served eight years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. Joe resides in Grove City, Ohio with his wife Jamie and twin sons, Bryce and Owen. Find Joe at: https://unitedgaragedoor.com Find Ryan at:https://garagedooru.comhttps://aaronoverheaddoors.comhttps://suchnsuchmedia.com Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - http://sommer-usa.comSurewinder - https://surewinder.com