Talking TOP 500

This episode features Ed Kailaher, president of Window Depot USA, discussing the company's unique dealer licensee business model.
Top 500 Talking points
* Window Depot's origin and growth as a network of dealers.
* Ed's background in the home improvement industry and his journey to Window Depot.
* The advantages of Window Depot's dealer licensee model, emphasizing the "why do this alone?" philosophy.
* Best practices shared among Window Depot dealers, focusing on financial acumen and flexibility.
* The company's approach to technology, particularly AI, and its in-house digital agency, Emerson AI.
* Window Depot's future plans for expansion
* Advice for remodelers looking to scale their businesses, stressing financial fundamentals and a "servant's heart" combined with a "savage mind." 
* Discussion on the challenges of finding and retaining labor, especially skilled installers.
* The use of technology in the sales process and the potential of AI in managing customer relationships.

On this Episode of the Talking Top 500 Podcast, Pat and Tim talk with Marcus Sheridan, author of "They Ask, You Answer" about how AI is changing the home improvement industry. 
Key points from the conversation today: 
Fast Remodeler Live: Marcus will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming software and technology conference in Nashville on May 12th and 13th. Use code PODFRL26 for your listener discount! 
AI's impact: AI is changing how people search, with more using LLMs like ChatGPT. This impacts SEO and the effectiveness of Google Ads. 
Trust signals: To be recommended by AI, businesses need to build trust signals through various content types (video, audio, articles).
The Big Five: Homeowners are obsessed with questions about cost, problems, comparisons, reviews, and best options.
Pricing transparency:  It's important to address cost and pricing, not necessarily with exact numbers, but by explaining how costs work in the industry. Google is starting to favor sites with pricing estimators and AI-driven price checks. Sheridan's free book called, "Call for Quote is Dead" at priceguy.ai. 
AI Agents: The future involves AI agents that research options for homeowners.
The three F's of innovation: Faster, friction removal, and fear removal.
Helpful AI tools: Marcus recommends Whisprflow for dictation, and Claude Cowork for competitor analysis.
The era of agents: Websites need to be designed for AI interaction, and businesses will have to think about not only human traffic to their website, but AI traffic.
Finding the right partner: Look for Web and SEO partners who are evolving and suggesting new activities related to AEO (AI engine optimization).

Jeff Gear is CEO and Founder of Revamp Companies, which has been a fast-growing home improvement firm since its founding in 2017. Concrete coatings are a big part of the company's business via its TSR Coatings unit, but it now offers decks and windows.
 
In 2025, the company ranked No. 24 on the TOP 500 list with $160.1 million in revenue on 23,946 jobs. Here are two other facts about Jeff and Revamp.
 
First, Jeff is a pioneer in the use of social media to not only generate leads, but to literally sell jobs. He's got a call-center team that's devoted to communicating directly with prospects on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. 
 
Fact No. 2, Revamp has partnered with private equity in recent years. Gear has been shrewd about these partnerships, and as a result, has been able to fuel growth and deliver the return expected by its partners.

Pat and Tim talk with Jenilee Common the new CEO of Leaf Home.
 
Then, Pat and Tim talk about Trends to Watch for Professional Remodelers as we move into 2026.

Drew Weinfurtner, CEO of Great Day Improvements, is a young leader with a lot of responsibility. He runs a company with 11 brands and 120 offices in 48 states and Canada. And Weinfurtner is succeeding.
According to the most recent TOP 500 rankings published in August. Great Day ranked No. 3 on the list with $1.64 billion in revenue on 89,064 jobs. It's an amazing enterprise and Drew, along with Chairman Michael Hoy and Executive Chairman Ed Weinfurtner make an excellent management team.