Expert Conversations
Beyond the barn: Barndominiums enter a new era of growth
By Jenny Yu. Industry leaders say demand for flexible, durable and lifestyle-focused steel buildings continues to expand into residential, commercial and luxury sectors. The barndominium market continues to gain momentum across residential, commercial and mixed-use construction, creating new opportunities for architects, builders, contractors and suppliers focused on metal building ...
Begin managing proactively with online training
By Emma Peterson. Learn how Cotney Consulting Group’s training elevates individuals, businesses and the industry as a whole. Having a properly trained team is one of the biggest factors in not only promoting individual growth but also long-term business success. But, in the busy world of roofing, it can ...
Skylight safety starts with education
By Jesse Sanchez. How evolving codes, aging materials and roof access realities are changing the fall protection conversation. As skylights become more common on commercial and industrial roofs, contractors are facing a growing need to understand how these roof openings can impact safety, compliance and daily workflow. In this episode ...
A career built on learning
By Emma Peterson. Austin Philips shares how continual learning and embracing challenges helped him build his career at Kodiak Roofing and Waterproofing. In our Stories from the Roof podcast, we get to hear all of the incredible paths that led professionals to the roofing industry. And recently, we got to ...
New podcast series explores alignment across core business fundamentals
By The Coffee Shops™. This podcast explores how people, process, data and technology must align to drive scalable, real-world results. As operational demands grow more complex, many contractors are discovering that the systems that once supported growth now create friction. Data lives in multiple platforms, teams work around disconnected processes ...
The devil’s in the metal details
By Evelyn Witterholt. Why the details matter so much when it comes to restoring metal roofing systems. Looking at a commercial metal roof (the type you see on warehouses and industrial buildings), it might appear simple at first – especially for standing seam systems that, at first glance, look ...
We’d rather hear about the battles than learn you lost a war
By Emma Peterson. Roofing professionals share insight into the importance of mental health awareness and care in the industry. If you didn’t know, May was mental health awareness month in the United States! Mental health is a key issue in our industry, with construction having the second-highest suicide rate ...
Shaping the future of roofing resilience
By Jenny Yu. RICOWI’s investigations continue to influence roofing codes, standards and installation practices nationwide. The recent Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues Inc. (RICOWI) Spring 2026 Conference in Sacramento reinforced the organization’s growing role in advancing roofing resilience, technical research, and code development across the industry. In this ...
The basics of roofing employment law
By Emma Peterson. Employment attorney Benjamin Briggs answers common roofing labor classification questions. Recently, Benjamin Briggs of Adams and Reese stopped by The Coffee Shops™ for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. Benjamin is a board-certified labor and employment attorney with over a decade of experience helping roofers navigate employment ...
Futureproofing through partnership
By Dani Sheehan. Stronger supply chains start with stronger partnerships — know what’s happening behind the scenes to stay ahead. Every material tells a story – where it came from, how it arrived at the jobsite and what it took to get it there on time. And behind each shipment ...
