"We Started With a Bankrupt Company Nobody Wanted. We sold it for $18.25 Billion." — Dan Tinker

Should You Sell to Private Equity? The Truth About PE Roofing | Kirt Linington & Mike Cotant

In this episode, Kirt Linington sits down with Mike Cotant to break down the full picture of private equity in roofing: what PE actually looks like when you're inside it, what founders get wrong before they sign, the horror stories from platform integration nobody posts about online, and whether selling to private equity is even the right move for you in the first place. No fluff, no sales pitch — just two guys who've lived it telling you what you need to know before you make one of the biggest decisions of your business life.𝗜𝗚: @abovetheroofshow𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗧: @kirtsting𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆: https://open.spotify.com/show/0XrnNTAJmc05dgsQDTRq1D𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸: @abovetheroofshowFor sponsorships or business inquiries, reach out to: abovetheroofshow@gmail.comFor Podcast Inquiries, please DM @abovetheroofshow or @kirtsting on Instagram!0:00 What Is Private Equity Really Doing in Roofing?1:07 Welcome to Above the Roof4:15 Mike's Background & How He Got Into Private Equity13:16 How O2 Investment Partners Got Into Roofing20:00 What PE Actually Does After They Buy Your Business31:37 Insurance vs. Retail — The Truth About Business Mix35:23 What Roofing Founders Get Wrong Before They Sell40:48 Building Trust With Your PE Partner44:48 Real Horror Stories From Platform Integration59:14 Strong House's Vision & Where the Industry Is Headed1:06:15 Should You Join a Platform? What to Think About First1:09:01 Kirt & Mike's Honest Advice for Anyone Considering PE1:12:21 Closing Thoughts & Thank You#privateequity #roofing #businessowner #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #roofingindustry #mergersandacquisitions #businessstrategy #entrepreneur #roofingcontractor #businesssuccess #millionairemindset #abovetheroofshow #scaleyourbusiness #roofingbusiness

"We Started With a Bankrupt Company Nobody Wanted. We sold it for $18.25 Billion." — Dan Tinker

Dan Tinker built one of the largest building products distribution companies in America — starting as a kid who barely went to class at Texas A&M, chasing sand volleyball and cold beer. Now he's running nearly 19,000 employees under Home Depot and has made over 500 millionaires along the way. In this episode, Kirt Linington sits down with Dan Tinker to talk real: how he met his wife and built a marriage that survived the grind, why he thinks more happens at a bar than a boardroom, the Miller Lite philosophy that built his entire career, creating $3 billion in wealth for employees including a forklift driver who retired early, and why bold goals stir souls. If you're a roofing contractor or building products professional trying to scale something that actually matters, this conversation will change how you think about business.𝗜𝗚: @abovetheroofshow𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗧: @kirtsting𝗗𝗔𝗡: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-tinker𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆: https://open.spotify.com/show/0XrnNTA...𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸: @abovetheroofshow For sponsorships or business inquiries, reach out to: abovetheroofshow@gmail.comFor Podcast Inquiries, please DM @abovetheroofshow or @kirtsting on Instagram!0:00 Intro & Who Is Dan Tinker?1:07 Welcome to Above the Roof4:15 Texas A&M, Sand Volleyball & Meeting His Wife7:54 30 Years of Marriage & Building a Business Together13:16 Work-Life Balance: Setting the Ground Rules Early20:00 19,000 Employees & Leading Like a Human31:37 The Miller Lite Philosophy — Beer Over Boardrooms35:23 Creating 500+ Millionaires at the Home Depot Sale40:48 The Forklift Driver Who Retired a Millionaire44:48 Managing Success: Financial Literacy for Your Team59:14 Bold Goals Stir Souls — How to Keep a Vision Alive1:01:11 Hobbies: Golf, Boating & Live Music at the House1:06:15 Philanthropy & The Right Time to Give Back1:07:33 Muscles → Mind → Money: The Wealth Progression1:09:01 Advice for Roofing Contractors Looking to Scale1:12:21 Closing Thoughts & Thank You#businessowner #businessgrowth #business #entrepeneur #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #businessstrategy #businesssuccess #businesscoach #millionaire #millionairemindset #millionairelifestyle

Inside the Mind of the Most Controversial Man in Insurance | Kirt Linington & Steve Badger

Steve Badger is the most polarizing man in the roofing industry. Insurance defense attorney. LinkedIn provocateur. The guy contractors love to hate, until they actually meet him. In this episode, Kirt Linington sits down with Steve Badger to get past the persona and talk real: Texas roofing licensing, preferred contractor networks, the $1.2 billion 9/11 settlement, and what the future of insurance roofing actually looks like. If you're a roofing contractor in Texas, this conversation will change how you see the game. 𝗜𝗚: @abovetheroofshow 𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗧: @kirtsting STEVE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-badger-467b0322 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-badger-467b0322]  𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆: https://open.spotify.com/show/0XrnNTA... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUZ6SUU0NFd2SmNxLUZFandrYXNOeU84aG9DZ3xBQ3Jtc0trSXRhbjJzWG5wN0JtbzZZOGF0VkVpdURVREJicEZobFNkaWhBNjZLNy1pcnFMY25GMWVOd3U3ODVzV05HdE9ucEFpRjRqenZtT08waEpWaU0xVGFsLXBWMWhtTVZjRDFLZE5vbUxDcE53RldMa3c0NA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F0XrnNTAJmc05dgsQDTRq1D&v=fAzh0VFDsq0] 𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸:@abovetheroofshow For sponsorships or business inquiries, reach out to: abovetheroofshow@gmail.com For Podcast Inquiries, please DM @abovetheroofshow or @kirtsting on Instagram!0:00 Intro & Who Is Steve Badger? 1:07 Welcome to Above the Roof 4:15 The Name "Badger" — Coincidence or Destiny? 5:18 The Man Behind the Lawyer 7:54 Steve's Career in Three Acts 9:31 How Steve Became an Attorney 10:12 The Science Fair Scandal That Changed Everything 13:16 Are Attorneys Just Good Poker Players? 20:00 Early Career: Roofing Subrogation 31:37 Product Liability & Hail-Resistant Shingles 35:23 Texas Roofing Licensing: Why It Keeps Failing 40:48 The 9/11 Case: A $1.2 Billion Settlement 44:48 Life After the Biggest Case of His Career 59:14 Going Pro Bono: Helping People Who Got Ripped Off 1:01:11 Favorite Mexican Food & Tequila 1:02:44 Vegas, Gambling & Ultimate Texas Hold'em 1:06:15 Steve's Advice for Roofing Contractors 1:07:33 The Future of Insurance: Preferred Contractor Networks 1:09:01 Is Insurance Roofing Going Away? 1:12:21 Closing Thoughts & Thank You

The Leadership Philosophy Behind a 9-Figure Roofing Empire | Kirt Linington & Tony Taveras

Tony Taveras and Kirt Linington go all the way back to their days at LA Fitness — long before either of them ever touched a roofing company. In this episode, they break down the full origin story of Linear Roofing, from humble beginnings to building a 9-figure roofing empire. The grind no one saw, the leadership lessons learned the hard way, and the mentality it took to build something truly great. If you're in the trades or building something from scratch, this one is for you.