Paradigm Industry Insiders

Software Succeeds When Trust Leads | Rick Cross, Account Executive at Paradigm

The floor at GlassBuild is buzzing with AI talk, but we cut through the noise to get practical. Guest Host Stefanie Couch, Founder of Grit Blueprint, sits down with industry veteran Rick Cross, Account Executive at Paradigm, to map the real ways AI helps window, door, and glass manufacturers capture traditional knowledge, reduce errors, and unlock self‑service quoting that customers actually use. The takeaway is clear: people and process come first, and the right software simply amplifies what aligned teams do well. • AI as a practical tool to capture traditional knowledge and cut errors • People and process as the real drivers of project success • Trust and win‑win alignment across teams to avoid blame • Software as leverage for quoting, self‑service, and scale • "Hull speed" as a guide to pace growth and change • Sales habits to reset slumps and sharpen skills • Building talent pipelines through schools and trade routes • The future of fenestration careers amid AI and automation If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms and follow Paradigm on LinkedIn and YouTube to catch more stories, insights, and ideas from your peers across our industry 🎥 Watch More Industry Insiders Episodes Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@myparadigmtechnology 🚀 About Paradigm Software for the Building Industry | Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. We exclusively serve the building industry, and we’ve developed our solutions with your unique challenges in mind. 🔗 Learn more: MyParadigm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myParadigmTechnology/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myParadigmTechnology/

How Enabling Women Can Transform Our Industry | Lakisha Woods, CEO of National Glass Association

From the floor of GlassBuild, Guest Host Stefanie Couch, Founder of Grit Blueprint, sits down with the National Glass Association’s new CEO, Lakisha Woods, for a fast-moving conversation about the workforce gap in glass and construction, why women and architects are central to growth, and how partnerships can transform our industry. Along the way, we talk mentorship, self-care, and the leadership story behind Lakisha's book, "Never Get Their Coffee." Topics covered: • Workforce pain points and the case for more women • First-time GlassBuild energy and the drumline moment • Partnerships to expand impact • How visibility and community change career paths • Finding mentors later and learning from afar • Leonardo Davinci-style curiosity, self-care, and sustainable leadership • The coffee and note-taking story as a leadership stance • Women in Glass momentum and practical allyship • NGA’s next moves: listen widely, act decisively If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms and follow Paradigm on LinkedIn and YouTube to catch more stories, insights, and ideas from your peers across our industry 🎥 Watch More Industry Insiders Episodes Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@myparadigmtechnology 🚀 About Paradigm Software for the Building Industry | Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. We exclusively serve the building industry, and we’ve developed our solutions with your unique challenges in mind. 🔗 Learn more: MyParadigm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myParadigmTechnology/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myParadigmTechnology/

Scaling Operations With Flexibility and Trust | Steve Salisbury, Hoff Companies

What if the fastest way to scale a factory starts with a backyard barbecue? We sit down with Steve Salisbury, Director of Technology at Hoff Companies, to explore how real relationships, flexible thinking, and relentless execution fuel growth across the door and window industry. From ERP implementations and VoIP rollouts to doubling a facility and adding new glass lines, Steve shows how to turn messy change into a working system people trust. We dig into how belief, flexibility, and real relationships drive progress in the door and window industry, tracing Steve’s journey from accounting and software implementations to scaling Western Window’s operations. Hoff’s century-long pivots show why evolving beats standing still, and why authentic leadership makes change stick. Topics covered: • Ownership mindset balanced with humility • Hoff history from sawmills to millwork to windows • Consolidating IT systems and moving to VoIP • Choosing and implementing ERP and configuration software • Building trust through genuine relationships and hospitality • Skills for the next generation: flexibility and organization • Authentic leadership and leading by example • Why nothing is ever finished and why that’s good If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms and follow Paradigm on LinkedIn and YouTube to catch more stories, insights, and ideas from your peers across our industry 🎥 Watch More Industry Insiders Episodes Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@myparadigmtechnology 🚀 About Paradigm Software for the Building Industry | Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. We exclusively serve the building industry, and we’ve developed our solutions with your unique challenges in mind. 🔗 Learn more: MyParadigm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myParadigmTechnology/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myParadigmTechnology/

Connecting Systems and Boosting Sales | Geoff Syme, Saberis

The fastest way to win more bids in the LBM world is simple to say and hard to do: remove friction. We sit down with Jeff from Saberis, a family-run integrator that started by solving double entry in kitchen design and now powers seamless data flow for windows, doors, and specialty orders across North America. From a single click that pushes complex configurations into a dealer’s ERP to smarter receiving that prevents costly work stoppages, we unpack how quiet integrations create loud results. Topics covered: • Origin of Saberis and the double entry problem • Expansion from kitchens to windows and doors • Why integration wins sales and saves time • Pandemic effects on tech adoption and cash flow • Self-serve configuration and dealer portals • APIs as glue between vendor portals and ERPs • Moving beyond sales to receiving and invoicing • Using identifiers to prevent work stoppages • Service as the ultimate market differentiator If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms and follow Paradigm on LinkedIn and YouTube to catch more stories, insights, and ideas from your peers across our industry 🎥 Watch More Industry Insiders Episodes Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@myparadigmtechnology 🚀 About Paradigm Software for the Building Industry | Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. We exclusively serve the building industry, and we’ve developed our solutions with your unique challenges in mind. 🔗 Learn more: MyParadigm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myParadigmTechnology/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myParadigmTechnology/

The Power of Clean Data in Smart Manufacturing | Shelly Johnson, Sierra Pacific

What if a manufacturer treated data with the same care it gives raw timber? We sit down with Shelly Johnson, Window Technology Manager at Sierra Pacific, to unpack how a seed-to-window business turns sawmill precision and cogen efficiency into a blueprint for data, cloud, and AI. Shelly shares why step one is always capture, because without clean, historical data, you’re just guessing, and how that discipline scales decisions across quoting, pricing, and production in the window and door world. Topics covered: • Treating data capture as step one for decisions • Seed to window integration and waste reduction • Sawmill optimization and cogeneration energy reuse • Paradigm’s journey from spreadsheets to the cloud • Serving dealers, retail, and direct channels • Hiring for data science and AI readiness • Building pipelines, governance, and common fields • Coaching teams with a growth mindset • Moving fast to stay ahead of competitors • Parallels between music, flow, and team delivery If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platforms and follow Paradigm on LinkedIn and YouTube to catch more stories, insights, and ideas from your peers across our industry 🎥 Watch More Industry Insiders Episodes Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@myparadigmtechnology 🚀 About Paradigm Software for the Building Industry | Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. We exclusively serve the building industry, and we’ve developed our solutions with your unique challenges in mind. 🔗 Learn more: MyParadigm.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myParadigmTechnology/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myParadigmTechnology/