The Powerful Secret to Career Growth: Embrace The Messy Middle with Sarah Lee of Blish Mize Co.

Next Generation Leadership Future Proofs Family Businesses | Brookelyn McClellan, Hardware Sales Inc

What does it really take to carry a legacy business into its fourth generation without losing what made it special?  In this Grit Blueprint Podcast conversation, I sit down with Brookelyn McClellan of Hardware Sales, a Bellingham, Washington institution that began selling dynamite to loggers and miners back in 1962 and has grown into a multi-million dollar retailer with its own e-commerce engine.  Brookelyn was named a 2025 NHPA Young Retailer of the Year Honoree, and she is a textbook example of next-generation family business leadership done right.  We explore hardware store e-commerce through her company's lean Amazon operation that manages and protects national brands, an entirely separate revenue stream that keeps the business diversified. We unpack her private label brand strategy, how she pressure-tests new products and partners, and why she leans toward high-volume, brand-agnostic items where a store brand can win.  Brookelyn opens up about social media marketing for retailers, sharing how creative, slightly unconventional content took the brand from zero to thousands of followers fast. She also walks through her approach to community marketing for a local business, from co-branded craft beer and cider releases to collaborations with breweries, gyms, and mountain biking groups that make the store the heartbeat of its town.  Whether you run an independent hardware store, lead a building-industry company, or are simply ready to modernize a business that has always relied on word of mouth, you will leave with ideas you can use right away. This is a bold, practical, human conversation about getting found, getting trusted, and getting chosen. What you'll take away today: Social media marketing for retailers can take a brand from zero to thousands of followers in under a year when you post authentic, out-of-the-box content instead of trying to look like everyone else. Next-generation family business leadership means carrying the legacy forward while bringing in new ideas, like social and e-commerce, that the generations before you never had the chance to try. A private label brand strategy can grow your margins and your identity when you focus on the commodity, price-sensitive products you already move in volume. Hardware store e-commerce, like selling and managing brands on Amazon, can become one of your fastest-growing revenue streams without adding a single brick-and-mortar location. Community marketing for a local business, from craft beer collabs to local partnerships, turns your store into the heartbeat of the town and earns the kind of loyalty money cannot buy. 👉 Subscribe to Built to Win [https://stefaniecouch.kit.com/ae221e2ce6] Real talk, strategies, and tools from Stefanie. 👉 Book a Strategy Call [https://calendly.com/stefaniecouch/grit-blueprint-strategy-call] Ready to grow your brand or business? Let’s talk. Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com [https://gritblueprint.com]YouTube: Stefanie Couch [https://youtube.com/@StefanieCouch]Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial [https://instagram.com/stefaniecouchofficial]LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch [https://linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch]Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com [https://stefaniecouch.com] 👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry. Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry. We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.

The Powerful Secret to Career Growth: Embrace The Messy Middle with Sarah Lee of Blish Mize Co.

What does it really take to grow a career inside one company for 25 years? In this episode of the Grit Blueprint Podcast, I talk with Sarah Lee, VP of Purchasing at Blish-Mize Co., who answered that question by living it. She walked in the door as a receptionist in 2001 and worked through the catalog, advertising, and purchasing departments before becoming the first female merchandise manager and, eventually, the executive setting the assortment for a fifth-generation family business that has been running since 1871. We get honest about the part of the journey nobody likes to talk about: the messy middle. Sarah explains why she kept saying yes to new roles, how the roles she didn't love sharpened the leader she became, and what it takes to move a 155-year-old, change-resistant team without breaking what made it strong. If you lead people inside a legacy company, her approach to testing the old way against today's reality will give you language you can use moving forward. This one is also a masterclass for anyone selling into the channel. Sarah breaks down how two-step distribution actually works, the filter she uses for building materials purchasing decisions, and what makes her stop at a booth when she is buying for more than 1,500 independent hardware retailers across 13 states. She also gets into the brand shifts reshaping the shelf, why private label keeps gaining ground, and how the right technology keeps a legacy distributor competitive. Her take on selling at trade shows, and the one cold-call story that turned into real opportunity, is worth the watch on its own. We close on something I care about deeply: a clear, encouraging word for women in leadership and for anyone climbing without a map. Decide, stay open, and keep building. Hit play, take a few notes, and pass it along to someone in your building world. What you’ll take away today: Career growth in a family business doesn’t require leaving — Sarah’s 25-year climb from receptionist to VP shows how saying yes to every role builds an unmistakable career. Two-step distribution becomes clear when you see how Blish-Mize connects manufacturers to more than 1,500 independent hardware retailers across 13 states. Building materials purchasing decisions come down to a simple buyer filter: does the product grab attention, can your stores win with it, and is there room for everyone to profit. Selling at trade shows still beats the cold email — one face-to-face conversation on a trade show floor can open a door that a buried inbox never would. Women in leadership facing the messy middle get a clear directive: decide, stay open, and treat every step as a stepping stone. 👉 Subscribe to Built to Win [https://stefaniecouch.kit.com/ae221e2ce6] Real talk, strategies, and tools from Stefanie. 👉 Book a Strategy Call [https://calendly.com/stefaniecouch/grit-blueprint-strategy-call] Ready to grow your brand or business? Let’s talk. Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com [https://gritblueprint.com]YouTube: Stefanie Couch [https://youtube.com/@StefanieCouch]Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial [https://instagram.com/stefaniecouchofficial]LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch [https://linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch]Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com [https://stefaniecouch.com] 👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry. Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry. We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.

Demo, Renovation & Building Our Future: Behind The Scenes at Grit Studios | Building Grit E1

This is where Building Grit begins.  In this first episode, I hand you the keys to Grit Studios on day one and let you see the messy, exciting reality of building industry entrepreneurship from the inside. We just signed the lease for this space, and you will catch the very first moments: taking down old shelving, lighting candles so it feels like home, and planning out every corner. I show you where the podcast studio is going, where clients will sit, where we will photograph the windows, doors, and product lines that fill this industry, and the private pink room where guests will get ready.  More than a tour, this episode is a real reflection on scaling a small business three years in. I talk about getting fired, starting over, building a team of passionate people, and choosing to plant our flag in the North Georgia mountains instead of a big city. I explain what a category of one business actually means and why I am convinced we can build one. No one has created a media and visibility company built specifically to grow reputation and revenue in the building industry, and that blue ocean is exactly where I want to swim.  I also share my family lumber roots, the granddad and dad who ran lumberyards before me, and why so many strong women in the building industry are part of what we are building. If you have ever dreamed of building something epic that has never been done, watch this and remember the moment with me.  The work can be hard. Let's make it unmistakable. What you'll take away today: Entrepreneurship and scaling a small business are hard, but you will see exactly what three years of grit, momentum, and real progress look like behind the scenes. A category of one business is built by doing what no one else has done, and I will show you why I am betting everything on that bold idea. Building a podcast studio and a full media space from scratch improves our ability to create great content for Grit Blueprint and our clients in the building industry Building industry visibility, media, and AI are where the future is heading, and getting found early is how you stop being the best kept secret and become the first choice. Women in the building industry are leading, building, and winning, and you will meet the passionate, smart team making it happen. 👉 Subscribe to Built to Win [https://stefaniecouch.kit.com/ae221e2ce6] Real talk, strategies, and tools from Stefanie. 👉 Book a Strategy Call [https://calendly.com/stefaniecouch/grit-blueprint-strategy-call] Ready to grow your brand or business? Let’s talk. Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com [https://gritblueprint.com]YouTube: Stefanie Couch [https://youtube.com/@StefanieCouch]Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial [https://instagram.com/stefaniecouchofficial]LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch [https://linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch]Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com [https://stefaniecouch.com] 👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry. Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry. We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.

Consultative Selling Tactics That Customers Actually Love with Merchandise Manager Abeer Saeed

The best dealers in the building industry are not just stocking product. They are guiding people toward the home they actually want. In this conversation, I talk with Abeer Saeed, Merchandise Manager at Do it Best, about how consultative selling helps customers land on exactly what they want while believing it was their idea all along. Abeer came up through interior design and retail at JCPenney and Ashley Furniture before joining Do it Best, and she brings a rare blend of design instinct and merchandising strategy to the millwork and cabinets category. We start with her core philosophy: sell the vibe, not the product. Buyers do not care about technical specs nearly as much as they care about how a space will make them feel. Abeer shares how to uncover a customer’s real pain point, ask the right follow-up questions, and naturally upsell into drawers, bar areas, and organization solutions without ever pushing. It is one of the clearest breakdowns of customer experience I have heard on the show. From there, we get tactical on showroom design. Abeer walks through the small, affordable upgrades that make the biggest difference, from refreshing tired flooring and swapping in easy-to-change vignettes to fixing lighting and clearing clutter so samples look like the showpieces they are. We also dig into virtual reality kitchen design and how tools like Studio 695 and Roomvo let dealers render a full kitchen, walk a customer through it, and close more building materials retail sales without a massive showroom investment. We close with a look at why creativity and emotion belong in this industry, how women drive most design decisions, and what it really takes to make a space feel special. Whether you run a lumberyard, a hardware store, or a design center, this episode will help you turn visibility and great customer experience into growth. Stay unmistakable. What you'll take away today: Consultative selling starts with the customer’s pain point, not the product, so you solve the real problem and upsell naturally. Selling the vibe instead of specs turns how a space feels into the reason customers buy, which is the heart of great customer experience. Virtual reality kitchen design lets you render and walk a customer through their space, closing more sales without a huge showroom investment. Showroom design wins come from small, affordable upgrades like fresh flooring, easy-to-swap vignettes, smart lighting, and clutter-free samples. Building materials retail grows when millwork and cabinets are merchandised as design experiences, not just boxes on a shelf. 👉 Subscribe to Built to Win [https://stefaniecouch.kit.com/ae221e2ce6] Real talk, strategies, and tools from Stefanie. 👉 Book a Strategy Call [https://calendly.com/stefaniecouch/grit-blueprint-strategy-call] Ready to grow your brand or business? Let’s talk. Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com [https://gritblueprint.com]YouTube: Stefanie Couch [https://youtube.com/@StefanieCouch]Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial [https://instagram.com/stefaniecouchofficial]LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch [https://linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch]Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com [https://stefaniecouch.com] 👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry. Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry. We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.

Why Betting On Yourself Creates Lasting Financial Freedom with Devonie Hutchinson

Some of the best builders in this industry started with a truck, a trade, and a decision to bet on themselves. In this episode of the Grit Blueprint Podcast, I talk with Devonie Hutchinson, founder of DGB Developments in Wichita Falls, Texas, about how she turned a 2012 weekend side hustle into a full-service construction and junk removal company, and why she walked away from the false security of a steady paycheck to do it. We dig into the moment she realized she could count on herself more than any employer, and how that mindset shift moved her from hauling junk to running licensed roofing, remodeling, and large commercial demolition projects, including a 500,000 square foot industrial teardown. If you have been weighing how to start a construction business or wondering whether to go all in on your own thing, Devonie offers a grounded, practical look at taking smart risks while surrounding yourself with the right people. We also get honest about working with your spouse and a business partner at the same time, raising entrepreneurial kids, and giving back to your community. Devonie explains why she believes skilled trades careers are one of the smartest moves a young person can make right now, how apprenticeships can lead to naming your own price, and why AI is changing white collar work faster than it is changing blue collar work. For anyone in windows, doors, lumber, hardware, or the broader building world, this is a conversation about grit, growth, and refusing to stay the best-kept secret in your market. Watch to learn how to bet on yourself, build a business that scales, and prepare the next generation to win. What you'll take away today: How to start a construction business by taking smart risks and surrounding yourself with the right people before you ever swing a hammer. Why betting on yourself is often safer than the false security of a paycheck, because the one person you can always count on is you. Why skilled trades careers can out-earn a college degree, and how an apprenticeship can lead to naming your own price in four years. How working with your spouse can actually strengthen your business when you each own a different role instead of competing. Why AI and blue collar jobs are not enemies, and why the job site will stay human long after white collar work changes. 👉 Subscribe to Built to Win [https://stefaniecouch.kit.com/ae221e2ce6] Real talk, strategies, and tools from Stefanie. 👉 Book a Strategy Call [https://calendly.com/stefaniecouch/grit-blueprint-strategy-call] Ready to grow your brand or business? Let’s talk. Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com [https://gritblueprint.com]YouTube: Stefanie Couch [https://youtube.com/@StefanieCouch]Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial [https://instagram.com/stefaniecouchofficial]LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch [https://linkedin.com/in/stefaniecouch]Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com [https://stefaniecouch.com] 👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry. Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry. We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.