Todd Miller and co-host Ethan Young welcome Ed Kalaher, President and CEO of Window Depot USA, to discuss how contractors can gain an edge and scale beyond a “job” into a valuable business asset. Kalaher shares Window Depot’s origins (founded 2001; acquired by him and partners in 2011) and explains its dealer/licensee model that provides franchise-like support, exclusive territories, and strong peer networking across 90+ business owners in 85 markets.

The conversation highlights key challenges for home improvement contractors—especially lead generation, hiring and developing people, and the importance of in-person and online communities for sharing ideas. Kalaher emphasizes that the leading cause of failure is lack of financial education, advocating that “the math shows you the path.” He also previews his book, The Servant and the Savage, focused on mindset and execution for small business owners.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome

00:51 Dealer Training Momentum

01:51 Meet Ed Kalaher

03:34 Window Depot Origin Story

06:06 Why Dealers Need Support

10:06 Turning Jobs Into Assets

12:21 Networking and Events

16:44 Market Shifts and Buyers

19:48 Longer Sales Cycles

22:01 The Servant and Savage Book

26:31 Mindset and Balance

27:59 Growth Phases Explained

30:45 Leads and People

31:45 Financial Education First

37:50 Join Window Depot

39:04 Entrepreneurship for Youth

40:46 Rapid Fire Round

46:45 Legacy and Wrap Up

Connect with Ed Online

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-kalaher-60b437/

Website: https://windowdepotpartnership.com/

Website: https://windowdepotusa.com/

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This episode was produced by Isaiah Industries, Inc.

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The Window Depot Success Story with Ed Kalaher