Advertise on podcast: Behind the Screens From Universal Screens

When it comes to running your business, are you clear about what sets you apart from your competition? It’s important to hold true to who you are and your values, and there’s no greater example of this than the family run company of BHS Retractables. Rodney Brandon, President, and Owner of BHS Retractables visits Shawn and Joe on Behind the Screens to talk about how he has built his company to one of US Motions’ largest vendors, how he grew the company during the pandemic, and what made him switch from home renovations to retractable screens. He also talks about what it’s like to run a company with his family, including his son, Vice President and Head of Operations, and his daughter, the Office Manager. They also discuss what sets BHS Retractables apart, and why attention to detail is everything to them. Plus they discuss what has helped them to grow, including the type of advertising that has worked best for them. If you’re interested in learning more about BHS Retractables, visit: https://bhsretractables.com/ or call at (847) 306-0204.

It’s great when you can not only love what you do but love the people and the partners you work with. When it comes to great partnerships, Somfy is the company that makes the job more fun and easier for Universal Screens. In this episode of Behind the Screens, Shawn and Joe are joined by Somfy’s Vice President of Sales, Jim Ruh. The guys go deep into Somfy’s business model, and how the pandemic impacted their business as a whole, including costs, supply chain, and even sales. They also talk about what’s next for not just Somfy, but the outdoor retractable screen industry as well. Jim also discusses how they had to put some of their innovation on hold, but now as they’ve moved through the pandemic, they can start rolling out the products that will have a huge impact on the industry. To learn more about Somfy, visit: https://www.somfy.com/fr-fr/ (https://www.somfy.com/fr-fr/)

Behind the Screens is back for Season 2, and Shawn and Joe are welcoming Alex Rutherford of US Custom Creations. Alex has been a long-time client of Universal Screens, and in this episode, they discuss their relationship and how it’s grown and more about US Custom Creations’ Success. They talk about why Alex decided to add retractable screens to his business, and why he jumped on the opportunity to expand his business into Cincinnati. They also talk about how the pandemic changed any of the US Custom Creations Team processes and what technology they use to make a more productive and streamlined workforce. If you’re interested in learning more about US Custom Creations, visit: https://www.uscustomcreations.com/. Or call - Cincinnati: 513-475-0182 Louisville: 502-244-2045

How willing are you to take risks and put yourself out there, even when there’s a chance at failure? Risk is a thing that many shy aware from, yet, it can also return some of the greatest rewards in life. In this episode of Behind the Screens, the guys at Universal Screens, talk with Fractional CMO, Kevin Lofgren. Kevin has a long history of working with Fortune 500 companies and has taken that knowledge and experience to help small businesses. He also is a children’s book author, and shares his experience in writing and publishing his own books. If you’re worried about putting yourself out there, this is a great episode of learning to stare fear and risk in the face and continually pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. To learn more about Kevin’s company, visit: https://lofgrenmarketing.com/ (https://lofgrenmarketing.com/) And to learn more about Universal Screens, visit: https://usmotions.com (https://usmotions.com)

Having pride of ownership among employees is every business owner’s dream, but how can you get there with your employees? In this episode of Behind the Screens, the guys welcome Brent Crandall, who is the Sales Manager at The Blind Depot. What started as a ‘job to get through college’, has now turned into so much more, 25 years later. Brent talks about his journey at The Blind Depot, how he navigates being the face of the company, but not the owner, and why he takes such pride in his job and the company. If you’re interested in learning more about The Blind Depot, visit: https://www.blinddepotdfw.com/ (https://www.blinddepotdfw.com/) To learn more about Universal Screens, visit: https://usmotions.com (https://usmotions.com)

We’ve all heard how important relationships are when it comes to sales, but Tommy Long, Head of Eastern US Sales at Universal Screens, joins the guys in this episode to talk about his secrets to success in building a territory from the ground up. When Tommy joined Universal Screens, they weren’t looking to hire, but knew they had to jump on the opportunity. They also talk about what it was like for Tommy taking on a territory that had been neglected, and how he made it one of the most successful in the company. Tommy also offers advice to those up and coming reps to help understand how to let customers know they truly matter to you, and why he's so excited about what's to come for the retractable screen industry. Interested in learning more about Universal Screens? Visit: https://usmotions.com

We all know that running a business can be very hard, and having those people surrounding you, who can help you, is invaluable. Matthew is a partner at Cohesion Wealth Advisors and helps business owners get our of their own way and take their business to the next level. In this episode of Behind the Screens, Matthew talks to the guys about how simple changes in a business can drastically change the trajectory of its growth. They also talk about common issues businesses face when it comes to scaling, and how to overcome those, especially those issues so many businesses are seeing now like hiring and keeping the right people, and building the right culture so people stay. To learn more about Matt and Cohesion Wealth Advisors, visit: http://www.cohesionwealth.com/ (http://www.cohesionwealth.com/)

We’ve all heard that you need to be extremely careful when getting into business with your family. However, there are still some people who can do it well, and today’s guest is one of them. Chad Banks joins the guys from Universal Screens to talk about his family business that he’s been running for over 20 years. What started as a business he ran with his wife, has now evolved to something that he runs with not just his kids, but even his children-in-law. Chad talks about how he’s been able to build a successful business, while also keeping his family close, and what matters to him the most as he’s growing his business. He also talks about why keeping their eye on growth has been such an important piece to helping them continue to grow year after year.

In this episode of Behind the Screens, the guys reminisce about the founder, who is still a major part of the company, Glenn Messner. Unfortunately, Glenn passed away in November 2015, but his legacy lives on, and his values are still scene in the company every day. From the way others are treated, to the philosophy that everyone is a friend, Glenn’s memory is a live and well within the walls of Universal Screen. In this episode, the guys talk about what Glenn meant to them, and how he treated everyone like they were family. Also this episode’s brew is Space Wrangler from 903 Brewers: https://903brewers.com/ (https://903brewers.com/)

Imagine starting a new job and immediately having some major life events happen. However, instead of feeling alone, the new company does what they can to help you get back on your feet. It’s not just some too good to be true story, but it’s the story of Derek Costa at Universal Screens. Derek talks about why when he came to work for Universal Screens, he was immediately overcome by the kindness of everyone he was working with. He also talks about why work ethic is so important to him, and why he’s always up for giving 110%, no matter what he is doing. They also discuss his twitch stream, and why he’s so passionate about doing so much more than just streaming but helping others find their own way. Sites mentioned: Follow Derek on Twitch at: https://www.twitch.tv/lisdexia82 (https://www.twitch.tv/lisdexia82) Whiskers for Wounded Warriors: https://www.whiskersforwoundedwarriors.org/ (https://www.whiskersforwoundedwarriors.org/) 903 Brewers: https://903brewers.com/ (https://903brewers.com/)

Just because you don’t have an experience in an industry, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go into it. In this episode of Behind the Screens, the guys are talking to their National Sales Manager, Joe Cerda about growing a company in an entirely new industry. Joe was also one who came from the beginning, and the guys are going back to the stories of their first installation and how they ended up growing the company to a size they never dreamed they would reach. They also talk about why relationships are so important, and why Joe was able to utilize his interior experience into a new industry and succeed. If you would love to learn more about Universal Screens, visit: https://usmotions.com

In this episode of Behind the Screens, we’re meeting KJ Custom Screens and Outdoor Living Owner, Teresa Williams. Teresa has been a Universal Screens Dealer for quite a while now, and she and the guys discuss why this relationship has lasted so long. Teresa also talks about her own journey into the outdoor living space, and why buying a business right before a massive recession ended up being one of the best things she ever did. They also talk about her key to relationship building, how she’s been able to grow such an amazing business, and why being a woman hasn’t been anything that’s held her back. You can find out more about Teresa’s company at: https://www.kjcustom.com/ (https://www.kjcustom.com/) To connect with the guys at Universal Screens, visit usmotions.com