Why Failing Made Him Better: Nick Good’s Sales Journey

What happens when you step into a bigger role… and realize it’s not where you belong?

In this episode of the Hoel Truth Podcast, Nick Good shares a story most people don’t talk about — trying something new, failing at it, and being honest enough to pivot.

Nick walks through his journey from working construction in Colorado, to swinging a hammer, to becoming one of the top-performing sales reps at Hoel Roofing & Remodeling. He also opens up about his time as a sales manager — why it didn’t work for him, and why going back to sales was one of the best decisions he’s made.

This conversation is about more than roofing. It’s about finding the right fit, taking chances on yourself, and understanding that failure isn’t the end — it’s part of figuring out where you actually thrive.

- About Hoel Roofing & Remodeling -

Hoel Roofing & Remodeling serves homeowners across Central & East-Central Indiana, helping with roofing, siding, gutters, windows, doors, and full exterior remodeling.

We focus on honest conversations, real experiences, and helping people make confident decisions — whether it’s for their home or their career.

📞 Call: 765-561-4023
🌐 Learn more: hoelrr.com

Transcript

Hey, Nick. What did, failing a sales manager teach you?

So what? Failing as a sales manager taught me is that it just wasn't meant for me. And I had originally. I had a niche in sales. That's why I love. That's what I did. I tried my hand at being a sales manager for about a half a year.

It didn't work out. And that's okay. You just live, you learn from it and, move on. And now I'm back in sales, and, I wouldn't change my decision if I could go back in time.

Welcome to this edition of the Hoel Truth Podcast, as we continue our series in sales guys, just doing an introduction, getting people to know the sales team. Mister Nick Good. Take a minute to, introduce yourself, sir. Tell us about your family a little bit.

Wife, kiddo. Where you grew up, all that fun stuff. Yeah. So

I live in Shelbyville with, my wife Taylor. We got a one and a half year old named Cooper. Got a couple dogs. I was born and raised in Shelbyville, graduated from Shelbyville High School back in 2015, and, moved out to Colorado for a couple of years.

But now I'm back in Shelbyville and been there ever since.

So what are you, 28? 28? Yeah. Okay, so you been with us? Five. Almost five and a half years now, sir. So kind of, I always like to kind of tell that story. Me and your old boss, we're buddies. We bought a flip house together.

I'll never forget the day that me and Emily pulled in, to that flip house. And you're in there swinging a hammer, and you started asking me, like, a million questions about what we did. I was like, yeah, we mainly do roofing, siding, gutters, and, you know, you're out. I remember you saying, how do you get leads, you know?

And that was when me and Emily was running it. A couple part time sales guys, like, you know, we were running the literally out of the trucks. I tried to tell your boss at that time to put you as a sales guy, and he had to tell me I didn't know what I was doing. Fair enough.

I'm pretty dumb, and I don't know what I'm doing a lot of times, but I think I got that one right. But so, long story short, like, I, I appreciated your integrity because you seen where that guy was kind of drifting off, going to probably close his business. And you didn't reach out to me behind his back because we were friends.

And that just shows your character, but you end up getting a chance to come over, you and him and you and Jerry, came over to work for me, and, I remember that conversation. I set you down. It was December when I took over. I was like, I need you to swing a hammer through the winter, but I really think you should do sales.

And if you don't know Nick, he's very quiet. But he texted me one, one Saturday night with a little bit of liquid courage and pretty much said, hey, let's let's do this, and I, I wasn't done. It was 11:00 on a Saturday. I knew he had a little lake courage at home, but. Yeah, it it's been a tremendous fun journey.

Like we always say, Emily will say like, well, we've watched we've watched Nick grow up to extent. But I look at it the other way, you've watched this company grow up with AD and all the support that we have. You've always been just supportive when something goes wrong. A lot of sales guys would say that's somebody else's problem.

Like, you just step up and you handle it. So, I think that speaks volume that also that's why you've had the success that, that, that you have had. But, you know, kind of tell that journey a little bit where, you know, I get it, you're going from a almost guaranteed weekly paycheck to commission based that one week you might make 4000, and in 2 weeks you might make 30 bucks.

Yeah. No, I mean I was just I saw the opportunity there. And as always, I always appreciate the opportunity that you guys given me. And I just, I knew that I didn't want to swing a hammer for the foreseeable future for the rest of my life. So I wanted another opportunity at something else. And then I saw that opportunity when I met you.

And, and then I just rolled with it. I mean, if it was going to work, it was going to work. If it did not, at

least I tried. Yep. Yeah. Yep. So what did you do out in Colorado? Because I, I, I laugh because we were at, we were at your wedding, and Jerry was sitting with us, and your old boss from Colorado came around and introduced himself, and I introduced Jerry as the guy that taught you everything that you knew in construction.

And I kind of offended the you're old boss in Colorado. Yeah.

So my dad, he he went to college out in Colorado, and, he met a guy named Dave Gale and, Dave Gale. He started a construction company. And, there's one summer, right between my freshman and sophomore year of college where, I wanted to get out and get away for a little bit.

And, my dad reached out to Dave Gale. Dave Gale said, yeah, I got a spot for him if he wants to come over here for the summer, just a couple months and work, bring him on out here, he can work. And, so that's what I did. Went out there and probably May or June of that summer and started working for Dave, on a commercial project over at Gaylord of the Rockies and Denver and was there for about a month or two.

And then I supposed to go back home and go back to college. But I enjoyed it out there so much that I stayed, got an apartment down there and, was there for about a year and a half, two years. We just did commercial style air and weather barrier. On these large commercial projects. So that's kind of how I got into the construction world.

This was my first job in it. Well, it was kind of cool because we were last spring, we were out at that same resort for entree leadership. So that's it was kind of cool to see everything come back full circle. Never did see that building. Finished. But yeah. No, that was that's cool. I mean, if you think about it, what was that five, six, seven years like.

So you went seven years ago like you're you're a laborer. And there's nothing wrong with being a laborer working on that building to seven, six, seven years later, you're out there as a leader of a roofing and remodeling company. Enjoy an event there. So, no, that's, you know, and I could tell stories, you know, just what you mean to this company.

And I'll keep going back to you and Jerry. It's just because, like, you guys came over and, you know, Jerry retired a little over a year ago now, but what Jerry meant. And Jerry mentoring you when you were swinging a hammer, and then you were fairly close with Jerry even as sales, because a lot of some of the stuff you were bidding on is what, you know, Jerry was doing.

So talk a little bit about like, Jerry's mentorship to you. Because, man, I'm telling you, I feel like every 18 year old boy should have to spend two years with Jerry, and, you know, just because he can learn. He was a huge part of my initial success with, with sales because, Yeah, you taught me the roof and the siding.

Every the sales aspect of everything. But we also got a lot of those remodel leads, and I had not a clue as to how to build them, what exactly I needed. So on and so forth. So I was able to lean on Jerry for all of that. And he he kind of taught me through it, helped me through it.

And, you know, those first 2 to 3 years that he was here, I don't know if I would have been able to you know, be as successful, as successful as I was with that type of those type of jobs. If it wasn't for Jerry. Yeah. And I mean, and and and, you know, Jerry's the type that was at your wedding.

Like I said, Jerry's is one of them dudes that I wish he wasn't so shy on the camera. And maybe I'll still try to convince him to do a podcast one day, because, I mean, he's just one of them guys that just is a pretty quiet life. Goes home, loves his wife, you know, raises a couple kids. But like, he truly enjoyed pouring into the younger generation.

You know, I always said this like, Jerry sure didn't work here for the money, because he could have went anywhere else and demanded twice what he made here. And less headaches, you know? So, yeah, I'm in here to answer my calls at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. at night, and, you know, but I was calling him too late.

He'd call me first thing the next morning. So he was just there every step of the way. Whenever I need help with those type of those type of jobs. Yep. Absolutely. Kind of, you know, you've been a big part of the growth. You know, Chris came in from you, which eventually Cody came in, you know, so, it's it's kind of cool to see, you know, that influence, because as a leader, as a business owner, like, hiring people is the hardest thing.

And then they always say that, like, find your thoroughbreds. You know, Dave Ramsey says, you know, hire thoroughbreds. Donkey never wins the Kentucky Derby, but because thoroughbreds hang out with thoroughbreds. And, you know, I mean, Chris and Cody, you both say that they seen your success and that's what made them interested in being here. So, you know, that's that's cool.

And I always say this, I always try to share this every chance I can. I so respect and appreciate yours, Cody and Chris relationship because you guys truly have each other's backs. Now Chris can't really paint or the shit, but you know, Cody bought that last house well, two houses ago now he just bought another one not that long ago.

Like, you guys are over there helping paint and, like, flooring. Like you guys just show up for each other. If there's a birthday party for a kid or a diaper party, like, you guys truly show up, you know, and it's, it's cool to see your generation because everybody wants to complain about every generation that they're lazy and this and that, like, very fortunate kind of our sales team in general.

I mean, Billy and Tanner are starting to throw that off a hair, but like, we've got them late 20 year olds with a wife and a kid or a couple kids. And just your responsibility and your guys, their work ethic, is, is is is pretty awesome, you know, and it's a lot of fun for me.

Yeah. No, I mean, I knew, oh, I knew initially that, when me and Chris were talking about it, when I first started here, he did seem to have a little bit of interest in it, and I knew he was so good with people, you know? You know, Chris, and he's a good talker, so I know he'd be good in a sales position role.

And that's when I, you know, shortly after that, I brought it up to you because he's kind of either in between jobs or wanting to leave, leave where he was at. So he saw the opportunity, and you were, you know, kind enough to entertain that idea. And it all worked out at the end of the day that I'll never forget.

Like, I remember being at a retreat and I was jazzed up about Chris. I was bragging that these guys are like, yeah, all the guys you get excited about that never work out. I was like, wait a freaking Pierce in my area, you know, and very, very thankful for Chris. And like you said, he is he is truly such a kind, a kind guy, like, I mean, we just hired Laura to help us in the office, and she worked with Chris at McDonald's, and that was like, she's like, well, I always enjoyed Chris because he was so kind.

And I, I also kind of feel like that is that is a DNA that we have. And our sales team, is just people that care and kindness, and we have it in the entire company. But especially, you know, you know, the sales team, in particular. Absolutely. As we talk about, roofing, you know what I've asked some of the other guys like what what makes what makes Hoel Roofing different?

Than other companies because I say this all the time, like there's 150 companies you guys could go work for. Like, not not not to be arrogant about it, but it is what it is. I think you kind of touched on it earlier with Jerry, and I think that kind of goes with the sales reps is I don't think with us sales reps, it's all about the money.

It's not all about, you know, what, can I get out of this job? What can I get, you know, out of this job? It's what can I do to help people? What can I do for people and help them in whatever situation they're in when they're calling us out? It's not necessarily about, oh, how much am I going to get from this job?

It's more so it's how can I help that customer? Yeah, I think that's just the DNA that runs through our sales team. And it's cool to see like the newer guys coming on board. And and they still follow in the same footsteps. And I think that, you know, it has to do with a part in the hiring process.

But, you know, it's still same same DNA amongst everybody. Well and that's why I like culture is the buzz word is the sexy word to say. And in the beginning it's easy. It's easier for me and Emily to control culture when we're hiring Nick. And then we go ahead and we reach over and we hire Adam. But like, now when we're interviewing, like, you know, this last interview process, we had Chris and Adam interview, Ellie was part of the interview.

So, you know, it gets to the point. And we're not that big of a company, but it it does get to the point where we've got to self-police the culture. And, you know, unfortunately, we've had people get hired and and they didn't fit in, you know, and they kind of exited, you know, and that's and that's the ebb and flow of things.

And like I say this, I don't want everybody to work here, but that makes sense. Oh yeah. Like I want to continue to grow the business, but you know. So yeah. What as you've sold, you know, kind of what is your what's your favorite product to sell. My favorite product to sales always roofs. And then as far as roofs go, Owens Corning duration and malarkey shingles.

Those are the two primary shingles that we sell here. So, yeah. No, absolutely. I think Owens Corning sell mainly Owens Corning duration shingles. So what I've been selling since I started here, we kind of started shifting a little bit more towards malarkey these past couple of years. Try to push more of that, but, you know, it's, the Owens Corning duration.

That's what I, that's what I initially learned on. So, yeah, it's just what I mainly push is it's crazy because like you, you just kind of go back to that. When I was trained, you know, from another company, like they sold. Okay. So to me, that's like, that's second nature. And I remember when I started my own company, certainty talked me into trying to push their product.

And the first time I tried to go sell it, I didn't get the job. And, dude, I butchered it. Like, I felt like a rookie that had never sold a job before. It's like once you believe in a product, you know, and we're fortunate. It's a quality product and it's made right down the road, you know? So for us, it's, you know, hey, support a small local company.

And, you know, we're supporting jobs literally in our backyard. Now, we are fortunate. Malaki. Jerry will be happy to see that, shirt on. He's a malaki on his. I'm talking about Owens Corning. Yeah yeah. And that'll be Bleep in that part out when he sees that. But malaki is building a plant in Franklin. So now we'll have pretty much two shingle manufacturers in, in our backyard.

So you know good support from Nate and Jared. Honestly both phenomenal guys. So you know, absolutely no complaining there. Kind of talk like, you know, so when you started, so many people are used to calling Hall Roofing and getting Bob to come out there and like, you were kind of that first shift where I was trying to hand as much off as I can, you know?

And, and I don't just say it because you're sitting here like I hear it over and over and over again. They're like, man, Nick is awesome. Like, you know, a guy that we're been some commercial work for now. Like, I was talking to him the other day and he's like, yeah, whatever you do, Nick. Never better get too busy not to come out to my stuff, you know?

So, doctor Rob is another one that comes to mind. And doctor Rob knew me growing up, and he's seen the business grow. And so he understood, like, the transition that I've got to be able to send the sales guy out to handle stuff, you know, but he still pays compliments to you. And, I mean, the first job you probably sold him was probably 3 or 4 years ago, you know, but kind of talk like, what makes him, you know, like, Casper is another one that just comes to mind that just what makes them awesome customers, to work with.

For me, it's the customers that are extremely involved in the project. They're asking tons of questions. They know they want to know exactly what's going to go into into the project and whether that's roof, whether that's siding. It's the customers that really care about the outcome of whatever they're wanting done, whatever service they're wanting. Done. Because you can talk with him, you can ask him questions.

They're engaged. They're asking you questions about the product. So it helps you really dive into exactly what this looks like, how it's going to go, what this product is. So the more engaged a customer is, I feel like the better everything goes. Yeah. And that's kind of my that's my experience with it. What, what has becoming a dad, becoming a husband like?

How has that changed you? And I'll go ahead and say it like, I always felt like you were super mature, even, you know, because a lot of people would be like, you know, I'll never forget there's a customer at Edinburg called me and said, when he got out of the truck, I looked at my wife and said, is he even 16?

Now you've aged a little bit rough in sales. It's a little stressful sometimes, you know, but like, but how is how has that changed your perspective on life and that kind of stuff? Oh man, it's been great. I so Cooper's about a year and a half old now, and, Yeah, just makes me makes me make something else that I, I can work for because I know I got to set up Cooper for his future.

So it's just another motivating factor that I have, to keep on pushing. Keep on doing it puts a little bit more pressure on you because, you know, you got you've got somebody else at the house, but, no, it's been great. And it's just another motivating factor. And coming home them every day is, you know, it's a blessing.

So it's, Yeah. It's been great. What, kind of talk a little bit about, like, you know, I look back that that time we did that really big, exciting job was the first job we did over $1 million. I don't know who was more nervous. Mayor, you owe me, but, you know, like, I kind of talk about.

Because, like, one thing that I've always respected about you is like, you're you're kind of looking for a challenge sometimes. Sometimes I'm like, I got to throw this big job at Nick because, like, sometimes, like, we'll talk about this a little bit. We put you as a sales manager for a while a couple of years ago. And I tried to.

I tried to do it. I never had a sales manager. So I always tell you, I always tell these guys I'm learning. I'm learning how to grow a business with multiple office people. Now, you know, it's a learning day for me every day, you know, and we kind of talked about it and we're like, you know, best case scenario, it works out.

It takes off. Worst case scenario, what do you do? And I'll be honest with you, I had a couple industrial friends say he'll never stay if it doesn't work out. And I remember purchasing some coaching. I was getting ready to see that coach, and I was like, hey, Nick, what are we going to do? And you're like, speaking of that, would you hold off on that?

And I was like, all right, well, and you're like, man, I think I just need to go back to sales. And I'll never forget this. A lead came in. I swear, within five minutes Ellie sent you out. You came back in the office. What felt like 20 minutes later, it might have been an hour or two with, like, a $14,000 contract and a check in, like, Nick was lit back up, so I guess kind of talk a little bit about what that like.

I mean, some people would consider that a failure. To me it's, it's life. Like we have to fail to continue to grow. The more successful you want to be, the more you have to fail, right? I think my mindset with it all was, you know, when I was initially in sales and you offer the position to go up to a sales manager, I wanted to, you know, take on more responsibility, you know, grow within the company.

You go from sales up to a sales manager. So that's when I took the opportunity. But, you know, after 4 to 6 months of me doing it, I miss sales so bad, I missed missed the rush of it. Missed, you know, going out, meeting new people every single day, being on the road. So I miss those those aspects of that sales position so much that, you know, I started to, you know, doubt whether or not I wanted to start doing sales, continue with the sales manager career.

So, and I didn't want to, you know, half assed it by any means. I feel like that was kind of be cheating you, so I just, you know, I just brought it up to you that. Hey, let let's go back to, you know, being in the sales sales position. And yeah, I get it. Some people probably do look at that as a failure, but I think it would have been a bigger failure if I would have stuck with that position.

Did it half ass did it, you know, put my all into it because in each and every day I put my all in two sales. So, you know, it just gets, gets the most out of me. Well, and, you know, and like, go back to the relationship with you, Chris and Cody, like, now Chris is in that sales manager role.

You know, it. It's a better fit for him. Let's just call a spade a spade. But, you know, it's another thing that I've always respected you three because, like, there's never been like, there's business and there's being a buddy, you know? And I never felt like even when you're in a sales manager role or with Chris, now that there was ever any favoritism showed like it's work.

But I think you guys have all done a good job of being like, hey man, we're all in this for the same, same goal. So it's just easier. You know, I don't hear any other sales guys like, well, next Chris is buddy, you know. So yeah. No go ahead. Yeah. So like to me like I said like that just shows the maturity, the culture, you know, and just how everybody just works together, you know?

Yeah. No, I mean, yeah, Chris has been my buddy shoot since about sixth grade in middle school. But that doesn't change the fact that now. Yeah, he is the leader. He is. He is my boss. And I'm going to respect that whether I, you know, whether I was friends with him or not. So it doesn't change anything if he, you know, if he tells me to go do x, y and Z, I'll go do x, y, and Z may give him a little bit of grief about it, but you know, he is the boss at the end of the day.

So yeah, all respect to him. What? So I always, I always find it funny that both of your parents are attorneys. Yeah. You know, and I guess that's honestly, like, was probably my biggest push of, like, this kid's got to want to do more than swing a hammer. And like I said, I'm not trying to chastise swinging a hammer.

We need people to swing hammers like, you know, I I'll say this till I'm blue in the face. We need people to do what they're calling is in life because we've got Adam behind the camera. Thank God Adam's doing that because of me. Or you were doing that just. Absolutely. So, you know, and I always joke that if Adam was out selling, he'd only meet with one person for about a three day period because he'd talk to him too long.

You know? So, then you got Elly. That's just keeps the office. Her and Emily keeps the office just together and keeps jobs, you know, moving. So to me, it's like the older I get, the more I appreciate people that are good at their craft. If it's a tech guy, if it's a sales guy, if it's a production person, you know, a lot of us in the office is working with staff on health stuff and like, that lady knows blood work and how to read that.

And I mean, look at the results. Look at Adam's results. Look at my dad's results. I mean, between Adam and my dad, they've lost both. Lost over 100 pounds. Wow. It's pretty cool to see Adam in his late 20s lose 100 plus pounds. It's really cool to see my dad. It's in his 70s. Oh, yeah. Lose 100 pounds.

Healthy ways, not sick. Fortunately, that kind of stuff. So like I said, like that. That's the fun part. The fun part of being an owner is like hiring quality people. And we've got a freaking office full of them. But making sure, you know they're in the right seat of the bus, you know, is, is a metric that we talk about.

What what are some future goals, that you have professionally, personally, that kind of stuff. Professionally, I always say, I mean, reaching the sales goal of 2.5 million a year, that would be my main, main goal right there. Still haven't achieved that yet. Got close last year, but still working towards it. But more so professional. Personally, want to eventually get a house out in the country whether I build or buy.

Wanted to get out, get the family out in the country. Cooper absolutely loves being outdoors. He would live outdoors is if he if he can, first thing he wants to do every morning when he wakes up is go outside. So, yeah, I want to get the family out into the country. Just, that'd be my main personal goal.

And, yeah, professionally, try to get to 2.5 million. Awesome, awesome. No, that's, you know, like, you're the standard around here. I hear new guys, like, I want to be as good as Nick. I'm like, okay, focus on what you can focus on. Like he wasn't a $2 million producer his first year, you know, spent a lot of time studying.

And, you know, one thing I always say, the reason that you do so well is you're more of an introvert, which everybody says, well, why would an introvert be a sales guy? Well, you actually shut up and listen to people. And a problem with a lot of sales guys is they don't shut up to hear what the customer, you know, has to say.

So, you know, but as we, as we wrap up, like, what, what kind of advice do you have? And I don't care. It can be business. It can be personal, just for, you know, the listening audience. It can be about when you started. It can be about right now as a family man, what that looks like, I would say, just don't don't be scared to take a chance on yourself with whatever that may be, whether it's within your personal life or professional life.

Don't be afraid to, take that chance. Take that chance on yourself. Believe in yourself. And then, just always stay consistent with whatever you do. You got to stay consistent. You may not always be the greatest at. It may not be the worst, but just stay consistent with it. And usually nine times out of ten it'll work out.

So yeah, Nick, I mean, seriously, for me and Emily, like your loyalty, your work ethic. It's pretty cool to sit here and have somebody in their 20s that's got over five years experience in a company like, that's just. That's just unheard of. So thank you. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.