He Moved Away to Find Himself… Then Everything Changed

What happens when you leave everything behind… just to work on yourself?

In this episode of the Hoel Truth Podcast, Kris Combs shares how moving from Indiana to Florida gave him the space to reset mentally, build discipline, and figure out who he wanted to become — and how that decision led him right back home.

Within a year of coming back, Kris got married, had a child, bought a house, and stepped into a new career path. But none of that happened by accident. It came from years of focusing on self-discipline, staying consistent, and getting clear on what actually matters.

This conversation dives into personal growth, relationships, fatherhood, and what it really means to “become a man” in today’s world. It also gives a behind-the-scenes look at company culture, leadership, and why integrity matters so much in sales and business.

- About Hoel Roofing & Remodeling -

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

We believe strong businesses are built on strong people — which is why we share real conversations like this about growth, leadership, and life.

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

Transcript

Kris - How did moving away from Rushville to Florida end up making you come back?

Yeah. You know, I, I had to just, you know, work on myself and take that time to, to better myself.

And, you know, that kind of worked out because, you know, I moved back and within, you know, a year I had, you know, got married, had, had a kid and, and bought a house. So, it's just funny how everything comes full circle. And, you know, I think it's just I think it's worked out for me pretty good.

Welcome this edition of the Hoel Truth Podcast. Today, as we continue our little mini series on sales reps. Mr. Kris Combs is joining us today. So, Kris, take a minute. Introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about your family.

Yeah. My name is Kris Combs. I'm a project manager at, Hull Roofing. And, I got a beautiful wife, one, one beautiful little girl. She's a year and just turned four months. Yeah. So beautiful family.

Grew up in Nashville, living in Nashville. Did you ever leave, come back? Anything like that? Yeah. So I grew up in Rushville for 23 years, and then, the family packed up and moved to Florida.

So I was like, heck yeah. And, you know, growing up, like, I never thought that, like, living in Florida would be, like, a possibility that only rich people live in Florida. So, had a Camaro at the time and had basically nothing to my name. So I just packed everything up in my Camaro and and moved to Florida.

Is in northern Florida, is Jacksonville. But okay. But yeah, I loved it there and then lived there for probably three and a half years and then moved back. August of 24. August of 23. I've been here ever since. So did the entire family move back with here? Well, so the reason I think the reason why everybody moved down there was my brother.

He got a promotion. He was working for enterprise at the time, and, they moved him down to Jacksonville. And he had just had his first child, and, they, they moved down there, and then my mom and and my stepdad moved down there, and I think it was good for, for them just because my at the time, my stepdad wasn't doing too well, like, health wise.

And they had the Mayo Clinic down there. So, I think being in the heat kind of helped him a little bit. So they all moved down there and, you know, the grandkids kind of, move that process along. So they moved down there in February. I think it was funny because it was like February, right when Covid started.

So I was like, I probably should have been traveling at that time, but heck, it was the move to Florida. You'll you'll take some some risk. But, so they moved down there and then, I don't know, maybe six months later I moved as well. Okay. So, journey back. Journey meeting your wife, married now with a beautiful young, little one there.

What's that? What's that look like? I had, I had to work on myself a little bit when I was in Florida, so I don't really do much, but other than work, go to the gym, come home and I was basically. Yeah. So, I moved back here, and it's it's actually kind of funny. I don't know if my wife would be, you know, happy with me saying this, but, you know, I'll kind of go through the story of, like, how we kind of got back in touch because I don't don't get yourself in trouble, but go ahead.

Do I think she'll be okay with it? But, I, you know, my wife, I've known her since I was eight years old and had a crush on her since I was eight years old. So, you know, we were both gym brats, and it was like, the week we had to move my my mom's craft stuff back, like, the week before we actually moved back.

So we came back for a week. I knew she worked at the Anytime Fitness down the road, and, so I went down there, worked out a little bit, and then she was working out as well. And, we both got done and we were talking for, you know, an hour and a half and, two days goes by and, you know, I'm, I'm getting ready to head back to, to Florida to, you know, to pack up all our stuff.

And, she, she's text me out of the blue and, asked me if I would, if I'd be okay with, you know, getting together, catching up and stuff. And, I said I tried to play it off, you know, I try to play it off. Cool. I said, yeah, sure. But really, I was like, yes. And, I kind of, I joke with her now because I tell her, like, I've never had a girl ask me out on a date.

Yeah, yeah. You know,

I say you weren't even man enough to ask her out. Yeah, yeah. Why did. I didn't think that she would even be interested. And I joke with her because I was like, It only took you 16 years to give me a shot, so, so that was kind of. That's kind of how that played out.

And, I told her we went to some steakhouse in, in Greensburg and, I told her I was like, I don't know if, like, you're treating this as a date, but I am. She's like, no. Yes. I was like, okay, cool. I'm in there. You know, remember what the steakhouse. Well, that's come on. Kris is only had a few years ago, but I don't want to say I don't want to say which one it is, because it was probably the worst steak that I've ever had.

And I told I was like, we're probably never going back there again. So, so, yeah,

we dated for, I don't know, six, seven months. And then we found out that she was pregnant and, I, I didn't want her to think that I was only asking her to marry me because she was pregnant. Because that was definitely not the case.

I had, had been thinking about it for a while, and, decided to pop the question, and, I told her I was like, she's like, I could tell you were nervous. And I was like, wacky. Yeah, I was freaking nervous. I was like, I don't know why you knew what I was going to say. Yes. I was like, yeah, well, it's still still pretty nerve wracking.

But, so yeah, we we got engaged and then, we end up, having our daughter October of 20, 25. Or 24. Excuse me. And, before that, but our but our first house three blocks away from here, and, it's been great.

So, kind of funny thing is, like you, you apply, you come in, to interview and you're like, hey, man, I don't know if you remember, but do you remember that you coached me in football?

And I was like, well, yeah. Like, I mean, that's that is one thing I coached. I'm not that old. I was coaching right out of high school. In the college, just to kind of give back, you know, and, it's it's always cool as a coach when somebody approaches you and calls you coach, even if it was just little league peewee football, whatever, you know, because like, and the older you get, you look back and you realize the people that invested in you when you were little and, you know, like I was big in for and FFA and the amount of people that were at events every day or every week or, you know, whatever that looks like, you know, in coaching, like, I know some parents get aggravating when coaches, but if you think about it, they spend a lot of money on their fuel to and from practices, games and stuff like that, just just to help out. So like that was that was pretty cool because, you know, it's a lot of things that come full circle in life and, you know, you can love or you can hate the small town, but it's it's, you know, it's pretty cool to see full circle moments, you know, like that.

And, you know, especially as a coach, this is going to sound bad for the wrong person here, is it? But it's my podcast, I don't care. But even as a coach, you can tell which kids are going to be super successful at a young age. You know, and we've all been dealt bad hands or hands. We've had to deal with, you know.

So it's like I said, it was like literally when you in it, when you applied, I was like, yeah, he's a good kid. I coached him, I said, he'll be all right. You know, so that was that was fun for me. But, you know, it's for me. It it was pretty cool when you came to me was like, hey, man.

Lou, he's going to go ahead and go get married because that's the right thing to do. We just need to do it, you know? And it wasn't some big, elaborate wedding. And there's nothing wrong with a big, nice wedding, you know? So just, And did you love her? And she's great. We we love. One thing you'll hear about around here is, like, the family atmosphere, the getting together.

You know, the girls all got together a few months ago and went and got their nails done or whatever. And like, it's it's fun when Emily can come home and be like, oh my gosh, that that was a joy. 

Like, you know, literally love that. Even though she had a, a pretty bad experience with it because she when she got her nails done the time before that, they put this like, this stuff that they use for like, embalming, on it.

And, they, she couldn't really, like, hang out with all the other girls because it took them so long to, like, even just get her nails off. So, but but she had a great time, and, probably would have been nicer if she could, like, hang out with everybody, but, But no, she loved that. And that's kind of what I like, about, like, how you guys run.

Thing is, run, run things is, like, actually having stuff, like at your house, and, you know, Christmas parties and stuff like that. I feel like a lot of companies don't do that, and, I, I like, you know, everybody coming together and hanging out and stuff like that. So, Yeah, for the Christmas party, this year, this made sense with so many small kids.

Like, we were doing two. We were having two kids, one here before Christmas. And it got to the point that the office was full, which is fine. Like, I loved all the noise, all the kids running around, you know? But then me and Emily are talking and I was like, just pitch that to a couple people and see if, like, let's just do pizza at the house and, you know, it, work out the weather happened to be nice that day, you know, and I feel like most places like if you're having like a, like a, some type of function or a Christmas party, you know, 4th of July stuff, whatever it is, they would always I feel like it would be normal practice to be like, hey, you know, you know, get the kids a babysitter, you know, blah, blah, blah. What I like about you is, like, you're always, like, adamant about a bring the kids. Bring the kids. And a lot of them are that are kind of around the same age.

So they can it kind of works out because they can all play together and, and whatnot. So, I mean, it'll be a lot of fun in the next 5 to 10 years. As far as that, the bulk of them kids, you know, my kids are the old ones now, you know what I mean? Like, I'm I wasn't used to that in the beginning, but now really like Rhett is he's kind of the he's kind of the old timer in there.

You know, Riley kind of fits right in. And there's there's a fair there's a fair a lot of little, little ones too. So yeah, like I said it, I mean, that's that that's what we enjoy and like that as a business owner. That's what gives me the drive every day to get up and keep going is like for, for them little kids.

Like, you know what a lot of people don't understand as a business owner sometimes, like, I carry a lot of weight on my shoulders knowing that you've got a wife and a daughter to provide for, you know? So it's not just I need to help Kris, like, I'm here helping Avery. Helping Lily, like you know, the the whole nine yards.

It's not me. It's being smart, keeping the business rolling so it gives opportunities, you know? So, what kind of your insurance sales? Kind of a little bit about your career and how you ended up here? Because I've always said this, like, I don't really like hiring roofing, people that have roofing sales experience. It's never worked out.

My track record, and, you know, no offense to anybody that may watch this, that may work here. That didn't work out. But like, our successful sales reps have come from outside of the roofing space. Now, what I did like about you was and that's why even when you first came, you were in the products were helping more on the production roll.

I was like, he's got to sales. He got he's got the sales mentality. We've got to get him in the sales. I want to wrap you there because it. I'll tell a quick, quick little tidbit. I was I started off in production and it was going great. You know, we were I think we were flipping a house at the time.

And, you know, my thought process, why I applied was like, I wanted to get into, you know, learning how to, you know, remodel and do this and that. And if I could get paid while I do it, you know. Great. And it was about a month, maybe month and a half after I started. Bob calls me in his office and he said, hey, you know, me and Emily, we've been talking, and, we think you'd be really good in sales.

And he said that there's no way of bait and switch. And I thought that was funny. And then he thinks he's slick because he he was slowly moving me into sales stuff. Even after I told him, I was like, you know, I'll. I'll sit on it. I'll talk with the wife and and then, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it, and, but, I always tell him he's not slick.

I, I made the decision to, to kind of go for it, but, you know, I thought that was funny because you said, you know, it's not being serious. It's like, I get it, but. Yeah, and I, I didn't I don't want anybody to ever consider that. I just, like I said, like this. You're you're you're talking like it just, and honestly, like, I've always wanted a full time guy that has ties to Rushville.

Just because we're we're past this now. But in the beginning, people would be offended when they called and Bob didn't show up to the house, like when it was Nick or something. And then even people, they get offended, they would call back. It's like, oh my gosh, Nick was great. Oh my gosh. Chris was great, but I really wanted I always joked and all the guys kept coming out of Shelbyville with Nick and Chris and Cody.

I'm like, can I not hire anybody from my hometown? Like, you know, so and I just took it as, hey, I want good people. Like, I don't, I don't care where they're from. You know, what their background is like. Are they good people, you know, is there characters or work ethic there? You know, and one thing that I, but I feel like a lot of our sales team, kind of the DNA of that is like, is really caring, really nice.

You know, I get a lot of compliments on like, how just nice you guys are out there if it's tan or if it's you, if it's Chris, if it's Nick, if it's Cody, if it's Billy. You know like and that's that's pretty cool. But that's a reflection of Chris as the leader in the sales department because, there's a high praise for Chris.

Chris Britt, it's he's so kind, you know. So, and so people we have we have another Chris. But he's, he's both his with business and, I'm much better looking. And so that's how you know the difference between us. But but anyway, well, it's funny because I'll say Chris with a k now, my, my kids refer to you as Kris with a K, so, yeah, maybe maybe we ought to give, you know, give you guys a different, a different nickname.

What? I'm glad you said it. I'm going to go ahead and ask them all. Probably a little bit. Like you said, you had to work on yourself. Like, what does that look like? Because I feel like I. There's not enough talking about, like, hey, we all got struggles. We all got things that we got to work on. I mean, a big

part of it was, when I moved to Florida, I don't think I was in a great space, just just mentally.

And, I was never really, like, a big, you know, party or going to club and stuff like that. That's not really my scene, but, it was really just, you know, putting my head down and going to work. Before that, I had never really had a job that really made any money. So, I wasn't used to that.

But, Israel just, you know, trying to build wealth, trying to work on my mental health. I was coming off of, a long relationship and, you know, didn't pan out. And, it was really the gym kind of saved me because it was it was work. You know, nine year, 9 to 6, whatever it is.

And I was fortunate because I lived across the street from the gym, and, you know, it was it was work 96 go to the gym for two hours, and then come home, you know, get your nutrition and all that good stuff, and then you just kind of hang out. And that was it was nice because I was living with my brother at the time, we had our own little town house, and, I never really I didn't get really, didn't really get to spend a lot of time with my brother, Brandon, just because he was.

And he was in college and, I pick on him. He took, like, an extended stay at college. I think he was there for, like, five years. My goodness. But, but he was in Evansville and, you know, I was in Russellville, Greensburg at the time, and, didn't really get to spend much time with him. And I think that helped me, too.

Because I tell everybody, like, I, I don't have a ton of friends. I have a lot of convenient friends. But, I consider my brother my best friend, so, but, yeah, it was it was, you know, a lot of just going to the gym and, you know, working on myself that way. And I think for anybody who, you know, who's who is kind of a gym rat, you can kind of attest to that.

How, you know, go to the gym does help in mental health. And, but yeah, it was just two, three years straight of just just doing that. You know, not not messing around, not going to clubs, not, you know, drinking and all that kind of stuff. And, like I said, I think that that really helped me out and prepared me.

It also to it was like in my, in my previous relationship, I don't think that, I was, I was really a man yet. And I didn't really know how to approach, you know, a relationship, maturely. And, I think taking that break and working on myself really helped and kind of prepared me for, you know, eventually, you know, getting married and, and, treating my wife the right way.

And I notice how a lot of other people, approach their marriages and not to, like, toot our own horn, but, you know, I, I think that we do it the right way. You know, communication's a lot. We don't. We don't fight about really anything, which I know you're you're probably say, well, newly married.

You know what I mean?

It. There comes a time that we all got. We all grew up, you know. And you know, there is you said it like, become a man like. And this world is full of boys that just because they're a certain age, people think they're a man or they, they, they act like they're a man where, you know, you got to have the responsibility, you know, and you know, you get a wife, you get a kid like that's a that's a whole different level of responsibility, especially a wife's one thing a kid like, you know, and you decide to do that in a real short period of time, you know.

Yeah, we hit the trifecta, you know, got had a kid, bought a house, got married, like all that stuff, like within, within a year. So. Yeah, it was it happened quick. It didn't happen necessarily how we wanted it to because, you know, we're we're we kind of hold traditional values. But, you know, I, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Right? And I, you know, when you're, I think when you're, when you're a guy and you find out that you're, you know, your wife's pregnant, I think I think every guy wants their first woman to be a boy. Which I did. And we got a blood test, and we found out early, like, you know, what the gender was, and, you found out it was a girl, and I wasn't, like, bummed out.

I guess I was a little bit, but because, you know, I wanted a boy at first, but, if I could go back and change it, I wouldn't change. My daughter's is awesome. She's hilarious. She cracks us up every day, and she's always learning something new, and. And, she's. I don't know if everybody's kids are like this, but she she's hilarious.

She really is. She cracks us up every day. So she must get that from her mom then. And so, so what we're saying. Well, we'll say that because she looks just like me. Yeah, yeah, she's got to get some some stuff from her mom. She does get her attitude from her mom.

No, I'm kidding. But but, yeah, she's she's awesome. And I wouldn't change it for the world. The kids are great. And having two daughters same way. Like, you know, there's just something about a little girl, her dad. And. Yeah, I mean, I was fortunate I had a boy first, you know, and then we never found out what we were having.

And my poor wife, she could never be right. She said Rhett was a girl, and she said the girls are both boys, you know, but it just, you know, I remember coming out of the hospital and Reagan was born. And at this point, we're getting ready to move to Tennessee for me to go work for Dave Ramsey.

So we're getting ready to completely flip our world upside down. And Reagan came out a girl. And I remember walking out the hospital, and, you know, we'd only been at the hospital for like 14 hours because that's just who Reagan is. Just a little bit of a pain in it. And, she, I walked outside, I remember looking at the sky, and I was like, God, is that right?

What we was was I really supposed to have a daughter? You know, and that just really matures you as a man and like, to me, makes me even step back more of how I treat my wife because, like, the girls are, our our little girls are watching, you know, and one day they're going to judge a man against us, you know, and that's a it's a big responsibility, you know, as men, you know, in this country.

So. Yeah. No, I mean, like I said, healthy kids are your kids are great. You know, we're fortunate around here to have a bunch of healthy kids. You know, throughout. So to me, that's, you know, that's huge. So, as we kind of transition more into, like, business like, and you said it a little bit of like what makes us different, you know, the family stuff, but kind of kind of what makes us different because like I've said, there's 150 roofing companies you can go work for around here if you really, really wanted to, you know, and I, I, I always feel honored and humbled truly at the, the, the amount of talent

that we have. Adam, with his tech talent and videography talent and all that, you know, like Ellie the other night, like, was on our way home, something wasn't done, right? She turned around and got and pretty much finished somebody else's job. Like, the amount of talent that people put into here and effort is pretty cool. So, like, what's the buy in for you?

For that, honestly, like, I've never, I've never, like, worked for, you know, anybody or a company whatever. That, kind of that has the kind of culture that you guys have built here. And that's one thing that I, I, you know, I mentioned that to you, a couple weeks ago when we were on the phone, which makes me want to work, you know, it makes me want to work harder.

And I would just say, like, you're, you know, the the this company's values kind of align with my values. And, really, you know, with with me, I, I had you and you kind of touched on it. I had, you know, five years of sales experience and insurance before I came here. And one thing that you, you learn in sales is that, like, people will know when your boss and, you got to be confident and, just be honest with people and, you know, I know that's one thing that you guys preach a lot of is, is doing things with integrity.

And, you know, you know, not screwing somebody over to get a buck, because you're going to make you're going to make so much more money off of, you know, referrals, you know, you know, and things like that. Good reviews, you know, so, you know, just kind of preaching, doing things with integrity was one thing that I, that I really like because I just, I'm with my values and, and like I said, it just makes me want to work harder.

Well, and I mean, in, in life, like, truly like when you do stuff with integrity and you don't lie, like you don't have to remember what what you told that person, you know, like literally as we're we're recording this, we've been dealing with a problem rough for six months. And I think we finally got it figured out after we just had two inches of rain and what felt like ten minutes, you know, and but to me, it never questioned do I show back up they go take care of that.

Like it's like go take the but tune when something's not right. Like it happens sometimes, you know, but you know and it, it is cool because like, you know, culture is the buzzword, but culture isn't just, oh, there's pizza in there. Like, culture truly is like encourage. And Adam on his weight journey loss. You know, culture is checking in on kids.

How's the wife doing? Like she's just talking to Chris Britt, a sales manager. Like, earlier I was just like, how's the family? Like, he's got a little, little one at home. And Kylo is almost three now. They already turned three. I feel bad for saying that. That was it. Yeah. He's he's hurt. He just turned three.

That's right. Because he was born in November. Because he didn't go to RoofCon with us. Chris didn't. But, anyways, like, he's still getting adjusted to being a big brother and, you know, that kind of stuff. So. And it's nice to it's nice for the relationship with the wives, you know, you know, just like I said, the whole family atmosphere, people that care, because it just, I feel like there's a, a better there's almost a level of accountability or you doing your job even more.

More better is not a real word. I understand that, but it's like when you realize, like, hey, I want to do my job, right? So that makes Ellie's job easier. So so I don't if I half, but my job, then Ellie's job's harder, and then she doesn't get home to her kids in time. Like, there is that, you know, snowball effect.

Domino effect. Like when we when we do things right, it makes life easier for everybody and everybody. I feel like everybody here, like, likes everybody. Yes. And, you know, everybody gets along. And that's one thing I like when I first started, because, for those of you that don't know, I had zero, experience with roofing. I knew that there were shingles on a roof that was about the extent of my knowledge of roofing.

But that's one thing that I really liked when I first started was like, everybody was willing to help, whether it was Chris, the, you know, my, my supervisor, or even if he wasn't available, you know, I could always reach out to Nick or Cody, and or Emily and, and you guys would all be willing to help.

Especially mention my name, but go ahead. But, Bob, do, but, you know, that's that kind of helped me out a lot because, you know, it was it was kind of like, I like to be prepared. So when I'm, you know, walking into the home with the customer, if they ask me a question, I want to know.

I want to know the answer to it. So it was it was nice with me not having any experience in, in roofing that everybody was willing to help and that kind of not kind of, you know, highlights the, the whole the culture thing that that I was speaking on before. So that that was really, a big help to me when I first started.

Well, and, I mean, the best part about the sales team is like when Nick started here, like, he just pretty much was attached to my hip for six weeks, and I tried to pour as much as I could into him. And then Chris came along, and then Cody came along. And then the nice thing is like, when you hire good quality people and they get help from this person, they realize, hey, I get to help that person.

I get to help that person. Like, I like I said this like I remember when I hired Chris, Nick said, I look forward to helping train Chris like you train me. And I'm like, that's pretty cool to hear out of a 25 year old kid like, you know, and that's another thing, like I said, this, earlier the last podcast we did like, I mean, we've got a lot of 20 year olds that are freaking rock stars that work their asses off, that are men that are raising families.

And that's what this country needs, like not to go off on a crazy soapbox, but like, we just need men to stand up, get married, have kids, and, you know, make a positive impact at first in their home. And then that overflows, you know, into a community. So, and that's why that's why I like when you, we interview so much and like, you know, like really study people and, you know, check out Facebook and like, ask people that I know that knows them, you know, and it's like, that's why like, I was so harping on like, okay, Chris is going to end the sales because I see it in him.

Like when I, when, when Nick got here, like, Nick is the poster child. Like Nick is an amazing sales guy, right. Been with us five years. More than five years now. The funny thing is, he was swinging for a hammer for a guy before he came to work for me. I told that guy to make him a salesperson.

He told me I didn't know what I was doing. And then when they all came to work for me, it was in December. Kind of similar to you. And I was like, hey, I need you to swing a hammer for a couple, couple months. However, like, I think you're going to be successful in sales and, you know, it it's it's worked out okay.

Am I am I able to touch on, our, our interview process? Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. So it's all fake. It was, it was a little. It was it was weird. But it was cool at the same time because like, I've never had a job where I did three, three interviews. So the first interview, I, you know, I came in, I talked to, our production manager, and, you know, one of our production guys.

And, like I said, I started off in production. So, that was the first interview here at the office, and then second interview, I, you know, I went out to your guys's house and, Yeah. Did you end up coming out to my house for it? Yeah. Yeah, I think you were. You were out in the barn doing something, with the cows or or whatever you do out there.

And so I was kind of, you know, talking with Emily, and then you came in and we kind of had our our, what, you know, formal and formal or informal interview, wasn't really like an interview. It's kind of just like a conversation. Which was nice, but, and then we we did the spouse interview where we, you know, kind of went out to, you know, El Paso and, I think I think you wanted to see how I interacted with with the waiter and, you know, you know, being out in the public and all that kind of stuff, or like, if they met at my word, like, how would I how

would I handle that? Which I think was pretty cool. Like I said, I've never had anybody do that. As far as, like, doing three interviews, but, I thought it was pretty nice. And you guys were. I think you were. You were trying to. Trying to get me to, kind of lean more towards sales in that second interview.

And I was like, I ain't having it. And for those of you that don't know, I had, been doing, insurance sales for five years before I came to Holland. I just kind of had a bad taste in my mouth because it was, a lot of, hopefully don't come after me for saying this, but it was a lot of corporate BS.

And, you know, I always tell people like, I'm for the people, man. And I, I just got tired of defending corporate BS over, you know, the actual customer and telling them, you know, buy stuff that I know isn't true. So I kind of I didn't really want to go into sales because of that. But I told you the other day on the phone, I was like, that's probably the other, the Mary and my wife having a kid.

That's probably the best decision that I've ever made. So, Appreciate you. Well, I mean, and it's for me, it's fun to to see talent and for. I mean, you had it there. You had all the pieces. Like, I just I had to be a a the quality. Enough of a leader to like for you to trust me enough to to let me lead you in that because, like, that's, that's the thing that I've learned in hiring people.

Like, you gotta hire the person with the right qualities. And then there might be a little bit of like, all right, we need to focus over here, or, hey, focus over here. But like, if you can't show up every day, I've hired people that I couldn't couldn't sell because they couldn't seem to get a bad tail. 10:00 like, I don't have anybody on my sales team that I wonder, like it's 930.

I wonder if some guys are even out of bed, you know? So, like, that's the little things. It's like, you know, to me, the culture is the easy part in the beginning because it's just what Bob and Emily says. But it turns into what is Adam say in an interview? What does Ellie say in an interview? And I walked into an interview one time.

Elly was doing the person ended up not working here. And I completely just trusted God on that. But she was like, hey, you know, she was taking ownership in there like, if somebody would have been recording that, they would have thought she owned the company, not Bob and Emily. And I was like, damn, is she passionate? So, you know, and that's no different.

Like, I have a lot of people call me and say, your sales guys believe in you. And I've worked for a roofing companies. That same thing, like the one of the first roofing companies I worked for. And I will not mention names like I had a customer irate, allegedly irate, just ripping me a new one and they're like, where are you at?

And I'm like, I'm actually at the office. They're like, I want to talk to the owner. So I walked in there and I told the owner I was like, here's this customer. The owner was aware of this problem. They want to talk to you. And I hand in the phone and they grabbed the phone and I hit in and they do it back at me and said, I don't talk to customers.

Now every day is not my job to talk to 14 customers. However I will because like to me you guys got to see me willing to take a buck. June when I got to take a buck or just, you know, just being a leader. So like I said, like to me it's it's it's cool. I believe in like what are you creating.

How are you attracting that? You know, and we're very fortunate to have a lot of quality people. But I also look back and realize, like you said, like our values were your values. So you're going to attract people of your values. And it's even a gut. It's even a a gut check for me. If somebody gets hired in here, that's it's happened before.

They really didn't fit our values. And, you know, it always cost me a lot of money and a lot of headaches. And I won't share any of them details just because I probably shouldn't. But it's like, okay, I told them I was like, all right, let's just make sure, like, you know who we're hiring in here. And, you know, like, we just hired, somebody to replace Ellie and and her office admin position is she's running production now.

I think we got a freaking rock star. But we even in more interviews with her than we did with you, like, I had Adam and Chris interviewing her. You know, so. Yeah, I mean, like I said, like, it's it's it's fun for me, man. Like the and the humbleness that you bring, the appreciation like when you call it all but in tears when, I bought that truck for you like, to me, it's so much easier to reward a team member with that than one that wants to complain.

Like the vehicle I'm driving is not good enough, you know? Because guess what? I've had about 4 or 5 of them people there, you know, one of them still here, they don't fit in, like. And that's one thing that I learned from Dave Ramsey. Like when you have a good culture, you know, then you start having questions with like, hey, Adam, you know this person?

Yeah. What do you think? You know, I don't I don't think that one's going to be the right move. You know? So it's and you've got to trust your people. Like, you got to know. You got to know them well enough. You know, like, I always tell the story when Nick called me about Chris with this, with with a C, I guess I was like, no, we don't hire buddy.

So he's like, no, no, I promise you. Like, this is a legit one to talk to. So, you know, yeah, that's that's what it's all about for us. So that panned out. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And then, kind of next question we asked, we're trying to keep this all formatted kind of the same. And I kind of get down squirrel avenues here.

So what what is your favorite product to sell? Oh, that's a good question.

I probably it probably just a shingle. I mean, we do, I would say, on my end, Nick might have a different answer for this. Just because he's big time. But, you know, I'm selling mostly, just, you know what? Owens Corning duration shingle. Just because I don't make doc rep happy, the last guy about, malarkey.

So, you know, you give Oak credit, you know, he'll be happy about that. Yeah, yeah. Cody, Cody said malarkey, I think so. I go to your Chris or one of them. But I it's just. Yeah. And the reason I like I usually I'm selling a lot of that just because it's, it's affordable. It's everybody knows Owens Corning.

Yep. And, it's just it's a quality shingle, but it's affordable. Yeah. And, you know, you've got a lot of you've got the most color options with that. So, and I think people, kind of gravitate towards that because it's, you know, it's, it's a quality sheen that's gonna last, you know, a long time. And, you also get discounts on your insurance with it.

So that's always a plus. Absolutely. As we, as we kind of wrap up, like any, any words of advice just for people in general. And it doesn't have to be anything to do with working at Whole Roofing. You don't have to do anything with sales, like just, you know, any any words of advice for, you know, you know, you're still a young man, but there's still a lot of younger guys out there that, that, that might listen that, you know, you know, speak some life into, just believe in yourself, man.

And and, whatever you do believe in, you know, just, you know, be confident in it. And, just, you know, if you're a man, be a good man and, take care of your family. And, I don't know, I might strike a nerve with some people on this, and it's crazy. I have to say that, but, you know, be it, be a good be a good family man.

That's one thing that I. That I've really learned, in the last, you know, five years or so is, is there's nothing wrong with, you know, taking care of your family, coming home and and just hanging out with your family all night. Like I said, I, I don't have a ton of friends. I don't hang out with a lot of people.

If I'm hanging out with somebody, it's part of my parents. You know, my my brother, or the wife side of the family. And I don't I don't see anything wrong with that. Now, people might call that boring or living a boring life, but, like your grandparents will say, living a boring life is is nice, right?

Peace and quiet is nice. So, Yeah, just just sticking to your values and and just being a good. Just being a good person. You know, that's that's basically. That's all I would say. Well, Kris, I just I want to thank you for just. You're a fantastic husband. Fantastic father. And we appreciate everything you do on our team.

So thank you, sir. Absolutely. Thank you for the opportunity.