The Kitchen Table

From Cleaning Gutters to Running a Roofing Empire: Shane Michael's Story

Episode Summary

Ken Baden welcomes Shane Michael of Zeus Contracting back to The Kitchen Table for an honest talk about the roofing industry's ups and downs. They cover Shane's path from hands-on labor to sales-driven ownership, the value of understanding installation before selling, hiring and recruiting headaches during storm season, strange new insurance-claim roadblocks homeowners are running into, rising deductibles, and why hustle beats a "down market" excuse every time. The conversation closes with Shane's expansion plans and a record month that's set him up for a strong close to the year.

Episode Notes

Shane got his start in construction in 2013 doing gutter cleaning and repairs before moving into general contracting, flooring, and eventually car sales.
He launched his own business about 8-9 years ago and later transitioned fully into roofing roughly five years ago.
A standout early sale: a homeowner with 50-60 solar panels closed in under three minutes for a $12K job.
Shane and Ken discuss learning from sales trainers (referencing Adam and the "SLAP" sales framework vs. Ken's "3 W's").
Recruiting struggles this summer left both companies short-staffed heading into peak storm season.
Storm activity has been unusually high this year in the DMV compared to the last several years.
Two unusual insurance claim situations: carriers asking for pre-purchase home inspections before releasing funds, and a homeowner discovering a $23,000 deductible that left him covering 52% of an ~$80K roof.
Discussion on where premiums, deductibles, and claim requirements might be heading next year.
Why aggressive, professional closers consistently outperform sloppy canvassing teams — and why sending canvassers into a competitive area can backfire.
Zeus Contracting is expanding into Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with plans to grow paid advertising (Google/Facebook) heading into winter.
Zeus Contracting posted a record month: 55 signed deals worth over $900,000.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & catching up with Shane Michael
01:09 – Shane's start in construction (2013): gutters, repairs & general contracting
02:30 – Transitioning into sales, including a stint in car sales
04:45 – Starting his own business ~8-9 years ago
05:25 – Going full-time into roofing & the fast solar panel sale
06:33 – Sales training, mentors, and the "SLAP" vs. "3 W's" methods
08:04 – Recruiting struggles and rebuilding the sales team
10:39 – This year's storm activity and market response
12:15 – Odd insurance claim: pre-purchase inspection required for payout
13:37 – Digging into how that requirement can even be legal
14:35 – Deductible shock: 48% out-of-pocket on an $80K+ roof
15:31 – Where deductibles and policies are headed next year
20:15 – Finding opportunity in a "down" market
22:08 – Why the industry is thinning out — and why that's a good thing
22:27 – Canvassers vs. closers: professionalism and close rates
25:39 – Company culture, integrity, and core values
25:53 – What's next for Zeus Contracting
26:26 – Expansion plans into Delaware, PA & Virginia
26:46 – Record month: 55 deals, $900K+ in signed work
27:32 – Where to find Shane Michael & Zeus Contracting online