I recently had the opportunity to visit Eagle Carports in Mount Airy, North Carolina—and what I saw there left a lasting impression.
From the moment I stepped through their main office, one thing stood out more than anything else: a clear sense of camaraderie and a shared mission. It wasn’t just a company operating—it was a team striving together toward a singular goal of delivering one of the top garage and carport products in the industry. Some might even argue they are the very best.’
As I walked office to office, I noticed how every individual had a place and a purpose. There was structure—not just in their systems but in the people themselves. Whether it was Tracey in order intake or Charles overseeing operations, each person knew exactly what they needed to do and took pride in doing it well. You could see it in their posture, their conversations, and the way their processes flowed.
It wasn’t chaotic. It wasn’t thrown together. It was intentional. And when a company operates intentionally, success is rarely accidental.
That’s something I want to remind every one of you reading this: You don’t have to be a major company to take pride in what you do.
You don’t need a massive office or a hundred employees to operate with excellence. What you do need is commitment—commitment to quality, to consistency, and to treating every task with pride and accomplishment. No job is too small when it’s done with the right attitude.
One of my favorite parts of the visit was walking through the tube mill operation. Everything had its place. It was clean, safe, and organized—an environment where anyone could walk through and feel confident that this was a company that cared. That matters more than most business owners realize. A clean, well-run operation tells your customers something before you ever say a word: We know what we’re doing—and we care about doing it right.
Your business doesn’t just speak through your product—it speaks through your atmosphere.
The condition of your workspace sends a message. Is this a place of excellence? Is it a place where someone would feel welcome? Is it inviting or intimidating? Do customers feel like they’re being sold to or being taken care of?
I believe we can all learn from what Eagle Carports is doing. When your business is in top shape—physically and operationally—it gives customers confidence. When clients walk in and sense order, cleanliness, and knowledge, they are far more likely to buy. And whether you sell sheds, carports, garages, steel buildings, or any other product—knowing what you sell and why it’s the best makes all the difference. People can buy anywhere—but they choose to buy from someone who believes in what they offer.
During my visit, I sat down with Alicia Torres, the owner of Eagle Carports, along with Keith Simmons and Charles Hiat. We had real, honest conversations about the challenges in our industry—and one point rose to the top quickly: Sales are being lost every single day because of a lack of training.
Whether it’s product knowledge, communication skills, or general sales training, opportunities are slipping through our fingers. Good products are being undersold. Good customers are walking away. And often, it’s not because the product isn’t great—it’s because the salesperson wasn’t equipped.
Over the next year and beyond, I look forward to working with industry leaders to bridge this gap. That includes partnering with respected training providers both inside and outside our industry. Making Sales Simple is one such company—focused on teaching beginners through advanced sales courses, helping salespeople build confidence, consistency, and clear processes in every customer interaction.
Another strong resource is Velocity 360, a company that specializes in CRM integration and backend support. They work to create repeatable processes within the software side—putting structure behind the sales process so teams stay organized, efficient, and accountable. And of course, there are many others in this space—but these examples alone scratch the surface of what’s available to us if we’re willing to invest in our people.
I believe every business owner should take the time—and be willing to invest money and effort—into proper sales training and product education for their team. A repeatable sales process and confident product knowledge can be the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving.
Let me remind you of something important: someone who buys today knows many others who could buy tomorrow. That means referrals are not optional—they are essential. Never leave an opportunity for a referral unturned. Treat your clients with respect, dignity, and genuine care—because when the market slows down and sales become scarce, those relationships can become lifelines.
Please, please, please—do not look at your clients as dollar signs. See them as people who can become long-term relationships. You never know when the day will come when you’ll need to reach back out—through a letter, a phone call, or an email—to ask if they or someone they know might need what you offer. If you’ve built trust, those doors will open. If you haven’t—those doors will close before you knock.
With the 2025 Shed Sales Summit in the books, my focus turns to 2026—and I’m more encouraged than ever. I had such a wonderful time meeting with so many great companies that are passionate about helping shed and carport lots grow to new heights. The future of our industry is bright—but only if we are willing to work together, invest in our teams, and keep learning.
So, if you’re reading this and you’re struggling…maybe unsure where to turn…maybe feeling stuck—I want you to know this: you don’t have to do it alone. I would be glad to sit down with you, talk through your challenges, and help strategize a path forward. Sales can feel overwhelming—but the right strategy can change your business … and change your life.
Let’s build teams, not just payrolls.
Let’s build relationships, not just transactions.
Let’s build businesses we’re proud to walk through—just like I did in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Excellence is a choice—and it’s one we can make every single day.
