Intro / Outro 0:06

Welcome to No Strings Attached, untangling conversations about shady topics. Hosted by Roger McGillis, this podcast pulls back the curtain on the window covering industry with expert insights and a splash of Brazilian flair. Whether you're an installer, designer, dealer, or just fed up with crooked blinds, get ready for real tips, industry know-how, and plenty of laughs. Now, let's get untangled.

Sponsor Shoutout And Topic Setup

Why New Installers Get Humbled

The 50 Percent Myth Story

Measure Every Window In Three Spots

Product Options Multiply Mistakes

Working Inside Homes And Emotions

Why Pros Still Love The Grind

The Industry Expands Beyond Indoors

Ask For Help And Closing Message

Roger Magalhaes 0:32

Hello, hello! Welcome to another show of No Strings Attached. My name is Roger McGallis, and I am your host. If this is your first time here, welcome to the show. And if you have been here before, welcome back. Today I am going to talk about something that if you're new to the industry, you have no clue because it's harder than you think. But before we get to that, I just want to remind you that Blinds Online here is our sponsor. Blinds Online is a place with a curated selection of products at very affordable prices. Blind Shades Shutters, BlindsOnlines.com is our sponsor. Check them out. So today I am going to talk about how this business really is. And if you are just getting into it, you might think, well, it's just shades, right? Wrong. Speaking for from experience, my own experience, when I got into this business, I thought it was just a couple of screws here and there. What can it go wrong? And if you've been long enough in this industry, you've probably been laughing with me as well. So, you know, as you got into the business, you just learn and make mistakes and screw up and reorder because we you messed it up. But then you talk to someone that just starting out, oh yeah, no problem. I can fix it, I can do it, and this and that, and nothing can be far farther from the truth than thinking that window shades is easy. So for instance, I had this guy working for me for a little while, probably a couple years, and then one day I asked him, Hey dude, how much you think you already know in this industry? Well, you know, been here for a couple years, I'll tell you, I can probably know about 50% of the business. And I say, Really? And I start laughing. And then I had I had a workroom with me that day. And I say, hey, come over here, Miss Mrs. Jones. I'm not gonna use her name, obviously. And say, my friend here thinks he knows a lot already, being in the industry for a couple years. How much you think he knows it? And she said, Well, probably five to ten percent. And then I started laughing, and his taller was, no way, I've been here long enough. I already know all of this, just to realize how little you know when you really don't know. And that was a conversation that I had with Jessica Harland the other day. She's a guest on one of the podcasts I recorded, and she trains people all over the country. It was exactly what she said. People get into this industry thinking, oh yes, just shades, just a couple measurements, just a couple brackets, just a couple screws, and these cannot be more wrong. So people think they're gonna make a quick money, and then they realize that every window is different. Every window has the window is the same, actually, but the way the construction works, you frame the shape, you frame the windows, and as you frame, things get slightly different. So that's why it's imperative that you measure every single window individually in three spots. That's why I tell everyone that assumptions cost money because the windows look the same, because they are the same size. But what changes is the sheer rock is the woodwork that goes around it. On top of that, there are so many different products. The styles are similar. Roller shades are made by different manufacturers, they all work the same way, but each manufacturer have their own sets of fabrics, they own their own sets of brackets, their own types of remotes, and that is for roller shades alone. Now multiply that by cell shades, by Roman shades, by zebra shades, by you know woven shades, blinds, and then silhouettes, and then these, and then that, and then control options. Cordless, cord loop, remote control, smart ones, the amount of possibilities to screw up a job is just unbelievable. And then we are dealing with consumers with clients that has money is not a necessity window treatments. Window treatments is a want, so people can be very speaky, also people can be very sentimental. You are dealing with their homes, with their temple, with their sacred place to live. So people can get really attached to all of that. On top of all of these details, you're getting with tools into the house, how the light works, you going into a private residence, people have you know their own belongings in there, they work, you need to work after hours, you need to work weekends. If potential workers and prospects coming into this industry really had a clue how much goes into our industry, they would walk away and run up to the mountains just because it is insane. Still, everyone that I know in this industry, they love it. It's such a drug, it makes you addicted to the amount of details, the amount of thrill, the places we go, the people we meet, the stories we learn, the challenges we face. But honest to God, this industry is very, very intense. I'm not even going to mention soft treatments, draperies, uh, balances, Roman shades, which it is another whole world on top of the hard treatments. Then come shutters and how you mount, and the clearance with the windows, are the windows tilt in, the windows fixed, how you're gonna reach, how you're going to make everything to line up, and then I move to Florida, and then I realized that is a exterior world for roller shades, screens, awnings, hurricane shutters, and the thing keeps on and on and on, window tinting. So the amount of possibilities in the industry is incredible, super, super big. You can make a ton of money, but also be aware that the amount of details, the amount of work that goes into it is also gigantic. So before you jump into this industry, I just want to make sure you understand where you are stepping into it. If you're ready to move in, I'll be more than happy to help you out as much as I can. Just send me an email, send me your comments, your suggestions, your questions. Also, there's a ton of information out there on Facebook groups, on uh magazines, on podcasts, and one thing this industry is absolutely fantastic is the amount of camera deer everyone welcomes the next person. If they learned, they will be willing to share, and that is the beauty of this industry. So that's my message for today. It's harder than you think, but you're always gonna get support from the ones that already have been there. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you soon. Take care.

Intro / Outro 11:28

That's a wrap for this episode of No Strings Attached, untangling conversations about shady topics. If you've enjoyed today's discussion, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with fellow industry pros and window treatment enthusiasts. For more expert insights, follow Roger on social media and visit shades in place at www.shadesinplace.com. Thanks for listening. And until next time, keep your shade stylish and your conversations shady.