The Grit Blueprint Podcast
Building Materials Clash of The Titans, Todd Tomalak on Paradigm Industry Insiders
October 15, 2025 Length: 41 min Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
On Paradigm Industry Insiders, Todd Tomalak and Stefanie Couch look past a soft Q3 2025 building materials market to what the data says about 2026. They cover rising home-equity access, deferred window and door demand, QXO and Lowe's, and Stefanie's five-part BLEND playbook for independents.
About This Episode.
The market may be down in Q3 2025, but the data tells a different story about what's coming in 2026.
If you sell to or through pros, this is the map for what’s about to move.
Stefanie shares her five-part BLEND playbook for independents to stay relevant, which you won't want to miss.
Topics we cover
- • Market softness set against rising home-equity extraction
- • Deferred demand building in windows and doors through 2027
- • Pros as channel kingmakers and the labor bottleneck
- • Independents’ path: brand, leverage, experience, niche, digital
- • E‑commerce up despite softer orders; research shifts online
- • Decentralization vs scale in post-acquisition execution
- • QXO vendor simplification, price leadership, AI investment
- • Lowe’s marketplace, builder focus, and footprint advantage
- • Measure pro digital draw rate and close the loop with AI search
- • Training to de-risk complex, high-margin installs
Key Takeaways.
- Home-equity access is up this year, but that capital has not reached jobsites yet.
- Deferred demand is building in windows and doors through 2027 and could create a 2021-style scramble as early as 2026.
- Pros act as channel kingmakers, and training can de-risk complex, high-margin installs.
- Stefanie's BLEND playbook gives independents five areas to stay relevant: brand, leverage, experience, niche and digital.
- E-commerce is up despite softer orders, and the episode recommends measuring pro digital draw rate and closing the loop with AI search.
Questions and Answers.
What is the building materials outlook for 2026?
Todd Tomalak and Stefanie Couch note that the market was down in Q3 2025, but home-equity access is up and that capital has not hit jobsites yet. A surge in windows and doors could create a 2021-style scramble as early as 2026.
What is the BLEND playbook for independent dealers?
BLEND is Stefanie Couch's five-part playbook for independents to stay relevant: brand, leverage, experience, niche and digital.
How are QXO and Lowe's changing the pro channel?
The episode covers QXO's vendor simplification, price leadership and AI investment, along with Lowe's marketplace, builder focus and footprint advantage.
Keep Watching.
-
Speed, Scale, And The Future Of Independent Hardware
October 24, 2025, 16 min -
How TOOLBX Helps Dealers Get Paid Faster: Erik Bornstein
October 21, 2025, 20 min -
The Power of Metrics, Drive & Team Culture in LBM Sales: Eric Knox
October 17, 2025, 22 min -
Tech, Service, And The Co-op Edge: Marianne Thompson
October 14, 2025, 23 min -
Loyal Fans, Lasting Success: Zamzow’s Inc
October 11, 2025, 28 min -
Niche, Trust, and the Independent Advantage: Russ Kathrein
October 10, 2025, 25 min
Book a Call
Pick a time that works for you. We will talk through your event, your audience and your goals, and whether Stefanie is the right fit.