The Grit Blueprint

Kim Peffley, Regional Vice President at Nation's Best, shares her journey from working at her family's True Value store to preserving business legacies across the hardware industry. Her story showcases how the building and construction industry offers incredible opportunities for making meaningful community impact while building successful careers.

• Began working at age 15 in her family's True Value hardwar...

Chris Miller of Nation's Best shares how the company has grown from zero to 64 stores across 18 states by immediately investing in store renovations that transform mom-and-pop hardware stores into professional retail environments. Their strategy centers on honoring retail legacies while modernizing operations through strategic investments, technology integration, and talent development.

• Started Nation's Best in...

Erin Moore shares why being small and nimble in the lumber industry is a competitive advantage in today's market. We explore how independent lumberyards can thrive amid industry consolidation by leveraging their deep community relationships and service-oriented approach.

• Third-generation owner of Moore Lumber and Hardware, operating 7 locations with 150 employees in Colorado
• Largest independent lumber company ...

Mark Blickenstaff, Divisional Director at Moore Lumber and Hardware, shares how their 75-year-old business is embracing AI to enhance customer service while maintaining personal relationships. His team has implemented innovative solutions including an AI paint ordering agent, financial analysis tools, and marketing content generation that's transforming how their independent lumberyards operate.

• Use AI to augment hu...

Deborah Everson shares how she transformed a struggling family hardware business into a thriving community hub before executing a successful exit strategy, despite having no prior retail experience. She details their journey from declining sales to creating a boutique-style store with community events that changed customer perception from "last resort" to "first choice."

• Women's confidence in bus...

Branding in the building materials industry is the foundation of trust, growth, and legacy, not just logos and colors. Strong brands differentiate products in crowded markets, helping companies avoid competing solely on price while creating emotional connections that drive purchasing decisions.

• Psychology of branding explains how emotions drive 95% of purchasing decisions, even in B2B transactions
• Strong brands lik...

Stefanie and branding expert Beth Carr explore how storytelling transforms marketing in traditionally "boring" industries like construction and building materials. They uncover the psychology behind why humans connect with stories over facts and provide actionable strategies for businesses to craft compelling brand narratives.

• Stories are hardwired into human psychology and create stronger connections than fact...

The building materials industry is evolving with technological advances and operational challenges, requiring dealers to execute strategically rather than rely on market tailwinds. The conversation explores how independents can compete with growing consolidation trends by identifying specific market needs and providing services that larger companies can't match.

• The industry needs to improve recruitment of minoritie...

Dan Starr, president and CEO of Do it Best Group, shares insights on strategic acquisitions, technology, and branding to help independent lumber yards and hardware stores thrive against big-box competition.

• Discussing Do it Best's recent acquisition of True Value after many years of conversation between the companies
• Spring Market in Orlando setting records with over 10,000 attendees from both Do it Best and T...

Are you ready to explore the dynamic world of construction through the lens of women making waves in the industry? This episode of the Builder Upper Show features the inspiring voice of Stefanie Couch, founder of Grit Blueprint and a trailblazer who shares her journey from a childhood steeped in the family's lumberyard to establishing her own growth and AI-marketing company aimed at empowering construction businesses. We dive ...

This is a special episode! 

Get ready for a deep dive into the disruptive changes in the lumber and building materials (LBM) market coming to Orlando March 18th through March 20th! 

This episode explores the monumental merger between True Value and Do it Best, a game-changer for independent retailers seeking new opportunities. We talk about how this landmark collaboration enhances supply chain efficiency and strengthens vendor relati...

This is an episode recorded on the Specified Growth Podcast, where Stefanie was a guest.  Find out more here: https://tatstalks.com/specified-podcast

On this episode, Stefanie and host Tatsuya "Tats" Nakagawa, explore the journey of personal branding in the building industry, where individuality meets traditional business practices. 

The episode highlights the value of adapting to modern consumer expectations while staying ...

This episode was filmed live at WMA 2024. 

Stefanie and John Wheeler from Paradigm delve into the significance of networking within the millwork industry and the rising role of AI in enhancing business practices. We discuss industry trends, knowledge gaps, and the importance of personal branding in creating a lasting impact.

• Importance of events for networking and learning 
• AI as a tool for efficiency and ...

In this episode of the Grit Blueprint podcast, Stefanie Couch emphasizes the importance of consistency in achieving personal and professional success. She discusses effective goal-setting strategies, particularly the concept of the 12 12-week year, which encourages setting fewer, more focused goals to drive productivity. Stefanie also highlights the significance of working backward from goals to identify daily actions necessary for...

On this episode, Stefanie is joined by Marion Pulse. 

Marion is a nonprofit leader with a diverse background in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, currently serving as the Member Services and Engagement Manager at the National Fenestration Rating Council. With a master’s in public administration and a commitment to fostering strong relationships, Marion brings a wealth of experience in relationship management, educa...

Stefanie sits down with Casey Ritter. 

After 7 years in the firearms industry, Casey fell into construction by chance. She quickly felt right at home coming from a male dominated industry. Being the only female in the room wasn’t the hard part. Casey was young, hungry, and had absolutely no knowledge of anything construction related. She had to overcome everyone’s perceived notion of her knowledge in construction; which ca...

Stefanie is joined by Keeley Ehrenreich.

Keeley is an accomplished operations leader in the roofing industry, bringing a wealth of experience from her diverse professional background. Having also worked in the window and door industry and the medical field, Keeley’s career journey has equipped her with unique insights and a dynamic skill set that she shares in this episode of The Grit Blueprint podcast. Based in Orlando, F...

In this episode Stefanie is joined by Amy Roosa.

Amy brings 2 decades of dedicated experience as a safety professional, with a rich background spanning various sectors of safety, from construction to general industry. Her journey has been marked by impactful collaborations with prestigious organizations such as the National Safety Council, where she played a pivotal role in establishing the Government and Public Sector Div...

Judy Haney is the Region Commodity Procurement Manager
for Boise Cascade’s Building Materials Distribution division.
Her current responsibilities include helping develop new products
with home center sales teams, supervising home center
procurement specialists, overseeing external remanufacturing
contracts, and sourcing composite panels for 38 branch
locations. She is a graduate of the Company’s Leadership