Want a real competitive edge that big-box chains can’t copy? Start with a story only your store can tell. We sat down on the floor at the Do It Best Market in Indianapolis with Marketing Director Kerry Hasselbach to unpack how independent hardware and LBM dealers turn authenticity into measurable growth without chasing perfection.

Kerry’s journey from designing handbags to leading co‑op marketing reveals a powerful truth, that industry fluency plus agency-level execution is a force multiplier for small businesses. We walk through how Do It Best’s in-house team acts like a bespoke agency: creative, paid social, display, and reputation management, tailored to each member’s goals. You’ll hear why service-led marketing outperforms product-only pushes, how to translate store life into scroll-stopping posts, and the simple habits that keep your brand top of mind in your neighborhood.

We dig into omnichannel strategy for today’s buyer: organic content meets targeted social, review responses, display placements, and smart email to create demand before customers are ready to swipe a card. Kerry shares practical wins from the new digital marketing solutions platform that centralizes campaigns and reviews into one app, saving time while improving results. We also spotlight Do it Best's CORE, the College of Retail Education, and Market Learning Sessions that turn knowledge into action so teams leave with a plan, not a pamphlet.

If you’re an independent looking to grow foot traffic, strengthen community ties, and build a brand that lasts, this conversation lays out a clear path: be consistent, be unmistakable, and let your customers see the humans behind the counter.

Topics we covered:
• Storytelling as a long-term competitive advantage
• How Do It Best functions as an in-house agency for members
• Managed services across creative, social, display, and reviews
• Why promoting services outperforms product-only posts
• Building an omnichannel plan that matches consumer behavior
• Using analytics to target demographics and share of wallet
• Creating relatable content from everyday store moments
• Progress over perfection for social video and photos
• CORE education and Market sessions to enable teams
• Final advice to lead with authenticity and consistency

Watch the Video Version

Catch this episode of The Grit Blueprint Podcast on YouTube:
👉 Stefanie Couch on YouTube

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Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint

Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com
YouTube: Stefanie Couch
Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial
LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch
Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com

👉 What Is Grit Blueprint?

Grit Blueprint is a media and growth company for the building industry. We help ambitious businesses in the building materials and construction industries grow through visibility, storytelling media, and smart systems.

👉 Book a Strategy Call

Ever wonder why some simple, scrappy videos drive floods of real customers while polished promos fall flat? We sat down with Brent of BYOT, a builder-turned-creator with 20 years on the tools, to unpack how clear teaching, strong hooks, and consistent posting turned DIY tutorials into a growth engine. From the dirt-to-lawn video that exploded his channel, to trade show walk-throughs that quietly trigger purchase orders, this conversation maps a practical path for local retailers who want sales, not just views.

We explore how to structure short-form vertical clips for attention and the specific tactics that move the needle: capture interest in the first three seconds, invest in clean audio, keep most videos 30–40 seconds, and let your profile do the selling with clear links and addresses. Brent explains why Facebook still matters for B2C, how TikTok accelerates discovery, and when longer YouTube tutorials deepen loyalty. He also shares the surprising metric that predicts conversions, shares over likes, and tells the story of a plastic caulking finger that racked up tens of millions of views and sold out inventory.

If you manage a hardware store, lumberyard, or building brand, you’ll get a workable blueprint on how to use video to create sales: start now, stay consistent, lean into humor, and spotlight the product expert, not the hard sell. Measure what matters, iterate from real data, and empower your team to test fresh ideas. The result is content that feels human, earns trust, and turns attention into revenue.

Topics we covered:
• Start with useful, step-by-step tutorials
• Lead videos with a strong hook
• Prioritize audio quality over perfect visuals
• Post consistently across your chosen platforms
• Use humor to show personality without hard selling
• Put address and links in profiles, not the videos
• Track shares and saves as signals of buyer intent
• Let product experts do the talking when possible

Watch the Video Version

Catch this episode of The Grit Blueprint Podcast on YouTube:
👉 Stefanie Couch on YouTube

Subscribe to Built to Win

Get exclusive insights, tools, and updates from Grit Blueprint, designed to help you lead and win in the building industry.
👉 Subscribe to Built to Win

Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint

Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com
YouTube: Stefanie Couch
Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial
LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch
Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com

👉 What Is Grit Blueprint?

Grit Blueprint is a media and growth company for the building industry. We help ambitious businesses in the building materials and construction industries grow through visibility, storytelling media, and smart systems.

👉 Book a Strategy Call

Fresh off the GlassBuild floor, we dig into the real story behind AI, sales momentum, and the future of windows, doors, and glass. Industry veteran Rick Cross, Account Executive at Paradigm, joins us to separate signal from noise, arguing that the biggest wins don’t come from shiny tools, but from teams that trust each other and processes built to carry weight. We explore how to turn traditional knowledge into systems, reduce error at the edges, and unlock self-serve quoting that speeds deals without sacrificing accuracy.

Rick’s “hull speed” analogy anchors the conversation: like a boat, every business has a sustainable pace. Push faster than your structure allows and you don’t grow, you break. We talk through how to design for the speed you want, from clean data and clear roles to measured implementation and empathetic selling. You’ll hear how to read timing in complex deals, when to ease off and when to nudge, and why steady progress beats short-term sprints that burn trust.

We also look ahead at talent and training. With a generation of industry pillars nearing retirement and AI changing workflows, the opportunity is wide open for students, tradespeople, and technologists to build meaningful careers. Associations like WDMA and NGA can bridge the gap with seminars, school outreach, and content that shows how fenestration fuels safer, more affordable homes. To close, Rick shares practical ways to reset a slump: step away, take a break, or help someone else, so you return focused and effective.

Topics we cover:
• Tech fear reframed through the tractor analogy
• AI used to capture tribal knowledge and cut errors
• People and process as the real leverage, not tools
• Trust, clear paths, and win-win as project accelerants
• Software reducing friction and enabling self-serve quotes
• Patience in sales cycles and timing the push
• "Hull speed" as a guide for sustainable growth
• Habits for breaking slumps and sharpening skills
• Recruiting next-gen talent via schools and media

Watch the Video Version

Catch this episode of The Grit Blueprint Podcast on YouTube:
👉 Stefanie Couch on YouTube

Subscribe to Built to Win

Get exclusive insights, tools, and updates from Grit Blueprint, designed to help you lead and win in the building industry.
👉 Subscribe to Built to Win

Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint

Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com
YouTube: Stefanie Couch
Instagram: @StefanieCouchOfficial
LinkedIn: Stefanie Couch
Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com

👉 What Is Grit Blueprint?

Grit Blueprint is a media and growth company for the building industry. We help ambitious businesses in the building materials and construction industries grow through visibility, storytelling media, and smart systems.

👉 Book a Strategy Call