Mastering the Craft: Chris Zimmerman's Blueprint for Roofing Success in 2026

About this episode

Chris Zimmerman shares insights on the roofing industry's transformation and his business strategies for success.

In this explosive episode of The Kitchen Table Podcast, host Ken Baden welcomes Chris Zimmerman, owner of At Your Service Roofing and co-founder of Master Your Craft. Chris pulls back the curtain on the roofing industry's massive transformation, revealing why 2024 was both the best and most challenging year for contractors. Chris discusses his complete business overhaul—eliminating two divisions, restructuring leadership, and pivoting from 90% restoration to 70% retail revenue. Despite his market being down 20-40%, Chris achieved record-breaking numbers by simplifying processes and focusing on what matters: customer service, quality, and building sustainable systems. The conversation dives deep into the "magnetic hail" phenomenon, insurance carrier challenges, the importance of mastering retail sales, and why reputation trumps revenue. Chris also teases two exciting new ventures with John Lombard: a scientific hail damage testing service and an AI tool that will revolutionize how contractors handle insurance claims. Whether you're a seasoned contractor or just starting out, Chris delivers actionable insights on surviving and thriving in an increasingly competitive market.

People in this episode

Host: Ken Baden

Guest: Chris Zimmerman

Topics covered

• roofing industry transformation
• business overhaul
• customer service
• retail sales
• insurance claims
• sustainable systems

Keywords

• roofing
• business strategy
• customer service
• insurance
• retail revenue
• sustainable systems
• hail damage
• contractors

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: At Your Service Roofing, Master Your Craft

More episodes of The Kitchen Table

• From Homeless to $3–5 Million: Cory Smeallie's Roofing Redemption Story · June 5, 2026 · 28 min
• Solo Episode: What's Really Happening in Roofing & Home Services Right Now · May 29, 2026 · 17 min
• The Lead Problem Is Solved — If You're Willing to Use AI with Chris Mechanic · May 22, 2026 · 43 min
• How Smart Business Owners Use AI & Virtual Assistants to Buy Back Their Time | Andrew Hathaway · May 15, 2026 · 33 min
• Brothers Beyond the Finish Line: Brent & Kyle Pease on Faith, Disability, and Iron Man · May 8, 2026 · 29 min
• Buying, Building & Scaling Blue Collar Businesses | Ian McCarthy of Blue Claw Group · April 17, 2026 · 51 min