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"It's just shades." Famous last words.

Roger pulls back the curtain on why window treatments are one of the most underestimated trades out there — and why assuming "all the windows are the same" is one of the fastest ways to lose money, clients, and your mind.

There's a story in this episode that sticks with you: a helper a couple years in thinks he knows 50% of the business. A seasoned workroom pro laughs and says try 5–10%. That gap? That's where reorders happen. That's where delays live. That's where clients get frustrated.

We get into the fundamentals — why you measure every single opening, in multiple spots, every time — and how something as small as trim thickness, drywall texture, or framing can change how a shade mounts, clears, and hangs.

Then we zoom out. Roller shades, cellular, Roman, zebra, woven, shutters, exterior screens, hurricane systems — each one with its own brackets, fabrics, motors, remotes, and quirks. Oh, and you're doing all of this inside someone's home.

It's a trade that's intense, personal, and weirdly addictive if you're wired to solve problems.

If you're thinking about starting a window treatment business — or you're already in it and want to level up — this one's for you.

#WindowTreatments #BlindsAndShades #WindowCoverings #InstallerLife #HomeImprovement #SmallBusinessOwner #TradeLife #WindowShades #RollerShades #ShutterLife #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #Podcast #WindowTreatmentBusiness #LevelUp

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📩 Keep It Simple — for BlindsOnline customers & homeowners
📩 We Dress Naked Windows — for Shades In Place clients
📩 Trading Secrets — for window treatment trade professionals
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Profit is why we start a business, but nobody warns you how fast it can vanish. One wrong measurement, one damaged item, one “quick install” that turns into a four-hour problem, and the margin you counted on is gone.

We talk through the real math behind pricing in the window covering industry: understanding overhead costs, setting a true hourly rate, and what happens when competition pushes you to bid lower than your ideal number. If you install blinds, roller shades, or custom window treatments, you already know the gap between theory and the job site. We get honest about the hidden costs that show up after you win the project.

Then we share a hard lesson from the field: a helper mishandles an aluminum fascia, it slides into a client’s high-end furniture, and a $5,000 replacement wipes out the profit. That story leads to the most practical takeaway of the conversation, building an emergency fund from every job so you can fix mistakes, cover reorders, and keep your promises without panicking or cutting corners.

If you want better margins, fewer “worked for free” weeks, and a window treatment business that can handle chaos, hit play. Subscribe, leave a review, share with a fellow installer or designer, and tell us, what’s the one surprise cost that hits your jobs the most?

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📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce
📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings
📩 Trading Secrets - Trade
📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life

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What starts as a “quick” window treatment install can easily turn into a ten-day grind—and that’s where real growth happens.

In this episode of No Strings Attached, I break down a real-world job that tested everything: exterior shades, multiple sliding door screens, and complex triangular window screens. The kind of project that exposes gaps in planning, materials, measuring, and labor—fast.

If you’re a window treatment installer, blinds and shades professional, or interior designer, you’ll recognize the challenges immediately:

• Miscalculations and reorders
• Leveling issues and tricky window shapes
• Underestimated labor and install time
• The pressure to still deliver a clean, professional result

We also talk about what doesn’t get said enough in the window covering industry—the hidden cost of saying “yes” before you feel ready. From my early days installing plantation shutters on corner windows, tackling bay windows, learning drapery installs, to selling motorized shades when automation was still new, this episode is about learning in motion.

Because the truth is: you don’t grow when you feel ready—you grow when you step into jobs that stretch you.

I also connect the dots between job-site decisions and investing, sharing lessons from real estate experiences in Brazil and how overthinking can slow progress. Playing it safe might keep you busy, but it can quietly cap your potential.

This episode is about calculated risk, craftsmanship, and building confidence through experience—without compromising your standards.

🔑 Key Topics Covered

• Window treatment installation challenges
• Exterior shades and screen installations
• Measuring mistakes and how to avoid them
• Plantation shutters, motorized shades, and custom installs
• Growth mindset for installers and small business owners
• Risk-taking in business and trade work
  
  #WindowTreatments #BlindsAndShades #WindowCoverings #WindowTreatmentInstaller #ShadeInstallation #BlindInstallation
  #CustomWindowTreatments #ExteriorShades #MotorizedShades
  #PlantationShutters #ScreenInstallation #SlidingDoorShades
  #CustomInstalls #MeasureTwiceCutOnce #InstallerLife #TradeLife

🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com

📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready

Blogs:

📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce
📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings
📩 Trading Secrets - Trade
📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life

📚 Book Nobody Told Me That

Social Media:

IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email