Austin Killian brought a clear answer to that challenge. As co-founder and vice president of Home Genius Exteriors, he shared that growth in today’s market is not only about getting more leads. It is about building the people who can create more chances to serve homeowners. His message moved the conversation away from waiting for the phone to ring and toward a stronger system built on recruiting, training, canvassing, events, and team belief.

The purpose of the PowerChat was to help home improvement leaders think more clearly about how strong companies grow when the market is not easy. Austin explained that the old sales idea of “always be closing” is still important, but it is not enough by itself. 

His first strategy was “always be recruiting.” 

His second was simple too: “more training always wins.” 

Together, those ideas gave exterior remodeling CEOs a practical way to look at growth as a people system, not just a marketing system.

That message matters because the exterior remodeling industry is changing fast. Homeowners are more careful. Sales teams need more support. Companies that offer roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, and insulation must do more than show up with a product. They need trained people who can explain value, build trust, and help families make smart choices about their homes. Austin’s view shows why the best exterior home improvement companies are not only focused on lead flow. They are focused on talent flow, training flow, and steady action in the field.

The scale of Home Genius Exteriors gave the conversation even more weight. Austin shared that the company had reached $165 million so far that year, with about 35% of that coming from canvassing and events. That means nearly $56 million came from direct, people powered demand. For an award winning home improvement company in the Northeastern and Mid Atlantic U.S., that number shows the impact of building a team that can create opportunity instead of waiting for opportunity to arrive.

For leaders across the home improvement space, the conversation offered a clear lesson. A trusted exterior home remodeler does not grow by chance. It grows by finding the right people, training them with care, setting clear standards, and giving them a mission they can believe in. Austin’s message made the PowerChat more than a talk about sales. It became a growth playbook for companies that want to build stronger teams, serve more homeowners, and stay ready in every season.

Austin Killian shifts the sales mindset from closing deals to building people

In his PowerChat with Greg Cummings, Austin Killian gave home improvement leaders a simple idea that can change how they think about growth. For years, sales teams have heard the phrase, “always be closing.” Austin did not push that idea away. Instead, he added a deeper layer to it.

“We always say in sales, always be closing. Well, I have something that is going to be my first strategy that we are always focused on, that is the proven strategy and is the impact, which is always be recruiting,” said Austin Killian, co-founder and vice president of Home Genius Exteriors.

That line became the heart of the conversation. For Austin, recruiting is not something a company does only when it needs a new person. It is part of the growth system. It is a daily habit. It is how an exterior remodeling company protects its future before the market gets hard.

This matters because many companies wait too long. They wait until the sales team is tired, the lead flow slows down, or a key person leaves. Then they start looking for help. Austin’s view is different. He made it clear that strong companies are always looking for people who can join the mission, learn the work, and grow with the team.

That is one reason this message fits so well for an award winning home improvement company like Home Genius Exteriors. The company is known for roofing, siding, windows, exterior doors, gutters, insulation, and full home exterior renovation. But Austin’s point showed that the real strength behind those services is the people who bring them to homeowners every day.

When recruiting becomes a core business system, it gives leaders more control. It helps them prepare for slow seasons. It helps them grow during busy seasons. It helps them enter new markets with stronger teams. Most of all, it keeps the company from building growth on hope alone.

To learn more about the exterior remodeling company behind Austin Killian’s people first growth message, visit Home Genius Exteriors.

Training is what turns new talent into real performance

Austin’s second major point was just as clear as the first. Recruiting brings people into the company, but training helps them win.

“If you want to grow your organization, you better be able to train those people that you bring in,” said Killian. He also added, “More training always wins.”

That message is simple, but it carries weight. Many home improvement companies want to grow fast. They want more sales reps, more canvassers, more crews, and more office support. But if the training is weak, the growth will not hold. New people may join the team, but they may not know how to speak to homeowners, explain value, or represent the brand with care.

Austin’s insight shows that training is not just a first week task. It is a repeat habit. It gives people confidence. It gives them a clear path. It helps them know what to say, what to do, and how to carry the company mission into each home.

For a trusted exterior home remodeler, this matters at every step. Homeowners may be looking for roof replacement, siding installation, window replacement, exterior door installation, seamless gutter replacement, or insulation. They need more than a quote. They need someone who can guide them, answer questions, and help them feel safe about the choice they are making.

That kind of trust does not happen by chance. It comes from clear teaching. It comes from practice. It comes from a sales culture where leaders keep bringing the team back to the basics.

Austin later shared that the Home Genius sales team is “extremely scripted.” That does not mean the team is cold or stiff. It means the company believes in giving its people the right words, the right process, and the right support so they can serve homeowners with confidence.

For more leadership lessons from top home improvement voices, explore Power100.

Home Genius creates demand by going to the homeowner

One of the strongest parts of Austin’s interview was how he explained demand creation. He did not speak as if growth only comes from waiting for the phone to ring. He spoke about building a team that can go into the market and create real chances to serve homeowners.

Austin shared that Home Genius Exteriors had reached $165 million so far that year, and about 35 percent of that came from canvassing and events. That is nearly $56 million from knocking on doors and meeting homeowners where they are.

That number shows the power of people led growth. It also shows why recruiting and training matter so much. Canvassing and events only work when the right people are in the field, trained the right way, and backed by a clear mission.

In a tougher market, this is a major lesson for exterior remodeling leaders. Homeowners may still need roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, or insulation, but they may not always raise their hand right away. A strong field team can start that conversation. They can explain the value of a free inspection. They can help homeowners see problems before they become bigger. They can bring real service to the front door.

Austin made it clear that this work has helped the company push through market pressure. He said that when there are headwinds or challenges, one of the best ways to overcome them is to recruit the right people, train them at the right time, and use them well when many people are away, busy, or harder to reach.

That is the heart of people powered demand. It is not about pressure. It is about presence. It is about showing up with trained people who can help families understand their home exterior needs and take the next right step.

Homeowners looking for a stress free exterior home improvement contractor can learn more at Home Genius Exteriors.

Austin says every recruit should be treated like a sacred lead

Austin also gave leaders a fresh way to think about hiring. He compared recruiting to sales, not in a pushy way, but in a careful and thoughtful way.

“As a sales organization, we look at every lead being sacred,” said Killian. “Well, we look at recruiting the same way.” 

That line showed how serious Home Genius is about the people side of growth. In sales, a company studies the path from lead to customer. It looks at where the lead came from, how fast the team responded, how the offer was presented, and how the homeowner felt during the process. Austin said recruiting should be studied with the same care.

That means every candidate matters. How they are found matters. How the role is shared matters. How they feel in the first call matters. How they see the company mission matters. The goal is not only to fill a job. The goal is to help the right person see the chance in front of them and choose it with belief.

This is where the employee journey begins. Before a new team member ever knocks on a door, joins a sales meeting, or sits with a homeowner, they are already learning what the company values. If the recruiting process feels clear, strong, and human, it shows them how the company leads.

For Home Genius, that approach helps connect the people side of the business with the customer side. The same care that goes into helping homeowners through a roof replacement or siding project also goes into helping a candidate understand the company, the work, and the path ahead.

The employee journey starts before the first day

Austin’s view of recruiting also showed that culture does not begin after someone is hired. It begins in the first talk. It begins when a candidate hears the company story. It begins when they feel the energy of the team and understand what the company is trying to build.

Austin said the team gives candidates the chance to make the decision, “I want to work for that business.” That is an important shift. It means the company is not just asking people to join. It is helping them see the mission, feel the standard, and decide if they want to be part of it.

This is why Austin connected the candidate experience to the customer experience. A homeowner wants to feel safe when choosing a certified exterior home improvement expert. A candidate wants to feel clear when choosing a company. Both need trust. Both need a strong first impression. Both need to know that the company can guide them.

For growing home improvement companies, this is a lesson that reaches beyond hiring. It shows that culture is not a poster on a wall. It is how people are welcomed, taught, challenged, and supported. It is how a company talks about its vision. It is how leaders make the mission real.

Austin also spoke about the early days of the company, when there were not large budgets or big systems in place. He said the team had to get aligned on its story, vision, and mission. They had to speak with belief before they had major scale. That belief helped attract people who wanted to grow with the business.

For a home exterior renovation company, this kind of culture matters because the team carries the brand into every home. If people believe in the mission, homeowners can feel it. If people are trained and cared for, the customer experience becomes stronger.

Learn how Power100 helps spotlight leadership stories from the home improvement industry at Power100.

Clear expectations help build a stronger team

Austin also spoke with honesty about one of the hardest parts of leadership: setting clear expectations. Many leaders go soft when they are trying to hire. They do not want to scare people away. They may make the role sound easier than it is. But Austin made it clear that this can hurt the team later.

At Home Genius, the company is direct about what the role requires. Austin said the team is clear about training, schedule, and compensation. Candidates are expected to know those things before they move forward. They must understand the role and show that they are ready for it.

This builds a stronger culture because people are not surprised by the work. They know what they are joining. They know what will be asked of them. They know the company is serious about the standard.

Austin said the team is honest about the effort it takes to be part of the company. He explained that candidates are told they will have to work hard to be a genius. That kind of truth helps attract people who are ready for growth, not just people looking for an easy seat.

Clear expectations also make training stronger. When a person knows the standard before they start, coaching feels fair. Feedback feels clear. The mission feels real. Leaders can point back to the first conversation and remind the person why they chose the path.

This part of Austin’s message brought the whole interview together. Recruiting finds the right people. Training builds their skill. Demand creation gives them a field to win in. Clear expectations help the company protect its culture while it grows.

For home improvement leaders, that is the deeper lesson. Growth is not only about doing more. It is about building a company where people know the mission, understand the standard, and are trained to serve homeowners well.

Home Genius Exteriors Shows That Growth Means More When People Come First

The story behind Home Genius Exteriors is not only about fast growth, strong sales teams, or becoming a trusted exterior home remodeler across key U.S. markets. It is also about what the company chooses to do with its people, its voice, and its growing reach. As Austin Killian shared in the PowerChat, the company is built around recruiting, training, and creating opportunity. That same people first mindset also shows up in the way Home Genius Exteriors serves the communities around it.

One clear example is the company’s support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Philadelphia Plane Pull. For the second year in a row, the Home Genius team showed up for the event and helped push the total past $175,000 raised for families in crisis. For a company that works every day in roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, insulation, and full home exterior renovation, this effort adds a deeper meaning to the idea of protecting homes. Home Genius Exteriors protects homes for a living, but its team also believes a home is more than a roof and four walls. It is the people inside who make it matter.

That belief gives the company’s community work a clear link to its brand. A stress free exterior home improvement contractor is not only judged by the projects it completes. It is also judged by the care it brings into the lives of people. By standing with families in crisis, the Home Genius team showed that service can reach beyond the job site and into the moments when families need help the most.

Home Genius Exteriors has also shown a strong commitment to veterans. The company’s team joined VFW Post 6664 in Pittsburgh for a 5K Run and 2 Mile Walk, where Genius Marine Veteran Braeden finished in second place. That moment gave the company a chance to celebrate one of its own while also showing support for the veteran community.

But the company’s commitment does not stop at one event. Through its veteran focused work, Home Genius Exteriors continues to support those who served through Veteran Roof Deployments, a Military Hiring Pledge, a 10% Veteran Discount on every project, and GeniusVets, its employee run veteran community group. These efforts show how the company turns its values into action. It is not only hiring veterans. It is building a place where service members can feel seen, respected, and supported.

This matters because Austin’s message about recruiting and training is not only about business growth. It is about creating real paths for people. Veterans bring discipline, teamwork, grit, and leadership. Those same traits are needed in a strong home improvement company. By giving veterans a place to grow, Home Genius Exteriors is also building the kind of team that can serve homeowners with care and pride.

The company’s rise from $3 million to $300 million in seven years adds even more weight to this story. Home Genius Exteriors is not just growing for the sake of growth. It is using that growth to build future leaders. With a goal to become nationwide by 2030, the company is looking for sales leaders who want more than a job. It is looking for people who want to grow, lead, and help shape the next chapter of the home remodeling industry.

That is where this impact section connects back to Austin Killian’s core message. “Always be recruiting” is not just a hiring line. It is a belief that people are the future of the company. “More training always wins” is not just a sales line. It is a promise to help people become better. Through community service, veteran support, and career growth, Home Genius Exteriors is showing what happens when an award winning home improvement company builds growth around people first.

This is Home Genius Cares in action. It is a reminder that the best exterior home improvement companies do more than install roofs, siding, windows, doors, gutters, and insulation. They protect families. They support communities. They honor service. They create leaders. And they show that true growth is measured not only by revenue, but by the people and communities made stronger along the way.

The Future Belongs to Companies That Build People First

Austin Killian’s message comes at the right time for the home improvement industry. Many leaders are looking for the next tool, the next lead source, or the next way to win more jobs. Those things matter. But this PowerChat made one thing clear: the strongest growth still starts with people.

For exterior remodeling companies, the next season of growth will not be won by panic. It will be won by focus. Leaders will need to recruit with purpose, train with care, and build teams that know why their work matters. They will need to create demand with confidence, not wait for the market to make things easy. They will need to give their people a clear path, a strong mission, and the support to become better every day.

That is what made Austin’s insight stand out. He did not present growth as something only large companies can do. He showed that the real work begins with simple choices made often. Find the right people. Teach them well. Set clear standards. Keep the energy high. Build a culture where people want to grow.

For Home Genius Exteriors, that mindset has helped shape a company known for exterior remodeling, strong service, and a growing team with a clear mission. For the wider industry, it offers a simple reminder. A trusted home improvement company is not only built by the projects it completes. It is built by the people it develops and the homeowners it helps along the way.

As the market continues to shift, conversations like this give leaders a clear view of what is working inside companies that are moving with discipline and purpose. Austin’s message is not just about recruiting or training. It is about the kind of leadership the industry needs next. The companies that build people before they chase growth will be the ones most ready for what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why should home improvement leaders pay attention to a Power100 PowerChat instead of just studying company rankings?

Power100 rankings show who is leading the home improvement industry, but PowerChat conversations show how those leaders think. In this interview, Austin Killian did more than share numbers. He explained how Home Genius Exteriors uses recruiting, training, canvassing, events, and clear team culture to grow in a hard market. That gives other CEOs and contractors a real lesson they can use, not just a name on a list.

2. How does Power100 keep these leadership stories from sounding like simple company promotion?

Power100 focuses on what other home improvement leaders can learn from the conversation. In this PowerChat, the story was not only about Home Genius Exteriors. It was about a bigger industry lesson: growth starts with people. Austin Killian shared how “always be recruiting” and “more training always wins” can help exterior remodeling companies build stronger teams, create demand, and serve homeowners better.

3. Why does Austin Killian say “always be recruiting” instead of only “always be closing”?

Austin Killian believes a company cannot grow if it only focuses on closing jobs. It must also focus on finding and building the right people. His message is that recruiting should happen all the time, not only when a team is short. This helps exterior remodeling companies stay ready during slow seasons, busy seasons, and expansion seasons.

4. What makes training so important to the Home Genius Exteriors growth model?

Training turns new people into strong team members. Austin made it clear that hiring alone is not enough. If an exterior home improvement company brings in new people but does not train them well, growth can break down. Strong training helps team members speak with confidence, explain roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, and insulation clearly, and give homeowners a better experience.

5. Does Home Genius Exteriors depend only on paid leads to grow?

No. Austin shared that Home Genius Exteriors creates demand through canvassing and events. He said about 35 percent of the company’s $165 million so far that year came from canvassing and events, which was nearly $56 million. That shows how people powered demand can help a home exterior renovation company grow even when the market is harder.

6. Why does Home Genius Exteriors treat every recruit like a sales lead?

Austin explained that every lead is sacred in sales, and Home Genius Exteriors treats every recruit the same way. That means the company cares about how candidates are found, how the role is shared, how they feel, and how they decide to join. This helps the company attract people who believe in the mission before they ever sell a project.

7. How does Home Genius Exteriors show its people first culture outside of sales?

Home Genius Exteriors shows its people first culture through community work and veteran support. The team helped raise support for families through the Ronald McDonald House Charities Philadelphia Plane Pull. The company also supports veterans through Veteran Roof Deployments, a Military Hiring Pledge, a 10 percent Veteran Discount, and GeniusVets, its employee run veteran group. These efforts show that Home Genius Cares is more than a phrase.

8. What can other exterior remodeling companies learn from Austin Killian’s PowerChat?

Other companies can learn that growth is not only about more leads, more ads, or stronger closing lines. Austin’s message is that leaders should recruit better, train more often, set clear expectations, and build teams that believe in the mission. For roofing, siding, window replacement, exterior door installation, seamless gutter replacement, and insulation companies, that kind of people first system can create stronger growth and better homeowner trust.

About Power100

Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry. Built to give the best exterior remodeling CEOs, partners, and industry voices the recognition they deserve, Power100 helps spotlight the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of the market. Through rankings, interviews, leadership content, media coverage, and industry storytelling, Power100 gives contractors, partners, and homeowners a trusted place to discover the leaders who are building stronger companies, better teams, and a more respected home improvement industry.