Marco Menna insulted me! At least that's how I like to tell the story of how we met. What Marco was really doing, was trying to give me some insight in 2018, in Cleveland. Marco and his partner Kevin, were coming off a Marquee project, and used drone technology, combined with some great shots, to make a promo video for their company. A great Marketing strategy and something Marco was REALLY stressing to me that I needed to do. Im not saying he was wrong, but the video I was making at that time w...
Jul 10, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 67
Daniel has become a close friend of mine. We talk strategy, family, introspectiveness, purpose and a whole lot more. He also looks out for me, and calls me on my bulls***, as we are in the same industry together. We dive into a great conversation here about all we have learned and our perspectives. Especially from our businesses, Proline Parking Lot Maintenance (Daniel) and Wis-Coat (Me). Its long winded but a great conversation about the journey, keeping things in perspective, and "doing it for...
Jun 23, 2022•1 hr 25 min
Imagine my surprise, when of all people ThorSport Racing said they could get on the podcast, was Ben Rhodes. Ben is the reigning 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion and currently leads the Points this season. Driving the #99 Toyota, sponsored by Bombardier, Ben gives us insight into what it takes to stay in front, the prep work leading up to the race and how his team studies the Asphalt at every track, in order to give them the best shot on Raceday. Ben also drops a bomb on me during...
Jun 14, 2022•48 min
Ray Leonard Jr is the Son of Boxing Legend, "Sugar" Ray Leonard. Now that is out of the way. Ray Jr has more accomplishments, businesses and downright good things to be said about him than I have letters allowed to type intros description...and through it all, he has kept his family close. With a connection to the Asphalt Industry and an entrepreneurial spirit, Ray speaks to our community very well, and connects even better, as generational success is something our industry is made of. Ray talks...
Jun 09, 2022•55 min•Season 3Ep. 64
MY friend, and repeat BB guest, Brian Hess and I talk about where we are at in our ventures, Blacktop Banter, Top Contractor School...and how they are coming together at an epic event coming up soon. We also talk about other topics within, and outside our industry. This combo of Brian and I is one that gets requested often by listeners and we are both very happy to bring it back to you. -Marvin
Jun 04, 2022•57 min
Casey and I are aquatinted through a friend in the Sport Court business, and former podcast guest, Adam Gholston. Casey has an amazing story about his company Bin Blasters and how it started, what they do and where its going. Casey also would like to help entrepreneurs get into working in the outdoor business space as well. think service industries like sealcoating, pressure washing, lawn care, painting and more. Had a great time talking with Casey and we hope you enjoy this episode as well. -Ma...
May 31, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 63
Jason Thompson is a dear friend of mine. We connected through the Lawn Care and Landscape Industry Community about 6-7 years ago now, and when we met in person, we were instantly connected. We both knew the other was was genuine as they come and the integrity ran strong in both. Jason is an entrepreneur, father, singer jeep enthusiast and husband. Family comes first with Jason, which is why his company Grass is Greener is a family operated company. In this podcast, I ask my friend to get extreme...
May 23, 2022•1 hr 25 min
Returning guest Steve Flaherty, CEO of necoTECH, just won't stop. The dude is always inventing something new, developing something new, investing in something new and doing something new. In the short span since his last visit, necoTECH as become Multi-faceted, with developments in different areas. Which, has forced the development of necoBrands. Steve goes over what all is going on at Neco and HOW YOU CAN INVEST IN IT....did I say that loud enough? You don't want to miss this episode, which is ...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 61
Remember back when you were a kid and loved everything Asphalt and Aggregate? And all you wanted was for the field you loved most, was for there to be a SUPERHERO that represented it? Yeah, ME TOO. Well, meet Flexman. Judas Vriseno has been in the Asphalt world for many years, and awhile back transitioned to the aggregate side. It wasn't long before he found his niche, Screens and Screening. Judas brings that expertise in his niche of Wire Screening in Shakers to his alter ego Flexman. In one of...
May 09, 2022•44 min•Season 3Ep. 60
About an hour and a half away from me here in Lone Rock, WI, there is a company called Rock County Sealcoating. So you would think, being as rural as Wisconsin is and the fact that WisCoat services about a 2 hour radius, that we would run into each other. We don't. In fact, the day Bob came by to visit and record this podcast, was the very first day we had met. We took a tour of Lone Rock and I showed him where I started, and talked about how. Then, it was Bob's turn to tell his story about how ...
May 02, 2022•42 min•Season 3Ep. 59
Our Buddy is Back! Spencer Boyd drives the #12 Youngs Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. This is Spencers 3rd time on the podcast and this time he goes over some new Asphalt at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his Throwback Paint Scheme, Elon Musk, and his booming TikTok account...amongst a slew of other things that he's been up to. Spence is going to Darlington to race next and goes over what he is going to expect there, while also telling us how Bristol was this time around...
Apr 26, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 58
What do you get when you mix a southern drawl, Division 1 College Athletics, Line Striping, Release Agents, Cowboys and a Taste for Whiskey on Broadway in Nashville? The Answer... Josh Rigsbee. Josh is a generational cog in his family's business machine, ChemTek. ChemTek makes many chemicals used in the asphalt industry, with PavePro (a diesel replacement release agent) as their marquee product. Josh also has a small niche clothing brand called Asphalt Cowboys, geared toward "Good Ol' Boys" with...
Apr 20, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 57
Scott Morse and I have been friends ever since I started the US Sealcoaters Group on Facebook. Scott was in there consuming all the knowledge and insight he could, while I was getting my first taste of controlling this social media thing. As time passed, both our businesses grew, as did our impact on the Asphalt and Asphalt Maintenance community. Scott still runs his business, Arch City Sealcoating, while also being a Full-Time BMW Mechanic, running a Music Production company and hosting a YouTu...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 56
If you have used any kind of a oil-jacketed crack-sealing machine in our asphalt industry, the chances the are it has a hose from Copperstate hose on it. Also, the hoses that Evan and Copperstate Hose make, and design, are not just limited to our industry. In this podcast, Evan explains to us how Copperstate got started, their history with almost every Hot-Applied Crack Sealing Machine manufacturer in the industry and some of the BIG names outside of our industry that they have designed some ver...
Apr 10, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 55
If you have followed the podcast for the last few years, you know that I took a break...for almost a year. I break down why, and how I got prepared and re-motivated to fire up the 3rd season again. I also comment on the asphalt industry community and how y'all have supported the podcast, and how that is creating great opportunities for the Future. That being said, I talk about what the podcast's future looks like...for all of us. I am thankful for all the support from everybody that follows and ...
Apr 07, 2022•34 min
Software. We have all seen the booths, convos in the Facebook groups and Ads in the Magazines. With so many choices with software for contractors, which ones do we use and why? Some are too simple, some are way too complicated. Two main areas of software that we cover in this episode is Estimating/Mapping and Group/Client communication. Co-Founder, Hayden Cortez introduces us to a new software program called SpotOnSite, and tells us what it can do for contractors like us, as well as for the clie...
Mar 24, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 53
Jason Scherer is CEO of 28Circles, an Internet Marketing Service Company based in Colorado. They specifically help Asphalt Paving & Sealcoating contractors grow their revenue, sales and margins, through a simple and affordable service, directed at contractors just starting out to contractors looking to take the next step in more leads. Jason provides his background in the asphalt industry, from toting buckets of sealer up driveways and details just what we can start doing as contractors on o...
Mar 20, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 53
Easy, beginner, and affordable Office/Estimating/ Invoicing software. Where to start and what to jump to next? First off, I have to apologize for the crappy audio/mic on my end, my normal mic is malfunctioning. I really wanted to talk to Ryan about his use of the software program he uses called Jobber. He is the only guy I know in the industry that uses it, but I know many contractors from the Lawn Care and Landscape industry that use it and love it. In this episode we discuss that software, and...
Mar 13, 2022•56 min•Season 3Ep. 51
Since our very first conversation, Matt Stanley and I connected with a common goal and interest...Branding. In this conversation, Matt of course talks about American Pavement, his family's iconic business, but also gives us the story of Raised On Blacktop and its rise to being the Asphalt Industry's Leading clothing, merch and workwear brand. The brand even had their recent collaboration with LeeBoy, the Raised On Blacktop Edition Paver, on display at National Pavement Expo in Charlotte. Matt gi...
Mar 08, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 50
Adam knows Sports Courts. When we say sports courts, we mean tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and more. Adam owns AG Sports Surfaces in Indiana and has traveled across America installing the. He has also mentored contractors in our industry on how to install sports courts as well. In this Episode, Adam explains his business, how he got started and how the installation process is done. It was a pleasure to have somebody who gives back to the industry in such a niche market, on the sh...
Mar 04, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 49
Chad Jung owns Preferred Striping out of Elk River, Minnesota. When it comes to credentials, this guy has been striping longer than I've been alive almost and his seminars show it. With years of knowledge and constantly adapting to innovation in the striping industry, Chad has cemented his place as one of the top minds in his field. His class, "Improve Striping Productivity Using Todays Technology" is one of the most frequented at the national Pavement Expo. In this podcast. we cover his busines...
Mar 10, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 48
Recently, I had noticed this guys name popping up in Facebook groups a lot then he started joining the Blacktop Banter Clubhouse and chiming in. My first impression of Nik Biddinger is "This is a really Nice Guy'. After awhile we started talking a little more here and there, and realized we were having some great convos. So why not record one for the Pod? Nik is a "lifer" in the industry. His family started Great Lakes Striping & Sealing in Michigan and he is former Co-President at Molon Asp...
Mar 07, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Steve Flaherty and I met in the Blacktop Banter Clubhouse room.He spoke a couple of times and on one of those occasions he mentioned "Plastic in Asphalt" and that his company makes it... OK, you have my attention. Steve is Founder and CEO of NecoTech, out of Delaware, Ohio. If you pop over to the NecoTech Instagram profile it says "We help upcycle waste materials into sustainable infrastructure products". After my conversation on the podcast with Steve, I realize it is much more than that. You c...
Mar 04, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Ive known this guy personally for a number of years now. We actually used to be in a snapchat group together and talked EVERY SINGLE DAY for about 3 years. The transition from then to now is unbelievable when I think about Paul. We has accomplished so much business-wise and personally, that I knew his story would be great to have brought to your ears. Also, Paul hosts what many would say, is the most recognizable podcasts in the green industry... The Green Industry Podcast. In this interview, Pa...
Feb 25, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 45
I met Prince on Clubhouse. I was in a room just listening while working out, and this guy had the mic for about minute. During that minute, he told of his College football accolades and of his NFL career...and that was the most brief part. The rest of the time he spoke about how he had really benefited from Meditation and breathing, and wanted help others. THAT is the part that drew me in. I have had many moments in my own life where I am overwhelmed by anxiety and depression, stopping to think,...
Feb 14, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 44
Two heavy-hitters, two different parts of the country, and a TON of Value. Usually when there is any kind of Expo or Conference in our industry, you can catch these two power-houses together. Last Year at NPE they but on a Stellar Seminar and it brings me great joy to have them join me on this episode. Steven Brahney owns Fix-Asphalt and Brahney Paving to of New Jersey and Craig Granroth is Founder at ACS (Asphalt Concrete Solutions) in Minnesota. This was a great conversation about our industry...
Feb 13, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 43
Back again before the BIG Race, Spencer Boyd is here to talk about what he expects at Daytona coming up soon and about racing on dirt at Bristol this year. He also goes into some details about the pavement conditions and what to expect, as well as the beautiful Raised On Blacktop/American Pavement #20 Chevy Silverado he will be manning at Daytona. Join in as we have a great conversation from the tires, to the aerodynamics of his truck, and beyond. So grateful to get another conversation in the b...
Feb 09, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 42
I met Crux at a dinner, at a mutual friends house a couple years ago outside of Louisville, Kentucky. He was using social media in many of the same ways I was, but he was in the hardscape world. In the Chicago area, he started his own business doing simple landscape projects and now he does complete outdoor recreational space design...all while letting followers take a look via his various social media outlets. Besides smashing Tacos on the regular, Crux is smashing it in business as well. in th...
Feb 08, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Old friends are the best friends. I don't know for sure if that is a saying, or I made it up just now...anyway, these two have been my friends for a long time now. We grew wings with our businesses together and have had the pleasure of seeing each others success take flight. In this conversation with Caleb and Brittany, we go over the history of their business, Auman Landscape LLC and talk about a lot of the regular struggles that contractors encounter. Caleb dives into his "kid contractor" days...
Jan 29, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Chris has been a longtime face and presence at NPE. The things he learned early on at the Expo and Conference were key elements, that he implemented, of creating a successful Paving business. Petra Paving is a staple in Hampstead, New Hampshire. Around since the Early 90's, the company is now starting to replace pavement that they originally installed! Petra also does Sealcoating and Asphalt Maintenance in their area as well. Chris drops some great knowledge in this podcast. If you are a company...
Jan 26, 2021•1 hr 9 min
