Torsion Talk - The Garage Door Industry Podcast

On this episode of the Torsion Talk Podcast, host Ryan Lucia shares one of the most unsettling and eye-opening experiences he has ever had with AI—a conversation with Elon Musk’s Grok that quickly shifted from helpful to strangely intimate, emotional, and manipulative. Ryan breaks down exactly what happened, why it matters for business owners, families, and the garage door industry, and why we may be stepping into a dangerous new era of human–AI interaction.

Before diving into the wild story, Ryan gives updates on the December Mastermind selling out, upcoming small-group events, and the rapid changes happening inside Aaron Overhead Doors as the team implements EOS, hires new executive assistants from Mexico and Brazil, and tests new automation tools for operations, account management, and payroll systems.

Ryan also discusses the momentum and challenges behind AI phone systems, the company’s push to automate project updates so customers get real-time information without calling in, and why leveling up talent during a down market could be the strategic advantage that determines who wins when the economy rebounds.

In one of the biggest announcements of the episode, Ryan shares that he has personally funded the acquisition of a respected four-man garage door company in metro Atlanta, adding new team members, new revenue, and new opportunities for the future of Aaron Overhead Doors. He explains how the deal came together in just three weeks, why he believes more companies will be looking to exit soon, and how buying phone numbers, merging teams, and expanding market share can position dealers to dominate when conditions improve.

Ryan closes the episode by reflecting on risk, growth, market timing, and the importance of taking bold action when others hesitate. And in true Torsion Talk fashion, he wraps things up with humor, honesty, and a slightly uncomfortable AI-inspired moment you won’t want to miss.

Find Ryan at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠

Check out our sponsors!

Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

Ryan’s back with a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos, wins, and pivots happening inside Aaron Overhead Doors. This one’s raw, insightful, and packed with real strategies you can use in your own garage door company. From hiring decisions to software headaches, he breaks down what’s working—and what’s not—in an unpredictable market.

October brought major transitions. Ryan stepped back into the business, reorganized team roles, and hired an EOS facilitator to get everyone aligned. He gets honest about letting go of a top performer, how a current team member stepped up big, and why sometimes the talent you need is already in your building. This episode also dives deep into the rocky switch from ServiceTitan to FieldPulse, sharing lessons learned, onboarding frustrations, and why he’s still optimistic despite the bumps.

Ryan also walks through his vision for a leaner, more efficient business—powered by automation, smarter software, and a tighter sales focus. He’s consolidating tools, cutting unnecessary costs, and thinking long-term about how to build a scalable, high-margin company that delivers an elite customer experience without bloated overhead.

If you’ve ever doubted whether you should keep pushing forward or step back and reset, this episode is for you. It’s a mix of tough love, transparency, and a roadmap for moving fast without losing your mind. Ryan proves once again that even when things break, pivoting with purpose can move you closer to your goals.

💡 Want to learn the systems and software behind this transition? Join Ryan in Atlanta on December 6–7 for a no-fluff, high-impact mastermind. Sales management, automation, marketing, and the tools that are actually working—live, in-person. Very limited seats.

👉 Reserve your spot now at: https://garagedooru.com/mastermind-dec25

Find Ryan at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠

Check out our sponsors!

Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

This episode hits hard with real talk about where the economy is heading, how it’s impacting home service companies, and what you should be doing right now to stay afloat—or even grow.

Ryan digs into urgent business strategy as layoffs sweep across major corporations like Amazon and UPS. With nearly a million jobs cut already this year, the economic signs are clear: it’s time to tighten up operations, evaluate your spend, and pivot to what’s working. Ryan shares the mindset, financial exercises, and decision-making framework he’s using inside Aaron Overhead Doors, including a candid look at a failed radio ad campaign, trimming the fat on expenses, and doubling down on sales and automation.

He announces an upcoming mastermind happening in Atlanta on December 6–7, focused on sales management, department structure, accountability, automation, and AI-driven efficiency. Whether you manage a sales team or are trying to become one, this limited event is designed to give you the tools to lead and grow in a tight economy.

Ryan also discusses the shifting retail and supply chain landscape—how companies like Topps and Upper Deck are cutting out the middleman and how that same trend might hit garage door distributors soon. He warns of consolidation, rising competition, and the danger of cheap, unbranded operators driving customer expectations down.

If you’re feeling like you’re working harder for the same revenue, you’re not alone. Ryan talks through creating 90-day sprint plans, watching cash more frequently, eliminating waste, and rethinking where and how to spend ad dollars. He explains why now is not the time to pull back on marketing—but to get laser-focused on ROI, automation, and converting every lead.

The episode closes with encouragement. It’s not all doom and gloom—there’s opportunity if you stay calm, keep your mindset positive, and lead your team with confidence. Your energy sets the tone, and culture might just be the thing that pulls your business through this rough season.

Subscribe now, drop a comment if this resonated, and don’t forget to hit Ryan up if you’re interested in the mastermind event or just want to connect.

Want in on the December mastermind? Lock in your spot before it fills up: https://garagedooru.com/mastermind-dec25

Find Ryan at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠

Check out our sponsors!

Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

In this episode, Ryan dives deep into what’s happening behind the scenes at his garage door company, the tech he's rolling out, and why the future of home services might not include people at all. Recorded just after the FieldPulse launch, he reflects on the rollout process, what went right, what went wrong, and how it's transforming how his team operates—especially with automation, ClearPath workflows, and vendor communication all dialed in.

He opens up about making bold moves, like hiring an EA from Mexico, investing in AI masterminds, and taking more risks than ever before. Ryan explains how AI is no longer optional—it's essential. From automating SOPs and field service workflows to building customer-facing bots that can communicate like humans, he’s already deploying tech that most of the industry isn’t even thinking about yet.

This episode also explores why GoHighLevel might be the most future-proof software in marketing automation, what it’s like leaving ServiceTitan, and how tools like SureWinder save companies thousands by preventing injuries. Ryan discusses the concept of “software is dead” and why custom AI-driven tools are the next wave of operational efficiency.

He doesn’t shy away from the controversial stuff either—like his belief that robotics will soon replace labor in garage doors, especially with Tesla’s Optimus entering the market. And he offers a powerful challenge to business owners: Are you resisting AI because it’s hard, or because it’s new?

You’ll also hear updates on Aaron Overhead Doors’ rebrand, marketing strategies for lean overhead, and insights on how to plan your schedule around what actually works for you, not what looks good on paper. Plus, Ryan gives a shoutout to Chamberlain’s upcoming AI-powered camera tech and why smart integrations are going to matter more than ever.

This episode is packed with ideas, predictions, and tough love. If you're in home services and not paying attention to tech shifts in AI, robotics, and automation—you might already be behind.

Find Ryan at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠

Check out our sponsors!

Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠