Torsion Talk - The Garage Door Industry Podcast

In this episode of the Torsion Talk Podcast, Ryan Lucia tackles one of the biggest questions garage door and home service business owners are asking right now: what marketing strategies are actually working today? With constant changes in Google, AI, and paid media, Ryan breaks down why relying on SEO alone is no longer enough and what you should be doing instead to generate business right now.Ryan walks through five practical, affordable marketing tactics he’s seeing work across his own companies and client accounts. He explains why emailing your existing customer database is one of the most overlooked revenue drivers and how a single email can generate dozens of jobs with almost no cost. He also dives into the power of organic video reels, especially on Instagram, and why authentic, engaging content builds trust and brand recognition even when not every viewer is in your service area.The conversation shifts to why press releases are making a comeback and how awards, acquisitions, and milestones can be leveraged for real visibility when done correctly. Ryan then covers the growing importance of Google Business Profile and why it has become more critical than ever. He explains Google’s emerging AI-driven pricing features, what they mean for rankings, transparency, call handling, and why companies that aren’t optimized for GBP may be left out entirely.Ryan also shares why pricing conversations are unavoidable, how Google is prioritizing availability and booking, and why your team must be trained to handle pricing questions confidently when customers—or AI—call in. He rounds out the episode with insights on Meta ads, including boosting organic posts, audience targeting, radius and income filters, and why localized campaigns continue to perform when set up correctly.Throughout the episode, Ryan emphasizes that none of these strategies require massive budgets, but they do require focus, consistency, and execution. He encourages business owners to go all-in on Google Business Profile, lean into video, revive proven strategies that are working again, and stop waiting on SEO alone to carry the load.Ryan closes with a reminder that when business feels slow, the opportunities are often already sitting in your database, your content, and your local visibility—if you’re willing to act.Find Ryan at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

In this episode of the Torsion Talk Podcast, Ryan Lucia takes on one of the hardest topics in business: the tough conversations leaders avoid, create, or live inside without even realizing it. Coming off an incredible mastermind event in Atlanta, Ryan shares insights from guest speaker Chris Brooks of Central Door Solutions, whose sales-first approach built a thriving company without relying heavily on marketing. Ryan also recaps day two of the mastermind, where he introduced powerful automations and sales tools through HighLevel and explained how garage door companies can reduce costs and increase capability by integrating the right tech stack.Ryan gives updates on operator brands, including concerns about reliability, callbacks, and leadership changes across the industry, and shares his honest reaction to new products from Genie and LiftMaster. He highlights why consistency, not bells and whistles, is what customers truly want. He also talks about his new morning routine—early rising, stretching, meditation, prayer, and ashwagandha—and how it has dramatically improved his stress management and clarity.The core of the episode centers on fear, failure, and the limitations leaders place on themselves. Ryan explains why playing it safe is no longer an option in a landscape shaped by consolidation, national competitors, and shifting customer behavior. He breaks down why word-of-mouth isn’t a marketing strategy, why many small operators won’t survive without adapting, and how medium-sized companies can grow rapidly through smart acquisitions and partnerships.One of the most powerful moments comes from a story about circus elephants tied to chairs—a metaphor for the invisible limitations leaders drag with them for years. Ryan uses the analogy to challenge business owners to recognize where they’ve accepted false boundaries, outdated habits, and broken systems. He openly reflects on his own leadership flaws, including being too soft, staying loyal too long, and avoiding hard decisions with people who think they’re irreplaceable.Ryan encourages leaders to examine whether their fears, standards, or past disappointments are holding their companies back. He explains how baggage from failed agencies, failed hires, or failed strategies can distort expectations and sabotage future success. By the end, Ryan brings the conversation back to accountability: if problems keep repeating, the mirror is often the first place to look.He closes with gratitude, encouragement, and a reminder that growth requires both courage and honesty. As always, he thanks listeners for following Torsion Talk and hints that the next mastermind announcement is coming soon.Find Ryan at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

On this episode of the Torsion Talk Podcast, host Ryan Lucia shares practical leadership, marketing, and sales lessons from inside a real garage door company. Ryan opens with a quick update on the sports card side business he started with his son and how he’s using it to teach money and business.Ryan then breaks down important Google Business Profile changes, including built-in post scheduling and multi-location publishing, and explains how local service companies can use them to save time and stay visible during the busy season. From there he dives into the “ever-changing landscape of leadership” after stepping back into Aaron Overhead Doors to run residential operations. He talks about vulnerability, reconnecting with his team, anonymous quarterly surveys, and the reality that there’s a limit to how many people one leader can truly lead well.He shares how EOS and weekly Level 10 meetings are helping his company list issues, track metrics, and replace broken workarounds with real systems. Ryan explains why owners must listen past rough blue-collar delivery, invite honest complaints, and stop letting their team “protect” them from bad news. He also talks about hiring international executive assistants, losing a long-time key employee, and why he believes this is the time to level up talent even when cash feels tight.Later in the episode, Ryan unpacks consolidation in the garage door and home service market, private equity and big brands entering Atlanta, and what “max pain” feels like when demand stalls and small operators get squeezed. He shares why he thinks Atlanta may be coming out of max pain, why he’s investing more into sales and marketing instead of cutting them, and why SEO-only strategies are over. He urges dealers to build automation and communication workflows and partner closely with their marketing agencies so they’re ready when the rebound hits.Ryan closes with one key sales takeaway: never leave a sales call without another follow-up appointment on the calendar. He shows exactly how to set that next call after the customer gets other quotes so you can compare options, protect your close rate, and win more jobs.Find Ryan at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠

In this episode, Ryan gets real about one of the biggest problems plaguing garage door companies right now: poor lead handling. From slow follow-up to lack of online booking and outdated contact methods, most companies are leaking leads—and it’s costing them big.Ryan kicks things off with a raw conversation about where marketing and operations need to improve during tough economic times. He breaks down insights from AI tools like Gemini, showing how consumer anxiety is changing buying behavior in home services, especially as high interest rates and job market uncertainty put pressure on big-ticket installs.He walks through the hard truths around the "stay-put economy" and how this is actually an opportunity for repair-focused service companies to gain market share—if they’re ready. If you're running lean, you’ve got to make every lead count. Ryan explains why live chat, texting, online booking, and fast response times are mission-critical right now—and why just relying on forms and phone calls isn’t cutting it anymore.Ryan shares a failed experiment with relying too much on AI for CSR work and why, even with automation, humans still play a vital role. He reflects on what he learned running a live chat company for seven years, including data from top websites that prove how conversions increase by up to 30% with live chat—and that phone calls remain mostly unaffected. If you’re not using these tools, you're leaving easy money on the table.He also shares current SEO tips, including the rising importance of Google Business Profile optimization, velocity of reviews, and why showing pricing on your website can significantly boost rankings and conversions. Ryan encourages everyone to produce more short-form video, and highlights some companies already doing it well.The episode closes with a message of encouragement and reality: many companies are feeling the heat, but you’re not alone. Whether you're thriving or barely hanging on, now is the time to grind, to simplify, and to execute the basics with excellence. This is where companies are made—or broken.💥 Want more actionable strategies and hands-on guidance? Join Ryan in Atlanta for the next mastermind. Learn the systems, tools, and tactics that top garage door companies are using to win—even in a down market.👉 Reserve your seat now at: https://garagedooru.com/mastermind-dec25Find Ryan at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://garagedooru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aaronoverheaddoors.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://markinuity.com/⁠Check out our sponsors!Sommer USA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://sommer-usa.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Surewinder - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://surewinder.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stealth Hardware - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://quietmydoor.com/⁠