In this special episode of If Walls Could Talk, Walls & Ceilings Associate Editor Michael Levitt speaks with Elva Jimenez of Partner’s Insulation. The company, which is based in Boise, Idaho, is on the cover of W&C’s June issue and has been able to grow to 62 employees and three locations in just six years.

In this exclusive episode, Walls & Ceilings Legal Insights Expert Trent Cotney, partner with Adams & Reese, highlights some recent calls he’s taken from contractors when it comes to sales representatives. He breaks down the difference between 1099 and W-2 workers when it comes to sales, recorded at Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association Expo in Kissimmee, Florida. Listen to the full conversation here.

In this episode of “If Walls Could Talk,” Jill Bloom talks with Matt DiBara of The Contractor Consultants about the critical process of hiring new employees. DiBara, a fourth-generation contractor, shares three essential tips: considering the candidates' perspective, crafting compelling job ads, and carefully evaluating interview performance against actual work quality. Tune in to hear DiBara's detailed advice on skill assessment and making informed hiring decisions.

Contracting may not seem like the most obvious place where artificial intelligence can be useful, but if contractors are open-minded, they’ll find AI can make them more productive. In this episode, Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited, explains how AI can be used to assist in marketing efforts.

In the latest episode of “If Walls Could Talk,” W&C’s Jill Bloom and John Wyatt speak with Stephen Sears, CEO and executive director of EIMA, about the association’s initiatives and the status of their goals. Sears provides an update on this year’s EIMA event in Texas, including the renaming of their competition to the EIFS Excellence Awards, membership growth, and educational courses. He also discusses the Arcadis 2024 International Construction Costs report and how EIFS can offer long-term benefits for building owners, sharing his thoughts on the future of the system and the industry.

In this episode of "If Walls Could Talk," Editor John Wyatt speaks with Tom Harris about the benefits and challenges of metal buildings, particularly in managing interior moisture with a vapor impermeable shell. The discussion highlights how vapor drive, the movement of moisture from areas of high to low energy, affects buildings differently in the South and North due to temperature differences. The SPFA is developing a guide to help professionals address high humidity applications in these structures.

Protecting your company’s information is not something to be taken lightly. Bill Collins, director of national accounts at Servco, and Hasshi Sudler, professor at Villanova University, share ways your firm can safeguard its information from cybercriminals and prepare for the event that you are hacked.