The Lessons That Built a 30-Person Glass Company | Sean Westmoreland | Cutting Edge Install Ep. 30
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Click Here to Listen on AppleWelcome back to the Cutting Edge Install Podcast, brought to you by Omni Cubed — where innovation meets installation and everything in between.
In this episode, host Merv Campbell sits down with Sean Westmoreland of Dixie Glass for a candid conversation about leadership, resilience, communication, and the future of the glazing industry.
Sean is a third-generation glazier who grew up around the glass shop and learned the trade the old-fashioned way: through hands-on experience, mentorship, and plenty of hard lessons. Today, Dixie Glass has grown to more than 30 employees across multiple locations, but the journey to get there has been anything but simple.
Sean shares how unexpected personal and business challenges forced him to step into leadership before he felt ready, and how those experiences changed the way he manages people, communicates with his team, and approaches growth. He talks openly about mistakes he's made as a leader and why learning how to communicate effectively became one of the most important lessons of his career.
Merv and Sean also dive into the future of glazing, including how AI could transform estimating, drafting, and other parts of the business while making skilled tradespeople even more valuable. Sean believes the trades are positioned for major growth. But only if companies invest in training, professionalism, wages, and the next generation of workers.
In this episode, you'll hear them discuss:
- Growing up as a third-generation glazier
- Learning the trade through hands-on experience and mentorship
- How difficult experiences shaped Sean's leadership style
- Why communication is one of the most important skills a business owner can develop
- The importance of continually learning and improving as a leader
- How AI could change estimating, drafting, and glazing operations
- Why skilled trades could become more valuable over the next decade
- The importance of patience for young people entering the trades
- Why the glazing industry needs better training and education
- How professionalism can elevate the perception of the entire trade
- Why mentors and industry relationships matter
- Building a company culture that takes care of its people
- The legacy Sean hopes Dixie Glass leaves on the glazing industry
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From leadership and mentorship to technology and the future of skilled labor, this episode offers an honest look at what it takes to build a strong company and help move an entire trade forward.
Learn more about Omni Cubed: https://omnicubed.com/
Learn more about Dixie Glass: https://dixieglass.com/
