What Makes a Great Stone Installer: Lessons From 32 Years In The Industry | Cutting Edge Install Ep. 31

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Welcome 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 Chad Nelson, a tile and stone professional with more than 30 years in the trade, to talk about the lessons that only come from decades of doing the work.

Chad got his start at 19 years old and has spent the years since learning what it takes to build a reputation, take care of customers, lead a crew, and keep a stone installation business moving forward. Even after 32 years, one lesson remains the same: there's always more to learn. Merv and Chad dig into the importance of communication with homeowners, building a crew that works together, training the next generation, and learning when to step back as an owner and trust your people.

They also get into one of the biggest realities of stone installation: safety. Chad shares how the right equipment has changed the way his crew handles difficult installations, including large-format porcelain slabs, and why investing in good tools isn't just about making a job easier — it's about protecting your people, your material, and your business.

In this episode, you'll hear them discuss:

• Lessons from more than 30 years in tile and stone
• Building trust and communicating with homeowners • What separates a great installation crew from an average one 
• Training employees to take initiative
• Labor shortages and bringing younger people into the trades
• Why hard work still matters
• How installation tools have changed the industry
• Protecting installers when handling large-format slabs
• Why safety should come before simply getting the job done
• Balancing quality, profitability, and taking care of your crew
• Avoiding burnout as a business owner
• Building relationships with other contractors instead of treating everyone as competition
• Creating a reputation built on integrity and keeping your word

From old-school installation methods to modern tools and safer ways of working, this episode is an honest look at how the stone industry has changed, and the lessons that haven't.

Learn more about Omni Cubed: https://omnicubed.com/

Chapters

• (00:00:03) - Introduction and welcome
• (00:00:46) - How Chad got into tile and stone
• (00:01:45) - Early lessons and years in business
• (00:02:58) - Early struggles and getting jobs
• (00:04:32) - Dealing with difficult homeowners
• (00:06:35) - Importance of communication with clients
• (00:07:49) - Horror story: the custom countertop battle
• (00:09:23) - Why kitchens and finishes matter most
• (00:10:30) - What makes a great installer vs just a guy
• (00:12:16) - Learning to delegate and trust the team
• (00:13:59) - Being there for employees as an owner
• (00:15:24) - Labor shortages and shifting attitudes toward trades
• (00:16:15) - Kids, college, and getting into the trade early
• (00:17:48) - From grunt labor to better tools and safety
• (00:19:27) - Old-school cutting methods vs modern tools
• (00:20:10) - How Omni Cubed's Slab Saver came into the picture
• (00:21:43) - A slab breaking and the tool that saved the day
• (00:23:18) - The real danger of porcelain slabs
• (00:25:56) - Trust in tools reduces stress on the job
• (00:27:00) - Justifying the cost of good tools
• (00:29:24) - What matters most as a business grows
• (00:31:11) - Avoiding burnout as a business owner
• (00:34:03) - Balancing work, family, and downtime
• (00:35:52) - Advice for younger guys entering the trade
• (00:37:14) - Helping competitors and building industry network
• (00:39:46) - Big companies vs small shops and quality
• (00:40:35) - Vision for legacy and company reputation
• (00:43:29) - Passing the business to the next generation
• (00:44:35) - Working with his son and teaching initiative
• (00:46:39) - Encouragement, imagination, and closing thoughts
• (00:49:09) - Show wrap-up and sign-off