Above The Roof

Steve Badger is the most polarizing man in the roofing industry. Insurance defense attorney. LinkedIn provocateur. The guy contractors love to hate, until they actually meet him. In this episode, Kirt Linington sits down with Steve Badger to get past the persona and talk real: Texas roofing licensing, preferred contractor networks, the $1.2 billion 9/11 settlement, and what the future of insurance roofing actually looks like. If you're a roofing contractor in Texas, this conversation will change how you see the game.𝗜𝗚: @abovetheroofshow𝗞𝗜𝗥𝗧: @kirtstingSTEVE: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-badger-467b0322 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆: https://open.spotify.com/show/0XrnNTA...𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸:@abovetheroofshowFor sponsorships or business inquiries, reach out to: [email protected] Podcast Inquiries, please DM @abovetheroofshow or @kirtsting on Instagram!0:00 Intro & Who Is Steve Badger?1:07 Welcome to Above the Roof4:15 The Name "Badger" — Coincidence or Destiny?5:18 The Man Behind the Lawyer7:54 Steve's Career in Three Acts9:31 How Steve Became an Attorney10:12 The Science Fair Scandal That Changed Everything13:16 Are Attorneys Just Good Poker Players?20:00 Early Career: Roofing Subrogation31:37 Product Liability & Hail-Resistant Shingles35:23 Texas Roofing Licensing: Why It Keeps Failing40:48 The 9/11 Case: A $1.2 Billion Settlement44:48 Life After the Biggest Case of His Career59:14 Going Pro Bono: Helping People Who Got Ripped Off1:01:11 Favorite Mexican Food & Tequila1:02:44 Vegas, Gambling & Ultimate Texas Hold'em1:06:15 Steve's Advice for Roofing Contractors1:07:33 The Future of Insurance: Preferred Contractor Networks1:09:01 Is Insurance Roofing Going Away?1:12:21 Closing Thoughts & Thank You

Tony Taveras and Kirt Linington go all the way back to their days at LA Fitness — long before either of them ever touched a roofing company. In this episode, they break down the full origin story of Linear Roofing, from humble beginnings to building a 9-figure roofing empire. The grind no one saw, the leadership lessons learned the hard way, and the mentality it took to build something truly great. If you're in the trades or building something from scratch, this one is for you.