Kurt Rumens - Don't Wait to Get Picked (Live from the 2026 HPBExpo)

"Don't blame the other guy. Take responsibility for it. And I think there's so much that can be done." In this episode, Tim sits down with Kurt Rumens (President, Travis Industries and founder of Lopi Stoves) at the HPBExpo in New Orleans. Kurt shares the unlikely journey from rock-and-roll drummer turned truck driver to building one of the hearth industry's most beloved companies over the past 39 years. In this episode, Tim and Kurt cover: • How getting rejected by two companies in one day crystallized Kurt's decision to become a stove manufacturer—despite having zero welding or engineering experience • Why hiring people with a "servant's heart" has created Travis Industries' legendary dealer loyalty and family-like culture across generations • Kurt's philosophy that fear of not doing enough drives innovation, from drawing inspiration in the Sistine Chapel to spotting fireplace ideas at P.F. Chang's Don't miss Kurt's insights on protecting specialty retailers in an Amazon world and why authentic relationships—not marketing studies—remain the foundation of building something that lasts. —— Links from this episode: Kurt Rumens Travis Industries Link (https://www.travisindustries.com/) WhyFire Link - https://whyfire.com —— Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fnx_LIjIfwY Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join