For many of us in the hearth industry, the past year felt like round 22 of a 10-round boxing match. Personally, I miss the boring, steady years before COVID—when I could plan ahead and actually know what the next few years would look like.

If I’m being honest, COVID made me think I was a lot better than I was. The decline that followed made me think I was a lot worse. And just when I thought we’d settled into a new normal in early 2025, April hit—and everything changed again.

That month, I had my biggest meltdown in my 18-year career. After a tough day, I threw my phone against the wall and lost it. But when I woke up the next morning, something shifted. I realized that complaining about things I couldn’t control wasn’t going to make anything better, and that I needed to change my approach. I wish I didn’t have to learn this lesson the hard way, but there was an unexpected upside: It gave me some valuable insights that I’m carrying into 2026.

For starters, I’ve learned to control my reaction to tough situations instead of worrying about what I can’t control. For most of my career, I could control the majority of my day-to-day work life. Last year was different. I couldn’t control tariffs, steel prices, or the constant changes—and that was hard for me to accept. But eventually, I asked myself: If I can’t control it, why am I worrying about it? After all, I have a wife and a daughter, and I need to be the best father and husband I can be, so I can’t bring home the chaos of work every night. At work, I need to show up and be the leader my team deserves. So I’ve been holding myself accountable to react positively and set the right example—because I know my family and team deserve the best of me.

I’m also paying closer attention to who we partner with. When so many things are out of your control, you want to work with people you believe in—people who are going to be here in three or four years, who are going to do you right, and who aren’t going to take advantage of the chaos. That matters more than getting the best price or fastest delivery. And I’ll say this: manufacturers are feeling the pressure too. We’ve probably eaten about half of our actual cost increases. If we passed everything on, prices would be double or triple what we’re charging. But that’s what good partners—whether manufacturers, distributors, or retailers—do: They absorb the pain right alongside you.

Lastly, I finally feel like the political tide is turning in our industry’s favor. Everyone’s been worried about tariffs—and I get that—but I think there’s more to the big picture. After all, the anti-gas movement peaked a couple of years ago, and it looks like we’re finally shifting back toward common sense. For people like me who want their daughter in this business 25 years from now, the long-term political climate matters more than a short-term trade policy. My daughter probably won’t remember the tariffs, but I hope she remembers that this was the time when things started shifting back in our favor.

Despite all the challenges of the last five years, I still have hope—because our industry is full of good people who are just trying to make a living and provide for their families. And I still get to do what I love every day: Employ people, build fun stuff, and sell it to my friends. 

That all goes to show that life isn’t a zero-sum game. You don’t have to hit a grand slam every at-bat. Sometimes, you just need to get on base. 

Last year, a single was a success.

And the reward for all of it? 

We get to keep playing.