How To Modernize Custom Manufacturing With Powerful Software: Dori Shoshan, Panda Windows & Doors

I sit down with Dori Shoshan, head of Innovation and Business Development at Panda Windows & Doors, inside the Las Vegas showroom of one of the most respected custom luxury windows and doors manufacturers in North America. Dori is a working radiologist and the son of Panda's founders, Avi and Tiranit Shoshan, who started the family business in 1991 in Israel, where his father chose to start with the hardest product in the category, radius curve multi-slide doors, and built his own bending machine to do it.

Dori walks through how a family-owned window manufacturer is rebuilding the engine room of the company. He breaks down the multi-year rollout of Paradigm’s building industry software, including how it has cut quote turnaround from several days to about one hour and turned a one-week shop drawing process into a one-click output. He explains why he chose Paradigm over European systems, how it now runs configure price quote, cut optimization, packing slips, and CNC manufacturing instructions on one seamless platform, and how it will give dealers self-serve quoting of Panda’s products for the first time.

Dori and I also dig into AI in the building industry, why slim profile multi-slide and lift and slide doors are taking over the high-end market, and why Panda is considering a broader go-to-market strategy. You’ll learn the story behind the Panda name, how the team protects the founder's standards as they scale, and what he hopes the next ten years look like for the family. If you build, sell, or specify windows and doors, this conversation is a clear look at how to modernize your processes without losing the human element.

This podcast was produced alongside an episode of our Behind The Build series, where we toured Panda's factory floor with Dori's sister, Noya Shoshan. Watch the full tour and see why Panda doors are showing up in casinos, hotels, and dream homes across the country:
https://youtu.be/BoecyLZwhD4

Thank you to Panda Window & Doors for hosting us.
See more of their cutting-edge luxury products: 
https://www.panda-windows.com/ 

This Behind the Build episode was sponsored by Paradigm. 
Paradigm’s software solutions help organizations throughout the building industry supply chain to boost sales, reduce costs, and become more competitive. 
Learn more: https://myparadigm.com/ 

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I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry.

Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry.
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Transcript

Grit Blueprint Podcast

Episode: Dori Shoshan of Panda Windows & Doors

Recorded at the Panda Windows & Doors Showroom, Las Vegas, Nevada

Chapter Markers

00:00  Why The Building Industry Is Behind On AI Software

00:32  Welcome To The Grit Blueprint Podcast

01:07  Inside The Panda Windows And Doors Showroom In Las Vegas

02:31  From Radiologist To Family Window Manufacturer

03:56  How Avi Shoshan Started With Radius Curve Multi Slide Doors

05:58  Lessons From Growing Up Around A Custom Door Innovator

06:50  How Panda Protects Premium Pricing With Custom Luxury Windows And Doors

08:12  Why Slim Profile Doors Are Taking Over The High End Market

09:15  How To Pass Down Tribal Knowledge In A Family Window Business

10:30  Why Avi Is Still On The Production Floor After 34 Years

12:12  The Role Of Innovation And Technology At Panda

13:34  How Paradigm Software Is Changing Window And Door Sales

14:39  Cut Window Quote Times From Days To One Hour

16:09  Why Panda Picked Paradigm Over European Software

18:08  What A Full Paradigm Rollout Will Change On The Plant Floor

20:23  Advice For Manufacturers Thinking About New Software

21:19  How Automation Helps With The Skilled Labor Shortage

21:48  How Panda Windows And Doors Goes To Market

23:12  Why Showrooms Still Sell Custom Luxury Windows And Doors

23:40  The Real Story Behind The Panda Name

24:42  Panda Windows And Doors In The Next Ten Years

25:50  Lightning Round Begins

25:53  The Tool That Changed Panda The Most

26:17  Dori's Favorite Panda Product On His Own House

27:06  Why Lift And Slide Doors Are Panda's Flagship

27:15  The Tech Trend Outside The Window Industry To Watch

27:49  How Dori Explains Panda Windows And Doors To New Buyers

28:51  Closing Thoughts And Where To Find Panda

Full Transcript

[00:00]  Why The Building Industry Is Behind On AI Software

Stefanie Couch  00:00

Software is moving at the speed of light now with AI, and it seems like our industry is not moving at the speed of light. Most of our industry is not moving much at all with technology.

Dori Shoshan  00:09

The new software that we're implementing, we're working hand in hand with Paradigm and we have been for a few years now. We are excited to actually start seeing all the efficiencies of that come to fruition. A quote that may have taken us a few days to turn around takes us just an hour or so to turn around. And shop drawings that took us a week in the past to turn around are actually just done at the click of a button.

[00:32]  Welcome To The Grit Blueprint Podcast

Stefanie Couch  00:32

Welcome to the Grit Blueprint Podcast. I'm your host, Stefanie Couch. This is a spot where leaders talk about the stories, strategies, and systems that win in the building industry. We unpack how leaders and brands build their reputations and become unmistakable. Welcome to the Grit Blueprint Podcast.

[01:07]  Inside The Panda Windows And Doors Showroom In Las Vegas

Stefanie Couch  01:07

I'm your host, Stefanie Couch, and today I'm coming to you from the Panda Door & Window Showroom in Las Vegas, Nevada. And I have a special guest here with me, Dori Shoshan. Welcome to the show.

Dori Shoshan  01:06

Thank you for having me.

Stefanie Couch  01:07

We have been here all day doing a tour of your three facilities. I'm just really wowed by what you put together here. We're now in your showroom, and I can't wait to talk a little bit more about your story and your history as a family business in the window and door industry. I love family-owned businesses and I also love windows and doors. So this is really my place. I want to do a quick intro for you. Panda Windows & Doors was founded by your mom and dad, Avi and Tyrane Shoshan. They had a belief that windows and doors should not only be functional, but should also be beautiful. Now it's been 34 years, and they're continuing that tradition with an amazing warehouse here that we're touring today. You have over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing all in the US, 80 plus product systems, and a reputation that you do things that a lot of people would say no to. Your sister actually told me earlier during the tour, you very rarely say no to any kind of product that people ask for, which is really amazing. I want to talk a little bit about not just where you've been, but where you're going. You are running the innovation and the business development for the company, and you've been doing a lot of cool stuff with technology and product development. Welcome to the show.

Dori Shoshan  02:26

Thank you again for coming and for being here. We're excited to have you.

[02:31]  From Radiologist To Family Window Manufacturer

Stefanie Couch  02:31

Before we talk windows and doors, I want to talk about you and what you're doing now. You have a non-traditional path to get here. You were born into the business, but you took a different path and had a different career. So tell me a little bit about your path and what's brought you into this role today.

Dori Shoshan  02:47

I've been very fortunate. Growing up, my parents never really forced my sister or me into the business. They gave us the freedom and leeway to explore everything that's out there. I actually chose to go down the path of medicine. I decided to go to medical school, and I'm a radiologist by training. During the daytime, I do a lot of the radiologist type of stuff. I work as a radiologist, but whenever I'm not working as a radiologist, I work for Panda Windows & Doors. That's actually been a very normal part of my life. I'm probably one of the very few radiologists in this world that know a whole lot about windows and doors.

Stefanie Couch  03:32

Maybe the only radiologist. I'd challenge that to say that's a pretty rare combination. It's amazing that they allowed you to do that. As a parent, that's one of the most powerful things, to empower you to think you can do anything. I know your sister also did some other things and went to school for other things and then came back as well. It's great that she's here and y'all are taking it to the next level for the next generation.

[03:56]  How Avi Shoshan Started With Radius Curve Multi Slide Doors

Stefanie Couch  03:56

Your dad started this company in Israel in 1991, and he decided he was going to do the hardest thing first. This story is my favorite part of the things I read about him. He started with radius curve multi-slide doors. He said, heck with that single 3068, I'm going with the hardest thing there is. What was the idea there? What made him think, I'm going to start a window and door company and start with curved doors?

Dori Shoshan  04:23

That should tell you everything you need to know about Avi. He does not ever choose the path of least resistance. He wants to do the one thing that no one else can do, and he'll do it better than everybody else. He decided to start with radius windows and doors, and he built his very own bending machine. I remember when I was a little kid spending time watching him bend. He would fill the extrusions with sand and he would bend the aluminum till late at night. He had his own techniques. He knew just the right way to do it, and he did the thing that no one else could do. At the time, in the early 90s, curved openings were really in architecturally speaking. He decided he was going to go all in on those very niche openings, and he became known as the guy that can do the thing that no one else can really do. Once he could get the hang of the curved radius systems, he could also do the straight ones. Everything else was just so much easier. That's how Panda started. It started with multi-slides, then very quickly became lift and slides. Now today, folding doors and pivot doors, hinge doors, frameless systems, you name it. His motto continues to be, if I can think about it, if I can design it, we can build it bigger and stronger than everybody else.

[05:58]  Lessons From Growing Up Around A Custom Door Innovator

Stefanie Couch  05:58

These doors behind us are definitely a testament to that. This was on display two years ago at IBS, and I remember thinking, that's the biggest door I've ever seen in my life. And I've seen a lot of doors. What was growing up around that like for you? You grew up with this great innovative dad that was inventing things and doing amazing things with products. What was it like for you?

Dori Shoshan  06:22

Seeing the drive is very inspirational. Watching someone come up with something that A, maybe hasn't been done before, or B, wasn't just the standard, the status quo, is extremely inspirational. It inspires a drive within you. It makes you want to reach for the stars in the same way that he did and he does every day, still to this day.

Stefanie Couch  06:50

I'd say you're doing that. You've got two very interesting careers going at the same time. You're reaching for the stars too, Dori, for sure.

Dori Shoshan  

We're trying.

[06:50]  How Panda Protects Premium Pricing With Custom Luxury Windows And Doors

Stefanie Couch  06:50

As you think about his legacy of believing the product should be worth every dollar that someone pays for it, and really thinking that price shouldn't even be in the conversation because the product is so incredible, how do you make sure that as you're innovating and changing technology, that idea, that principle that he founded this on doesn't get diluted?

Dori Shoshan  07:19

There are so many different levels to products. There are commoditized products, products you sell based on value, and then products you sell based on their appeal, based on the way they make you feel, based on how you're going to interact with them on a daily basis, and whether you put an emphasis on the lifestyle and the utilization of that product. Something we want to continue to do is differentiate ourselves by exactly that. By creating products where the way they interact with you, the way they add value to your home and to your project, is more than just by filling the hole in the wall. It actually adds value in terms of function, in terms of design aesthetic. It adds real value to the project.

[08:12]  Why Slim Profile Doors Are Taking Over The High End Market

Stefanie Couch  08:12

As we walk shows and look at what's been coming out really the last three to five years, the doors and windows keep getting bigger. They keep getting more innovative as far as multi-slides. Today we saw the motorized opening and all the things that are happening. I wonder how far the engineering can go. How much further can we push this from 20 feet tall to all these different sizes? It's got to be as big as they can build it. Where does it stop? What's happened in the last three to five years has been exceptional.

Dori Shoshan  08:43

The industry as a whole is moving towards slimmer profiles. That's the latest craze, all about slim. In the early 2000s, it was kind of like the wood, the beefy wood styles that was really in. Now it's all about slim. You just have to stay on top of these trends. A few years from now, slim may still be strong and it may not. You just have to be nimble enough to innovate and have the foresight to see where the market is going.

Stefanie Couch  09:15

I saw today some of your new slim line stuff. It really looks great, and I'm sure you're seeing a ton of orders come through with that.

[09:15]  How To Pass Down Tribal Knowledge In A Family Window Business

Stefanie Couch  09:15

We were walking around today. You've been building this business together as a family, and you've got people. I met some that were 20 years in, some that were 10 years in. You've got a lot of people that have been here a long time. How do you keep that culture of what you're trying to build here at Panda and keep innovating with your people?

Dori Shoshan  09:38

That's a great question. It's tribal knowledge, is what it is. We have veterans here that have been with us for 20 plus years. Whenever we have someone new join the team, it's all about showing them the ropes and passing down the knowledge that Avi really instilled in them. There were days where Avi was still on the production line. When Avi opened up the very first manufacturing facility here in the US in the early 2000s, it was a 4,000 square foot facility. He did the manufacturing, he did the sales, he did the installation, he did everything. Some of those people have stuck around with us over the years, and they're the go-to experts nowadays on the production floor. They're the ones responsible for passing down this knowledge.

[10:30]  Why Avi Is Still On The Production Floor After 34 Years

Stefanie Couch  10:30

On the floor, he's still got stamps saying approved by Avi, and he's still looking at things. He is still extremely involved in the business. He is still hungry. You can just feel that here. That's so hard to come by with a person who's been in this for 34 years. From what I see outside looking in, the passion is still there, just like it was in 1991 when he started this thing.

Dori Shoshan  10:55

The fire still burns very bright for him. He's still very passionate. Every year there are European conventions that he very much looks forward to. He wants to see the next iteration, the next innovation, and he wants to bring it to the US. That's what keeps him fueled. The monotony of producing the same thing over and over again really gets to him. The reality is none of the supporting staff can keep up with what he wants us to do. He wants us to do so much more. Let's innovate, let's come up with this system and that system. We say, Avi, hold on, that's another 15 extrusions. We don't have space on the shelves. We have to really slow him down. It's unfortunate, because if we could really let him loose, it's hard to imagine where we would stop. He just wants more iterations and versions. We do 3D printing, we do all sorts of modeling. If it was up to Avi, we would be generating anywhere between five to ten new systems every single year.

[12:12]  The Role Of Innovation And Technology At Panda

Stefanie Couch  12:12

It's fun to think about. He's kind of a mad scientist for doors and windows. He's just thinking about that. There are certain people that they can't turn that off in their brain, and they're the people that drive the world to move forward. So we have to go as fast as we can to keep up with them. I love that you're still trying to catch him, and good luck with that. You are actually leading technology and innovation at the company with a lot of different tools that we talked about. You're trying to change how the business operates so that you guys can scale and innovate more. Tell me a little bit about some of the things you've been doing in the past few years, what your day-to-day looks like here, and what you're working on.

Dori Shoshan  12:51

Day-to-day is focused really on modernizing our infrastructure. Historically, we had outdated software, outdated inventory systems, configure price quote systems. My role in the last few years has been to update the team and introduce new software that would improve communication between team members internally, improve the way we present to clients, turnaround times, even the way we do accounting. The full stack of software that a business needs in order to operate, that's been my forte for the last few years.

[13:34]  How Paradigm Software Is Changing Window And Door Sales

Stefanie Couch  13:34

Quick break. This episode is sponsored by Paradigm. If you're in windows and doors, your sales process is either helping you win or it's costing you deals. Paradigm Omni connects manufacturers, distributors, and dealers. One system for catalog, quoting, and sales. Paradigm Vendo is for pros in the field. Configure, quote, and close right on the spot. Less friction, fewer errors, and faster deals. Go check out Paradigm at myparadigm.com.

Stefanie Couch  

Software is moving at the speed of light now with AI and all the implementation, but it seems like our industry is not moving at the speed of light. Most of our industry is not moving much at all with technology. Tell me a little bit about what excites you the most about where you're going with some of these changes. You guys are implementing a lot, and you're also doing so much custom stuff out there in the shop. Maybe two orders are the same once a year.

Dori Shoshan  

Yeah.

Stefanie Couch  

It's very rare. I can see from your shop, just walking through today, nothing was the same. Tell me a little bit about what's exciting you about where the company's headed.

[14:39]  Cut Window Quote Times From Days To One Hour

Dori Shoshan  14:39

I'm most excited about implementation of software that helps us become more efficient. Whereas in the past it would have taken us multiple days to provide a customer with a quote, and then another week or so to generate shop drawings, with the new software we're implementing and we're working hand in hand with Paradigm, we are excited to actually start seeing all the efficiencies of that come to fruition. A quote that may have taken us a few days to turn around takes us just an hour or so to turn around. Shop drawings that took us a week in the past to turn around are actually just done at the click of a button. It's staggering. It's really hard to fathom the magnitude of efficiency that a software like that introduces into a company and all the benefits that it brings along with it. When you can turn around quotes faster, you're also winning more, because now your clients aren't necessarily shopping. Speed to lead is one of the most important indicators in the sales department.

Stefanie Couch  15:43

Absolutely.

Dori Shoshan  15:44

When you are turning around quotes, and you're also turning around shop drawings faster, then clients are happier because they're getting their products faster. You're ready to move on to the next project. Or you can focus your engineering team on more custom, more complex projects instead of the standardized orders that make up the bulk of the orders.

[16:09]  Why Panda Picked Paradigm Over European Software

Stefanie Couch  16:09

Tell me a little bit about, you've mentioned Paradigm as one of the softwares. I've done some stuff with them before. That can be an absolute game changer in speed and all the different customizations. You guys have a component here with the customizations and the engineering that is really important to your business, shop drawings and all these things that a lot of people don't need. Tell me a little bit about that. Why, what was the decision like to bring Paradigm in? I'm sure that was a big decision for you, whether that was the right fit or not. How has it been since you've started implementing? I know you've been working on it for a little while.

Dori Shoshan  16:42

That decision, there was a lot of due diligence that went into choosing Paradigm. There's a lot of software in Europe that we were actually contemplating bringing over. It's very mature. The reality is, Paradigm ended up having all the solutions that we needed, plus they already integrate with the largest manufacturers in the country. We have relationships with many of those manufacturers, and we worked with them hand in hand. It just made sense for us to be part of that ecosystem as well. The truth is, at the onset, we were a little concerned that maybe Paradigm wasn't made for such a highly customized product. To our surprise, they have met every need that we could have possibly asked for. They've been extremely accommodating. They have some of the most capable and most amazing engineers on their team. I've personally had the fortune of working with those team members for the last two and a half years on this project. They are, problem solvers would be an understatement. They are bringing something to life from nothing, using formulas, using development that we could have never put together ourselves. It's hard to imagine having a better partner in this implementation.

[18:08]  What A Full Paradigm Rollout Will Change On The Plant Floor

Stefanie Couch  18:08

Software implementations can be really tough. They are long, especially when you have customizations like this. Tell me a little bit about what you think once this thing is all totally implemented, which I know you have a pretty good bit of it done already. What's that going to change in your business day to day? You were talking a little bit about how your quoting process was, but you're also going to be using it out in your shop as well, right?

Dori Shoshan  18:33

Correct. It's hard to encapsulate all the efficiencies that it will bring. First and foremost is a configure price quote tool that is going to be used on a daily basis in-house as well as by our dealer base. For the very first time, rather than a dealer having to contact Panda for a quote, they'll be entirely empowered to do that on their own. Next is the shop drawings. Shop drawings at the click of a button. If there are revisions, they'll be done in Paradigm. As soon as all the buttons are clicked, essentially with another click of a button, we'll get shop drawings. Beyond that, we have cut optimization, pull sheets, packing slips, production overviews. There are so many different efficiencies that it will bring in for the company. Today, all of that paperwork is done manually. You can imagine how prone to errors that can be, how slow that process can be. Beyond all that paperwork and all the efficiencies that will introduce on the production side of things, we're going to use MasterPoint to drive manufacturing. We're going to connect the Omni side, which is the configure price quote, to manufacturing. That will essentially move everything at the moment that an order is placed. All of the manufacturing instructions will essentially automatically move into our CNC machines, will automatically power our production floor pull teams. Everything will be done through screens on the manufacturing floor.

Stefanie Couch  20:06

You have locations in different buildings. Physically it doesn't have to be taken over there anymore. That just saves time.

Dori Shoshan  20:13

It'll be an entirely paperless operation. And inventory management. We're going to consolidate everything under one umbrella.

[20:23]  Advice For Manufacturers Thinking About New Software

Stefanie Couch  20:23

For someone that is wondering, should I do this? Is it worth it? It's going to be a big process. It's expensive. All these things that we war with ourselves over software. What would you say to another manufacturer or someone in the industry that's thinking about it?

Dori Shoshan  20:38

Taking myself two and a half years back, it's everything we thought it would be. It's a lot of work, but you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it makes it all worth it. It makes all the thousands of emails that have been exchanged, hundreds and hundreds of hours of meeting times that we spent building this, it makes it all worth it. At the end of the day, the business will continue to grow. All the bottlenecks that you've had won't just disappear. They'll continue to become bigger bottlenecks over the years. The best time to plant a tree was yesterday, and the next best time is right now. Get started. I would say don't wait.

[21:19]  How Automation Helps With The Skilled Labor Shortage

Stefanie Couch  21:19

The other thing is with the labor in the industry. A lot of these people that really know, that have been here 10 years, 20 years, may be retiring. Or you want to scale the business, you need to hire more people. This technology, just technology in general and automation, that's one of the things that I see as a big benefit. You can help someone that maybe isn't 20 years in understand the process easier because it's so much more automated and on a screen instead of 50 pieces of paper you're chasing around everywhere.

[21:48]  How Panda Windows And Doors Goes To Market

Stefanie Couch  21:48

Speaking of automation and your operation here, the way that people are buying in our space is different. I know you mentioned some partners. How exactly does Panda go to market? You guys sell to different people, you sell through dealers. Talk to me a little bit about your go-to-market, how exactly that works for somebody that's wondering.

Dori Shoshan  22:06

We have a few different go-to-market strategies in different areas of the country. In some regions, we are more dealer focused, and in other regions we're more direct to consumer focused. It entirely depends on the market and who was or wasn't available when we put the team into place. When Avi set up the business and started selling products, there were no dealer relationships. It was just scaling a sales team and selling one customer at a time. Now there's much more of an infrastructure, much more of a dealer network that's established. Over the years, our intention is to transition more and more into that dealer network go-to-market strategy. It's not something that you can do overnight. You can't overnight say, okay, I'm going to stop selling to consumers, I'm only going to sell to dealers. What you're going to have is, you essentially won't make any money for six months or so.

Stefanie Couch  23:10

Yeah.

Dori Shoshan  23:10

That's just the sales cycle.

[23:12]  Why Showrooms Still Sell Custom Luxury Windows And Doors

Stefanie Couch  23:12

And you've got to have showrooms. These types of things like this sell because people can touch and feel them. I believe that's true. You have a few showrooms, and then you have dealers that are displaying your product. I've seen some other manufacturers that you're partnering with, and their product is there and your product is in their showroom. I was like, what is this doing here? I didn't realize that you did partnerships like that. You guys are everywhere I go. I see Panda.

[23:40]  The Real Story Behind The Panda Name

Stefanie Couch  23:40

I want to ask you a fun question. Where did the name Panda come from?

Dori Shoshan  23:40

Great question. When the business was first being formed in 1991, my sister was just born at the time.

Stefanie Couch  23:47

Okay.

Dori Shoshan  23:47

Avi and Tyrane, Tyrane is my mom. When they were trying to come up with a name, nothing really stuck. There are companies that call themselves unique windows and doors or best windows and doors. They wanted something that completely stood out and had nothing to do with windows and doors. At the time, my sister was just born, and she had a panda bear, like a teddy bear, that was just like her favorite little doll that she had with her. This panda bear, because it was with her all the time, was something that was at the forefront of their minds all the time. They said, hey, why don't we just name it Panda and then windows and doors? That's how it came to be.

Stefanie Couch  24:27

So cool. And now here she is working as an operations manager outside. Really cool. I told her this morning when we were here, I was like, do you guys happen to have a pet panda hanging around? Because that'd be pretty cool for the tour.

Dori Shoshan  24:41

Yeah, maybe one day. We'll work on that.

Stefanie Couch  24:42

Let me know when you get that and I'll be back.

[24:42]  Panda Windows And Doors In The Next Ten Years

Stefanie Couch  24:42

I want to ask you a little bit more about where you think this is going in 10 years. If you close your eyes and you picture you and your family and Panda in 10 years, what do you hope is true?

Dori Shoshan  24:57

I hope that Avi gets to work solely on product design, something that he genuinely loves. If we could clear his calendar of meetings, if we can wipe clean his responsibility of checking up on the production floor, if he could just do the thing that he absolutely loves, which is to sit down with a pen and paper and just design. The vision is to let him continue to do that while Noia and myself, and the team of leaders that we have at Panda, take over the day-to-day operations.

Stefanie Couch  25:33

I feel pretty confident you have the team to make it happen. And he can just be up there drawing crazy cool stuff, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with. You may sometimes still have to tell him though to slow down.

Dori Shoshan  25:46

I know. We do every day. We try to at least.

[25:50]  Lightning Round Begins

Stefanie Couch  25:50

Are you ready for the lightning round questions?

Dori Shoshan  25:52

Okay, let's do it.

[25:53]  The Tool That Changed Panda The Most

Stefanie Couch  25:53

What technology or tool has changed your business or how you think about this business the most?

Dori Shoshan  26:00

I would have to say Paradigm. It's the thing that we've invested so much time, blood, sweat, and tears into. We are all looking at this platform as the holy grail that's going to change everything for us. We're really excited about it.

Stefanie Couch  

That's awesome.

[26:17]  Dori's Favorite Panda Product On His Own House

Stefanie Couch  26:17

What Panda product do you love the most? You may have one on your front door. What did you choose?

Dori Shoshan  26:24

Front door is a 14-foot-tall pivot door.

Stefanie Couch  26:28

Okay.

Dori Shoshan  26:28

It's our Voyage collection.

Stefanie Couch  26:31

What color or style did you go with?

Dori Shoshan  26:32

I went with the Rio. It's a really beautiful checkered pattern. That's the front door, and then everything else around the house is lift and slides.

[27:06]  Why Lift And Slide Doors Are Panda's Flagship

Dori Shoshan  27:06

The favorite product is lift and slide. It's the thing that we're just the best at. Avi has definitely taken lift and slides under his domain and has made them his specialty product. It's the thing that we do the most of by far. It's our largest volume product by far. It's the thing that we're most proud of.

Stefanie Couch  27:06

That's awesome.

[27:15]  The Tech Trend Outside The Window Industry To Watch

Stefanie Couch  27:15

What trend in technology are you paying extra attention to that's maybe not in the window and door industry?

Dori Shoshan  27:15

It's got to be AI. AI is the talk of the town. Every week or so, there's a brand new release that can do something that the previous week couldn't do.

Stefanie Couch  27:26

It's wild, it's hard to keep up with. What's your favorite large language model? What do you use?

Dori Shoshan  27:30

I use ChatGPT on a daily basis, but I'm learning more and more about Claude and the things that it can do. I really love ChatGPT for its linguistic abilities. I think it's much richer. But I think Claude has much more capability from a work perspective and helping you accomplish tasks.

[27:49]  How Dori Explains Panda Windows And Doors To New Buyers

Stefanie Couch  27:49

If you were talking to someone today and they knew nothing about Panda Windows and Doors, and you wanted to explain the company, what do you want people to know about Panda Windows and Doors?

Dori Shoshan  27:59

I'd say Panda makes really unique products that a lot of manufacturers could only dream of. Panda makes several of every product line, whereas many other manufacturers maybe only make one product line or two product lines. Something that we pride ourselves on is the ability to make everything. If we haven't done it already, then shame on us, because that's the thing that we take pride in the most.

Stefanie Couch  28:27

Yeah.

Dori Shoshan  28:27

Right.

[28:51]  Closing Thoughts And Where To Find Panda

Stefanie Couch  28:28

I am ready to see what the next thing is that you say yes to that someone dreams up. That's my favorite part about this. If someone can draw it, if they can think it, you guys actually build it and make it real. It's an amazing tool and company that you've built here for the window and door industry. I can't wait to see what's next. I have been promised a pink door or window order could be in my future.

Dori Shoshan  28:51

Oh, yeah. We've done those before.

Stefanie Couch  28:52

I know that you have the capabilities, so now I can't not do it.

Dori Shoshan  28:56

Let's make it happen.

Stefanie Couch  28:57

Thank you for joining me on the Grit Blueprint Podcast, and thank you for giving me such a great tour today. I can't wait to see what's next for Panda.

Dori Shoshan  29:05

Thank you so much for coming. It's been great having you.

Stefanie Couch  29:07

Thank you for listening to the Grit Blueprint Podcast. If this episode helped you think a little differently about how to show up, share it with someone in your building world who needs it. If you're ready to turn visibility into growth, then head to gritblueprint.com to learn more and book a call to talk to us about your growth strategy. Until next time, stay unmistakable.

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