No Strings Attached

Roger Magalhaes
  • 4.7 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Stories, laughs, and screw-ups... Honest conversations about business, reinvention, and the pursuit of the American Dream — from someone who's lived all three. Whether you're a small business owner, an entrepreneur finding your footing, a trade professional, or someone who simply loves real stories from real life — you're in the right place. I'm your host, Roger Magalhães — Brazilian-born. Boston-bred. Florida-based. Entrepreneur, speaker, storyteller, and author of Nobody Told Me That. Founder of Shades In Place, Trading Up Consulting, and partner at BlindsOnline.com. This show is my way of sharing what I've learned, what I've lived, and what I'm still figuring out. No fluff. No filters. Just real conversations that might help you find your own place under the sun. If you like stories with a Brazilian accent and the occasional bad pun — you're definitely in the right place. Whether you're tuning in from a job site, your morning commute, or a sunny porch with a cup of coffee — thank you for being here. Let's get real… with no strings attached.

  1. 5d ago

    #31 - 20 Stories For 20 Years in Business - Part 1

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Twenty years ago, I didn’t even know the window treatment industry was a real business lane. I thought hanging shades was something everyone did themselves. Then I spent one weekend with my cousin and watched his phone light up with customer calls and I realized there was a hidden market for shade installation, blinds, and in-home service work that most people never notice until they need it fast. I’m celebrating 20 years of Shades in Place by walking through the first 10 turning points that shaped how I operate, sell, and grow. These lessons live in what I call “courage and motion” the early season where you move forward without feeling fully ready. I talk about getting fired for doing a good job, why that closed door mattered, and how training and certifications (including Hunter Douglas certification) changed my skill level and confidence. I also share how Lowe’s subcontractor work became a real-world school for customer service, speed, and professionalism, plus the moment I shifted from installer to dealer when a simple phone call created an opportunity. We go deeper on the business side too: learning QuickBooks so product sales and service income don’t get messy, joining a weekly networking group to build public speaking confidence, and taking on scary jobs like shutters, corner windows, two-story drapery, and motorized shades. If you’ve ever felt behind, shy, or unsure whether you’re “qualified,” these stories are proof that progress often looks like baby steps, good relationships, and the willingness to ask for help. Subscribe for part two next week, then share this with a friend building a small business and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. What’s one moment that changed your path? 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    28 min

  2. Jun 16

    #30 (Spotlight) - The Self Appointed Drapery Guru — with Mark Koperweis

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Most people think window treatments are “just a rod and some fabric” until they watch a real pro work. We’re joined by Mark Koperweis, better known as the Drapery Guru, to unpack what elite drapery installation actually looks like and why the smallest details decide whether you earn referrals or refunds. Mark walks us through his path from learning fabrics and saying yes to early jobs, to becoming the installer other designers and workrooms trust when perfection matters. We talk about the hidden value of showing up on time, protecting the home, keeping a clean site, and making every measurement and bracket feel intentional. If you’re in a trade business, home services, or any client-facing work, the principles translate: standards create trust, and trust creates pricing power. We also get technical on Lutron shades, motorized roller shades, and Lutron drapery tracks. Mark explains why luxury shading projects are rarely simple, how recessed pockets and corner conditions force real engineering decisions, and how shading ties into lighting control and home automation systems. A big theme is partnerships: electricians and AV companies often win the early scope, then Mark steps in for custom draperies, Roman shades, and the fabric work they don’t want to touch. Along the way we hit real-world business lessons, from billing product up front for healthier cash flow to preventing fabric disasters like gravity wrinkles, plus why steaming is quality control, not a cosmetic extra. If you want more honest conversations about business reinvention, craftsmanship, and building something that lasts, subscribe, share this with a friend in the trades, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    54 min

  3. Jun 9

    #29 - The Three Types of Decision Makers - Which One Are You?

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Three years ago, my wife and I packed up our life in Boston and moved to Florida. No five-year plan. No spreadsheet of pros and cons. Just a gut feeling and a decision to go. This episode is about that move — but it's really about something bigger: the three types of people when it comes to change. The first one plans everything before they act. The second one plans so much they never move at all. The third one jumps in and figures it out on the way down. I'm the third type. Always have been. I get into the goods, the bads, and the ugly of starting over: keeping my 17-year Boston business alive from 1,200 miles away, learning to delegate when I thought nobody could do it better than me, walking into a more competitive market where literally nobody knew my name, and discovering a whole world of window treatments I'd never even heard of (hello, hurricane shutters and retractable awnings). Here's the heart of it: there's no right or wrong way to face change. There's just knowing who you are and acting like it. In this episode: The three mindsets people bring to risk and opportunityWhat it really takes to run a business long-distanceWhy letting go (delegating) was harder than the move itselfBuilding a network and referrals from zero in a brand-new marketThe Brazil deal that taught me "no risk, no upside"The Florida surprises I never planned for #Delegation #RemoteBusiness #FloridaBusiness #PodcastLife #MindsetMatters #RiskAndReward #SmallBusinessDecisions🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    18 min

  4. May 17

    #28 (Spotlight) - You Can Either Complain or Change — with Jessica Harling

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Some people get into business because they love the work — they're great with their hands, they can produce something beautiful — but the business side feels like a foreign language. Other folks come straight out of Corporate America loaded with business knowledge but couldn't install a blind to save their life. Most of us are missing something. This week, Roger sits down with Jessica Harling of Behind the Design to talk about how you fill in the gaps you didn't even know you had. Jessica's a fourth-generation member of a family design business that's been running since 1936 — and she's spent the last decade helping flooring, furniture, window covering, and interior design companies fix the two things that quietly hold them back: people problems and process problems. In this conversation, Roger and Jessica get into: Why so many business owners are brilliant at their craft but stuck on the business itselfThe "easy industry" myth — and why everyone who believes it changes their mind in about 90 daysHow a former teacher and theater kid ended up coaching design-trade companies (and why observation is an underrated business skill)What a 30-day company audit actually uncovers when an outsider looks inWhy creative breaks and stepping away aren't slacking off — they're how you actually solve the problemAnd the one piece of advice from Jessica's 101-year-old great-grandmother that's worth the whole episode: "You can either complain or change. Those are your choices — and it's in your control."If you've ever felt like you've hit a ceiling you can't explain, this one's for you. 🎯 A Word About Jessica's Work — Behind the Design If anything Jessica said hit a little too close to home — that's not an accident. Behind the Design exists for the business owner who's great at the work but knows, deep down, that something in the running of the company isn't clicking. Their tagline says it best: rock solid operations, rockstar culture. And the way they get you there comes down to three things: Recruit — Done searching for a rockstar in a stack of résumés? They help you attract real design and trade talent — installers, project managers, salespeople.Train — Onboarding feeling overwhelming? They transfer knowledge faster so your people actually succeed in their roles.Refine — Are your processes running you? They build systems that actually work — documenting your procedures, streamlining your software, and dusting off the cobwebs that are quietly costing you.And it works. One client, Pamela Cole of Ampersand Design Group, says they turned 9-10 month projects into 3-4 months. Another, Rick Baker of Galaxy Draperies, called it a process problem they didn't know they had — until Behind the Design documented the whole thing and helped them grow fast. Not sure where your bottleneck actually is? Start with their free People or Process assessment — a quick way to identify the issue and get one step closer to fixing it. 👉 Learn more and book a free consult at GoBehindTheDesign.com 📍 Chicago, IL · 📞 (847) 986-9168 Find them on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube @GoBehindTheDesign If you're tired of complaining about the same problem — maybe it's time to change it. #NoStringsAttached #WindowTreatments #InteriorDesign #SmallBusiness #FamilyBusiness #BehindTheDesign 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    31 min

  5. May 11

    #27 - I Thought Partnerships Were A Trap Until I Tried One

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Twenty years in business. A book that made me rethink all of it. And a trade show moment that reminded me why I keep showing up. This is Season 3 of No Strings Attached — new format, same honesty — and I'm kicking it off with a personal one. In this episode I talk about why my wife's two phone calls in two weeks were the real reason we left Boston, what writing a book about 20 years in business actually taught me about myself, why I spent most of my life dead against partnerships (thanks, Dad) and what finally changed my mind, the power team every small business owner needs but most never build, and one moment at IWCE that proved consistency quietly does its thing — even when you're not paying attention. If you're a small business owner who's ever questioned a decision, avoided a partnership, or wondered if anyone's actually listening... this one's for you. 5 Takeaways from This Episode: Pausing isn't failing — it's a strategyReflection is one of the most underrated business tools you haveYour past experience is fuel, not baggageSomething that didn't work before might work now — stay openConsistency builds a room bigger than you know #NoStringsAttached #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #Partnerships #PowerTeam #BusinessMindset #Consistency #RogerMagalhaes #NobodyToldMeThat🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    30 min

  6. May 3

    #26 - Would You Run Off With $1,500?

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! A client looked Roger dead in the eyes, check in hand, and asked — "What if I give you this and you just disappear?" His answer says everything about how he built his business. This episode is about trust — what it actually means in the window treatment trade, how long it takes to build, and how fast one bad decision can burn it down. Roger shares what it was like going from installer to dealer overnight, suddenly becoming "competition" to the very people who hired him — and why he never once crossed that line. We talk about the temptation installers face when a homeowner tries to cut out the dealer. The short-term money looks good. But what kind of client are you really getting? One who doesn't value relationships, doesn't respect the process, and will do the same thing to you the moment it's convenient. There's also a hard-earned story from Roger's early days — a house under construction, trim work that wasn't finished, shades that came back wrong. He ate the cost. Every penny. Because his name was on it. Twenty years later, that reputation is still paying off. Trust isn't something you can order on Amazon. It's built job by job, decision by decision — especially the ones nobody's watching. #WindowTreatments #TrustInBusiness #InstallerLife #WindowCoverings #SmallBusinessOwner #Reputation #TradeLife #BusinessIntegrity #NoStringsAttached #Podcast #WindowShades #BlindsAndShades #DoTheRightThing #BuildYourName 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    13 min

  7. Apr 26

    #25 - If You Think It Is Just A Few Screws, You Are Not Ready

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! "It's just shades." Famous last words. Roger pulls back the curtain on why window treatments are one of the most underestimated trades out there — and why assuming "all the windows are the same" is one of the fastest ways to lose money, clients, and your mind. There's a story in this episode that sticks with you: a helper a couple years in thinks he knows 50% of the business. A seasoned workroom pro laughs and says try 5–10%. That gap? That's where reorders happen. That's where delays live. That's where clients get frustrated. We get into the fundamentals — why you measure every single opening, in multiple spots, every time — and how something as small as trim thickness, drywall texture, or framing can change how a shade mounts, clears, and hangs. Then we zoom out. Roller shades, cellular, Roman, zebra, woven, shutters, exterior screens, hurricane systems — each one with its own brackets, fabrics, motors, remotes, and quirks. Oh, and you're doing all of this inside someone's home. It's a trade that's intense, personal, and weirdly addictive if you're wired to solve problems. If you're thinking about starting a window treatment business — or you're already in it and want to level up — this one's for you. #WindowTreatments #BlindsAndShades #WindowCoverings #InstallerLife #HomeImprovement #SmallBusinessOwner #TradeLife #WindowShades #RollerShades #ShutterLife #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #Podcast #WindowTreatmentBusiness #LevelUp 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    12 min

  8. Apr 19

    #24 - Why Some Jobs Make Money And Others Don’t

    Send Us Your Questions & Feedback! Profit is why we start a business, but nobody warns you how fast it can vanish. One wrong measurement, one damaged item, one “quick install” that turns into a four-hour problem, and the margin you counted on is gone. We talk through the real math behind pricing in the window covering industry: understanding overhead costs, setting a true hourly rate, and what happens when competition pushes you to bid lower than your ideal number. If you install blinds, roller shades, or custom window treatments, you already know the gap between theory and the job site. We get honest about the hidden costs that show up after you win the project. Then we share a hard lesson from the field: a helper mishandles an aluminum fascia, it slides into a client’s high-end furniture, and a $5,000 replacement wipes out the profit. That story leads to the most practical takeaway of the conversation, building an emergency fund from every job so you can fix mistakes, cover reorders, and keep your promises without panicking or cutting corners. If you want better margins, fewer “worked for free” weeks, and a window treatment business that can handle chaos, hit play. Subscribe, leave a review, share with a fellow installer or designer, and tell us, what’s the one surprise cost that hits your jobs the most? 🎙️ No Strings Attached — with Roger Magalhães  🎧 Show Sponsor BlindsOnline.com   📚 FREE Download - How To Say Yes Before You're Ready Blogs: 📩 Keep It Simple - E-commerce 📩 We Dress Naked Windows - Window Coverings 📩 Trading Secrets - Trade 📩 Stories in Motion - Business & Life 📚 Book Nobody Told Me That Social Media: IG * FB * LI * YT * WEB * Email

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Stories, laughs, and screw-ups... Honest conversations about business, reinvention, and the pursuit of the American Dream — from someone who's lived all three. Whether you're a small business owner, an entrepreneur finding your footing, a trade professional, or someone who simply loves real stories from real life — you're in the right place. I'm your host, Roger Magalhães — Brazilian-born. Boston-bred. Florida-based. Entrepreneur, speaker, storyteller, and author of Nobody Told Me That. Founder of Shades In Place, Trading Up Consulting, and partner at BlindsOnline.com. This show is my way of sharing what I've learned, what I've lived, and what I'm still figuring out. No fluff. No filters. Just real conversations that might help you find your own place under the sun. If you like stories with a Brazilian accent and the occasional bad pun — you're definitely in the right place. Whether you're tuning in from a job site, your morning commute, or a sunny porch with a cup of coffee — thank you for being here. Let's get real… with no strings attached.

Information

  • Creator
    Roger Magalhaes
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 No Strings Attached
  • Show Website
    No Strings Attached