On May 6, 2025, sales coach Paul Burleson achieved a life-long dream: He was inducted into the prestigious Legend of the Home Improvement Industry Hall of Fame by Dave Yoho Associates.
It’s a goal that began when Paul, a senior account executive of national remodeling accounts at Westlake Royal Building Products
, first attended a Dave Yoho event with a family friend as a child. He told himself he’d be on stage with Yoho someday, with the family friend in the audience. The prediction came true in a culmination of 40 years of hard work in the building materials industry, supporting salespeople and burgeoning leaders as they reach their full potential.
Paul Burleson: A Legend in Home Improvement
The Legends of the Home Improvement Industry award honors leaders who exemplify creativity, positive leadership and customer care—benchmarks of excellence in the industry. Paul was among six home improvement professionals inducted during the ceremony in St. Louis.
“I’m honored to be recognized alongside such respected leaders in the home improvement industry. Throughout my career, my goal has always been to push the industry forward—whether through innovation, mentorship or new ways to help professionals succeed,” Paul says. “This recognition is also a testament to the incredible peers, mentors and teams I’ve had the privilege to work with—I wouldn’t be here without their support.”
A nationally recognized home improvement leader and sales coach, Paul has trained and supported sales teams for hundreds of companies. A pioneer in virtual selling, AI-driven sales and in-home selling systems, he continues to shape industry best practices. Leveraging his influence and strategic partnerships, Paul helped create and grow the Westlake Royal Pros program, which brings together tech, finance and consulting companies to provide solutions for contractors. This initiative allows companies to access discounted services while strengthening partnerships with Westlake Royal Building Products.
Tips and Lessons for Building Material Sales Leaders
Paul’s natural leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence began when he was just 10 years old selling newspapers. At 12, he switched to selling shoes door to door and during that time met a siding salesman—and the rest was history.
His origin story is as much of a lesson as what he directly teaches. “I show people a path that if I can go from where I came from, so can you, and that anything is possible if you believe.”
See the Bigger Picture: How the Building Industry Changes Lives
That advice isn’t just for salespeople—but for what they’re selling. Recognize that what our industry does can impact lives. “If I’m putting cladding on someone’s house, I change more than their home, I change their life,” he says. There’s a kid whose house now looks better and that makes him proud and confident. Or perhaps it’s saving energy. “Quit selling and help people buy. Give people a reason to be happy about their home. Give them the dream house they always wanted.”
Love the Work: Stay Humble and Keep Growing
For Paul, the inspiration to keep going—with a schedule that keeps him on the road most weeks out of the year—is as simple as finding a career you’re passionate about and realizing that you’re always learning and growing.
“Someone said to me once, “I don’t want to bask in the victory I just had. I want to go out and get another one,’” he recalls. “If you lose the ability to stay humble, you lose the ability to help people.”
Never Stop Innovating
Like many who’ve been in the business for 40 years, Paul has seen broad advances in technology. But unlike some others, he embraced it, choosing to be an early adopter for many of the innovations we still use today.
“Challenge the unknown. Everything you fear, tackle,” he advises. “Anything somebody doesn’t understand—be the one who understands it. Find any opportunity to lead the herd.”
As just a few examples, Paul developed his first home improvement website in 1996, the very early days of the modern Internet. He created his first YouTube testimonial in 2006 and latched on to One Click Contractor estimating software in its infancy. More recently, he has been a vocal and active proponent of AI and how it can be used to increase efficiencies on the jobsite.
“Everyone wants to wait. But with the speed of how quickly technology is moving, you can’t wait anymore,” Paul says. “I have my mind built for change and to tackle the unknown.”
Invest in People
But Paul knows it’s not just about the latest technology—investment in people is key.
“I spent my life making everyone the star, and in turn they make me a star. I focus on developing people,” the sales coach says. “When you build an army of people who believe in you because you believe in them, they stay with you.”
It’s a lesson that stems from his childhood, when money was tight and success seemed to be all about houses and cars and money. Even as those things came, Paul quickly learned that there were other, better signs of success. “Search for significance. Significance isn’t about you. It’s about what you do for other people. … That’s when you find the most success and happiness in life.”
An Inspiration for the Next Generation of Sales Leaders
Talking to Paul, you’re immediately struck by his genuine passion. It’s clear that he loves what he does and truly loves helping people, inside and outside the confines of his job. And it’s hard not to be inspired.
“It’s such a beautiful ride to be able to do it. I never work a day in my life,” he says. “I love meeting people; I know I make an impact on their lives. A moment that can mean nothing to us can mean everything to somebody else.”
He’s also quick to give credit to those who have surrounded him over the years. A week before accepting the award, he noted: “If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like having a dream for 40 years, it’s going to be looking out at all the people who’ve helped get me here.”
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