Come along as Swinter Group staff, vendors, colleagues and friends discuss every aspect of the snow and ice management industry. Hosted by Ken Boegeman, President of Swinter Group, Inc.. Topics will cover anything and everything we can think of to help contractors grow their snow removal business.
We went to SIMA — and came back with fresh ideas, strong opinions, and plenty of laughs. In this episode of Talkin’ Winter with Swinter, the crew recaps highlights from the 2025 Snow & Ice Management Association Symposium — including standout sessions on contracts, leadership communication, operations, and marketing. From lessons on why listening is a leadership superpower to common marketing missteps and the power of peer-led ops workshops, this one’s packed with real takeaways for snow pros. Oh, and yes — we also discuss foot massages, BM capes, and just enough sarcasm to keep things interesting.
8/7/25 • 46:45
Snow insurance is broken, but we’re working to fix it. In this episode of Talkin’ Winter with Swinter, the crew takes on one of the snow industry’s biggest challenges: insurance. From skyrocketing premiums to national carriers refusing to write policies for snow contractors, Ken and the team break down why this problem exists and what’s being done to solve it. Learn about an exciting new audit program built in collaboration with Ansay & Associates, designed to help snow pros get better insurance rates by proving their professionalism. Plus, hear how this initiative is aligning with SIMA’s upcoming accreditation program to shape the future of snow industry standards. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of sarcasm, bacon-and-eggs talk, and a little Inspector Gadget thrown in for good measure.
7/24/25 • 26:59
We're back behind the mic! In this episode, Ken, Jason, Nicole, and Elizabeth catch up on everything Swinter's been up to from pushing snow to launching new facilities, scaling SG Advantage software, building a snow event management team, and diving headfirst into the bulk salt game. They also dig into how Swinter is building stronger culture with new core values, and yes, there's the usual dose of movie tangents and satire. This isn’t just a comeback, it’s a level up.
7/11/25 • 26:25
Ken and Jason are back with Jason Porto of Ground Builders, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska! They explore how Jason stays organized and finds clarity amidst the chaos of a storm, how to find the right subcontractors, crafting an effective onboarding process...even an ambulance comes into play!
8/28/24 • 67:35
Get ready to meet our special guest, Jason Porto from Ground Builders, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska! Join Ken and Jason as they dive into the history of Ground Builders and discover how Jason has brought together an incredible team.
8/26/24 • 53:19
Ken, Jason, Elizabeth, & Nicole discuss more takeaways from the first day of the 2024 Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) Symposium, like how accountability promotes growth, how to tame the chaos with SOPs, reducing salt without reducing service, and more.
7/30/24 • 86:53
Ken, Nicole, Jason, & Elizabeth recap what they saw and learned the first morning at the 2024 Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) Symposium, such as the importance of company culture & how to motivate your team.
7/23/24 • 76:59
On location at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during air show practice, Ken, Jason, and Nicole discuss the benefits of being a snow subcontractor.
7/16/24 • 51:42
With planes roaring above at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Ken, Jason, and Nicole talk about what to do when you're involved in a slip & fall case and what to do during the snow season to have your best foot forward in case of a slip and fall.
7/9/24 • 52:17
Ken, Jason, and Nicole discuss what details are important to include in your contracts. (First of all, always have a contract!) This season of Talkin' Winter with Swinter was recorded live from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during air show practice, and this episode was recorded just as the official run through was beginning.
7/2/24 • 64:48
Live from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during air show practice, Ken & Jason review different contract types, which types to avoid, and how to balance these contract types to guarantee profit.
6/27/24 • 49:38
Live from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during air show practice, Ken & Jason discuss how risk is tied to the service levels you offer your snow customers.
6/20/24 • 65:33
Live from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during the Blue Angels air show practice, Ken & Jason discuss the importance of insurance and its role in snow and ice-related litigation.
6/18/24 • 51:22
Season 8 was recorded live from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport during the rehearsals for Spirit Of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo. In this season you'll hear (and see on our YouTube page) snippets from all the different acts that performed while Ken and Jason discuss snow, in between oohing and aahing at the planes, of course! Episode 1 was recorded during air show rehearsal for the Blue Angels. Ken & Jason discuss the types of business risks and how to manage or reduce them. Check out our special YouTube version of this podcast for videos and photos of their rehearsal. https://youtu.be/Wr79lLraqkI
6/11/24 • 55:44
Ken, Jason, Adam, and Brent talk about working and competing with national brokers.
4/2/24 • 62:55
Ken, Jason, and Adam talk about some things to consider when closing out the season.
3/14/24 • 65:15
Ken, Jason, and Adam talk about when to start talking to customers about next year's snow season. They offer ideas on what to say to get customers to realize they shouldn't wait until September/October to get bids.
3/12/24 • 61:20
Ken, Jason and Adam talk about the pros and cons of paper and digital service logs.
3/7/24 • 71:00
Ken, Adam, and Jason toss around some things to consider as the snow season winds down and you're evaluating whether or not to restock your materials.
3/5/24 • 67:23
The guys talk about the frustrations and stress in the days after a snow event.
2/29/24 • 64:58
Ken, Jason, Adam, and Brent talk about the hassles and frustrations when the forecast is less than accurate. They translate weather predictions given by meteorologists into useful information for snow removal companies. Ken also explains how the lack of upper air data can play a huge role in the confidence of a forecast.
2/27/24 • 69:34
Ken, Jason, and Adam toss out more things for new plow drivers / operators to consider / know about what will likely be expected of them as they get into the business.
2/22/24 • 62:17
Ken, Jason and Adam toss out some things for new plow drivers / operators to consider / know about what will likely be expected of them as they get into the business.
2/20/24 • 81:02
Ken, Brent, Jason, and Adam meander through conversations about pricing. They compare and contrast different types of snow pricing contracts, especially per event / inch vs per push. Ken explains the importance of having a base knowledge of your costs before you figure out what to charge. Finally they begin to discuss residential snow plowing.
2/15/24 • 86:15
Ken, Brent, Jason and Adam talk about factors that affect snow service pricing. They discuss what makes some properties easier to price than others, which is more than just size and shape. They also bring up how routes and labor/equipment capacity affect your cost, which affects your profit and therefore your price.
2/13/24 • 67:13
Ken, Brent and Jason welcome Adam Hunter to the podcast and bring you up to speed with what they have been up to in the last year. They tease planned content for upcoming episodes, and they touch on how to price snow hauling and other snow services.
2/8/24 • 59:32
Ken, Brent, and Jason talk about the liability associated with taking and saving photos during or after a snow event.
5/3/23 • 34:31
Ken, Brent and Jason talk a bit about the pros and cons of working with national brokers.
4/11/23 • 53:41
Ken, Brent and Jason talk about why advertisements for liquid equipment are everywhere you look...is the gear worth the hype?
4/10/23 • 52:27
Ken, Brent and Jason bat around pros and cons of when it's best to buy or sell equipment.
4/6/23 • 41:48
