The Bodybuilder Who Became a Deck Industry Leader (Lanie Sleppin)

Meet Lainie Slevin, whose 25-year journey through the decking industry has taken her through manufacturing, distribution, and now territory sales for Decks and Docks. Lainie shares her unconventional path growing up taking city buses to school in Queens, moving to Lake Hopatcong where water sports became her passion, and eventually finding her way into the construction industry through a job selling contractor leads. You'll hear about her early days at Trex when composite decking was plagued with mold and mildew issues, her transition to distribution at Parksite, and the competitive drive that led her to bodybuilding competitions for six years. Lainie opens up about the extreme discipline required to compete: eating precisely weighed meals for 16 weeks, painting herself with tanning solution, and the moment she broke someone's arm during arm wrestling practice that ended that competitive chapter. This conversation covers career evolution, competitive sports, and the determination it takes to succeed in a male-dominated industry. Whether you're in the trades or just appreciate stories of perseverance and finding your niche, Lainie's journey offers insights about building expertise over decades while maintaining passion for life outside work.