The Roofing Millionaires

The Roofing Millionaires

by Muhammad Faiz
EntrepreneurshipMarketing
Season 2
The Roofing Industry Says It Follows Code. So Why Do Roofs Fail?
Is FORTIFIED roofing being oversold, or does the roofing industry’s resistance have more to do with cost, change, and accountability? After our first conversation generated both support and pushback from roofing contractors, Muhammad Faiz sits down again with Fred Malik from @IBHS_org FORTIFIED. This time, Muhammad brings Fred the objections and difficult questions roofers have raised about the program. They discuss whether FORTIFIED is simply another certification layer, whether strong building codes should already be enough, and why homeowners should pay more for third-party verification when their contractor claims to be following every required standard. Fred also addresses questions about the long-term performance of sealed roof decks, tapes, membranes, and adhesives under heat and moisture. He explains the different sealed-roof-deck methods permitted under FORTIFIED and what contractors must do when a FORTIFIED roof reaches its next replacement cycle. Finally, Muhammad asks Fred for a practical example of a homeowner who should not invest in FORTIFIED and whether contractor resistance may ultimately be resistance to greater accountability. This is not a FORTIFIED sales presentation or a roofing-contractor takedown. It is a direct conversation about roof performance, building codes, third-party verification, insurance incentives, installation quality, and what homeowners are actually paying for. In this episode: * Is FORTIFIED roofing being oversold? * Why some contractors see it as unnecessary certification * Whether homeowners will pay more for roof resilience * Why FORTIFIED matters outside coastal hurricane markets * How wind, hail, and wind-driven rain affect roof systems * Whether sealed-roof-deck tapes and adhesives last * What the available long-term field evidence shows * Code-compliant roofing versus third-party verification * Whether homeowners are paying for better roofs or better paperwork * Insurance incentives and FORTIFIED grant programs * Who homeowners should trust when contractors disagree * FORTIFIED’s positioning problem within the roofing industry * What happens during the next roof-replacement cycle * Whether FORTIFIED benefits IBHS more than homeowners * The most common objections Fred hears from contractors * Who should—and should not—invest in a FORTIFIED roof * Accountability and the future of roofing standards Chapters: 00:00 Highlights 02:03 Introduction 02:51 FORTIFIED reaches 100,000 designated homes 05:32 Is FORTIFIED being oversold? 08:46 Sealed roof decks and hurricane zones 19:55 Strong building codes versus FORTIFIED 29:01 Who should the homeowner trust? 36:27 What happens during the next roof replacement? 41:59 Who benefits most from FORTIFIED? 50:37 Who should not invest in FORTIFIED? Learn more about FORTIFIED and IBHS: https://fortifiedhome.org/ https://ibhs.org/ Connect with Muhammad Faiz: https://www.facebook.com/muhammadfaiz99/ theroofingmillionaires@gmail.com #FORTIFIED #RoofingPodcast #RoofingContractors
S2 · E26
Aug 15, 2026
50:30
Accountability, FORTIFIED Roofs, and Roofing Standards | TRM S2 E24 w/Brandon Ford
In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires Podcast, Muhammad Faiz sits down with Brandon Ford, launching Brave Roofing in Georgia - for a direct conversation about accountability, education, and professionalism in the roofing industry. Brandon explains why roofing education alone cannot raise the standard without accountability, why homeowners shouldn’t have to become roofing and insurance experts just to hire a trustworthy contractor, and whether roofing contractors and inspectors should be licensed or certified. We also discuss FORTIFIED roofs, third-party inspections, cheap homeowners insurance policies, roof warranties, mentorship, and the danger of using AI or technology as an “easy button” without developing real knowledge of the craft. Later in the conversation, Brandon shares why roofers should question industry research instead of accepting every statistic or product claim at face value. He explains his concerns about how roofing products are grouped in some studies, how research can influence insurance coverage, and why contractors should examine the data and test products themselves. This is an honest conversation about what it means to become a better roofer, business owner, and industry professional, not simply how to make more money. In this episode: - Why roofing rules mean little without enforcement - The lack of licensing and barriers to entry in roofing - Why the homeowner is often the least-protected party - Whether FORTIFIED roofing standards deserve the criticism - How third-party inspections create accountability - The hidden cost of choosing the cheapest insurance policy - Why warranties matter on a major roofing investment - The role of mentorship in building a roofing career - How the “easy button” can prevent real learning - Why roofers should question industry research and statistics - Brandon’s perspective on TAMKO’s direction - Why roofers need to improve their craft before chasing more money Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. - Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #roofing #fortifiedroof #georgia #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E25
Aug 1, 2026
51:35
Roofing Companies Became Marketing Companies! | w/Chris Zimmerman
In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires Podcast, Muhammad Faiz sits down with Chris Zimmerman from At Your Service Roofing, Master Your Craft, and Gladstone AI to talk about what’s REALLY happening inside the roofing industry right now. From the “happy times” before COVID to shrinking margins, customer trust, AI, branding, private equity, and the future of roofing — this conversation goes far beyond sales tactics and lead generation. Chris shares why roofing got harder after COVID, why many contractors are struggling today, why most roofing companies are forgettable, and why customer service and communication may become the biggest competitive advantage in the next era of roofing. Topics Covered: * Why roofing changed after COVID * The “Big Squeeze” happening in roofing * Why homeowners don’t trust roofing companies * Branding vs reputation in roofing * Why customer service matters more than ever * AI in roofing and the future of communication * Why many roofing companies are disappearing * Private equity vs local roofing companies * The psychology behind homeowner decisions * Why truth and ethics matter in roofing Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 02:31 Introduction 06:06 Is roofing heading toward recession? 12:52 How do you position yourself? 20:51 How do roofers become memorable? 25:09 What industry problems bother you? 33:19 How are you improving the roofing industry? 38:35 Main purpose of Gladstone 51:44 Gladstone’s testing process 58:43 What kind of impact do you want to leave behind? If you’re a roofing contractor trying to understand where the industry is heading — this episode will challenge how you think about growth, marketing, trust, and long-term success. Guest: Chris Zimmerman – At Your Service Roofing / Master Your Craft / Gladstone AI Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #roofing #roofingbusiness #roofingcontractor #roofingsales #roofingindustry #roofingmarketing #contractorbusiness #customerservice #branding #artificialintelligence
S2 · E24
May 23, 2026
1:02:14
Why Roofing Profits Are Shrinking Even When Sales Are Good | w/Jim Johnson
In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires, I sit down with Jim Johnson, 28-year roofing industry veteran, founder of Contractor Coach Pro, former director of sales at AccuLynx, and the person behind some of the most consequential ideas in roofing over the last three decades for one of the most wide-ranging and honest conversations we've had on this show. Jim breaks down what he calls the Big Squeeze, the three-sided pressure that is crushing roofing company profits right now, and why the standard advice contractors are getting at conferences and from coaches is often the right advice applied at completely the wrong time, which is just as damaging as bad advice. We go deep on why the average roofing close rate sits at 26 to 30 percent and what's actually keeping it there, how the best contractors in the country are operating in a completely different market from everyone else without chasing cheaper leads, what supplier negotiations most contractors are too uncomfortable to have, and why the entire roofing technology stack is costing far more than it should. We also get into AI, not the version being sold everywhere right now, but what Jim is actually building with Bench: a platform that replaces the technology contractors are already paying for, gives it to them for free, and uses the savings to put a $350,000-level management team inside a $5 million roofing company for under $1,000 a month. And at the end, the conversation goes somewhere most roofing podcasts never go — what it actually means to build a life worth living, not just a business worth running. What we cover: - The Big Squeeze explained: why revenue is up and profit is down for so many roofing companies right now - Why roofing contractors who built infrastructure for growth during COVID are now getting crushed by their own overhead - How to stop being a commodity and create something unique and proprietary that homeowners will pay a premium for - The NeuroStory selling methodology and why most roofing salespeople are selling the wrong thing from the first knock - Why selling the inspection — not the roof — changes everything about your close rate - The math: what moving your closing rate from 26% to 35% actually does to your marketing spend and profitability - How to negotiate with your suppliers right now — and why most contractors aren't having that conversation - Labor pricing leverage in a slower market and why you're probably still paying 2022 rates - The Contractor Scaling Matrix — 12 pillars, 6 stages, and why doing the right thing at the wrong time is one of the most common ways roofing companies submarine themselves - Red ocean vs. blue ocean in roofing — and how the best contractors escape the price race entirely - The "give up to get" close and why it outperforms good/better/best packaging - Bench: what it is, how it replaces your entire tech stack, and what a free operating system with AI agents actually looks like in a roofing business - Why AI isn't here to replace your people — and what it should actually free up instead - A bookkeeper who stole $585,000, a come-to-Jesus moment, and the shift from selfish to selfless that changed how Jim runs everything - Why chasing legacy is the wrong goal — and what actually matters at the end of it all Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 02:29 Introduction 07:24 Is roofing industry in trouble? 14:40 Concept of big squeeze 25:13 Why are your teachings not being implemented? 30:13 What do roofers waste money on? 34:59 Have we normalized chaos? 38:53 AI and working with Binge 50:57 Who is Binge NOT for? 55:32 Have you found what you had been missing? #artificialintelligence #roofing #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E23
May 15, 2026
1:00:13
Before You Sign Up for Stormview AI, Watch This | w/Bobby Quinn
What if a roofing contractor could show up at a homeowner's door with an aerial image of their damaged roof, before the homeowner even realized there was a problem? That's exactly what Stormview AI, a drone-based roofing lead generation platform built by Bobby Quinn and his co-founders, is designed to do. In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires, we sit down with Bobby Quinn - co-founder of Paypixl and Stormview, not to promote what he's building, but to put it through its paces. We ask the real questions: Does this actually work? Who is it actually for? What are the legal risks? What does it cost and what does the ROI actually look like? And where does this fit alongside everything else a roofing contractor is already doing to generate leads? Bobby answers everything including the hard parts. He talks about 80% churn in their first two years, the AI accuracy limitations, the states where this is legally grey or outright illegal, and the roofers who signed up, never used it, and are now sitting on 14,000 unused scan credits. This is not a product demo. This is the episode you watch before you decide whether something like this belongs in your business. What we cover: - What Stormview actually is and how it works from day one of signup - How Hurricane Ian and a CBS 60 Minutes feature turned a drone pilot directory into a roofing tech company - Why 50-70% revenue drops have forced roofing companies to shift from claims to retail — and why that changes everything about lead generation - How the platform flies up to 500-600 properties a day and creates reports homeowners can see on their phone - Why Stormview chose not to sell exclusive territories — and what that means for competition in your market - The accuracy of the AI damage detection — and why Bobby says the inaccuracy actually helps the sales process - The legal map: green states, yellow states, and why Texas is the one state you need to be careful about - What happens if the yellow states turn red — and Bobby's honest answer about the regulatory risk - The 10 touch point rule — why most roofers using the platform underperform because they stop too early - Who the ideal Stormview customer actually is — and who probably isn't ready for it yet - Where Stormview fits alongside door knocking, mailers, ads, and brand recognition — is it a replacement or an additional layer? - What the next 3-5 years looks like as drone regulations tighten and new technology replaces what's restricted - The bigger purpose behind what Bobby and his co-founders are building Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 01:38 Introduction 08:05 Why do I need StormView 18:09 Ideal customer and revenue 25:09 Data collection and its accuracy 33:06 Legal challenges 37:52 How does storm view compare to its competitors 46:21 Biggest achievement and disappointment so far 🎙️ Guest: Bobby Quinn | Co-Founder, Paypixl & Stormview 🔗 stormview.io Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #DroneRoofing #Stormview #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E22
May 8, 2026
54:44
Why Roofing Companies Keep Losing Good People | w/Reggie Brock
Roofing business owners think their people problem is a recruiting problem. Reggie Brock has spent 16 years in roofing and 25 years in insurance watching that exact belief quietly destroys companies from the inside, and he's here to challenge it directly. In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires, I sit down with Reggie Brock - founder of Cultural Disruptor and one of the most honest voices in roofing when it comes to culture, retention, and what it actually takes to build a team that stays, for a conversation that goes far beyond anything you'll hear at a roofing conference. Reggie breaks down why the roofing industry has normalized turnover instead of fixing it, what quiet quitting actually looks like inside a roofing company before you see it coming, and why the answer to your hiring problems has nothing to do with finding better people and everything to do with preparing a business they'd actually want to stay in. He brings the data, the stories, and the frameworks - including his grandfather's Law of Plenty, the four signs someone is quietly on their way out the door, and why replacing one $50,000 employee costs you $10,000 before the new person even shows up. This is not a motivation talk. This is a direct, experience-backed case for why the way most roofing companies hire, manage, and lead people is the most expensive problem on their P&L, and what to do about it. What we cover: - Why roofing companies obsess over finding better people while ignoring the environment they're putting them into - The Law of Plenty, seed vs. soil and what it means for how you hire - What quiet quitting actually looks like on a Tuesday afternoon inside a roofing company -The statistic that should stop every owner cold: 50-60% of employed Americans are on a path to leaving right now - Why 85% of that group is preventable if you know what to look for - The 20% rule, what it actually costs to replace someone vs. what it costs to keep them - The 9 motivational languages and why treating your whole team the same is costing you performance - The difference between clarity, communication, chemistry, and creativity — and how the absence of any one of them starts the exit process - Why ego is the single biggest barrier between a roofing owner and a culture people don't want to leave - The difference between a coach and a mentor — and why Reggie operates mostly as the latter - The one thing a roofing owner can implement immediately after watching this episode 🎙️ Guest: Reggie Brock | Founder, Cultural Disruptor | 16 Years in Roofing | 25 Years in Insurance 🔗 culturaldisruptor.com Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 01:45 Introduction 07:07 Mistakes in organization culture today 18:55 Quiet quitting 26:25 How to figure out the purpose of your organization 35:42 Signs of quiet quitting 46:48 Mistakes roofers often make 54:06 Do more mentality Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #roofingculture #roofing #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E21
May 1, 2026
1:00:03
How to Make Price the Last Conversation with Any Homeowner |w/Jared Rand
Every roofing contractor has heard it: just compete on value, not price. But when a homeowner opens the door and the first question out of their mouth is "what's your price?" - that advice collapses instantly. So what actually works in the real world? In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires, I sit down with Jared Rand - owner of Full Circle Roofing in Omaha, Nebraska, and founder of ORCA (Omaha Restoration Contractor Association) — for an honest conversation about how roofing contractors can build a business where trust drives the sale, price becomes secondary, and the right customers find you. Jared has been in the roofing and restoration industry since 2011, worked hurricane claims in Florida, and came back to Nebraska with a perspective most local contractors don't have: what a regulated, quality-driven market looks like, and what it costs homeowners when that doesn't exist. This episode is not about telling you to charge more. It's about understanding why the cheapest contractors also become the most expensive problem for homeowners and for themselves. What we cover: - Why the roofing industry got addicted to price-first selling — and how it happened - The diagnosis approach that makes homeowners scared to go with the cheaper option - How to understand the homeowner's ROI, not just your own commission - The fast vs. cheap vs. quality framework — and how to find out which one your customer actually wants - Why customers who demand the lowest price also become your most expensive customers to serve - The self-limiting belief most roofers carry that keeps them from charging what they're worth - Why pricing per square is the wrong approach for a service-based business - What happens after the sale that either builds or destroys trust — and why post-sale communication is the most underrated part of the roofing process - ORCA: what it is, how it's vetting contractors, and why "are you ORCA certified?" could become the question homeowners start asking - How local, community-rooted contractors will outlast the private equity rollup model - The one step a price-focused contractor can take today to start moving in a different direction Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 01:48 Introduction 05:27 Its not always about price 19:20 Building a roofing business 22:32 Is having a pricing structure important? 27:25 Ideal customer profile and online presence 32:37 ORCA: How does it help contractors? 32:40 Self limiting thoughts contractors have 47:13 Premium vs cheap customers 54:07 Message for contractors 🎙️ Guest: Jared Rand | Owner, Full Circle Roofing | Founder, ORCA — Omaha Restoration Contractor Association 🔗 ORCA: orcassociation.org Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #orca #omaharoofing #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E20
Apr 24, 2026
55:38
I Built a $20M Roofing Business and Forgot Why I Started | w/Corey Combes
There's a version of success in roofing that looks great on paper and feels completely empty in real life. Corey Combes lived it. Corey is the owner of Southshore Roofing and Exteriors in Tampa, Florida, a contractor with 30 years in construction who built his company to $22 million and then watched the thing he loved about his business quietly disappear. In this episode, we don't talk about tactics. We don't talk about lead generation or closing ratios. We talk about what happens when a roofing business owner gets everything they chased and realizes that was the wrong thing to be chasing. Corey gets honest about the spending trap that exposed itself when revenue dropped, why stepping away from customers was the beginning of losing his company's identity, what the transition from $22M back toward $8M actually felt like, and why he's now convinced that $8M at 15-20% net profit means more than $22M with a fractional CFO spending a month cutting expenses just to survive. We also get into the Uncle Bill idea, that a roofing business in your community is more like the local farm everyone trusts than a corporation trying to scale. And what happens to that identity when you start running it like a machine that shouldn't need you. This is one of the most honest conversations we've had on The Roofing Millionaires. If you've ever felt like growth was pulling you away from the reason you started - this one is for you. What we cover: - The spending trap that hits when revenue suddenly drops - Why removing yourself from customer interactions kills your business's identity - The difference between a business that can run without you vs. one you've abandoned - What Corey actually lost when he scaled from $8M to $22M - Why "run it like a machine" is incomplete advice and what the coaches selling it get wrong - Redefining what scaling actually means for a roofing business - The Uncle Bill principle, and why roofing was never meant to be Amazon - Purpose vs. revenue as the metric that matters - Financial discipline, fear, and the anxiety that comes from being over-leveraged - The Florida market right now, consumer confidence, insurance, and what's coming - Private equity - the good, the predatory, and what it's actually done to the industry - Diversification as survival: why being a one-trick pony is dangerous right now - The version of Corey that comes out the other side of this chapter 🎙️ Guest: Corey Combes | Owner, Southshore Roofing and Exteriors | Tampa, Florida Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 01:33 How much have you changed since we last met? 08:02 A business should run like a machine? 16:37 A business that connects with customers 32:32 The role of purpose in a business 37:15 Future of the roofing industry and consumer behaviour 47:57 Is private equity a trap? Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #businessguide #roofingwork #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E19
Apr 17, 2026
54:37
46 Years in Roofing: What Actually Works vs. What Kills Your Business | w/Rick Ringer
In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires, I sit down with Rick Ringer - a 46-year roofing industry veteran, former sales team manager, supply-side expert, and author of the upcoming book Beating the Curve, for one of the most honest and experience-rich conversations we've ever had on this show. Rick breaks down the concept of the learning curve, why contractors fall off it, why success itself is often what pulls them away from the basics, and what it actually takes to get back on track. We go deep on why most roofing marketing fails, the 55 Mile Rule for yard signs, the real difference between sales and marketing, and why Rick believes one-call closing creates more tension than it closes. He makes the case for connection-based roofing over transaction-based roofing — and explains why going back to the basics might be the most sophisticated business strategy in today's market. If you're a roofing contractor trying to figure out why growth feels harder than it used to or why the new things you're trying aren't working, this episode was made for you. What we cover: - The learning curve: what it is, why you fall off it, how to get back - Why people leave what made them successful and what that costs them - The 55 Mile Rule and visibility basics most contractors are ignoring - The difference between sales and marketing — and why most marketing fails - How to build a sales system that actually fits your business - Why you should stop trying to sell everyone - Pressure selling vs. multiple touchpoints — which actually converts - Transaction-based vs. connection-based roofing companies - Surviving price hikes, market shifts, and economic uncertainty - Private equity's impact on the roofing industry - How Rick plans to give back after 46 years in the game Timestamps: 0:00 Highlights 01:31 Brief Intro 05:36 What has kept you going? 07:57 What is the learning curve? 18:06 Business owners only care about price? 29:37 The perfect sales system 41:55 Real function of marketing 48:35 Scaling a business 52:57 Transactions vs Connections 55:46 Advice for roofing contractors 🎙️ Guest: Rick Ringer | Ethical Building Solutions | Author of Beating the Curve (Coming Soon) Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires for weekly conversations with the contractors, leaders, and industry veterans who are building something that lasts. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #roofingcontractor #roofingwork #theroofingmillionaires
S2 · E18
Apr 10, 2026
1:06:49
Supplement Companies - Middlemen or Profit Drivers? | w/Joseph Stephens
In this episode of The Roofing Millionaires Podcast, I sat down with Joe Stephens, owner of Sure Claims, to break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes when roofers handle insurance claims, supplements, and appraisals. We talked about: - Why supplement companies are often seen as “middlemen” — and when that’s true - The 3 types of supplement companies (and why most roofers choose the wrong one) - What really changes financially, operationally, and emotionally when you outsource - When you should keep claims in-house vs bring in a supplement partner - The moment your business starts breaking because of claims overload - How poor systems and CRM usage silently kill your operations - Real scenarios where roofers leave money on the table without realizing it - The role of appraisals and where most contractors misunderstand them 🎯 Who This Episode Is For: Roofing owners handling their own claims and feeling overwhelmed Companies scaling past $1M–$5M and hitting operational bottlenecks Sales managers stuck managing supplements instead of closing deals Roofers trying to decide between in-house vs outsourced claims Timestamps 0:00 Highlights 01:30 Brief introduction 02:31 Importance of supplement companies in roofing 08:39 Effect of supplement companies on revenue 16:59 Factors to consider before choosing a supplement company 23:08 Mistakes to avoid as a contractor 29:41 Quality Control and expectations from supplement companies 39:16 Appraisal process for claims 43:52 Strategies for customer coaching and CRM 📌 Key Question to Ask Yourself: Are you running your claims process…Or is your claims process running your business? If this shifts your perspective, share it with another roofer who needs to see this. 🔗 Connect with Joe Stephens: Website: https://sureclaims.com/ 🔔 Subscribe to The Roofing Millionaires Podcast for more practical, experience-based episodes that help roofers build better companies and stronger teams. -Website: https://www.theroofingmillionaires.com -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroofingmillionaires/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroofingmillionaires/ #insurancesupport #supplements #homeinsurance
S2 · E17
Apr 3, 2026
53:56
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