Issue 34

LendingTree Founder and Industry Legend Passes Suddenly at 55
Doug Lebda, CEO and founder of LendingTree passed away on a family property in Mill Spring, North Carolina on October 12. A statement released by LendingTree’s board noted, “We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Doug. Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers. Since founding LendingTree in 1996, Doug dedicated himself to building a company rooted in consumer empowerment, championing a mission to simplify financial decisions and fostering economic opportunity for all.” The statement also noted that Scott Peyree, the company's former chief operating officer and president, has been appointed to president and CEO. Touching tributes across media and social platforms expressed Lebda’s impact on the lead generation industry will be felt for decades to come.

Tariffs Trigger Reshaping of Home Services Economics
The New York Times reported the home improvement sector faces major cost volatility following President Trump’s announcement of new tariffs, including a 50% tax on imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and a 30% tax on upholstered furniture, that took effect on October 1st. Market experts anticipate the tariffs will significantly raise costs for homeowners and homebuilders, hitting both mass-market retailers (like IKEA and Home Depot) and the high-end custom market.

TCPA Lawyer Troutman Joins House Race in California
On October 21, one of the lead generation's most well-known legal experts announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, in a bid to unseat the Democratic incumbent in Orange County, California. Running as an independent, Eric Troutman, founder of Troutman Amin posted to TCPAWorld, “I’m going to show you that a good person can go to battle and win as an INDEPENDENT and actually serve the people the way the government was SUPPOSED TO WORK.” In addressing his drive to run for office, Troutman writes “We need the (over)qualified people running for Congress instead of all the losers and nobodies we get stuck with. Because they just end up being puppets for party leaders who engage in brutal gang warfare in Washington.”

What if Consumers Started Using Voice Agents to Handle Call Center Interactions?
Podcast This American Life released an episode earlier this month that included an amusing and insightful segment detailing the adventures of writer Evan Ratliff’s experiment with building an AI voice agent to interact with call centers. The writer’s trial-and-error approach leads to interesting observations, “Because our default is still to trust the voice on the other end of the line. At some point, I started to wonder how long that trust will last.” The experiment reaches peak absurdity when the AI version of the author is having a discussion around TCPA laws with a well-versed lawyer.

LeadsCon 2026 Registration Opens Soon
The LeadsCon Team is excited about what we're putting together for our community in 2026! Registration isn’t open just yet, but stay tuned, it’s coming soon. Join us April 22-24, 2026 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and get ready to master the new rules of compliance, unlock high-intent customer data, and connect with the industry leaders shaping the future of growth!

AtData
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