Profiles in Prosperity: Recent Episodes
Service Roundtable
Do you like stories about business? I do! I’m endlessly fascinated by the creative and innovative strategies business people employ to build their businesses. I love the stories of how businesses were started, bought, sold, grown, failed, and the stories of pitfalls and advances. They’re all interesting. As someone who runs a business and advises others who run businesses, I find the stories useful and informative as well as cautionary and inspirational.
Kristen and Justin Deese are a married couple who have owned and operated multiple businesses together including Paradise Home Services in Florida. They are authors of the book When Your Business Partner is Your Spouse: How to Have a Successful Business AND a Happy Marriage. They share their story and some of their top tips for successfully operating a business with your spouse.
Tracie Harper is Sales Manager at Daffan Mechanical, a skilled sales representative, and a great sales coach. Tracie recounts how she got started in the HVAC industry, explains how she built a sales team, and gives us three incredible tips for comfort advisors.
Dave Rothacker, the mighty master of business books, gives us his top three books of 2021, plus a few extra recommendations. Here’s what you should be reading!
This year Danielle Putnam was named Woman of the Year at Service World Expo. Danielle is President of The New Flat Rate and volunteered as President of Women in HVACR. Danielle talks about her career, the founding of The New Flat Rate, why flat rate pricing works so well, and getting more women involved in the trades.
Service Nation’s own social media expert, Brandi Szeker, joins us to discuss some simple strategies businesses can use to be effective on social media.
Dan Cherrie, General Manager of Quality Degree, is a very smart guy with a diverse background and a successful track record. Among the many things to admire about Dan is the unique annual kickoff meeting they developed at Quality Degree.
Renee Lucas, co-owner of LCS Heating and Cooling in Indianapolis, tells us about her business and her top rules for success in the HVAC industry. You won’t want to miss it!
Dirk Payne is the owner of Sunshine Plumbing & Backflow Prevention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dirk shares his story of how a natural disaster completely destroyed his business, and how he rebuilt it into a thriving operation.
Glen Wojcik is the owner of Pioneer Valley Environmental in Ware, Massachusetts. Glen joins us to share his experience with a recent acquisition and what he learned through the process.
Tom Peregrino of Daffan Mechanical recently won the prestigious Contractor of the Year award. Tom joins us to discuss his unusual entry into the industry, his path to success, and how he gives back to his community. You won’t want to miss it!
Mike O’Connell is the Director of Strategic Accounts and Partnerships at PowerPay and has a deep understanding of the benefits of consumer financing. Mike joins us to discuss home improvement financing and some best practices for offering financing options to customers in our industry.
Nancy O’Hare-Zika is owner of Yellow Dog Creative in Michigan, focusing on the marketing needs of companies in the skilled trades industry. Nancy shares some great low-cost ways to market your business, as well as sharing some current trends in marketing. You can contact Nancy through her website, https://yellowdogcreative.com.
In 2005 Nikolai Matveev came to the USA speaking no English and with no experience in our industry. Flash forward to the present and he’s an owner of a large, successful Plumbing and HVAC business that he and his business partner started in 2013. How did he do it?
Chandler Pernell is going to be a force in our industry. He joins us to share his story of how he joined our industry, how he transitioned his role within the family business, and his vision for the future.
The Best Bibliophile returns to tell us about the top business books he read in 2020. And he has a special offer for listeners of this podcast.
Colleen Keyworth is the 2020 Woman of the Year. Colleen is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Online Access, an HVAC web marketing company located in Michigan. Colleen has a multi-faceted perspective on the industry. She gives us a bit of her professional history, and helps us with ideas to improve employee recruiting.
In 1983 a young Tim Boudreaux started Tim’s Air Conditioning. Thirty-seven years later he sold it and is heading off into a well-funded, adventurous, and active retirement. In this episode Tim generously shares the story of his company and some of what he learned along the way including: his valued relationship with Lennox, Vicki LaPlant, Focus on the Future, an enterprising yellow page rep, moving to a bigger market, business processes, and more. Tim built a great company and Tim’s success is well-deserved. Learn from those that have been there and done it!
If you’re in business very long, you will eventually have an opportunity to interact with the media, for good or for bad. How you manage that interaction can make a big difference for your company. Lorri Allen, the Soundbite Coach, is an expert on all aspects of the modern media. You need to know what she can tell you.
Lori and Delayne Stickling are growing their family business. This is definitely a company to watch. What are they doing to grow and improve?
Thanksgiving is the best of holidays! Appropriate for this great holiday season, we speak with Jason Ball, president and owner of Artic Bear, who is well-known for his great company and his involvement in the community. Please listen to the very end; I’ve got a small request for you.
Lori Tschohl is the owner of Eagle Pipe and Mechanical in Port Ludlow, Washington. An amazing businessperson with a unique path into the HVAC industry, Lori shares how she went from a career owning several McDonalds restaurants, to starting two jewelry stores, and then becoming a business owner in HVAC.
I think of Mark Matteson as the Guru of Success. He’s also a best-selling author, international speaker, and successful consultant. You want more success? Mark gives us some of his steps to success. Follow his steps and you’ll create more success in your life.
Jose Moreira is President of Profit Rhino and a very successful entrepreneur. Profit Rhino recently acquired Callahan-Roach, one of the most venerated flat-rate systems in our industry. What will this acquisition accomplish, and what do you need to know? Jose will tell you!
Ben Stark is one of the most knowledgeable and successful contractors in our industry. He has now built and sold his third HVAC company. You would be correct if you think Ben knows a lot about building and selling HVAC businesses. He shares some of his vast knowledge with us.
Patty Kampmann, President of Customer Lobby is relatively new to Customer Lobby and relatively new to our industry. She shares a bit of her background, what she finds exciting about Customer Lobby, and what Customer Lobby can do for contractors.
Dave Bailey, Plumbing Vertical Market Manager for Service Nation Alliance, tells us about his career, we learn why he’s “The Flying Plumber”, and we discuss the power of the humble checklist.
Ron Smith has a long history of innovative success in Residential Service. He was founder of Modern Air in Fort Myers, Florida, founder of Service America, COO of Service Experts, is the author of several books, is in the Contracting Business Hall of Fame, and recognized with many industry awards. He is one of the premier consultants in our industry. If you ask Ron Smith for three business tips, you know you’re not going to get usual boring advice; Ron always delivers great value! So I asked Ron for three business tips…
Jim Hinshaw is the HVAC Vertical Market Manager for Service Nation, an amazing sales trainer, and author of several books. Jim tells us about what some successful contractors are doing during the COVID pandemic to grow, and better serve their customers.
Joe Cunningham is a well known trainer, consultant, and business owner in the HVAC industry. Joe joins us to talk about how he adapted his business to remain successful in the days of the COVID pandemic.
Many people talk about creating a successful HVAC call center, but most don’t actually attempt it, and most of those that attempt it either fail or scale back their plans. Jason Fox is the owner of Capital Heating and Cooling, a very successful HVAC company in Wisconsin. He also created a wildly successful call center that is integral to the success of his business. What did Jason do to make it work?
Kelly Schols is former president and owner of CPI Plumbing in Washington, and a current author, speaker, coach, and mentor. Kelly joins us to talk about his new book, “Never By The Book” and to share some of his experiences getting through tough times.
How does a great business leader manage to grow in difficult times? Eric Dutton, founder and president of Dutton Plumbing, joins us to discuss the state of his business during the covid pandemic and how he strives for success and growth even through difficult times.
Steve Mores, Vice President for Training and Sales for Dynamic Air Quality Solutions talks about killing viruses, how to offer Indoor Air Quality, and shares his vast expertise. You need to know this stuff!
Aaron Ruddick is a 30-year veteran of the HVAC industry and a founder and co-owner of Reliable Comfort in Indiana. Reliable Comfort recently experienced tremendous growth. Aaron discusses the company history, growth, his goals for the future, and issues around mixing family and business. Aaron is a fascinating, smart business owner.
Dave Rothacker gives us his top 3 books for 2019, and tells us why he thinks they’re great.
Shannon Bartlett is the Owner and General Manager of Bartlett Heating and Cooling. Shannon was recently named Service World Woman of the Year. Shannon started working in the family business when she was in middle school. Under Shannon’s guidance Bartlett has experienced tremendous growth. I was particularly interested to hear what she did to grow the business, and her perspectives on women in our industry, and marketing to women.
In honor of Thanksgiving, this podcast episode will be a bit different than usual. Curious?
Merv Blank, CEO, Owner, and Founder of Air Professional Associates in North Salem, NY joins us to share some his experiences and wisdom built from 40 plus years in our industry. Merv’s a true gentleman, and a very successful businessman. He generously tells us about his businesses and about a recent acquisition. If you get a chance to listen to Merv, you should jump at the opportunity. Here’s your opportunity!
People are the best and the worst things about leading a small business. So we talked with Natalie Schuneman who is an experienced HR consultant with Comprehensive Employment Solutions. She gave us the top five HR questions (and answers!) asked by her clients. You have people in your company? You need to hear what Natalie knows!
With all the experience and success he’s enjoyed, Ken Goodrich should write a book – oh wait, he has written a book! Ken Goodrich shares his industry experience, talks about his book with Michael Gerber, and shares his list of the top things all contractors should know or be doing in their businesses to ensure their success.
Jacques Campeau is the Owner, President, and Founder of Campeau Heating in Sudbury, Ontario. Campeau Heating is a strong, well-respected business with great family values. Jacques is a wise man with tremendous experience and a great perspective. We asked him to give us “Jacques’ Gems” – his guidelines for success in business and life.
Dave Squires, co-owner of Vincent’s Heating & Plumbing, and Contractor’s Online-Access, has 40 years in the HVAC and Plumbing industry, and is a leader in developing website resources specifically for the residential service industry. He teaches us about some fascinating online marketing methods and tools that will boost your online presence.
Brigham Dickinson is President and founder of Power Selling Pros, a leading coaching and training firm in the industry. Brigham talks about properly training customer service representatives, CSRs, and how, by doing so, you can maximize your business performance.
Dave Rothacker, recently honored as an industry “Servant Leader”, is back with book recommendations. Dave is a voracious reader of books, his recommendations are excellent, and I’m always eager to find out what books he recommends.
Jason Henderson is the President and Founder of Best Air Conditioning Plumbing Repair in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jason’s an industry veteran, but his company is very new. Jason and his team have achieved amazing growth in a short time. How did they do it? We also ask Jason for his 4 rules for business. They’re gems!
Relentless innovation is a powerful competitive advantage. Steve Miles, Vice President and CEO of Jerry Kelly, joins us to discuss innovation and how he made his company a standout for customers and coworkers.
Bob Larson, founder and President of Bob Larson Plumbing, tells us how he entered the industry, how he achieved such an amazing growth rate, and how teaching other plumbers and developing a positive company culture has helped his business to thrive.
Your Home Services, might be the fastest growing residential home services startup we have ever seen. We talk with Shawn Henson, Vice President of Your Home Services, and find out how they achieved this amazing growth.
Eric Dutton, founder and president of Dutton Plumbing, returns to Profiles in Prosperity for a second interview. This time we asked Eric for 5 rules he uses to run his business. Be ready for some out-of-the box thinking. You’ll be surprised, amazed, impressed, and pleased with what you’ve learned.
Joe Strittmatter’s HVAC, Plumbing, and Roofing company has had phenomenal growth. How did they do it? Joe tells us about his innovation for adding plumbing, how he thinks about social media, and giving back to the community. He also tells us about his favorite business books and his three rules for growth.
Crystal Williams, of McWilliams & Son Heating and Air Conditioning, was named the Service World Woman of the Year at Service World Expo. In part two of this interview, Crystal talks about working in and running a business with family members, and her choice for favorite business book.
Crystal Williams, of McWilliams & Son Heating and Air Conditioning, was named the Service World Woman of the Year at Service World Expo. In part one of this interview, Crystal talks about advertising strategies and involvement of her company in non-profit organizations.
If you’re in a Residential Service business you’re probably training your team. But what kind of training are you providing? Corey Hickmann stepped up his personal training plan, extended it to his team, and got great results. What is he doing that you’re not?
Larry Taylor’s one of the smartest and most respected contractors in our industry. Every time I talk with him I get great information. You will too!
Bob Viering, VP of Programs for Service Nation Alliance, gives us his ideas for the “rolling billboards” we all use, and how to make them more effective.
John LaPlant doesn’t just KNOW financial ratios; he has the wonderful ability to explain them and make them interesting. We asked John for 3 ratios – just 3 – that people often overlook and often don’t understand.
A residential service business can’t grow if the leaders can’t hire the right people. Finding skilled techs and plumbers is difficult for many businesses. Ed O’Connell’s solution was to grow his own. Here’s what he did… It will work for you, too!
Technician “ride a longs” have always been considered a great way to train and ensure the quality and consistency of the customer experience. But what are the best practices for a ride a long? How do you make the most of this important training opportunity? Long-time Industry Consultant and Service Manager, Dale Mincks, has conducted hundreds of ride a longs. He tells us his methodology and how to make a ride a long most successful.
Dave Rothacker is back and gives us two more book reviews for 2018, one of which he has already labeled as his 2018 book of the year and in his ALL TIME top ten! Dave Rothacker is an impressive reader and student of books and business, and his book picks never disappoint. Find out what you should be reading this summer!
Website chat experienced enormous growth last year. Why has it grown so quickly, what’s the benefit of offering chat on your website, and what can you do to make it most effective? Trevor Flannigan, Chief Operating Officer of Home Service Chats, leverages his extensive industry experience to explain the power of website chat, and gives us the inside track on website chat for our industry. It’s stuff you need to know!
When I read the following quote from Steve Simmons, I knew I needed to interview him:
“I'm determined to be the featured company owned by a 60+ year old that made a major step in improving our company, our team, and our presence in the communities we serve.”
Don Harris started his business in 1970 as a part-time job to help him get through college. He stayed with it after college and grew Dependable Services into a great business. Forty-four years after starting, he successfully transitioned Dependable Services to his son, and it’s thriving. Most residential service businesses don’t survive 40+ years. Most don’t successfully transition to the next generation. What does Don know that you don’t?
Charlie Greer is a leading consultant and trainer, twice named Consultant of the Year. Charlie tells us how he joined our industry, discusses what sets good salespeople apart, what to look for when hiring salespeople, and what training they should receive. You want superior sales? Listen and learn!
Mike Ritter is President and Owner of Great Lakes Heating, Air Conditioning, & Electrical in South Bend, Indiana. The normal recruiting methods weren’t getting the results Mike needed, so Mike decided to hold his own recruiting event for his company. He generously shares his methods and results with us.
Joe Cunningham is an elite trainer and consultant in the HVAC industry. He is a two-time winner of the prestigious “Consultant of the Year” award. Joe tells us the top five ways contractors can improve their businesses.
Tyler Kime is the General Manager of Standard Heating and Air Conditioning located in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2017 Tyler was named to the prestigious “40 Under 40” group. Standard has been in business for more than 75 years, is well-established and very successful. How do you keep traditions and continue to grow while transitioning to the next generation? Tyler tells us how he and his father did it.
Someday you will exit your business. What you don’t know, and what you don’t plan for will hurt you. Brandon Jacob, CPA, is the pre-eminent authority in our industry on buying and selling privately held HVAC and Plumbing companies. We talk with Brandon about the steps needed to prepare for an exit strategy and what drives the value of a Plumbing or HVAC company. Every owner of an HVAC or Plumbing business needs to know this!
Dustin Miller is the President of Comfort Now in Visalia, California. Under Dustin’s leadership, Comfort Now has experienced phenomenal growth with a focus on Customer Care. The formation of Comfort Now is an instructive story that many in our industry will enjoy and learn from.
Profiles In Prosperity is Back!
We’ve launched the first episode of season 2 of the Profiles In Prosperity Podcast. Our first interview is with Dave Rothacker. Dave is a phenomenal reader of business books. We asked him to look back on all the books he read in 2017, and tell us his top 3 picks for 2017. They’re great books; can’t be missed!
Access all the interviews at www.ProfilesInProsperity.com or you can get them through iTunes or your favorite podcast player.
BTW, do you know someone who should be interviewed on Profiles In Prosperity (maybe it’s you)? Send an email to ProfilesInProsperity@ServiceRoundtable.com.
Kevin Frump is co-owner and general manager of Illiana Heating and Air Conditioning. Illiana is a well-run company, winning several national and local awards. In this episode, we talk with Kevin about their implementation of performance pay, and his interesting thoughts about field-to-office ratio.
Rebranding can be an incredibly difficult project. John Price did it in a wildly successful and truly memorable way. In this episode John tells us how he did it.
In part two of our interview with Kelly Schols, president of CPI Plumbing, Kelly discusses their unique approach to charity, what it does for their company, and why you shouldn’t be overly modest about your charitable projects. Kelly also discusses the role of self-development in his life, and self-development strategies. (Part 2 of 2)
Bob Miodonski, Publisher of Plumbing & Mechanical, and Mike Murphy, Publisher of the ACHR News discuss the significant impact of the inaugural Service World Expo and what to expect from future Service World Expos.
Kelly Schols is president of an amazing plumbing company: CPI Plumbing. Kelly discusses how he entered the plumbing business, what he had to do to make his company grow and thrive, and why CPI Plumbing stands out from the competition. (Part 1 of 2).
Mitch Cropp built Cropp-Metcalf from a small company to a $40 million dollar juggernaut. How did he do it? In 2015 we interviewed Mitch on stage at an industry conference. He generously shared his experience, business philosophy, and insights with us. In this short segment from the interview, Mitch focused on business growth. Listen and learn from one of the most successful entrepreneurs in our industry!
Dave Rothacker is our guest on this special episode of Profiles in Prosperity where we talk about books. Dave is an impressive reader and student of books and business. So we’ve asked Dave to talk with us about his favorite book that he read this year. So what does Dave like? Listen and find out!
Allan Ferguson is president of Omega Services headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Omega is the leading residential contractor in Australia for HVAC, plumbing, drains, and electrical services. Allan tells us about how he entered the industry, marketing organization, and taking his company to the next level.
Pete Danielson is owner of Modern Mechanical in Ashburn, Virginia. Involvement in the local community is great for the community, but it’s also great for your brand, and a great way to gain new customers. Pete came up with an innovative way to do a LOT of community involvement and developed processes to make it work effectively for his company. In this episode of Profiles in Prosperity, Pete discusses how he used a business development manager to be his community representative and substantially grow his customer referral base.
Mitch Cropp founded and grew Cropp Metcalfe into one of the largest and most successful home service companies ever, and has won a vast array of awards. Mitch discusses what works and what doesn’t work regarding the acquisition of companies and their employees.
Ben Stark built and sold two wildly successful HVAC companies. Now he’s a well-respected industry consultant. Ben's technician retention rate was substantially better than average and he describes the programs and methods he used to achieve that in his business.
Ed O'Connell is founder of O'Connell Plumbing, "The only plumbing company highly recommended by my mother." Ed discusses how he marketed his business by walking door-to-door, five to ten houses per day, and the loyal customers and referrals that came from it.
Kathie Todd and her husband Don run Central Oregon Heating and Cooling. They have received the Ron Smith Trailblazer award, and Kathie was named HVACR Woman of the Year. She discusses their multiple location strategy, the benefits, and how they make it successful.
If you’re involved in the HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical or any other residential service business you need to know about the Joseph Groh Foundation. Joe Groh had a long career in the HVAC industry before suffering a bike accident that left him a quadriplegic. He founded the Joseph Groh foundation which provides financial support to those in connected with the construction trade industry who are living with life-altering injuries.
Ed O'Connell is founder of O'Connell Plumbing, "The only plumbing company highly recommended by my mother." Ed shares his personal story leading to his success as a business owner and how groups and networking helped him get there.
Pete Danielson is owner, with his business partner, of Modern Mechanical in Ashburn, Virginia. Modern Mechanical was named the "best place to work," by the Washington Business Journal, and Pete explains why and how they got that title.
Angie Snow and her husband run Western Heating and Air Conditioning in Orem, Utah. Their company culture is the result of intentional actions on their part. Angie discusses their company culture, why it's important, how it’s helped them grow, and how they implemented and maintain it in their company.
If you are a residential service contractor – HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Pool & Spa, etcetera – you will get a lot of great information and useful ideas from this interview with Eric Dutton. Eric Dutton is founder and president of Dutton Plumbing in Simi Valley, California. Eric discusses how he began, grew, and manages his large contracting company. There are so many gems in this interview: “Do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” “Fear is a choice.” “Let go.” His company’s slogan is, “The plumber you would send to your mom’s house.” Eric explains how this tagline/motto influences the way he and his employees operate within the business. Great stuff!