Contractor Momentum: Recent Episodes
Corey Philip
This is the show where we bring you interviews with today's trades business leaders and game changers to help you grow your business.
The general consensus about debt is that it’s bad. I do agree with it when it comes to personal finances, but in business finance, it may not always ring true. In this episode, I talked about how debt can be a tool to scale your business. Join the Contractor Momentum Lounge FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514/ 00:08 Introduction […]
2021 has arrived! It’s been a good year for most trades businesses, but we’ve got two marketing hurdles in our path this year. I discuss those, how I’ve been preparing my businesses and clients for them, and the biggest opportunities. Links: Contractor Momentum Lounge (FB Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514 Cloudways Hosting (affiliate): https://www.cloudways.com/en/?id=738246
By radically successful trades business, I mean businesses or companies making 8 figures every year. In this episode, I discuss the 6 marketing elements that you will find in those kinds of companies in whatever trades industry. The elements I talk about here are also a part of The Market Domination Method. Join the Contractor […]
This is a quick episode with Mike Nicolai of Triton Air in Orange County, California about the benefits of private labelling equipment. He mainly talks specifically about private labelling in the HVAC industry, but in the end there are tips that apply to other industries as well. Join the Contractor Momentum Lounge FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514/ […]
Corey Hickman runs Comfort Matters in Minneapolis. In this short 15-minute episode, he shares the processes and techniques he’s implemented to improve employee attendance. In this, you’ll learn concrete solutions to resolve unplanned absences, tardiness, and missed meetings. Corey also guested on a previous episode about shifting to a 4-day work week. Contractor Momentum Lounge […]
Ellen Rohr is a female powerhouse in trades business. In this episode, I caught up with her about Zoom Drain since her last guest episode on this podcast. It’s a nationwide franchise business that has helped small independent plumbing businesses reach $100M annually. We also talked about how she plans as an executive and how […]
This week, I’ve got a quick solo podcast discussing performance-driven compensation – what challenges you might face when implementing, how to avoid those problems, and how to make it work so that employees are motivated. Join the Contractor Momentum Lounge FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514 Here’s what I discussed: 00:35 Challenges with performance-driven compensation 01:22 How to […]
Coming back on the podcast is Mike Nicolai of Triton Air. In this episode, we’re talking about how he uses forms to get his team to do things the way he wants them done and up to his standard. He also gave out pointers on how to assimilate your staff to this system, how to […]
Travis Smith led his company, Sky Heating and Cooling in the Portland, Oregon area, to be named the “Best Heating Contractor to Work For” in 2015. If there’s anyone who knows more about how to make a company the place people want to work for, he’s the one! In this episode, we talk employee benefits […]
Shawn Reynolds owns a gutter and siding business called Reynolds Brothers Exteriors along with his brothers in Canada. He’s a returning guest of the podcast. A year and a half since the last episode with him, he’s back to discuss the immense growth his company has achieved in that time, specifically growing his business from […]
Tom Lopatosky of Lopco Contracting is a recurring guest on the podcast. In this episode, we start where we left off, specifically the effects Covid-19 has had in his business. Then we hit it off with a discussion of different offline marketing he’s done since our last conversation – getting a deal for a local […]
Joining us on the podcast in this episode is Tanner Mullen, the owner of Premium Painting in Ocala, Florida. His company does interior and exterior painting with a team comprised of 10 employees. From sending a bigger team out on the field to using Google Forms as a critical part of recruitment to filter out […]
In this episode of the podcast, we have as our guest Scott Berman, the owner and founder of Florida Window & Door. His company covers the entire east coast of Florida from Jacksonville to Miami. In 10 years of being in the business, he’s grown his company to over 250 employees. We touched base for […]
Subscribe on iTunes In this week’s episode of the Contractor Momentum, we are joined by Travis Ringe, the owner of ProSkill Services, one of the best service trades in the Southwest. He shares with us how he built a successful business through his unique philosophy and mindset. Hit play to find out how he gets […]
Subscribe on iTunes Through my extensive experience in the home service industry – running a contracting business, producing a podcast for contractors, managing a contractor community group, and working with other contractors in general – I realized there are certain problems at various company sizes. In this episode, we’re focusing on businesses that are around […]
It’s time for a real chat about SEO! I have never seen anything that has contractors mystified, mesmerized, and otherwise chasing a mystical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that may or may not be there, like search engine optimization. Let’s discuss my experience what is and has worked. Go to the […]
Our special guest for this week’s podcast is Chris Carey. He is the president of Windows Direct USA, a Window and Door Company based in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. During their first year of operations, they almost went out of business. But those challenges did not hold him back—he created his very own secret formula […]
You’ve worked hard. But instead of feeling elated when you look into your books, all you get is a sinking feeling. Why do the numbers say you made less money than you expected? What went wrong? It’s a terrible situation and believe me, it has happened to me before. I understand a lot of trades […]
Our special guest for this week’s podcast is Tom Howard of Lee’s Air Conditioning Company, a $15 million operation in Sacramento, California. In this week’s podcast, we give you the opportunity to listen to his understanding of budget strategies and the benefits of Lean Management principles. Learn all about the importance of budgeting, what seasonality […]
How An Org Chart In this episode, our special guest is Mike Nicolai of Triton Air. Triton Air is a family-owned HVAC business in Southern California run by Mr. Nicolai himself. Mike and I talk about organizational charts and how these could help your company grow. Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514/ Mike’s Org Chart: http://contractormomentum.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hvac-org-chart-from-podcast.jpg Mike’s Company […]
Jason Lee from Indianapolis brings up a burning question in our Facebook group about people not showing up during job interviews. How do you get a better commitment from those who respond to your job ads? Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514/ Here’s what we discussed: 0:10 How we deal with people who don’t show up Our own […]
This week’s episode with Gokul Padmanabhan was a complete EYE OPENER. With customer acquisition getting harder and harder, how do we know if our companies have what it takes to stay and grow? From recruitment, so we become the company people want to work for, to marketing, where we become the company people want to […]
???? NEW NAME: From Home Pro Success toooooo Contractor Momentum. The focus remains the same; no fluff interviews and insights on contracting business! In this episode I explain why I decided to rebrand and rename the podcast after almost 3 years. Links & Mentions Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/896216427196514/
According to John Huffman of Innovative Design Concepts, building a successful business isn’t just about finding the next client to keep the cash flow going. He has his own principles on how to manage a design-and-build operation that keeps clients happy and more likely to stick to his business. We cover these principles, as well […]
Having to rely on estimates is a system that has proven efficient for businesses which depend on sales, but this system also has its fair share of drawbacks that could be improved. Fortunately, we discuss a fresh alternative that could be a total game changer in this episode of the Home Pro Success Show. Here’s […]
Ready to take your sales up a notch? Whether you suck at sales or are a top performer these tips will get you more signatures and deposits!
Follow up to HPS026: SECRETS TO GETTING CLIENTS THAT PAY HIGHER PRICES (THEN YOUR COMPETITORS) Including: What does it mean to be a premium service provider? How much should you charge? Are you charging customers for your inefficiencies? Click the play button!
It’s always better to be a premium service provider! In this episode I discuss psychological ‘pre-positioning’ strategies that will get customers paying higher prices for your services.
The concept of a four-day workweek might sound unusual to some—and it might be a foreign idea to you, as well—but more and more cities around the world offer this type of work schedule. Some are much closer to you than you think! Corey Hickman of Comfort Matters doesn’t just make sure that they provide the […]
Jeff Juchnowicz, the owner of Terra Garden Solutions, works mainly with commercial clients — property managers and lawn companies. As much as it takes such a big risk to deal with large-scale projects and work on big communities, Jeff has found the system that works for his company so that they can accommodate both residential […]
Organizing and keeping up a dispatch calendar is a big ordeal for service businesses. However, the rewards are great when you finally figure out a way around it, build a system, and make it work for you. In this episode, I talk to someone with a lot of experience with it, Tommy Mello. He operates […]
You’ve probably seen contractor websites with live chat functionality. Is it worth it? Does it get new business? You’ve probably wondered. I recently added it to my website. In this solocast, I discuss how it is working for us so far. Below are some screenshots of how my website site looked with the live chat […]
Whether for large- or small-scale contractors, calls are the ‘best’ first point of contact with your leads. Being able to take them all and respond accordingly can not only bring up the sales but also build up the image of your company to your potential customers. Vito Maretzki is someone who has built up his […]
When trying to up-sell, you run the risk of losing the entire sale as the customer either feels they’re trying to be ‘up-sold’ or you change the scope so radically that the customers send the project back out to bid. Rodney Bailey, of Magothy Electric and I discuss what we do to prevent this. You’ll […]
From bootstrapping his business with rental equipment to a thriving family business 20 years later, Bob Bird of Bird Insulation shares his path and some of the key ingredients that make his business tick! As you’ll hear, Bob does something a little uncanny when it comes to deposits… he takes $0 upfront. That’s a total […]
We’ve all had our guys huddle around for a meeting only to have it turn into a time suck. Today we here from Dan Dowdy who shares what he does to make his meeting time a productive training sessions. We here about weekly schedule and exactly what todays meeting was about in his mid-upper 7 […]
“Can I have some customer references?” That question will sound like fingernails on a chalkboard your first few months in business. After 8 years in business, today’s guest is starting a new business in a more narrow trade line, which has put that question at the forefront of many sales discussions he has. We discuss […]
A $10,000,000 sales team… that’s where Jay Davies of Orion Home Improvement is headed! Tune in as he shares his experience on stepping aside from the sales process building a sales team. We go in depth covering the roles he’s mapped out, what they cover, finding the people to fill the roles, and taking sales […]
Keith Neff of Triple A Air Conditioning joins me in this episode. With over 30 years experience in the trade he shares his tips for a “perfect” service call that will lead to positive customer rapport, increase ticket size, and minimize callbacks and warranties. RESOURCES Home Pro Sales & Marketing Lounge Triple A Air […]
Pete Catalano of Concrete Hero finds success in a lead source that will make many contractors cringe… HomeAdvisor. Pete and Corey discuss how he is getting a positive ROI from HomeAdvisor, how the platform works, what it costs, and how to the make most of every lead on there. Pete provides a unique perspective from […]
It’s not easy for trades businesses to last 10 years, yet alone 60. But todays guest currently runs a business his grandfather started over 60 years ago, which shows that trades businesses CAN stand the test of time. On this podcast, he’ll share how businesses can last with smoother generational transfers through his personal experience. […]
Tom Lopatosky of LOPCO Contracting shares his insights on the industry and getting into charity projects. For instance, he explains how getting involved in the community can benefit your company. Plus, he talks about why people should take part in non-profit projects. We also cover: [09:14] Finding workers for unique niche services [15:24] How to be the company that […]
Allan Ferguson of Omega Home Services joins me on the show to discuss how he’s added additional trades to drive his business to 80+ and become one of the largest trades operations in the land down under. We also jump into: [3:01] Changing gears: why the shift from doing general contractors to residential home maintenance […]
Joining Corey Philip on this episode is Nick May, owner of Walls by Design and host of multiple interior design and painting podcasts. With over 20 years of experience in the trades business and passion for marketing, he shares a lot of insights on making a sustainable business through the help of social media. They also […]
In this episode, we have the very knowledgeable Josh Patrick whose passion resonates with Corey Philip’s in building value-based and strategic marketing plans for a sustainable business. Some main points they tackle: [12:30] The challenges home service businesses have in setting up recurring revenue models [17:05] How contractors can use the scrum software methodology to […]
In this episode, we have Nick Slavik sharing how he’s kicking social media, specifically Instagram and Facebook, and his unique job post ad to help him find the right people that will glue well with his team. They also talk about: [7:52] How he ended up competing against another Slavik painting company [14:50] The kind […]
In this episode, we have Louis Bruno of Bruno Total Home Performance. He’s sharing with us how he’s got into the business and how he manages over 100 people through replicable systems. Corey and Bruno also tackle: [18:20] How they got people to call them when they were still starting out [22:25] Establishing systems when […]
In this episode, we have Bryan Sebring of Sebring Design Build from Naperville. Well into his 20 years in the business, Bryan shares the invaluable effect of building a brand to his bottom line. They also talk about: [6:40] The “silver bullet” to nurture potential leads and touch-base with existing clients [14:47] If it’s worth […]
In this episode, Corey meets with the 1/3 of the Reynolds Brothers from Ontario, Canada- Shawn Reynolds. They talk about the struggles of starting a family-owned business and the system they have in place to get to where they are now. They also talk about: [9:10] Their fool-proof “formula” on spotting potential employees that are […]
In this episode, Corey Philip sits down with one of the few successful female entrepreneurs in the pre-dominantly male trades business–Ellen Rohr, former president of Benjamin Franklin plumbing which she helped to grow to over 40 franchises and 50mil in revenue. Now she operates her own thriving franchise ZOOM DRAIN. Tune in as they talk about: […]
In this episode, we have Devon Tilly of The Art Of Construction and owner of Mountain View Window and Door sharing lots of business nuggets and how having more than 10,000 sq.ft. showroom drives his business. In less than an hour, they also cover: [8:50] How they fully integrate their role on each project [11:24] […]
In this episode, Corey Philip has Jamie Irvine sharing his insight on how he built an exterior cleaning business that functioned with sustainable systems that paved the way for a lucrative exit! They also talk about: [3:05] How having an established system not only increases efficiency but also increases the perceived value of their business […]