Leadership Lounge with Jack Tester: Recent Episodes
Nexstar Network
Nexstar President and CEO Jack Tester discusses various topics relating to business management and how to become a better leader in your business.
Jack answers Julian's questions on leadership lessons he's learned over the years during his tenure as President and CEO of Nexstar Network.
Jack Tester sits down with NYT-bestselling author and motivational speaker John Maxwell at Nexstar’s Super Meeting 2020 in Phoenix. They discuss John’s concept of “Leadershift”- the idea that leaders need to make decisions and pivot quickly when faced with new challenges. “Movement creates action,” he says. “Just because you’ve made a decision doesn’t mean you took action. You’ve got to jump; you’ve got to move.”
Jocko Willink discusses his concept of Extreme Ownership, and speaks to how extreme ownership goes both up and down the chain of command. He goes on to explain how, in his time as a Navy SEAL, he learned that "you have to train and be prepared for things you don't expect," and how that translates well into running a business.
Meet Pat Lencioni! Get a sneak peek of some of the topics Pat will be presenting at Super Meeting. In this quick podcast, find out how he feels about a leader’s motives, the need for communication, and meetings.
Jack sits down with Julian Scadden and shares a big announcement - Julian Scadden's succession to the role of President & CEO of Nexstar! They discuss the transition and Julian's story.
Adrian Stephenson, owner of Comfort Services in the Raleigh, NC area, speaks with Jack about his story, discussing how Nexstar trainings have stabilized and improved his business. He shares a story about teaching himself to close leads using the Nexstar process to convince his Comfort Advisor to adapt to Nexstar training, and realizing that not everyone can accept change, even when it benefits them. "I would tell anyone: if you really apply yourself to the HVAC Service System, that stuff really works," he says.
Jack talks with Chad Peterman, who explains how he and his managers go about getting the right people, building the culture, and then growing people within the culture. Peterman explains is organization’s employee focus, saying that the speed at which your company grows is in the hands of your people. “When you grow them,” he says, “they grow your company.”
Jack’s guest is Wyatt Tucker, the first male of his family to graduate from college. The two talk about how Wyatt, fresh out of school, jumped in to help his father run the business. The process included being fired from the company before he ultimately returned to transition as the new company owner.
Jack talks with Chris DiCampli, who — together with his brother- and father-in-law — purchased a company and grew it from $300,000 to $10 million in five years. DiCampli attributes their success to a focus on the growth-oriented processes presented by Nexstar’s business coaches. He also talks about the support he gets from other Nexstar members.
John Gennaro started his business in 2003 with just himself and a truck. His wife did the books at night while she worked a full-time job. Today, Gennaro has around 70 trucks in the field and more than 100 employees. He talks about how growing as a leader means finding and scaling efficiencies, whether it’s a business practice or the way your people operate.
Aaron Gaynor tells Jack about his journey from plumber’s apprentice to owner – with a bankruptcy in between. Aaron talks about how being good enough to work in a business doesn’t mean you’ll be good at running a business. Aaron’s biggest lesson was learning to take full responsibility instead of blaming external forces.
David Hammond, the owner of Hammond Services, talks to Jack about the tough lessons he learned when he walked away from a winning business formula.
Jack talks to Canadian Nexstar member Ted Fox, who joined Nexstar in December of 2016, just before a series of missteps crippled his business. He tells Jack how Nexstar’s approach of getting everyone at all levels of the company to return to fundamentals helped him right the ship.
Jack talks with Scott Pearson, Nexstar’s director of coaching. Scott has been with Nexstar longer than anyone else – including Jack. The two talk about servant leadership, as well as the importance of finding balance between taking care of yourself and your family, and taking care of your business and customers.
Ultra-athlete, Retired Navy SEAL, and best-selling author David Goggins talks to Jack about discipline, endurance, and focus. These aspects are crucial for business owners. Goggins talks about overcoming a childhood of abuse and a learning disability by breaking down obstacles into — as he puts it — “the smallest molecule possible, and building them back up one small accomplishment at a time."
This podcast was recorded in San Antonio during Nexstar's 2019 Super Meeting. Jack talks with best-selling author Jim Collins, who is highly sought after to speak about managing businesses to create sustainability and growth. Whether it’s research for a book or building a business, Collins says there’s a common goal: “Do the work right.” He talks about how to create endurance that can be sustained over time.
Lisa White, head of membership sales for Nexstar, offers Jack her observations about how 18 years of meeting and mixing with Nexstar members has allowed her to see that sharing your failures helps others learn and succeed.
Nexstar member Chris Bishop talks to Jack about his journey from just starting out in the industry to owning a company with 28 employees and $5 million in annual revenue as of late 2019. The two discuss how learning what not to do is often as important as understanding the right thing to do.
Nexstar member Connor Williams offers his perspective on a subject his father Brian Williams talked about in an earlier interview with Jack. The two discuss how family dynamics impact business decision-making, and the importance of knowing how and when to separate business from family.
Nexstar member Kevin Wolf walks Jack through his journey to owner and leader, and the importance of being in an industry that offers such an opportunity.
Nexstar member Jamie Gerdsen talks to Jack about the importance of creating actionable values and how they help both employees and management understand their impact on a company.
Nexstar member Brian Williams, owner of Vancouver-based Ashton Service Group, talks to Jack about how family dynamics can shape business. The two discuss how Brian and his son Connor have navigated the ups and downs of sharing leadership.
Nexstar business coach John Conway joins Jack to discuss how he took his family business from insolvency to salability by learning to grow the right parts and charging the right rates.
Nexstar trainer Thad David talks to Jack about lessons in leadership learned from the Marines and serving directly after 9/11. The two discuss the importance of cooperation and support. You have to know who's got your back whether you're part of a business or part of a recon team in battle.
Nexstar VP of operations Julian Scadden talks to Jack about the dynamics involved in leadership transitions. He explains that as you move up in the ranks, there are people who've supported you that you'll want to elevate as well. The two discuss the importance of alignment and shared goals to achieve traction and company growth.
Jack interviews Nexstar member Len Koglin, the owner of LenAir Air Conditioning & Heating. The two talk about how Koglin transitioned his business after losing a single commercial account. Koglin shares some key lessons; for example, how he and his management team learned to implement new ideas and then stick with them.
Service Professor owner Brad Krause has held leadership positions in the company since 2004. The Service Professor's annual revenue recently grew 31% in 2017. He talks to Jack about the importance for leaders to find a balance between internal and external focus.
Dr. Robert Cialdini's books on influence and persuasion have sold over 3 million copies. He shares his insights on influence and persuasion, and talks about one of his six principles, Authority. Dr. Ciandini shares how to effectively communicate your authority as a leader.
Jack interviews Wyatt Hepworth, owner of Any Hour Electric, Plumbing, Heating and Air. Any Hour's revenue increased from $1.5 million to $40 million over 10 years. The company employs over 225 technicians. The two discuss Hepworth's career arc, and how he realized that if he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, he needed to find a better business model – one that included a team leadership approach.
Ed Cerier was Nexstar's first marketing coach. He tells Jack about his journey from a career in advertising in the mid 1980s to his present position as Nexstar's Marketing Manager. Marketing is all about having a plan, Cerier says, and making sure you've got the right people to put that plan into action.
Jack talks with former FBI agent, body language expert, and best-selling author Joe Navarro. Joe tells the story of arriving in the United States as a refugee during the Cuban missile crisis, and not knowing English. It formed his fascination with understanding people by reading body language. The two talk about the importance of body language for home service technicians, who are constantly meeting and greeting strangers.
Jack interviews Nexstar member Rob Carr, owner of Mel Carr Electric. Rob talks about how building camaraderie with everyone on your team creates a foundation of support that fosters the cooperation you need to achieve business goals.
Explore the Trades executive director Kate Cinnamo talks about the work the foundation is doing to change how students and parents view careers in the trades.
Jack chats with Nexstar board of directors member Mary Jean Anderson. Her company, Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air, does more than $30 million in revenue and employs 109 people. Her face is on the company's trucks, but she'll be the first to say it's her people who make the business successful. Anderson tells the story of how she went from being a nurse to helping her husband right-size his struggling business.
Nexstar's head of operations Julian Scadden talks about his experience as an underprivileged young man who worked his way through plumbing jobs by learning as he went. Ethnicity, Julian explains, should never be a barrier to finding a good job that turns into a career. He tells the story of how he found his path.
Jack interviews Brian Cranney, owner of Cranney Home Services and a Nexstar member for over 12 years. Cranney shares how he grew his business by transitioning from commercial to residential and adding services. He talks about the difference between the two sets of customers.
Jack talks with Perfect Plumbing, Heating & Air owner Marty Cullen, who purchased the company knowing pretty much nothing about plumbing, just before the start of The Great Recession. Cullen talks about how he pushed through to success.
Jack talks with Nexstar trainer Bobby Hamilton, who's a licensed third-generation plumber. Hamilton walks through his career and talks about what it's like to grow up with 12 siblings. He notes that coworkers are another form of a family, and they share similar dynamics.
Jodi Peter, who began her career as a service manager, has been a Nexstar business coach since 2008. She talks about what it was like to start at one of the lowest levels in the industry and succeed in a male dominated industry.
John Taffer is best known for his reality show "Bar Rescue." He's often referred to as the Gordon Ramsay of the bar and nightclub business. He and Jack talk about how authenticity can transform any kind of company, whether it's in the trades or the hospitality business.
Jack speaks with leadership expert and best-selling author John Maxwell, who spoke at a Nexstar Super Meeting. The two trade stories about what led to their callings, and the importance of understanding why you are drawn to a career.
Jack talks with Jamie DiDomenico, whose multiple company locations employ more than 250 people and generate close to $40 million in annual revenue. DiDomenico tells how he went from a college drop-out and working the graveyard shift for a service company to becomming the VP of operations by the age of 36. The most valuable thing he's learned along the way is that the relationship with a current customer is worth three times as much as a transactional customer.
Jack chats with Wayne Boothe, the founder and CEO of Boothe's Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Wayne is not shy about admitting that he's a high school dropout. Hard work and tenacity helped him grow his business, but he says the turning point was admitting that he didn't know what he didn't know.
Jack welcomes back Hero Plumbing, Heating & Cooling owner Josh Savage. Josh talks to Jack about the challenges of finding and retaining good people, and the frustration of employee turnover.
Jack interviews Phil Frasier, whose company Frasier Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is celebrating its 100th year in business. A lot of family stories and business ups and downs fit in that century. Phil shares the legacy.
Edan Bar-Lev started Do It Right Plumbers from scratch and became a Nexstar member before the company was launched. He talks to Jack about his professional start as a chef after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, to getting a license as a plumber so he could get into the trades. The connection? Understanding the necessity of customer satisfaction and good reviews.
Jack chats with one of Nexstar's founders, Tom Kelly, who comes from a long line of plumbers and who's owned Drucks Sudden Service for more than 30 years. Kelly talks about the importance of building a foundation for growth – whether it’s an organization like Nexstar or your own business. “There’s no sliver bullet,” he explains. “It takes hard work, perseverance, and believing in the message.”
Nexstar founder Frank Blau, Jr. returns to talk with Jack about how to help your employees develop the right perspective about your company's operation and financial outlook.
Jack interviews Dan Weltman, one of the founders and original 16 members of Nexstar. Weltman shares stories of the organization's early days and the very first Super Meeting, which was attended by only 55 members. He talks about the rewards of longtime professional associations, and the satisfaction that comes from sharing advice earned by experience.
Customer Experience Coach Tom Merriott has been on the Nexstar staff since 2011. Merriott discusses how he participated in the creation of his Nexstar role, and how the examples members provided of call center excellence lead to the development of the training material.
Mike Barker from Barker & Sons Plumbing & Heating shares how his desire to move to the next level led him to Nexstar. He talks with Jack about his participation in a "ride and decide" program, in which local high school students spend a week experiencing what life is like working in the trades.
Elaine Damschen from Mainstream Electric, Heating, Cooling & Plumbing has been a Nexstar member since 2012. She and Jack talk about attitude and how to break through challenges. Damschen observes that a business can only be as successful as the owner's mindset allows.
Jack talks to Nexstar member Billy Salts from Magic Valley Electric. Billy discusses the importance of taking the time to find focus – both on objectives and in finding the best roles for your people.
Nexstar member Josh Savage, owner of Hero Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, joins Jack to talk about the similarities – and differences – between leading a military squad and running a plumbing business.
Jack interviews Vinh Giang, a teacher and magician, who gave the closing presentation at a Nexstar Leadership Spotlight meeting. Giang talks about the importance of finding effective ways to reinforce learning to make it stick. He offers three keys, starting with the power of perspective.
Jack interviews best-selling author Patrick Lencioni, who spoke at a Nexstar Leadership Spotlight. Lencioni talks about his work in Silicon Valley – including Apple Computer – and gives tips on how to overcome the challenges of a dysfunctional team.
Jack talks with Kip Salas, owner of Advanced Home Services, about business development; looking past what you believe to discover what's real; and the benefits of business peers and mentors.
Jack welcomes back Greg Niemi, Nexstar's former President and CEO. Niemi, now a private consultant, talks about creating a culture of responsibility and accountability.
Roberto Luongo, who joined Nexstar in 2001, talks about the importance of focus and concentration, and how they impact company growth.
Jack talks with Matt Schroll from ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric. Schroll, the third generation of his family's company, talks about how he gained perspective by starting at the bottom and working his way up.
Jack talks with Todd Damschen, who expanded Mainstream from electrical to include plumbing and HVAC. Damschen talks about the importance of matching technical know-how with business acumen.
Jack interviews Brad Martin, formerly the owner of Scottco and a former Nexstar board chairman. Martin, who joined Nexstar in 1992, knew he needed help when he realized no one in his organization knew how to run a service business. He came back with a list of 200 ideas after his first meeting with Nexstar.
Jack interviews Anthony Mattioni, owner of Mattioni Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. Anthony talks about transitioning from the Marines to his family-owned company. The discussion ranges from setting career expectations to understanding the true value of a high performance service manager.
Bobby Bellini, owner of Varsity Home Service, became a Nexstar member in 1994. He explains how he transitioned his business from commercial to residential home service, and the lessons learned along the way.
Jack welcomes back Bill Raymond, a longtime business owner, Nexstar member and master trainer, and now a Nexstar TAP coach. Bill and Jack discuss how to process both mistakes and successes, which create perspective and opportunities for growth.
Jack welcomes back Marla Coffin, one of Nexstar's original employees. Digging into her personal experiences at Nexstar as it grew, Coffin talks about how to transition from doing it all yourself to leading a team.
Jack interviews Frank Blau, Jr., Nexstar's founder. The two discuss the early days of working together at Nexstar, and how the inability to delegate authority can destroy your ability to succeed.
Nexstar's former president and CEO talks about leadership hand-offs and the importance of planning your departure.
John Ward's company Applewood Plumbing, Heating & Electric was recently honored as Nexstar's most profitable company. John explains how investing in your people pays top dividends. "We want our employees to live as well as our customers," Ward says.
Nexstar's Board Chairman Phil Smitherman returns to chat with with Jack about how to create a highly engaged workplace. Smitherman shares his top advice for managers, which includes acknowledgement and attention.
Jack interviews Gordon Schroll, the owner of ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric in Chicago and ABC Plumbing, Air & Heat in Clearwater, FL. Scroll has been a Nexstar member since 1992. The two discuss how identifying and building accountability helps position both people and companies for explosive growth.
Jack interviews Bill Raymond, a longtime business owner, Nexstar member, master trainer, and now a Nexstar TAP coach. The two discuss employee training and how to make it relevant so that what's learned is applied.
Jack talks to John Milos, an entrepreneur and founder of Stylin' Concepts, a specialty vehicle parts distributor. John explains the benefits of creating a company culture that helps employees understand and embrace that they are owners of the company, too.
Marla Coffin was Nexstar's second employee. She worked for the organization until 2010. She talks with Jack about growing up on a rural Minnesota dairy farm, and how the lessons of responsibility and doing what's necessary helped shape her leadership practices.
Jack chats with Dr. Jami Rasmussen, a physiology expert, about how a healthy body benefits productivity. "Mental health and physical health are very closely intertwined," explains Dr. Rasmussen. "How you process stress directly impacts your physical health."
Jack interviews Geno Caccia, owner of Caccia Plumbing, who has spearheaded an initiative to bring people into the trades. He calls it "Ride and Decide." The program pairs a high school student with a professional in the trades. The two discuss how other companies can set up a similar program for themselves, and the support companies can get from Explore the Trades.
Jack interviews Scott Nelson, an owner of Laney's in Fargo, ND. Nelson, who lives in Scottsdale, AZ, discusses the challenges and rewards of remote management. Laney's is a leader in the competitive Fargo market with nearly 100 employees and about $16 million in sales.
President and CEO Jack Tester reviews the keynote speech given by Gino Wickman at Nexstar's recent Super Meeting. Wickman, author of the best-selling book "Traction," talks about how it's important for leadership teams to understand the capacity of the people making up their organization. There are three important questions to ask, and the podcast covers them.
Jack talks with Nexstar Chairman of the Board Phil Smitherman. Phil regularly accompanies his Aux Home Services and Banks Quarles Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical employees when they come to Nexstar for training. He explains how this helps him get to know the people who represent his companies better, while deepening employee engagement and productivity.
Why do you do what you do? What drives you to be extraordinary? In the first Leadership Lounge Podcast, Jack Tester conducts a self-interview about how identifying and understanding your "why" drives the mission of your company.