Stay ConnectedToolbox for the Trades is a podcast where top service professionals share the tips, tricks, and tactics they use to succeed in their industry. This podcast is brought to you by ServiceTitan—the leading home and commercial field service software.
Episodes will feature stories and strategies to help contractors grow and scale their service business.
Look around your workplace. Where are the young faces? The average age of someone in the trades is around 50. That's what happens when your industry does things "the way they've always been done." But for Justin Armendariz, Founder & CEO at Better Future Facilities, the average tech in his company is under 30. Justin has brought technology to the forefront in his business and, as a result, is dragging the trades out of the past and preparing a new generation for the future. In this episode, we discuss:
Usually, the customer knows why they need your product… HVAC, plumbing — when something happens they'll call. But what if they don't know they need your product? Then it's time to educate them. That's exactly what Rod Yoder, Director — North American Dealer Sales at Kinetico Water Systems, does. He's learned some clever techniques over the years to teach his customers the value of the water softening and filtration systems he sells. And there are some great ones. What we talked about:
How do you get a thriving culture?
It starts with leadership.
The owner should be the chief people-person in the company.
That's what Jaime DiDomenico, President at Cool, Plumbing and Energy Today, learned time and time again in his career:
A company is only as good as its owner.
In this episode, we discuss:
To watch our webinar with Jaime, visit servicetitan.com/jaime
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
When it comes time to buy, your customers need options. And if you're not giving them the options they need… They'll go online and find someone who can. That insight is foundational for Joe Crisara's success. Now Owner and Business Coach at ContractorSelling, Joe managed to turn a quarter of a million dollars in debt into a thriving business. All by giving his customers options. In this episode, Joe and I discuss:
First impressions matter.
That's why word choice is so important when we first meet someone…
And why your CSRs need amazing communication skills.
They are the first point of contact with your customers — and what they say can set the tone for the whole relationship.
Today's guest is Angie Snow, Vice President at Western Heating & Air Conditioning and Success Coach at Snow Business Coaching, where she helps business owners struggling to find the right words learn to more effectively engage customers and cultivate 7-star CSRs.
In this episode, we discuss:
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
When looking for growth, owners often want to add more services.
If you can do it all, you cast a bigger net, right?
But a jack of all trades is a master of none…
And nobody wants to hire a roofer to fix their plumbing.
That's one mistake Mike Claudio, Owner at WinRate Consulting, has repeatedly seen in his years advising owners in the trades.
In this episode, Mike explains:
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
Growing your business requires community support.
If customers recognize and trust your brand, you'll go far…
And you may just raise a million for charity in the process.
That's Geoff Gillon, Founder of The Pink Plumber, did and it paid off huge dividends.
He transformed his plumbing business into a lucrative sale by virtue of, well, virtue.
The Pink Plumber became an icon by donating massive sums to breast cancer research…
And, of course, pink plumbing vans.
We discuss:
-How to convince a plumber to drive a pink van (and grow exponentially in the process)
-Why growth is more important than profits
-How to golf every single day and still make it big
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
Mental health matters.
Yet, for some reason, it's often overlooked in the trades.
It's time we take mental health seriously.
In this episode, I catch up with Stacy Fore, Owner at HVAC Solutions, where she has instituted a reimbursement program for mental health.
We speak about that and more, including:
-Why No-BS values are foundational to a thriving culture
-Why the trades is the best path for a free education
-Why referrals still matter in the digital age
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
Are you thinking about selling your business?
If so, why?
It seems like an easy question to answer, but so many can't
Fred Silberstein, President at SF&P Advisors, says if you want to sell, you need a great answer to the question.
In this episode, Fred explains:
-How to find your "why" (and what to do when you find it)
-Why KPIs are so important for a sale
-Why buyers are really buying your people
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
Growing a business is hard work.
Even more so when you do it with your spouse.
But there's a secret:
Clearly defining your roles.
Just ask Rhonda Dowdy, Chief Executive Officer at S&D Plumbing, a business she's spent the last 40 years building with her husband.
And they pulled it off by knowing their superpowers: Her husband is the visionary; she is the integrator.
In this episode, Rhonda covers:
-What makes her husband the visionary and her the integrator
-How to choose a specialty
-How to get buy-in for big changes
Check out these resources we mentioned:
If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.
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