The Catalyst for the Trades

In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , co-host Chuck Staszkiewicz sits down with Karen Sager, President of Micro Mesh Gutter Guards, to talk about product innovation, contractor profitability, and strategies for standing out in a crowded market. Karen shares the history and evolution of gutter guard technology, how Micro Mesh uses copper filtration to solve long-standing issues with moss and...

Join us for an inspiring episode of The Catalyst for the Trades, featuring Denise Swafford, Chief Commercial Officer at P1 Service Group. Denise shares her incredible career journey, starting from humble beginnings in the call center to reaching the C-suite. Discover how her dedication, resilience, and passion for the trades propelled her to achieve remarkable success and become a leading voice fo...

Join us on this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades as we sit down with Ray Reyes, a former Navy veteran turned successful plumbing entrepreneur. Ray shares his inspiring journey of building New Jersey Pipe Doctor from the ground up, highlighting the challenges and triumphs he faced along the way. Discover how his military background, strategic planning, and unwavering support system helped him...

In this episode of "Catalyst for the Trades," hosts Jennifer Bagley and Chuck Staszkiewicz dive deep into the strategic planning necessary for building a home service business with a future sale or exit in mind. The hosts engage in a rich discussion about vital business practices inspired by recent conversations with successful entrepreneurs from the trades industry. The discussion cover...

Join host Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group, and her guests, Darren Dixon, CEO and founder of fyxify, and George Donaldson, CEO of Fix-It Group, as they discuss the transformative landscape of the home services industry in this engaging episode. The conversation delves into the significant shifts driven by AI technologies, consumer behavior changes, and evolving business models. Learn from indu...

Join Jennifer Bagley as she hosts Trey McWilliams, CEO of McWilliams & Sons and founder of Blue Cardinal Home Services Group, in this enlightening episode of "Catalyst for the Trades." Discover the journey of this third-generation leader as he shares his insights into scaling a home services business with a strong focus on people and leadership development. Trey discusses the decisio...

In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , hosts Jennifer Bagley and Chuck Staszkiewicz sit down with Mark Evans, a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and wealth-building expert. Mark shares his journey in the trades and breaks down the essential steps for creating long-term financial success. They discuss business scalability, smart investment strategies, and the mindset shifts required for entre...

In this episode of "Catalyst for the Trades," hosts Jennifer Bagley and Chuck Staszkiewicz are joined by George Donaldson, a leading figure in the home services industry known for scaling the Fix It Group from $1.7 million to $100 million. The trio dives deep into the crucial strategies and considerations for home services businesses looking to scale or plan an exit. Topics covered inclu...

In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley sits down with Josh Koplin, co-founder of Eden, to explore the evolving landscape of consumer behavior in the trades industry. The discussion focuses on how businesses can leverage digital tools, AI-driven consumer experiences, and innovative content strategies to gain a competitive edge. Topics include the success of disruptive model...

Episode Summary: In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades, we engage in an enlightening conversation with Sebastian Jimenez, CEO of Rilla. Drawing striking parallels between tech entrepreneurship and stand-up comedy, Sebastian delves into the essence of trial, failure, and iteration as the cornerstone of success in both fields. The discussion covers Rilla’s unique culture, AI’s transformativ...

 What does it take to turn your customer service team into a powerhouse for growth? In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades podcast, Brigham Dickinson, founder and president of Power Selling Pros, shares his proven strategies for transforming call-handling into a competitive advantage. Explore the "Pattern for Excellence," learn how to WOW customers on every call, and discover act...

In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades, we sit down with Devon Murphy, co-owner of Reignite Sales Solutions, to explore how businesses can unlock untapped potential by reigniting past leads and optimizing their appointment-setting processes. Devon shares his insights on aligning team values with company goals, crafting effective sales strategies, and empowering leadership to sustain growth...

In this insightful episode of The Catalyst for the Trades Podcast, host Jennifer Bagley sits down with guest Dwight Miller to dive deep into transformative strategies for entrepreneurs and business owners. They explore the importance of alignment with vendors and partners, the value of hiring coaches to tackle personal blind spots, and the pivotal role of structured meeting systems like EOS (Entre...

In this episode, Jennifer Bagley, Mary Belden-McGrath, and Eric McGrath discuss the transformative power of leadership training and the importance of adapting to change in a rapidly evolving business landscape. They share personal experiences with the Bold training program, emphasizing the need for emotional intelligence, collaboration, and a growth mindset. The discussion highlights the challenge...

In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades, host Chuck Staszkiewicz sits down with Erik Flegal, founder and CEO of Family Fortune Financial, to tackle some of the most pressing topics for trade business owners. From essential tax prep strategies to planning memorable holiday parties and re-energizing your team after the new year, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you...

In this kickoff episode of Catalyst for the Trades, with Jennifer Bagley, Chuck Staszkiewicz and Crystal Williams, we're joined by our guest Darren Dixon, CEO and founder of fyxify, to explore how technology and market trends are reshaping the home services industry. Darren shares his insights on the influence of private equity in real estate, the shift toward non-owner-occupied properties, a...