The TradeMarke

🎙️ The TradeMarke — the podcast for the home-service trades. How to build a brand customers actually talk about — through the experience you deliver, not the ads you buy. Topics: customer experience, branding for contractors, storytelling, marketing AI. New episodes weekly — subscribe for HVAC, plumbing, electrical & roofing business growth, AI in the trades, and contractor marketing. #TheTrad...

Conference season is here, and if you're heading to an event this fall, this one's for you. Jennifer from Evolve AC & Heating, Shauna Brown, and Katy Higgins from True Pros join Sarah to talk about how to actually make conferences worth the time and money — especially if networking doesn't come naturally to you. What we cover: - How to network at a conference when you're an introvert (you don'...

Erica Leonor joins Sarah and Eric for a wide-ranging conversation on the power of voice, especially for CSRs and sales teams who don't have body language or facial expressions to lean on. Erica breaks down what she calls "the sound layer," why people process tone before words, and how monotone delivery quietly kills engagement, trust, and closed deals. The conversation moves into pitching (why nob...

Eddie McFarlane returns to The TradeMarke Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping the trades right now: tariffs, refrigerant transitions, and an administration that keeps everyone guessing. But the real focus is what's next. Sarah and Eric dig into the AI data center boom, why it matters for HVAC and electrical contractors specifically, and why most people are using AI like...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Chelsea Fusselbaugh, Co-Founder of TradeEngage , to explore how referral marketing is transforming the home services industry. Chelsea shares how TradeEngage helps contractors turn word-of-mouth referrals into a scalable growth engine by connecting businesses, customers, and communities through a modern r...

Houston, TX is the number one air conditioning city in the entire world. That means it's also one of the most cutthroat HVAC markets on the planet, dominated by private equity rollups, aggressive pricing games, and technicians who are taught to sell first and serve second. Donnivin Brown isn't playing that game. In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric sits down with Donnivin, founder of So...

Max Benbrook, founder of Winsupply in Austin, Texas, joins Sarah and Eric to break down what five years of supply chain disruption has really taught the HVAC industry. From the just-in-time collapse during COVID to the slow death of OEM brand loyalty, Max pulls no punches on where contractors are leaving money on the table and what it takes to actually win in today's market. The conversation goes...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirado sits down with Gabe Bustos to talk about what’s really working in home service marketing heading into 2026. From the realities of SEO and AI-generated content to building trust, earning reviews, and creating authentic customer experiences, Gabe shares a grounded perspective on how small and family-owned trade businesses can still compe...

Hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas chat with technologist and book author Chris Carter about using AI and automation in trade businesses, practical tools that save time, and how to adopt technology without getting overwhelmed. They cover real-world examples, common operational gaps, and why trades need to start experimenting with AI to stay competitive.

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Tara Landes of Bellrock to break down what it really takes to scale a business beyond the plateau. From defining a true BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to building systems that don’t break as you grow, Tara shares practical insights from years of hands-on implementation with service-based businesses. This...

Laura Kelly, CPO of Clover Growth Partners , joins Sarah to break down the mindset shifts that separate high-achieving business owners from burned-out ones. From her RPM planning system to the concept of "who, not how," Laura shares the frameworks she uses to run six home service companies, raise two kids, and still show up as her best self — without sacrificing the life she's building along the w...

What does it look like to lead 15 home services franchise brands — and still be excited about every single one of them? In this episode, Sarah and Eric sit down with Beth Toenies, COO of 1-800-BOARD-UP and VP of Franchise Development for BELFOR Franchise Group , to talk all things franchising, growth, and the future of the trades. Beth breaks down what makes the franchise model so powerful for tra...

What does it take to generate $18.5 million in residential sales in a single season? According to Dan Walrack, the founder of Go Beyond the Hustle , it isn’t about fancy tech or aggressive closing tactics—it’s about being a good human. In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Dan live at the Build It to Sell It conference. With 27 years of exper...

Live from Build It to Sell It in Marco Island (formerly the Roofing Process Conference), Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas unpack what it really takes to scale a home service business you can eventually exit. They dig into the true bottleneck to growth (spoiler: the owner), why buying more software rarely fixes anything, and how agencies and marketers are reacting to the “shift” happening in search a...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, we are joined by Aaron Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Sameday AI , for a deep dive into how AI is transforming call handling, booking rates, and revenue growth in the home services industry. Aaron shares the real story behind building Sameday after discovering his own company was missing 15–20% of inbound leads—and how that realization led to an AI sales a...

The TradeMarke Podcast bridges the gap between the skilled trades and modern marketing. Hosted by Eric Thomas of Rival Digital and Sarah Ghirardo of Remarketable, this podcast is built for contractors, trade business owners, and marketing leaders who want to grow smarter, scale faster, and build lasting value. Each episode delivers real conversations with industry leaders across HVAC, plumbing, el...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Ismail Shahid, a 30-year plumbing veteran who has worked everywhere from historic New York brownstones to the mountains of Colorado and the neighborhoods of South Carolina. Ismail shares how he went from organizing parts in a shop to becoming a seasoned service plumber, why starting in the stockroom gave...

The Trademarke Podcast welcomes Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads for a masterclass in trades marketing—from HVAC to plumbing and electrical. Hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas dig into why most contractors get stuck choosing between branding and lead gen, and how a three-part marketing mix (brand messaging, calls-to-action, and points of entry) outperforms click-chasing campaigns. Ryan explains the “...

Step into The Trademarke Podcast with hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas as they interview Ryan Kiscaden about his self-published children’s books — The Water Came to a Stop and The Air Came to a Stop — and his mission to introduce plumbing and HVACR to young readers. They discuss the inspiration behind the books, surprising reactions from kids and parents, partnerships like ACCA, and how storyt...

On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with franchise matchmaker Adam Goldman to demystify modern franchising, especially in the home services world. Adam has spent 15+ years in the space, from owning an office-cleaning master franchise to placing candidates across 75 industries, with 60 to 70 percent in home services. You’ll learn what makes a str...

On this episode of The Trademarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Ryan Redding for a candid, practical playbook on scaling a home service company the right way. Fresh off a year that included his team joining forces with KickCharge Creative, Ryan shares what he is doing now, why frameworks like EOS help owners win back their time, and how to spot the three problems that...

Step into The TradeMarke with Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas as they sit down with Brigham Dickinson of Power Selling Pros to explore the evolution of CSRs, technician training, and the impact of AI on trades marketing. Brigham shares real-world stories on improving call conversion, reducing callbacks, and turning CSRs into inside sales experts while emphasizing empathy, technical knowledge, and a...

On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with James Hatfield, Chief Revenue Officer at LiveSwitch , to explore how live video technology is reshaping the trades. James shares his journey from climbing ladders in the painting and power washing world to leading a global tech company powering live video for the NFL, the Super Bowl, and now thousands of...

On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Kevin Thornton, VP & GM of Dealer Business Services at JB Warranties , to uncover how warranties are transforming the trades. Kevin shares how JB Warranties helps contractors increase revenue, build stronger customer relationships, and provide homeowners with true peace of mind. From HVAC and plumbing...

On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Rich Harshaw, founder of Level 10 Contractor and author of Unlocking Unlimited Lead Flow, to break down the exact strategies contractors need to win online. Rich shares proven insights from decades in the home services and remodeling industry—helping companies grow from $5 million to over $150 million in...