Blue Collar Nation

Today Eric and Larry sit down and reminisce on the reasons why and how Super Tech University started. Owning a service business in Southern California for many years, Eric and Larry found themselves in a constant cycle of working overtime, stress, and not having the freedom they dreamed of.  Nearly all the issues they had stemmed from problems such as their team not knowing:      How to behave in...

In today's podcast, Eric and Larry sit down with long-time friend, colleague, and certified bookkeeper Electa Bartels.  Electa is also the founder and owner of  Profit In Your Pocket .  What is Profit In Your Pocket , you ask?  It is bookkeeping exclusively serving the home service industries. Our conversation today centers around small businesses and some of the unique challenges that face H...

On today's show, Eric and Larry's guest is Mike Balzano - publisher of Restoration & Remediation magazine and host of Trade Talks: Unlocking The Experience Podcast.  The conversation centers around  the upcoming Experience Conference and Exhibition April 3-5 in Chattanooga, TN . Its a new day for the cleaning and restoration industry!  R&R magazine has now taken over The Experien...

Eric and Larry recently met up with Justin Sifford, owner of Wylander, at the recent Violand Business Planning Retreat in Naples, Florida.  Wylander is a recruiting company that specializes in finding and placing top talent in all areas of the nation. Working in industries such as restoration, construction, HVAC and flooring, to name a few. Our conversation centered around the unique challenges th...

During the recent Violand Business Planning Retreat Eric and Larry had a chance to speak with Dallas Nevill, owner of Rainbow Restoration Mesa, Arizona. Dallas tells the story of how he owned an independent restoration company and experienced all the hurdles and pitfalls that can often come with owning your own business.  He made a decision to convert to a Rainbow Restoration franchise and now has...

Jon Isaacson and Gerrett Stier join Eric and Larry for the 4 Amigos holiday show .  This podcast has become a holiday tradition at Blue Collar Nation. Known for laughs, hijinks, and a little bit of useable information, the holiday show is a time to just enjoy our friendships and have an opportunity to spread holiday cheer for all to hear. Happy New Year and all in best for a healthy, prosperous an...

We are re-releasing this podcast.  This is our highest listened to episode!  Please benefit from the content and insight. Lisa Lavender is a thought leader in the home services space. A dedicated restoration professional, Lisa wears many hats with her many businesses. Eric and Larry had a wonderful conversation with Lisa about the concept of proper onboarding of new team members to both attract an...

Returning guests Tom McGuire and Gerrett Stier join Eric and Larry to discuss creating Next Level Field Technicians. Tom McGuire is the founder, owner, trainer, and teacher of Large Loss Mastery.  Tom is one of the most experienced restorers in the world, with a 36-year career in large loss and disaster recovery.  Gerrett Stier, founder and president of GMS Distribution, is a journeyman electricia...

Dan Platta is a legend in the bookkeeping world, owner of Best Damn Bookkeeping , as well as a seasoned podcast host on the Home Service Happy Hour Podcast .  Dan offers a ton of great information that we all need to know about when it comes to our numbers.  He also adds fun into the conversation taking the bite out of looking at our books.  The whole process does not need to be so stressful as Da...

Eric and Larry are back together again chatting about what they are grateful for this past year.  A lot has happened not only with the business but also in their personal lives. We hope you will be entertained with their lively banter,  gain some insight, have a chuckle and maybe even  get some helpful pointers for your own life.  We hope you enjoy the conversation. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech Unive...

We teamed up with the Floodlight Consultants Chris and Brandon for another great Book Club discussion. This time the book we delve into is: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.   It is a great book teaching us how to shift our mindset and start thinking more out of the box. When we change our perspective on growth and operations, we see different avenues and the infinite potential n...

Wesley Bloeme joined us on the podcast from the floor of the Huge Conference in Nashville.  Wesley is the owner of WiseGuys Pro-Wash in Atlanta, Georgia.  Wesley became focused on his business and growing the company while attending college. He was able to balance both and has grown his business to dominate the Atlanta area.   We hope you enjoy our conversation with Wesley Bloem and his journey to...

Michelle Blevins of C&R Magazine is a consummate professional who gets dragged into crazy conversations with Eric and Larry.   We had a great talk about the industry, Elvis, and other assorted entertaining topics.  We hope you will enjoy the show! TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons, training your tea...

Matt DiBara of The Contractor Consultants , has a great history in the trades, multiple generations!  Matt grew up learning the nuance of doing business from his father and grandfather.   The skills he learned his whole life have translated into a strong understanding of the trades.   Matt earned a Quality Craftsmanship award from Congress too.   Enjoy our conversation. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech U...

Leighton Healey joins us again to talk about his new book Winning with Workers which will change your perspective on your team.  This book is based on so much data in the service industry you don't want to miss out on all the great information that can help you and your company. There is a large emphasis on training and developing workers and building a workforce that resonates with the newes...

Chuck Violand of Violand Management Associates joins us to introduce his amazing book Forging Dynasty Businesses: The Competitive Edge of Enduring Teams.    Chuck has a great background in the service industry and has a pulse on the challenges.  This book was written as a resource, not as a front-to-back read, but as a reference when needed.  The content will help any owner in time of need or when...

Brigham Dickinson is the founder of Power Selling Pros , he is a Spartans Race aficionado, and author of Something to Give , A Journey to Become a Leader Worth Following. We had a great podcast that covered many topics that will delight the listeners and educate them in many ways.  Enjoy our conversation with Brigham. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University Dramatically improve your team's perfo...

We sat down and had a great conversation with Frankie Soriano of We Scope .  Frankie has walked the walk in the restoration billing arena.  He knows what it is like to learn a completely new system for estimating and billing.  The challenges are real, and he offers many ideas and processes that can be used in any industry.  Enjoy our talk with Frankie. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University Dramatic...

We had a great conversation with Currie Gavreau of Honest Water Filter .  Currie is an expert in the Water Filtration industry and a business expert, especially in sales.  Currie has been practicing and teaching sales for many years.  You will learn skills from this podcast when Eric and Currie riff on sales tactics.   Honest Water Filter is also leading the industry in providing great water for p...

Michael Israel understands the service industry.  He has been in the business, working in different capacities for many years.   We had a great conversation about all kinds of concepts that our listeners will enjoy and benefit from.  Michael is with Zuper , the world's most powerful field service management software that enables your team to deliver exceptional customer experiences.  Enjoy th...

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Kent Sonnier of Restoration Pros in Lafayette, LA.  He runs a big company and knows the ins and outs of managing a service team.  Getting the most out of your team and having a great culture requires quality leadership.  Enjoy our conversation with Kent. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of...

Kate Krebsbach is a wealth of pertinent information for the trades when getting and renewing your liability and any other insurance we may need.  She is an insurance Advisor at Scully Insurance Group .  Kate discusses how you can avoid being overcharged and under-protected in your liability.  Check out these attachments and see how you can save on insurance by implementing Super Tech University. ...

Michael Balzano and Myldred Ingram joined us to talk about the Experience Convention .  The Experience Convention and Trade Show is the ideal location for anyone seeking information and solutions in the Restoration, Cleaning, and Remediation industries.  Michael and Mildred talk about the high points of the show. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University Dramatically improve your team's performanc...

We had a great podcast with Jeremy Traasdahl and Josh Ehmke of One Claim Solutions and Derek Preece and Katie Harris of Spot on Solutions .  We discussed the things we have learned that are important in running a company in the trades.  Everyone had great insight and we hope you can take away some great nuggets to implement in your business.  Enjoy the show. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University  D...

Heather Ripley is a public relations expert in the service industry.  She wrote a great book, Next Level Now:  PR Secrets to Drive Explosive Growth for Your Home Service Business that gives many free easy ideas to implement in your business.  Heather has also been recognized by Forbes as a top PR agency and is on Entrepreneur Magazine's list of best PR agencies.  She talks about the book and...