The Fire Time Podcast

Every has been trying to figure out when the supply chain will get back to normal, but the truth is that it won't for a while. In this conversation, we sit down with Grant Falco (Falco's), Kirk Newby (Associated Energy Systems), John Shimek (Hearth & Home Technologies), and Stephen Schroeter (Napoleon) to talk about how retailers distributors and manufacturers can get through this crisis together....

Everyone wants to know how to win the sales game, but since our industry is mostly made up of men, there are huge gaps in the process that women bring to light. In this episode—live from the HPBExpo—we talk with some of the most prominent women in our industry about how they specifically approach the sales process. In this conversation (moderated by Rachel Feinstein), you'll hear from Ryann Blake...

“When was the last time you took a step back and went through your customer's routine?” For the last episode in the Rapid Reaction series, Tim gives you his reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "Would...

"If you want to go from being a treadmill operator to being a business trailblazer, you should" listen to this episode. While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article,...

“Know what SKUs are right for you.” While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "5 Things Every Hearth Retailer Should Know," a...

“I’ve had my passion overflow into arrogance and self-righteousness, and blind me from seeing things as they actually are…” While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's arti...

"We can't argue with a customer's experience." While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "The Secret: 4 Simple Steps To Reco...

We are no longer physical companies with a digital presence; we are digital companies with a physical presence... While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim g...

"Oh, what kind of dog do you have?" is the type of question salespeople should really be asking customers... While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives...

While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "The Cohesive Unit" an incredible article by Sam O'Donnell. You aren't going to wa...

While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "Dave Pomeroy's Rule Of Customer Percentages" an incredible article by Clay Dennis...

While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "3 Lies That Are Killing Your Business" an incredible article by Grant Falco. You...

While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below). In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "Demand More From Reps Like Me" an incredible article by Art Ratcliffe. You aren't...

In this episode, we round out Season 7 with Q&A and give some big announcements about the future. Tune to in to learn: Why customers literally have to sit down in a showroom (if you want to make a better connection with them) How to role play with your sales team without looking like a jerk (this is something a lot of leaders miss) What you can do to help a new salesperson write up estimates quick...

No one likes uncertainty. Having someone to show us the way in life is something we all crave on some level. But how do you find that kind of person? In today’s episode, Tim talks with Rachel Feinstein, the Senior Manager for Government Affairs for HPBA and the creator of HPBA’s Women’s Mentoring Program. Rachel and Tim’s conversation focuses on why the mentorship tide in our industry is rapidly r...

What’s the call to women in a male-dominated industry? Simply put, it’s creating a better industry for everyone. After all, including women frequently creates teams that focus on what matters most—instead of teams that do directionless, unfulfilling work. In today’s episode, Tim talks with Michelle Myers, the founder of an online community for women seeking purpose in their work. Michelle and Tim’...

Reading every business book and listening to every business podcast can actually cripple you as a leader. Learning has no value if you don’t apply it to life. The best leaders understand this fact and make it clear through their actions. In today’s episode, Tim talks with Robert Bartucci (CEO of Glen Dimplex Americas) to discuss Robert’s powerful problem-solving framework: simplify, focus, execute...

All of our gifts come with shadow sides. Understanding your gifts—and knowing their shadow sides—is essential to becoming the best leader you can be. Better yet, encouraging your team to have this sort of self-knowledge creates a culture of trust and humility—not hierarchy and ego—which ultimately allows everyone to execute at the highest level.  In today’s episode, Tim and Grant talk with the res...

The next year for our industry looks bleak. For most dealers, surviving alone will be difficult. If we want to maximize our chances of getting through it as a whole, we need to start sharing knowledge with each other. In today’s episode, Tim sits down with Pete Schoenfeld (United Buyers Group, HPBA National Board) to talk about the tough spot many businesses find themselves in due to supply chain...

What do you do if your business is implicated in a house fire? This is a nightmare question that none of us want to think about, but we need to discuss it—because it’s inevitable in our line of work.   In today’s episode, Tim speaks with Jim Adams, a Fire Investigator with a background in the hearth industry. This wide-ranging conversation goes from Tim and Jim covering the specifics of protecting...

Adding fuel to your wood stove at the optimal time is a science. It’s also the key to reducing emissions and increasing efficiency—and that gives us reason to hope that wood stoves won’t die out. In today’s episode, Tim talks with Noel Putaansuu, an expert on wood-burning stoves, the President of Smokeless Chimney, and a contributor to The Fire Time Magazine. One of Noel’s recent articles, “The Wo...

You know your business from the inside out, but have you ever looked at it from the outside in? Truthfully, a large part of a sale is your business’s first impression on a potential customer. Humans are judgemental creatures—and now more than ever, it’s crucial to put your best foot forward. Today, Tim talks with Edmund Poplawski (Kozy Heat) about his Fire Time Magazine article, “Would You Buy Fro...

After a successful installation, is a job over? Honestly, it’s not—because you still need to document the project and ask for a referral. These simple steps protect you when things go south and provide you with more growth opportunities. But how do you actually accomplish them? In today’s episode—the final installment of the 10 Steps to Execute series—Tim and Grant cover Step 8 (Installation), Ste...

“Sorry, but we’re missing a part.” This is the last thing you want said between your installer and your customer on installation day. Unfortunately, it’s too common throughout our industry because many companies don’t have a thorough staging system to prepare for each job. What does a thorough staging system look like, though? Listen in to find out. In today’s episode—the second to last episode of...

Many hearth businesses lose installation days because they don’t schedule before purchasing. At first, this order of operations might sound reckless, but it’s actually one secret to running a highly productive business. This secret—along with many others—is part of the 10-Step Execution Framework, which will help you set and exceed expectations for your business so you can grow like never before....