The Fire Time Podcast

Three years ago, the first episode of The Fire Time Podcast was released. As Tim nervously hit the “Publish” button, doubts raced through his mind. Was he really ready to start a podcast? Was anyone even going to listen?  Since then, 99 episodes have followed, making today’s number 100! In honor of that, Tim reflects on his first article from The Fire Time Magazine: “The Journey: How Two Retailers...

What if there was a process for eliminating mistakes in your business so you could grow like never before? As it turns out, there is—and you can learn all about it on The Fire Time Podcast. This season, Tim and Grant will go through the 10-Step Execution Framework that they designed to help you set and exceed expectations for your business. Over the years, these steps have been taught to many comp...

How do you prevent repeated mistakes in your sales process? Simply hope that they don’t happen? Or take action to diagnose and prevent them? Chances are, you’re probably just hoping—not because you’re terrible at business, but because you don’t have a framework to figure out where things went wrong. In this episode, Tim and Grant introduce a new 10-step framework to help you perfectly execute your...

Want to know how to apply the information in this podcast for your business specifically? Then listen to this Q & A episode! As a wrap up to Season 6 of The Fire Time Podcast, Tim sits down to answers questions that have come in all season long. In this episode, you'll get answers to the questions (and more): How do I make time to work on my business when things are so crazy? What do I do to get a...

How do you make it so stupidly easy to buy from you there is no excuse not to? Believe it or not, there is a fairly systematic process to do so.  Today, Tim sits down to talk everything sales process—an art that he has spent much of his life mastering and teaching. When broken down into its simplest form, all that the sales process is, is an exchange of trust between the salesperson and the custom...

With a heavy governmental push to reduce our carbon footprint, many individuals believe that a renewably powered grid and electrifying everything is the end-all solution. Yet, the implications of such a shift often are overlooked. For example, what happens when wind and solar can’t generate enough energy to meet demand—is completely removing natural gas from our grid that good of an idea after all...

Your business is like a boat—if all your team members are not paddling in the same direction, you are getting nowhere. Understanding how to have company-wide clarity regarding where you want to go is critical if you want to operate effectively. Today, Tim sits down with Jon Fox of Vital Consulting to outline the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a framework created by Gino Wickman, designed...

Most businesses will say, “but we've always done it that way”, to avoid making changing that are difficult and scary—especially when it come to replacing analog systems with digital in their business. Failing to take seriously the impact of going digital will cripple your business in the coming years as the market continues to change.  Today, Tim sits down with his good friend and business partner...

If you're a leader, then you know that growing yourself is the only way to grow other people—and reading is imperative to do just that. In this episode, Tim sits down to share three books he’s read in 2021 that have brought him serious value and changed how he views certain aspects of modern-day business.  The three books discussed are:  Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 by Jim Collins & Bill Lazier — A...

In a world where negativity dominates the headlines, remaining positive can be challenging. However most people miss that intentionally surrounding yourself with the right things will allow you to unlock an internal firepower.  Today, Tim talks with Phil Connor (CEO | Ignition Laboratories), a regular contributor to The Fire Time Magazine with his powerful “Firepower with Phil Connor” column. In t...

Business owners work too hard to see their company sell for nothing when it's time to retire. Unfortunately, this happens all the time because they don’t take the steps needed to prepare to get ready. Today, Tim talks with Julie Keyes, the owner of Keyes Strategies and author of Poised for Exit, to discuss the best practices and options for business owners when preparing to sell or step away from...

When a challenging conversation has to be had with a customer, salespeople often struggle to be honest out of fear it won’t sit well on the receiving end. As the marketplace rapidly evolves, continuing to skew details to please customers is a practice you must eliminate. Now more than ever is the time for your business to adapt… In today’s episode, Tim talks with Troy Olsen of Napoleon Fireplace a...

When customers walk into a showroom, they aren't looking for the smartest person in the room—they’re looking for someone who will listen. Showing that you care about them and their situation before trying to sell them something is critical to maximizing your business's success. Today Tim sits down with Peter Parsons, the owner of Tin Man Inc., to discuss how Peter’s passion and excitement for his...

If one of your best salespeople requested time off in the middle of peak season, would you give it to them? Often, this vacation time is not granted, and your salesperson is bummed out over peak season. Your business shouldn’t be run this way. Having flexibility with your team members is key to having a team that is filled with drive and passion.  In today’s episode, Tim sits down with Jenna Guldi...

On a global scale, many governments are implementing new bans preventing combustion fireplaces from being installed in new homes. With this on the radar, business owners in our industry are naturally worried about the future of their companies. This doesn’t have to be the case—if you're willing to take on electric fireplaces. In today’s episode, Tim sits down with Justin Sundset of Dimplex, to dis...

When something goes wrong on an installation it is common for salespeople to become afraid of the customer and hide. With this approach, the customer has every right to be frustrated with you. Instead, you can be proactive and keep them in the loop (in real-time)—which can save the job and your relationship with the customer. In today’s episode, Tim sits down with Sam O’Donnell of Fireside Home So...

Most salespeople think that, in order to be a genius on the floor, they need to know all the technical information about their products. However, the majority of customers really could care less—you are selling a lifestyle not a brochure.  Today, Tim sits down with Sam O’Donnell, a retail associate for Fireside Home Solutions. Sam is a wizard when it comes to the sales process—going from no experi...

Trying to help your customers is the goal of every business. Accomplishing this objective often entails taking on as many opportunities as possible. Initially, this might be the right move, but over time, this can cripple your business. The truth is that when time and resources and limited a business owner needs to focus on their true customer—and not every customer. In today’s episode, Tim sits d...

Is your business successful, but you’re not happy? This is often the case because business owners will work themselves to death and push their team without any cohesive direction. It doesn’t have to be this way—this episode will help you understand the secrets to running a successful business where you are running it from above and being dragged along behind.  To initiate season six, and introduce...

Everyone knows that this year has been crazy for businesses in the hearth industry. That's why we are back with the final episode of this season to answer all of the questions that have been coming in over the last few months.  This episode will answer: What is the best way to track door swings? (This is something that everyone needs to be doing). What makes a good website in our industry? (Hint,...

Having the ability to switch relationships from personal to professional without friction is a dream of many business owners. So many people will tell you to never go into business with family or friends -- but is that really true? In today's episode, Tim sits down with Colleen Kittridge (Travis Industries Pacific Northwest Sales Rep) to discuss how she took over her father's position and what dif...

Most dealers across the country think that having a solid sales team is the only key to selling. But often, these same dealers overlook the importance of having a well-thought-out showroom floor and a holistic customer experience. Investing time into both, training your team, and upgrading your showroom is the true key to successful selling.  In today's episode, Tim sits down with two competing sa...

Most business owners aren't thinking about getting their company ready to sell until it's too late. What they miss is that preparing now helps you run a better business, in general, plus it protects you the event that things suddenly change. In today's episode, Tim sits down with Dick Hoffman (Former Retailer & Chairman of the HPBA Board) to talk about his journey of selling the business that he s...

Most companies today want to get there quick when, in actuality, they need to slow down and make an investment in real relationships with their customers. In today's episode, Tim talks with Malcolm & Zack Fischer (Owner & VP of Sales at Compact Appliances Limited) to discuss their unique market in Atlantic Canada—and what the rest of the industry needs to understand about it. In today's episode yo...

Owners and Managers across the country have a hard time leading their companies because they don't spend any of their effort on leading themselves.  In today's episode, Tim sits down to discuss the rhythms he has created to help him be effective at what he does and lead a full life at the same time. Creating a consistent rhythm is essential to becoming a leader that acts intentionally. You can do...