The Successful Contractor Podcast

TJ Romans didn’t just sell $800,000 in plumbing work last year—he installed it, too.  That kind of performance doesn’t come from pressure tactics or slick sales lines. It comes from trust, education, and a clear process that empowers homeowners to say yes with confidence.    In this episode, TJ breaks down exactly how he earns that trust—and consistently turns routine calls into big-ticket install...

Boost revenue. Build loyalty. Increase what your business is worth.     That’s exactly what Kevin Thornton of JB Warranties unpacks in this can’t-miss episode of The Successful Contractor .    Host Bob Houchin sits down with Kevin—VP of Dealer Business Services—for a high-impact conversation full of strategic insights for contractors who want to scale smarter. Kevin explains why warranties aren’t...

$30 Million in HVAC Sales. 78% Close Rate. Population: 75,000. That’s Cody Kropp’s reality—and he’s doing it all in rural Idaho.    In this powerhouse episode of The Successful Contractor , Bob Houchin digs deep with one of the most consistent and impressive closers in the industry. Cody’s 15-year journey from oil-change tech to $30M HVAC titan is packed with street-smart wisdom, mindset gold, and...

$835,000. One technician. One truck. All sold and installed . At just 26 years old , Shiloh Gill of Cool Hand Electric is already a two-time Crown Champion . In this episode, he reveals how he built a repeatable, scalable sales process that led to $835K in electrical sales —all while running the work himself.    A former real estate hopeful from Brazil , Shiloh shares the mindset, systems, and dai...

Tariffs and refrigerant changes are hitting HVAC contractors hard—costs are rising, inventory is tight, and homeowners are hesitant. If your techs, salespeople, and CSRs are all saying something different—or worse, using fear without facts—you’re losing trust and sales.   In this fast-paced, high-impact interview, CertainPath coaches Miki Stone and Esti Jaacovi share what successful HVAC companies...

Logan Cysiewski is a top-performing roofing sales professional with Krumm Exteriors in New Richmond, Wisconsin.  He’s rewriting the rules on how to win jobs—and win big. From earning the trust of homeowners to mastering CertainPath’s proven sales process, Logan breaks down exactly how he’s sold over $4 million in just a few short years… all without ever being "salesy."    Whether you’re a rookie i...

Jason Barbee is a plumbing technician who didn’t just sell — he installed nearly $1M in residential plumbing last year. Even more impressive, Jason is a 5-time Plumbing Sales Crown Champion; he’s 26 years old and already sold & installed over $4M in residential plumbing in his short career.   From humble beginnings helping his future father-in-law lift water heaters, to dominating full-service...

Blayne Ippolito went from addiction and homelessness to managing a team of high-performing electricians and selling and installing over $680K in residential electrical work with $1M in his sites this year. His journey is raw, powerful, and packed with lessons for anyone in the trades.    In this episode of The Successful Contractor , Blayne opens up about the pain that shaped him—and the purpose t...

Jared Dean isn’t winging it — he’s a master HVAC sales tactician. With over two decades in the industry, Jared has developed a precise, proven process that earns trust, overcomes objections, and closes premium HVAC systems at a staggering $25K average ticket with a 64% closing percentage.    Jared works just three days a week in the field, serves full-time as a pastor , and still sold $3.5 million...

Back by overwhelming demand, Sean Mitchell returns to The Successful Contractor — and this time, he’s not holding anything back.    👉 Missed Sean’s first appearance ? That episode took the HVAC world by storm — racking up views and igniting conversations across the trades. Before you dive into this one, go watch Part 1 and see where it all began. But make no mistake — this is the episode everyone...

In this powerful episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with retiring coach, trainer, and mentor Michael Zeller — a man who’s impacted thousands of lives through his 40-year career in business, leadership, and service. This isn’t just a retrospective. It’s a masterclass in life and business.   From growing up in a working-class Long Island family to building a body shop,...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Carl DiBene, the Director of Training at CertainPath, to uncover game-changing strategies for running a profitable home services business. With decades of experience—including managing $500M in sales at one time —Carl shares hard-earned lessons and proven tactics to help contractors succeed.   🔹 The $500M Sales Mindset...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Josh Moran, Founder & CEO of VitalStorm , a premier digital marketing agency for the home services industry. If you’ve ever felt lost in the world of search marketing—wondering where your money is going and why your ads aren’t converting—this episode is for you!   Josh shares hard-earned insights from years of helpi...

n this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Austin Rohleder, Marketing Director at Integrity Home Exteriors, to break down how they grew from a $6.8MM business in 2019 to peaking at $14.5MM. From digital marketing to canvassing to TV ads, Austin shares his insights into what works—and what doesn’t—for home service companies looking to scale.  Key Takeaways from Th...

How does a small, family-run electrical business scale from $750K to $4M in revenue? Jayme Luersen, dispatcher-turned-operations manager at Home Team Electric, shares her incredible journey of transforming a business through training, technology, and leadership.   In this episode, we cover: ·        From Data Entry to Leadership: How Jayme went from doing paperwork to managing a high-performance t...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Mike Bears from Paul the Plumber to break down the incredible 200% growth that took their business from $4 million to $12 million —in just three years!   How did they scale so fast while maintaining quality, profitability, and customer satisfaction? Mike shares the hard-earned lessons, systems, and strategies that trans...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin interviews Sonya Fryar and Missy Jones of CertainPath about how to build and manage a thriving call center. These two industry experts share their best-kept secrets for creating a positive call center culture, hiring the right team members, and tackling the biggest challenges head-on. Whether you’re a small business owner just startin...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Brandon Oswalt, owner of Oswalt Sewer, Rooter, & Plumbing Repair in Bossier City, LA. Brandon’s story is nothing short of inspiring—from dropping out of school in eighth grade to building a thriving plumbing company with over 100% growth in just two years.   Brandon shares the strategies that helped him achieve rema...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Rob Mafes, owner of Global Cooling in Clermont, FL, to uncover the inspiring story behind his business transformation. Rob shares how he grew his HVAC company by a stunning 67% in just a year, all while working remotely from Italy. Learn how he tackled the challenges of pricing, hiring, and processes to create a thrivin...

What does it take to transform a modest family plumbing business into a multi-million dollar powerhouse? In this episode of The Successful Contractor, Bob Houchin sits down with siblings Grace, Noah, and Levi Dean of Dean’s Plumbing in Beaverton, OH, to unpack their incredible journey. From growing up in a household of ten siblings and homeschooling to taking over their parents' basement-run busin...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor , host Bob Houchin sits down with Brian and Britt Simcox of Brigham Heating and Cooling, Inc., a family-run business in Utah with over 40 years of history. The Simcox’s share how they turned a legacy business into a thriving $2M operation through perseverance, process implementation, and a commitment to continuous improvement.   From navigating the earl...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor, host Bob Houchin interviews Devoe Ward, Strategic Account Executive at Trane Technologies, to discuss the upcoming refrigerant changes impacting the HVAC industry. They delve into the phase-out of R-410A and the introduction of R-454B, the challenges contractors face, and the tools and training needed to adapt. Devoe shares valuable insights on how man...

On this episode of The Successful Contractor, host Bob Houchin speaks with Carol and Kerry Adkins, the dynamic couple behind OnTime Service. Learn how they transformed their company from a company doing new construction electrical work into a multi-trade, residential services $27 million powerhouse with multiple locations and service offerings across Alabama. With guidance from CertainPath, former...

In this episode of The Successful Contractor, host Bob Houchin sits down with Julian Burrell, owner of You and Us Mechanical in the Bronx, New York. Julian shares his inspiring journey from growing up in Jamaica to building a growing HVAC business in one of the toughest markets in the world. They dive into his early career struggles, including being laid off during the 2008 recession and dealing w...

In this episode, we sit down with Ginny Fowble and David Ford from Linn’s Plumbing to explore how they leveraged CertainPath’s strategies to turn their small-town family business into a thriving $2 million operation. Ginny, who transitioned from a career in banking to take over the family business, shares her journey of navigating the complexities of running a trades company and how CertainPath (f...