The TradeMarke

In this inspiring episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down live at AHR Expo with Krista Laden, Marketing & IT Director at Gulf Shore Air Conditioning and a board member of Lady Titans. Krista pulls back the curtain on her 13+ year journey from admin assistant to leadership, revealing how she’s helped build a beloved, community-first brand without relying on Go...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas are joined by Dave MacDonald, founder of the Better Together Group, to talk about one of the most important (and most overlooked) aspects of growing a successful trades business: hiring and managing people who actually give a damn. Dave shares his no-fluff philosophy—WTF: Work hard, Tell the truth, Finish the job—a mantra th...

In this wildly entertaining and value-packed episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with the one and only Derek Cormier, founder of Climate Experts in Melbourne, Florida. From a single truck to a projected $12M in revenue, Derek shares the exact playbook he's used to scale a multi-trade business covering HVAC, plumbing, and electrical — all while keeping things...

In this powerhouse episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Ryan Chute—Wizard of Ads partner, strategic branding guru, and co-founder of The Difference bourbon with Chris Voss—for a no-holds-barred deep dive into what really makes marketing work in the trades. Ryan doesn’t just talk strategy—he lives it. From founding an invite-only bourbon society to o...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with the brilliant duo behind Titan Advisor Gurus – Jess Kralemann and Kim Rahn – to dive deep into the hidden power (and common pitfalls) of ServiceTitan. Jess, the marketing systems expert, and Kim, the operations and accounting wizard, share their insider tips on how contractors can unlock the full potentia...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas welcome industry legend and current Chairman of ACCA, Eddie McFarlane, for a candid, insightful, and inspiring conversation on the future of the trades. With over 25 years of experience in HVAC—from starting as a helper in the field to co-founding Schedule Engine, and now leading Sealer Services and shaping national HV...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan Mast  from White Beard Strategies , an AI enthusiast and automation expert, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the marketing landscape. Jonathan breaks down the tools and strategies that can help businesses of all sizes thrive in this new era of data-driven decision-making and automation. Discover the latest tren...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with legendary sales trainer Jerry Rollins—the founder of the Be Good Do Good Group and one of the most respected voices in home service sales coaching. From managing restaurants and opening 14 Longhorn Steakhouse locations to training thousands of technicians and CSRs across 27 states, Jerry shares the mindse...

Join hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas on The TradeMarke Podcast as they dive into an inspiring conversation with Michael and David Katz from Trio Heating, Air, and Plumbing . In just three and a half years, the Katz brothers transformed their HVAC business from startup to a projected $15 million in revenue, thriving in the competitive San Jose market. Discover their actionable strategies for o...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast , hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas dive deep into the world of customer service with Michelle Myers from The CSR Academy . Discover why Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are the backbone of your trade business and how investing in their training can transform customer experiences and boost your bottom line. Michelle shares actionable insights on...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, we’re joined by Donovan Ryckis, founder and CEO of Ethos Benefits , to uncover how trade businesses can revolutionize employee healthcare. Donovan explains how smarter healthcare strategies can reduce costs, improve employee satisfaction, and ultimately boost profitability.

In this stress-free and wildly insightful episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric and Sarah sit down with the brilliant and unapologetically bold Melissa Broughton, founder of Busy Bee Advisors . Melissa is not your average tax professional—she’s a strategist, a myth-buster, and an advocate for small business owners who are tired of overpaying in taxes and underplaying their profits. Melissa share...

In this inspiring episode of The TradeMarke, Sarah sits down with Katy Higgins — founder of TruePros in northern Utah — to talk about her incredible journey from single mom and part-time telemarketer to becoming one of the first female comfort advisors in her state, and now the owner of a $5 million HVAC company. Katy opens up about the highs and lows of her first year in business, why she chose T...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas are joined by Susanne Mariga , fractional CFO, CPA, and author of Profit First for Minority Business Enterprises . Susanne shares how trades business owners can break free from the "revenue trap" and start building real, lasting profit through the Profit First method. Together, they unpack: Why traditional accounting i...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric and Sarah sit down with Stephanie Allen from Airworks Solutions to discuss leadership, people development, and the evolution of running a trade business. Stephanie shares her journey of balancing business growth with personal life, embracing a visionary role, and the importance of building a strong company culture—both in-office and remotely. From hi...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with social media expert Jen McKee, founder of Kee Hart Marketing . They dive deep into the power of social media, personal branding for contractors, and why business owners in the trades should start leveraging short-form video and organic content marketing today. Jen shares invaluable insights on creating au...

What’s next for home service marketing in 2025? In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Megan Bedford and Nancy O’Hare-Zika from Home Service Marketing Hub to break down the biggest marketing shifts for roofers and home service contractors. Live from Marco Island at the Roofing Process Conference, the conversation covers roofing industry trends...

How can branding make your business the go-to name in your market? In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Dan Antonelli, CEO of KickCharge Creative , to dive deep into the power of branding in the trades. Live from the 6th Annual Roofing Process Conference, Dan shares how a strong brand can lower marketing costs, increase customer trust, and boost c...

How do you scale a home service business to 75+ franchise locations in under two years? In this episode of The TradeMarke, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Dan Claps, CEO of Voda Cleaning & Restoration , live from the 6th Annual Roofing Process Conference in Marco Island, Florida (hosted by LB Capital ). Dan shares his journey from the franchise lead generation space to acqui...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast , Eric Thomas sits down with Josh Taylor, co-owner of Roofing Pups , live from the Roofing Process Conference. From starting as an ER nurse to building multiple home service businesses, Josh shares his journey of scaling companies, adopting EOS, and partnering with LB Capital to grow Roofing Pups into a national brand. 🏗️ Key Takeaways from This Episode: ✔...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Tiffany Arends from All-American Heating and Plumbing in Breckenridge, Colorado, to talk about the essential relationship between marketing and operations in the trades industry. Tiffany shares how her team doubled their booking rate, the importance of hiring the right CSRs, and how a strong company culture imp...

In this episode of The TradeMarke , Eric and Sarah sit down with branding expert and author Ray Seggern to explore the fascinating intersection of storytelling, marketing, and business success in the trades industry. With over two decades of experience as a Wizard of Ads partner , Ray has worked with industry leaders to craft compelling brand narratives that resonate with audiences and drive resul...

In this dynamic episode of The TradeMarke, co-hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo dive deep into the evolving world of marketing for the trades. Joined by guest Crystal Williams from Lemonseed Marketing , they explore groundbreaking insights, trends, and actionable strategies to help home service businesses thrive in 2025 and beyond. Key takeaways include: AI in Marketing: How tools like ChatGPT...

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Dana Staszkiewicz, co-founder of the Opus & Golds Group, to explore her remarkable transition from a career in retail and ad agencies to becoming a leader in the trades industry. Dana shares her story of entering the trades through her brother's plumbing business, the challenges they overcame, and how they...

Welcome to another exciting episode of The TradeMarke, live from the Service World Expo 2024 in Orlando. We are thrilled to introduce Josh Davis from MailShark, our very first sponsor on the show. In this episode, we dive into the world of direct mail marketing, exploring how Mail Shark, a company specializing in direct mail marketing for home service contractors , helps contractors enhance their...