Toolbox for the Trades

Sebastian Jimenez started out as a stand-up comedian. This experience armed him with the resilience and unconventional thinking that helped him co-found a startup company that is now at the forefront of the trades. Much of this success can be attributed to technology and artificial intelligence that enables companies to analyze data faster and better than ever before. As the Founder & CEO at R...

Hey Toolbox listeners, today we're adding a bonus episode to your feed from our newest show on the ServiceTitan Podcast Network — Mastering ServiceTitan. This new show airs on Thursdays and we're bringing it to you here to put more great information about running your business in your ears. In this episode of Mastering Service Titan, we talk with Steve Cossette , the Head of IT at NICE Home Servic...

Ellen Rohr is definitely not your typical financial planner. Besides presenting on stage at industry events like Pantheon, she has another incredible superpower that she loves to share with everyone in the trades: the power of networking with intent. Her success in networking lies in her ability to build relationships with people, her aptitude for making meaningful connections, and her strategic a...

Brian Ruffner and Charlie Warren are on a mission to help companies in the trades realize their full potential and scale effectively. They do this through a combination of systems, processes, technology, and the right talent. They believe success boils down to having a growth mindset and the right internal culture that encourages growth, accountability, and collaboration. This helps to set the sta...

Christian Rattin not only believes that using creative methods like gamification can increase employee performance and engagement, but he also believes in giving back. He knows that many people in long-term recovery have the ability and talent to pursue a profession in the trades. It comes down to having the right systems and processes in place and a program that supports and provides these indivi...

Jamie Adams is on a mission to take the guesswork out of digital marketing for businesses in the trades. He encourages customers to move away from outdated advertising methods to online channels and helps them maximize their marketing dollars with technology. As the Chief Revenue Officer at Scorpion , Jamie and his team endeavor to help local service businesses drive more clients, revenue, and pro...

After spending over 25 years working with industry legends like Jim Abrams and Leyland Smith of Service Champions, Lawrence Castillo felt he was ready for his next challenge. So in 2020, he accepted the role of president at Brody Pennell Heating & Air Conditioning , which has been proudly serving the greater Los Angeles area since 1945. Since taking the reins, Lawrence has helped supercharge t...

Brigham Dickinson is on a mission to help trades companies with low conversion rates, poor customer experience, and a lack of team alignment. He knows that if companies can tackle these problems, they can book more jobs and generate more referred customers for their businesses. It all comes down to having the right mindset and creating an environment of safety, comfort, and fun for the customer. T...

As the costs of goods and materials continue to rise, consumer confidence is low, inflation is high, and business expenses are increasing. So what’s an HVAC business owner to do? Today we’re talking to two experts in the industry — ServiceTitan’s Chris Hunter , Director of Customer Relations, and Deanna Kawasaki , Senior Director of Product Management. We discuss ways to keep your HVAC customers h...

Juan Lopez has always embraced change and views it as an opportunity for growth and continuous improvement. His professional journey is a testament to how you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Everyone in the trades constantly looks to improve and find ways to grow more efficiently and effectively. With the introduction of new technologies, automation, and enhanced workflows, you can turn...

Patrick Boldt and Craig Childress are extremely passionate professionals in HVAC and plumbing. Both hail from humble beginnings and thrived in the trades despite facing many adversities. They decided to take their passion for the trades to the next level and participated in a quiz. Little did they realize that this would take them to Florida, where they would compete with the best in the Elite Tra...

Ian Jacoby is a rare breed in every sense of the word. He grew up in the business his father had built, where they would help companies in the trades to obtain the respective permits. By outsourcing this process to Ian and his team, contractors are able to focus on their true areas of expertise and grow their businesses more effectively. As the president of iPermit , Ian is on a mission to help bu...

Michelle Myers is a bit of a pioneer and a “Renaissance Woman” of sorts. She went from being a commercial interior designer to an entrepreneur in the trades and ran remote teams before that term even became a buzzword. Her passion lies in identifying peoples’ true potential, proactively finding solutions to address customer challenges, and continuously improving systems and processes to scale her...

Raffi Elchemmas and Jennifer Massey are dedicated individuals with an important mission — to help normalize talking about and raising awareness for mental health in the construction industry. There are about 5,000 deaths by suicide a year in construction in the U.S. There are several challenges to consider, such as the job being physically demanding, the high probability of injury in the workplace...

Kelsey Whittenberg fell in love with being an electrician. She loves to understand how everything works and how to use both her technical expertise and tools to help solve problems in the field. She also posted videos on social media as a creative outlet while she was at job sites, and that quickly burgeoned into a great passion. As an industrial Electrician at Weifield Group Contracting , Kelsey...

Sheena Palacios was truly built into the trades in every aspect since her father, brother, husband, and other family members are electricians by profession. For her, the trades are a passion and an opportunity for her to return that appreciation for something she didn’t have before. She is also a strong believer in data transformation and how data is a treasure trove that can be leveraged by teams...

Jackie Sorensen knows a thing or two about working in a family business and dealing with gender stereotypes in the trades. She’s passionate about making the trades more attractive and accessible to young women and is actively involved in local activities within her community. As the President of Thorson Heating , Jackie and her team endeavor to deliver exceptional heating and air conditioning serv...

Richard Lewis truly believes that building genuine connections with people in the trades is the key to long-term sustainable growth.  His experience in the finance industry has also helped him to identify opportunities for growth across different sectors in the trades.  He’s also enabled business owners to take a different approach to partnering with investors to grow their service business. As th...

Ken Midgett is extremely passionate about continuous learning and believes that training is a critical component to the long-term growth of businesses in the trades. As a professional plumbing service entrepreneur, Ken successfully ran two businesses and helped make the plumbing program at a high school in eastern Pennsylvania one of the most sought-after for students joining the workforce. As the...

Devynn Thompson entered the trades with her husband after he decided to establish his own plumbing business. They faced many challenges along the way and realized they had to learn from their mistakes and embrace constructive criticism from their employees. By connecting with people in the trades, going through training, having a coach who keeps them accountable, and learning how to delegate tasks...

Rebekah Hatcher entered the trades with her husband after he decided to set up his own business. They faced many adversities in the beginning as they tried to grow, and they even hit a plateau. They then decided to become an Aire Serv franchisee, and with the right training, systems, processes, and a lot of hard work, they managed to scale their business successfully. As the owner of Aire Serv of...

Many family business owners eventually pass the leadership torch down to their children. Oftentimes, those transitions work out smoothly. But what about when they don’t? Mike Prencavage, Jr. , Owner of The Family Plumber , dreamed of taking the reins of the family business after college, but he had to “fight like hell” with his father to see his vision come true. Now, he’s leveraging technology an...

Lance Bachmann had a tough childhood and had to work his way up. After spending several decades in advertising, he decided to start his own full-service digital marketing agency. He learned from his past mistakes, sold the business, shifted his mindset, and seized on different opportunities as he added different companies in the trades to his growing portfolio group. Over time, he not only became...

Many companies in the trades may view acquisitions with trepidation, but they can also provide businesses with incredible growth opportunities. To achieve that growth, you need to start by building trust and having the right plan in place. Angela Miller knows that there’s always an opportunity that you don’t anticipate. Together with her team, Angela helps to ensure that transitions are smooth and...

Ryan Kettering believes that if service businesses want to truly stand out in their market, they need to look beyond the visual aspects of their logo and website. They need to dive deeper and find something authentic to them that will resonate with their customers and employees. He helps customers achieve this by using the fractal brand identity framework, which consists of developing their core b...