Toolbox for the Trades

Jennifer Rose-Caudill really “hit the ground running” when she was asked to help out in her family’s plumbing business. Originally trained as a real estate appraiser, she proactively identified areas of improvement within the company and tried to find the right solutions. Over time, she learned from her mistakes, continuously learned about the trades, and with her two brothers, managed to grow the...

Krista Landen knows about change all too well. She has witnessed the company she works for growing exponentially over the years, and a big part of that is linked to continuous improvement.  Over time, she has learned that embracing and adapting to change is key to being successful in the trades. To get ahead, you need to be able to learn new things as well as improve current systems and processes....

Lance Ball believes that if you don’t challenge yourself, you will never grow. His professional career is a testament to how someone can persevere, reinvent themselves, and seize untapped opportunities. He likes to assure customers that he has their best interests at heart and wants to give them control over their choices. As the owner of Aspen Mountain Plumbing , Lance uses his solid industry kno...

Katie Biddle believes that when an organization’s leadership shows that they care about their employees, they will be better motivated to provide excellent service to their customers.  She proactively encourages her team to put themselves in their customer's shoes to anticipate their questions and understand their challenges or pain points. As the Head of Customer Experience at Call Dad AC & H...

Ismael Valdez is a “Renaissance Man” in every sense of the word. Not only has he built a successful contracting business from scratch, but he’s also about to launch another business that will be a game changer for the trades. He has a simple yet very profound approach to running his businesses: know your numbers, pay your people well, take care of them, and always be one step ahead of your competi...

Kristian Protic learned about running a business the hard way. He started his career in the trades as a salesman for a home service business. He then started two ventures before founding his current company, which focuses on providing heating, cooling, and plumbing services to customers. Over time, he learned to trust in his abilities, have more confidence, not over-rely on partners, and have the...

Samuel Petrie began his career in the trades by working in his father’s business. He then went on to start his own company that focused on delivering technology and solutions that benefit the rural communities that he serves. It was through his business that he identified an underserved market needing urgent help - homeowners looking for someone to complete multiple simple tasks. As the General Ma...

Paige Knowles , or “Plumber Paige,” has loved the trades since she first saw the construction wing of a tech school during a junior high tour. But she was dismayed by the stigma that surrounded her passion for blue-collar careers. So she took on the mantle of a trades advocate, spreading the word to boys and girls across the country that the trades are cool — and lucrative. The children’s author a...

Jawad Olabi was riding high in a lucrative corporate finance career. But after COVID forced devastating layoffs at his global firm, he started searching for new opportunities. That’s when he found an underserved market that was ripe for much-needed accounting services — the trades. Now a Managing Partner at ServicePro CFO , Jawad uses his expertise to help contractors get their books in order so t...

Facilities management often isn’t top of mind in the day-to-day bustle of contractors and business owners. But Sid Shetty , Chief Business Development Officer at ServiceChannel , believes it’s a pillar of the customer experience. Not only does proactive facilities management delight customers, but it can take your company’s workflows to the next level. Sid shares how he’s been using his breakout p...

Depending on the municipality, inspections and permits can be the bane of contractors. While construction giants often have the luxury of an engineering firm on-site, small to mid-sized owner-operators usually have to wait for a local inspector to certify their work. And time is money. It was a constant struggle for Anthony Perera , Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Air Pros USA , and his team....

Contractors used to have to scout the competition in person if they wanted a sense of how they were stacking up with the rest of the field. But now, business owners can just check the data — if they know where to look. Great news, listeners! Angie Snow and Chris Hunter , two of ServiceTitan’s star Principal Industry Advisors, join the show to break down our latest Residential Contract Report. You...

Siblings Khadija J. Head and Odari Head , Co-Owners of Head’s Plumbing Sales and Service , are proud to succeed their parents in running the oldest black-owned plumbing company in Atlanta, Georgia. So when the time came to kick off a rebrand for the third-generation business, they wanted to honor their family’s legacy while keeping an open mind. Khadija and Odari share their family’s story of resi...

ServiceTitan is loaded with solutions for contractors’ pain points. But a common hurdle to maximizing its potential is these entrepreneurs are spending most of their day… well, trying to run a business. Time is money, and it takes time to learn everything the platform has to offer. But it takes a hell of a lot less time if you’ve got a ServiceTitan Professional Service Partner (PSP) helping you th...

For many contractors experiencing growth, inventory management is often the elephant in the room. No one likes dealing with it, but as Jeremy Wickenhauser , Certified ServiceTitan Coach with Go Time Success Group , said, it’s an integral part of every technician’s workflow. We caught up with Jeremy at Pantheon 2023 so he could tell us how he and his fellow coaches are helping contractors and their...

Brothers David and Michael Katz came to America in 2015 with only a killer work ethic and a dream. In July 2021, they figured they would try their hands at HVAC. Their hard work certainly paid off. In 2023, their business, TRIO Heating and Air Conditioning , will clear $10 million in revenue. David and Michael spared some of their time at Pantheon 2023 to talk about what they’ve learned about impl...

Everyone in the trades knows we’ve needed a spotlight on the need to grow the next generation of technicians, plumbers, and other vital services. That’s why Scott Caron is proud to be an analyst and technical advisor for the 7th Annual Elite Trades Championship Series . He thinks a nationally televised competition like the ETCS, where the finest in their fields compete for clout and cash, is just...

As a New England native, Scott Caron , Owner of Caron Electric in Lexington, Massachusetts, grew up a fan of the local home improvement TV show This Old House . So when his sister called him about an opportunity with its spinoff, Ask This Old House , he jumped at the chance. Little did he know his on-air talents would take him to the 2023 Elite Trades Championship Series , airing on CBS Sports thi...

When Spencer Tippetts , Director of Business Development at Rainforest Plumbing & Air , joined the family business in 2019 to help expand their residential unit, he knew they had opportunities for improvement. Employee turnover, mismanagement, and outdated processes were all pain points that were impacting their bottom line… not to mention the company’s culture. So Spencer got to work on helpi...

Contractors across the country continue to struggle with putting technicians in their trucks. But Ryan Englin , CEO of Core Matters , believes those entrepreneurs don’t have a hiring problem. They have a retention problem. And it’s because too many employers focus on showmanship over substance in job postings and interviews. Drop in to hear Ryan dish out some hard-hitting truth about why owner-ope...

If you couldn’t make it to the incredible Pantheon 2023 conference in Orlando, then don’t worry — we’re bringing the party to your ears! We sat down with over a half dozen incredible men and women in the trades, who each gave us a little taste of their experience at this year’s event. From networking tips to new tech teasers, you won’t want to miss these insights from some of the finest minds in t...

It takes hard work and resolve to succeed in the trades. That’s why the theme for this year’s Pantheon conference is “Journey to the Top.” And to help celebrate this sold-out extravaganza, we’re bringing on some of the top-tier talent at this year’s event!     To kick us off, Brianna Skiffington , Chief Product Officer of Ad Leverage , and Amanda Triolo , CEO of Grasshopper Heating & Cooling ,...

“Is There a Killer in Your Basement?” A lot’s changed since Bill Heffernan , President of Master Chimney Sweepers , led one of his customer mailers with that dubious line in the 1990s. But his passion for educating customers on the dangers of neglecting their fireplace chimneys and other vents has never wavered. Bill and his son and Sales Director, Tom Heffernan , give us a peek into the modern-da...

It’s time for contractors to face a harsh reality. The trades thrived during Covid while many people were trapped in their homes, but now the free ride is over. And home service providers everywhere are starting to feel the impact on their bottom lines. But Tommy Mello, Owner of A1 Garage Door Service , and Al Levi, Founder of The 7-Power Contractor , think this is a chance for owner-operators to...

Adam Fuseman , CFO of Fuse Service in San Jose, California, left Russia for America in 2017 with the hope of becoming an IT professional. But that all changed after a friend convinced Adam to join his appliance repair business. That experience spurred Adam to start his own home and commercial service company, which has exploded into a $40 million 25-location franchise. Adam and Fuse’s CEO, Stan Pa...