Toolbox for the Trades

Mike Rudolf , COO at Sila Services , and his colleagues knew they needed to form valuable partnerships if they were going to fulfill their vision for growth. So they teamed up with ServiceTitan and private equity to step up their expansion efforts. But now they had a new problem. How would they efficiently integrate these new best practices in 23 locations? Thus, Sila’s Center of Excellence (CoE)...

Jason Rich joined the family business as a wrench-turner like his father, but the GM of Paradise Plumbing & Air Conditioning in Broward County, Florida, steadily morphed into an operations guru. After spending his early years wearing many different hats, Jason realized they needed to fuel their operational and marketing efforts if they wanted to kick their growth up a notch. Jason shares how a...

Alyssa Rogers , Vice President at Rogers Heating & Cooling , is the ultimate hype woman for her team. Alyssa first dipped her toe into the trades by using her sales and marketing background to help her husband give their small-town family business a much-needed facelift. Now, she’s pushing people to “grow out of their seats” by giving leadership opportunities to anyone who wants to achieve big...

How many hours do you spend monthly, or even weekly, on mundane tasks like creating SOPs or typing emails? ChatGPT and other AI tools are revolutionizing industries by taking the busy work off professionals’ plates, and the trades are no exception. The technology has made believers of Brianna Skiffington , Chief Product Officer of Ad Leverage , and Amanda Triolo , CEO of Grasshopper Heating &...

Angie Snow , our Principle Industry Advisor here at ServiceTitan, is one of our industry’s top experts on CSRs and call center culture. Leaning on 15 years of experience at Western Heating & Air Conditioning in Orem, Utah, Angie has trained many companies on customer call etiquette and sales tactics. So, of course, she was the top choice to answer your burning questions on the subject in this...

The water treatment industry is booming in the home services market. Just like with HVAC or plumbing, the competition can be fierce. So how do Jonathan Brewster , VP of Business Development at Aqua Clear Water Systems , and his family stay ahead of the pack? They look outside their industry to find new perspectives so they can set themselves apart from the crowd. Jonathan spills the secret sauce o...

When a client approached Stephanie Postell with a job offer in HVAC marketing during her time as a personal trainer, she had no idea where this journey would take her. Today, about ten years later, she and her husband own and operate Anchor Heating and Air in Charleston, South Carolina. The road to get there wasn’t easy, but the former kindergarten teacher stuck to a principle that she’s paying fo...

When are lessons learned and reputations made? When we get hit with the tough stuff. We celebrate our Season 8 kickoff with the return of Ellen Rohr , President of Zoom Drain in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Since we last spoke with Ellen, Zoom Drain has expanded from 15 to 40 locations coast to coast. And they’ve done it by leaning into the problem and doing right by everyone. Ellen spills the secret...

When Mack Shwert first got his invitation to the inaugural ServiceTitan HVAC Championship, he was shocked. He thought there was no way he could handle a live competition under the bright lights. But after getting some encouragement from his family, the HomeServe, USA technician packed his bags and made the trip to Tampa. A few days later, he was crowned the ServiceTitan HVAC Championship winner. M...

What if every home service contractor had immediate access to real-time HVAC maintenance data at the push of a button? By integrating user-friendly sensors with forward-thinking software, the folks at SmartAC.com are changing the game in the home service business. Josh Teekell , SmartAC.com’s founder and CEO, tells us how contractors can use measurable data to build trust with consumers and open u...

When husband-wife team Kylon Gienger and Teliah Gienger began their entrepreneurial journey, they had a pretty good idea of what they were getting themselves into. But they’ve learned some valuable lessons about strategic small business acquisitions along the way. Having purchased Hurliman Heating and Air and Plumb- tech Heating and Cooling  in the Pacific Northwest last year, they share valuable...

A diverse leadership team in the trades is about more than checking off a culture reform box. By bringing in people with unique experiences from outside the trades, you can empower your employees to see opportunities from every angle. Jason Brady , Owner and CEO of Above and Beyond LLC , shares how his approach to bringing men and women from different walks of life into his business has paved the...

When Laura Thornton and her husband, Ronnie, founded their plumbing business, TNT Home Services , they could not have imagined what lay in store for their family. During an incredible six-year stretch of growth, they knew only dynamic decision-making would give their employees and clients the best experiences possible. Laura shares how commitment to community and real-time adjustments are a winnin...

Tommy Mello is a titan in the trades industry. But in 2012, the owner of A1 Garage Door Services and author of Home Service Millionaire hit the lowest point of his career. Facing payroll issues, internal theft, and maximum burnout, Tommy took a step back to reevaluate the “why” behind the outcomes of his actions. Tommy shares how he shifted his focus back to investing in people and how fellow cont...

After 10 years in the travel industry, Ashley Gulevich was ready for a change. After joining her family at a trades boot camp that could help level up her parents’ business, Coastal Heat Pumps , she knew she was in it for the long haul. Now the General Manager at Coastal, Ashley has applied the skills she acquired from her previous career to help scale the family business. And she shares what else...

As third-generation tradesmen, Joseph Gee , CEO of Gee Heating and Air in North Atlanta, and his brother Jacob Gee , the company CFO, are building a culture of winners. After taking over the family business, they immediately implemented a joint vision for growth. And they had a simple message for everyone else at Gee: come with us or get out of our way. In this episode, Joseph and Jacob tell us ab...

Contractor associations are in a unique position of being able to draw talent from their membership pool to tackle big projects. And the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association , or SMACNA, is no exception. As an international group with chapters across four countries, SMACNA bids on multiple “mega” projects involving thousands of workers. But even an organization as lar...

When his father became very ill, Pete Bradham suddenly had to step in and take the reins of their family business. For years, they had gotten by on respected word-of-mouth in Charlotte, North Carolina. As General Manager, Pete knew that if their company, Bradham Brothers , was going to continue growing, they had to change or die. Pete tells us how valuable mentors helped him through the tough tran...

In 2019, Ismael Valdez , CEO at Nexgen Air Conditioning Heating and Plumbing , was ready to give it all up. After several years of quietly fighting alone to keep his business afloat, Ismael accepted a colleague’s helping hand. And now, three years later, Ismael is living his best life in the trades. In this episode, Ismael opens up about his ownership struggles, a personal battle with addiction, a...

A lot of small business owners in the trades are technical experts in their respective crafts. But Jason Arthur , Owner of Eighty-Seven Degrees Coaching , says that most of those entrepreneurs neglect the one thing that dictates their long-term growth outlook: their budget. And too many are reluctant to ask for help. Jason shares how his former employee experiences shaped his coaching philosophy a...

Texas Medley , CEO of Medley Heating & Air Conditioning , hated the trades as a kid. But after a multi-year stint in grocery retail, he began his journey to build his dream $50 million mom n’ pop HVAC business. Texas shares how realigning his priorities and laying a strong foundation of family culture set his company up for future growth. Join us as we discuss: (5:50) Negative stigma attached...

Travis Smith was practically born into the trades. He started working for his father full-time out of high school before taking over the family business - Sky Heating, AC, Plumbing, and Electrical - in 2015. A few years later, he partnered with a private equity firm to help bolster his company with extra resources and training. Today, he believes they were a perfect fit for each other. In this epi...

As one of the largest HVAC service providers in the Southwest, the folks at Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing have a clear vision for growth. And it starts with a solid foundation built by strong leadership and a willingness to change. Their VP of Sales, Dale Steele , told us how authenticity and a positive mindset have elevated their techs and sales team and set Goettl on the path to success...

Running a small business as a working mom is tough. Doing it alongside your spouse adds a whole other set of challenges. But a shared vision, defined roles, and consistent communication can help ensure a happy partnership - in the marriage and at work. Leslie Harpole , Owner of Champion Plumbing , talks with us about being a mom in the trades and how she and her husband, Brent, support each other...

Sustainability is a cornerstone of running a business. Lowering your carbon footprint is cheaper than you might think. Not only does a sustainable business model promote goodwill in your community, but it is also profitable and efficient. Dale Jackson , Owner of Jackson Services , tells us how his commercial HVAC business has generated positive buzz by embracing sustainable money-saving technology...