The Fire Time Podcast
Tim Reed
Are you tired of presentations that are only half relevant to your business? Many speakers are not practitioners of their material, simply teachers—not so with The Fire Time Podcast. This podcast is for the hearth industry and by the hearth industry. Host Tim Reed has over a decade of experience in the hearth industry, making conversations with guests relevant and extremely practical. In Season One, Tim speaks with twelve hearth industry leaders and provides content relevant to any position, whether on the retail or manufacturing side. Hearth companies everywhere are lost because the landscape of business has changed dramatically in the last ten years. They are trying hard, but they just don’t know what to do. The Fire Time Podcast equips hearth companies to win by sharing ideas and innovation from the best minds in our industry. This podcast will give you the tools to move the needle in your company and win in the changing landscape. This podcast is the first of its kind—specific to the business that you work in every day and simple enough to teach you what’s needed to succeed. Do not miss out on The Fire Time Podcast, available for Apple and Droid devices or at www.itsfiretime.com/podcast. The simple and repeatable steps provided will empower you to grow the bottom line of your company and inspire the team that you lead. ABOUT: Tim Reed is the Retail Sales Leader at Fireside Home Solutions in the Pacific Northwest where he helps his team members make it so stupidly easy to buy from them that there is no excuse not to. Starting as individual salesperson in an empty warehouse, he has grown Fireside’s Retail division by millions (after cutting his marketing budget by 90%). Tim has been invited all over the country to teach companies how to market effectively to their customers and sell more than ever before. His YouTube videos, sales blog, and “Fire Time Podcast” have become a resource for the industry and are actively helping thousands of people rethink their paradigms so that they can grow their businesses in the changing landscape. Tim learned “just enough to be dangerous” about sales, marketing, web development, and leadership from years of playing guitar in a failing punk band—which he swears has uniquely qualified him for his job today. Now considered one of the most innovative minds and compelling communicators in the industry, Tim uses his platform to serve others, helping them create clear messages that are wildly compelling to their audiences. Tim lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Jessica, two children, Olivia and Luke, and his 90 pound Golden Retriever, Walter. He still plays guitar in a failing punk band. CONTACT: tim@itsfiretime.com | www.itsfiretime.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 5, 2022 • 37min
Building the Heartbeat Report (Installation Completion Percentage)
Leaving a job incomplete without reason is insane. Doing so not only decreases customer satisfaction—it also costs you money. What if you could have your finger on the pulse of your business, understand the second an incomplete is hurting you, and correct course before things get messy?In today’s episode, Tim and Grant return to discuss installation completion percentage—the third of the four keystone metrics that make up the heartbeat report. Grant also provides some real-world examples of how he uses this metric in his own business.In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why the magic is not in completed jobs, but incompleted jobs (once understood, this will equate to tens of thousands in additional annual revenue).
Why you should strongly consider incentive-based pay for installers (this will make your installers feel like they own the company).
Why there are different types of incompletes (and which type you need to prioritize).
Stop judging the well-being of your business entirely on feel. Instead, build a heartbeat report that tracks key metrics and gives you the complete picture. Want to get started? Just press play. Sign Up For The Fire Time WorkshopSupport The Fire Time Podcast FinanciallyClick Here to Join The Fire Time Network
Mar 29, 2022 • 47min
Building the Heartbeat Report (Backlog)
Imagine if you could look into the future of your business to predict problems before they happen. Believe it or not, you can by examining your business backlog! Once understood, your backlog will put the future right in front of you.In today’s episode—the second of the Building the Heartbeat Report series—Tim and Sam O’Donnell chat about the importance of the backlog. They both tell stories from their own experience to illustrate the superpower that the backlog is for understanding where your business is at.In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why you need to track your backlog (and what it should consist of).
Why every day should begin with a backlog review (and how this will force other behavior changes).
Why you should focus on growing your backlog—not your revenue (it’s the difference between a “lag” and “lead” measure).
You can choose to ignore the tools available and be hit with problems out of nowhere—or you can start analyzing your backlog today, and see many of those problems coming. Start by pressing play. Sign Up For The Fire Time WorkshopSupport The Fire Time Podcast FinanciallyClick Here to Join The Fire Time Network
Mar 22, 2022 • 45min
Building the Heartbeat Report (Traffic Count)
Many leaders judge the well-being of their businesses purely based on feel. This works great until it doesn’t—and then you’re left scrambling to figure out where things went wrong. Imagine if, instead, you could have your finger on the pulse of your business so you could prevent problems before they happen.In today’s episode, Tim and Grant discuss traffic count—the first of the four keystone metrics that make up the heartbeat report. Traffic count (door swings) is the metric that Tim credits for bringing him where he is today.In this episode, you’ll learn:
How you should track traffic in your business (this—once implemented—will give you a ton of information).
How tracking traffic will allow you to align your inventory with what customers actually want (this is exciting to see when it starts to happen).
Why having a human track traffic is almost always better than a stale metric produced by a computer (this is something that took Tim and Grant a while to understand).
Stop judging the well-being of your business entirely on feel. Instead, build a heartbeat report that tracks key metrics and gives you the complete picture. Want to get started? Just press play.Sign Up For The Fire Time WorkshopSupport The Fire Time Podcast FinanciallyClick Here to Join The Fire Time Network
Mar 15, 2022 • 1h 6min
Navigating the Supply Chain in 2022 - Live from HPBExpo 2022
Every has been trying to figure out when the supply chain will get back to normal, but the truth is that it won't for a while.In this conversation, we sit down with Grant Falco (Falco's), Kirk Newby (Associated Energy Systems), John Shimek (Hearth & Home Technologies), and Stephen Schroeter (Napoleon) to talk about how retailers distributors and manufacturers can get through this crisis together.Despite what some people say, we likely have another 12 months in front of us before the supply chain gets back to normal and during that time it's critical that we work together to get through this. Don't miss our conversation with these leaders to help you take control in 2022.
Mar 8, 2022 • 51min
A Woman's Approach to the Sales Process - Live from HPBExpo 2022
Everyone wants to know how to win the sales game, but since our industry is mostly made up of men, there are huge gaps in the process that women bring to light. In this episode—live from the HPBExpo—we talk with some of the most prominent women in our industry about how they specifically approach the sales process.In this conversation (moderated by Rachel Feinstein), you'll hear from Ryann Blake (Chimney Techniques), Megan Lee (Looft Lighters), and Jeni Forman (Hearth & Home Technologies), and, seriously, it's a powerhouse.Don't lose another customer because you didn't understand how to connect. This conversation will help understand what needs to be done in every client interaction and take control of the sale.
Mar 1, 2022 • 23min
Would You Buy From You? (FTM Rapid Reaction)
“When was the last time you took a step back and went through your customer's routine?”For the last episode in the Rapid Reaction series, Tim gives you his reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below).In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "Would You Buy From You?" an incredible article by Edmund Poplawski. This episode also includes some exciting information about the upcoming HPBExpo you do not want to miss out on (we are giving away a ton of free stuff)!Last time Edmund was on: https://www.itsfiretime.com/2021/10/19/edmund-poplawski-episode-104-would-you-buy-from-you/ Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition through your web browser: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com/Download The Fire Time Magazine App to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/appSupport The Fire Time Podcast Financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime
Feb 22, 2022 • 25min
From Riding to Running Your Business (FTM Rapid Reaction)
"If you want to go from being a treadmill operator to being a business trailblazer, you should" listen to this episode.While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below).In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "From Riding to Running Your Business," an incredible article by Grant Falco. This episode also includes some exciting information about the upcoming HPBExpo you do not want to miss out on (we are giving away a ton of free stuff)!Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition through your web browser: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com/Download The Fire Time Magazine App to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/appSupport The Fire Time Podcast Financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime
Feb 15, 2022 • 31min
5 Things Every Hearth Retailer Should Know (FTM Rapid Reaction)
“Know what SKUs are right for you.”While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below).In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "5 Things Every Hearth Retailer Should Know," an incredible article by Clay Dennis. This episode also includes some exciting information about the upcoming HPBExpo you do not want to miss out on (we are giving away a ton of free stuff)!Great By Choice by Jim CollinsRead The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition through your web browser: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com/Download The Fire Time Magazine App to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/appSupport The Fire Time Podcast Financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime
Feb 8, 2022 • 23min
FirePower with Phil Connor - Passion (FTM Rapid Reaction)
“I’ve had my passion overflow into arrogance and self-righteousness, and blind me from seeing things as they actually are…”While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below).In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an incredible article about passion by Phil Connor. You aren't going to want to miss this...
Email Tim (tim@itsfiretime.com) to get the 2021 FirePower column compilation
Phil Connor Interview: https://www.itsfiretime.com/2021/05/06/phil-connor-episode-91-find-your-fire-power/
Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition through your web browser: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com/
Download The Fire Time Magazine App to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/app
Support The Fire Time Podcast Financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime
Feb 1, 2022 • 21min
The Secret: 4 Simple Steps To Reconciliation (FTM Rapid Reaction)
"We can't argue with a customer's experience."While we are getting ready for Season 8 of the podcast, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to an audio article from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine, make sure to subscribe to the FTM podcast (links below).In this week's article, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to, "The Secret: 4 Simple Steps To Reconciliation" an incredible article by Brion Barnhill. You aren't going to want to miss this...
Brion Barnhill Interview: https://www.itsfiretime.com/?s=brion+barnhill
Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition through your web browser: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com/
Download The Fire Time Magazine App to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/app
Support The Fire Time Podcast Financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime
