Toolbox for the Trades

In this episode, I interview Sean McGuire, Director of Innovative Technologies at Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) about what it’s like to work beside contractors working with advancements in technology.  A true tech detective for the trades, Sean encourages listeners to plan for the future, consider augmented reality, and much more. Join us as we discuss: - Top technology tips for contractors - Predictions for future trends  - The importance of continuous education  - Overcoming reluctance to change  - Data-driven predictive learning Check out these resources we mentioned: MCAA Annual Convention  MEP Conference  Trimble XR10   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Today’s guest joined ServiceTitan after running marketing for one of the biggest brands in the trades. If you want to learn how to take your marketing to the next level (and why it’s so important to do your math), you won’t want to miss this episode.  In this episode, I interview ServiceTitan’s own Sarah Ghirardo, Sr. Marketing Operations Manager, about her best wisdom for marketing in the trades.  Join us as we discuss: Changing consumers’ thoughts and behavior with branding Seasonal campaign tips and insights Marketing communities, mentorship, and agency relationships Making math a part of your marketing arsenal    Check out these resources we mentioned: Purple Cow by Seth Godin Lady Titans Community  Service Champions My Story Playlist on YouTube Ep. 82 w/ Cassie Pound   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Business leaders make all kinds of mistakes, but here’s a huge one: You look at your top line and think that makes you successful. In this episode, I speak with Mike Disney, CEO at CEO Warrior, and Mary Anglen, Senior Advisor at CEO Warrior, about the nine pillars needed to build a true foundation for success — and other common errors of leaders in the trades. Join us as we discuss: Why you need to hear the hurtful truth Building a foundation of predictable success Major mistakes regarding employees and promotion Mike’s and Mary’s favorite pillar: clarity Check out these resources we mentioned: The 9 Pillars That Will Scale Any Business  Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.  To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you’re focused on creating five-star experiences for customers, you have to create five-star experiences for employees, too. Serving people as a core value extends to customers and employees both. Cassie Pound, Co Owner and Vice President at Quality Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, grew her HVAC company from 10 to nearly 50 employees by focusing equally on customer experience and employee experience. Join us as we discuss: - What it means to be family owned vs. locally owned - Creating a competitive employee experience - Working with your partner — and your children - Changing the narrative about trades to recruit women and young people To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The mindset and outlook has changed in the water treatment industry in the past couple of years. It’s more future-minded and community-oriented than it has ever been before.  In this episode, I speak with Water Quality Association’s Kathleen Burbidge, External Affairs Associate Director, and Eric Yeggy, Technical Affairs Director, about harnessing the opportunity to have a voice together and bolstering the industry with community relationships.  Join us as we discuss: A renewed mindset for water treatment professionals The successes of WQA’s LEAD mentoring program Science-based education and communication about water quality Recent community growth in the water treatment industry  Check out these resources we mentioned: LEAD Mentoring Program  WQA’s Upcoming Convention   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you create an ad for your services, do you lead by asking potential clients where they went to college, whether they can juggle or how much they owe the IRS? That would be insane, right? Well, in today’s hiring market, leading with a litany of requirements is just as crazy. That’s one of the many insights Jody Underhill, Senior Partner at Rapid Hire, brings in today’s episode that will help you beat the labor shortage and the strong employee market in the current recruiting landscape. Join us as we discuss: - Why you should ask not what your employees do, but what you can do for them - How to get the most out of social media recruiting - How to entice too talent with a career and not just a job Get your free strategy session for a special plan to improve your recruiting here. You will leave the call with strategies you can implement right away and learn more about the Rapid Hire system. If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you learn that your child will have many medical needs before he is born, you have to grow your business fast. Marriages with a special needs child are 70% likely to fail, and marriages with a co-owned business are 50% likely to fail. But today’s guests, Richard and Felicia Flourny, Owners at A-Total Plumbing, have not only survived but thrived, growing their solo business to 32 employees and recently undertaking a complete business model shift. Join us as we discuss: - The origin story of A-Total Plumbing - Role distribution between Richard and Felicia - Switching from home warranty to a retail business model - Why the Flournys are hiring a Dream Manager - Customer service insights to 4.8 stars across over 1K Google reviews Check out these resources: - Mentor Chris Hunter - The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly Ep. 76 w/ Jessie Cannizzaro   Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re focused on what’s important, you don’t get tied up in messy distractions day in and day out. Getting the data, the training, and the decisions to your people — and then trusting them to do their work — is key. In this episode, I speak with Tom Howard, VP Customer Experience at ServiceTitan, about focusing on what matters in customer experience. Join us as we discuss: - Why Tom left finance to go back to the trades - Growing Lee’s Air from $2 to $9.4 million, then to $33 million - How to scale customer service - The role of data and data tracking in empowering employee decisions Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - The Four-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss - The Toyota Way by Jeffrey K. Liker - Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Certification isn’t required, but you decide to get it anyway. Licensing, together with field experience, gives you the ability to educate your customers about aerobic septic systems online — making you the county’s premier installer. In this episode, I speak with Courtney Van Delden, VP and Septic System Specialist at Van Delden Wastewater Systems, about how her online thought leadership has grown her four-generation family business when the county started requiring aerobic. Join us as we discuss: - Flipping a coin with her brother to determine their titles - Inheriting a 25-year legacy of septic inspection from her mother - Becoming industry thought leaders with an educational blog - Shifting from gravity-fed systems to aerobic systems - Succession planning for the next iteration of Van Delden Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Entrepreneurship is a natural next step for a lifelong learner who enjoys management and working with people. It stems from the realization that you just can’t carry the cast iron bathtub up the stairs by yourself and flourishes into a successful pre-apprenticeship program and tight-knit team of employees. In this episode, I interview Jessie Cannizzaro, Master Plumber and Founder at Milestone Plumbing, Inc., about the past ten years of her relentless, steady company growth. Join us as we discuss: - How Jessie’s family came to support plumbing as her career choice - Achieving master plumber and founding a company before age 30 - A quality emphasis for creating lifelong customers - Busting the myth of “doing it all” as a female entrepreneur - The most proud and heartfelt team roster you’ve ever heard Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.