Toolbox for the Trades

When it comes time to buy, your customers need options.And if you’re not giving them the options they need… They’ll go online and find someone who can. That insight is foundational for Joe Crisara’s success. Now Owner and Business Coach at ContractorSelling, Joe managed to turn a quarter of a million dollars in debt into a thriving business.All by giving his customers options. In this episode, Joe and I discuss:Why options can transform any business for the betterHow to present options to the customerWhy worrying about the competition is a waste of timeIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

First impressions matter.That’s why word choice is so important when we first meet someone…  And why your CSRs need amazing communication skills.They are the first point of contact with your customers — and what they say can set the tone for the whole relationship. Today’s guest is Angie Snow, Vice President at Western Heating & Air Conditioning and Success Coach at Snow Business Coaching, where she helps business owners struggling to find the right words learn to more effectively engage customers and cultivate 7-star CSRs. In this episode, we discuss:How to empower 7-star CSRs in your businessThe challenges (and triumphs) for women in the tradesHow to effectively leverage feedback Now Angie is part of the ServiceTitan team too! If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

When looking for growth, owners often want to add more services.If you can do it all, you cast a bigger net, right?But a jack of all trades is a master of none…And nobody wants to hire a roofer to fix their plumbing.That’s one mistake Mike Claudio, Owner at WinRate Consulting, has repeatedly seen in his years advising owners in the trades.In this episode, Mike explains:How to find your niche (and what pitfalls to avoid)Why success means taking adviceWhy CRMs are so important to a successful operationIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

Growing your business requires community support.If customers recognize and trust your brand, you’ll go far… And you may just raise a million for charity in the process. That’s Geoff Gillon, Founder of The Pink Plumber, did and it paid off huge dividends. He transformed his plumbing business into a lucrative sale by virtue of, well, virtue. The Pink Plumber became an icon by donating massive sums to breast cancer research…And, of course, pink plumbing vans. We discuss:-How to convince a plumber to drive a pink van (and grow exponentially in the process)-Why growth is more important than profits-How to golf every single day and still make it big If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

Mental health matters. Yet, for some reason, it’s often overlooked in the trades.It’s time we take mental health seriously.In this episode, I catch up with Stacy Fore, Owner at HVAC Solutions, where she has instituted a reimbursement program for mental health. We speak about that and more, including:-Why No-BS values are foundational to a thriving culture-Why the trades is the best path for a free education-Why referrals still matter in the digital ageIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

Are you thinking about selling your business?If so, why? It seems like an easy question to answer, but so many can’t Fred Silberstein, President at SF&P Advisors, says if you want to sell, you need a great answer to the question. In this episode, Fred explains:-How to find your “why” (and what to do when you find it)-Why KPIs are so important for a sale-Why buyers are really buying your peopleIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

Growing a business is hard work. Even more so when you do it with your spouse.But there’s a secret: Clearly defining your roles.Just ask Rhonda Dowdy, Chief Executive Officer at S&D Plumbing, a business she’s spent the last 40 years building with her husband. And they pulled it off by knowing their superpowers: Her husband is the visionary; she is the integrator. In this episode, Rhonda covers:-What makes her husband the visionary and her the integrator-How to choose a specialty-How to get buy-in for big changesCheck out these resources we mentioned:-Traction-Rocket FuelIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

A lot of businesses in the trades struggle with marketing.But marketing really comes down to 3 things:Providing value, building trust and educating your customers.My guest today is someone who has these 3 things down to a science. Roger Wakefield, Owner at Texas Green Plumbing, has one of the most fascinating and storied backgrounds of anyone I’ve ever interviewed. From plumbing to cosmetology to restaurant management — he really has done it all.And now, he can add “YouTube sensation” to that list.In this episode, Roger explains:-The steps he took on his fascinating career path-How he became a YouTube sensation-How to pick a specialty in the tradesIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

Has everyone in your office hopped in a van with a tech? If not, they should.Without seeing first hand what they go through, everyone’s work suffers.Since implementing ride-alongs, Vanessa Gonzales, Chief Administrative Officer at Albuquerque Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, has seen everyone — in the office and field — get better at their jobs. I caught up with her in today’s show to pick her brain about what she’s learned in her many years of experience owning a business in the trades.We covered a lot of ground, including:-The trick to running a business with your spouse (and his old roommate)-Why ride-alongs are so effective-How to be a coworker to your employees (until they force you to be the boss) If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.

How well do you know your operations manual? For many, it’s just something to keep lawyers happy.But it should be your bible for success. In this episode, I speak with Al Levi, Consultant and CEO at The 7-Power Contractor and Author of The 7-Power Contractor, itself an operations manual for success in the trades. If Al has learned anything in his lifelong career in the trades, it’s that a manager’s real job is to make sure the manuals are right.In this episode, Al explains:-Why making great systems is more important than finding great people-How a lawsuit at a young age taught him the importance of manuals-The 7 powers you need to find success in the tradesIf you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or here.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.