Struggling to find skilled HVAC technicians or plumbers? Facing the home services labor shortage head-on? In this episode of the To The Point Home Services Podcast, Kevin Comerford (Founder of Service Champions) and Jonathan Bancroft (President of Morris-Jenkins) reveal how building internal training academies and technical trade universities helped them overcome the skilled labor gap, scale operations, and build a leadership pipeline within their companies.
🔧 Whether you’re in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or any home service business, this episode is a masterclass on workforce development and scaling through in-house training and manager development systems.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Why create a home services university?
00:02:28 – "Sweat in peacetime" mantra & its impact
00:04:34 – Building Champions University: Solving the HVAC tech shortage
00:06:14 – Training curriculum: What worked and what didn’t
00:07:29 – The real reason Morris-Jenkins started their university
00:10:04 – Turning plumbers and HVAC techs into managers
00:12:15 – Solving organizational conflict with real training
00:14:52 – Jiffy Lube vs Bob's Auto Shop: The scalable model
00:18:32 – How to start small with leadership development
00:21:15 – Overcoming the "ceiling of complexity"
00:24:23 – Monthly bonus structures that drive growth
00:26:22 – KPIs, team incentives & positive reinforcement
00:27:18 – Are your leaders reward-driven or responsibility-driven?
00:28:09 – Weekly accountability meetings: Structure & success
00:30:09 – Why your business might lack urgency and accountability
00:31:21 – Real-world financial meeting frameworks for trades
00:35:11 – Grants for company training programs (and the red tape)
00:37:01 – Final thoughts on scaling home services companies
📚 Resources Mentioned:
First, Break All the Rules – Marcus Buckingham -
https://shorturl.at/YgSql
When Goliaths Clash – Howard M. Guttman -
https://shorturl.at/tvyGm
Bringing Out the Best in People – Aubrey C. Daniels - https://shorturl.at/XwcpB
The Motive & Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni - https://shorturl.at/kIx6z
💬 Got questions or building your own HVAC or plumbing training academy?
Drop a comment below. 👇 We’d love to hear about your journey and answer your questions.
⭐️ Thank you to our Sponsors!
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