115 | The Hidden ROI of Events: What 2026 Will Demand from Your Business

Show Information

Episode Number: 115

Date: November 17, 2025

Duration: 30:10

Host Contact Information

Host: Justin Deese

Website: JustinDeese.com

Contact: podcast@JustinDeese.com

Guest Contact Information

Guest: Kristin Deese

Company: Virtual CFO for the Trades

Guest Website: kristendeese.com

Summary

In this episode, Justin and Kristin recap a jam-packed travel season as new empty nesters, hitting major industry events like Pantheon, The Wealthy Plumber Hurrah, Vertical Track, Resideo, and Service World Expo. They share real-world stories from the road, from bleeding toenails at Vertical Track to people-watching in Venice Beach and Halloween in Vegas.

Justin walks through their experiment with semi-private flying on JSX and compares the experience to traditional commercial airlines, explaining why time, stress, and flexibility matter more than legroom. The conversation then shifts into business mode as they introduce the upcoming Service Manager Academy and the Freedom Blueprint Live event, talking about why developing strong service managers is such a crucial lever for owners and what they’re seeing in the 2025–2026 revenue climate for the trades.

Whether you’re a home-service owner, a service manager in training, or a contractor couple trying to design a life you love, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how Justin and Kristin think about travel, events, leadership, and the future of the trades.

Takeaways

• Trade show season is intense—but strategic. Pantheon, Wealthy Plumber, Vertical Track, Resideo, and Service World Expo each serve a different purpose, from networking to deep client work to staying ahead of industry trends.
• Partnerships are basically business marriages. Kristin compares taking on a partner to getting married—you’d better be okay being “married” to that person, because it’s a major, long-term commitment that requires intentionality, not just feelings.
• Semi-private travel (JSX) can be a game-changer. Skipping traditional terminals, security lines, and chaos gave them more time in LA and dramatically reduced travel stress—and in this case, at a fare that was less than a first-class commercial ticket.
• Relationships are the real ROI of events. Reconnecting with long-time friends, clients, and industry partners—and finally meeting Zoom-only clients in person—was a major highlight of Vertical Track and Service World Expo.
• Service managers need real training, not just a new title. Most service managers are promoted technicians who’ve never been taught leadership, coaching, or how to drive ROI—hence the launch of the 12-week Service Manager Academy.
• Freedom Blueprint Live is back in 2026. Justin and Kristin tease their next live event in Pensacola Beach and talk about why timing, location, and industry cycles matter when planning events for contractors.
• The revenue climate is shifting. Many contractors struggled to hit 2025 revenue goals, and Justin and Kristin are watching closely to see how 2026 plays out—and what owners need to do now in budgeting and planning.

Chapters

• 00:00 – Welcome back & crazy fall travel season
• 02:00 – Partnerships vs. marriage: why bringing on a partner is a huge commitment
• 04:00 – Pantheon recap: massive show, great keynotes, and getting lost in the crowd
• 05:30 – The Wealthy Plumber Hurrah & Kristin’s Grand Canyon backpacking detour
• 06:30 – Vertical Track & Garage Door Freedom: finally meeting Zoom clients in person
• 07:30 – Resideo show, alarm vs. HVAC split, and their thoughts on LA vs. “Lower Alabama”
• 08:45 – Venice Beach, Muscle Beach, and world-class people watching
• 10:00 – Why Justin went hunting for alternatives to commercial airlines
• 11:15 – Discovering JSX: what semi-private flying is actually like
• 13:30 – Heading into Vegas, Halloween weirdness, and hiking Red Rock with expo friends
• 16:30 – Service World Expo recap & live podcast stage with Justin and Janeen Norquist
• 20:10 – Bonus podcast episodes dropping Thanksgiving week
• 22:00 – Launching the 12-Week Service Manager Academy: why it matters for owners
• 26:30 – Freedom Blueprint Live 2026 in Pensacola Beach
• 27:30 – Budgets, projections, and curiosity about the 2026 revenue climate
• 29:00 – Gratitude for the trades and closing thoughts

Keywords

#FreedomBlueprintPodcast #JustinDeese #KristinDeese #VirtualCFOForTheTrades #HomeService #TradesBusiness #HVAC #Plumbing #GarageDoor #ContractorCouples #BusinessPartnerships #Pantheon #WealthyPlumber #VerticalTrack #Resideo #ServiceWorldExpo #WeMeanBusiness #JSX #SemiPrivateTravel #BusinessTravel #ServiceManagerAcademy #ServiceManagerTraining #LeadershipDevelopment #OnsiteConsulting #FreedomBlueprintLive #PensacolaBeach #EmptyNestLife #EntrepreneurLife #ContractorLife

Mentioned in this episode:

SERVICE MANAGER ACADEMY 2026

WWW.SERVICEMANAGERTRAINING.COM