Freedom Blueprint for Home Services | HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Leadership, Business Growth 99 | From Contractor’s Kid to Marketing Powerhouse: McKena Harless’ True North Strategies for Growth
Show Information
Episode Number: 99
Date: August 4, 2025
Duration: 40:06
Host Contact Information
Host: Justin Deese
Website: JustinDeese.com
Contact: Justin@JustinDeese.com
Guest Contact Information
Guest: McKena Harless
Company: True North Strategies
Guest Website: PickTrueNorth.com
Summary
In this episode of the Freedom Blueprint Podcast, Justin Deese is joined by McKena Harless, founder of True North Strategies. McKena shares her journey of growing up in the trades, learning the family HVAC business from the inside out, and how those experiences shaped her mission to help home service businesses grow through smarter marketing and operational strategies. She dives into the realities of contractor marketing, the importance of building a clear vision for your team, and why every business needs a CMO-style presence—even if they can’t afford one full-time.
Whether you’re a business owner looking to level up your marketing, create stronger operational systems, or simply find more balance in your business, McKena’s story and insights will inspire and equip you for your next stage of growth.
Takeaways
- Why home service companies struggle with marketing and how to fix it
- The six marketing pillars every contractor must focus on
- How to move from reactive to proactive marketing
- Building vision and culture for your team
- Why True North Strategies is designed to be a CMO and COO solution for growing businesses
Chapters
- Growing up in the trades with Daffin Cooling & Heating
- Lessons learned from Service Nation and Lemon Seed Marketing
- The birth of True North Strategies
- Marketing mistakes contractors make
- Diagnosing your business for true growth
- How McKena and her father Tom are helping businesses as a dynamic team
Keywords
#FreedomBlueprintPodcast #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACMarketing #PlumbingBusiness #ElectricalBusiness #TrueNorthStrategies #McKenaHarless #JustinDeese #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #ContractorSuccess