Waste No Day: A Home Services Motivational Podcast

Tommy Mello - Why High Standards Change Everything

Jan 19, 2026
Tommy Mello, CEO of A1 Garage Door Service, transformed his company from $50K in debt to a $200M powerhouse. He discusses the importance of hiring A players and maintaining high standards to build an effective team. Tommy shares insights on accountability, rapid learning from failures, and nurturing talent within an organization. He emphasizes the significance of strong branding in attracting talent and advocates for merit-based pay to motivate high performers. His philosophy blends personal discipline with a focus on culture, optimism, and continuous growth.
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ANECDOTE

Hiring A Relentless Mentor Helped Scale

  • Tommy hired Robin, a relentless top performer from a competitor, and used him as a testing and training partner for two years.
  • That relationship taught Tommy processes, discipline, and how to replicate high standards across the company.
ADVICE

Recruit Constantly And Pay For Performance

  • Recruit heavily and brand loudly to attract top talent instead of hiring only when desperate.
  • Pay top of market and build meritocratic pay structures so performers can earn without tenure limits.
INSIGHT

Standards Attract Their Own Talent

  • Culture self-reinforces: A players want A players and B players hire B players.
  • Raise standards quickly and remove those who don't fit to protect customer experience.
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