Toolbox for the Trades

The mindset and outlook has changed in the water treatment industry in the past couple of years. It’s more future-minded and community-oriented than it has ever been before.  In this episode, I speak with Water Quality Association’s Kathleen Burbidge, External Affairs Associate Director, and Eric Yeggy, Technical Affairs Director, about harnessing the opportunity to have a voice together and bolstering the industry with community relationships.  Join us as we discuss: A renewed mindset for water treatment professionals The successes of WQA’s LEAD mentoring program Science-based education and communication about water quality Recent community growth in the water treatment industry  Check out these resources we mentioned: LEAD Mentoring Program  WQA’s Upcoming Convention   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you create an ad for your services, do you lead by asking potential clients where they went to college, whether they can juggle or how much they owe the IRS? That would be insane, right? Well, in today’s hiring market, leading with a litany of requirements is just as crazy. That’s one of the many insights Jody Underhill, Senior Partner at Rapid Hire, brings in today’s episode that will help you beat the labor shortage and the strong employee market in the current recruiting landscape. Join us as we discuss: - Why you should ask not what your employees do, but what you can do for them - How to get the most out of social media recruiting - How to entice too talent with a career and not just a job Get your free strategy session for a special plan to improve your recruiting here. You will leave the call with strategies you can implement right away and learn more about the Rapid Hire system. If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you learn that your child will have many medical needs before he is born, you have to grow your business fast. Marriages with a special needs child are 70% likely to fail, and marriages with a co-owned business are 50% likely to fail. But today’s guests, Richard and Felicia Flourny, Owners at A-Total Plumbing, have not only survived but thrived, growing their solo business to 32 employees and recently undertaking a complete business model shift. Join us as we discuss: - The origin story of A-Total Plumbing - Role distribution between Richard and Felicia - Switching from home warranty to a retail business model - Why the Flournys are hiring a Dream Manager - Customer service insights to 4.8 stars across over 1K Google reviews Check out these resources: - Mentor Chris Hunter - The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly Ep. 76 w/ Jessie Cannizzaro   Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re focused on what’s important, you don’t get tied up in messy distractions day in and day out. Getting the data, the training, and the decisions to your people — and then trusting them to do their work — is key. In this episode, I speak with Tom Howard, VP Customer Experience at ServiceTitan, about focusing on what matters in customer experience. Join us as we discuss: - Why Tom left finance to go back to the trades - Growing Lee’s Air from $2 to $9.4 million, then to $33 million - How to scale customer service - The role of data and data tracking in empowering employee decisions Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - The Four-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss - The Toyota Way by Jeffrey K. Liker - Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Certification isn’t required, but you decide to get it anyway. Licensing, together with field experience, gives you the ability to educate your customers about aerobic septic systems online — making you the county’s premier installer. In this episode, I speak with Courtney Van Delden, VP and Septic System Specialist at Van Delden Wastewater Systems, about how her online thought leadership has grown her four-generation family business when the county started requiring aerobic. Join us as we discuss: - Flipping a coin with her brother to determine their titles - Inheriting a 25-year legacy of septic inspection from her mother - Becoming industry thought leaders with an educational blog - Shifting from gravity-fed systems to aerobic systems - Succession planning for the next iteration of Van Delden Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Entrepreneurship is a natural next step for a lifelong learner who enjoys management and working with people. It stems from the realization that you just can’t carry the cast iron bathtub up the stairs by yourself and flourishes into a successful pre-apprenticeship program and tight-knit team of employees. In this episode, I interview Jessie Cannizzaro, Master Plumber and Founder at Milestone Plumbing, Inc., about the past ten years of her relentless, steady company growth. Join us as we discuss: - How Jessie’s family came to support plumbing as her career choice - Achieving master plumber and founding a company before age 30 - A quality emphasis for creating lifelong customers - Busting the myth of “doing it all” as a female entrepreneur - The most proud and heartfelt team roster you’ve ever heard Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

You and your brother sit down to decide once and for all: Yes, we’re going to outright buy the company from Dad. A year later, you’ve rebranded, switched to 100% residential, and added two divisions. How? In this episode, I interview Jeremy Lewis, President at Gleason Heating, Plumbing, Air and Electric, about how he transformed his family business within the past 12 months. Join us as we discuss:  - What Jeremy’s buyout was like  - The first steps of onboarding with ServiceTitan and NexStar  - Job costing by the numbers  - Employee retention and growth during massive change Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: HVAC Spells Wealth HVAC Masters of the Hustle   To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re a long-time listener, you know the drill. Today, I’m going to recap some of the best tips, tricks, and tactics shared by this season’s guests. I’m Jackie Aubel, Senior Content Marketing Manager at ServiceTitan and host of Toolbox for the Trades. Join me for a recap of all the amazing guests we’ve heard from this season. Listen to our guests speak about: - How to have a successful business partnership with a spouse or friend - How to find the right business mentor - Leading your team - Delivering exceptional customer service - Women in the trades To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Apprentices are rewarded for education and initiative. Teams are rewarded for doing things the right way. Managers are rewarded when customers are satisfied… and not in quarterly bonuses, either. Tune in to an astounding companywide incentivization program based on processes and growth. In this episode, I speak with Mario Martinez, COO at Scott's One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, about how he rewards employees. Mario and I discuss: - Mario’s career trajectory from tech to COO - To franchise or not to franchise - Incentivizing managers based on every single job - Mario’s wildly successful apprenticeship program - Growth and leadership lessons from someone who is always reaching for the next success Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek - Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, orhere. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Today’s guest dropped out of high school because he said he couldn’t pass anything. But he earned his master plumbing license on his first try. HVAC license, too. About a decade ago, he was making $20/hour and broke. Today he’s just added an HVAC team to his $3.3 million dollar business. In this episode, I chat with Russell Furr, President at Culpeper Home Services, about the struggles and realities of entrepreneurship. (Let me tell you, Russell does not hold back!) Listen in as we discuss: - Russell’s journey from high school dropout to president of his own company - Entrepreneurship hurdles and how to keep charging forward - The recent addition of HVAC services - Why customer experience matters more than ever - The explosive growth plan for next year Check out these resources we mentioned: - Beyond Plumbing Webinar - The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene If you want to hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades onApple Podcasts,Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.