BlueCollar.CEO – Ray Clark is the Head of Sales and a founding team member of Schedule Engine : a customizable online booking service. His life is dedicated to helping contractors bring customer experience to the next level through modern and online scheduling solutions. Ray’s an engineer by trade and got his MBA from Villanova University, where he studied consumer psychology and go-to-market strategy. He is determined to help contractors to meet the expectations of today's homeowners and grow t...
May 23, 2023•33 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Evan Hoffman and Thaddeus Tondu are Co-founders of On Purpose Media , a digital marketing agency for home service businesses. They started the company out of frustration with their previous print media and marketing job and now work for clients in diverse niches. Evan and Thaddeus originally met doing direct sales for Cutco Cutlery before founding On Purpose Media to focus on offering website, SEO, and Google ad services to home care businesses. In this episode, Ryan, Evan, and ...
May 16, 2023•42 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Zac Garside is the CEO of Power Selling Pros , where contractors have gone since 2015 to turn customer service into a profit center. He coaches CSR teams on how to book more calls and help more customers. He joined the company in 2015, rose through the ranks, and became the CEO after he shared his vision for the company. Today, he and his team have trained more than 1100 CSRs across the home services industry. In this episode, Ryan and Zac discuss the fundamental principles of e...
May 09, 2023•29 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Max Rohr is the Education and Industry Engagement Manager at Caleffi Hydronic Solutions in North America. They are manufacturers of Italian brass components for plumbing and heating systems. Max has 20 years of experience in installation, design, and training and with customers and trade associations. He has also worked with co-development bodies and manufacturers to share the message about energy-efficient building and plumbing systems. In this episode, Ryan and Max discuss the...
May 02, 2023•24 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Greg McAfee is the Founder and President of McAfee Heating & Air Conditioning Co . He is passionate about helping fellow business owners take their companies to new heights. In 1990, he started McAfee Heating and Air with $274 and a used truck. Today, it is one of the most successful companies in the Midwest. Greg is the author of the book ‘Build and Grow Your HVAC Business,’ and the inventor of the business game TOBGOB, an innovative board game that teaches teams how to act...
Apr 25, 2023•33 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Danielle Putnam is the President of The New Flat Rate , a flat rate menu pricing system for residential contractors that sells for you by giving your customers choices. Danielle was a Board Member, a former President, and now an Advisory Board Member for Women in HVACR. She's also on the Board of the EGIA Foundation. When Danielle is not talking to contractors, she's training for the next half marathon or traveling. In this episode, Ryan and Danielle discuss the struggle contrac...
Apr 18, 2023•25 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Aaron Husak is the CEO of Balanced Comfort , a general HVAC and insulation contractor in California. Aaron started in the solar industry before transitioning to energy audits, inspecting heating and air conditioning contractors' work. He worked for a few contractors in the San Diego area before moving back to Fresno to start Balanced Comfort. He continued to do energy audits on customers' homes for about four years while growing the company. In this episode, Ryan and Aaron discu...
Apr 11, 2023•32 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Erica Leonor is a Director of Business Development at GoodLeap LLC – a sustainable home solutions marketplace that provides point-of-sale technology for professionals serving millions of people. She primarily focuses on customer service and sales training. Erica also serves on the Board of Directors for Women in HVACR and was a Customer Service Trainer at Power Selling Pros. In this episode, Ryan and Erica discuss how her experience outside home services gives her unique perspec...
Apr 04, 2023•28 min
BlueCollar.CEO – David Loessberg is the CEO of Campbell's Plumbing & Heating in Bozeman, Montana. He is an experienced leader and process improvement expert with a focus on procurement, project management, contracts, supplier management, and data automation areas. He started his career in aerospace working for Boeing before transferring to tech. When David is not working, he is a husband, father of four, hunter, runner, and basketball referee. In this episode, Ryan and David discuss develop...
Mar 28, 2023•30 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Corey Hickmann is the Owner of Comfort Matters Heating and Cooling , located in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Corey started the company with his wife in 2005. Comfort Matters has enjoyed steady growth in sales, profitability, and people over the years. Corey and his team have a long list of awards including being listed twice on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies. Corey is also a Service Nation Advisory Board Mentor. In this episode, Ryan and Corey discuss DISC personalit...
Mar 21, 2023•38 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Joshua Page is the President of three electrical companies: JP Electric and Son, Inc ., Ruel Electric , and Patriot Electrical Contracting & Service Corp . He is a TEDx Salon Speaker, a motivational speaker, and the author of the book, What Does Your Daddy Do? Joshua is also the creator of the Contractor Money Blueprint through which he helps small contractors under ten employees make more money and be profitable. He is also a Coach/Speaker at Iron Lab LLC, where he helps ma...
Mar 14, 2023•35 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Jenny Benbrook is the Founder and CEO of Powerhouse Consulting Group , a company of ServiceTitan experts and HVAC software consultants helping maximize investment by building, operating, and maintaining accounts. Jenny is an HVAC sales and marketing expert motivated by results and exceeding expectations by inspiring trust. She is skilled at establishing professional relationships, identifying organizational inefficiencies, and building efficient teams. In this episode, Ryan and ...
Mar 07, 2023•30 min
BlueCollar.CEO – John Akhoian is the Founder of Rooter Hero Plumbing , the largest privately held residential plumbing and HVAC company in California. John started the company in 2011 with a single truck servicing the Orange County, California area. Today, the company stretches as far as Phoenix with over 250 trucks. In this episode, Ryan and John talk about the different skill sets you need to scale your business, mistakes to avoid, the right mindset to have, and the importance of influence. Bl...
Feb 28, 2023•35 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Dale Sorrell is the Principal and Owner of Advantage Plumbing Heating and Cooling , a company that serves the Stillwater region with complete HVAC and plumbing services with green options. Dale has operated in the HVAC and plumbing business for the past 19 years. Instead of retiring, Dale decided to expand into larger markets at the age of 58, still having fun while building a network of top performers in the trades. He acquired H&M Heating and Cooling three years ago and re...
Feb 21, 2023•33 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Justin Pollack is the President of Perfect Home Services : a heating, cooling, and plumbing company in the Chicago area. He joined the company as a salesperson in 2018 where he rose to president in just over five years. He is a high-performing and strategic sales leader who has consistently delivered revenue and profit growth. In this episode, Ryan and Justin discuss improving your sales process, how your mission impacts your bottom line, the essence of culture, and the three th...
Feb 14, 2023•39 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Michelle LaFrance is the Owner and Founder of Ductless Directory . Previously, she ran a digital agency, Smarty Pant Web, and started working with ductless contractors in 2008. She helps them grow their ductless business with a unique and effective methodology. Some clients have called her program a “secret weapon” while others have named her the “Duchess of Ductless.” In this episode, Ryan and Michelle discuss her secret to standing out, how SEO is like a symphony, and other ex...
Feb 07, 2023•25 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Jenn Shue is the General Manager of Barbosa Plumbing and Air Conditioning , a company that has served the Dallas area with plumbing, heating, and cooling services for over 40 years. She’s been with the company for over four years and in the HVAC industry for 17 years. Jenn began her career in the HVAC business as a Customer Representative, answering the phone and filing papers. She has since risen through the ranks and garnered a wealth of experience. In this episode, Ryan and J...
Jan 31, 2023•34 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Amanda Powell is the Director of Training at Power Selling Pros . She trains customer service representatives at home service companies across the United States and Canada to help them win more moments and book more calls. She has trained hundreds of companies across her extensive career. In this episode, Ryan and Amanda discuss the three things that you can do today to dramatically improve your customer experience through your representatives. Amanda also talks about her own ex...
Jan 24, 2023•32 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Joshua Page is the Owner and President of three electrical companies: JP Electric and Son, Inc ., Patriot Electrical Contracting & Service Corp , and Ruel Electric . Joshua is also a TEDx Speaker and Author of the children's book, What Does Your Daddy Do ? He is the mastermind of Contractor Money Blueprint where he helps small contractors be more profitable through how-to videos and worksheets. In this episode, Ryan and Joshua talk about how everything in the trades changed ...
Jan 17, 2023•31 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Olga Carr is a Territory Manager at Insco Distributing, Inc ., a family-owned air conditioning wholesaler serving Texas and Oklahoma for more than 60 years. She's a high-achieving saleswoman, passionate about growing small businesses and recruiting people into the AC and heating industry. She is a South Texan and Mexican American with a vision to create a successful plan for other family-owned companies. In this episode, Ryan and Olga talk about the Inflation Reduction Act and e...
Jan 10, 2023•23 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Brian Campbell is the General Manager of Campbell & Company : a heating, cooling, electric, and plumbing company in Washington state. He began his career at the company as the Vice President of Operations. Brian grew up loving the company and waiting for his chance to contribute to the family HVAC business, started by his father over 40 years ago in a garage. He earned an MBA from Boise State University before joining the company in 2013 to drive operational improvements. In...
Jan 03, 2023•31 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Kelly Presgrave is the CEO and Co-founder of Work With Your Handz , an agency that offers recruitment solutions specifically for residential services, commercial services, and construction companies. Kelly is a graduate of George Mason University with a BA in finance, a graduate of Cornell University’s Talent Management and Acquisition program, and a member of SHRM. She continues to gain insight into the constantly evolving recruitment industry, and her background in finance hel...
Dec 27, 2022•28 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Paul Olsen is the Operations Manager at 1st Home & Commercial Services , a company providing cost-effective repair and maintenance for plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services in Austin, Texas. Paul started his career as a plumber but has spent the last 15 years in management positions for various home services companies. He has made it his mission for the past couple of years to transform his company's culture in Austin, Texas from the ground up. In this...
Dec 20, 2022•22 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Paul Adams is the Chief Growth Officer and Founder of Royal House Partners , a residential and commercial contractor specializing in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. He previously worked as the former Owner/Executive with Service Experts LLC, developing a deep expertise as an executive in home services and business development. In this episode, Ryan and Paul discuss what makes a home service business attractive for acquisition, whether you should consider selling your bu...
Dec 13, 2022•32 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Jennifer Frith is a Customer Experience Coach at Nexstar Network , where they help the world's best tradespeople become the world's best business people. At Nexstar Network, Jennifer helps business owners succeed by empowering their frontline team members through coaching and training to deliver exceptional customer experience. In this episode, Ryan and Jennifer discuss tactical empathy, developing relational skills, and a framework to help you train your customer reps and techn...
Dec 06, 2022•32 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Dan Antonelli is the President and Chief Creative Officer of KickCharge Creative , a branding agency in New Jersey for home services companies. They do everything from naming, tag lines, truck wrap design, brochures, collateral, billboards, uniforms, and some web design. Dan oversees all aspects of brand design and development for KickCharge clients. He relishes helping small businesses crush competition with disruptive brands integrated on wraps. He is a wizard when it comes to...
Nov 29, 2022•32 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Ken Rusk is the President of Rusk Industries, a multi-million dollar construction company in two separate locations with over 200 employees. He is also a best-selling author and blue-collar advocate showing that there’s no degree required for comfort, peace, and freedom. Ken spent his younger years digging ditches and working in construction. As a blue-collar entrepreneur, he never went to college but instead models an alternative career path to success without university degree...
Nov 22, 2022•30 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Jennifer Clements is the Co-founder of Clement's Electric and the Founder of League of Contractors , a lead generation app by contractors for contractors. Through League of Contractors, Jennifer helps home service professionals become referral partners and generate leads to grow together. On the app, contractors can refer others and get paid for it, and only one contractor receives a referral per time, eliminating competition for leads. Homeowners use the app to request services...
Nov 15, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 60
BlueCollar.CEO – Jessica Woodruff Smith is the Process Manager at AirWorks Solutions , a company providing HVAC services to Ventura County with a focus on customer service. She’s been in the trades for sixteen years, including her father’s HVAC business where she worked in every position until the company’s acquisition. Jessica is a Co-founder of LadyTitans, a group designed to empower women in their careers and help others see women's value in the trades. In this episode, Ryan and Jessica discu...
Nov 08, 2022•23 min
BlueCollar.CEO – Kate Cinnamo is the Executive Director of Explore The Trades , a non-profit focused on bridging the technical talent gap in the plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical trades. The organization is committed to developing the next generation of a skilled workforce by changing the perception of the trades. Before joining Explore The Trades, Kate was in the senior housing and healthcare industry for over 10 years. She was the Director of Community Relations for Ebenezer, an adult...
Nov 01, 2022•27 min
