Profiles in Prosperity
133 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsDo you like stories about business? I do! I’m endlessly fascinated by the
creative and innovative strategies business people employ to build their businesses. I
love the stories of how businesses were started, bought, sold, grown, failed, and the
stories of pitfalls and advances. They’re all interesting. As someone who runs a
business and advises others who run businesses, I find the stories useful and
informative as well as cautionary and inspirational.
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Episodes
131 - Ryan StMichel - Excelling in Consultative Selling
April 16, 2024 22:45 - 17 minutes - 7.54 MBRyan StMichel is the owner of Grove Mechanical in Crookston Minnesota. Grove Mechanical was founded in 1978 by Ryan's Grandfather and Ryan purchased the company from his uncle. Ryan created a unique consultative, no-pressure, sales process that results in high-quality, high-value systems installations, delighted customers, and a very high close rate. How does he do it? Listen and learn! Other interes...
130 - Stephanie Postell - Maybe This Is Like Kindergarten
April 02, 2024 20:45 - 38 minutes - 16.1 MBStephanie Postell is the Chief Operating Officer and owner (with her husband, David) of Anchor Heating and Air. Stephanie has enjoyed a diverse career prior to joining the HVAC industry. She started off as a Kindergarten teacher, owned and worked in different businesses before working for an HVAC company and eventually starting her own HVAC business. Stephanie has a wealth of experience, and vast expertise in operations. We talk with her about her background, her experiences in different H...
129 - Mike Chastain - Absolute Plumbing
March 19, 2024 19:30 - 20 minutes - 8.72 MBA blessed accident caused Mike Chastain to need a job at a very young age. So he went from 9th grade right into plumbing. After gaining valuable experience in new construction plumbing, the new housing market collapse caused him to make another change and start his own business with his wife, Katie. The ups and downs of business ownership caused them to learn a lot and grow. We'll hear about: The blessing of family in the business Starter coaches The roller coaster of busines...
128 - Allan Ferguson and David Heimer: Advice and Tools for Contractors
March 05, 2024 21:45 - 33 minutes - 13.9 MBLook at this: it's a two-for-one podcast episode! Allan Ferguson, host of the Pipeline to Profitability Podcast interviews David Heimer and David Heimer, host of Profiles in Prosperity, interviews Allan Ferguson. Join Allan Ferguson, your host on Pipeline to Profitability, as he engages in a riveting conversation with celebrated entrepreneur David Heimer, founder and retired COO of Service Nation, Inc. This enlightening episode goes beyond tracing David's illustrious professional journey, t...
127 - Gina and Philip Ferrara - Ron Smith Fired Me!
February 14, 2024 17:00 - 18 minutes - 7.9 MBGina and Philip Ferrara are the founders, owners, and hands-on leaders of LibertyAir providing HVAC services in Gainsville, Florida. They are married to each other, and have children together. Like many owners they've had their share of struggles as they built a successful and strong business, including getting fired by their business coach, the late, great Ron Smith. But they came back! Their business is still growing and it's very successful. They've won numerous awards! Philip branched of...
126 - Joe Strittmatter - Selling and Growing
January 29, 2024 16:30 - 19 minutes - 8.5 MBJoe Strittmatter is the founder of Strittmatter Plumbing, Heating, and AC in Denton Texas. In episode 38 "Growing a Multi-Trade Powerhouse" we interviewed Joe and learned about his start in our industry and the grow of his company. In this episode we learn about what's happened since. In short, Joe continued to grow his company, sold to a private equity company, ended up running both Strittmatter AND Frymire, and, at the time of this recording, was just leaving the priva...
125 - Dave Rothacker - Top Business Books of 2023
January 16, 2024 17:30 - 23 minutes - 9.75 MBDave Rothacker joins us again to review his top business books from 2023. Of all the books Dave read in 2023, these are the ones you can't afford to overlook. Dave reviews the books, explains why they are the best of 2023, and provides insight about maximizing value from your reading. To contact Dave directly, email him at [email protected]
124 - Renee Lucas - Woman of the Year
December 27, 2023 18:00 - 20 minutes - 8.77 MBRenee and Travis Lucas are the owners of LCS Heating and Cooling in Indianapolis, Indiana. Renee was recently named Woman of the Year. Renee is not just a great owner with an incredible track record, she is also a Service Nation Premier Coach, a person who cheerfully helps others, and works to make our industry stronger and better. Her award is clearly very well-deserved! Renee discusses: Her surprise and happiness at being named Woman of the Year. Recent developments at LCS. ...
123 - Doug Wyatt - Synergy Learning Systems
December 12, 2023 17:00 - 34 minutes - 14.3 MBDoug Wyatt brings an impressive level of energy and commitment to everything he does. That is demonstrated in his entrepreneurial endeavors, his personal and professional growth, and most recently in the development of Synergy Learning Systems. In this fascinating episode you will learn about: How Doug Wyatt's childhood of rural poverty fueled his ambition, work ethic, and values. His early entrepreneurial success in the world of pizza coupons. Doug's early and contin...
122 - Tom Piscitelli - T.R.U.S.T. Training and Consulting
November 21, 2023 17:30 - 19 minutes - 8.33 MBTom Piscitelli is a thought leader and top trainer in our industry, providing training for technicians, salespeople, dispatchers, CSRs, and business owners who provide HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical Service. Tom's training is thoughtful, thorough, ethical, and extremely effective. In addition to training, Tom is an accomplished and respected author, speaker, and consultant. In this episode you'll hear from Tom and learn: How Tom Piscitelli got into our industry, grew his ca...
121 - Kim and Buford Martin - Contractor to Coach
November 07, 2023 16:30 - 35 minutes - 14.7 MBKim and Buford Martin had been in the HVAC industry, not as contractors, before they started Martin's Heating and Cooling in Fort Smith, Arkansas. They went through the struggles of starting and growing a Home Service Business before joining Service Nation Alliance and then building tremendous growth and profitability. Eventually they sold the business and are now Service Nation Premier coaches where they share their accumulated experience and wisdom. In this episode, Kim and ...
120 - Lisa McCarthy - Out of the Box Technology
October 24, 2023 16:00 - 33 minutes - 14 MBLisa McCarthy is the brilliant Founding Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Out of the Box Technology. She has built a company with incredibly valuable services for contractors. Her expertise and experiences with residential service companies (and many other industries) gives her insight shared by very few. A few highlights from our conversation: How and why Lisa started working directly with clients and entered the HVAC and Plumbing industries The services Out of ...
119 - Ed O'Connell Goes To Service World Expo
October 10, 2023 18:00 - 16 minutes - 7.25 MBHe's back! The inimitable Ed O'Connell returns to Profiles In Prosperity to give a report on Service World Expo, the leading residential service expo. Ed reports on: Why he goes to Service World Expo every year. Implementation of ideas from Service World Expo, and return on investment What he learned The keynote that impressed Ed the most Information sharing The amazing Service World Expo parties Fundraising for the Joseph Groh Foundation Why some contractors fail to atte...
118 - Jim Hinshaw - Sales and Management Guru
September 26, 2023 20:00 - 28 minutes - 12.1 MBJim Hinshaw has vast and impressive experience in Residential Service. In this episode of Profiles in Prosperity, Jim focuses on what we need to be doing differently in sales right now. Story telling in the sales process to engage customers Emotion and logic The six categories of emotions in sales with examples Fear Greed Jealousy Altruism Shame Pride How to find great salespeople In addition to being a great consultant, Jim is an author, and he gives us a brief rev...
117 - Rory Krueger - Krueger Heating, Air Conditioning, Geothermal
September 12, 2023 20:39 - 29 minutes - 12.4 MBKrueger Heating, Air Conditioning, Geothermal is a great example of a successful family-owned company with organic, controlled growth. Rory Krueger, president, founder, and owner is a Service Nation Mentor with tremendous and experience in this industry. Krueger has a substantial Geothermal division. Rory discusses his company history and growth, gives advice for advisory board members, and provides insight into Geothermal.
116 - George Blitch Goes All Out
August 29, 2023 16:00 - 19 minutes - 8.21 MBNeed some inspiration and motivation? George Blitch is building a rapidly-growing HVAC company, rebranding, and creating a great future for his team and his young (and also growing!) family. In this episode you’ll hear: • The rebranding process • How George started his business • Why he rebranded • How he accessed mentors that made a difference • Advice for growth and integrity If you are in residential service (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc) and want to stay on top of your game and...
115 - Roy White - From Technician to Purpose-Driven Leader
August 18, 2023 14:04 - 28 minutes - 12 MBRoy White is the owner and leader of Fixed Right and Guaranteed. Roy shares his journey to success, provides sage advice, describes their unique recruiting, and talks about how his business purpose has changed.
114 - Michelle Myers - The Pink Callers
August 01, 2023 18:00 - 13 minutes - 6.06 MBCould remote back office support boost your business? There are many who successfully use this model. Michelle Myers, founder of Pink Callers, explains the services and benefits they provide. This is information you need to know!
113 - Andy Hobaica - Success in Sales and More
July 17, 2023 19:06 - 24 minutes - 10.4 MBAndy Hobaica is one of the top HVAC Comfort Advisors in our industry. Why is he so successful? What does he do that most don't? This episode will leave you inspired and motivated. You'll want to share it with your team!
112 - Ron Strelke - Focus on Others
July 03, 2023 20:05 - 25 minutes - 10.8 MBToday we're talking with Ron Strelke, owner of Force Home Services in the DFW area, and a Service Nation Advisory Board Mentor. We learn about Ron's unusual entrance into our industry, the death of two cherished co-workers, his personal and professional growth, and the resulting culture of serving others.
111 - Lisa Converse - iHeartMedia
June 20, 2023 15:00 - 17 minutes - 7.63 MBIf you're in Residential Service you need to know about iHeartMedia and their powerful turn-key combination of massive high-quality data, dynamically inserted ads, and a creative production team that understands our industry, all delivered to your target market via a platform-agnostic system. Bonus: you will also find out if Lisa Converse is related to the great Converse shoe company.
110 - Chris Michel - Service Nation Training Director
June 06, 2023 20:30 - 16 minutes - 7.13 MBChris Michel has a vast and impressive background in our industry, and he's Service Nation's new Training Director. He's also an author of a wonderful book. Chris talks with us about his industry experience, why he wrote his book, and gives us 3 keys for contractor success.
109 - Tucker Yarbrough - The Successful Family Business
May 22, 2023 20:35 - 27 minutes - 11.5 MBTucker Yarbrough is the CFO of Yarbrough and Sons. Tucker is the 2nd generation in the business founded by his parents. Tucker, his brothers, and his parents are all in the business, the business is thriving and experiencing tremendous growth. How do they do it? How do they grow and still maintain the family relationships? Also, Tucker gives us his rules for business.
108 - Steve Simmons - Keep Growing
May 08, 2023 19:00 - 32 minutes - 13.4 MBSteve Simmons, owner and founder of Air Comfort Heating and Cooling out of Nebraska, returns to catch us up on his last five years, tell us about his innovative recruiting program, and tell us the most important piece of advice he would give his younger self.
107 - Lori Tschohl - Woman of the Year
April 24, 2023 22:00 - 30 minutes - 12.8 MBLori Tschohl was recently named Woman of the Year for our industry. Lori runs a terrific business with strong growth, and somehow manages to also be an incredible industry advocate and influencer. How does she do it all? This is our 2nd interview with Lori. The first is episode 68 where we learned about her background and her start in our industry. Listen to both and learn from a smart, influential, innovative leader.
106 - Liz Friesen - Southside Plumbing - Find the Joy
April 10, 2023 17:00 - 13 minutes - 5.95 MBLiz Friesen, of Southside Plumbing in Littleton, Colorado, is co-owner with her husband Mark. Liz shares her unique route into the industry, the history of her business, recruitment advice, and tips on how to work with family.
105 - Keith Neff - Keith’s Kommandments
March 21, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 7.63 MBKeith Neff is the owner of AAA Air Conditioning in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Keith shares his history in the business, challenges he experienced along the way, ways in which he has given back to his community, and some of his top rules for business.
104 - David Bodenheimer - Bodenheimer Plumbing
March 13, 2023 19:00 - 11 minutes - 5.18 MBDavid Bodenheimer of Bodenheimer Plumbing Services in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is a winner of multiple Leaders Choice Awards, recipient of the Patriot Award, and a member of Service Nation Alliance since 2020. David shares the family history of his business and how it has grown.
103 - Dave Rothacker - 2023
February 27, 2023 19:00 - 19 minutes - 8.51 MBDave Rothacker returns to share his top three business books of 2022. You won’t want to miss out on these recommendations.
102 - Liz Patrick - Rewards
February 13, 2023 17:00 - 15 minutes - 6.8 MBBefore retiring, Liz Patrick was Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Service Nation and was recognized with the Service Nation Servant Leader award. Liz shares how she got into the industry and how she helped to grow Service Roundtable into what it is today.
101 - Richard Flournoy
January 31, 2023 20:00 - 10 minutes - 4.76 MBRichard Flournoy is the founder, owner, and manager of A-Total Plumbing in Georgia. Rich tells us how he got into the industry and how he grew and, ultimately, sold his successful company.
100 - Matt Michel and David Heimer
January 17, 2023 22:00 - 32 minutes - 13.5 MBAfter 20 years with Service Nation, Matt Michel and David Heimer retired. They reminisce about the founding of Service Nation, revisit some funny company stories, and provide some final thoughts and advice for Residential Service Contractors. A big thank you to Liz Patrick for conducting the interview.
99 - Jenn Shue - General Manager
December 13, 2022 13:00 - 13 minutes - 5.87 MBJenn Shue is a General Manager, Coach, and Advisory Board Mentor. What does she think contractors should focus on?
98 - Mike Murphy - The Big Picture
November 11, 2022 20:00 - 20 minutes - 8.7 MBMike Murphy recently retired from a long successful career in our industry in both manufacturing and the trade press. Mike shares highlights from his career, and insights into our industry.
97 - Scott Mann - Operation Pineapple Express
October 07, 2022 19:30 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBScott Mann is a former Green Beret, retired Lieutenant Colonel, best-selling author of Operation Pineapple Express, and Service World Expo 2022 Keynote Speaker. Scott shares a harrowing tale of a rescue mission in Afghanistan, and how the lessons learned relate to business management.
96 - Allison Bruce - Direct Mail: Stop Posting and Praying
September 06, 2022 21:00 - 15 minutes - 6.84 MBAllison Bruce is the Vice President of Customer Success and Business Development for Customer Lobby. She and her team help service companies win more business through direct mail. Allison gives us tips to improve direct mail marketing.
95 - What You Don’t Know About Design Can Hurt You - Chanda Huff and Anthony Williams
August 23, 2022 18:00 - 14 minutes - 6.29 MBChandra Huff and Anthony Williams are talented members of the graphic design team at Service Nation. They give us three design ideas you need to know.
95 - What You Don’t Know About Design Can Hurt You - Chanda Huff and Anthony Williams
August 23, 2022 18:00 - 14 minutes - 6.29 MBChandra Huff and Anthony Williams are talented members of the graphic design team at Service Nation. They give us three design ideas you need to know.
94 - KC Holcomb - Water Treatment and Conditioning
August 09, 2022 12:00 - 16 minutes - 7.16 MBKC Holcomb is the Director of Business Development & National Accounts at Canature Water Group / NOVO Water Conditioning Products. KC talks with us about water conditioning solutions for homes and businesses, and shares some great ways plumbers and other contractors can offer these solutions to customers.
93 - Brynn Cooksey - The Air Doctor
June 14, 2022 14:00 - 8 minutes - 4.07 MBBrynn Cooksey is owner and president of Air Doctors in Detroit, Michigan. In less than 3 years Brynn grew his company almost 6 times. How did he do that? Brynn also shares his unique method for acquiring talented technicians.
92 - Dale Sorrell - Buying a Business in the HVAC Industry
May 30, 2022 12:00 - 16 minutes - 7.25 MBDale Sorrell is the owner and president of Advantage Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in Stillwater, Oklahoma. A successful businessman with experience in a variety of companies and industries, Dale shares his experiences and insights on running a successful HVAC company.
91 - Jason Henderson - Contractor of the Year
May 10, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 7.43 MBJason Henderson is the founder and president of Best Air Conditioning Plumbing Repair in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jason and his team recently were named “Contractor of the Year”. Jason shares what they’ve done for continued massive company growth.
90 - Ken Goodrich - Live from the Barefoot Roundtable
April 19, 2022 15:35 - 29 minutes - 12.2 MBKen Goodrich joins David Heimer live on stage at the Barefoot Roundtable in Palm Springs. Ken discusses merges and acquisitions in our industry, and gives advice for anyone buying or selling a business. Bonus: Ken gives his “secret” for weight loss.
89 - Patrick Lange - Sell Your Business!
March 29, 2022 12:00 - 22 minutes - 9.57 MBPatrick Lange is the founder and owner of Business Modification Group and is an expert nation-wide business broker. Patrick has great tips for business owners who want to consider selling their businesses.
88 - Kristen and Justin Deese - When Your Business Partner Is Your Spouse
March 04, 2022 19:00 - 15 minutes - 63.9 MBKristen and Justin Deese are a married couple who have owned and operated multiple businesses together including Paradise Home Services in Florida. They are authors of the book When Your Business Partner is Your Spouse: How to Have a Successful Business AND a Happy Marriage. They share their story and some of their top tips for successfully operating a business with your spouse.
87 - Tracie Harper - The Sales Professional
February 17, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 10.2 MBTracie Harper is Sales Manager at Daffan Mechanical, a skilled sales representative, and a great sales coach. Tracie recounts how she got started in the HVAC industry, explains how she built a sales team, and gives us three incredible tips for comfort advisors.
86 - Dave Rothacker - Top 3 Books of 2021
January 25, 2022 16:00 - 19 minutes - 8.41 MBDave Rothacker, the mighty master of business books, gives us his top three books of 2021, plus a few extra recommendations. Here’s what you should be reading!
85 - Danielle Putnam – 2021 Woman of the Year
December 19, 2021 03:07 - 19 minutes - 8.31 MBThis year Danielle Putnam was named Woman of the Year at Service World Expo. Danielle is President of The New Flat Rate and volunteered as President of Women in HVACR. Danielle talks about her career, the founding of The New Flat Rate, why flat rate pricing works so well, and getting more women involved in the trades.
85 - Danielle Putnam – 2020 Woman of the Year
December 13, 2021 13:00 - 8.31 MBThis year Danielle Putnam was named Woman of the Year at Service World Expo. Danielle is President of The New Flat Rate and volunteered as President of Women in HVACR. Danielle talks about her career, the founding of The New Flat Rate, why flat rate pricing works so well, and getting more women involved in the trades.
84 - Brandi Szeker - Social Media For Your Business
November 22, 2021 18:00 - 12 minutes - 5.28 MBService Nation’s own social media expert, Brandi Szeker, joins us to discuss some simple strategies businesses can use to be effective on social media.