What does it really take to take over a family business, expand into multiple trades, and build it into a $20M home services company?

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano and Chad Peterman sit down with Mandie Hagan, owner of Rowell Services, a family-owned home services company in New Hampshire offering septic, drain cleaning, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, excavation, and pipe relining.

Mandie shares the story of stepping into the family business after the unexpected loss of her father, moving back from Colorado, and helping her mom continue the company. From starting with just a small operation to building a team of nearly 90 employees and pacing toward $20M in revenue, Mandie opens up about the decisions, challenges, and leadership lessons along the way.

The conversation covers adding multiple trades, finding the right leaders, moving from top-line growth to focusing on profitability, building an organizational structure, generating leads with a strong local brand, cross-trade referrals, and the personal pressure that comes with running a growing company.

Mandie also talks about why Rao Services has remained independently owned, her plans to preserve her father's legacy, and what she's focused on as the company enters its next stage of growth.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the VIP Room

01:30 – Meet Mandie Hagan & the Rao Services story

04:15 – Losing her father and returning home to the family business

08:10 – Moving back from Colorado and taking over the company

11:30 – How Rao Services began expanding beyond septic

15:00 – The lesson Mandie learned from adding multiple trades at once

18:00 – Finding the right people for the right seats

21:00 – Mandie's role as owner and Ian's transition out of the field

24:00 – Building the leadership structure at Rao Services

27:00 – Visionary vs. Integrator: Knowing your role as an owner

30:30 – Marketing strategies behind a $20M home services business

33:30 – The power of cross-trade referrals

36:00 – What's actually difficult about growing a larger company

39:00 – Dealing with criticism and the pressure of success

42:00 – Preserving her father's legacy and the 2027 vision

45:00 – What's next for Rao Services?

47:30 – Planning for the next stage of growth

49:00 – Final thoughts with Mandie Hagan

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a demo and turn your conversations into predictable revenue. Mention To The Point to access an exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

What happens when a nearly bankrupt pool company decides to answer every question its customers are asking?

For Marcus Sheridan, it changed everything.

After nearly losing River Pools during the 2008 recession, Marcus transformed the business through radical transparency and became the bestselling author of They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers.

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Marcus breaks down what home service companies need to do to win in sales and marketing today, from being transparent about pricing and building trust to adapting to AI and changing customer behavior.

He shares why pricing estimators can drive more leads, what makes AI recommend one contractor over another, why speed-to-lead matters, and how sales teams can build trust without relying on outdated or manipulative tactics.

If you want to win more customers and stay ahead of where sales and marketing are heading, this episode is packed with tactics you can put to work right now.

RESOURCES FROM MARCUS

Want to add a pricing estimator to your website?

Check out PriceGuide: https://priceguide.ai

Want to see how AI views your business?

Run your AI Trust Signals check: https://aitrustsignals.com

Want to learn more from Marcus?

Explore his books, including They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers: https://marcussheridan.com/books

Put the customer’s questions first.

Learn more about Question First: https://questionfirst.com

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome Back to the VIP Room & Marcus Sheridan Introduction

03:30 - Marcus' Story: River Pools Nearly Goes Bankrupt

08:00 - How the 2008 Recession Changed Marcus' Approach to Marketing

12:00 - The Origin of They Ask, You Answer

15:00 - Why Businesses Need to Become Obsessed With Their Buyers

18:00 - Should Contractors Give Pricing Over the Phone?

22:00 - Why Customers Get Frustrated When Companies Hide Pricing

26:00 - How a Pricing Article Generated $35M+ in Sales

29:00 - Why Pricing Estimators Can Transform Lead Generation

32:00 - AI Is Changing Search Forever

35:00 - What Makes AI Recommend One Contractor Over Another?

38:00 - The 3 F's of Innovation: Fear, Faster & Friction

41:00 - The "Mother of All Review Pages" & AI Trust Signals

44:00 - Why Contractors Need Awards & Expert Author Pages

47:00 - Speed-to-Lead & the Future of AI Voice

50:00 - Showroom vs. In-Home Sales

52:00 - Why Homeowners Should Know Who Is Coming to Their Door

54:00 - Stop Selling With Manipulation: The Power of Discovery

56:00 - Why 80% of Sales Training Should Focus on the Opening

58:00 - Teaching Homeowners to "Call Your Baby Ugly"

59:00 - Marcus' Final Advice for Home Service Contractors

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a demo and turn your conversations into predictable revenue. Mention To The Point to access an exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

What does it take to build a home services company that lasts for more than seven decades?

In this episode of To The Point Home Services VIP Room, we sit down with Bobby Ring, President and CEO of Meyer & Depew Co., to talk about the incredible 73-year history behind the company and how a family-owned HVAC business has continued to evolve through multiple generations.

Bobby shares how Meyer & Depew grew from a small commercial-focused company into a thriving $14M HVAC business, the lessons he learned working alongside his father, and what he is doing differently as his own son becomes part of the next generation of leadership.

We also dive into the challenges of working with family, empowering the next generation of leaders, building a culture that lasts, and why Bobby believes contractors need to get really good at their core business before expanding into additional trades.

From failed attempts at adding electrical to deciding whether to eventually sell the business or pass it down, Bobby gives an honest look at the decisions that come with leading an independent home services company.

Plus, the guys discuss why a $10M to $20M business should not be undervalued, the impact of joining Nexstar, how to improve closing rates, and one of the biggest problems in the home services industry: contractors not understanding the true value of what they provide.

If you're building a family business, leading an independent company, or trying to grow your home services business without losing what made it special in the first place, this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the VIP Room

03:00 Meet Bobby Ring and Meyer & Depew Co.

06:00 The 73-year history of the business

12:00 Bobby’s journey from employee to owner

16:00 Working with family and preparing the next generation

21:00 How to build a culture that lasts

26:00 Empowering leaders and letting go of control

30:00 Generations of comfort and trust

34:00 Marketing a 73-year-old HVAC brand

38:00 Why Meyer & Depew hasn’t added another trade

43:00 Why bigger isn’t always better in home services

46:00 Joining Nexstar and getting better at HVAC

49:00 What’s broken in the home services industry

52:00 Understanding pricing, margin, and the true cost of doing business

55:00 Staying independent or selling the business

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a demo and turn your conversations into predictable revenue. Mention To The Point to access an exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

Lacey Peevey, VP of WeCo Rooter, joins Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor in the VIP Room to share how she and her husband John went from operating under a national plumbing brand to building an independent company of their own.

After joining the business in 2017, Lacey and John helped grow the operation to nearly $7M. But when the time came to renew their agreement with the national brand, they made the decision to go out on their own.

Lacey breaks down what it took to fully rebrand the company into WeCo Rooter, why they were willing to take a step back to build something they could truly own, and how the business is now approaching $6M while continuing to build momentum.

The conversation also covers customer service, building trust, training technicians, pricing, growing the average ticket ethically, and the challenges of scaling a plumbing and drain business toward $10M.

Plus, Lacey shares what she believes is broken in home services, from customer service and licensing to continuing education and staying up to date with new technology.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & Meet Lacey Peevey

02:00 – How Lacey and John Got Into the Business

05:00 – Joining a National Plumbing Brand in 2017

08:00 – Growing the Business Toward $7M

11:00 – Why They Decided to Go Independent

15:00 – Leaving the National Brand the Right Way

19:00 – The Challenges of a Full Rebrand

23:00 – Building the WeCo Rooter Brand

27:00 – Growing Back Toward $6M

31:00 – Customer Service & Building Trust

35:00 – Training Technicians Beyond Technical Skills

39:00 – Ethical Pricing & Growing Average Ticket

43:00 – Scaling WeCo Rooter Toward $10M

47:00 – Building Relationships & Finding the Right Training

50:00 – What’s Broken in Home Services?

53:00 – Final Thoughts & What’s Next for WeCo Rooter

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

Jack Hope, Owner of Hope Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, joins the VIP Room to break down the journey from a small plumbing company to a business that did roughly $62M in 2025 and is pacing toward $75M.

Jack shares how he and his partner started Hope Plumbing, the pivotal role Nexstar played in helping them build systems and scale, and why they spent years focusing almost exclusively on plumbing before expanding into HVAC and, more recently, electrical.

The conversation dives into the strategy behind dominating specific neighborhoods, why old-school tactics like door-to-door canvassing still work, how to know when it's time to add another trade, and why Jack believes having the right people in the right positions becomes the biggest growth lever once you reach scale.

He also shares his most underrated and overrated KPIs, why he believes average ticket can be overrated, and the importance of building trust with customers instead of simply maximizing every individual call.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & Meet Jack Hope

03:30 – Building Hope Plumbing From the Ground Up

07:00 – The Early Days & Learning From Mistakes

11:00 – The Nexstar Turning Point

15:00 – How Hope Took Over Its First Market

19:00 – Why Door-to-Door Canvassing Still Works

23:00 – “Win One Zip Code at a Time”

27:00 – Why They Stayed Focused on Plumbing

31:00 – Going From $2M to $60M+ in Plumbing

35:00 – Adding HVAC Through Acquisition

39:00 – Why Electrical May Be Easier Than HVAC

43:00 – The Opportunity in the Electrical Market

46:00 – What’s Broken in Home Services?

48:00 – The Health of the Trades Workforce

50:00 – Jack’s Rapid-Fire Growth Questions

51:00 – Best Growth Lever Under $10M vs. Over $50M

53:00 – Most Overrated & Underrated KPIs

55:00 – Jack’s Advice for Growing Home Services Businesses

56:30 – Final Thoughts & Outro

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

Patrick Somers, President & CEO of General Air Conditioning & Plumbing, joins the VIP Room alongside special guest co-host Moe Abbas (CEO of Sales Ask).

Patrick’s journey is one of the most unique in home services. He started as an entry-level maintenance technician making $10/hour and worked his way up through leadership before eventually buying and leading the same company.

In this episode, Patrick breaks down what it really takes to scale a business, earn buy-in as a young leader, and build a high-performing culture. The conversation also dives into operating in a seasonal market, maximizing every opportunity inside the home, and how top companies are using training, systems, and AI to improve performance.

If you’re looking to grow your business, develop leaders, and get more out of your team, this episode is packed with real-world insights.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & guest introductions

03:15 Overview of General Air Conditioning & Plumbing ($17M → pacing $20M)

06:10 Patrick’s journey: from $10/hour tech to leadership

11:45 Rapid promotions & earning team buy-in as a young leader

17:30 Buying the business & structuring the deal

22:10 Operating in a seasonal market (Coachella Valley dynamics)

27:05 Maximizing opportunities inside the home

31:40 Training techs to think like sales professionals

36:20 Cross-selling between trades (HVAC, plumbing, electrical)

40:45 Using AI & call tracking to improve performance

46:10 Coaching, role play, and improving close rates

50:30 Leadership philosophy, culture, and alignment

54:10 This or That segment

56:00 Outro

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

What does it take to lead the next generation of a home services business that's been around for nearly 70 years?

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Ben Nalty, General Manager of Environment Masters, to talk about growing a third-generation family business, scaling across multiple trades, and stepping into the leadership role of a company his grandfather helped build.

Ben shares how he went from working around the business as a teenager to running HVAC service and eventually becoming General Manager. He breaks down Environment Masters' evolution from a business heavily focused on commercial construction into a residential service company across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, and how the company has grown from roughly $25M to pacing $35M.

The conversation also dives into what it's like working alongside his father, navigating succession in a multi-generational business, and the decision to partner with Redwood Services. Ben explains what that partnership has changed, from stronger accountability and coaching to improving memberships, conversion rates, average tickets, and cross-trade opportunities.

Later, Ben turns the questions back on Chad and Aaron to get their advice on two challenges he's working through right now: generating more cross-trade opportunities and finding better ways to market and communicate with customers. Chad shares the cross-selling system that generated 900 additional appointments and roughly $1M in revenue in six months, while Aaron breaks down how contractors can build stronger brand messaging instead of relying solely on offers and lead generation.

It's a conversation about family business, leadership, growth, cross-selling, marketing, and what it takes to carry a decades-old company into its next chapter.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro

02:45 – Meet Ben Nalty & Environment Masters

05:30 – Nearly 70 Years & Three Generations in Home Services

08:30 – Growing Up in the Family Business

11:30 – Ben’s Path to Running the Company

15:00 – Transitioning From Commercial to Residential Service

18:30 – Adding Plumbing & Electrical

21:30 – Taking Over Day-to-Day Operations From His Dad

25:00 – The Father-Son Dynamic in a Family Business

28:00 – Why Environment Masters Partnered With Redwood Services

32:00 – Navigating Private Equity as a Family Business

35:30 – What Changed After the Redwood Partnership

39:00 – Scaling From $25M Toward $35M

42:00 – Improving Memberships, Conversion Rates & Average Tickets

45:00 – Creating More Cross-Trade Opportunities

48:00 – Chad’s Cross-Selling Strategy That Generated $1M

51:00 – Marketing Beyond Just Buying Leads

53:30 – Final Takeaways

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

What does it take to build a $35M home services business in just eight years?

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Helmi Ben Flah, Owner of Guaranteed Service, to break down the systems, accountability, and relentless execution behind his rapid growth.

Helmi shares his journey from software engineer to home services entrepreneur and how Guaranteed Service has scaled across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical since launching in 2018. He explains why his company doesn't rely solely on inbound demand, how they use customer data and AI to create outbound opportunities, and how technicians across different trades work together to generate more calls from the customers they already have.

The conversation also dives into the operating principles behind the growth: tracking leading indicators instead of waiting for revenue numbers, measuring nearly everything in the business, building accountability into the culture, and learning proven systems from other successful operators and actually executing them.

Later, Helmi opens up about one of the biggest challenges facing home services today: employee retention. He also shares what he'd do differently if he were starting over, before turning the tables on Chad and Aaron to ask what it really takes to scale from $50M toward $100M.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – Intro

02:00 – Meet Helmi Ben Flah & Guaranteed Service

04:00 – From Software Engineer to Home Services Entrepreneur

06:00 – The Growth From $4.6M to $35M

09:00 – Execution, Accountability & Training

12:00 – Building an Outbound Machine

16:00 – Using AI & Customer Data to Generate More Calls

20:00 – Leading Indicators vs. Lagging Indicators

23:00 – Cross-Selling Between HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical

28:00 – Getting Technicians to Generate Multi-Trade Opportunities

32:00 – Building One Culture Across Multiple Trades

36:00 – Scaling Culture as the Company Grows

39:00 – What Redwood Services Changed in the Business

43:00 – Why Execution Beats Perfection

46:00 – What's Broken in Home Services?

49:00 – The Employee Retention Problem

52:00 – What Helmi Would Do Differently Starting Over

54:00 – How Do You Scale From $50M to $100M?

56:30 – Final Takeaways

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

What does it really take to build and manage a $20M multi-trade home services business?

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano, Aaron Gaynor, and Chad Peterman sit down with Isaac Turpin, CEO and Co-Founder of True Corp, to break down the opportunities and challenges that come with scaling across multiple trades.

Isaac shares how True Corp grew across restoration, remodeling, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and aluminum, and why managing multiple brands, CRMs, teams, and service lines can quickly become complicated. The conversation gets into slowing down top-line growth to protect profitability, navigating a changing lead environment, cross-selling between trades, building a membership program, structuring plumbing teams, technician pay, and deciding whether your business should go wider or deeper.

Isaac also flips the conversation and asks Chris, Aaron, and Chad what they've learned from scaling their own home service businesses, including how to evaluate your market, build a membership base, structure departments, and create sustainable growth.

00:00 – Intro

02:00 – Meet Isaac Turpin & the True Corp Business Model

05:30 – Building a Business During the 2008 Housing Crash

08:00 – Centralizing Multiple Trades Under One Company

11:00 – The Challenges of Running a Multi-Trade Business

14:00 – Why More Revenue Isn't Always Better

17:00 – When the Leads Suddenly Stop Coming

21:00 – Cross-Selling Between Trades

24:00 – Building a Multi-Trade Membership Program

27:00 – How Cross-Selling Generated $1M in Revenue

31:00 – Getting More Revenue From Your Existing Customer Base

34:00 – How to Structure a Plumbing Team for Scale

39:00 – Sales Techs vs. Install Crews

42:00 – Technician Pay Structures & Incentives

45:00 – Should You Focus on One Trade or Go Multi-Trade?

48:00 – The Hidden Complexity of Scaling Multiple Trades

51:00 – Advice for Scaling Plumbing & HVAC

54:00 – Final Takeaways

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

From a $6/hour plumber to leading a nearly $30 million home services company, Rich Bogda has built Service Professionals into one of New Jersey's most respected HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses.

In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, Aaron Gaynor, and special guest co-host Abdul Al-Asaad (Basic Capital) sit down with Rich to discuss:

• Building a family-owned business over 30+ years
• Transitioning leadership to the next generation
• Knowing when owners need to get out of the way
• Developing young leaders while keeping experienced employees engaged
• Recruiting and retaining top talent
• Using AI to improve operations
• Creating a company culture people don't want to leave
• Why technical training is becoming the industry's biggest challenge

Whether you're running a $2M company or scaling toward $30M+, this episode is packed with practical leadership lessons from someone who's lived every stage of the journey.

00:00 - Intro 04:18 - Meet Rich Bogda & Special Guest Abdul Al-Asaad

08:12 - From a $6/Hour Plumber to Building a $30M Business

14:45 - The Leadership Changes That Fueled Growth

21:18 - Why Young Leaders Are Changing the Company

29:10 - AI, Innovation & The Future of Home Services

35:42 - Retaining Employees & Building Long-Term Wealth

44:30 - What's Wrong With the Home Services Industry?

52:35 - Final Thoughts

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

Contractors asked. Yelp answered.

In Part 2 of this special two-part VIP Room series, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor continue their conversation with Yelp COO Jed Nachman and Hatch CEO Chris Bache to answer some of the biggest questions contractors have about Yelp.

After covering reviews and reputation in Part 1, the discussion shifts to lead transparency, lead quality, geographic performance, AI-powered customer experiences, speed to lead, contractor success stories, and what top-performing companies are doing differently. The group also explores where Yelp, Hatch, and AI fit into the future of home services marketing and customer acquisition.

Whether you're currently using Yelp or simply curious about where the industry is headed, this episode provides an inside look at the technology, strategy, and challenges shaping the next generation of home services growth.

If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out first for the discussion on reviews, reputation management, and the Hatch acquisition.

00:00 - Intro

01:08 - How Yelp Defines a Lead

07:15 - How to Measure Marketing ROI

13:40 - Why Yelp Performs Better in Some Markets

18:55 - Tips for Contractors Using Yelp

27:05 - AI Search & the Future of Home Services

34:40 - Building Trust With Contractors

38:20 - Special Offer, Listener Feedback & Closing Thoughts

SPECIAL OFFER FROM YELP

New multi-location advertisers on Yelp may qualify for a 20% bonus advertising budget when they start campaigns before September 30. That means Yelp adds extra advertising dollars on top of what you spend.

To see if you qualify, fill out the form at:

https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

A member of the Yelp team will reach out to help you get started.

Offer is available to new multi-location Yelp advertisers only.

HAVE FEEDBACK FOR YELP?

As discussed in the episode, Yelp welcomes feedback from contractors. If you have questions, suggestions, or feedback on your experience with Yelp, you can reach the team directly at:

listenerfeedback@yelp.com

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: https://www.salesask.com/ 

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractors asked. Yelp answered.

In Part 1 of this special two-part VIP Room series, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Yelp COO Jed Nachman and Hatch CEO Chris Bache to tackle some of the biggest questions contractors have about Yelp.

After collecting questions directly from contractors across the industry, the conversation dives into Yelp reviews, review filtering, reputation management, contractor concerns about fairness and transparency, and the reasoning behind how Yelp's review system works. The group also discusses Yelp's acquisition of Hatch, the future of AI in home services, and what the partnership means for contractors moving forward.

Whether you're a Yelp advocate, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this is an open and candid conversation about one of the most talked-about platforms in home services.

Be sure to subscribe and stay tuned for Part 2, where the conversation continues with lead transparency, lead quality, AI, customer experience, and the future of home services marketing.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM YELP

New multi-location advertisers on Yelp may qualify for a 20% bonus advertising budget when they start campaigns before September 30. That means Yelp adds extra advertising dollars on top of what you spend.

To see if you qualify, fill out the form at:

https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

A member of the Yelp team will reach out to help you get started.

Offer is available to new multi-location Yelp advertisers only.

HAVE FEEDBACK FOR YELP?

As discussed in the episode, Yelp welcomes feedback from contractors. If you have questions, suggestions, or feedback on your experience with Yelp, you can reach the team directly at:

listenerfeedback@yelp.com

00:00 - Intro

02:58 - Meet Yelp COO Jed Nachman & Hatch CEO Chris Bache

06:25 - Why Yelp Acquired Hatch

11:00 - Why Yelp Is Focused on Home Services

14:15 - Contractors' Biggest Questions About Yelp Reviews

18:30 - Why Some Yelp Reviews Aren't Recommended

25:15 - Should Contractors Ask Customers for Yelp Reviews?

31:45 - Why Yelp Ratings Differ From Other Platforms

36:30 - Building Trust Between Yelp & Contractors

40:20 - Part 2 Preview 

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: https://www.salesask.com/ 

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Most contractors spend thousands of dollars every month generating leads, but what happens after those leads become customers?

This week in the VIP Room, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Zac Garside, Founder and President of Send It Email Marketing, to discuss one of the most overlooked growth opportunities in home services: staying connected with your existing customer base.

The group breaks down email marketing, customer retention, CRM strategy, lead generation, offer creation, automation, and why so many contractors focus on acquiring new customers while ignoring the opportunities sitting inside their own database.

Zac also shares practical examples from some of the largest home services companies in the country, including how contractors are using email to generate service calls, maintenance appointments, sales opportunities, and additional revenue without increasing their advertising spend.

Whether you're running a small local shop or a multi-million-dollar operation, this episode is packed with actionable marketing and business insights you can apply immediately.

Topics discussed:

• Why email marketing is still one of the highest ROI channels in home services

• The biggest mistakes contractors make with customer communication

• Creating offers that actually generate demand

• Using email to reduce dependence on paid leads

• Sales estimates, maintenance, and customer retention strategies

• Automation opportunities most companies miss

• How AI is changing marketing and content creation

• Why branding and customer relationships matter more than ever

• The importance of staying top-of-mind with past customers

• Marketing lessons from some of the industry's fastest-growing companies

FREE RESOURCE FOR TO THE POINT LISTENERS

Want to put these strategies into action?

Zac Garside and the team at Send It Email Marketing created a free swipe file featuring 20 proven email templates contractors can use to generate more demand, stay top of mind with customers, and drive additional revenue.

withsendit.com/top-secret

00:00 - Intro

02:15 - Meet Zac Garside & Send It Email Marketing

05:30 - Why Most Contractors Ignore Their Best Lead Source

09:45 - The Biggest Email Marketing Mistakes Contractors Make

14:20 - How To Get Customers To Open Your Emails

18:40 - Why Branding Matters More Than Subject Lines

22:15 - The Difference Between Google Leads and Email Leads

26:50 - Creating Offers That Actually Generate Demand

31:10 - The Customer Database Most Contractors Ignore

35:45 - Retention vs Lead Generation

40:20 - Marketing Automation Opportunities You're Missing

44:30 - AI, Marketing, and the Future of Customer Communication

49:10 - How Top Contractors Stay Top of Mind

53:20 - Zac's Best Marketing Advice for Contractors

56:15 - Free Email Marketing Swipe File for Listeners

57:30 - Final Thoughts

Thank you to our sponsors!

Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip

Sales Ask: Book a free sales visibility session with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer. https://www.salesask.com/

Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/

Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

You know how much that sucks for a podcast host? lol 

Here's the GOOD NEWS! I've got two very capable co-hosts if I have to miss. But more importantly, it's a very winnable (90%) version of cancer called Squamous Cell Carcinoma. 

It will be a gnarly 6-8 weeks of treatment with the worst being weeks 4-8. I decided to be transparent about it like I have this whole time on the podcast and let you join the journey with me. I appreciate all your support, thoughts and prayers in advance. I got this!!

What does it take to lead a $100M home services company?

This week in the VIP Room, Chris Yano and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Bubba Thurman, President of Baker Brothers Plumbing, Air & Electric, one of the largest and most respected home services companies in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Before leading a business with more than 400 employees and over $100 million in annual revenue, Bubba spent 22 years in ministry. In this conversation, he shares lessons on leadership, culture, integrity, AI, marketing, customer trust, and what it takes to build a lasting reputation in today's home services industry.

The group also discusses private equity, peer groups, transparency, AI-driven search, reputation management, and why great operators are focusing more than ever on community relationships and customer experience.

If you're an owner, operator, manager, or leader looking to grow your business and develop your people, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

Topics discussed:

• Bubba's transition from ministry to home services

• Leading a $100M company with 400+ employees

• Building culture and trust at scale

• AI's impact on home services marketing

• Customer sentiment and online reputation

• Private equity and industry perception

• Leadership lessons from decades of experience

• Why transparency matters more than ever

• The importance of peer groups and relationships

• Non-negotiables for building a great company

00:00 - Intro

02:55 - Meet Bubba Thurman

05:10 - Becoming the First Non-Family President of Baker Brothers

08:45 - Leading a $100M Home Services Business

12:30 - Building Relationships With Competitors

17:20 - Peer Groups, Trust, and Industry Collaboration

22:15 - The Biggest Challenges Facing Home Services Today

25:40 - AI, Search, and the Future of Marketing

33:15 - Why Community Presence Matters More Than Ever

38:30 - Customer Sentiment and Brand Reputation

44:10 - Private Equity, Transparency, and Trust

49:00 - What Is Broken in Home Services?

53:00 - The Hill Bubba Is Willing to Die On

55:20 - Advice for the Next Generation of Leaders

57:15 - Final Thoughts

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/ 

Sales Ask: https://www.salesask.com/

In this episode of To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Aaron Gaynor and Chad Peterman sit down with Josh Campbell, Founder of Rescue Air & Plumbing, to discuss his incredible journey through the home services industry.

Josh shares how he grew up in a family of tradesmen, started his first company at a young age, built it into a successful business, and navigated the challenges of the 2008 financial crisis before ultimately selling the company and starting over in Texas.

From there, Josh built Rescue Air into one of the most respected home services companies in the country, eventually completing a private equity transaction while maintaining the culture and values that fueled the company's growth.

The conversation covers entrepreneurship, resilience, leadership, private equity, company culture, adding new trades, coaching, personal development, sales, operations, and what it really takes to build a great business.

Josh also shares lessons from scaling multiple companies, the importance of being coachable, why many owners stay stuck, and how continuous learning became one of the biggest drivers of his success.

If you're a contractor, operator, or business owner looking to grow your company and become a better leader, this episode is packed with practical insights and hard-earned lessons from someone who has built, scaled, sold, and started over.

Topics include:

• Building and scaling home services businesses

• Starting over after selling a company

• Leadership and personal growth

• Private equity in home services

• Adding plumbing and new service lines

• Company culture and employee development

• Sales, operations, and coaching

• Creating long-term value and legacy

Watch now and learn from one of the most candid conversations we've had on the VIP Room.

00:00 - Welcome & Introducing Josh Campbell

03:30 - Growing Up in the Trades

08:30 - Building His First Company

14:00 - The 2008 Crash & Starting Over

21:00 - Moving to Texas & Joining A#1 Air

26:00 - Launching Rescue Air

31:00 - The Power of Coaching & Continuous Learning

37:00 - Adding Plumbing & Scaling the Business

42:00 - Private Equity & Selling Rescue Air

48:00 - Why Most Owners Stay Stuck

52:00 - What's Broken in Home Services?

54:00 - Final Thoughts

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/ 

Sales Ask: https://www.salesask.com/

In this episode, Chris Yano, Aaron Gaynor, and Chad Peterman are joined by John Waldorf, Vice President of Estes Services, a third-generation family-owned home services company that has been serving the Atlanta market since 1949.

Today, Estes Services generates more than $45 million in annual revenue across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services, all while remaining independently owned in an industry increasingly shaped by private equity and consolidation.

John shares the company's growth journey, the importance of culture in a multi-generational business, why Estes has chosen not to sell, and what it takes to scale a home services company while staying true to its values.

The conversation also covers leadership development, profitability versus growth, technician recruiting, training programs, marketing, service agreements, operational scaling, management infrastructure, AI, customer relationships, and preparing a business for its next stage of growth.

The crew is also joined by a surprise VIP guest who jumps into the conversation to share insights on branding, market share, marketing strategy, and the advantages independent operators still have in today's home services landscape.

If you're a contractor, operator, or business leader looking to grow your company without sacrificing culture, this episode is packed with practical lessons from leaders building long-term success in home services.

00:00 – Welcome Back to the Home Services VIP Room

02:00 – Introducing John Waldorf & Estes Services

04:00 – The History of Estes Services Since 1949

07:00 – Growing Into HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical

10:00 – Building Leadership From Outside the Trades

14:00 – Why Estes Has Chosen to Stay Independent

18:00 – Culture vs. Private Equity

22:00 – Maintaining Culture While Scaling

25:30 – Profitability vs. Growth

29:00 – The Road From $45M to $100M

33:00 – Building Future Leaders & Internal Training Programs

37:00 – Scaling Management Teams

41:00 – Surprise VIP Guest Joins the Conversation

43:00 – Marketing, Branding & Independent Advantage

47:00 – What Hill Would You Die On?

50:00 – What's Broken in Home Services?

52:00 – AI, Customer Relationships & The Future

54:00 – Final Thoughts 

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/ 

Sales Ask: https://www.salesask.com/

Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor are joined in the Home Services VIP Room by VIP guests Richard Lewis, CEO of Redwood Services, and John Conway, COO of Redwood Services.

In this episode, the group dives deep into the evolution of private equity in home services, scaling multi-location businesses, leadership development, operational inefficiencies, marketing, technician retention, and what it really takes to build a billion-dollar platform in the trades.

Richard and John break down Redwood Services’ growth from a startup platform in 2020 to a company valued at approximately $1.1 billion while partnering with dozens of leading HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses across the country. The conversation explores how Redwood approaches acquisitions differently, why culture and people matter more than ever, and what separates scalable operators from companies that stay stuck.

The episode also covers leadership ceilings, dispatching, call center leakage, marketing spend, budgeting, technology, accountability, retention, and the future of consolidation in home services.

If you're a contractor, operator, manager, or entrepreneur in the trades, this episode is packed with real conversations and actionable insights from some of the top minds in home services.

00:00 – Welcome to the Home Services VIP Room

01:15 – Introducing Redwood Services & the VIP Guests

03:30 – The Origin of “Cut a Rug”

06:00 – How Chris Met Redwood in the Early Days

08:30 – Redwood’s Growth to a $1.1B Valuation

11:00 – Building Redwood Around People & Culture

14:15 – How Home Services Has Changed Since 2020

18:00 – Why Small Operators Are Struggling to Compete

21:00 – The Technology & Marketing Arms Race in Home Services

24:00 – Why Some Companies Hit a Ceiling

27:00 – The Biggest Problems in $3M–$5M Businesses

30:15 – Margin Leakage, Labor Costs & Pricing Mistakes

34:00 – Leadership, Hiring & Building Scalable Teams

38:00 – Growing Leaders Faster Than the Business

42:00 – Why Accountability Gets Harder as You Scale

45:00 – Redwood’s Secret Sauce: Connection & Collaboration

48:00 – The Real Problem With Home Services Marketing

51:00 – What’s Broken in Home Services?

54:00 – Technician Retention & Industry Turnover

57:00 – Why Operational Leakage Matters More Than Marketing

59:00 – Final Thoughts on Scaling, Leadership & Growth

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/

In this episode, Aaron Gaynor officially joins Chris Yano and Chad Peterman as the newest co-host of To The Point Home Services VIP Room alongside VIP guest Hugh Joyce, President of James River Air Conditioning Company.

The group dives into what it takes to build and scale a multi-location home services business while staying independently owned. Hugh shares lessons from growing a second-generation family business started in 1967 into a company with more than 250 employees across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and commercial services.

The conversation covers acquisitions, maintenance agreements, private equity, marketing, ServiceTitan, AI, call centers, scaling operations, leadership, family business dynamics, and why human connection still matters in home services.

The crew is also joined by a surprise VIP guest co-host who jumps into the conversation to talk technology, AI, and the future of the trades.

If you're a contractor, operator, or leader in the home services industry, this episode is packed with real conversations and actionable insights from some of the top minds in the space.

00:00 – Welcome Back to the Home Services VIP Room

01:00 – Aaron Gaynor Officially Joins as Co-Host

02:20 – Introducing Hugh Joyce & James River Air

05:00 – Building a Family Business Since 1967

08:10 – From a $5K Loan to a $67M Company

11:00 – Why Hugh Calls Himself a “Marketing Guy”

14:00 – Growing Through HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical

17:15 – The Challenges of Working in a Family Business

21:00 – Preparing the Next Generation to Take Over

25:00 – How James River Air Approaches Acquisitions

29:00 – Why Hugh Keeps Acquired Company Brands Intact

33:00 – What Private Equity Gets Right About Home Services

36:00 – The Biggest Problems With Home Services Technology

40:00 – Why Human Connection Still Wins in Business

44:00 – AI, Marketing & the Future of Customer Experience

48:30 – The Power of Membership Agreements & Lifetime Value

53:00 – What Most Companies Still Get Wrong About Scaling

56:00 – Final Thoughts on Leadership & the Future of Home Services

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/

In this episode of To The Point, Chris Yano and Chad Peterman are joined by VIP guest co-host Ken Goodrich and a surprise VIP guest co-host for a powerhouse conversation with Jason Hanson of Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort.

From scaling operations and building culture to leadership, profitability, and the realities of growing a home services business, this episode is packed with insight from operators who have built at the highest level.

Jason shares lessons from growing Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, while the surprise VIP guest co-host and Ken bring their own perspectives from decades of experience scaling some of the most recognizable brands in the industry.

No fluff. No scripts. Just real conversations about what it actually takes to win in home services.

Whether you're growing your first million-dollar shop or scaling toward nine figures, this episode delivers practical insights from leaders who’ve done it themselves.

00:00 – Welcome to the Home Services VIP Room

01:10 – Jason Hanson Joins the New To The Point Format

03:00 – The Vision Behind the VIP Room Podcast Style

05:15 – How Sierra Pacific Started as a Solar Pool Heating Company

08:00 – Growing Into HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical

10:45 – Ken Goodrich’s Sacramento HVAC Story

14:00 – Using Memberships to Create a “Moat” Around the Customer

17:30 – The Biggest Lessons From Adding New Trades

21:00 – Why You Need the Right Leaders Before Expanding

24:00 – Tommy Mello Joins the Conversation

26:00 – Operator vs. Sales & Marketing Leadership Styles

29:00 – Building a Business That Lasts Beyond You

32:00 – Why Some Owners Sell and Others Stay Independent

36:00 – The Reality of PE, Lifestyle & Building Wealth

40:00 – Creating Opportunities for Employees to Retire Successfully

43:00 – Why Great Operators Love the Fight

46:00 – The Talent War in Home Services

49:00 – What Success Outside of Work Really Looks Like

51:00 – Final Thoughts on Leadership, Growth & Ownership

Basic Capital: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint

Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/

Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com/ryno/

Bluon: https://www.bluon.com/get-demo?referral_code=ToThePoint

Avoca.ai: https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/