Plumbing & HVAC Hustle Podcast

Guest: Jenna Toon – Founding Customer Success Manager, ReinsGuest Links: Website: https://myreins.comThis episode breaks down when, why, and how HVAC and plumbing companies should use phantom equity to retain top talent without giving up real ownership. It explains why equity-based incentives are gaining momentum in home services, how rising competition and private equity have changed retention expectations, and why traditional bonuses often fail to create true ownership behavior. The episode walks through what phantom equity actually is, how it differs from traditional equity, and why it removes the biggest risks that scare business owners, including voting rights, financial transparency, and long-term liability. It explores who should receive phantom equity, why tenure alone is a poor qualifier, and how growth-driving roles create far more leverage than years served. The discussion dives into when companies should implement equity plans, emphasizing proactive retention over reactionary fixes, and why smaller companies often benefit the most by introducing equity earlier than expected. It also covers how visibility and real-time valuation change employee behavior, why making equity tangible increases buy-in, and how tracking value over time creates long-term alignment. Finally, the episode outlines how structured phantom equity plans eliminate legal complexity, reduce decision fatigue, protect owners, and create a merit-based culture that attracts and retains high performers in an increasingly competitive labor market.

Guest: Jen McKee – Founder, Key Heart MarketingGuest Links: Website: https://keyheartmarketing.com Conference: https://thegrowth-experience.com Email: jen@keyheartmarketing.comThis episode breaks down why consistency—not virality—is what actually makes money in marketing, business growth, and personal development, and why most entrepreneurs quit right before momentum compounds. The episode explores how identity shifts drive long-term success, using parallels between fitness discipline and business discipline to explain why showing up when results are invisible is the real growth lever. It dives into why consistency builds trust in the marketplace, how repeated exposure beats one-time announcements, and why homeowners, customers, and partners only believe what they see reinforced over time. The discussion examines the role of surrounding yourself with people who are already operating at the level you want to reach, how conferences and in-person rooms compress learning timelines, and why relationships—not tactics—become the biggest accelerant as businesses scale. The episode also explores why doing scary things is often required for the next level of growth, how taking bigger swings can actually reduce hesitation, and why leverage, preparation, and belief matter more than comfort. It covers the realities of content creation at scale, explaining why time or money must be invested to maintain consistency, how systems replace willpower, and why founders who lead from the front before building teams create stronger marketing engines long term. The episode closes by reinforcing that consistency across marketing, leadership, finances, community presence, and personal habits is what ultimately creates trust, stability, and sustainable revenue growth.

Guest: Vincenzo Colosimo – Marketing Strategist, Hook AgencyGuest Links: Website: https://hookagency.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincenzo_colosimo/?hl=en This episode breaks down what an ideal HVAC marketing budget looks like heading into 2026, and how growing companies should think about spend, percentages, and channel mix instead of guessing or reacting emotionally to short-term results. It explains why most growth-focused HVAC companies should be planning to invest roughly 6–8% of revenue into marketing, why that number feels uncomfortable for many owners, and why discomfort often signals deeper operational or profitability issues rather than a marketing problem. The episode explores the danger of cutting marketing after a growth year, how inconsistent spend creates violent revenue swings, and why steady, incremental increases outperform aggressive spikes or pullbacks. It dives into foundational priorities like local branding, truck wraps, yard signs, and neighborhood visibility, then moves into search dominance through Google Business Profile optimization, review velocity, paid search, and long-term SEO. The discussion explains why reviews are one of the most underleveraged growth assets in HVAC, how companies can realistically generate hundreds within months, and why reputation now directly influences visibility across Google, Maps, and AI-powered search results. The episode also walks through how to backward-engineer growth goals, using real math to connect marketing spend to leads, booking rates, close rates, and average ticket values, while emphasizing why no single channel should carry the entire growth burden. It closes by outlining a balanced approach for 2026 that blends predictable lead sources with brand-building efforts, focuses on doubling down where closed deals already come from, and treats marketing as a long-term growth system rather than a monthly expense. 

Guest: Peter Roth – Founder, Scalify (Call Centers for Home Services)Guest Links: Website: https://scalifyco.comThis episode breaks down how call centers can become one of the most scalable and cost-effective growth channels for HVAC, plumbing, and roofing companies—when built correctly. It explains what call centers actually are (and what they are not), why forcing VAs into cold calling fails, and why professional, career call-center agents dramatically outperform improvised in-house setups. The episode walks through the real economics behind nearshore call centers, including labor arbitrage, agent quality, predictive dialers, and why management—not agents—is the hardest part to get right. It dives deep into list quality, homeowner targeting by age and home data, scripting mistakes that instantly kill calls, and why short, pain-focused scripts outperform long introductions. The episode also unpacks real HVAC math around $39 tune-ups, appointment volume, cancellation rates, system replacement conversions, blended ticket averages, and how properly trained sales teams can generate six figures in monthly revenue from a small three-agent call center. It addresses the most common objections contractors have, including lead quality concerns, no-shows, culture clashes between inbound-only teams and outbound appointments, and why confirmation systems can protect morale. Finally, the episode outlines the true requirements for success—strong sales training, deep CRM mastery, aggressive recapture systems for no-shows and “not now” leads, realistic runway expectations, and why call centers should never be treated as emergency CPR for a struggling business.

Guest: Mike Venidis – Co-Owner, Good Golly Garage Doors & Former Partner at Rhino Digital MarketingGuest Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvenidis/ Good Golly Garage Doors: https://goodgollygaragedoors.com MikeVenidis.com: https://mikevenidis.comThis episode explores how Mike Venidis, after 15 years building one of the most respected digital marketing agencies in the home service space, is now applying that expertise to launch Good Golly Garage Doors with a level of strategic precision rarely seen in this industry. The episode dives into his data-driven market planning, Census Bureau research, demographic and home-value mapping, neighborhood selection psychology, pricing and margin modeling, supplier negotiations, and the mindset required when transitioning from marketer to operator. It also unpacks how AI is reshaping search behavior, why reputation platforms heavily influence AI recommendations, how AEO and GEO play into the future of local SEO, the emerging importance of Reddit and Quora authority, the role of wearables in reshaping search, and how zero-click search will change the traffic landscape. The episode highlights his views on building brand affinity long before launch, the power of word-of-mouth compounding, the surprising resurgence of lead aggregators, and why customer experience is becoming the most defensible asset in home services. It also touches on the personal events that pushed Mike into entrepreneurship, the balance of working with his spouse, and how he is building a modern home service brand from scratch with intention rather than improvisation.

Guest: Andrew Dobbins – Founder & CEO, Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating (Tucson, AZ)Guest Links: Company Website: https://www.idesignac.com Podcast & Content: Sales Wars with Andrew Dobbins (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook)This episode explores the real inflection point many home service owners face: when stepping out of sales and sales leadership becomes necessary for scale rather than a liability. Using Andrew Dobbins’ journey building Intelligent Design into a multi-trade operation across HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and electrical, the episode breaks down why top closers often become bottlenecks, how sales performance can mask deeper operational issues, and why replacing yourself requires far more than hiring another “good salesperson.” The episode dives into the discipline required to reinvest profits instead of “acting rich,” the long-term advantage of living below your means, and why significance, not money, becomes the real driver at higher levels of success. It unpacks how call-by-call management radically multiplied revenue, why A-level leaders require giving up equity or upside, and how bringing in elite operators and sales leadership unlocked exponential growth without constant owner involvement. Additional themes include adding new trades the hard way, the leadership mistakes that make new departments fail, the psychology behind premium pricing and belief-based selling, and why conviction in being truly better—not cheaper—is the cornerstone of elite sales teams. The episode ultimately lays out a roadmap for founders transitioning from sales warrior to strategic CEO while preserving culture, profitability, and long-term stability. 

Guest: Bob Beall – Founder, Bob Is The Plumber / Master Plumber licensed in 5 statesGuest Links: Website & Training Programs: https://bobistheplumber.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Bobistheplumber This episode explores how Bob Beall built one of the fastest-scaling plumbing companies in his region, growing from a single truck to more than 40 by implementing systems, disciplined hiring processes, strong field management, and a training-first culture. The episode covers his early breakthrough after plateauing at five trucks, the moment he realized he had to release control to grow, and how he built leadership layers to support scaling. It also dives into Bob’s personal story of entering the trade legally blind, how “plumbing by feel” shaped his credibility with his team, and the unique challenges and advantages that came with operating in the field. The conversation moves through major operational pillars—adding management layers at the right time, balancing systems with smart decision-making, creating accountability through checklists, building an industry-leading onboarding pipeline, and maintaining 25 years without layoffs. Bob explains the realities of hiring today’s workforce, the creativity behind recruiting on Facebook Marketplace and TV commercials, and why culture built on working with people instead of above them drives retention. The episode also examines scaling decisions, methodical truck-adding strategies, KPIs for leadership evaluation, remote-office management lessons, fast termination frameworks, and why owners harm the entire team when they avoid tough decisions. Finally, Bob shares advice for young plumbing business owners navigating hard seasons—emphasizing perseverance, cash-flow discipline, reinvestment, and the systems he teaches through Service MVP as a certified partner. 

Guests: Dustin Mitchell – Co-Owner, Half Moon Plumbing Tiffany Mitchell – Co-Owner, Half Moon PlumbingGuest Links: Dustin Mitchell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-mitchell-364310250/ Half Moon Plumbing Website: https://HalfMoonPlumbing.comIn this episode of The HVAC & Plumbing Hustle, Tim talks with Dustin & Tiffany Mitchell from Half Moon Plumbing in the Tulsa Metro. After years of steady but stagnant growth, they recently hit $10M+ in plumbing-only revenue, placing them in rare company. They break down the mindset shift, business acumen, leadership development, and operational changes that made it possible.What We CoverHow Half Moon Plumbing went from stagnant to scalingThe mindset shift behind their $3M → $10M breakthroughThe marketing leap that changed everythingWhy technical excellence became a growth limiterBuilding leaders internally as they scaledTheir in-house technician training universityCulture challenges at $10M vs. $3MWhy strategy + intention beats relying on skill aloneThe personal growth required to grow a company👉 Subscribe for more home service growth episodes 👉 Learn more about Hook Agency: https://HookAgency.com

19-year-old phenom Jason Melendez Jr. (Legend Air, Dallas) breaks down the five-step sales system that drove $2M in his first year—and how he’s gunning for $5M next year. He talks service-first selling, the “pullback/takeaway,” momentum resets, and making HVAC fixes understandable with kid-level analogies. Guest links: Legend Air (legendairtx.com) and Jason’s LinkedIn (see profile below). Guest: Jason Melendez Jr., Legend Air — LinkedIn profile (search “Jason Melendez – Aubrey, TX”) and company site: legendairtx.com. (Company pages corroborate Legend Air ownership/family business.) LinkedIn+1What you’ll learnThe 5 steps: identify problem → make customer aware → stimulate pain → present options → ask for the sale (without sounding salesy). The “pullback/takeaway” that lowers resistance and increases trust. Service-first mindset (and faith/family anchor) that keeps ethics front and center—even on commission. Turning tough weeks around with momentum “resets” you can do in the truck. Explaining HVAC like a 5-year-old could get it—so customers decide fast and feel good. Shoutouts: Sales mentor Devon Murphy (Reignite Sales)—on-site coaching & call-by-call support. (Industry refs: Reignite Sales & author page) LinkedIn+1Subscribe for more no-BS growth tactics for home service pros.

From $0 to a market leader in an ~80k city: Brandon Brown (Brown’s Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical) breaks down winning in tight markets, getting out of the truck after 12 years, retaining techs with culture (paid birthday off, real appreciation days), and building community ties that compound referrals. We dig into pricing discipline, adding trades the right way, and recruiting from trade schools & farm kids for grit. Guest: Brandon Brown — Brown’s Heating, Air, Plumbing & Electrical (Lynchburg, VA): brownsheatingair.com Brown's Heating Air Plumbing Electrical | Book: Cool Success: Navigating the Highs and Lows of HVAC & Life (Amazon)  If you’re a home-service owner with real wins (not just theory), apply to be on the show at Hook Agency.What you’ll learn:Why 80k–100k “cluster markets” beat mega-metros for brand diffusion and CAC efficiency The moment Brandon left the field (family > phone ringing 24/7) and how he scaled ops with a 30-day trial ramp Culture moves that keep techs from jumping for +$5/hr (paid birthday off, shut-down appreciation days, Dirty Santa) Community flywheel: giveaways, trade-school pipelines, nonprofit visibility that drives membership wins

Homeowners push on price. Pros protect position. In this Plumbing Hustle episode, Jeff Cronin who sold $8.8M in one year breaks down how to neutralize price objections without discounting, anchor with commitments, and close with financing like a pro. We cover: qualifying for trust, future pacing timelines, dismantling “3 bids,” and the Duck-Duck-Goose mindset for breaking a slump. Guest: Jeff Cronin — Prime Time Consulting → https://primetimeconsulting.net Why watch: Protect your price, present with commitments + financing, and stop selling from your own wallet.

From gutter company exit to building a high-performance plumbing team, Mike Braun (Plumbing Director at Randy’s Electric & Plumbing) breaks down the mindset, routines, and processes that turn techs into top producers and salespeople into effective managers. We cover confidence on the call, re-engagement tactics, feedback loops, and leading with consistency.

Want to take your plumbing/HVAC startup from $300k–$500k to $1M+? Tim Brown sits down with Mitch Smedley (Smedley Plumbing) to break down the playbook: three-option pricing, frictionless payments, 10,000-hour tech guarantee, community “Family First” days, and YouTube + SEO tactics that compound growth. You’ll hear why to use AI for production—but never replace the customer intake—and how to turn every job into five-star review flywheels. Watch for concrete scripts, pages to build, and where to invest first to dominate local search and social. Subscribe for more home-service growth ops.

Home service leaders: want higher retention, stronger leadership, and a culture that actually wins? Laura Kelly (Clover Growth Partners) joins Tim Brown to break down transparent systems, solution-oriented surveys, daily EOD check-ins, the DP (Daily Progress) report, and SOPs via Loom. We also cover mental fitness (walks, priming, loving-kindness), scaling psychology vs. strategy, and the “3 Promises” that keep A-players for years. Watch for tactical frameworks you can deploy this week to boost revenue, profit, and quality of life—without losing control. Call to action: Comment your next culture move and grab the survey prompt template in the description.Laura Kelly links:https://growwithclover.com/https://www.instagram.com/the.laura.kelly/?hl=en

Plumbing owner Nick Sambrick (Revelation Plumbing – Pittsburgh, PA) shares the exact priorities that helped him double year after year: learn faster than the business grows, define (and fire) the wrong customer, align tech incentives without nuking margin, make service wildly profitable, and price with gross profit first. We also hit CAC:LTV, option pricing, and why you should market harder when you’re busy.Guest – Nick SambrickFacebook & YouTube:  ⁨@RevelationPlumbing⁩  Company: Revelation Plumbing (Pittsburgh, PA)What you’ll learn:- The 5 priorities to go from $1M → $2M- Avatar shift: landlords → homeowner service- Performance pay that protects profit- Service tickets from $300 → $1,200 with options & education- Pricing off gross profit, not revenue

Interested in working with a niched Google Specialized Marketing Team?YOUTUBE DEAL - Book here for $1,000 off: https://hookagency.com/youtube-deal/Most home service owners plateau because they try to scale chaos instead of systems. In this episode, Chuck Staszkiewicz breaks down the mindsets, cadence, and leadership frameworks that actually move an HVAC/plumbing company from $5–$7M moguls to a clean path to $10M—without burning out your team. We cover letting go vs. micromanaging, the 1-3-1 decision method, running a monthly Shareholder Day, and how to avoid chasing shiny playbooks. If you’re stuck in field fires and Facebook group advice, this will reset your operating system.Our Website: https://hookagency.com/Connect with Tim on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/invigoratedOur meme page: https://www.instagram.com/roofermemes/DIY Website / SEO guide: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaGuWc-oMSAr_vhmT-TgFkLYyC0Uikmcf&si=8-ocEQ9G5Xw2vznR

HVAC owner Derek Cormier (Climate Experts) breaks down how entertainment-first short-form content drives real business: recruiting, sales, and brand trust. We cover AI workflows (Zapier → OpenAI), TikTok hooks, personal vs. company pages, TBO (Total Brand Optimization), and why “fun + thorough” beats cookie-cutter posts. If you market plumbing/HVAC/electrical, this playbook will help you grow faster and hire better.What you’ll learn:- Entertainment → education → conversion content ladder- Personal branding that recruits A-players (60%+ of applicants from social)- Local list building for AEO/AI search wins- AI tools to buy back time and boost output

Selling HVAC Online vs. In Person: Pros & Cons with Marko Sipila Should HVAC companies put pricing online—or stick to in-home sales? In this episode, Tim Brown sits down with Marko Sipila, founder of QuoteDaddy, to break down the future of HVAC sales.You’ll learn:Why 97% of website visitors leave without contacting youHow online pricing tools can increase lead volume & qualityThe pros and cons of selling HVAC online vs. traditional salesWhy “range pricing” beats exact pricingHow tools like QuoteDaddy can help filter out tire kickersWhether you’re running an HVAC or plumbing business, you’ll get actionable advice on how to sell smarter, shorten your sales cycle, and give customers the transparency they want—without racing to the bottom.📌 Learn more about HVAC Quote: https://hvacquote.ai/ 📌 Marketing help for contractors: https://hookagency.com

How to Kill Your HVAC Company in 16 Weeks (and How to Save It) | Tim Cotten What are the fastest ways to destroy your home service business—and how do you avoid them? In this eye-opening episode, Tim Brown talks with Tim Cotten, business coach and former HVAC owner, about the three most common mistakes that crush companies and how to flip them into growth strategies.You’ll learn:The real numbers you should track (and what “healthy profit” actually means)Why owners pull out of marketing too soonThe danger of squeezing too much profit too fastHow to balance customer service, growth, and marginsSmart marketing budget benchmarks for contractorsWhether you’re running HVAC, plumbing, or another home service business, these lessons will help you stay profitable, grow sustainably, and avoid business-killing traps.  📌 Connect with Tim Cotten: https://timcotten.com