In today’s show, we are putting James Mellinger in your passenger seat for the first part of a conversation about his incredible success with electrical safety inspections. James is a service electrician and safety advisor for Mister Sparky Electric in Lancaster, PA. Coming out of high school, James got introduced to the trades through a family connection eventually taking apprenticeship classes and learning the skills. Originally joining One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning as an HVAC tech…

In today’s show, we are putting Mike Brewer in your passenger seat for the conclusion of a conversation around growth and leadership. Mike brings 44 years of experience in the plumbing industry as the Chief Executive Officer for the Brewer Companies, a family of businesses that provide plumbing services to the retail, residential new construction and commercial markets. He has held the role of strategist and visionary for the overall enterprise since its inception. Michael is devoted to the contracting industry and is past President of the American Subcontractors Association of Arizona (ASAA) and is the past chair…

In today’s show, we are putting Mike Brewer in your passenger seat for the first part of a conversation about his journey to become the largest residential plumbing company in Arizona. Mike brings 44 years of experience in the plumbing industry as the Chief Executive Officer for the Brewer Companies, a family of businesses that provide plumbing services to the retail, residential new construction and commercial markets. He has held the role of strategist and visionary for the overall enterprise since its inception. He led and constituted a strategy to become the largest residential plumbing contractor in the state of Arizona right through the Great Recession…

In today’s show, we are putting Aaron Hagan in your passenger seat to discuss growing an electrical contractor business. Aaron is no stranger to the trade. He is a second generation electrician who grew up in a truck and made his way through the ranks to become owner. Learning in his dad's passenger seat from a young age, Aaron kept seeking out new and better ways to grow eventually putting them into…

In today’s show, we are putting Roy H. Williams in your passenger seat to discuss how the concept of story plays a vital part in accomplishing your message. Whether it is advertising on the radio or marketing yourself in the home, the story matters. So often we try to talk about quicker, faster, better, and the list goes on; but what about the story? What about how a product is going to make a difference? What about how your service makes someone feel? Every purchase is an emotional one…

In today’s show, we are putting Chris Voss in your passenger seat to discuss never splitting the difference. Everything in life is a negotiation, but standing in front of a client makes it more apparent. Wouldn’t it be great if you knew what to say and how to say it and when to say it in a negotiation? Over decades of FBI hostage negotiation, Chris learned those things and more through real-world experience; which he detailed in his best-selling book, “Never Split the Difference.” A 24-year veteran of the FBI, Chris Voss is one of the…

In today’s show, we are putting Justin High in your passenger seat to discuss the grit and determination required to push through the tough things. Justin knows firsthand about commitment and overcoming the internal desire to quit. As a three-time world champion in Brazilian jujitsu he has competed at the highest levels and won. From a young age he became familiar with what it takes to overcome difficulties. When he was in his 20’s, he determined that...

In today’s show, we are putting Peter Nevland in your passenger seat to discuss valuable lessons to be learned from the wiener dog. What do wiener dogs and the home services industry have in common? The answer is creating memorable experiences. We need each client we serve to be intrigued at our service and drawn to our interactions. There is too much on the line each time we step foot in the home to not be extraordinary; and the cost of acquiring…

In today’s show, we are putting Al Levi in your passenger seat to discuss five things that you should always be doing. Al Levi is no stranger to the industry. Working out processes and systems through decades of personal experience as both a tech and business owner, Al has successfully systematized…

In today’s show, we are putting Lt. Col. John Ballenger in your passenger seat to continue our conversation from the last show. Until recently, Ballenger served as a pilot with HMX-1 otherwise known as Marine One or the President’s Helicopter. Capping off a distinguished career in the military Ballenger takes time to share what his time in the service has taught him. Looking to transition…

In today’s show, we are putting Lt. Col. John Ballenger in your passenger seat to discuss his career as a Marine One pilot and how it aligns with life in the trades. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ballenger started his career as a naval aviator in March 2005. Through multiple deployments and services, Ballenger served in Japan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Quantico, Jacksonville, and eventually Washinton D.C. Rising through…

In today’s show, we are putting Mary Anglen in your passenger seat to discuss KPI’s otherwise known as key performance indicators. KPI’s may seem like something that someone behind a desk should be tracking but there is great value to bringing them to the truck. The summarized version is setting a goal and tracking the performance so you know how you are doing. This simple yet easily overlooked task is a key to incremental growth in your career. What matters is what you measure and it can make all the difference. For the past several years, Mary Anglen has been a growing leader in the Service Industry…

In today’s show, we are putting Johneida Cano and Madisyn Thomas in your passenger seat to discuss getting more women in the trades. There is great opportunity in the trades for women to bring their skill sets into the field. The trades have typically been considered a “man’s world” but there is a growing trend of women joining as electricians, plumbers…

In today’s show, we are putting Greg McAfee in your passenger seat to discuss the basics of a service call. A true entrepreneur, Greg McAfee has a passion for helping fellow HVAC business owners take their businesses to new heights. In 1990 Greg started McAfee Heating and Air with $274 and a used truck. Today, Greg runs one of the…

In today’s show, we are putting Brian Wick in your passenger seat to discuss his story of growth through the trades and climbing the ladder. Brian Wick started in the industry in 1994, as a helper carrying sheet metal into basements and being the guy on the bottom of the dolly helping to get water heaters and furnaces in and out of basements. He worked his way up to lead installer and service tech and eventually service manager. From there he had his sights set on Operations and General Management and began seeking out the help of those that were successfully operating locations…

In today’s show, we are putting Tyler Zimmerman in your passenger seat to discuss blending the technical mindset with the sale acumen. The trades tend to be divided into two mindsets with one half being the “technical wizards” and the other half being the “sales gurus.” Does it have to be that way with such extremes?…

In today’s show, we are putting Ed Staub in your passenger seat to discuss his keeping your life in balance. We all get pulled and pushed in a hundred different directions everyday with equally important areas of our lives fighting for attention. Should we go to Johnny’s soccer game or work overtime to impress the boss? Should we train for that 5K or go on a much-needed date with our spouse? Pulled and pushed leaving us feeling out of balance…

In today’s show, we are putting Logan Altland in your passenger seat to discuss his success and strategy as a $3M electrician. Currently working for Mister Sparky Electric in Lancaster, PA, Logan wasn’t always in the electrical trade. In fact, he had a brief stint as a butcher learning the cuts of the meat. Now he spends his days learning how to cut up each meeting with a client. After graduating high school, Logan didn’t feel like he should pursue college so instead he got into school for the electrical trade. Working through the years…

In today’s show, we are putting George Randle in your passenger seat to discuss his book, “Ego, Authority, Failure: Using Emotional Intelligence Like a Hostage Negotiator to Succeed as a Leader.” Derek Gaunt is a lecturer, author, and trainer with 29 years of law enforcement experience, 20 of which as a team member, leader and then commander of hostage negotiations teams in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. He is a hostage negotiation and incident command subject matter expert who frequently speaks at hostage negotiations and SWAT conferences across the country. Derek’s passion…

In today’s show, we are putting George Randle in your passenger seat to discuss his book, “The Talent War.” George Randle is an experienced talent executive, veteran, coach, and leader known for selecting, building, and reorganizing teams to reach their full business potential. George has 20+ years of Fortune 100 and Fortune 1000 global Human Resources and Talent Acquisition experience building and coaching elite teams. He began his professional life by enlisting in the US Army Reserves. While serving in the USAR, he received his bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and was commissioned as an officer. His career assignments included Berlin, US CENTCOM, and III Corps with deployments to Africa (Somalia and Kenya), Central America, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Following his successful military career…