We’ve heard many stories of men and women in the trades who take a leap of faith to start their own businesses. Typically, those people are hardened veterans of their respective craft. So, you might say that Rick Vazza (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-vazza-cfa/), the owner of John Padilla Plumbing Inc. (https://www.jpplumbers.com/) in San Diego, is something of an anomaly. With zero experience in the trades, Rick bought his plumbing company in 2021. But with his extensive financial planning background, he helped take his team of plumbers to the next level. Join us as we discuss: - What prompted Rick to walk away from the world of finance (3:44) - Rick’s decision to purchase his plumbing business (10:21) - How his team handled the transition of ownership (21:55) - Why keeping accounting in-house is important for small businesses (37:18) Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Rick Vazza (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-vazza-cfa/) - John Padilla Plumbing Inc. (https://www.jpplumbers.com/) You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Everyone is searching for the secret sauce for hit social media content. For Armando Ramos (https://www.tiktok.com/@plomeroenphoenix), owner of Plomero en Phoenix (https://www.miplomeroenphoenix.com/en/pep), one catchy jingle (https://www.tiktok.com/@plomeroenphoenix/video/6974550396651982085?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1) was just the right ingredient for his business. Jingle Stuck in your head? Spotify has you covered. In this episode, Armando shares how business at his dream plumbing company exploded after a 60-second TikTok went viral with over 50 million views. He also elaborates on how his social media presence has influenced recruiting and his reputation among other local trades. Join us as we discuss: - (6:14) Armando’s leap into starting his plumbing business - (13:20) Plomero en Phoenix being embraced by the Hispanic community - (15:21) The company’s jingle that went viral on TikTok - (21:25) How their TikTok account has translated into business success Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - TikTok Armando Ramos (https://www.tiktok.com/@plomeroenphoenix) - Plomero en Phoenix (https://www.miplomeroenphoenix.com/en/pep) - Jingle stuck in your head? Spotify has you covered (https://open.spotify.com/track/00ohptWcBrtNZ4aIc5Nptz?si=2882141158b34b02) You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Most men and women in the trades prefer taking care of business in the field over burying their heads in a computer. My guest, Mike Marcil (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-marcil-87b4477/), Software Coach at Nexstar Network (https://www.nexstarnetwork.com/), is on a mission to help businesses maximize their software proficiencies so they can focus on what’s important - servicing their customers. As a veteran of the ServiceTitan OS since 2014, he knows a thing or two about getting the most out of your software’s potential. Join us as we discuss: - Mike’s journey from HVAC sales to trainer - His observations from Nexstar’s partnership with ServiceTitan - Why change in the industry is a good thing - Daily habits that augment your potential with ServiceTitan’s OS Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Mike Marcil (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-marcil-87b4477/) - Nexstar Network (https://www.nexstarnetwork.com/) Help ServiceTitan support St. Jude Children's Hospital when you submit a referral: https://refer.servicetitan.com/ You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Some of the leading pioneers in the trades are people who want to be part of the solution to a problem that needs fixing. That’s why my guest, Lina Kurucz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifoundlina/), Managing Partner at Plumbing Troopers, Inc. (https://www.plumbingtroopers.com/), dove head-first into the plumbing business in 2015. She used her marketing background to kickstart a Florida plumbing firm that puts customer needs first. By leaning on her employees’ expertise, she’s helped set a new standard for trades in her area. Join us as we discuss: - Why Lina saw a need for starting a plumbing enterprise - The growing pains of a new business - Supporting employees, including mental health awareness - Investing in new technology that fulfills custom needs Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Lina Kurucz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifoundlina/) - Plumbing Troopers, Inc (https://www.plumbingtroopers.com/) Help ServiceTitan support St. Jude Children's Hospital when you submit a referral: https://refer.servicetitan.com/ You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How often are service techs confronted with customer leads that they don’t know how to handle? Kelcey Summers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelceysummers/), President at Service Business Evolution (SBE), and Will Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-smith-15948533/), VP of Coaching & Training at SBE, contend that the issue isn’t lack of know-how but the absence of training. By coaching technicians to work with customers to solve problems rather than push sales, Kelcey and Will believe that businesses will see positive returns on their bottom lines. Join us as we discuss: - Why the founder of SBE felt a need to aid technicians through coaching - How positive reinforcement management can empower technicians - The culture and ethics behind bridging the customer service gap - The dichotomy of problem-solving versus product sales Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Kelcey Summers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelceysummers/) - Will Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-smith-15948533/) Help ServiceTitan support St. Jude Children's Hospital when you submit a referral: https://refer.servicetitan.com/ You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

For decades, the American trades have had a regrettable stigma of dirty jobs meant for the uneducated. My guest, Joshua Page (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-page-53b005b2/), President of JP Electric and Son, Inc. in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, is on a mission to break down that barrier. Joshua wants to educate our youth and open their eyes to the real potential that awaits them in the trades. Join us as we discuss: - Joshua’s journey through the trades into electrical contracting - How he became a speaking advocate for the trades - Why the generational gap needs to be addressed - Using childrens’ books to educate future generations Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Joshua Page TedX Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtQo9VXAu8Q&ab_channel=TEDxTalks)  - www.HusbandFatherEntrepreneur.com (http://www.husbandfatherentrepreneur.com/) - www.JoshuaPage.pro (http://www.joshuapage.pro/) Help ServiceTitan support St. Jude Children's Hospital when you submit a referral: https://refer.servicetitan.com/ Josh's book, "What Does Your Daddy Do?" - available later this year. You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox of the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/76wMZ1SJV4OAql9HzbnQ87?si=85dc59f7c6e244b2), or here (https://www.servicetitan.com/podcast). Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox of the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

It’s a hard combination to both take advice and learn from experience, but that’s what these father and daughter owners have really taken to heart.   Hear our conversation with Chloe Davis and Ben Davis at Express Plumbing Heating & Air (https://expressplumbingidaho.com/): Mentorship and deciding to work with your dad Why personal growth and people management are intertwined Best practices for designing process for people and systems    More information about Chloe and Ben and today’s topics: https://expressplumbingidaho.com/  https://monday.com/ (https://monday.com/)   Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)  To hear more tales from the trades, follow Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), Spotify (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades), our website (https://www.servicetitan.com/), or anywhere you get podcasts. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What’s it like to manage a family of companies with your sisters? Tune in for their amazing story of company growth from one to 217 employees and their plans to double again this decade.  Hear our conversation with sisters Jessica (Howe) Groat, CFO; Jaime Howe, Plumbing Operations Manager; and Haley Howe, GM, Restoration and Flood — all at the Bill Howe Family of Companies: How the company began and why they joined the company Their unique specialities and career path within Bill Howe Advice for contractors Developing an aggressive growth plan   More information about Jessica, Jaime, Haley, and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: Jessica Groat (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaehowe/) LinkedIn Profile: Jaime Howe (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-howe-62168633/) LinkedIn Profile: Haley Howe (https://www.linkedin.com/in/haley-howe-0a6659159/) Company Website: https://www.billhowe.com/ (https://www.billhowe.com/)   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), Spotify (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades), our website (https://www.servicetitan.com/), or anywhere you get podcasts. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)   Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you want superhero technicians, you have to provide them with superhero tools like taking a picture of a data plate and immediately knowing the history of that unit.   Emerging technologies have enabled efficiencies and safety measures that technicians have never known before. But the best part: The tech eliminates the physical toll.  Hear our conversation with Aaron Salow (https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-aaron-salow-58420a8/), CEO of XOi Technologies (https://xoi.io/):  Learning curves in business & an understanding of XOi Technologies Working w/ technicians to make their job more efficient Building tech & customer relationships What’s next for Aaron & advice to the listeners   More information about Aaron and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-aaron-salow-58420a8/ Company Website: https://xoi.io/  To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), Spotify (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades), our website (https://www.servicetitan.com/), or anywhere you get podcasts. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! (https://www.servicetitan.com/referrals)   Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Think about data as levers you can pull to optimize outcomes for your company. Put that way, it doesn’t sound quite so overwhelming to get started in data.  Hear our conversation with Tyson Freeman, Head of Contractor Advisory Services at ServiceTitan: Why contractors should care about data Company-wide data goals need employee buy-in How to get started in data reporting    More information about Tyson and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyson-freeman-30511084/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyson-freeman-30511084/)  Company Website: https://www.servicetitan.com/ (https://www.servicetitan.com/)   To hear more tales from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades/id1503078938), Spotify (https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/toolbox-for-the-trades), our website (https://www.servicetitan.com/), or anywhere you get podcasts. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.