Toolbox for the Trades

ServiceTitan
  • 4.9 (82)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Toolbox for the Trades is a podcast where top service professionals share the tips, tricks, and tactics they use to succeed in their industry. This podcast is brought to you by ServiceTitan—the leading home and commercial field service software. Episodes will feature stories and strategies to help contractors grow and scale their service business. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    Toolbox Rewind - The Best of Jackie Aubel - High-Performance Leadership: Get Your Team Rowing Together

    High season is heating up and this summer we're bringing you some of the best episodes from both our shows on the ServiceTitan Podcast Network. Between new episodes, ones from the past you might have missed, and conversations and checkins from over 5 years and 280 episodes - there's so much to learn about running your trades business better than ever. Original Air Date 3/18/2025 How do you create a high-performance environment in the trades? Kathryn Howard, Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Lee's Air, Plumbing, Heating, & Roofing in Fresno, CA, tells us how, while sharing her journey from direct sales to leading a growing service business.  She discusses the importance of developing high-performing teams, how she built an international call center in Armenia, and why understanding customer purchasing behavior is key to sales success. Kathryn also dives into her leadership philosophy, her unique experiences in network marketing, and how she helped scale Lee’s Air with structured processes and strategic growth initiatives. Tune in for an insightful conversation on building culture, driving business success, and unlocking peak performance in the trades. Join us as we discuss: [4:12] Teaching technicians not to sell within their own budgets [13:40] How to create a high-performance environment for your team [22:19] Why personal development is critical to your team’s success [28:38] Creating pathways for underrepresented groups in the trades Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: From Prospecting to Closing: Tips to Improve Your Sales Performance Register today for our inaugural World of Titans event in Sydney, Australia on Thursday-Friday, April 3-4, 2025! You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    36 min
  2. Technology and Growth: Breaking Through the $5M Plateau

    Jun 16

    Technology and Growth: Breaking Through the $5M Plateau

    What does it take to break through the $4-5 million ceiling that many landscaping companies face? In this episode, we talk with Emily Nickel, Director of Business Applications at Perennial Services Group, to discuss how technology and data can help companies scale smarter, improve profitability, and make better business decisions. Emily shares lessons from her career in landscaping and software, including how one company uncovered $40,000 in missed revenue through better reporting, why delegation matters for growth, and how tools like AI cameras, GPS tracking, mobile apps, and analytics are shaping the future of the industry. Join us as we discuss:  [10:11] Why so many landscaping companies stall at the $4-5 million mark [16:18] How clean data uncovered $40,000 in missed revenue [22:19] The future of AI, analytics, virtual reality, and drones You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    34 min

  3. Jun 9

    Toolbox Takeover - Mastering ServiceTitan - Job Costing Masterclass: From Generics, Pricing, Purchasing, to Inventory

    High season is heating up and this summer we're bringing you some of the best episodes from both our shows on the ServiceTitan Podcast Network. Between new episodes, ones from the past you might have missed, and conversations and checkins from over 5 years and 280 episodes - there's so much to learn about running your trades business better than ever.Original Air Date - 7/24/2025Job costing is essential for sustainable business growth, and no one explains it better than Tim McGuire, Owner of High Winds Success. With decades of experience across ServiceTitan and large multi-location contractors, Tim breaks down the fundamentals of job costing and how to implement it inside ServiceTitan. From the importance of burdened labor rates to starting with generic Pricebook items, Tim shares a pragmatic path to more profitable operations. He also discusses how tools like Pricebook Pro and dynamic pricing can elevate your costing accuracy over time. Join us as we discuss:  [4:14] Job costing basics and finding opportunities for improvement [12:14] Calculating tech labor costs beyond hourly rates [19:54] Linked materials in dynamic pricing and inventory tracking [27:06] Change management issues with job-related purchasing Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Pricebook Pro Dynamic Pricing Overview You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Mastering ServiceTitan on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Mastering ServiceTitan in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    42 min

  4. Jun 2

    Toolbox Takeover - Mastering ServiceTitan - Implementing ServiceTitan's New Construction Workflows

    High season is heating up and this summer we're bringing you some of the best episodes from both our shows on the ServiceTitan Podcast Network. Between new episodes, ones from the past you might have missed, and conversations and checkins from over 5 years and 280 episodes - there's so much to learn about running your trades business better than ever. Episode originally Aired 3/26/2026. In this episode, James Beyer, Owner of Beyer Plumbing, returns to share the story behind moving his construction operations into ServiceTitan and helping test the platform’s new construction workflows. He discusses work breakdown structures, cost codes, and real time reporting, along with the challenges of implementing new workflows across an entire company. James also talks about lessons learned and how better reporting can help teams improve efficiency and profitability. Join us as we discuss:  [6:01] How to use cost codes and cost types for financial reporting ]14:22] Why real time reporting and labor tracking impacts profitability [26:29] Implementation challenges, lessons learned, and getting buy-in Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: ServiceTitan Pantheon ServiceTitan Torch Network You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Mastering ServiceTitan on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Mastering ServiceTitan in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    38 min
  5. SEO in the Age of AI: How to Stand Out in Search with Brand Trust

    May 26

    SEO in the Age of AI: How to Stand Out in Search with Brand Trust

    What does SEO look like in a world where AI is answering questions before customers ever click a website? In this episode, Amanda Salvatore sits down with William Haddad, SVP of Product and Optimization at Scorpion, to unpack how AI search is reshaping online visibility for home service businesses. They explore the shift from traditional SEO to AI-driven search experiences, why brand authority and customer sentiment matter more than ever, and how contractors can improve visibility without getting overwhelmed by constant change. Join us as we discuss:  [4:18] How AI search is changing online marketing [10:08] The three core mechanics of SEO in the age of AI [22:36] The “teach everything” video content strategy You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    38 min

  6. May 19

    Acquisition Strategy: Why the Playbook Matters More Than the Deal

    In this episode, John Wilson returns to Toolbox for the Trades five years after his first appearance to share what it really took to scale the Wilson Companies from under $5 million to more than $40 million in revenue in under five years. John walks through the messy middle of rapid growth, from tripling his team in a single year to realizing they did not yet have the systems, leadership, or structure to support it. What followed was a multi year reset focused on operations, hiring, and building a repeatable playbook. We also talk about what makes a good acquisition, why leadership is the true bottleneck to scaling, and how an internal leadership program became one of the company’s most important growth levers. Join us as we discuss:  [4:38] When to pause acquisitions to focus on operations  [11:00] How to build a leadership development program in-house [20:20] What makes a good acquisition versus a bad one [31:07] Why a podcast is a great marketing tool and the revenue vs EBITDA mindset shift Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Toolbox for the Trades Episode 46 Owned and Operated Podcast Nexstar CertainPath Sage Intact You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    43 min
  7. Clarity in Action: How to Build Better Systems From Scratch

    May 12

    Clarity in Action: How to Build Better Systems From Scratch

    In this episode, we sit down with Caren Bueno, Service Division Coordinator, Corbett Irrigation, to talk about what it looks like to build a life and a business from the ground up. Caren shares her journey from arriving in the U.S. as an au pair to leading a service division, building systems, and turning day-to-day chaos into something that actually works. She talks about learning in real time, creating structure where none exists, and why the right team matters more than any process or playbook. Join us as we discuss:  [2:59] An unlikely journey through the trades to leading a service division [15:42] How to use Aspire to track costs and get beyond “one big bucket” [25:36] How Green Gap reduces calls and improves technician confidence Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Aspire You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.  Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    35 min

  8. May 5

    What, Why, and How: Mapping Leadership Roles for Maximum Scalability

    Mike Brewner (CEO), Sydney Biancardi (COO), and Clint Hodge (CFO) of Iceberg Home Services join the show to reveal how their distinct leadership styles created a high-performing trifecta. Mike, a trades veteran, started the business in a 12-by-12 shed and transformed it into a dominant force in Central Florida. He is joined by Clint, a non-industry hire from the gaming and finance sectors, and Sydney, a fresh business graduate who climbed the ranks from CSR to COO in just five years. Utilizing the Rocket Fuel framework, the trio explains how they divide responsibilities into the “What” (visionary), the “Why” (financial logic), and the “How” (operational execution). This episode is a masterclass in building a data-driven culture that prioritizes community, healthy conflict, and scaling big. Join us as we discuss:  [13:36] How learning resources and mentorship helped define Iceberg’s leadership [20:27] Defining visionary and integrator roles and knowing your lane [25:54] Conflict resolution and interpreting company values Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mack C. Winters You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here! Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    43 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
82 Ratings

About

Toolbox for the Trades is a podcast where top service professionals share the tips, tricks, and tactics they use to succeed in their industry. This podcast is brought to you by ServiceTitan—the leading home and commercial field service software. Episodes will feature stories and strategies to help contractors grow and scale their service business. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    ServiceTitan
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    286
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 770874
  • Show Website
    Toolbox for the Trades

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