The Successful Contractor Podcast

CertainPath

Welcome to The Successful Contractor Podcast, Powered by CertainPath. A show for residential contractors about residential contractors… We chronicle business journeys, share insights, and celebrate successes in this wonderful industry.

  1. Jul 24

    $10M in HVAC Sales: Traded Surgeons for Furnaces — How Caleb Holte Left Medical Sales

    Book a free strategy call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ or call us at: (214)-453-1591  Get Predictable Calls From Proven Direct Mail Campaigns. Learn more about CertainPath’s Lead Generation Direct Mail programs — for members AND non-members. Click here for a FREE Market Analysis: https://mycertainpath.com/lead-generation-request/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=tsc225  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------  He sold medical devices to surgeons. Now he sells $10 million of HVAC a year — and he never pressures a homeowner to do it.  Caleb Holte is a comfort advisor at Fix-It 24/7 in Denver, and a two-time Crown Champion who has sold roughly $10 million of residential HVAC. But he didn’t come up through the trades. He came from AT&T and Verizon sales, a cutthroat stint in finance, even bodybuilding — and most recently medical device sales, where dinners with surgeons felt fake and “performative.” So he traded it all for the blue truck.  His start was brutal. His GM handed him a truck, some keys, and told him to “go fail forward.” He went 0-for-5 on his first drive and figured he was about to get fired. What turned it around wasn’t pressure — it was a journal: after every call he wrote down three things that went well and three that didn’t, until the patterns became second nature.  Across this conversation with host Bob Houchin, Caleb breaks down his entire in-home process — positioning himself as a “field supervisor” instead of a “comfort advisor,” price conditioning and extreme anchoring (including the $45,000 system he shows every customer and refuses to sell), reading body language down to where a customer points their feet, getting objections out early, and the quiet discipline of “he who talks first loses.”  He also gets honest about the part most salespeople skip — the heart behind it. Caleb prays in the truck before a call, treats every grandmother and single mom like his own family, and lives by a simple belief: anybody can close anybody. It’s just whether or not you’re the right guy.  In this conversation, you’ll discover:  Why he positions himself as a “field supervisor,” never a “comfort advisor” The extreme-anchoring move: the $45,000 system he shows every customer and won’t sell How to get customers to sell themselves instead of pitching them What a customer’s feet — and a woman’s hands — tell you about the sale “Easy pay,” not “financing”: the language that lowers the guard Why “he who talks first loses” after you slide over the price The journaling habit that took him from 0-for-5 to $10 million Whether you sell HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or roofing, Caleb’s process shows how to close big without pressure — and keep your character intact.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don’t forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About the Show  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.  Meet the Host  Bob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he’s interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others.  About CertainPath  CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain.  Connect  CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com  FOLLOW CERTAINPATH  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

  2. Jul 17

    Broke to $1.6M in 3 Years: How This Father-Son Electric Shop Rebuilt Its Sales Process

    Book a free strategy call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ or call us at: (214)-453-1591 Get Predictable Calls From Proven Direct Mail Campaigns. Learn more about CertainPath's Lead Generation Direct Mail programs — for members AND non-members. Click here for a FREE Market Analysis: https://mycertainpath.com/lead-generation-request/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=tsc224 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This father-and-son electric shop was doing $600K with almost no profit. Three years later: $1.6 million. The difference wasn’t luck — it was how they sell.  Erwin Carrasquillo taught himself the electrical trade after coming to the United States — before he could even speak English. He and his son Owen built Jeoah Electric in Slatington, Pennsylvania on grit: borrowed crews, work that never turned into money in the bank, and a $15,000 payroll due against $200 in the account. The turning point came in a Home Depot aisle, when Owen asked a more successful electrician one question — "what are you doing that I’m not?"  That question led them to a sales process they now run on every call. In this conversation, Erwin and Owen walk host Bob Houchin through it step by step — selling the diagnostic first, asking questions instead of pitching, building three options instead of ultimatums, and reframing price as safety. It’s the system that took them from $600,000 to $1.6 million in three years, both earning Crown Champion honors.  They’re just as candid about the hard parts — the night Owen broke down finding his ’why,’ the leap of faith that put the whole thing on a credit card, and the faith and family culture that held it all together.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  The questions that get customers to sell themselves Why you sell the diagnostic before you touch the panel How to present three options without giving ultimatums The "medicine analogy" that makes safety urgent How to handle "I need to think about it" in a single move Reframing price as monthly safety, not cost The mindset shift that turned survival into $1.6M Whether you’re an electrician, a plumber, or an HVAC owner trying to get off the truck, Erwin and Owen’s process shows how a small shop can sell with confidence and character.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don’t forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About the ShowThe Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company. Meet the HostBob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he's interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others. About CertainPath CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. FOLLOW CERTAINPATH:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/ #electrician #electricalcontractor #salestraining #homeservices #certainpath #skilledtrades #contractorbusiness #fatherandson

  3. Jul 3

    $105M Revenue, $18M EBITDA — and the Improbable Road There: Bubba Thurman's Story of Culture and Excellence

    Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ  Or call us at: (214) 453-1591  He broke his back chasing pro baseball, spent 22 years in ministry, then helped build a $105M, $18M-EBITDA contractor. This is Bubba Thurman's story.  Bubba Thurman is the president of Baker Brothers Plumbing, Air & Electric in Dallas–Fort Worth — the first non-family president in the company's history, dating back to its founding in 1945. Last year, Baker Brothers did $105 million in revenue and exceeded $18 million in EBITDA — a level of profitability most home services companies only dream about.  His path was anything but linear. A Division-I baseball catcher who was certain he'd go pro, Bubba broke his back in a 1991 on-field collision and watched the dream die. “Baseball was a false well,” he says. He spent the next 22 years in ministry — helping build the largest youth ministry in the country and learning leadership under his mentor, Steve Stroop — before burning out and making an improbable leap into the trades.  Recruited by Jimmie Dale to Baker Brothers, Bubba earned the team's trust the hard way: “I ran calls, I dug trenches, I wore a uniform.” Then he drove the culture transformation that helped take Baker Brothers from roughly $20 million to more than $100 million.  In this episode, Bubba walks Bob Houchin through the whole journey — and the playbook beneath it.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  Why culture is “just a set of norms” — and how to make excellence the normal The $0 cleanliness campaign that started the turnaround: “don't step over a piece of trash” How to layer standards one at a time so they actually stick The three-win strategy that aligns the customer, the employee, and the company What changes when leadership “lands on your desk” — the real weight of the top job His message for a tough market: stop chasing what you can't control — “you are your best marketer” “You earn equity when you do things above and beyond” — and the Miss Johnson light-bulb test Why “when you roll up, the clock starts” — and how micro-changes compound across 700 jobs a day Whether you lead an HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or roofing company — or you're building toward your first leadership seat — Bubba's story is a masterclass in building a culture of excellence that scales.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.    About the Show  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.    Meet the Host  Bob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he's interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others.    About CertainPath  CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.

  4. Jun 19

    How a Plumber Who Started at 19 Sells & Installs $800K a Year | Payton Sword

    Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ  Or call us at: (214) 453-1591    He started plumbing at 19. Last year he sold $800,000 in residential plumbing — and installed every job himself. This is his exact playbook.  Payton Sword is a plumbing technician at Steve Huff Plumbing, Heating & Air in Kingsport, Tennessee — and a 4x Crown Champion at CertainPath, the program's top sales tier. Last year he sold roughly $800,000 in residential plumbing. No sales/install split, no handing the job off: every technician at Steve Huff sells the work and does the work.  Payton was hired at 19 — at the same shop his dad worked for back in 1996. The company put him through 15 months of ride-alongs, trainings, and schools before he ever got his own truck. Today the shop's 12 plumbing technicians train four days every month: full service-call roleplays with homeowner personalities, DISC profiles, and a "switch method" that swaps techs mid-roleplay to keep everyone sharp.  In this episode, Payton walks Bob Houchin through his entire service call, start to finish — from the drive-time research to the same-day install.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  • The $800K reveal — and why he installs every job he sells  • The at-the-door credibility statement he delivers on every single call  • Why he never asks permission to run the whole-house safety inspection — "it's a value creator"  • Builder-grade vs. professional fixtures — and the restaurant question that sells Totos  • The four-option presentation with everything on the top option  • Present the top option, ask for the business — then go silent  • "Is it only the money?" — his answer to "I should get another bid"  • The authority close: "What were you expecting to spend today?"  • Why the shop trains four days a month — and why it produces Crown Champions    Whether you run a plumbing company, manage a service team, or you're a tech chasing Crown Champion numbers — Payton's process is a masterclass in trust-first, education-driven selling.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About the Show  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.  Meet the Host  Bob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he's interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others.  About CertainPath  CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.

  5. Jun 5

    $17M HVAC Sales in Boise, ID | 7x Crown Champion Cord Nichols

    Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ  Or call us at: (214) 453-1591  $17 million in residential HVAC sales. One comfort advisor in Boise, Idaho. Here's how Cord Nichols sells the top-tier system — every time.  Cord Nichols isn't a closer who shows up Friday with a quote book. He's a comfort advisor at Diamond Heating & Cooling in Boise, Idaho — and he's quietly sold roughly $17 million in residential HVAC, including $2.25 million last year alone. He's a 7x Crown Champion at CertainPath, the program's top sales tier.  Cord didn't start in HVAC. His first sales job was door-to-door — security in his early twenties. He moved to Utah looking for a wife, found her, then sold solar door-to-door before the solar industry tightened in the mid-2010s. Wanting a trade he could "sink his teeth into" — and not be a one-trick pony — he approached Diamond cold. He'd never sold HVAC. But owners Rick and Sue Ellen hired him for his sales background. Today he's a Dave Ramsey debt-free dad of four (with a fifth on the way) who recently paid off his mortgage — all on residential HVAC sales.  In this episode, Cord walks Bob Houchin through the exact playbook — every question he asks, every option he names, every word he uses — for turning a single in-home consultation into a top-tier HVAC sale.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  • The $17M reveal — and the on-camera moment where Bob puts the career number on record  • Why Cord opens every options reveal by repeating the customer's own words back to them  • The Kia-vs-Toyota framing he uses to explain tiered HVAC systems in 30 seconds  • The "Is there any reason I can't ask for your business today?" close — and the three answers it always produces  • Why Cord names options after the customer's hobbies (the "14-Point Buck" move)  • The clipboard intro that disarms skeptical homeowners ("I'm just going to be taking some notes")  • "I am your one throat to choke" — the post-sale handoff line that earns lifelong customers    Whether you're a comfort advisor working to break $2M for the first time, a sales manager building a residential HVAC playbook, or an owner trying to understand what consistent top-tier closing looks like — Cord's process is a masterclass in trust-first, conviction-led HVAC sales.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.  Meet the Guest  Cord Nichols is a comfort advisor at Diamond Heating & Cooling — a family-owned, values-based HVAC company in Boise, Idaho, founded by Rick and Sue Ellen. After several years selling door-to-door (security in his early twenties, then solar in Utah and Idaho), Cord joined Diamond with zero HVAC experience and a strong sales background. He's now a 7x CertainPath Crown Champion with roughly $17 million in residential HVAC sales — including $2.25 million in his most recent year. He lives in Boise with his wife and four kids (with a fifth on the way) and recently paid off his mortgage as a Dave Ramsey debt-free family.  Connect  CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com  Show Notes  The Successful Contractor Podcast is part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath is a business coaching program for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. For 25 years, we've helped contractors double their revenue, hit 20% net profit, and build teams that stay. With proven systems, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong — Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.  FOLLOW CERTAINPATH:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

  6. May 22

    How 1 Man Closed $7.9M in 3 Trades in Just 1 Year

    Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ  Or call us at: (214) 453-1591  One man. Three trades. $7.9M in twelve months. Here's how Chris Roberts turns a $300 light switch call into a $100,000 job.  Chris Roberts isn't a salesman. He's an electrician who learned to sell — and last year he closed $5.1M in electrical, $2.3M in plumbing, and $500K in HVAC personally. The plumbing total happened in roughly one month.  He's the first double Crown Champion in CertainPath history. Chris runs sales for Bailey Plumbing, Safety First Electric, and Comfort Heating and Cooling — three companies operating under one roof out of San Jose and Morgan Hill, California.  Chris started in the union, watching his electrician's check stay flat while his family kept growing. When the union got slow, he took what he thought was a short-term gig at Safety First Electric — installing, not selling. A few weeks in, the owner asked him to go run a sales call. He brought back $7,000 in signed work. By the end of his first month in sales, his check rewrote his understanding of what was possible. He called his wife and said, "I'm not going back to the union."  In this episode, Chris walks Bob Houchin through the exact playbook — every word he uses, every door he opens, every shirt he wears — for turning a single service call into a six-figure multi-trade job.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  • The $7.9M sales reveal — and why most of the plumbing total came in roughly a month  • Why Chris never says the word "finance" on a sales call (and what he says instead)  • How a $300 light switch call becomes a six-figure rewire, re-pipe, and drain job  • The "Two Costs and One Price" framework that crushes "I need to think about it"  • Why Chris wears a different shirt on Day 2 — and what it sells  • The 4-option pricing system that lets Bailey charge $70K for a rewire (when competitors price it at $25K)  • Why he won't sell a re-pipe to a customer who doesn't need one — and why disqualifying like this builds trust    Whether you're a sales tech trying to break $1M for the first time, a sales manager building a multi-trade playbook, or an owner trying to understand what makes one rep close $7.9M across three trades — Chris's process is a masterclass in stacking trades without losing trust.  Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.  Meet the Guest  Chris Roberts is the head sales manager at Bailey Plumbing, Safety First Electric, and Comfort Heating and Cooling — three home-services companies operating under one roof out of San Jose and Morgan Hill, California. A former union electrician, Chris transitioned into in-home sales his first year at Safety First, then took on plumbing and HVAC sales as the companies grew. Last year, he personally closed $5.1M in electrical, $2.3M in plumbing, and $500K in HVAC — making him CertainPath's first-ever double Crown Champion.  Connect  CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com  Show Notes  The Successful Contractor Podcast is part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath is a business coaching program for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. For 25 years, we've helped contractors double their revenue, hit 20% net profit, and build teams that stay. With proven systems, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong — Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.  FOLLOW CERTAINPATH:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

  7. May 8

    How This Roofing Rookie Closed $2M With a 3-Option Pitch — Seth Mast, Mast Roofing

    Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ or call us at: (214)-453-1591  On a roof at 17 in 90-degree heat. Eight years later — Crown Champion at his family's Pennsylvania roofing company with $2 million in personal sales his first full year. Mostly replacements. Plus a few full-house exterior packages topping $100K.  Mast Roofing & Construction in Oley, PA has been around 30 years — Seth's dad started it. Seth grew up putting together sales folders in the family barn, mowed the property when his dad finally built a real building, and went full-time on a roof crew at 18. A year of installs. A year as a repair tech under Mast's top performer. And almost by accident, he slid into a sales seat when another rep wouldn't run a townhome. Eight months later — Crown Champion. By twelve months — $2M sold.  In this conversation, you'll discover:  The 3-option close he learned in CertainPath's Service Essentials class — and why it ends every pitch Why he never pre-judges a trailer (or a mansion) — and what to look at instead The "30 minutes on the pictures" inspection that doubles as authority-building The mold-decking story he uses to pre-empt the attic objection before he ever walks upstairs The single line — "if you had this shingle on here, I would probably not be sitting right now" — that handles cheap-shingle objections in one sentence His first-question close: "They've already decided. It's just when and who." Why his close ratio jumped 10% the first time he went to a CertainPath training Whether you're a roofing rep trying to break your first $1M, a sales manager building a training program, or an owner trying to understand what makes a young rep close like a veteran — Seth's process is a masterclass in education over pitching.  🎧 Watch now on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.  About  The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.  Meet the Guest  Seth Mast is a Roofing Specialist at Mast Roofing & Construction in Oley, Pennsylvania — a family-owned roofing and exterior contractor his dad started 30 years ago. After a summer on a roof at 17 and a year as a repair technician, Seth moved into replacement sales and finished his first full year as a Crown Champion with $2 million in personal sales. He credits CertainPath's Service Essentials class and the team at Integrity Roofing for the foundation he learned from.  Connect  Mast Roofing & Construction: https://mastsroofing.com/  CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com  Show Notes  The Successful Contractor Podcast is part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath is a business coaching program for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. For 25 years, we've helped contractors double their revenue, hit 20% net profit, and build teams that stay. With proven systems, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong — Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.  FOLLOW CERTAINPATH:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

5
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Successful Contractor Podcast, Powered by CertainPath. A show for residential contractors about residential contractors… We chronicle business journeys, share insights, and celebrate successes in this wonderful industry.

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