Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service

Skilled Trades Syndicate - Tersh Blissett and Josh Crouch
  • 4.9 (88)
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  • Updated Weekly

Ready to revolutionize your home service business? Tune into the Service Business Mastery Podcast! We dive deep into automation and AI, including swarm agents, AI chatbots, and AI voice agents, to help you streamline and optimize your operations. Whether you're in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or any other home service trade, we cover leadership, marketing, finance, pricing, and HR to give you the edge you need. Click here to transform your business and embrace the future today!

  1. Consistent Branding Can Solve Your Hiring and Growth Headaches

    18h ago

    Consistent Branding Can Solve Your Hiring and Growth Headaches

    Most contractors think branding is about logos, colors, and marketing. It's not. The strongest brands in the trades do something much more powerful: they attract great employees, create loyal customers, and make growth easier. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Levi Torres, founder of High 5 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric, to discuss how consistent branding became the foundation for one of Colorado's fastest-growing home service companies. What started as a simple idea—a high five at the end of every service call—evolved into a recognizable brand that helps attract top talent, improve retention, and create a culture employees are proud to be part of. Levi shares how High 5 uses social media, training systems, operational consistency, and employee development to build a company that technicians actively want to join. They discuss: • Why branding is a recruiting tool, not just a marketing tool • How company culture influences hiring success • The power of consistency in building trust • Why social media has become a recruiting engine • Creating clear career paths for technicians • Building training systems that support growth • How documentation makes scaling easier • Expanding into HVAC and electrical without losing culture • The role of AI in coaching and employee development • Why employee experience directly impacts customer experience If you're struggling to hire quality people, improve retention, or scale your service business, this episode will show you how a strong brand can solve more problems than you think. Timestamps 00:00 Building a Social Media Presence 06:12 Naming the plumbing business 08:06 Starting to focus on plumbing 10:54 Importance of personal growth in business 14:23 Adapting Branding During Covid 18:02 Switching to social media strategy 20:02 Social media's role in recruiting 23:38 Training technicians to show passion 26:50 Building a Trusting Work Culture 30:15 Employee system review meetings 35:14 Setting up HVAC systems 38:10 Following systems for success 41:22 Customer acquisition strategies and shifts 44:01 Rotating manager-led training sessions 47:49 Utilizing AI for company growth 49:52 Experience with automatic recording systems 54:37 Understanding team roles and strengths 56:42 Balancing revenue and company culture Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/ Levi Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-torres-9b4b97103/ Connect with Us • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    59 min
  2. How AI Actually Solves the Real Call Center Headaches in Home Services

    Jun 10

    How AI Actually Solves the Real Call Center Headaches in Home Services

    Most home service companies don't have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Kevin Wu, founder of Leaping AI, to discuss how AI voice agents and automation are helping home service businesses solve some of their biggest call center challenges. From missed calls and slow follow-up times to after-hours booking and lead nurturing, Kevin shares how AI is being used as a practical tool to support customer service teams, improve speed-to-lead, and create better customer experiences without replacing people. The conversation also explores the future of AI-powered call centers, how contractors can automate repetitive tasks, and why business owners should focus on using AI to eliminate bottlenecks instead of simply cutting payroll. What You Will Learn in This Episode Why speed-to-lead is still one of the biggest challenges in home services How AI voice agents help capture missed opportunities The difference between replacing employees and supporting employees Why call centers struggle with consistency and process adherence How AI can improve appointment scheduling and follow-up The role of AI in call monitoring and quality control Why data quality inside your CRM matters more than ever How AI can help clean and organize customer databases The future of automated outbound campaigns The risks of AI abuse and spam calling How responsible AI adoption can improve customer experience Why contractors should start experimenting with AI today If you're looking for ways to improve call handling, increase booked appointments, and build a more efficient service business, this episode is packed with practical insights. Timestamps 00:00 Challenges with contractor responsiveness 03:11 Kevin introduces himself 08:58 Kids' interest in trade careers 09:45 Issues with Customer Support Responsiveness 14:00 AI improving call center efficiency 18:33 Solving data analysis with AI 20:55 Improving business metrics accuracy 25:37 Implementing EOS for business owners 29:31 Focusing on business priorities 32:00 AI for persistent customer follow-up 35:27 Responsible AI use in marketing 39:33 Data export issues in QuickBooks 40:45 Using AI to clean CRM data 43:35 Trying something new for 30 minutes Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/ Kevin Wu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-wu-452a6393/ Connect with Us • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    46 min

  3. Jun 3

    How Top Trades Businesses Use AI and Systems to End Recruiting Pain

    Most contractors don't have a recruiting problem. They have a recruiting system problem. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Paul Sanneman, founder of Contractor Staffing Source, to discuss how top home service companies are using systems, assessments, and AI-powered recruiting tools to consistently find better employees. After helping more than 2,000 contractors and recruiting over 2,500 successful hires, Paul shares the biggest recruiting mistakes contractors make and why most hiring challenges are self-inflicted. The conversation dives into the mindset shifts required to build a winning team, the importance of recruiting year-round, and how technology can help contractors identify better candidates before they ever schedule an interview. If you're struggling to attract, evaluate, or retain quality employees, this episode provides a practical framework for building a repeatable recruiting machine. What You Will Learn in This Episode • Why recruiting should never stop • The biggest hiring mistakes contractors make • How applicant tracking systems streamline recruiting • Why speed-to-lead matters for hiring • How assessments reduce bad hires • Why personality and integrity are often more important than experience • The benefits of hiring outside the construction industry • How AI can improve recruiting processes • Why hiring slow and firing fast protects your culture • The true cost of keeping B players on your team • How recruiting impacts long-term business growth • Why private equity companies are winning the hiring game Timestamps  00:00 Job applicant assessment process 05:03 Challenges in hiring decisions 07:21 Comparing coordinators to wedding planners 11:35 Using content to attract talent 13:38 Promoting job openings effectively 18:14 Asking ethical interview questions 21:54 Using call tracking for marketing 25:26 Managing job application process 28:44 Keeping a team member too long 29:39 Avoiding painful firing decisions 34:46 Importance of business skills Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/ Paul Sanneman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sanneman   Connect with Us • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    36 min

  4. May 27

    How Contractors Use Air Curtains to Solve Costly Building Challenges

    Most contractors walk past air curtains every day without realizing how much money they can save commercial buildings. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Curtis Rosol from Mars Air Systems to break down how air curtains work and why they've become a powerful solution for energy savings, indoor air quality, and insect control in commercial spaces. From convenience stores and restaurants to cold storage facilities and warehouses, Curtis explains how air curtains create an invisible barrier that keeps conditioned air inside while preventing heat, humidity, dust, smoke, and flying insects from entering the building. They also discuss: How air curtains reduce HVAC energy loss Why electrification will make energy savings even more valuable How air curtains help solve cold storage and freezer issues The difference between strip curtains and air curtains Why insects and contaminants enter buildings through open doors How air curtains improve indoor air quality The ROI contractors can present to commercial customers Why these systems are becoming more important in high-traffic buildings Simple installation opportunities for HVAC contractors Residential applications for luxury outdoor living spaces If you work in light commercial HVAC or want to offer energy-saving upgrades to your customers, this episode is packed with practical opportunities. Timestamps 00:00 Energy efficiency in buildings 05:54 Energy savings with protected openings 07:08 Impact of Electric Demand on Costs 12:24 Using air curtains for patios 13:11 Using CallRail for Marketing 16:29 How air curtains work 19:43 Installing above-door units 22:54 Episode wrap-up and closing remarks Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/ Curtis Rosol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisrosol/ Connect with Us • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    24 min

  5. May 20

    How Service Businesses Can Stop Losing Skilled Workers

    The skilled labor shortage isn't just a hiring problem. It's a perception problem. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Ruchir Shah, founder of SkillCat, to discuss why home service companies are struggling to attract and retain skilled workers and what the industry can do about it. Ruchir shares how his background in workforce training led him to build SkillCat, an online trade training platform helping people transition into HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and appliance repair careers. If your company struggles with hiring, retention, or technician development, this episode offers a practical look at how the future workforce is changing. What You Will Learn in This Episode Why the trades are becoming more attractive to younger generations How white-collar workers are now transitioning into skilled trades The real reason people are leaving traditional office jobs Why many technicians feel more fulfilled than corporate workers The growing impact of AI on career choices Why training accessibility is critical for the future of the trades How online trade training and certifications are changing recruiting Why mechanical aptitude matters more than experience The role gamification and microlearning play in technician development How companies can build better apprenticeship and training programs Timestamps 00:00 Expanding online trade certifications 04:52 Starting SkillCat to help reskill 06:26 Job security concerns in Savannah 09:43 Switching to a paid model 15:01 Relying on social media sharing 17:05 Emphasizing the importance of networking 20:08 Trades job satisfaction and benefits 22:55 The value of trade jobs 25:58 Returning to familiar industries 31:27 Building trade school courses 32:59 Designing bite-sized, interactive courses Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/ Ruchir Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchir-shah/ SkillCat: https://www.skillcatapp.com Connect with Us • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    36 min

  6. May 13

    AI Search and the Death of Old-School Marketing for Home Service Businesses

    The way homeowners search for HVAC, plumbing, and home service companies is changing fast. And most contractors are completely unprepared for it.   In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Phil Risher from Phlash Consulting to discuss the massive shift from traditional Google SEO to AI-powered search and what it means for home service businesses.   Phil explains why AI search is changing how customers find contractors, why conversational search matters more than keywords, and how tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews are disrupting traditional marketing strategies.   What You Will Learn in This Episode   Why old-school SEO is no longer enough How AI search actually works Why Google is moving toward "agentic search" and booking How to optimize your website for AI visibility Why pricing pages and online scheduling matter more than ever How contractors should use call transcripts to create content Why AI-generated "slop content" can hurt your rankings How local backlinks and authority still matter What contractors should be doing right now to stay ahead   If you want your company to stay visible in the next generation of search, this episode is a must-listen.   Timestamps 00:00 Impact of AI on search queries 06:14 Shift in local search habits 09:00 Navigating AI for presentations 12:38 Debating the relevance of SEO 16:13 Using AI for customer insights 18:58 Importance of local backlinks 20:58 Building partner referral networks 24:15 Optimizing for AI search ranking 27:51 Importance of online recognition 32:29 Creating a searchable business database 33:34 Initial struggles with Notebook LM 39:10 Comparing Google and LLM relationships 42:35 Measuring AI visibility metrics 44:37 Navigating the AI search landscape 46:21 Dealing with AI memory glitches   Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Phil Risher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philrisher/   Connect with Us LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast   This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: $500 toward Breezy + we'll show you exactly how many jobs you're missing right now. Book a demo here: https://calendly.com/shaun-breezy/30min?month=2026-04  PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    50 min

  7. May 6

    How Storytelling Can Solve Your Skilled Trades Recruiting Crisis

    In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Ryan Kiscaden, owner of Kiscaden Consulting and creator of the Next Up Trades children's book series, to discuss how storytelling can reshape the future of recruiting in the trades.   Ryan shares how a conversation with his plumber brother-in-law sparked the idea to create books that explain HVAC and plumbing to children in a way they can understand and connect with emotionally.   Instead of focusing only on wages, debt, and job security, Ryan believes the industry needs to tell a better story about purpose, problem solving, and helping people.   They discuss:   Why the trades struggle with perception problems How recruiting really starts in childhood The emotional side of working in HVAC and plumbing Why storytelling matters more than statistics The disconnect between schools and skilled trades How contractors can become community educators Why ADHD and hands-on learning may actually be strengths in the trades How AI and technology are changing the perception of blue-collar careers   If your company struggles to recruit young talent, this episode offers a completely different perspective on building the next generation of skilled trades professionals.   Timestamps 00:00 Promoting trades to young kids 04:15 Explaining skilled trades to kids 07:56 Changing perspectives in education 10:35 Changing perceptions around AI jobs 13:48 The gratification of helping others 17:36 Industry collaboration and collective effort 19:33 Interviewing teachers and donors 24:38 Creative uses by contractors 28:19 Challenges for kids with ADHD 32:22 Challenges with traditional schooling 33:34 Learning with technology and AI 36:32 Where to find more info   Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Ryan Kiscaden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankiscaden/   Connect with Us LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast   This episode is kindly powered by:   UpFrog: upfrog.com  MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/  Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/  Breezy: $500 toward Breezy + we'll show you exactly how many jobs you're missing right now. Book a demo here: https://calendly.com/shaun-breezy/30min?month=2026-04  PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    39 min

  8. Apr 29

    How to Optimize and Automate Your Home Service Business

    Most home service business owners are excited about automation, AI, and new technology. But here's the problem… They're implementing tools before fixing their processes. In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Nathan Whittacre, CEO of Stimulus Technologies, to break down what actually works when it comes to optimizing and automating your business. Nathan shares decades of experience helping companies implement technology the right way and explains why most tech investments fail. What You Will Learn in This Episode Why automation without optimization creates bigger problems The biggest mistakes business owners make when adopting technology How to identify what processes should be improved first Why culture and leadership matter more than the tools themselves The real cybersecurity risks facing home service businesses today Simple ways to protect your business from costly attacks When you should handle IT yourself vs hiring outside help If you've ever bought software that didn't deliver results, or you're trying to scale with automation, this episode will save you time, money, and frustration. Timestamps 00:00 Implementing technology and cultural change 06:36 Finding technology solutions that fit 08:36 Importance of optimizing before automating 11:12 Optimizing and automating with ERP 14:19 Discussing leadership and habit formation 18:28 Engaging clients with tech solutions 21:02 Addressing leadership communication gaps 27:31 Setting up basic online security 28:18 Managing business growth complexities 34:01 Impact of AI on Technology 35:43 Dealing with a social media hack 40:48 Social media hacker tips 43:39 Protecting your personal information 47:51 Employee bank account changes 49:07 Importance of slowing down decisions 51:59 Checking your spam folder 55:57 Wrapping up with show notes Follow the Host and Guest Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/ Nathan Whittacre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanwhittacre/ Stimulus Technologies: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stimulus-technologies/ Connect with Us LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast This episode is kindly powered by: UpFrog: upfrog.com MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ Breezy: https://getbreezyapp.com/ Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

    57 min
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4.9
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88 Ratings

About

Ready to revolutionize your home service business? Tune into the Service Business Mastery Podcast! We dive deep into automation and AI, including swarm agents, AI chatbots, and AI voice agents, to help you streamline and optimize your operations. Whether you're in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or any other home service trade, we cover leadership, marketing, finance, pricing, and HR to give you the edge you need. Click here to transform your business and embrace the future today!

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