The Handshake Business

Ashley DePiano
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Monthly

Every episode I sit down with a home service owner and ask what actually grew their revenue. Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, remodeling, garage doors. Companies somewhere between $1M and $7M, run by people who started with one truck and now have a payroll to make. I ask what broke on the way up. The hire that didn't work out. The system that fell apart at 9 trucks. The marketing they paid for and quietly turned off. I'm Ashley DePiano, a Duct Tape Marketing certified fractional CMO. I spend my working life inside businesses like these, so the questions come from someone who's seen the books. These are the conversations owners usually only have with each other. New episodes monthly. Want to be a guest? https://connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast

Episodes

  1. Aug 25

    What thousands in HomeAdvisor leads actually bought him

    Marjan Radi, owner of Radi General Contracting Corp, spent thousands on Home Advisor leads before he ran the numbers on what they actually closed. He competed against 15 other Westchester County contractors for the same job. And still walked away with nothing. Then he decided to find another way, that's when he met Ashley DePiano of Connectid. In this episode, I sit down with Marjan and Vitore, a husband and wife team based in Westchester, NY who turned years of frustration with bad leads into a business that now closes 50-60% of the jobs they quote. Marjan started in construction in 2008, trained by some of the best in Italy, and that old-world craftsmanship shows in everything they do. From full home renovations to kitchens, bathrooms, and everything in between, Radi General Contracting brings a level of care and artistry that keeps clients coming back and leaving glowing reviews. But great work alone wasn't enough. They were burning money on platforms that sent them fake leads, price shoppers, and people who never called back. Sound familiar? Once they made the switch to Connectid, everything shifted. Better clients. Easier closes. Steady work, even in January. They called it "a blessing." We'll let that speak for itself. If you're a local contractor who's tired of throwing money at lead platforms that don't deliver, this episode is going to hit close to home. 🔍 View Radi General Contracting Corp Online: https://www.radigeneralcontractingcorp.com/ Want to be a guest on the podcast?: https://connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast

  2. Aug 25

    Everyone told her the market was too crowded. She's 11 years in.

    When Yessenia Lauzardo started Rise Interiors in Miami, the advice she got was that the market was full. Yessy's father was abruptly laid off from his construction job during the recession. She didn't just help him find work, she built a company around it and made him her first employee. Eleven years later, that leap of faith has become a thriving Miami remodeling business known for high-end transformations and a deeply personal approach to every client. In this episode of The Handshake Podcast, host Ashley DePiano sits down with Yessy to talk about the messy, rewarding reality of growing a construction business: scaling up, downsizing when growth outpaced capacity, and rebuilding toward what she calls her "2.0 version." We get into: -Starting from small handyman repairs and teaching herself the commercial side on YouTube -Why she's still on the job site instead of behind a desk -The permitting nightmare that can stall projects for months — and cost clients -Competing against cut-rate handymen (and the clients who come back after a bad job) -Balancing a growing company with raising a family -The 1940s home she's renovating for a client seven years in the making -Her best advice for anyone entering the trades: save for a rainy day, stay involved, and don't give up A conversation about craftsmanship, reputation, and why people hire the person, not just the company.

  3. Aug 25

    He Set Up a Bounce House for Tony Romo. And Didn't Even Know It.

    Korey Mack, owner of Start the Party, in Dallas TX, found out he'd worked a job for Tony Romo after the fact, from the work order. In this episode, I sit down with Korey, owner of a bounce house and event rental company that's been bringing fun (and a few unexpected lessons) to families across North Texas for over a decade. Korey shares how growing up in his dad's and grandfather's businesses shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, why he refuses to compromise on customer service, and the surprising moment he realized he'd just delivered a bounce house to NFL quarterback Tony Romo. From cleaning units in front of customers during COVID to learning the hard way that "trust but verify" can save you thousands, this conversation is packed with real-world wisdom for small business owners. You'll hear: -How recurring institutional customers became his secret to staying afloat -The expensive lesson that changed how he vets every customer -Why he's building this business for his three kids — Elijah, Nia, and Ezekiel -The unexpected ways inflatables can open up brand new revenue streams -How to balance optimism with a healthy dose of skepticism in business Whether you're running a home service business, an event rental company, or just love hearing the real stories behind the scenes — this one's for you. If you are in the market for a bounce house or water slide and live in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, visit https://hootdanny.com/ to hire Korey for you next event. 👉 Want to be a guest? Visit https://connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast to learn how we help small business owners turn their reputation into recurring revenue.

  4. Aug 25

    He asks his customers the same question every single day. It killed his punch list.

    Every day on a Division 7 Millwork job site, Micah Beatty asks the customer the same question. Do you see anything you'd like us to fix? He asks it while the cabinets are still going up. Then again during crown. Then again when the knobs go on. By the time the job wraps, that customer has already inspected the work with a critical eye five or six times and said it looks good. The punch list at the end is nearly empty. Micah quotes Jordan Peterson on why: confrontation postponed is confrontation amplified. Micah owns Division 7 Millwork in Putnam Valley. Custom kitchens, vanities, and millwork across Westchester, Putnam, and the five boroughs. He built his own house during COVID and it's gorgeous. He's also the most process-obsessed operator I've had on, and most of what he does cost nothing to put in place. What we get into: -Why every customer gets exactly 3 choices, and why he physically removes the rejected one from their line of sight -The communications officer, one person whose entire job is talking to customers so his installers never have to -Splitting stagers from installers, and how proximity scheduling gets two kitchens moving in the time most shops start one -Why he won't let AI price his commercial bids, and how that puts him 30% under competitors on the easy portions -Why he'd rather do 20% more work with the same crew than hire anybody If you've ever gone back and forth on whether to hire another person or fix the process first, this one gives you a clearer answer. Worth an hour if you run crews inside people's homes. Micah Beatty runs Division 7 Millwork, serving Westchester, Putnam, and the five boroughs. https://d7millwork.com The Handshake Business is hosted by Ashley DePiano, a Duct Tape Marketing certified fractional CMO who works with home service companies between $1M and $7M. Want to be a guest? https://connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast

  5. Aug 25

    He never outspent anyone on ads. Google sends him the work anyway.

    Apolo Arellano runs Get Pro Landscaping in San Jose and has never bought a lead. In this episode, I sit down with Apolo to talk about his journey from immigrant roots to running a growth-oriented landscaping business and the systems, mindset, and hustle that made it possible. Apolo breaks down how he built a reputation in his community, why trust is the foundation of every client relationship, and how tools like a CRM and Google My Business transformed the way he runs his operation. If you're a home service business owner looking to grow without burning out, this episode is packed with real, actionable insight. In this episode, you'll learn: -Why trust and reputation are your most valuable marketing assets -How to use systems and technology to scale without losing quality -Strategies for client acquisition and generating word-of-mouth referrals -When (and how) to delegate and outsource so you can focus on growth Connect with Apolo Arellano / Get Pro Landscaping: ▶️ YouTube Channel:  @THEDIARYOFALANDSCAPER  🌐 Website: https://getprolandscaping.net/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apolo-arellano-22183b7b/ Are you a home service business owner ready to stop trading time for money? Book a free discovery call and find out how to systematize and scale your business. https://connectidcrm.com

  6. Aug 25

    She bought 2 competitors, added $2M, and deleted the invoicing job

    Casarra Cover runs Whitaker's Garage Doors in Westchester County. Third generation, 8 trucks, 23 people. Before we started working together, those trucks came back every night with 80 handwritten invoices. She had hired someone whose entire job was typing them into QuickBooks, and billing still ran days behind. Customers who weren't home got a paper invoice in the door, then a mailed copy, then somebody on the phone chasing $200 that was never coming. Then she bought two competitors. More trucks, more volume, more paper. The obvious move was a second person on invoicing, which she puts at $80,000 to $100,000 a year once you load it. Instead she took the role off invoicing completely and moved her onto work that grows the business. $5M to $7M in a year. Google reviews from 300 to 700. Close rate from 85% to 98%. What we get into: -Why her husband Jonathan fought the whole thing for months, and what turned him into the guy who now trains new hires on it -The $200 invoice that never gets paid, and what finally gets people to hit send -Why her reviews quadrupled on timing alone, and the moment most companies ask instead -What she found in the filing cabinets of the two companies she bought, and what she did with them Fair warning: Casarra is a Connectid client and she talks about the software. I left that in, along with the parts where it went sideways early on. Worth 45 minutes if you're running trucks and still moving paper. Casarra Cover runs Whitaker's Overhead Garage Doors, serving Westchester, Putnam, and Fairfield County. 🌐 https://www.whitakersgaragedoorstore.com/ The Handshake Business is hosted by Ashley DePiano, a Duct Tape Marketing certified fractional CMO who works with home service companies between $1M and $7M. Want to be a guest? connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast

  7. Aug 25

    He built a $1M concrete business by 23. Here's the order he did it in.

    Miguel Bañuelos was 23 when Pristine Concrete Denver crossed $1 million in a year. Two years earlier he was doing a few small jobs a month and taking whoever called. I asked him to walk through it in order. What he changed first. What he changed after that. And the point where the phone started ringing with people ready to buy instead of people collecting 5 quotes. What we get into: How he stopped taking every job that came in, and what that did to his margins The change that started producing appointments worth driving to What he actually says on an estimate that gets him signed on the spot What he'd do differently if he were starting over at 21 Concrete is about as unforgiving as this business gets. There's no recurring revenue and no service agreements. Every dollar has to be won again next month, from scratch, against three guys who'll do it cheaper. Miguel built a $1M book anyway, at an age when most people are still figuring out payroll. Most of what he did transfers to whatever you're running. Worth 11 minutes if you're a home service owner sitting under $1M and tired of being told the answer is posting more. Miguel Bañuelos runs Pristine Concrete in Denver. Visit His Website The Handshake Business is hosted by Ashley DePiano, a Duct Tape Marketing certified fractional CMO who works with home service companies between $1M and $10M. Want to be a guest? Apply Here

  • 7 Episodes

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Every episode I sit down with a home service owner and ask what actually grew their revenue. Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, remodeling, garage doors. Companies somewhere between $1M and $7M, run by people who started with one truck and now have a payroll to make. I ask what broke on the way up. The hire that didn't work out. The system that fell apart at 9 trucks. The marketing they paid for and quietly turned off. I'm Ashley DePiano, a Duct Tape Marketing certified fractional CMO. I spend my working life inside businesses like these, so the questions come from someone who's seen the books. These are the conversations owners usually only have with each other. New episodes monthly. Want to be a guest? https://connectidcrm.com/handshake-podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley DePiano
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ashley DePiano
  • Show Website
    The Handshake Business