The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast

Suzan Marie Chin-Taylor
  • 4.3 (3)
  • How To
  • Updated Weekly

Bringing You Industry Know-How from Industry Pros Who Know How.

  1. 6d ago

    S19 E8: From Waste to Carbon Value: Biochar, Carbon Credits & Circular Systems with Wilson Hago

    Municipal wastewater treatment plants hold immense untapped potential to operate as profitable clean energy hubs rather than pure cost centers. In this episode of the Smells Like Money podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with Wilson Hago, CEO of Hago Energetics, to explore an innovative system transforming municipal waste streams into high value commodities.By combining biogas with dried biosolids inside a specialized catalytic reactor, Hago Energetics converts waste into high purity clean hydrogen and agricultural biochar while generating valuable carbon credits. Discover how municipal utility leaders can participate in a zero capital expenditure co location model that turns daily operational waste into three distinct revenue streams.What You Will Learn in This Episode:• The Conversion Process: How biomethane and dried biosolids interact inside a modular reactor to produce pure hydrogen and solid carbon without emissions.• Triple Revenue Model: Monetizing high purity hydrogen, agricultural biochar, and voluntary as well as compliance carbon credits.• Zero Capital Outlay: How Hago Energetics finances, installs, and manages the modular footprint through revenue sharing agreements.• Facility Sizing: Why plants processing 5 to 50 million gallons per day serve as the optimal sweet spot for containerized systems.• Carbon Negative Performance: Life cycle data demonstrating an impact score of negative 60 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of hydrogen generated.• Real World Plant Economics: Daily production estimates, commodity pricing, and a projected three year return on investment.Connect with Wilson Hago:CEO ~ Hago EnergeticsContact: drwilsonh@gmail.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wilson-hago-a168366Websites: www.hagoenergetics.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#Wastewater #Biochar #CleanHydrogen #CarbonCredits #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #CircularEconomy #GreenTech

    S19 E8: From Waste to Carbon Value: Biochar, Carbon Credits & Circular Systems with Wilson Hago

  2. Sep 30

    S19 E7: Hydrogen: A Smarter Future for Wastewater Energy with Wilson Hago

    Wastewater treatment plants face tightening municipal budgets, stricter emissions mandates, and rising disposal costs. While many facilities still flare excess biogas or burn it for basic power generation, innovative technology offers a far more profitable and environmentally friendly path forward.In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor welcomes Wilson Hago, CEO of Hago Energetics, to explore how facilities can convert biogas and biosolids into valuable clean hydrogen, soil enhancing biochar, and lucrative carbon credits. Wilson breaks down how plants can move away from carbon intensive steam methane reforming, tap into existing municipal anaerobic digester infrastructure, and build circular revenue streams that actively offset operational expenses.Key discussion topics include:* The Global Methane Challenge: Why wastewater facilities are ideally positioned to tackle widespread methane loss using existing digester systems.* Clean Energy from Waste: How Hago Energetics combines extracted methane with biosolids to produce clean hydrogen and high quality biochar instead of flaring waste into the atmosphere.* Modernizing Hydrogen Production: Replacing fossil fuel based steam methane reforming with cost competitive, eco conscious waste to hydrogen technology.* Diverse Revenue Streams: Unlocking new municipal income through commercial hydrogen sales, agricultural biochar distribution, and carbon credits.* Immediate Offtake Markets: Supplying hydrogen for onsite fuel cells, municipal transit fleets, and heavy industrial applications like steel, cement, and chemical manufacturing.* Future Proofing Against Regulations: Navigating tightening emissions limits by turning waste liabilities into high demand assets before traditional burning becomes obsolete.Connect with Wilson Hago:CEO ~ HagoEnergeticsContact: drwilsonh@gmail.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wilson-hago-a168366Websites: www.hagoenergetics.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#HydrogenEnergy #WastewaterTreatment #BiogasToHydrogen #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #Biochar #RenewableEnergy #SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast

    S19 E7: Hydrogen: A Smarter Future for Wastewater Energy with Wilson Hago

  3. Sep 23

    S19 E06: The Future of Home Services: Smart Technology, AI, and the Next Evolution of the Trades

    Smart technology, predictive sensors, and artificial intelligence are transforming the skilled trades from a reactive emergency model into a proactive service powerhouse. In this episode of Smells Like Money, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with Keith Flores, CEO of HG Home Services and creator of The Home Guardian, to discuss the next evolution of home maintenance.Discover how real time diagnostic data bridges the gap between service providers and clients, creating dependable recurring revenue for contractors while protecting property owners from catastrophic damage.What We Cover in This Episode:* The origin story behind building a digital gauge and dashboard for residential properties* Shifting from reactive emergency calls to proactive care by monitoring humidity spikes, water quality, static pressure, and electrical loads* Proprietary long range wireless hardware connecting thousands of nodes without relying on standard Wi Fi or Bluetooth* Generating predictable mailbox income for contractors while eliminating unnecessary warranty callbacks* Building homeowner trust through shared live telemetry and automated filter drop shippingConnect with Keith Flores:CEO of HG Home Services Contact: keith@hvacgod.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keith-e-flores-13a33147Websites: hghomeguardian.com (Company)hvacgod.com (Company)hghomeservicesco.com (Company)Phone: 7142870198 (Mobile)I hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoney #HomeServices #SmartHomeTechnology #AIinTrades #SkilledTrades #HVAC #PlumbingLife #SmartTechnology #ContractorLife #PredictiveMaintenance

    S19 E06: The Future of Home Services: Smart Technology, AI, and the Next Evolution of the Trades

  4. Sep 16

    S19 E05: Rethinking the Trades: Building Wealth, Culture, and Freedom in Blue-Collar Business

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor sits down with Keith Flores, CEO of HG Home Services and widely known across the industry as the "HVAC God". With over 35 years of hands-on experience in skilled trades, Keith challenges common stigmas surrounding blue-collar careers. He shares how entering the trades can build lasting generational wealth faster than traditional academic paths, why skilled trades remain resilient against automation, and how stepping outside your comfort zone is essential for business growth.What You Will Learn:* Why skilled trades offer a debt-free path to becoming a millionaire and why they are protected from AI replacement.* The story behind the trademarked name "HVAC God" and its journey from a lighthearted workplace joke to a full corporation.* Why paid on-the-job training with a solid company often beats expensive trade schools.* How investing in quality tools, self-study, and dedicated initiative can fast-track tradespeople to six-figure incomes.* The benefits of an open-book business model where technicians learn real overhead and profit margins.* How the four-option service pricing structure builds customer trust without sales pressure.* Why Keith wears a suit to job sites to break stereotypes, command respect, and initiate valuable business conversations.* How to structure your trade business to establish an enduring family legacy.Connect with Keith Flores:CEO of HG Home Services Contact: keith@hvacgod.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keith-e-flores-13a33147Websites: hghomeguardian.com (Company)hvacgod.com (Company)hghomeservicesco.com (Company)Phone: 7142870198 (Mobile)I hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoney #Trades #BlueCollar #SkilledTrades #HVAC #Plumbing #ContractorLife #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Mentorship #GenerationalWealth #HGHomeServices

    S19 E05: Rethinking the Trades: Building Wealth, Culture, and Freedom in Blue-Collar Business

  5. Sep 9

    S19 E04: ESOP, Exit or Sell-Out? The Truth About Getting Out with Chris Buttenham

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor welcomes back Chris Buttenham, CEO and Founder of REINS, to dive deep into succession planning and exit strategies for contractors and skilled trades businesses. Many owners spend decades building a business only to watch their legacy unravel after a rushed exit. Chris details why planning years in advance, reducing owner dependency, and weighing options like ESOPs, private equity, and alternative equity incentive programs are essential to safeguarding both company culture and long term financial value.Key Topics Covered:- The Reality of Succession Planning: Every business eventually shuts down or sells, making a three to ten year transition runway critical for maximum control and flexibility.- Reducing Owner Dependency: Establishing systems and incentivizing key personnel ensures the business thrives independently, raising company valuation.- Understanding ESOPs: Why Employee Stock Ownership Plans offer immense tax advantages but carry high administration costs best suited for businesses with 100 plus employees.- Navigating Private Equity and Rolled Equity: Balancing substantial payouts with operational trade offs when rolling equity into larger acquisition platforms.- Alternative Equity and Retention: Using non qualified or phantom equity arrangements to create golden handcuffs, protect legacy, and empower key team members without giving up immediate operational control.Connect with Chris Buttenham:CEO and Founder, REINSContact: chris@myreins.comLinkedIn: Chris ButtenhamWebsite: myreins.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoney #BusinessExit #SuccessionPlanning #ESOP #PrivateEquity #AlternativeEquity #SkilledTrades #ContractorBusiness #EmployeeOwnership #CreativeRaven

    S19 E04: ESOP, Exit or Sell-Out? The Truth About Getting Out with Chris Buttenham

  6. Sep 2

    S19 E03: Why Good People Leave (and How to Make Them Stay) with Chris Buttenham

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money podcast, host Suzan Chin-Taylor sits down with Chris Buttenham, CEO and Founder of REINS, to address the labor shortage and retention crisis facing the skilled trades. Moving past the trap of standard, entitlement-style bonuses, Chris explains how independent contractors can utilize alternative equity models like phantom stock and structured profit-sharing to retain star talent. Learn how transparent communication, shared upside, and aligned incentives turn key employees into invested intrapreneurs without business owners giving up operational control or voting rights.Key Discussion Points:* The Skilled Trades Retention Challenge: Private equity firms and larger competitors frequently attempt to poach top talent with large financial packages and equity offerings, making retention a pressing issue for independent contractors.* Why Good Employees Leave: Technicians often exit due to a lack of purpose, misaligned company values, or the urge to become their own boss when they do not feel ownership in what they are building.* Incentives vs. Entitlements: Effective incentive programs must be strictly performance-based with clear, quantifiable metrics, rather than generic bonuses that fuel wage inflation without driving positive behavioral change.* Democratizing Alternative Equity: Tools such as phantom stock and non-qualified 409A plans allow trade businesses to share business growth and future value with staff without transferring voting power, incurring excessive legal overhead, or burdening workers with immediate tax liabilities.* Prerequisites for Success: Before launching an incentive structure, business owners must build a healthy company culture and practice financial transparency so employees clearly see how their daily actions impact overall profitability.Connect with Chris Buttenham:CEO and Founder, REINSContact: chris@myreins.comLinkedIn: Chris ButtenhamWebsite: myreins.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#EmployeeRetention #SkilledTrades #ContractorLife #BusinessGrowth #AlternativeEquity #PhantomStock #Leadership #WastewaterIndustry #TradeServices #SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast

    S19 E03: Why Good People Leave (and How to Make Them Stay) with Chris Buttenham

  7. Aug 26

    S19 E02: Human Skills in a Technical World with Karen Valencic

    In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor welcomes back Karen Valencic, engineer, black belt martial artist, and author of Spiral Impact, to explore the critical role human skills play across technical, safety critical industries like wastewater, civil infrastructure, and healthcare. While technical expertise keeps daily operations running, organizational resilience and innovation depend on clear communication, empathy, and intentional leadership.Episode Highlights:- Engaging minds by asking why: Understand why individuals naturally seek shortcuts and how asking team members why a procedure matters builds critical thinking and accountability.- The reteach method: Learn how having team members teach standard protocols to peers exposes knowledge gaps and solidifies technical training.- Cross department empathy: Discover how shadowing adjacent teams, such as sales spending time with operations, breaks down internal friction and silos.- Human innovation versus AI: Explore why artificial intelligence excels at organizing data, while genuine breakthrough innovation still requires spontaneous human interaction.- Mastering open ended inquiry: See how asking thoughtful, clarifying questions helps leaders understand the real reasons behind workplace conflict.- Setting cultural intentions: Learn how a singular focus on worker safety transforms team loyalty, workplace trust, and company profitability.Featured Quote:"Innovation comes from interaction. It is not going to come from AI, because innovation is going to come from two or more human beings having spontaneous conversations."Connect with Karen Valencic:Website: http://www.spiralimpact.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenvalencic/Email: karen@karenvalencic.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#SmellsLikeMoneyPodcast #HumanSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #CommunicationSkills #SafetyCulture #KarenValencic #SpiralImpact #WastewaterIndustry #LeadershipInTech

    S19 E02: Human Skills in a Technical World with Karen Valencic

  8. Aug 19

    S19 E01: Why Good Employees Leave (and What Leaders Miss) with Karen Valencic

    Why do talented professionals leave strong organizations, even when compensation, hours, and benefits are competitive? In this episode of the Smells Like Money Podcast, host Suzan Chin Taylor welcomes back Karen Valencic, founder of Spiral Impact, to explore the core reasons behind employee turnover. Karen reveals that retention rarely hinges on the workload itself. Instead, it comes down to the relationship employees have with their direct supervisors and whether they feel truly visible, valued, and empowered. Drawing from real life case studies across multiple industries, she shares how leaders can eliminate micromanagement, resolve unspoken team conflict by focusing on a shared vision, and intentionally shape culture using actionable team credos. Key Discussion Points:- Employees Leave Managers, Not Jobs: Workers depart when they feel dismissed, micromanaged, or unacknowledged by their immediate supervisor. - Outcome Driven Empowerment: Telling skilled workers step by step how to do their jobs drains morale; effective leaders define the end goal, invite input, and grant full autonomy to execute. - Look to the Top of the Hill: Solving conflict solely at the level of the problem magnifies friction. Aligning everyone toward the shared summit makes forward progress seamless. - Physical Alignment Shapes Mindset: Seating colleagues across from each other heightens tension, while positioning them to look in the same direction builds collaborative focus. - Pruning Toxic Culture: Culture naturally defaults to the strongest personality unless leaders are deliberate about cultivating the environment. - The Power of a Team Credo: Establishing concise yes or no questions sets clear behavioral standards and mutual accountability. - The Spiral Impact Framework: Sustainable leadership rests on rotational inquiry, a centered presence, and purposeful direction. Notable Quotes:"When you try to solve a problem at the level of the problem, you only make the problem bigger." "Culture will be the strongest personality, bad or good, unless you have been really deliberate."Connect with Karen Valencic:Website: http://www.spiralimpact.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenvalencic/Email: karen@karenvalencic.comI hope you find this episode as informative and as exciting as we have.Please let us know your thoughts about the episode!Connect with Suzan Chin-Taylor, host of The DooDoo Diva's Smells Like Money Podcast:Website: www.creativeraven.com | https://thetuitgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativeraven/Email: raven@creativeraven.com Telephone: +1 760-217-8010Listen and subscribe here to your favorite platform:Apple Podcast - Google Podcast - Cast Box - Overcast - Pocket Casts - YouTube - Spotifyhttps://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/ Subscribe to the Podcast:https://creativeraven.com/smells-like-money-podcast/Be a guest on our show:https://calendly.com/thetuitgroup/be-a-podcast-guestCheck Out my NEW Digital Marketing E-Course & Coaching Program just for Wastewater Pros:https://store.thetuitgroup.com/diy-digital-marketing-playbook-for-wastewater-pros#Leadership #EmployeeRetention #WorkplaceCulture #TeamBuilding #Management #EmployeeEngagement #SpiralImpact #LeadershipDevelopment #ConflictResolution #SmellsLikeMoney

    S19 E01: Why Good Employees Leave (and What Leaders Miss) with Karen Valencic
See All (243)

Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Bringing You Industry Know-How from Industry Pros Who Know How.

Information