Today In Trades

Special guest, Seth Garber from @PestDaily – the e-learning platform built for Pest Control professionals. Jim and Seth share insights about understanding the modern customer and how that can greatly affect the way we run business. Pest Daily: https://growing.pestdaily.com/pages/home-screen-2   BidClips: https://bidclips.com/  

This week we have a Roll Cast Episode where Jim discusses the hot topic of "Sales Velocity" and how the partnership between BidClips and PestDaily can save you a ton of time in the closing process. 

PEO is a Professional employer organization that basically outsources the HR department. Their infrastructure offers small businesses the resources for better employee benefits, payroll, conflict resolution, and much more. Join us with special guest Eli Johnson from Employer Flexible as we talk about the time and money a business saves with a PEO. 

What are you doing to get people to want to work for you? Vice President of Career Plug, Chris Igou, is today's guest; we talk about what he's seen businesses doing in the Trades to draw in and retain employees through improved company culture, better communication with applicants, and asking the right questions upfront.  For more information on CareerPlug for the trades, please visit: https://www.careerplug.com/clients/home-services-hiring-software/  

Joe Burnich, CEO of Big West Marketing, shares his story and how small changes to your online presence can make a big difference to your business.

A positive company culture is something every business strives to achieve, but how do you actually go about building one? In this episode of Today In Trades, we chat with Johnny and Loren from Service Station; a glass industry answering service that does a lot more than answer phone calls. We dive in to how Service Station has created a culture that not only makes it enjoyable for the employees, but also builds up and empowers the glass shops they service.  Find out more about Service Station at goservicestation.com

"Crippling fear and complacency is not a strategy." In the first "Roll Cast" Episode from Today In Trades, Jim tackles a current issue affecting businesses everywhere: the supply chain. In a scenario where so much is out of your control, what can you take ownership of to continue building your business? 

Keith Daubmann is on Today In Trades this week to share a wealth of knowledge about empathy, adversity, growth, and leadership. We talk about his upbringing, his methods of approaching the sales process, and how he's learned that hardship is the best producer of success.

This week's guest is Max Perilstein - story teller, consultant, marketer, glass industry expert, and managing partner of Sole Source Consultants. Hear how his family went from $34 and a glass cutter in 1898, to paving the way in the glass industry with leadership, strategy, and innovation. Learn more about what Max is doing for the industry by reading his blog at http://fromthefabricator.blogspot.com.

Tom Reber, host of the popular podcast, "The Contractor Fight," joins us to discuss his new book, "Winning the Contractor Fight," available online October 23rd. Hear Tom & Jim discuss winning strategies to set yourself apart from competitors and win the battle between your ears.

Karalynn Cromeens is back to share more wisdom with us in navigating legal issues within the home services industry. This time it's all about collection: how do cover your bases and make sure you get paid for the services you provide?

Mary Kay Liston says mentorship is the hallmark of her career - and mentorship is exactly what she passes on to us in this week's episode of Today In Trades. We are talking about how she achieved success and inspired success in others, from starting in television to becoming the president of Five Star Painting and Molly Maid, and everything in between.

Are there better ways to estimate? Time and materials might be the way we've always done it, but it could be time for a change. This week we're talking about the downsides of using time and materials to quote a job, and discussing the alternatives. 

What are some avoidable mistakes we make when putting together subcontracts?  How does learning about contracts help us do better business, and why does it matter? This week we're talking with Karalynn Cromeens of the Subcontracting Institute, and author of "Quit Getting Screwed," to go over the importance of contracts and how an in-depth understanding of them can improve your business.  Find Karalynn's new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Quit-Getting-Screwed-Understanding-Negotiating-ebook/dp/B08QMBBLLS Find out more about the Subcontracting Institute: https://subcontractorinstitute.com Listen to Karalynn's Podcast: https://the-quit-getting-screwed-podcast.castos.com  

Today we hear the story of Tessla Rennie - How teamwork, perseverance, and hard work has paid off and allowed her to excel and encourage a place for anyone who is considering the trades as a career path. 

Trade shows are a huge part of the Services Industry, and this week we dive into the lessons waiting to be learned from the people who attend.  We talk about labor and labor retention, new consumer behaviors, cross-selling, and tools available to meet demands as consumers begin to expect more from service industry professionals. 

Building a culture, building trust, and empowering your people.  Today we have Mike Evans - certified business and leadership coach, as well as owner of a Glass Doctor Franchise - to talk about beginning a business, managing employees, and valuing your business right. Questions about leadership and business?  You can reach out to Mike Evans at mikeevansmail@gmail.com

What are the attributes that set the best shops apart?  Glass industry expert Mark Haeck of Mainstreet talks about using tech in the trades, partnerships, and looking long-term in the midst of a changing industry. 

Free estimates have become an industry standard, but is it time for a change?  This week we're talking about the actual cost of doing a free estimate, and different ways of doing estimates that can bring more value to both you and your customer. 

Why reviews are so important for your business, how you can turn a bad review into great marketing, and the benefits of great reputation management software.

How can we track the productivity of our technicians, and how can that lead to more success for our teams, our company, and our customers? Today we're talking about different ways you can help your team succeed by using the numbers;  tracking the productivity of your technicians with BigBoard, sharing the successes with standing meetings, and leading by those numbers to become employers of choice. Click here to download BigBoard.

Do you struggle to find and retain technicians in your home services business? In this episode, we talk with Megan Bedford, Founder of the non-profit Desk Free Nation, about how to address the skills gap in the trades for the coming generations.

In this episode of Today In Trades, we talk with Sid Graef, owner of Spectrum Window Cleaning in Missoula, about how to provide a great work culture that not only retains your top talent but also impresses your customers.

In this episode, we discuss five elements that separate the best service companies from the rest. Whether it's using virtual service requests or automated follow-ups, we highlight the importance of embracing change and meeting our customers where they are. Join us to learn how to create a happy customer, happy staff, and ultimately, a healthy company. 

Tom Acona with rockyourcompany.com discusses a bold new concept in outsourced marketing services. Acona will walk you through some key concepts that can help you stand out amongst the competition and create a new mindset to grow your organization. If you feel like word-of-mouth and pay-per-click campaigns aren't doing enough to grow your business and/or retain clientele, take a listen!

Join us as we interview a highly successful career plumber Mick Rodriguez and learn why he believes NOW is the best time to become a plumber. 

In this episode, David and Meagan Nash of Glass Doctor Atlanta invite us into the dynamic life of building a business as a couple with a young family. From creating "balance" to handling the 24/7 demands of a service company, the Nash family shares their journey and the beautiful views along the way.  If you work in a family business, or are considering starting one, this episode is for you. 

This week, Mickey and Jim share the crazy stories and culture of the Service Station Sales team with Gabe Howley and Caleb Sjoerdsma.  From selling glass repair from a Dunkin Donuts in Nuremburg, to having a computer, phone and cables stolen in a Milan train station, this remote team has seen it all. They happily share their stories of life, motivation, customer service, and the lessons learned from a great remote company culture!  

Austin Casey delivers an eye-opening and compelling look at followups as the best way to drive more business to your company now. Jim and Mickey tease him about the game "Ice" and other fun stories around the BidClips company culture.  Don't miss this refreshing look at an often "overlooked" part of the trades industries. 

Welcome to Today in Trades. In this episode, we chat with former Service Station sales representative, Abel Ballew, about how to connect with customers while taking inbound calls. Abel has handled hundreds of inbound sales leads for glass businesses across the country. His practical insights on customer service will help you win more business and keep your customers coming back. This podcast is presented by BidClips, sales software for the service industry.