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What separates a roofing business from a roofing job?In this replay episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service and one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the home service industry.Tommy shares lessons learned while building a highly valuable company, including how to create a business that works without you, why profit must come before growth, how to hire and retain great people, and why most contractors never build a company that can actually be sold.Whether you're trying to grow your roofing company, improve profitability, or build a business that gives you more freedom, this episode is packed with practical insights.In this episode you'll learn:The difference between owning a business and owning a jobWhy most contractors struggle to build a sellable companyHow EBITDA impacts business valueThe importance of profit before growthWhy hiring A-players changes everythingHow to create accountability with KPIs and scorecardsThe power of delegation and building systemsWhy culture is one of your greatest competitive advantagesHow successful contractors build teams that operate without themLessons from scaling a home service companyResources Mentioned:Tommy MelloA1 Garage Door ServiceHome Service MillionaireThe E-Myth RevisitedRocket FuelThe Dream ManagerThe One ThingSponsors:ProLine CRM: theroofercoach.com/prolineBuilt specifically for contractors to help manage leads, sales, production, follow-up, and customer communication.SMA Support: theroofercoach.com/smaVirtual team members for lead management, appointment setting, customer follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support.Connect with Dave Sullivan:Website:https://theroofercoach.comYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShowSubscribe to The Roofer Show for weekly conversations focused on the business end of the roofing business About The Roofer ShowThe Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time.Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.
Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What does it actually take to build a $600 million home service company starting from painting garage doors for $100 each? Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service, breaks down the exact journey from broke to billionaire-in-progress - and he holds nothing back. In this episode, Tommy shares the $100 million whiteboard brainstorm that his own managers laughed at, the painful partnership breakup that forced him to call his mom for help, and the mindset shift that finally made him love Mondays. He reveals why the best employees are never on Indeed, how a $350K consulting investment changed everything, the branding overhaul that let him raise prices overnight, and why he believes A1 is on track to become a monopoly that may need to be broken up by regulators. Whether you're a home service operator stuck at $1M or an entrepreneur trying to break through your next ceiling, Tommy's no-nonsense philosophy on performance pay, recruiting A-players, systems, and delayed gratification will fundamentally change how you think about building a business. Key Topics Covered: • Growing up with a single mom working three jobs and learning the value of work early • Breaking up with his first business partner and calling his mom to save the company • The $100M whiteboard brainstorm that became a $600M exit • Why 3% unemployment means job boards are the unemployment line coming to you • How Al Levy transformed A1's systems, manuals, and culture in two years • The branding overhaul with Dan Antonelli that raised prices and improved recruiting • Getting on Service Titan by cold messaging the founder on LinkedIn • Using Rilla Voice, ServiceTitan, and AI tools to dominate home service • Celebrating new hires with red carpet moments and champagne toasts • Why buying the way you want to be bought from changes everything • The one-sentence closing wisdom: the magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding. Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Tommy Mello Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Guest Website: https://www.tommymello.com/ Guest Socials: https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ #TommyMello #HomeServiceBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BlueCollarBusiness #GarageDoor #A1GarageDoor #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessTips #HomeServiceExpert #ScalingYourBusiness Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What does it actually take to build a $600 million home service company starting from painting garage doors for $100 each? Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service, breaks down the exact journey from broke to billionaire-in-progress - and he holds nothing back. In this episode, Tommy shares the $100 million whiteboard brainstorm that his own managers laughed at, the painful partnership breakup that forced him to call his mom for help, and the mindset shift that finally made him love Mondays. He reveals why the best employees are never on Indeed, how a $350K consulting investment changed everything, the branding overhaul that let him raise prices overnight, and why he believes A1 is on track to become a monopoly that may need to be broken up by regulators. Whether you're a home service operator stuck at $1M or an entrepreneur trying to break through your next ceiling, Tommy's no-nonsense philosophy on performance pay, recruiting A-players, systems, and delayed gratification will fundamentally change how you think about building a business. Key Topics Covered: • Growing up with a single mom working three jobs and learning the value of work early • Breaking up with his first business partner and calling his mom to save the company • The $100M whiteboard brainstorm that became a $600M exit • Why 3% unemployment means job boards are the unemployment line coming to you • How Al Levy transformed A1's systems, manuals, and culture in two years • The branding overhaul with Dan Antonelli that raised prices and improved recruiting • Getting on Service Titan by cold messaging the founder on LinkedIn • Using Rilla Voice, ServiceTitan, and AI tools to dominate home service • Celebrating new hires with red carpet moments and champagne toasts • Why buying the way you want to be bought from changes everything • The one-sentence closing wisdom: the magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding. Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Tommy Mello Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Guest Website: https://www.tommymello.com/ Guest Socials: https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ #TommyMello #HomeServiceBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BlueCollarBusiness #GarageDoor #A1GarageDoor #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessTips #HomeServiceExpert #ScalingYourBusiness Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of The Green Grind Podcast, we're revisiting one of our most impactful conversations with Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service. Tommy shares the journey of building his company from a struggling startup into one of the largest garage door service companies in the country, along with the mindset, leadership, and systems that helped fuel that growth. Throughout the episode, Tommy dives into topics like building strong company culture, investing in your people, developing systems that scale, and surrounding yourself with the right mentors and leaders. Even though Tommy comes from the garage door industry, the lessons he shares apply to anyone looking to grow a service-based business. If you're looking for insight on leadership, culture, and building a company that lasts, this throwback episode is packed with value.
In this episode, Tommy Mello shares with Brian the story of how sheer grit, hard work, and strong relationships helped him build a company valued at $2B, A1 Garage Door Service. Tommy discusses his humble, blue-collar background, where he worked on a series of jobs including busing tables, lifeguarding, bartending, and flipping cars —until a roommate introduced him to the garage door industry. Tommy started there first as a painter, before becoming the “go-to guy” for multiple companies, and eventually launching his own business. He also shares how the relationships he developed with mentors and other important people in his life informed how he treats the employees at his own company. Tommy also discussed the strategies he has learned and used along the way, including the key performance indicators (KPIs) that help him to continue to create business success. YOU WILL LEARN: How to move from hustle to leadership by building systems, processes, and accountability. A simple KPI framework to reverse-engineer your budget and start the year with momentum. The four questions he uses to help create a superior, client-service experience every time, no matter the customer's budget. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The E-Myth by Michael Gerber The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies by Chet Holmes The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: “Profitability is the lifeblood of a company.” — Tommy Mello “If I could help you get to your goals, can you help me in return? But I'll make sure I show up first. And man, that worked wonders.” — Tommy Mello “We never say the word ‘expensive'. We say ‘top of the line.' We never say ‘cheapest'. We say ‘builder grade.” — Tommy Mello "I'm the best I've ever been, but the worst I'll ever be—because tomorrow I'm going to be 1% better.” — Tommy Mello “If I were to talk to my younger self, I would say, ‘Don't worry about what everyone else says. Don't be afraid of someone saying no. Don't be afraid of rejection. Don't worry. The only person you've got to worry about is yourself.'” — Tommy Mello Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tim Westbrook sits down with entrepreneur and CEO Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service, who shares what it really takes to build a high-growth company and how working nonstop could lead to self-destruction. He opens up about workaholism, burnout, identity, and the moment he realized that performance alone was not enough. They explore how ambition can quietly become a coping mechanism, why work is often a socially acceptable addiction, and what it looks like to create success without sacrificing health, relationships, or peace of mind. They also discuss lifestyle changes, stress management, stepping away from alcohol for clarity, and the role of boundaries, values, and purpose in long-term well-being. This episode is for anyone asking: How do I stay driven without destroying myself? Topics covered: Workaholism and burnout Mental health and high performance Stress, pressure, and coping strategies Alcohol, lifestyle changes, and clarity Identity, purpose, and sustainable success
Waste No Day: A Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Motivational Podcast
Want to double your ticket average without being pushy? Get access to real-time sales training, scripts, and role-play coaching inside the Blue Collar Closer community — join today before the next live Q&A drops: https://wastenoday.pro/BCC Join the Waste No Day! Facebook group: https://wastenoday.pro/FBgroup Tommy Mello is the CEO of A1 Garage Door Service and a returning guest on the show. He built his garage door company from $50K in debt into a $200M business operating across 19 states. Known for his focus on accountability, people, and processes, Tommy leads a nine-figure organization with over 700 employees in the home services industry. He's also a best-selling author, an Inc. Magazine columnist, a keynote speaker, and a top 0.1% podcast host. In this part two of our interview with Tommy, we talked about fitness, health, accountability, EBITDA, profitability...
Revenue looks impressive. Profit is what keeps you in the game. If your business only runs when you are in the building, you are not scaling, you are surviving. In this episode of The Next Level Podcast, Jeremy Miner sits down with Tommy Mello, CEO of A1 Garage Door Service, a home service operator who has scaled to 700 employees across 20 states and is pushing toward $220M in revenue. Tommy breaks down the real difference between chasing growth and building a profitable company with systems, leadership, and the right people in the right seats. You will learn why profit beats revenue, how to stop being the bottleneck, and what it actually takes to scale through delegation and incentives that keep top talent aligned. This is for entrepreneurs and operators who want a business that performs consistently, builds real culture, and grows without burning out the founder. If you are serious about building a company that lasts, this conversation is for you Chapters: (00:00) Introduction(03:42) The Business Partner Breakup That Changed Everything(08:33) The 3 Biggest Mistakes Tommy Made Scaling to $220M(15:38) The Mindset It Takes To Actually Build Something(19:47) Why Tommy Lived In An 800 sq ft Apartment While Owning 7 Houses(28:10) Why Selling Is The Most Important Skill For Founders(32:14) Systems: The Only Thing That Let Tommy Scale Past Himself(38:26) Why Your Net Worth Is Your Network (And How To Build It)(44:56) Be Careful Who You Let Train You(48:19) The 3 Things Tommy Did To Build Unbreakable CultureGot a question about sales, persuasion, or objection handling? Text me directly: +1-480-481-6755Join the 7th Level University: https://whop.com/discover/7thlevel/Join the waitlist for the Ask Jeremy 7q.AI : https://7q.ai/waitlistJoin the 7th Level Sales Team: https://hardlyselling.hirebus-careers.com/closer-7th-levelThe exact NEPQ script I used to earn $2.4M/year as a W-2 sales rep: https://nepqtraining.com/smv-yt-splt-opt-orgPrefer to understand the psychology behind NEPQ first? Grab The New Model of Selling: Selling to an Unsellable Generation on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1636980112Book a call with my team: https://7thlevelhq.com/book-demo/Connect with Jeremy MinerYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeremeyminerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyleeminer/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyleeminer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.miner.52Connect with Tommy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommy.mello1/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Personal Website: https://www.tommymello.com/ Business Website: https://a1garage.com/
Revenue looks impressive. Profit is what keeps you in the game. If your business only runs when you are in the building, you are not scaling, you are surviving. In this episode of The Next Level Podcast, Jeremy Miner sits down with Tommy Mello, CEO of A1 Garage Door Service, a home service operator who has scaled to 700 employees across 20 states and is pushing toward $220M in revenue. Tommy breaks down the real difference between chasing growth and building a profitable company with systems, leadership, and the right people in the right seats. You will learn why profit beats revenue, how to stop being the bottleneck, and what it actually takes to scale through delegation and incentives that keep top talent aligned. This is for entrepreneurs and operators who want a business that performs consistently, builds real culture, and grows without burning out the founder. If you are serious about building a company that lasts, this conversation is for you Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:42) The Business Partner Breakup That Changed Everything (08:33) The 3 Biggest Mistakes Tommy Made Scaling to $220M (15:38) The Mindset It Takes To Actually Build Something (19:47) Why Tommy Lived In An 800 sq ft Apartment While Owning 7 Houses (28:10) Why Selling Is The Most Important Skill For Founders (32:14) Systems: The Only Thing That Let Tommy Scale Past Himself (38:26) Why Your Net Worth Is Your Network (And How To Build It) (44:56) Be Careful Who You Let Train You (48:19) The 3 Things Tommy Did To Build Unbreakable Culture Got a question about sales, persuasion, or objection handling? Text me directly: +1-480-481-6755 Join the 7th Level University: https://whop.com/discover/7thlevel/ Join the waitlist for the Ask Jeremy 7q.AI : https://7q.ai/waitlist Join the 7th Level Sales Team: https://hardlyselling.hirebus-careers.com/closer-7th-level The exact NEPQ script I used to earn $2.4M/year as a W-2 sales rep: https://nepqtraining.com/smv-yt-splt-opt-org Prefer to understand the psychology behind NEPQ first? Grab The New Model of Selling: Selling to an Unsellable Generation on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1636980112 Book a call with my team: https://7thlevelhq.com/book-demo/ Connect with Jeremy Miner YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeremeyminer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyleeminer/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyleeminer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.miner.52 Connect with Tommy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommy.mello1/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Personal Website: https://www.tommymello.com/ Business Website: https://a1garage.com/
Waste No Day: A Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Motivational Podcast
Want to double your ticket average without being pushy? Get access to real-time sales training, scripts, and role-play coaching inside the Blue Collar Closer community — join today before the next live Q&A drops: https://wastenoday.pro/BCC Join the Waste No Day! Facebook group: https://wastenoday.pro/FBgroup Tommy Mello is the CEO of A1 Garage Door Service and a returning guest on the show. He built his garage door company from $50K in debt into a $200M business operating across 19 states. Known for his focus on accountability, people, and processes, Tommy leads a nine-figure organization with over 700 employees in the home services industry. He's also a best-selling author, an Inc. Magazine columnist, a keynote speaker, and a top 0.1% podcast host. In this episode, we talked about fitness, health, accountability, EBITDA, profitability...
Waste No Day: A Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Motivational Podcast
Want to double your ticket average without being pushy? Get access to real-time sales training, scripts, and role-play coaching inside the Blue Collar Closer community — join today before the next live Q&A drops: https://wastenoday.pro/BCC Join the Waste No Day! Facebook group: https://wastenoday.pro/FBgroup Jim Leslie is the Chief Operating Officer of Home Service Freedom, working closely with Tommy Mello to bring the company's vision to life and help members scale their businesses. Previously, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at A1 Garage Door Service, where he drove significant growth by refining marketing, operations, and leadership systems. In this episode, we talked about lead generation, referrals, technician training, marketing & growth...
Tommy Mello founded A1 Garage Door Service—a 100 million-plus-dollar business. Tommy shares how he went from reselling Bowflex, cleaning pools, and painting garage doors to building one of the largest home service companies in the country. He talks about the hustle, the screw-ups, and the systems that helped him scale, including his no-nonsense approach to hiring and promoting based on performance, not resumes. It's a real conversation about work ethic, taking ownership, and why a broken garage door—and a strong dose of meritocracy—can open a lot more than just your garage. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors AuraFrames.com/Mike Use code Mike to get $35 off their best-selling Carver Mat frame. K12.com/Rowe Find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you. American-Giant.com/MIKE Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. NetSuite.com/Mike Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning.
Waste No Day: A Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Motivational Podcast
Want to double your ticket average without being pushy? Get access to real-time sales training, scripts, and role-play coaching inside the Blue Collar Closer community — join today before the next live Q&A drops: https://wastenoday.pro/BCC Join the Waste No Day! Facebook group: https://wastenoday.pro/FBgroup Jim Leslie is the Chief Operating Officer of Home Service Freedom, working closely with Tommy Mello to bring the company's vision to life and help members scale their businesses. Previously, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at A1 Garage Door Service, where he drove significant growth by refining marketing, operations, and leadership systems. In this episode, we talked about lead cost, sales mindset, customer follow-up, customer empathy, marketing vs sales alignment...
In this episode of The Russell Brunson Show, I sit down with Tommy Mello, the owner of A1 Garage Door Service, and we unpack how he built one of the most successful service businesses in the country. We get into the nuts and bolts of how Tommy went from $50K in debt to running a company that does over $200 million a year and has 850+ employees. And more importantly, how he replaced himself, built a real leadership team, and trained technicians to deliver a great customer experience without needing him involved in every step. If you're running a business and feel stuck doing everything yourself, this episode will show you what needs to shift so your company can grow. It will help you make the classic shift from “working IN your business” to “working ON your business”. Key Highlights: Why most entrepreneurs stay stuck: they never replace themselves How Tommy uses a clear org chart and defined roles to scale with structure The leadership traits he looks for when hiring managers and technicians How he built a training center to onboard new employees the right way The importance of weekly one-on-ones for accountability and long-term performance Tommy is a super relatable and down-to-earth guy that has so much wisdom and experience to share. His knowledge will help anyone from an online solopreneur, to a Fortune 500 CEO. His story is packed with practical strategies for growing a service-based business, and leading like an actual CEO. Listen in and take notes! https://sellingonline.com/podcast https://clickfunnels.com/podcast Special thanks to our sponsors: NordVPN: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/secrets Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Northwest Registered Agent: Go to northwestregisteredagent.com/russell to start your business with Northwest Registered Agent. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions: Get a $100 credit on your next campaign at LinkedIn.com/CLICKS Rocket Money: Cancel unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster at RocketMoney.com/RUSSELL Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/clicks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices