Tune in to get practical tips, a fresh perspective, and the kind of straight talk that helps you show up better—for your team, your clients, and yourself.

• Chris starts by explaining how to master sales follow-ups and why most follow-ups fail without proper anchoring.
• Learn why salespeople who know how to anchor always close more deals and how ditching strict scripts gives you the flexibility to connect authentically.
• Chris shares ways to pick up a conversation with prospects without wasting time, including practical phrases you can use immediately to keep things moving forward.
• Why Chris recommends eliminating the phrase "follow-up" from your vocabulary and the mindset shift that creates better sales conversations.
• Kenny highlights why every sales follow-up should be treated as one seamless sales appointment.
• How to handle upset customers: Kenny breaks down why the "customer is always right" myth can actually hurt your business and what to do instead.
• Chris explains the secret to dealing with difficult customers: Don't take it personally because it's never really about you; it's always about them.
• Understand why some customers won't be reasoned with and how to focus your energy on the 95% who truly want to work with you, instead of the small percentage trying to take you down.
• Kenny reveals how to keep your team motivated when offering money-back guarantees, especially when technicians might feel they're losing commission when customers ask for their money back.
• Why giving refunds, even when you did everything right, is a long-term business win: Kenny shares the mindset of "life gives more to the giver."
• Learn why developing an abundance mindset is crucial for business success: Kenny explains how knowing there will always be more customers keeps scarcity fears at bay.
• Chris shares three keys to supporting entrepreneurs during stressful times: Patience, communication, and candid conversations that open the door to real solutions.
• What to do when frustration with employees builds: Chris shows how vulnerability and honest communication can turn tension into teamwork.
• Chris explains why getting clear time frames after delegating tasks keeps projects on track and how to avoid the "handoff hangover."
• According to Kenny, there's no such thing as financial independence. There's only emotional independence. When we reach a certain milestone of money, then the emotional freedom kicks in.
• Kenny emphasizes putting relationships before results. This is the secret behind his strong partnership with Chris and why business wins flow from personal trust.
• How to practice accountability in relationships: Kenny advises taking 100% responsibility for what's yours and letting go of what isn't.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e15

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

• Kelton starts by sharing his journey from being a fifth-generation plumber to running his own successful company — and why he nearly avoided plumbing because everyone told him there was "no money in it."
• Kelton shares how going to college was his way of making sure he could run a business and be a great tradesman.
• Kelton reveals the hardest hump in growing a business: Going from one truck to four. That jump took him to $1.2 million in revenue.
• What is the real recipe for business success? According to Kelton, it comes down to business smarts, on-the-ground experience, and understanding your numbers.
• Kelton reveals what Tennessee Standard is all about--and how they plan on becoming Knoxville's #1 plumbing company, give tradesmen a path to real wealth, and become a light in the community, all for the glory of God.
• Kenny and Kelton agree that ego has no place in business. If you want to build something sustainable, you must get rid of your ego.
• According to Kelton, plumbing is a people business. You're not selling parts — you're selling labor. And if you don't take care of your people, you won't make it.
• What is the smartest move you can make early on in your business? Kelton says: build a financial model. It may just be a big spreadsheet, , but it shows you exactly what happens when you sell X, spend Y, and what's left at the bottom.
• Kelton reveals how to scale from $3 million to $6 million and stay profitable.
• How to invest in your people according to Kelton:

1. Pay better than average.

2. Train consistently — they train four days a week at Tennessee Standard.

3. Provide top-tier equipment — it improves both results and morale.

4. Build a real culture — even small things like lunch or coffee make people feel valued.

• Chris and Kenny explain why delegation isn't about handing off your work — it's about empowering your team and giving them the tools to win.
• Kenny on financial modeling: The magic of spreadsheets is that they don't have emotions. You can make smart decisions without letting fear or excitement cloud your judgment.
• Chris shares the benefits of vulnerability in leadership and why it's not weakness.
• Kenny challenges owners who don't love their business or are in it for the money: If you're just showing up for the money and don't love what you do, don't be surprised when no one else cares either.
• According to Kenny, it's not that we have a lack of skilled labor in the trades, it's that there's an overabundance of bad ownership in the trades.
• Kelton exposes a common trap: Thinking you should start a business just because you're the best technician.
• Kelton on training fears: "What if I train them and they leave?" He believes that if you don't train them, they're definitely leaving. So invest in them and give them a reason to stay.
• Kelton reminds us--don't take it personally when someone leaves. Business is fluid — some people are here for a season, and that's okay.
• Kelton on why building a sellable business matters: even if you don't want to exit, it forces you to build systems, track profitability, and make better long-term decisions.
• For Kelton, a healthy profit margin in home services is around 20%.
• Kelton's final takeaway: stop chasing shortcuts. Put in the work and treat people the way you want to be treated.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e14

The Blue Collar Success Group

Tennessee Standard

Kelton Balka on LinkedIn

They break down the biggest mistakes contractors make when trying to run lean businesses, the overlooked habits that drain time and money, and how to train your team to think and act with efficiency in mind.

Tune in to learn what to track, what to eliminate, and how to tighten up your systems without sacrificing quality—so your team wins, your customers win, and your bottom line grows.

• Kenny starts by explaining why efficiency is one of the most important aspects of running a profitable business.
• For Chris, the first step to refining your efficiency is to document everything.
• You can't improve what you don't see. So, start by writing down everything from the moment a customer calls to the final delivery.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the benefits of mapping out your processes and then asking yourself, could this be more efficient?
• This simple question forces you to look at your systems critically. It's how you uncover bottlenecks, redundancies, and wasted time that's costing you money.
• Running a lean business isn't about slashing budgets or underpaying people. It's about building systems that get maximum results with minimal waste.
• According to Chris, most inefficiencies are hiding in plain sight. In the field, Chris constantly sees businesses losing time on things that should've been fixed years ago—extra trips, unclear instructions, missing tools, etc.
• Chris explains how to train your team to think in actions that save time.
• His rule: never make a trip to the truck empty-handed. Whether it's trash, tools, or supplies—always make each step count.
• No matter how dialed-in you think your systems are, there's always room to tighten things up. And the more you improve, the more profit you create without raising your prices.
• Kenny highlights how the most profitable businesses are always lean and focused. When you run tight operations, your team earns more, your customers stay happy, and you keep more on the bottom line. Everyone wins.
• Chris used to get frustrated when people didn't follow what felt obvious—until he realized he had to teach it, document it, and systemize it. That mindset shift changed everything.
• Kenny covers the best way to make efficiency a weekly discipline.
• Pick one area each week and ask: How can we make this faster, smoother, cheaper, or easier? Efficiency only improves when it becomes part of your daily habit.
• Kenny and Chris agree that business can only be profitable when they go back to the basics and track everything. Especially your billable hours. When you know exactly where your time and money are going, you can fix what's broken and double down on what's working.
• Final takeaway: If your pricing is solid, your investments are intentional, and your systems are efficient, you'll actually get to enjoy the profit you work so hard to earn.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e13

The Blue Collar Success Group

They break down common pricing mistakes, the importance of price integrity, and why efficiency, experience, and knowing your true costs all play a role in sustainable success. Tune in to learn how to shift your pricing mindset, stop undercharging, and build a pricing model that actually works.

• Kenny starts the conversation by explaining why pricing is the foundation to profitability.
• Chris reveals that pricing is not set-it-and-forget-it. Like gas prices, it moves constantly, and businesses that fail to adjust rarely succeed.
• Even with advanced software and real-time data, most business owners still struggle with pricing. Kenny and Chris dig into why the home service space still struggles to price correctly.
• Chris shares a simple truth: if you don't react to rising costs, it eats directly into your margins.
• Kenny urges a mindset shift from service provider to retailer. Retailers adjust pricing based on cost, supply, and demand—and so should you.
• According to Chris, smart pricing means you don't need to be constantly selling. Get your pricing right, and you relieve the pressure to chase endless volume.
• When you price based on your fixed and variable costs, you build a strategy that lasts. Chris breaks down how to price from your numbers, not your emotions.
• Kenny highlights that while everyone has a pricing strategy, the math is simple: you must charge more than it costs to operate daily. Anything less is a loss.
• Kenny shares how he designs pricing to stay profitable and still appear affordable. It's not about being the cheapest, it's about looking like the best value.
• Chris explains that in every business, you're selling time and materials. But when you package that with a powerful customer experience, you can (and should) charge more.
• Chris warns that if your customer experience is weak, your customer will be forced to judge you on price, and that's never a good thing.
• Kenny believes the easiest way to raise prices is to create an unforgettable experience. Memorable service buys you higher pricing power.
• Raising prices unnecessarily isn't sustainable. According to Kenny, customers today are spoiled for choice. The way to achieve long-term profit is to build value and trust.
• Chris and Kenny cover how inefficiency raises your cost of operation and therefore your prices. When you're efficient, you're more profitable and more competitive.
• Chris doesn't look at competitors when setting prices. He builds pricing around his own model and goals, not market noise.
• Chris talks about price integrity and why it's important in the modern business landscape.
• The foundation of pricing integrity: customers should pay only for what they're responsible for—nothing more, nothing less.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e12

The Blue Collar Success Group

By the end, you'll walk away with a clearer understanding of what it really takes to run a profitable home service business.

• Kenny starts the conversation with a reminder most business owners need to hear: the goal of every business is to make a profit, unless you're a non-profit.
• For Chris, the simplest path to profitability is selling more than you spend.
• In most service businesses, Chris says nearly 50% of your revenue goes into two things: labor and materials. If you can't control these two things, the rest will take care of itself.
• According to Kenny, business, at its core, is a system of relationships. Your success is a reflection of how well you manage your relationships with clients, employees, and vendors.
• Chris shares his thoughts on expenses and explains why you have to know the difference between fixed and variable expenses.
• If you're struggling with revenue, Chris believes you shouldn't just raise prices. That's a lazy fix. Raising prices without a strategic reason is making life harder for your sales team and driving revenue further away.
• Chris explains why compensation plans should incentivize behaviors that drive long-term success.
• Chris and Kenny see this all the time: contractors who never look at their income statements. If you're not regularly reading the financials, you're guessing. And guessing is the most expensive habit in business.
• According to Chris, you can't cut your way to business success. Smart cost-cutting is about eliminating the baggage that isn't driving your ROI.
• For Kenny, there's no such thing as a small business and there's no such thing as a large business. There's only a business and where you are on that journey.
• Chris explains the difference between an investment and a cost in a business. Investments move the business forward, costs drain it.
• One of Chris' most practical tips: categorize your expenses into buckets. When you know what's being spent where, you can start leading by numbers instead of emotions.
• He further breaks down the five key buckets every business should track: marketing, facilities, vehicles, employees, and admin. You don't need to overcomplicate it; just bucket it, track it, and review it often.
• Kenny pushes back against the mindset that profit is a dirty word. Profit is what allows you to take better care of your team, reward excellence, and take some money home.
• Kenny and Chris agree that alignment matters. Success comes when everyone knows the goal is to run a profitable business and everyone is working towards the same objectives.
• Chris warns against cutting costs just because you can't measure their ROI. For example, that billboard you want to take down might be the invisible force keeping your phones ringing.
• Instead of asking what to cut, Chris says, ask what to fix. Look at every expense through one lens: is this helping us make money today or tomorrow? If the answer's no, then you look at cutting.
• Kenny believes the best investment a business can make is in its people. When you pour into them, they pour back into the business—and that's how you become profitable.
• According to Kenny, your business goal shouldn't be about getting bigger, it should be about getting better. And the fastest way to level up your company is by leveling up the people inside it.
• Training isn't a box to check, it's a key part of company growth. The businesses that win in the next five years will be the ones that take training seriously and commit to making their people better.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e11

The Blue Collar Success Group

You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School: And Other Simple Truths of Leadership by Mac Anderson

• Chris and Kenny start by explaining why HVACs are the heartbeat of the blue collar economy.
• For Chris, whenever something breaks in business, 9 times out of 10, it's because someone skipped the basics. What feels "too simple" is usually the thing holding everything together.
• There's this myth that growing a business means making it more complex. But Kenny believes whether you're going big or staying small, just focus on getting the fundamentals right. Everything else is noise.
• Chris' advice for all business owners: stop overthinking. So many business owners tie themselves in knots trying to be clever when they just need to double down on the basics, and the rest will take care of itself.
• Thinking about opening a new location? Kenny and Chris break down the real difference between starting from scratch and buying an existing business—and why neither is as easy as people make it sound.
• According to Chris, acquisitions can be enticing until you realize what you bought isn't what was advertised.
• Do your homework. There's always a reason someone wants out, and if you don't dig into that reason before buying, you're the one who's going to pay for it later.
• When you're launching a new location, the #1 rule is: leadership needs to be on the ground. Chris has seen too many businesses die because of poor leadership.
• Chris and Kenny agree that the fastest way to fail in a new business is underestimating how much it will cost. Starting a new location without enough capital is like showing up to a marathon in flip-flops. You might survive—but it's gonna hurt.
• Chris explains how buying customers can fast-track your growth faster than any marketing strategy—but it only works if your systems are tight.
• For Kenny, if everyone is still on the payroll 90 days after buying a new company, either you struck gold or you've got leadership issues that are about to blow up in your face.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the do's and don'ts of selling your business.
• Your business exit plans will not materialize if you haven't planned for what comes next. Chris warns that an exit without a vision for life after is just a pivot into confusion.
• Want your business to sell for more? Make it less about you. Chris says the most valuable businesses are the ones that run just fine without the owner.
• For Chris, a business that's simple, profitable, and stable will always attract the right buyer. You don't need fancy branding, you just need clean books, clear processes, and a solid team. That's what closes deals.
• Kenny explains how delegation isn't about handing off your headaches, it's about empowering your people. When you delegate well, you're not just freeing up your time—you're building leaders who carry the vision with you.
• Chris reminds us: tomorrow isn't promised—but that doesn't mean you don't plan for it. Living in the present is powerful. But you have to think ahead if you want long-term peace. You've got to think ahead.
• Kenny on "work/life balance." There's no such thing as a business and a life. There's life, and business is part of it.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e10

The Blue Collar Success Group

Stephen shares why SEO is still foundational in 2025, how most business owners are solving the wrong problems, and why agencies should be true partners, not just vendors.

Kenny and Chris stress the importance of endurance, long-term vision, and blocking out noise to focus on what actually works. By the end of this conversation, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of why most business owners are still solving the wrong problem—and what to do instead.

• Stephen starts by explaining why compartmentalizing your life and business is a trap. When you stop treating "life" and "business" as separate, you make decisions that align with your whole self.
• Chris believes business owners should build their business around their life.
• Instead of building a business that drains you, Chris talks about creating one that supports the lifestyle you want and how that mindset shift often leads to more success, not less.
• Kenny shares why playing the long game is the antidote to fear, burnout, and bad marketing decisions. Short-term thinking traps you in fear and reactive choices—committing to consistency over chasing shiny objects gives you real momentum and peace of mind.
• This is where most business owners get it wrong with agencies: according to Stephen, most business owners have a "set it and forget it" mindset when hiring an agency. They hire an agency and assume their job is done.
• Stephen reveals how to reframe what your marketing agency is responsible for—and why expecting them to solve all your problems sets you up to fail.
• Stephen highlights the surprising role of community involvement in lead generation, and why sponsoring events like a kids' football league might do more than another PPC ad.
• Stephen reveals the #1 quality of a great marketing agency and explains why it has nothing to do with clicks or impressions.
• The best agencies look beyond the surface. They analyze call recordings, explore missed opportunities, and collaborate with you to improve performance on all ends.
• Why Stephen spends more time helping clients with emotional clarity than marketing strategy.
• Most business challenges stem from personal confusion or misalignment, not poor tactics. Emotional clarity, not more data, is often what unlocks growth.
• Kenny explains how to stay grounded and effective by returning to the basics even in a noisy, AI-driven digital world.
• Kenny and Stephen make a case for simplicity. While the world chases trends, sticking to timeless fundamentals like SEO, customer service, and clear messaging creates reliable, lasting success.
• Stephen shares why SEO still matters in 2025, and how AI has actually made it more essential, not less. So if you're ignoring SEO, you're invisible to the algorithms that drive your visibility.
• Chris explains why business owners need to stop chasing more leads and start fixing the real issues behind poor lead conversion. Most businesses don't have a lead volume problem, they have a lead quality or follow-through problem.
• Chris believes your most powerful marketing strategy begins with knowing yourself—and shares how intention sets the stage for everything.
• Clarity of purpose leads to more aligned clients, better business decisions, and surprising ease. The universe tends to respond when you're focused and intentional.
• Stephen says you should plan, but also expect plans to evolve. Businesses are living things—when you hold plans too tightly, you miss new paths and possibilities.
• Stephen reveals what most people get wrong about success. He challenges the cultural obsession with ultra-high revenue, sharing how many "successful" business owners are burned out and disconnected from what they truly want.
• Kenny breaks down the mass illusion of "success at scale"—and why smaller, profitable, values-aligned businesses often win in the long run.
• Kenny reflects on how we've been hypnotized by viral definitions of success, and why there's immense power in choosing a different path that still delivers wealth and well-being.
• How to spot bad advice before it hurts your business—or your personal life—and why credentials aren't enough anymore.
• Stephen warns against following people whose lives don't reflect the balance or fulfillment you want, even if their business looks successful on paper.
• Stephen explains that "we need more leads" is often a symptom, not a cause. The real work lies in diagnosing what's actually broken inside the sales, messaging, or leadership structure.
• Why the agency you hire should be looking inside your operations, not just your ad dashboard, and what a real agency partnership should look like.
• Chris believes magic happens when you learn who you really are, because then the universe has something solid to work with.
• Kenny agrees and adds: When you understand your values and direction, decision-making becomes easier and opportunities align more naturally with where you're headed.
• Stephen's parting wisdom: life doesn't have to be stressful, even when stressful things are happening around you.
• This is a powerful reminder that stress is often a choice. With the right mindset and systems, you can run a successful business without sacrificing your mental peace.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e9

The Blue Collar Success Group

Wit Digital

Stephen Christopher on LinkedIn

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew break down why direct mail still works and how to get the most out of it in the digital age. They discuss how to craft high-impact direct mail, ways to write an opening line that keeps readers hooked, how to keep your mail out of the trash, and the creative strategies that grab attention—like mailing preloaded iPads.

By the end of this episode, you'll understand why direct mail is still effective, how to get your message opened and read, and how to incorporate it into a winning marketing strategy.

• Is direct mail marketing dead? Kenny starts by explaining why direct mail marketing is alive and well.
• While many people think direct mail is outdated, it's far from dead. As long as people have mailboxes, direct mail will continue to be an effective strategy.
• Chris points out that people still check their mail, making direct mail a direct-to-consumer channel.
• Kenny shares how most people sort their mail. They stand over the trash can and toss out ads immediately. Understanding this behavior is key to designing mail that avoids the trash bin.
• According to Chris, direct mail is more than just letters--it also includes postcards, shared mailings, and even high-end packages that grab attention.
• Chris emphasizes that direct mail guarantees your message reaches the mailbox—something digital ads can't always promise.
• Chris shares creative direct mail strategies that get your mail opened. Some marketers used to send iPads with preloaded videos about their product—because if someone receives an iPad, they're more likely to open it and watch the video.
• If your mail doesn't grab attention right away, it goes straight to the trash. Kenny stresses the importance of standing out instantly.
• According to Chris, a great way to stand out instantly is to add creativity to envelopes in three simple ways:
• Make it hand addressed: Open rates of hand addressed envelopes are exponentially higher than those of typed ones.
• Fold your letter for maximum impact. Not all folds are equal. Chris explains why a C-fold (instead of a Z-fold) makes a letter easier to read and more likely to be engaged with.
• The power of a compelling opening line. Your first line should be catchy enough to grab attention and expertly written such that it gets the reader to read the next line.
• Consistency is key in direct mail marketing. Chris reminds us that, just like in digital marketing, people need to see a brand 7 to 10 times before they take action.
• How to integrate direct mail into a bigger strategy. Kenny and Chris discuss how direct mail shouldn't exist in isolation. It should be part of a multi-layered marketing campaign, including digital ads and social media.
• Follow the money to target the right audience. Chris explains how to use data like median household income, home value, and age of home to ensure you always send mail to the right prospects.
• Successful campaigns use direct mail alongside other channels such as social media, paid ads, and content marketing for the best results.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e8

The Blue Collar Success Group

City-data.com

From choosing the right platforms to creating engaging content (and everything in between!), they share practical tips to help you maximize your online presence and turn your social media efforts into actual business opportunities.

• Kenny Chapman kicks off the conversation by highlighting the underutilization of strategy, commitment, and consistency in social media marketing.
• Chris Crew describes social media as "the most undervalued marketing platform there is."
• The #1 challenge Chris sees contractors face is that not everyone is comfortable being the face of the company or creating video and visual content for social channels.
• When it comes to video content, many people immediately think of Facebook and Instagram – but in doing so, they often overlook the second-largest search engine: YouTube.
• Video has been a key marketing asset for Blue Collar Success Group since Kenny launched it 14 years ago, starting with video training and marketing materials.
• Kenny explains that culture brings life internally, while social media offers outsiders a window into that company culture and who's behind it.
• Chris touches on the fact that social media serves multiple purposes, depending on the intentions you set as both an operator and an individual.
• People primarily go to social media for two reasons: information and entertainment.
• Social media is an excellent tool for home service businesses to humanize their brand – showing what's behind the uniform and who's behind the phone.
• Chris shares some noteworthy stats: 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube, while 70% use Facebook.
• Chris' advice for navigating the vast number of social platforms: "Go deep rather than wide."
• Instead of trying to be on every platform, focus on mastering a couple.
• Chris mentions an insight he heard from a content marketing expert: "Quantity has a quality all of its own."
• Kenny talks about the importance of consistency and how it applies to your unique situation – having a dedicated social media person is different from handling content on your own.
• Chris and Kenny shed light on the engagement aspect of social platforms and how it impacts your content visibility.
• Reminder: people are still wary of contractors! Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram can help build trust.
• Chris makes an analogy between social media demographics and fishing, emphasizing the importance of knowing where your ideal customers spend time.
• A key takeaway: you may be a social media user but, in many cases, you are not your own demographic.
• Kenny and Chris stress the importance of getting laser-focused on your avatar (ideal client) – who exactly are you trying to reach on social media?
• Chris warns against underestimating the power of visual content and leveraging it effectively.
• When investing in social media marketing, understanding the ROI of your efforts is crucial to making informed decisions.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e7

The Blue Collar Success Group

Kim Kardashian

Facebook

YouTube

Instagram

X

Threads

TikTok

NextDoor

You'll hear the 4-step process Chris uses to approach online reviews, how you can get more quality reviews, and how Chris used a 3-star review as a marketing asset.

• Kenny Chapman kicks things off by discussing that everything is sales.
• Kenny introduces the main topic of this episode, reviews, by emphasizing their importance.
• Chris Crew talks about how the customer experience and referral customer dynamic worked before the World Wide Web became the go-to resource for everybody.
• When it comes to online reviews, it's important to remember that different searchers have different criteria around reviews.
• Chris shares his four-step approach to looking at the online reviews a business has received.
• According to Chris your reputation as a business hinges upon how you handle things when they don't go great – and not upon what you do when things go great…
• Kenny talks about how reviews are approached at the Blue Collar Success Group, and the role Amazon has played when it comes to reviews and their role within the buying process.
• 93% of consumers say online reviews impact their purchasing decision.
• Kenny finds it mind-blowing to have almost 80% of people trust an online review as much as they do recommendations from friends and family.
• The fact that approximately 54% of consumers would only consider using a business with a minimum four-star rating means that half the population expects you to not be perfect.
• 87% of consumers prefer businesses with three-to-five-star ratings before considering them.
• Chris touches upon a couple of scenarios in which you may have received negative online reviews – and how to deal with them.
• 70% of customers say they're more likely to leave a review when an account is responsive to reviews.
• Chris sees an online review as a confirmation that says, "you did a good job!"
• At Blue Collar, it's important for different team members to know how to effectively get online reviews – Chris role plays how to get a review as a technician.
• Kenny points out that, for him, whenever a customer makes a purchase, they buy the company and the technician, then they buy the product or service.
• Kenny explains how home service businesses can get more quality online reviews and how they can get their team members to buy in.
• Spoiler alert: privacy and secrets are long gone!
• For Chris, your online presence is either a multiplier or a divider of your marketing dollars.
• Kenny and Chris talk about how to leverage positive online reviews as marketing materials.
• Chris shares how he leveraged a three start review as a marketing asset.
• The key takeaway: It's not just about collecting five-star reviews—there's hidden magic in all reviews if you leverage them properly in your business.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e6

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Yelp

Amazon

Tony Robbins

Oprah Winfrey

Peter Diamandis

From the biggest concern that keeps them up at night to the #1 cause of business failures and increasing credit card transaction fees.

You'll hear Kenny and Chris shed some light on these important issues, some of which will help you grow your business.

• Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew kick off the episode by addressing a question from audience member Haley, who asks about the challenges that are keeping them up at night in a time where consumers are financially struggling.
• Chris acknowledges that building a business is fun and rewarding and that different people have different concerns.
• The goal of pretty much every home service business owner is to grow top line – but it's important to do it profitably, stresses Chris.
• Chris explains why growing unprofitably is the most painful thing in the world, and why you should get profitability dialed in first.
• Chris and Kenny share a real-life example of a company that did not focus on profitability in its first three years–and how its business transformed once it did!
• Kenny brings Wall Street and unicorn startups into the conversation.
• Process optimization is the challenge that keeps Kenny up at night.
• Activity, commitment, courage, focus, confidence, implementation, and non-stop training all contribute to making a company take notice and want to hire you
• Chris discusses an approach that can generate very strong margins on low-end equipment.
• Scheduling is the focus of the next audience question…
• Chris touches upon the importance of having a call priority matrix in the context of sales.
• Kenny reiterates that it's about being profitable, as well as the fact that less is more.
• "Every day, we're doing the best we can in the human experience, in the service business world," says Kenny.
• Remember: your best is all you've got!
• Audience member Taylor asked Kenny and Chris for help in creating scripts and verbiage regarding a 3% credit card fee – something that Taylor's customers don't like.
• Chris' advice to Taylor is to increase all prices across the board by 3% and assume that everyone will use a credit card.
• Not being priced correctly is the #1 reason why businesses fail.
• Kenny and Chris bring up how a customer may feel if they're presented with increased credit card fees, as well as other types of fees.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e5

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Les Brown

Office Champion Academy

Venmo

Bud Light

They take back the curtain on Mister Sparky's winning strategy for sales success – including the key role of company culture, the power of grit, and intentionality around sales.

You'll hear more about avoiding the top-line sales intoxication trap, the importance of being disciplined with your focus, and the ongoing blue collar "tsunami."

• Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew kick things off by introducing their guests, Darrell Boyd and Aaron Hagan, and by sharing how Chris and Aaron actually go way back.
• January 3, 2005 was a career-defining moment for Chris: it's when he went to work for Mister Sparky in Atlanta.
• Mid-America Mister Sparky is the largest privately-held franchise in the HSB network.
• Aaron and Darrell touch upon them meeting at an electrician on-time class back in 2007.
• Darrell has a message for all those in the home service industry: It's a tough space to be in, but you should never forget that you do have support as well as access to others.
• Kenny doesn't believe in number ones and number twos…
• His approach ties into Dan Sullivan's concept of Unique Ability.
• Darrell and Aaron talk about how, as dominant number ones, they deal with people who have strong personalities.
• Not being on the same page is something that rarely happens to Mid-America Mister Sparky's Darrell Boyd and Aaron Hagan.
• Aaron opens up about his "this will not fail!" attitude, especially when he started his joint venture with Darrell.
• When he first started, Kenny was one of those "you don't understand my market" people.
• Kenny is a fan of treating a small market as if it were smaller.
• With Mid-America Mister Sparky, Darrell and Aaron are in over 10 different states.
• Aaron illustrates Mister Sparky's approach in the region Darrell and Aaron are guests of.
• Years ago, Kenny shared an important lesson with Chris: Always aim at making your future greater than your past.
• A company Christmas gala is something Aaron and Darrell use to build a better company culture – they take back the curtain on what that experience looks like.
• Kenny sees everyone on the balance sheet as the most important asset home service businesses have.
• Kenny really likes Chris' principle of wanting to keep the main thing the main thing.
• Darrell and Aaron explain how they have been able to avoid the top-line sales intoxication trap and be disciplined with their focus.
• The average ticket among the Mister Sparky locations Aaron and Darrell manage is $1,500.
• Intentionality around sales has been one of the keys to Mid-America Mister Sparky's success.
• Kenny doesn't believe in failure but only in results.
• As the saying goes, "Your first million is always the hardest."
• Aaron and Darrell discuss how they went from watching and learning to becoming those people that watch and learn from.
• Chris warns against growing at the expense of not being profitable.
• Kenny sees the beginning of a shift in the home service industry: the blue collar class will replace the white collar class in this space.
• For Aaron, grit is one of the most important things to have to achieve success.
• "If you're not failing, you're not trying," says Aaron.
• Remember: When you fail… it's not over.
• Darrell talks about the importance of having urgency match the need.
• At the end of the day, the home service space is a people's business.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e4

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Mid-America Mister Sparky

Darrell Boyd on LinkedIn

Aaron Hagan on LinkedIn

Cameron Harold

Dan Sullivan

Roger Bannister

They talk about the importance of having a process to follow, common mistakes salespeople make when visiting prospects' homes, and why you shouldn't fight objections but rather follow them.

You'll get to hear Chris and Kenny skills practice (aka role play) and share the step-by-step process that, if followed, will allow you to close more prospects.

• Today's episode addresses how to turn "just looking" prospects into paying customers.
• Chris Crew views process as something that "outperforms anything and anybody."
• Chris discusses the importance of not making assumptions in sales – and the consequences when you do.
• Uncovering a prospect's motive is the most important task when you walk into their home for the first time.
• Trying to shortcut the process and qualifying prospects too quickly are two of the biggest mistakes home service salespeople make.
• Kenny Chapman believes it's imperative to allow the process to do what it's meant to do.
• Chris and Kenny engage in skill practice (aka role play) and break down the process you should follow to qualify a prospect when visiting their home.
• Kenny emphasizes the power of running a process while allowing prospects to feel they are in control.
• Chris and Kenny unpack the scenario where a prospect says, "I'm going to look to get a couple more estimates before I make a decision."
• Remember: when there's no established buying criteria, prices become the default criteria prospects will rely on.
• For Kenny, it's important to remember that prospects are always "just looking" until they're not…
• Chris and Kenny advocate not fighting the objection, but rather following it – by following the conversation, you'll win more often than not.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e3

The Blue Collar Success Group

Sales Specialist Academy

HSBS season 2 episode 2 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e2

Best Buy

That's an objection that many home service salespeople fear – you hear that, you're doomed…

Why do some people bring that point up during an appointment and what can you do to conquer that objection to successfully close the sale?

In today's episode of the Home Service Business Success Show, hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss how to prevent the "I need to speak to my spouse objection."

You'll hear about the mindset needed, the reasons for that objection, and strategies you can use (like alternative closing and the "be-back appointment") to overcome it.

• This episode looks at what home service companies can do leading up to and during the "I need to talk to my spouse" objection they may face.
• For Chris Crew, the intake process whenever a phone conversation about the estimate for a big ticket item is taking place is key for setting up – and ultimately closing – the sale in person.
• One of the key steps of the process is to understand who the main decision maker is and ensure that they will be present at the time of the in-person appointment.
• Additionally, it's imperative to communicate to prospects that there's an expected time commitment, which will help when meeting them in person at their home.
• Chris shares a simple strategy you can use to increase the chances of all parties being present at the time of your visit.
• The "I need to talk to my spouse" conversation typically arises toward the end of an exchange – Kenny Chapman believes that it should occur earlier, rather than later.
• Kenny believes that every big purchase (of $1,000 or more) is a decision that people should discuss with their spouse/significant other.
• Chris and Kenny talk about the fact that, as a high-performing salesperson, you're going to have to do some nights and weekends.
• Kenny touches upon how COVID not only changed the way millions of people work but also the impact of those changes on the sales process of home service businesses.
• Chris brings up the concept of the so-called "be-back appointment" into the conversation – including when to rely on it.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the mindset needed and the steps you can take to facilitate the "I need to speak to my spouse" conversation and turn the momentum your way.
• Chris provides a breakdown of the "alternative close" strategy that you could leverage when having sales conversations.
• "Alternative closing goes back to consultative selling when I'm more involved with identifying what the customer wants, instead of me telling them what they need," says Chris.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e2

The Blue Collar Success Group

Sales Specialist Academy

IFTTT – If This Then That

They break down why many home service business owners struggle with the pricing confidence needed, what you need to know to truly understand value, option closing, and how to stand clear of the tug of war that often takes place between buyers and sellers.

Plus, you'll learn about a simple gesture that will help you understand whether a prospect potentially trusts you – or not – and how to best approach the price object many people have.

Tune in to learn how you can handle pricing objections and close deals like a pro.

• Kenny and Chris address the "the price is too high!" objection.
• Chris explains that the price is established by the company based on the profit margins that they desire.
• One of the challenges home service businesses face is the fact that not all team members believe in the price.
• An important reminder for you to go back to, from time to time, is that you are NOT your own customer – therefore, the price objection that shows up in your mind is an illusion.
• "The #1 price objection we have is the person delivering the price!", says Kenny.
• Feeling as if we aren't worthy of the price we're charging is one of the biggest mental challenges home service business owners face.
• Kenny shares the psychology behind what a prospect saying "The price is too high!" may be thinking.
• Remember: everyone carries a different perspective of value.
• Chris goes through the concept of option closing – something they teach over at Blue Collar Success Group.
• Chris suggests really paying attention to how a customer welcomes you into their home, because, without realizing it, people tend to give you a visual cue that will determine whether they trust you or not.
• When it comes to selling, you should have an outcome-based approach, says Chris.
• As a technician or in-home salesperson, you need to tap into the emotional drivers of why people buy.
• Kenny touches upon the price always being too high unless it touches the "buying buttons" of the potential client.
• Shy away from the buyer-seller tug of war, focus on embracing the pricing conversation (and objections) instead.
• Chris sheds some light on a couple of strategies you can use to address the "the price is too high!" objection.
• Kenny brings up a huge mistake salespeople make that negatively impacts the buying process.
• Social proof and before & after pictures are excellent tools you should be using in your sales presentations.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e1

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Learn about the career-defining moments Kenny and Chris went through, the 3 Ps the Blue Collar Success Group teaches its clients, and what you should consider – and do – to navigate through business challenges and come out successfully on the other side.

You'll also hear about who you should focus on if you want to gain energy and who to focus on if you want to lose that energy!

• Kenny starts this in-person episode by sharing that the first edition of Acceleration Days took place in August of 2015.
• Chris and Kenny bring up the "If only…" statement – and the deep meaning behind this "dangerous" association of words.
• In the early 2000s, while working as a consultant for Michael Gerber, Kenny learned that being good at your trade and profitability have nothing to do with each other.
• Chris and Kenny talk about the dangers of building a "prison" around yourself as a new business owner.
• To get out of that situation, Kenny believes that utilizing the pain is key.
• Several studies have shown that we do more to get out of pain than we do to gain pleasure.
• Trying to be the best is something you should strive for. But are you able to bring your best version when you're in pain and are NOT enjoying what you're doing?
• That's valuable advice Kenny got when he was 27, while hating what he did, and wanting to get out of that situation.
• Chris recommends asking yourself this: "What if the way is actually through the dragon?"
• "The moment that you focus on the business is the moment the business changes" – this is something Chris has heard from several very successful entrepreneurs.
• A key distinction you need to make is understanding the difference between suffering and being in pain.
• Wise words from Kenny: "Wherever you are today, be in it!"
• Wanting the result without going through the process is a mindset Chris has seen in many people.
• Kenny opens up about what led him to return to the home service business space after he had left him to focus on speaking in a different industry.
• Chris shares a story showing you why, even though you are the owner, you may not necessarily need to run the company.
• Back in 2005, Chris went through a defining moment that really made him understand that he was undervaluing himself and that unlocked his potential.
• Never forget this: "Low goals, low results."
• Kenny and Chris go into what could happen if you don't want to be average and set a bit of a stretch goal.
• At Blue Collar Success Group they teach the central role of the three Ps – parents, peers, and previous experiences – play in forming your belief systems.
• Chris and Kenny bring successful business owners who are "printing cash but are in pain" into the conversation.
• 97% of lottery winners not only are broke in 5 years but most of them are in further debt and pain than they were before – and some even commit suicide.
• Kenny explains why "What you compare yourself to can be incredibly dangerous."
• Want to give yourself energy? Compare yourself to your PAST self! Want to rob energy? Compare yourself to your FUTURE self.
• Remember: the only person you can really be is yourself.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/13

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

The Six Dimensions of C.H.A.N.G.E. 2.0: The Proven Plan for Getting What You Want by Kenny Chapman

Michael Gerber

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber

John Moss

Linda Gilmore

Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts

Garrett J. WhitePatrick Kennedy

Jim Carrey

Bob Marley

From understanding who you really are and following morning rituals to protecting your brain from distractions (and addiction!) and powering down to power up – this episode is a crash course in mental health that will make you a better professional and, overall, a better person.

Listen to learn how you can really take control of your life, so that you can control your business and bring your A game in everything you do.

• Kenny Chapman touches upon what it means to be in the energy management, as well as in the attention management, game – and its repercussions.
• There are types of addictions that seem to be acceptable today: business addiction, social media addiction, career addiction…
• It's up to you, and only you, to create the necessary boundaries to tackle those addictions.
• Chris Crew discusses the importance of being truthful to yourself and who gets hurt when that doesn't happen.
• Knowing yourself – where you thrive, what drains your energy, and everything in between – is key.
• Kenny opens up about the epiphany he had in his 40s about not having to be burnt out all the time.
• Kenny and Chris bring the importance of health into the conversation and remind everyone that "Your body is just on lease."
• Joe Polish's million dollar racehorse question will change how you think about your well-being. Ask yourself this "If I was given a million dollar racehorse, how would I treat it?"
• Sure, you may be focused on getting advice to grow your home service business… but you should never forget that the home service business is a PEOPLE business.
• Remember: the business starts to change when you change.
• Sometimes, the only way you can power up is by powering down.
• Kenny breaks down the three levels of "life happening to you."
• Chris and Kenny go over the impact of social media and other attention-eating things on your brain and overall performance.
• Kenny has a morning ritual that he follows, come hell or high water. It includes a mental download and a mental upload process.
• Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.
• As Chris puts it: "When you take control of your life, you're taking control of your business."

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/12

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 11 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/11

Dan Sullivan

Kolbe A Index

Def Leppard

Genius Network

Joe Polish

Forrest Gump

Krista Clive-Smith

Sean Stephenson

Vince Lombardi

They share personal experiences and actionable strategies for creating a productive work environment, setting healthy boundaries, and staying focused on what truly matters.

Tune in to discover how saying "no" and prioritizing your energy can transform your business and improve your relationships.

• Kenny Chapman kicks things off by stating that life is simply an energy management game and that emotion is energy in motion.
• When it comes to your energy, there's a series of questions that will help you understand how you approach yours.
• Contrary to what you may believe, doing things that drain your energy don't translate into you bringing value to your team…
• Kenny and Chris Crew pull back the curtain on an example of candid communication that happened with a Blue Collar Success Group lead.
• Remember: when you're the owner, you CAN'T interrupt the process or the flow, whether you like it or not.
• Kenny brings up a teachable moment of an owner-service manager interaction that didn't go as most people would think it should've gone.
• Processes play a key role because they create space and boundaries – they are the operating system of the business.
• Chris opens up about how he and his wife Chelsea, who works with him from home, ultimately created the ideal working environment for them.
• Chris and his wife created boundaries by establishing the difference between personal conversations and relationship-related matters and professional ones.
• It's imperative that you don't let relationships bleed over into all conversations…otherwise, you'll have plenty of blurred lines!
• Kenny shares a series of key questions he and his wife Christy have asked themselves throughout the years.
• Boundaries are positives for two reasons: they keep things in and they keep things out.
• Always keep in mind that what adds to your energy and what takes away from your energy are different for everybody.
• Chris suggests asking yourself "What are the things I need to know? And what are the things I need to 'NO'?"
• Kenny and Chris discuss the overcommitment trap – and why you should avoid falling into it.
• Chris shares an exercise that will help you approach tasks, as well as your effectiveness in dealing with them, differently.
• Never forget this: chaos ensues because you don't learn to say no.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/11

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

HSBS episode 10 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/10

Management Growth Academy

Jack Stack

Dan Sullivan

Covey Planner

From mental aspects and key questions like "Am I serving my business or is my business serving me?" to the difference between boundaries and barriers, and common mistakes leaders make – you'll get a crash course on preventing inefficiency caused by mental fatigue.

• This episode addresses a topic that's very much present in the home service business industry: calming the chaos and dealing with exhaustion.
• Chris opens up about dealing with different types of exhaustion – and how they differ from one another.
• Following a pace that drives you to mentally feel exhausted ends up crippling you physically.
• Kenny believes that, in society, there's a collective agreement that burnout is not only acceptable, but it's kind of expected.
• Chris explains how his why – the reason why he got into the industry in the first place – has allowed the chaos not to get out of hand.
• Remember: the business isn't going to create boundaries for you, it's going to be you who needs to set them!
• Kenny touches upon one of the laws for blue collar success: essential self-care.
• A key question you should ask yourself is "Am I serving my business or is my business serving me?"
• Kenny shares his thoughts on his current situation, while Chris stresses that, oftentimes, it's not the business itself but who's in the business that drains you.
• "Magnified Agitation" is one of the first signs of a condition that could lead to burnout.
• "Your emotional quotient (EQ) or emotional intelligence allows you to be emotionally regulated (ER)," says Chris.
• Chris and Kenny discuss "the grind" and the impact it may end up having on you.
• Having unclear boundaries is one of the "sins" managers who operate in chaos are guilty of.
• If you're a leader who's focused on being selfless, you're making a big mistake...you should be "self-full" instead.
• Kenny goes over the difference between boundaries and barriers – and why it's important to have clarity on this distinction.
• Chris shares a powerful delegation tip that will help you become a better leader, while Kenny talks about why many leaders who are "firefighters" tend to be "arsonists" too.
• Never forget that success is sustainable only when you're calm and you're focused on keeping yourself in control.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/10

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

University of Notre Dame

50 Cent

Joe Rogan

But what goes into creating the right conditions to make it happen?

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the mental and emotional sides of cash flow – including a key lesson that will help you overcome challenges, the power of your Unique Ability, and why you shouldn't overextend yourself.

• This episode of the Home Service Business Success Show addresses positive cash flow – making it rain with cash.
• Co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about what you may or may not hear when things go well in your business…and when they don't.
• Kenny touches upon the mental and the emotional side of money and cash flow.
• Chris shares his great-grandfather's message about facing challenges in life (and business).
• Whenever you earn money, it's up to you to decide whether you want to pocket it to pursue something in your personal life or inject it back into your business to grow it.
• Kenny opens up about a mistake he made with his team years ago, while Chris explains why business doesn't have to suck.
• An important lesson Chris learned from Dan Sullivan: "When other people make things look easy, it's because they're in their Unique Ability.
• Something key for you to remember: some seasons you'll be in a "season of suck" but you'll get back to making it rain!
• Chris and Kenny discuss the role of cash as a tool, the danger of predatory loans, and the starting point needed to "make it rain."
• Kenny brings cash flow confidence into the conversation – and why you should be looking at your model as something that's always moving, always evolving.
• Overextending yourself can be risky, Chris explains why.
• As Kenny puts it: "Process allows Unique Ability."
• Focus is key. "What you focus on grows, what you ignore dies," says Chris.
• There's a common question home service business owners are confronted with – picking a specific answer to it can lead to you blocking future cash flow generation.
• Many home service business owners make the mistake of forgetting that profit doesn't equal cash.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/9

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 8 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/8

Dan Sullivan

But what if someone told you that that's just a myth ready to be debunked?

In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew tackle the myths surrounding cash flow and discuss cash confidence, creating a 90-day cash buffer, having an abundance mindset, and explain why "cash is NOT king."

Tune in to learn how to keep your business thriving no matter the economic climate.

• In today's episode co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about cash flow and why cash ISN'T king.
• Kenny touches upon the shift that's currently taking place in the blue collar trade.
• Chris shares what "cash is king" meant to him in the 1990s – and explains why POSITIVE cash flow is king.
• Kenny brings up the concept of cash confidence, the confidence in your ability to generate the cash that you need.
• Chris doesn't believe that knowledge is power…it needs to be turned into action.
• Remember: truth is knowledge but wisdom is the application of knowledge.
• If you're saying "my business is debt-free!", there's something you're forgetting.
• Kenny opens up about what a friend from the financial planning space told him about being afraid to "party with his cash."
• Not being able to manage cash is something Chris sees as a cause of many blue collar businesses going belly up.
• Following Chris' 90-day cash "buffer" is an advice that saved one of the Blue Collar Success Group's clients from having his business being forced to close its doors.
• Are you looking for a way to take cash and let it still be working for you without it being tied up? Look at money markets!
• Chris invites you to avoid having such a scarcity mindset that you end up sitting on cash all the time.
• Unlocking an abundance mindset will become a game-changing move for every home service business owner.
• Kenny takes back the curtain on what the "best operator" he had ever met told him.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/8

The Blue Collar Success Group

Frank Blau

HSBS episode 7 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/7

Square

Venmo

Atlanta Falcons

New England Patriots

Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace With Your Money by Ken Honda

Dave Ramsey

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

Home Depot

Robert Kiyosaki

And what comes to mind when you think about breaking even – yay or nay?

In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into essential strategies for muscling up your margins.

From understanding gross margin dollars per hour to setting the right prices for your services, and all the way to the steps needed to go into hyperprofit mode…these actionable insights will help you boost profitability and avoid common pitfalls!

• Chris Crew brings up Under Armour and introduces the importance of visualization in business into the conversation.
• Kenny and Chris make the example of exercising and how approaching that the right way is how one should look at "muscling up" margins in business.
• Being driven in your business is key – but you need to make taking care of yourself one of your, if not THE, top priorities.
• Chris explains how profitability is 100% boiled down to gross margin dollars per hour…but he also emphasizes that there's a challenge with it.
• Incorrect pricing is one of the main reasons why businesses fail – to avoid that trap, there's an important question home service business owners should ask themselves.
• The second reason why businesses fail is the inability to get clients willing to pay the price they're actually asking for.
• Chris believes that your close rate on the phone and in the field is a multiplier or a divider of your marketing dollars.
• Chris breaks down the minimum billable hour formula, something you can use even if you're running a start-up.
• Working on picking the right price? "Your technicians and sales people have to buy the price first", says Kenny.
• Chris and Kenny talk about the importance of focusing on your break-even point and its relation to being in hyperprofit mode.
• Kenny explains how a $100M company operates incredibly similarly to a $2M company.
• When it comes to wanting to be in hyperprofit mode, it's important to keep in mind that, if not approached correctly, the strategy could backfire big time.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/7

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 6 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/6

Under Armour

Les Brown

Layne Staley

Kurt Cobain

Tony Robbins

Microsoft

Phoenix Suns

…and that can have COSTLY consequences.

In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew look at the critical aspects of profitability and operational efficiency. They challenge traditional thinking about business margins and touch upon the most common "profit suckers" many business owners completely overlook.

And to help you protect your profit margins, you'll hear a couple of real-life examples too!

• Chris Crew shares a story that relates to wanting to drive profitability into a business – there's some other stuff going on and you have to be aware.
• Kenny Chapman touches upon a couple of examples of so-called "profit-suckers."
• The real question shouldn't be "What kind of margin are you running?," rather "What do you account for direct cost in your business?," says Chris.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the things that can start eroding profit margins – starting with gross margin.
• Never forget: when you know who you are, you'll know what to do.
• Chris believes that the very first thing anyone should do when they want to strengthen profit margins is to first look at gross margin.
• Did you know that in most services businesses, 50% of the revenue is in field labor, office labor, overhead labor, material and equipment?
• Chris explains why he believes that the process in your business should NOT be built around people.
• Chris and Kenny talk about operational inefficiencies, AA, "closing the loop", and how Chris built his business off of other people's money by leveraging his relationships.
• "We defend what we know because uncertainty is so scary," says Kenny – don't fall victim to this!
• Chris and Kenny share an example of how much operational inefficiency can start to eat up your profit margin.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/6

The Blue Collar Success Group

Frank Blau

HSBS episode 5 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/5

HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1

In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the dangers of "top line intoxication" and how it impacts profitability, culture, and quality of life.

You'll learn about balancing intuition with systems, understanding true costs, creating a business that's true to your values, and why you should approach your business as if you're going to sell it…even if that's not actually the case.

• Co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew share their desire to give back to the home service industry.
• Chris compares the relentless chase for top line revenue to "an addict looking for the next high" and breaks down the neurological cycle behind it.
• Chris breaks down the neurological process that takes place when the top line revenue "cycle" occurs.
• Focusing solely on revenue growth – while ignoring profitability and margins – can lead to dangerous consequences for your business.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the intoxication around income – and what impact it can have on your quality of life.
• A client of Blue Collar Success Group chose not to scale his $3M company to $10M – Chris discusses the main reason behind his decision.
• Beware: top line intoxication can lead you to not only sacrifice profits and margins, but company culture too!
• Kenny and Chris talk about bringing together different ways of approaching life, the role of intuition in business, and running at your own pace.
• Thinking about your business as if you're planning to sell it will lead you to having systems in place, quality leadership, and you driving profit.
• Here's a powerful "mantra" for home service business owners: when the business isn't right, it's because something isn't being done right on the basics.
• Chris unpacks the concepts of understanding your true cost to open the doors and pricing your services for the business you want to become, not the one you are today.
• There's a healthier "dopamine rush" every business owner should chase: clarity on daily costs and a sustainable path to success.
• Chris lays out the key metrics to track at different revenue stages, from $250K to $10M+, and how they can guide your growth journey.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/5

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1

HSBS episode 4 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/4

Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke

Tony Robbins

Alan O'Neill

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the mindset, strategies, and processes that drive successful sales, even in a challenging market.

From overcoming industry resistance to creating repeatable systems, you'll hear game-changing insights that will help put your business on "fast forward."

• Co-host Kenny Chapman reveals his initial focus when launching Blue Collar Success Group and how it shaped his approach to sales.
• Kenny and Chris Crew talk about the power of doing things differently in sales and how sales can "cover up a multitude of sins" in a business.
• Kenny is a firm believer of the fact that businesses are ruined when things are good – it just doesn't show up until things slow down.
• Chris brings up the sales resistance that seems to be present within the home service business industry.
• As a home service business owner, you're a sales and marketing person…whether you like it or not.
• Chris touches upon what happens when you're more focused on sales as a practice instead of as a tactic.
• Kenny talks about an impactful phenomenon that's just starting: the so-called blue collar tsunami.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the importance of people and processes – and the mindset business owners should have when it comes to their staff.
• When it comes to sales, there's an important lesson home service businesses can learn from Hollywood.
• Want to really put your business on "fast forward"? Get a repeatable, duplicable, sales process in place.
• Chris illustrates the role of TTQ (time to quote), number of options, and number of line items per call within the sales process and the art of mastering it.
• Chris spills the beans on a couple of different strategies he leverages whenever he's confronted with objections by a potential client.
• Chris shares an analogy between sales and medicine.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/4

The Blue Collar Success Group

Leadership in a Nutshell Podcast

Frank Blau

Jim Rohn

Nick Nanton

Paulding County High School

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

In this episode, Chris Crew and Kenny Chapman from The Blue Collar Success Group provide an overview of different strategies home services businesses can use to get the word out.

From ways to create organic content at scale, to pay-per-click, understanding your marketing budget and tapping into "old school" and innovative marketing channels – no stone is left unturned here! Tune in to learn how to best attract your target clients.

• Chris Crew starts by explaining what he actually sees when looking at magic to marketing.
• Want more effective lead generation strategies? Look at how to create a scalable process.
• Chris and Kenny Chapman do a quick recap of the previous HSBS episode – which talked about "no leads, no problem?"
• Chris doesn't believe in set-it-and-forget-it, rather in making a plan, executing it, and then making adjustments.
• "Look at the numbers" doesn't mean what you probably think it means, says Chris.
• Chris and Kenny look at "the most undervalued marketing channel there is" – social media.
• Organic content vs. paid ads – here's what you should know about using them in your home service business.
• Chris believes that Google and pay-per-click ads will become the Yellow Pages of marketing.
• Got a website? It will probably become more important than ever, especially with A.I.
• Chris talks about what you should do if or when you're not the expert.
• Kenny touches upon the importance of mindset and a surprising thing about the change happening today.
• For Kenny, marketing is simply an exchange of information.
• Remember this: resisting change is NOT a good idea…
• Chris and Kenny discuss change, the role of testing, and why "where there's attention, there will be ads."
• Chris shares the questions he asks any vendor before doing any paid advertising work together, as well as a couple of strategies and resources to add magic to your marketing.
• Kenny breaks down the etymology of the word "ignorance", and what home service business owners can do to potentially fill gaps in their marketing approach.
• Chris and Kenny touch upon some psychological hack and strategies that can make your marketing more effective and increase sales.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/3

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1

HSBS episode 2 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/2

The Six Dimensions of C.H.A.N.G.E.: The Proven Plan to Getting What You Want by Kenny Chapman

Nextdoor

Thumbtack

Pandora

YouTube Music

Vizard.ai

The Next 100 Years: A Forecast of the 21st Century by George Friedman

Tune in to hear about practical tips for filling your pipeline with quality lead generation, how to approach sales calls and spend your marketing budget, and brand awareness, as well as market domination and the role your mindset will play in all of this.

• The episode kicks off with The Blue Collar Success Group president Chris Crew and founder Kenny Chapman addressing the question "No leads, no problem?"
• Chris shares a story of what happens with his past business that led them to go from not having enough calls to having too many calls with leads.
• Kenny explains why the way you're probably thinking about leads right now is short-sighted.
• A common mistake people make with leads is putting away the "digging tools" as soon as things go well.
• Chris discusses something you can do, from an operational standpoint, to truly see what's going on in your business.
• On a call, do you tend to give a long list of the services you provide? "Do things differently," says Chris Crew. "List only what you don't offer."
• Chris and Kenny address the aspect of budget in relation to leads and marketing, and the reasons why businesses struggle with lead generation.
• Remember: a part of your marketing is about testing things.
• Some business owners forget to track the effectiveness of what they're already doing marketing-wise.
• Kenny takes back the curtain on one strategy that helped him dominate his market.
• Chris and Kenny go over why you shouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket, as well as how to go about actually testing your efforts and strategies.
• When it comes to brand awareness, ensure that all of your marketing looks and feels like your brand.
• For Kenny, leads are like speaking languages – make sure that you're speaking the right language to the right lead.
• Chris identifies the type of leads you shouldn't buy first when using a lead aggregator.
• An important lesson to remember: it may feel boring at times but, as Kenny says, "When it comes to your brand, boring is brilliant!"

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/2

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1

Angi (formerly known as HomeAdvisor)

Yellow Pages

Family Feud

Steve Harvey

Coca-Cola

Pepsi

They explore mental health and pacing yourself to avoid burnout, all from a business owner's standpoint.

You'll also hear about seasonality in business, how to manage the pressures of growth and what you can do to avoid the "Bannister Effect."

• Kenny Chapman, founder of The Blue Collar Success Group, kicks off the episode by sharing an important truth: "It's about pace, not race."
• The Blue Collar Success Group President and co-host Chris Crew explains how sharing the right thing at the wrong time…is actually the WRONG thing!
• There's an ongoing mental health crisis, which is even exacerbated in business ownership.
• Just like in sports, business too has seasonality.
• Chris touches upon what it's needed for you to really achieve work-life balance.
• Kenny and Chris discuss consciously doing things, the type of pressure you would want to have, and the role that pressure and fatigue can play in your business.
• Chris shares a deep race-business ownership analogy that will probably help you put things in a different perspective.
• For Chris, one of the big issues has to do with people tying self-worth to the size of their company.
• The "Bannister Effect" is a danger for business owners – Chris and Kenny explain why.
• If you want to set a pace to avoid "playing a game you can't win," having a plan is key.
• Feeling fatigue? It's probably because your race seems never-ending, says Chris.
• Kenny goes over why, in business, "boring" is really powerful.
• Chris and Kenny share how to avoid becoming a victim of the game that you designed.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1

The Blue Collar Success Group

Dan Sullivan's Strategic Coach

Roger Bannister

Start With Why by Simon Sinek