21. BUILDING MORE THAN A BUSINESS Jim Newman on Relationships, Resilience, and Lasting Leadership

21. BUILDING MORE THAN A BUSINESS Jim Newman on Relationships, Resilience, and Lasting Leadership

What does it take to build something that lasts for more than 50 years? In the first episode of our special HVAC Leaders series, Three Generations of HVAC Leadership, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Jim Newman, co-founder of ThermalNetics, to explore the leadership principles, customer relationships, and decisions that built a company designed to stand the test of time. Jim shares stories from the early days of ThermalNetics, why selling service instead of simply selling equipment changed the customer experience, and how listening, resilience, and continuous learning became the foundation of his leadership philosophy. The conversation goes beyond HVAC. Jim reflects on failure, mentorship, purpose, and why great leaders never stop learning. He also shares how a book by Pema Chödrön, Welcoming the Unwelcome, influenced the way he thinks about setbacks, growth, and attitude. This episode begins our special three-part series: Three Generations of HVAC Leadership Part 1: Where We Started with Jim Newman Part 2: Where We've Been with Rick Sutkiewicz (Coming Soon) Part 3: Where We're Going with Matt Russell (Coming Soon) In this episode, you'll learn: * Why relationships have always been the foundation of great business * How ThermalNetics differentiated itself by selling service, not just equipment * Why leaders should spend more time listening than talking * What resilience really looks like in business and in life * Why failure can become one of your greatest teachers * How mentoring the next generation strengthens the future of the HVAC industry * Why existing buildings represent one of the industry's biggest opportunities Resources Mentioned * Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World by Pema Chödrön Learn more about the book [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/603849/welcoming-the-unwelcome-by-pema-chodron/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Connect with Jim * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimnewmandeanofgreen/ Whether you're leading a business, mentoring future leaders, or looking for perspective from someone who has spent decades shaping the HVAC industry, this episode is a reminder that lasting success isn't built overnight. It's built through relationships, resilience, and a commitment to making the people around you better.

20. The Inner Game of HVAC Leadership: Elise Radawitz on Mindset Shifts That Build Cultures People Want to Stay In

What if retention starts with how leaders show up every day? In this episode of HVAC Leaders, host Ashlei Rolloff talks with Elise Radawitz, founder of Velocity Leader, about the inner game of leadership in the trades: the mindset, self-awareness, communication, and emotional literacy required to build cultures where people want to stay. Elise brings nearly a decade of experience across HR, sales, marketing, and learning and development in HVAC distribution. After seeing the same leadership gaps show up across distributors, contractors, wholesalers, and manufacturers, she built Velocity Leader to help leaders in the trades become calmer, more confident, and less reactive. They cover: * Why strong technical performers are often promoted before they are prepared to lead * The difference between managing tasks and leading people * Why self-awareness is the starting point for better communication and accountability * How one-on-ones can build connection instead of feeling like another corporate process * Why emotional literacy matters in a practical, relationship-driven industry * How leaders can become less reactive and more curious * Why denying the human side of leadership keeps teams stuck For HVAC executives, contractors, distributors, and marketers, this conversation brings leadership back to what truly drives retention: people who feel connected, coached, and supported by the leaders in front of them. More on Elise Radawitz:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliseradawitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliseradawitz/]https://velocity-leader.com/ [https://velocity-leader.com/]The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod - https://a.co/d/0cB9uk2V

19. Institutional Knowledge Has an Expiration Date: Ben Bomar on Protecting HVAC Growth

What happens when your company’s most valuable knowledge walks out the door? In this episode of HVAC Leaders, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Ben Bomar of Lithius to unpack one of the biggest operational risks facing HVAC and field service companies today: losing institutional knowledge faster than it can be transferred. As companies scale, sales growth often outpaces operational readiness. Ben shares how HVAC leaders can identify the warning signs before customer experience, profitability, and team confidence begin to suffer. They discuss: * Why operational infrastructure breaks before leadership realizes it * The “many-to-few” problem hiding inside service businesses * How vacations, retirements, and light duty assignments expose process gaps * Why customer complaints and repeat trips are often training problems in disguise * The difference between knowing, doing, and being when capturing institutional knowledge * Why documenting everything is not the same as preserving wisdom * How HVAC companies can create scalable knowledge transfer systems without overwhelming the team * Practical first steps leaders can take immediately Ben also shares why institutional knowledge should be treated like any other critical business asset and why waiting until retirement is often too late. For HVAC leaders navigating growth, workforce shifts, succession planning, or operational scaling, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for protecting what makes your company valuable. More on Ben Bomar:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbomar/ https://www.lithyus.com/

18. AI Won’t Replace Leaders. Passive Leaders Will Fall Behind: Panel Discussion with Ashlei Rolloff, Chris Morbitzer, Rosalynn Verges, and Zac Engler on Intentional AI Adoption

AI adoption is not a technology problem. It is a leadership decision.  In this episode of HVAC Leaders, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Zac Engler, Chris Morbitzer, and Rosalynn Verges for an honest conversation about what AI adoption actually looks like inside growing businesses.  This is not another conversation about shiny tools or fear-driven headlines. It is a practical discussion about leadership, operations, culture, and the real maturity ladder companies must climb if they want AI to create measurable business value.  Ashlei and the panel unpack why some companies scale faster with AI while others stall after rollout, how executives should think about adoption, and why the future belongs to leaders willing to rethink work itself.  Key insights from the episode:  * Why most companies suffer from “AI shiny object syndrome”   * The AI maturity ladder and how businesses move from experimentation to real operational integration   * Why AI adoption fails when leaders delegate the strategy   * How fear and identity impact team adoption more than the tools themselves   * What successful AI rollouts actually look like inside organizations   * How to measure ROI from AI investments before scaling   * Why AI should remove repetitive work, not human connection   * The leadership responsibility behind creating healthier, more sustainable workplaces   Memorable takeaway:  “Leaders, you own that choice.” — Rosalynn Verges  If you are an HVAC executive, marketer, or business owner trying to separate AI hype from real operational strategy, this conversation gives you a grounded framework for moving forward with clarity.    More on Rosalynn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalynnverges/  More on Zac:  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacengler/]https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacengler/  More on Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismorbitzer/

17. Stop Being the Bottleneck: Lori Bruhns on Coaching Your Team to Think

What if the answers that built your HVAC business are now slowing your team down?  In this episode of HVAC Leaders, host Ashlei Rolloff sits down with executive coach Lori Bruhns to discuss a leadership shift that many technical leaders struggle with: moving from telling people the answers to coaching them to think.  After nearly two decades coaching engineers, executives, and technical leaders, Lori has seen the same pattern repeatedly. Leaders succeed because they know the answers. But eventually, that strength turns them into the bottleneck.  Instead of building a team that solves problems, they unintentionally build a team that waits.  Lori explains how a coaching mindset changes that dynamic and creates teams that think, solve, and grow on their own.  Key insights from this episode:  * Why the same expertise that built your company can limit your growth  * The leadership shift from telling to asking  * How curious questions reveal gaps in thinking and training  * The difference between closed questions (facts) and curious questions (insight)  * How the language shift from problem to puzzle changes how teams approach challenges  * Why technicians and operators often need 90–180 days to truly absorb new knowledge   * The four learning styles leaders should understand to train teams more effectively  Referenced Links: Grab Lori’s coaching guide: https://loribruhns.com/guide/hvac-coaching-guide [https://loribruhns.com/guide/hvac-coaching-guide] More on Lori: https://loribruhns.com [https://loribruhns.com] Connect with Lori: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribruhns/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribruhns/]