Ep 161: The Leadership Lessons Behind Building a Trades Business with Evan Richard

Ep 161: The Leadership Lessons Behind Building a Trades Business with Evan Richard

In this episode, Evan Richard, founder of ER Plumbing Services shares his journey from selling cars to building a successful plumbing business. Evan shares how he launched ER Plumbing in 2019, the rapid growth that followed the 2021 Houston freeze, and the lessons he's learned about leadership, entrepreneurship, and work-life balance. The conversation explores why skilled trades offer tremendous career opportunities, the importance of mentorship, building customer trust, and creating a business focused on education instead of high-pressure sales. Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com [https://www.gopromotive.com/]. Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co/] to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking. Visit https://www.tekmetric.com [https://www.tekmetric.com/] to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence. Optimize Labor. Unlock Capacity. For less than $5 a day per technician, improve absorption rate, increase ELR, and give your techs the career pathway that keeps them engaged and in the bay. Book a demo today!  https://meetings.hubspot.com/jen-grimes/demo-meeting?utm_campaign=41778739-Limitless+Leadership&utm_source=Limited+Leadership&utm_medium=LL+referral&uuid=57616c84-28ec-48d0-9a44-7b64074e5d8c [https://meetings.hubspot.com/jen-grimes/demo-meeting?utm_campaign=41778739-Limitless+Leadership&utm_source=Limited+Leadership&utm_medium=LL+referral&uuid=57616c84-28ec-48d0-9a44-7b64074e5d8c] Timestamps: 00:00 Commitment Takes Time 00:32 Podcast Introduction 01:05 Meet Evan Richard 03:47 Evan's Origin Story 04:39 Launching ER Plumbing 05:19 Houston Freeze Breakthrough 06:24 Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship 08:31 Health, Boundaries, and Balance 12:12 Daily Habits for Success 15:30 College vs. Skilled Trades 19:54 Starting a Trade at a Young Age 21:19 Building Wealth Through the Trades 22:47 From Apprentice to Business Owner 23:36 Inside the ER Plumbing Team 24:48 Legacy and Leadership 25:47 A Hands-On Service Model 28:13 Building Trust Without Upselling 31:07 Educating the Customer 32:44 Partnerships and Networking 37:10 Preparation and Mentorship 38:40 Service Area and Business Growth 40:03 Closing Thoughts     I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co].

Ep 160: Hiring for Culture Changes Everything with Stacey Black and Ethan Whidden

In this episode, Stacey Black and Ethan Whidden from Promotive join the podcast to share their thoughts on leadership and culture in the automotive industry. Stacy emphasizes the critical importance of aligning new hires with shop culture to ensure long-term retention and positive impact. Ethan speaks to the role strong internal culture and leadership play at Promotive, highlighting the value of vulnerability, support, and real connection among remote teams. Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com. Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence. Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co/] to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking. Atlantic Automotive is a faith-based, family-owned coalition that partners with, invests in, and grows exceptional auto repair shops across the U.S. by providing technology, capital, and operational support — whether owners want to scale or transition their legacy. If you're interested in partnering, go to https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/  [https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/] and fill out the "Start a Conversation" form. Timestamps: 00:00 – What Promotive Stands For: Retention Through Culture 05:10 – Matching Technicians to Shop Culture: The Promotive Process 07:21 – Real-World Shop Cultures: Rigid vs. Artsy 12:55 – Team Retreats & Remote Bonding: Building Internal Culture 25:26 – Stacy’s Story: Facing Cancer and Team Support 36:27 – Advice to Leaders: Make a Difference, Every Day   I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co].

Ep 159: The Leadership Test Every Owner Faces with Dan Thieken and Ted Cooke

In this episode, Dan Thieken and Ted Cooke from Kreager Tire and Service share their journey navigating leadership, friendship, and business partnership. Dan reflects on the challenges and rewards of compartmentalizing personal relationships to make tough business decisions, including hiring and even having to let go of family members. Ted discusses the importance of empowering team members to exceed their own expectations and highlights the impact a leader can have by believing in others. Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com. Atlantic Automotive is a faith-based, family-owned coalition that partners with, invests in, and grows exceptional auto repair shops across the U.S. by providing technology, capital, and operational support — whether owners want to scale or transition their legacy. If you're interested in partnering, go to https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/  [https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/] and fill out the "Start a Conversation" form. Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com. Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome: Meet Dan Thieken & Ted Cooke 02:06 – The Early Days: From Colleagues to Friends 03:22 – Reuniting: Taking the Leap to Work Together Again 05:30 – The Challenge of Hiring Friends (and Family!) 10:45 – Stepping Back to Let Others Lead 15:37 – Building Team Camaraderie & Changing Faces 18:19 – Winning Over the Community 19:23 – What True Leadership Means to Ted 20:45 – Growing Talent: Success Stories from the Garage 25:51 – The Best Advice from Mentors 31:23 – Final Wisdom: “Don’t Be a Jerk”   I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co].

Ep 158: Stop Managing. Start Multiplying Leaders. | Shawn Gilfillan

In this episode, Shawn Gilfillan, multi-shop owner from New Jersey, joins the podcast live at the Tektonic 2026 conference. Shawn reflects on how personal growth and self-awareness transformed his leadership approach, emphasizing the critical role of mindset in building strong teams. He also shares practical strategies for developing leaders within an organization, including the use of DISC profiles for improved communication and the importance of creating easy, repeatable wins to keep teams motivated. Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.  Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.  Atlantic Automotive is a faith-based, family-owned coalition that partners with, invests in, and grows exceptional auto repair shops across the U.S. by providing technology, capital, and operational support — whether owners want to scale or transition their legacy. If you're interested in partnering, go to https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/  [https://atlanticautomotivegroup.com/] and fill out the "Start a Conversation" form. Timestamps: 00:00 – Meet Shawn Gilfillan and his passion for people development 01:27 – The turning point: Self-awareness and the power of mindset 03:16 – Leading through failure: Owning mistakes and shifting your approach 08:36 – Creating contagious energy: Leading by example and inspiring your team 12:52 – Leadership breakthrough: Empowering others and celebrating their wins 17:44 – DISC Profiles: Unlocking better communication and team dynamics 20:29 – What is true leadership? Creating leaders stronger than yourself 26:54 – Advice to your younger self (and every leader): Rewriting the stories that hold you back 31:11 – Best mentor advice: Be wanted, not needed—crafting a sustainable business 33:26 – Final reflections: Breaking free from frustration and creating lasting impact   I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co].

Ep 157: Great Culture Doesn't Happen by Accident with Sam Freeman and Amber Wright

Amber Wright is the VP of Business Development at Tekmetric, and Sam Freeman is the Partnership Manager at Promotive. Today, Josh and Bret talk with the ladies about the role of culture in building high-performing teams, the ongoing challenges and importance of recruiting top talent in the automotive industry, and the need for leaders to embrace growth by stepping into discomfort and letting go of control. Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com.  Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.  Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.  Visit Golden Hour Garage at https://www.goldenhourgarage.com to schedule a discovery call - & Own Your Golden Hour.  Timestamps: 00:10 – Meet Amber Wright & Sam Freeman 02:12 – Growing Teams, Growing Responsibilities: Leadership at Scale 04:08 – Tackling the Hiring Struggle and Never-Ending Fires 07:11 – How Company Culture Drives Success 13:08 – Most Challenging, Most Rewarding Roles: Embracing the Suck 17:43 – Steps of Faith Over Leaps: Leading Through Fear and Uncertainty 22:18 – Setting Expectations and Holding the Line on Team Standards 28:36 – Why Vendor Relationships Matter at Trade Shows 34:09 – Building an Abundant Community in Automotive 38:08 – Where to Find Tekmetric & Promotive   I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co [https://www.limitlessleadership.co].