Freedom Blueprint for Home Services | HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Leadership, Business Growth

162 | The "Home Field Advantage" Sales Process: How a 14-Person HVAC Shop Sells $25K Systems

What if the secret to higher HVAC tickets wasn't a better pitch, but a better room? Justin Deese sits down with Ryan St. Michel of Grove Mechanical to break down the showroom sales process that tripled revenue in a town of just 7,200 people. In this Freedom Blueprint Podcast episode, Ryan shares how desperation pushed him away from bottom-of-the-barrel pricing and into a top-down selling system — five options, premium-first, every time. Then he walks through the purpose-built showroom that closes the deal: dual TVs, a wall of Google reviews, working equipment customers can touch and hear, and fresh chocolate chip cookies. Whether you run a small shop or think "that won't work in my market," this is a blueprint for differentiating on experience instead of price. ⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS 0:00 - Meet Ryan St. Michel & "Motivational Bullying" 2:30 - Buying the Family Business & Tripling Revenue 4:13 - Where the Unique Sales Process Came From 6:30 - The Shift to Top-Down Selling & Five-Option Quotes 9:06 - Why More Options Beats One Bottom-of-the-Barrel System 10:05 - Top-Down Pricing and Beating Sticker Shock 12:17 - Walking Through the Full Lead-to-Sale Process 13:50 - Inside the Showroom: TVs, Reviews & Live Equipment 16:00 - The Chocolate Chip Cookie Strategy 17:00 - Home-Field Advantage & Building Trust 20:09 - Why 95% of Customers Come In to Buy 23:00 - "That Won't Work in My Market" — Debunked 24:34 - Shop Tours, Pack-Outs & Efficiency Wins 27:00 - KPIs, One-on-Ones & Coaching Techs to Sell 30:03 - Future Goals: Profit, People & Buying Back Time 🎯 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: ✅ Why Ryan switched from one-option, bottom-up quotes to five-option, top-down selling ✅ The "leave your mother in the truck" rule for recommending premium systems ✅ How to build a distraction-free showroom that does the selling for you (TVs, reviews, live equipment — and cookies) ✅ How ~95% of customers agree to come in for the in-person presentation ✅ Why the "that won't work in my small market" excuse is costing you money ✅ KPI tracking and one-on-ones that uncover the real reason techs aren't selling ✅ Pack-out systems that cut a furnace install from 8 hours to 3.5 "If you don't know you can have it, how would you ever buy it?" — Ryan St. Michel If you own or run a home service business and you've been competing on price instead of experience, this episode will change how you think about your sales process. 🎧 Welcome to The Freedom Blueprint Podcast — real conversations with home service business owners who are leading better, growing faster, and building businesses that work for them. 👉 Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode 👉 Share this with a contractor who needs to stop competing on price 👤 ABOUT THE GUEST Ryan St. Michel is the third-generation owner of Grove Mechanical, an HVAC company in Crookston, Minnesota. 🔗 RESOURCES & LINKS * Grove Mechanical [https://grovemech.com/] * Connect with Ryan: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/grovemechanical/] 📣 ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? Follow Freedom Blueprint Podcast and leave a rating & review — it helps more contractors find the show. Share this episode with an owner who needs to hear it. #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACBusiness #ContractorMarketing #FreedomBlueprint #JustinDeese #HVACSales #ServiceBusinessGrowth #SalesProcess #ContractorTips #BusinessGrowth #Showroom #TopDownSelling #SmallBusinessGrowth #TechnicianTraining #CustomerExperience Mentioned in this episode: HomeServiceHoorah.com/ Get your tickets before they SELLOUT!

161 | My #1 Rule in Business and it’s the most profitable rule.

My number one rule in business isn't money, freedom, or anything the gurus are screaming at you to chase; and half of you are going to roll your eyes when I tell you what it is. It's fun. And in this episode I'm making the case that fun isn't soft or fluffy, it's the most powerful, most profitable, most underrated weapon you've got in your home service business. Energy is contagious, and your customers can feel the difference between a tech who's grinding through a miserable day and one who actually loves where he works. I'll hand you a three-letter game plan you can run starting tomorrow: Forget the widget, Uplift your people, Never kill the vibe. Do those three things consistently and you build a place people don't want to leave — easier recruiting, loyal customers, and a culture no comp plan or software can buy. Pick one letter and make one move this week. New episodes every week, hit follow so you don't miss what's coming next. 🎧 Freedom Blueprint Podcast — keep having fun, keep enjoying your people, and as always, keep crushing it. Justin reveals the one rule he's built every company around, and it isn't money, freedom, or anything the business gurus push. It's fun: building a place with so much good energy that your team and your customers want to be part of it. He makes the case that fun isn't soft or fluffy, it's the most powerful and underrated weapon in a home service business, because energy is contagious and customers can feel the difference between a tech who's grinding through a miserable day and one who loves where he works. Then he hands you a three-letter game plan you can run starting tomorrow: * F — Forget the Widget: The unit, the part, the service was never the point. It's just the vehicle. Do great work, but don't let the widget become the whole business or you suck the soul out of it and everything goes transactional. * U — Uplift Your People: Energy starts with the owner. You're the thermostat, not the thermometer — you set the temperature. Know your people's kids' names, catch them doing things right, celebrate wins, and have their backs. Most of it costs nothing, and when people feel poured into, they pour back. * N — Never Kill the Vibe: Once the energy is building, protect it. The fastest way to lose it is tolerating one toxic person — and nobody is too good to lose if they're killing the vibe. Sometimes the vibe-killer is you, so guard your own energy too and leave the bad day in the truck. The payoff: a place people don't want to leave, easier recruiting, loyal referring customers, and a badass culture that no comp plan or software can buy. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Fun is a profit strategy, not a perk. Good energy is contagious and shows up in how your team performs and how customers respond. 2. People buy from energy and stay loyal to it. A homeowner can feel the difference between a tech who's grinding and one who loves his job. 3. The widget is the vehicle, not the point. Quality matters, but a business built only around the unit and the numbers goes transactional — and transactional businesses are miserable to work in and easy to leave. 4. You're the thermostat, not the thermometer. As the owner, you set the temperature. Your people watch what you do far more than they listen to what you say. 5. Uplifting people is mostly free. A shout-out in the huddle, a ride-along to connect, remembering a new baby — small things compound into loyalty you can't buy with a raise. 6. Nobody is too good to keep if they're killing the vibe. Your A-players are watching what you tolerate; tolerate one bad attitude and you start losing the people you most want to keep. 7. Guard your own energy too. The vibe-killer is sometimes the owner. Leave the bad day in the truck and walk in ready to set the right temperature. 8. Pick one letter and make one move this week. A huddle shout-out, a ride-along, or the hard conversation with your vibe-killer — just one. TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 — Cold open: my #1 rule isn't what you think * 01:52 — Welcome back + the big reveal: "Have fun and enjoy the people you're doing it with" * 03:00 — Why fun is the most underrated weapon in your business * 04:01 — The three-letter game plan you can run tomorrow * 04:19 — Energy is contagious: the two-shop comparison * 07:04 — Customers feel the energy too — people buy from it and stay loyal to it * 08:05 — F — Forget the Widget: the widget was never the point * 09:50 — U — Uplift Your People: you're the thermostat, not the thermometer * 12:35 — Why uplifting people costs almost nothing and compounds * 12:59 — N — Never Kill the Vibe: protect the energy, deal with the toxic person * 14:21 — Your A-players watch what you tolerate * 14:21 — Sometimes the vibe-killer is you: guard your own energy * 15:18 — Put it together: a place people don't want to leave * 16:30 — This week's challenge: pick one letter, make one move * 17:18 — Close: fun builds the energy, energy builds the culture Mentioned in this episode: HomeServiceHoorah.com/ Get your tickets before they SELLOUT!

160 | The Two Words Quietly Driving Your A-Players Out the Door

We've all been Marcus's boss. A great employee takes the time to think about the business, writes up an idea, and hands it to you — and nine days later it's still sitting in your inbox. So you give him the line: "I got too busy." He nods, says no worries, and walks to his truck. And you tell yourself it's fine. You were busy. It's been a crazy week. Here's the blunt truth Justin lays out in this episode: that's a lie. Not a malicious one, but a lie all the same — and the worst part is your best people know it's a lie too. They just won't say it to your face. Because here's the thing. When a $40,000 install went sideways, you found time. When your biggest referral partner wanted lunch, you found time. When a truck broke down and a job was on the line, you found time. You are a master at finding time for the things you decide are important. "Too busy" was never about the clock. It's the costume we put on to dodge the harder, less comfortable thing without anybody getting upset with us. And it's costing you more than you think. Every "too busy" is a tiny deposit in an account in your employee's head labeled "Does this place actually care about me?" Your C players don't bring you ideas, so they never get told no. But your A players are testing you — and every time they stick their neck out and get "too busy" back, you're teaching your best people to go quiet, and eventually to go somewhere else. This episode is the wake-up call, and it comes with the fix. What you'll hear in this episode: * The Marcus-in-the-parking-lot moment every owner has lived — and what your tech actually hears when you say "I got too busy" * Justin's own gym confession, and why "too busy" is almost never about time * How small, repeated "I'll get to it" moments quietly push your best people out the door * Why busy became a badge of honor — and the brutal difference between busy and effective * The three reasons owners default to "too busy," including the deep one nobody wants to admit * The 5 moves to kill the habit for good * Why closing the loop is the gym all over again: less time, better results KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. You're never too busy — you just decided something else matters more. Be honest about that and you take your power back. 2. "Too busy" is a costume, not a reason. It's how we dodge the harder, less comfortable thing without anybody pushing back on us. 3. Your team doesn't hear "I'm slammed." They hear "you don't matter." When you say too busy, the signal that lands is: you and your idea weren't important enough to make my list. 4. Your A-players are the ones who notice. C players don't bring ideas, so they never get told no. Your best people are testing you — and "too busy" teaches them to go quiet, then to go elsewhere. 5. Busy and effective are not the same thing. A hamster on a wheel is extremely busy and getting nowhere. Activity is not achievement; motion is not progress. 6. You're the author of your calendar, not the victim of it. Nobody puts things there but you. Own that, and there's nobody left to blame — which is exactly the point. 7. You don't have to solve it in 24 hours. You have to acknowledge it in 24 hours. The silence is what kills trust, not the wait. 8. You earn loyalty 15 seconds at a time. Closing the loop is the smaller, harder thing that produces the bigger result — every single time. THE 5 MOVES TO KILL "TOO BUSY" 1. Ban the phrase. "I got too busy" is dead in your vocabulary. Replace it with the truth: "I didn't make that a priority this week, and that's on me." It's so uncomfortable you'll start doing the thing just to avoid saying it. 2. Audit your calendar. Pull up last week. Look at where the hours actually went, not where you think they went. If your people are your number one asset but there's zero time blocked for them, your calendar just called your bluff. 3. Schedule the people first. Stop squeezing your team into the cracks left over after fires and customers — there are no cracks. Block the one-to-ones and development time first, and protect it like a $50K customer appointment. 4. If it's truly not a priority, say so. "Marcus, I read it. Solid idea — it's not where we're focused this quarter, but here's what I want to do with it." That closes the loop and treats him like he matters, even when the answer is not right now. 5. Close every loop within 24 hours. "Got it. I'll have an answer for you by Thursday." That's it. A closed loop says you matter. An open loop says too busy. MEMORABLE QUOTES "You're never too busy. You just decide something else matters more." "Too busy is really just the costume that we use without anybody getting upset with us." "People don't quit jobs. They quit feeling like they don't matter." "Busy and effective are not the same thing. They're not even third cousins." "You're not a victim of your calendar. You're the author of your calendar." "The silence is what kills trust, not the wait." "You earn it 15 seconds at a time." SHOW NOTES & TIMESTAMPS * (00:00) Picture this: Marcus catches you in the parking lot about the idea he sent nine days ago * (00:40) "I got too busy" — the line every one of us uses * (01:15) The blunt truth: it's a lie, and Marcus knows it too * (01:45) The whole episode in one sentence: you're never too busy * (02:20) Proof — the $40K install, the referral partner lunch, the broken-down truck. You always find time for what matters * (03:15) Justin's gym confession vs. the beer with a buddy * (04:30) "Too busy" is a costume for dodging the harder thing * (05:30) Back to Marcus — what he actually heard * (06:30) The hidden account in your employee's head: "Does this place care about me?" * (07:15) A-players vs. C-players, and why your best people go quiet then leave * (08:30) Why we do it — Reason #1: too busy feels productive * (09:15) Reason #2: busy as a badge of honor (and the busy ≠ effective trap) * (10:30) Reason #3: too busy lets you off the hook — author vs. victim of your calendar * (11:45) The fix — Move 1: ban the phrase * (12:30) Move 2: audit your calendar * (13:15) Move 3: schedule the people first * (14:00) Move 4: if it's not a priority, say so honestly * (14:45) Move 5: close every loop within 24 hours * (15:30) Why this wins twice — in the business and with the team * (16:30) Your challenge for the week: catch it, freeze, tell the truth * (17:15) One person is waiting on something from you. Go close that loop today CALL TO ACTION 1. Go close a loop today. Think of one person on your team who's waiting on something from you. You already know who it is. Don't wait until tomorrow. 2. Share it with another owner who needs to hear it — you've probably already got somebody in mind. 3. Leave a five-star review so other owners can find the show. The owners who win don't have more time than you. They just stop lying about how they spend it. Keep prioritizing what matters — and as always, keep crushing it. Mentioned in this episode: HomeServiceHoorah.com/ Get your tickets before they SELLOUT!

159 | Stop Avoiding Hard Conversations — It's Costing You More Than You Think : Freedom Fuel

Your best technicians aren't quitting over money or a difficult coworker — they're quitting because of the hard conversations you keep avoiding. In this Freedom Fuel episode, Justin Deese breaks down why dodging tough conversations is quietly bleeding money out of your home service business, and shares a simple 5-step framework you can put to work in the next 2 days. In This Episode You'll Learn: ✅ The real reason leaders avoid hard conversations (it's not weakness) ✅ The 4 hidden costs of staying silent with an underperformer ✅ Why your top performers really quit — and what actually keeps them ✅ The mindset shift that turns hard conversations into gifts for your team ✅ A simple 5-step framework to have any hard conversation with confidence Episode Chapters 0:00 – The conversation that's costing you money 0:35 – Welcome to Freedom Fuel 1:00 – Why we avoid hard conversations 2:05 – Cost #1: Performance 2:40 – Cost #2: Your A-players 3:20 – Cost #3: Your culture 4:00 – Cost #4: You, the leader 4:40 – The shift: hard conversations are gifts 5:45 – The 5-step framework 7:30 – Your challenge before the end of the week Key Takeaway Whatever you tolerate becomes your standard. Your silence sounds like permission — and your best people are watching what you allow. Have the conversation you've been putting off. Use the framework, lead with care, be specific, and set a clear expectation. Every day you wait, your business pays the price. Listen & Subscribe 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-blueprint-for-home-services-hvac-plumbing-electrical/id1689795253 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-blueprint-for-home-services-hvac-plumbing-electrical/id1689795253] 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bU3lSPtMoBdIEDoRuI9rX [https://open.spotify.com/show/7bU3lSPtMoBdIEDoRuI9rX] 🌐 Website: www.FreedomBlueprintPodcast.com [http://www.FreedomBlueprintPodcast.com] Connect with Justin Deese 📺 YouTube: @freedomblueprintpodcast 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreedomBlueprintPodcast [https://www.facebook.com/FreedomBlueprintPodcast] 💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/justin-deese-freedomblueprint/ [http://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-deese-freedomblueprint/] 🌐 JustinDeese.com 📩 podcast@JustinDeese.com [podcast@JustinDeese.com] #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACBusiness #LeadershipTips #EmployeeRetention #FreedomBlueprintPodcast Mentioned in this episode: HomeServiceHoorah.com/ Get your tickets before they SELLOUT!

158 | How to Increase Your Booking Rate: CSR Secrets for HVAC, Plumbing & Home Service Businesses with Michelle Myers of Pink Callers

Most home service business owners think their CSRs are booking 80% of incoming calls. The real number? Closer to 25–45%. In this episode of the Freedom Blueprint Podcast, Justin Deese sits down with Michelle Myers, founder of Pink Callers, to expose the gap between what owners think is happening on their phones — and what's actually happening. Michelle has spent 10+ years placing fractional, dedicated CSRs inside HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other home service businesses across the country. Her team members are trained, ServiceTitan- and Housecall Pro-experienced, and embedded directly into your business — answering phones, booking jobs, and closing calls as if they were sitting in your office. This isn't about outsourcing. It's about getting the right person in the right seat — and finally fixing your booking rate. 🎯 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: ✅ The real story behind the name "Pink Callers" — and why it goes back to a 1930s typing pool ✅ Why combining the CSR and dispatcher roles into one seat almost always fails (Michelle's restaurant analogy is a game-changer) ✅ The #1 goal every CSR should be driving toward: getting the technician to the door ✅ Why most owners believe they're booking 80% of calls — but the real number is 25–45% ✅ How to use AI as an assistant (not a replacement) — including a smart ringback workflow using Go High Level ✅ Why running 24/7 service calls is quietly destroying your culture, your techs, and your recruiting pipeline ✅ The clarity-break strategy Michelle uses to retain top CSR talent ✅ How to handle the new wave of "over-educated" ChatGPT customers calling your office Connect with Michelle Myers & Pink Callers: 📧 michelle@pinkcallers.com [michelle@pinkcallers.com] 📱 703-945-9565 🌐 pinkcallers.com [http://pinkcallers.com] — Fractional CSR placement for home service businesses Connect with Justin Deese & Freedom Blueprint: 🌐 JustinDeese.com 📧 podcast@JustinDeese.com [podcast@JustinDeese.com] 🎧 FreedomBlueprintPodcast.com 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👉 Know a contractor struggling with call booking or CSR turnover? Share this episode with them. #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACBusiness #PlumbingBusiness #CSRTraining #CallBookingRate #ServiceTitan #HousecallPro #FractionalCSR #ContractorGrowth #FreedomBlueprintPodcast #JustinDeese #HomeServiceMarketing #BusinessGrowth #AIForBusiness #CustomerServiceExcellence Mentioned in this episode: HomeServiceHoorah.com/ Get your tickets before they SELLOUT!