Blue Collar Nation

The Sales System That Doubled Revenue: Josh Gillow’s Core 10 Playbook

Most contractors don’t have a sales problem — they have a system problem. In this episode, Eric and Larry are joined by Josh Gillow, founder of YES Express and Master Plan Outdoor Living, who shares the painful sales failure that changed the course of his business forever. After getting the door slammed in his face on what should have been a “slam dunk” deal, Josh realized he had no real sales process, no qualification system, and no predictable framework for closing jobs. That moment led to the creation of The Core 10 Sales Playbook — a practical system designed to help contractors stop wasting time, qualify better clients, increase close rates, and sell with confidence. This conversation dives deep into: * Why most contractors only close 25–30% of their leads * The costly mistake of not pre-qualifying buyers * How to stop “performing” on sales calls and start listening * The 70/30 rule that transforms client conversations * Why asking better questions closes more jobs * How to build trust and demonstrate value instead of “pitching.” * The difference between the “bird dog” and the real decision maker * How scarcity mindset sabotages pricing and confidence * Why systems, not hustle, create predictable growth Josh also explains how understanding human behavior, communication, and psychology can dramatically increase close rates without sounding scripted or robotic. If you’re a contractor, home service business owner, salesperson, or entrepreneur tired of wasting leads, chasing bad prospects, and running nonstop without results, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can implement immediately. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University [https://supertechu.com/] Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons training your team in soft skills. When you invest in your team and teach them soft skills, your team can make you more profit. Go to https://supertechu.com/ [https://supertechu.com/] for more info. Click here for a discount: https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/ [https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/]. Here is an entrepreneur's story [https://youtu.be/EdRLBuSOyeg] you will relate to. SPONSOR: C&R Magazine C&R magazine is the leading periodical in the Cleaning and Restoration industry. Owner and editor Michelle Blevins has brought printed copies back from the dead to increase reader experience. Go to www.candrmagazine.com [https://candrmagazine.com/] to get your free copy sent directly to your home or business.

Reviewing and Reprimanding Team Members

In this episode of the Blue Collar Nation Podcast, Eric and Larry tackle one of the toughest—but most important—skills in running a home service business: having hard conversations with your team. From avoiding conflict to losing top performers due to lack of accountability, they break down the real cost of not addressing issues head-on. Drawing from their own experiences, Eric and Larry share how implementing simple, consistent systems—like quick monthly reviews—can transform team performance, improve morale, and retain your best people. They dive into practical strategies for delivering feedback without blowing up your culture, including staying calm, documenting everything, and creating clear expectations. You’ll also learn how to distinguish between short-term struggles and long-term performance issues, and why ownership, consistency, and communication are critical to leadership success. If you’ve ever struggled with employee accountability, performance reviews, or letting someone go the right way, this episode gives you a clear, actionable framework to lead with confidence and protect your business. Key Topics: *  Why avoiding hard conversations hurts your team  *  How to run simple, effective monthly reviews  *  The importance of documentation and accountability  *  Managing emotions and leading with consistency  *  Supporting employees through challenges vs. knowing when to part ways  Tune in to learn how to build a stronger, more accountable team—without the chaos. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University [https://supertechu.com/] Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons training your team in soft skills. When you invest in your team and teach them soft skills, your team can make you more profit. Go to https://supertechu.com/ [https://supertechu.com/] for more info. Click here for a discount: https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/ [https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/]. Here is an entrepreneur's story [https://youtu.be/EdRLBuSOyeg] you will relate to. SPONSOR: C&R Magazine C&R magazine is the leading periodical in the Cleaning and Restoration industry. Owner and editor Michelle Blevins has brought printed copies back from the dead to increase reader experience. Go to www.candrmagazine.com [https://candrmagazine.com/] to get your free copy sent directly to your home or business.

A Strategy for a Challenged Tech

In this episode, Larry from Super Tech University breaks down a practical, no-nonsense system for handling difficult team members without letting emotions take over. If you’ve ever had an employee who’s underperforming, causing frustration, or dragging down your team, this session walks you through exactly how to respond with clarity and control. Larry outlines a step-by-step approach to diagnosing performance issues—whether it’s lack of training, poor leadership, misalignment in roles, or personal challenges—and how to address each scenario effectively. He emphasizes the importance of clear expectations, consistent training, regular reviews, and thorough documentation to protect both your business and your team culture. You’ll also learn how to stay calm and objective, avoid taking issues personally, and follow a structured process that includes retraining, accountability, repositioning—or when necessary, termination. Most importantly, this episode highlights how failing to act can damage morale, lower standards, and drive away your top performers. If you’re a business owner or leader looking to build a stronger, more accountable team while protecting your company’s performance, this episode delivers a clear framework you can apply immediately. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University [https://supertechu.com/] Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons training your team in soft skills. When you invest in your team and teach them soft skills, your team can make you more profit. Go to https://supertechu.com/ [https://supertechu.com/] for more info. Click here for a discount: https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/ [https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/]. Here is an entrepreneur's story [https://youtu.be/EdRLBuSOyeg] you will relate to. SPONSOR: C&R Magazine C&R magazine is the leading periodical in the Cleaning and Restoration industry. Owner and editor Michelle Blevins has brought printed copies back from the dead to increase reader experience. Go to www.candrmagazine.com [https://candrmagazine.com/] to get your free copy sent directly to your home or business.

How to Train a Service Manager

Promoting your best technician into management sounds like the right move—until it backfires. In this episode, Eric and Larry break down the costly mistake of promoting based on loyalty instead of leadership fit, and how it can damage team culture, morale, and retention. Learn a smarter approach to building strong service managers: identifying the right traits, using tools like personality assessments, and implementing structured leadership training before promotion. We also share how creating a simple “leadership academy” can develop future managers, filter out poor fits early, and protect your top performers. If you want to scale your business without becoming the bottleneck, this episode will show you how to build, train, and empower the management team you actually need. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University [https://supertechu.com/] Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons training your team in soft skills. When you invest in your team and teach them soft skills, your team can make you more profit. Go to https://supertechu.com/ [https://supertechu.com/] for more info. Click here for a discount: https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/ [https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/]. Here is an entrepreneur's story [https://youtu.be/EdRLBuSOyeg] you will relate to. SPONSOR: C&R Magazine C&R magazine is the leading periodical in the Cleaning and Restoration industry. Owner and editor Michelle Blevins has brought printed copies back from the dead to increase reader experience. Go to www.candrmagazine.com [https://candrmagazine.com/] to get your free copy sent directly to your home or business.

Creating Fruitful Meetings

In this episode of the Blue Collar Nation Podcast, Larry dives into a practical topic that every home service business owner faces: meetings. While meetings often get a bad reputation for being long and unproductive, Larry explains how the right meetings—done the right way—can dramatically improve communication, accountability, and team culture. Drawing from real experience building and scaling a service business, Larry shares how simple daily production meetings can keep technicians aligned, prevent costly mistakes, and create a consistent rhythm for the entire company. He also explains how leadership meetings, clear agendas, and visible performance metrics can keep teams focused on the right goals. Listeners will learn why preparation matters, how to keep meetings short and engaging, and how to ensure every meeting ends with clear action items and accountability. Larry also discusses creating the right meeting environment, encouraging team participation, and maintaining flexibility while still building consistent routines. Whether you run an HVAC company, plumbing business, cleaning service, restoration company, or any home service operation, this episode offers practical strategies to turn meetings from a time-waster into a powerful leadership tool that keeps your team aligned and moving forward. Tune in to learn how better meetings can lead to better communication, stronger culture, and smoother operations across your entire business. TITLE SPONSOR: Super Tech University [https://supertechu.com/] Dramatically improve your team's performance with a system of short daily video lessons training your team in soft skills. When you invest in your team and teach them soft skills, your team can make you more profit. Go to https://supertechu.com/ [https://supertechu.com/] for more info. Click here for a discount: https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/ [https://supertechu.com/register/podcastoffer/]. Here is an entrepreneur's story [https://youtu.be/EdRLBuSOyeg] you will relate to. SPONSOR: C&R Magazine C&R magazine is the leading periodical in the Cleaning and Restoration industry. Owner and editor Michelle Blevins has brought printed copies back from the dead to increase reader experience. Go to www.candrmagazine.com [https://candrmagazine.com/] to get your free copy sent directly to your home or business.