The Successful Contractor Podcast

Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ Or call us at: (214) 453-1591 He started plumbing at 19. Last year he sold $800,000 in residential plumbing — and installed every job himself. This is his exact playbook. Payton Sword is a plumbing technician at Steve Huff Plumbing, Heating & Air in Kingsport, Tennessee — and a 4x Crown Champion at CertainPath, the program's top sales tier. Last year he sold roughly $800,000 in residential plumbing. No sales/install split, no handing the job off: every technician at Steve Huff sells the work and does the work. Payton was hired at 19 — at the same shop his dad worked for back in 1996. The company put him through 15 months of ride-alongs, trainings, and schools before he ever got his own truck. Today the shop's 12 plumbing technicians train four days every month: full service-call roleplays with homeowner personalities, DISC profiles, and a "switch method" that swaps techs mid-roleplay to keep everyone sharp. In this episode, Payton walks Bob Houchin through his entire service call, start to finish — from the drive-time research to the same-day install. In this conversation, you'll discover: • The $800K reveal — and why he installs every job he sells • The at-the-door credibility statement he delivers on every single call • Why he never asks permission to run the whole-house safety inspection — "it's a value creator" • Builder-grade vs. professional fixtures — and the restaurant question that sells Totos • The four-option presentation with everything on the top option • Present the top option, ask for the business — then go silent • "Is it only the money?" — his answer to "I should get another bid" • The authority close: "What were you expecting to spend today?" • Why the shop trains four days a month — and why it produces Crown Champions Whether you run a plumbing company, manage a service team, or you're a tech chasing Crown Champion numbers — Payton's process is a masterclass in trust-first, education-driven selling. Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle. About the Show The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company. Meet the Host Bob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he's interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others. About CertainPath CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.

Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ Or call us at: (214) 453-1591 $17 million in residential HVAC sales. One comfort advisor in Boise, Idaho. Here's how Cord Nichols sells the top-tier system — every time. Cord Nichols isn't a closer who shows up Friday with a quote book. He's a comfort advisor at Diamond Heating & Cooling in Boise, Idaho — and he's quietly sold roughly $17 million in residential HVAC, including $2.25 million last year alone. He's a 7x Crown Champion at CertainPath, the program's top sales tier. Cord didn't start in HVAC. His first sales job was door-to-door — security in his early twenties. He moved to Utah looking for a wife, found her, then sold solar door-to-door before the solar industry tightened in the mid-2010s. Wanting a trade he could "sink his teeth into" — and not be a one-trick pony — he approached Diamond cold. He'd never sold HVAC. But owners Rick and Sue Ellen hired him for his sales background. Today he's a Dave Ramsey debt-free dad of four (with a fifth on the way) who recently paid off his mortgage — all on residential HVAC sales. In this episode, Cord walks Bob Houchin through the exact playbook — every question he asks, every option he names, every word he uses — for turning a single in-home consultation into a top-tier HVAC sale. In this conversation, you'll discover: • The $17M reveal — and the on-camera moment where Bob puts the career number on record • Why Cord opens every options reveal by repeating the customer's own words back to them • The Kia-vs-Toyota framing he uses to explain tiered HVAC systems in 30 seconds • The "Is there any reason I can't ask for your business today?" close — and the three answers it always produces • Why Cord names options after the customer's hobbies (the "14-Point Buck" move) • The clipboard intro that disarms skeptical homeowners ("I'm just going to be taking some notes") • "I am your one throat to choke" — the post-sale handoff line that earns lifelong customers Whether you're a comfort advisor working to break $2M for the first time, a sales manager building a residential HVAC playbook, or an owner trying to understand what consistent top-tier closing looks like — Cord's process is a masterclass in trust-first, conviction-led HVAC sales. Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle. About The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company. Meet the Guest Cord Nichols is a comfort advisor at Diamond Heating & Cooling — a family-owned, values-based HVAC company in Boise, Idaho, founded by Rick and Sue Ellen. After several years selling door-to-door (security in his early twenties, then solar in Utah and Idaho), Cord joined Diamond with zero HVAC experience and a strong sales background. He's now a 7x CertainPath Crown Champion with roughly $17 million in residential HVAC sales — including $2.25 million in his most recent year. He lives in Boise with his wife and four kids (with a fifth on the way) and recently paid off his mortgage as a Dave Ramsey debt-free family. Connect CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com Show Notes The Successful Contractor Podcast is part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath is a business coaching program for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. For 25 years, we've helped contractors double their revenue, hit 20% net profit, and build teams that stay. With proven systems, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong — Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information. FOLLOW CERTAINPATH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

Book a free strategy call with CertainPath to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/4b0wLaZ Or call us at: (214) 453-1591 One man. Three trades. $7.9M in twelve months. Here's how Chris Roberts turns a $300 light switch call into a $100,000 job. Chris Roberts isn't a salesman. He's an electrician who learned to sell — and last year he closed $5.1M in electrical, $2.3M in plumbing, and $500K in HVAC personally. The plumbing total happened in roughly one month. He's the first double Crown Champion in CertainPath history. Chris runs sales for Bailey Plumbing, Safety First Electric, and Comfort Heating and Cooling — three companies operating under one roof out of San Jose and Morgan Hill, California. Chris started in the union, watching his electrician's check stay flat while his family kept growing. When the union got slow, he took what he thought was a short-term gig at Safety First Electric — installing, not selling. A few weeks in, the owner asked him to go run a sales call. He brought back $7,000 in signed work. By the end of his first month in sales, his check rewrote his understanding of what was possible. He called his wife and said, "I'm not going back to the union." In this episode, Chris walks Bob Houchin through the exact playbook — every word he uses, every door he opens, every shirt he wears — for turning a single service call into a six-figure multi-trade job. In this conversation, you'll discover: • The $7.9M sales reveal — and why most of the plumbing total came in roughly a month • Why Chris never says the word "finance" on a sales call (and what he says instead) • How a $300 light switch call becomes a six-figure rewire, re-pipe, and drain job • The "Two Costs and One Price" framework that crushes "I need to think about it" • Why Chris wears a different shirt on Day 2 — and what it sells • The 4-option pricing system that lets Bailey charge $70K for a rewire (when competitors price it at $25K) • Why he won't sell a re-pipe to a customer who doesn't need one — and why disqualifying like this builds trust Whether you're a sales tech trying to break $1M for the first time, a sales manager building a multi-trade playbook, or an owner trying to understand what makes one rep close $7.9M across three trades — Chris's process is a masterclass in stacking trades without losing trust. Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle. About The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company. Meet the Guest Chris Roberts is the head sales manager at Bailey Plumbing, Safety First Electric, and Comfort Heating and Cooling — three home-services companies operating under one roof out of San Jose and Morgan Hill, California. A former union electrician, Chris transitioned into in-home sales his first year at Safety First, then took on plumbing and HVAC sales as the companies grew. Last year, he personally closed $5.1M in electrical, $2.3M in plumbing, and $500K in HVAC — making him CertainPath's first-ever double Crown Champion. Connect CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com Show Notes The Successful Contractor Podcast is part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath is a business coaching program for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. For 25 years, we've helped contractors double their revenue, hit 20% net profit, and build teams that stay. With proven systems, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong — Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information. FOLLOW CERTAINPATH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 🔗 Grab our FREE resource: The Foundation Series, Real strategies to build a business that runs (and grows) without chaos: https://bit.ly/3Yqzow5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kelson Carter built an $11M plumbing company — without ever offering HVAC or taking on debt. And he’s done it while only 35 years old. As a third-generation plumber and owner of Carter’s My Plumber in Indianapolis, Kelson has taken bold, focused action to grow fast and profitably. In this episode, he shares how he: Grew a plumbing-only company to $11M, completely debt-free Branded his business around water heaters and a $500 guarantee Closes 60% of water heater sales over the phone Trains every week and manages his team daily with KPIs Promotes future leaders, not just top-performing techs Uses specific systems to scale with structure and confidence If you're a plumbing contractor ready to grow without chaos — this one's for you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The water heater sales strategy that changed Kelson’s business Why “guys with bills” are his best hires How to create team-wide accountability through leadership The value of weekly training and daily coaching Why CertainPath has been key to staying consistent while scaling fast Want More Support Growing Your Business? When you join CertainPath, you’re not just getting coaching and training. You’re getting access to our Partner Network—120 vendor partners, including solutions like Reins, offering exclusive discounts and rebates on the tools and services you’re already using. Last year alone, our members earned back over $10 MILLION in rebates. That’s more cash in your business—and more partners helping you grow, profit, and scale. Book your free Discovery Call to learn how we can help you level up: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 Chapters TBD Show Notes The Successful Contractor Podcast is a part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath builds successful home service businesses—and has for 25 years. We do it by providing contractors with a proven path to success, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong. Doubling your sales, with a 20% net profit, and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. Let us show you the way. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information. FOLLOW CERTAINPATH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 🔗 Grab our FREE resource: The Foundation Series, Real strategies to build a business that runs (and grows) without chaos: https://bit.ly/3Yqzow5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What if you could retain 94% of your key employees—without giving up a single share of equity? In this episode, we sit down with Chris Buttenham, Co-Founder of Reins, a game-changing platform that helps home service contractors create performance-based incentives like phantom equity and profit sharing—without the complexity, confusion, or legal risk. Reins makes it dramatically easier to set up and manage profit-sharing plans—giving you a powerful way to reward performance without getting buried in spreadsheets or back-end admin. Whether it’s short- or long-term incentives, Reins handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on running your business. Chris shares how growing up in a contractor household inspired him to tackle one of the industry’s toughest challenges: employee retention. You’ll learn how the most forward-thinking contractors are locking in their top techs and leaders—while keeping full control of their businesses. 🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why traditional equity doesn’t work for most contractors How phantom stock creates buy-in without ownership Why profit sharing is powerful—and how Reins makes it easy The incentive system behind 94% employee retention How to align your team without giving up equity Real-world examples of contractors using this strategy today 💼 Want More Support Growing Your Business? When you join CertainPath, you’re not just getting coaching and training. You’re getting access to our Partner Network—120 vendor partners, including solutions like Reins, offering exclusive discounts and rebates on the tools and services you’re already using. Last year alone, our members earned back over $10 MILLION in rebates. That’s more cash in your business—and more partners helping you grow, profit, and scale. Book your free Discovery Call to learn how we can help you level up: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 Show Notes The Successful Contractor Podcast is a part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath builds successful home service businesses—and has for 25 years. We do it by providing contractors with a proven path to success, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong. Doubling your sales, with a 20% net profit, and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. Let us show you the way. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information. FOLLOW CERTAINPATH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CertainPath Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/certainpath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/certainpath/

Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 🔗 Grab our FREE resource: The Foundation Series, Real strategies to build a business that runs (and grows) without chaos: https://bit.ly/3Yqzow5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What do you do when your business is on the brink—and you’re out of options? If you’re Marcus Sheridan, you lean all the way into your buyer, start answering the tough questions no one else will touch, and transform your company into a national brand. Marcus is the author of They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers, a globally recognized speaker, and a partner in multiple companies. But his journey began in the trenches—saving a struggling pool company in the wake of the 2008 crash by becoming radically transparent and customer-obsessed. In this no-fluff interview, Marcus shares exactly how home service contractors can grow faster, gain trust, and dominate their market using content, video, and AI. Whether you're a one-truck operation or a $100M business, these insights will help you level up—fast. 🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: • How Marcus saved his pool business from bankruptcy with content • Why most contractors still don’t talk pricing—and how it’s costing them • What the “Big 5” questions are—and why you must answer them • The easiest way to start creating high-impact content TODAY • Why “communion, not charisma” is the key to winning over homeowners • How to use video and AI tools to scale trust and authority • The mindset shift that separates great contractors from good ones • Why training your team to think like buyers changes everything • How to make complex services simple—and close more work

Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591 🔗 Grab our FREE resource: The Foundation Series, Real strategies to build a business that runs (and grows) without chaos: https://bit.ly/3Yqzow5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What does it take to grow a home service company from $1.5 million to $58 million — and keep customers happy every step of the way? It all starts in the call center. Meet Missy Jones, senior coach at CertainPath, and one of the nation’s top experts in call center operations, culture, and leadership. In this episode of The Successful Contractor, Missy reveals the call center secrets that scale home service businesses in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing. From coaching call center reps to building the right culture, to tracking KPIs and avoiding costly dispatch mistakes — Missy shares what she’s learned helping thousands of contractors transform their businesses. Missy’s story and strategies are packed with insights every contractor, service manager, and home service business owner can use right now… 🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: • Why the customer relationship starts in the call center, not in the field. • The biggest mistakes contractors make in call centers (and how they cost millions). • How to properly train and coach call center reps — and why consistency matters more than scripts. • The overlooked step that can dramatically increase customer satisfaction and prevent bad reviews. • Why being booked two weeks out isn’t a good thing — and how dispatching mistakes destroy profits. • The KPIs that make or break a call center, and how to track them effectively. • How outbounding (done right) fills the board and keeps techs busy year-round. • Why AI alone fails in call centers, and how to balance technology with people. • Leadership lessons: from granting your team the permission to fail to building a culture of accountability and growth. • How consistency in coaching and culture creates multi-million-dollar contracting success. Whether you’re an HVAC contractor, plumber, electrician, or roofer, Missy’s insights will help you stop losing calls, boost customer satisfaction, and scale your business with confidence. 📈 Ready to learn how to transform your call center into a profit center — and grow your contracting business? Watch now and discover the systems, strategies, and leadership lessons that take home service companies from struggling to thriving.

Book a free Discovery Call to see how we can help you hit your goals and beyond: https://go.mycertainpath.com/meetings/certainpath/mkt?uuid=bbda8bca-e3ab-4abf-9b23-3a13526dcb77 or call us at: (214)-453-1591 🔗 Grab our FREE resource: The Foundation Series, Real strategies to build a business that runs (and grows) without chaos: https://bit.ly/3Yqzow5