Toolbox for the Trades

High season is heating up and this summer we're bringing you some of the best episodes from both our shows on the ServiceTitan Podcast Network.Between new episodes, ones from the past you might have missed, and conversations and checkins from over 5 years and 280 episodes - there's so much to learn about running your trades business better than ever.Original Air Date 3/18/2025How do you create a high-performance environment in the trades? Kathryn Howard, Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Lee's Air, Plumbing, Heating, & Roofing in Fresno, CA, tells us how, while sharing her journey from direct sales to leading a growing service business. She discusses the importance of developing high-performing teams, how she built an international call center in Armenia, and why understanding customer purchasing behavior is key to sales success. Kathryn also dives into her leadership philosophy, her unique experiences in network marketing, and how she helped scale Lee’s Air with structured processes and strategic growth initiatives.Tune in for an insightful conversation on building culture, driving business success, and unlocking peak performance in the trades.Join us as we discuss:[4:12] Teaching technicians not to sell within their own budgets[13:40] How to create a high-performance environment for your team[22:19] Why personal development is critical to your team’s success[28:38] Creating pathways for underrepresented groups in the tradesCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:From Prospecting to Closing: Tips to Improve Your Sales PerformanceRegister today for our inaugural World of Titans event in Sydney, Australia on Thursday-Friday, April 3-4, 2025!You can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if helping other contractors grow could earn you real rewards? In this episode, we’re joined by ServiceTitan leaders Naomi Menzer and Ellen Rohr to break down two powerful ways contractors can engage with the ServiceTitan community: the referral program and the brand ambassador program. From cash bonuses and cars to brand-building opportunities and industry visibility, Naomi and Ellen explain how these programs work, who they’re for, and why community-driven contractors tend to benefit the most.Join us as we discuss: [4:06] The ins and outs of ServiceTitan’s referral program[7:24] Why the referral race to win a new truck is closer than you think[13:01] What makes a great ServiceTitan brand ambassadorCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:ServiceTitan Referral ProgramAspire Referral ProgramFieldRoutes Referral ProgramServiceTitan’s Referral Winner 2025Become a ServiceTitan Brand AmbassadorYou can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Travis Wills, Sr. Director of Client Success at Aspire Software, to explore what it takes to grow without chaos. From starting in landscaping as a teenager to becoming employee #19 at Aspire, Travis has seen firsthand how systems, mindset, and people shape success. We dig into why keeping it simple is often the fastest path to scaling, why change management matters more than software features, and how emotional attachment to old processes can quietly slow growth.Join us as we discuss: [5:26] How keeping it simple matters for scaling[9:50] Taking the emotions out of big changes in your business[17:21] How Aspire to Greatness is elevating the industryCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Sign up for Aspire to Greatness here!From Paper Trails to Digital Portals: Scaling a Landscaping Business With Intention with Tiffany Martin PetersYou can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John Conway, COO at Redwood Services in Memphis, shares his blueprint for de-seasonalizing your business for year-round stability and growth. Drawing on his experience as a former contractor and Nexstar coach, John details how to mitigate slow seasons by strategically adjusting marketing spend, adding complementary year-round trades (like plumbing), and aggressively nurturing your maintenance base. He also reveals the powerful 350:1 KPI for a healthy agreement base and explains how consistent training during slow times is critical for long-term people retention, which he calls the biggest growth challenge after conquering seasonality.Join us as we discuss: [4:44] A private equity firm that comes alongside your business as a partner[9:12] The biggest risk factors of owning a purely seasonal trades business[17:56] Benchmarking KPIs for a strong customer membership base[23:14] Why marketing needs to be top-of-mind for contractors year-roundCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:Nexstar NetworkYou can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when curiosity turns a landscape professional into the tech driver behind an entire organization? In this episode, we talk with Taylor Anderson, Systems Development and Growth Manager at Sunline Landscapes, to explore how a passion for learning, curiosity, and a little patience can transform both a career and an organization. Taylor talks about stepping into a brand new role, refining processes across departments, gaining support from the top, and why patience is the real secret behind meaningful change.Join us as we discuss: [6:49] How to identify an Aspire super user inside your company[11:43] Why using Aspire data improves outcomes across departments[17:53] The cornerstone of a strong SOP and Aspire in the classroomCheck out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:AspireYou can find this interview and many more by subscribing to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here. Know a business that could use a bit of muscle from ServiceTitan? Refer them here!Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Toolbox for the Trades in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.