Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service

Most home service companies don't have a lead problem.

They have a follow-up problem.

In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Kevin Wu, founder of Leaping AI, to discuss how AI voice agents and automation are helping home service businesses solve some of their biggest call center challenges.

From missed calls and slow follow-up times to after-hours booking and lead nurturing, Kevin shares how AI is being used as a practical tool to support customer service teams, improve speed-to-lead, and create better customer experiences without replacing people.

The conversation also explores the future of AI-powered call centers, how contractors can automate repetitive tasks, and why business owners should focus on using AI to eliminate bottlenecks instead of simply cutting payroll.

What You Will Learn in This Episode
Why speed-to-lead is still one of the biggest challenges in home services

How AI voice agents help capture missed opportunities

The difference between replacing employees and supporting employees

Why call centers struggle with consistency and process adherence

How AI can improve appointment scheduling and follow-up

The role of AI in call monitoring and quality control

Why data quality inside your CRM matters more than ever

How AI can help clean and organize customer databases

The future of automated outbound campaigns

The risks of AI abuse and spam calling

How responsible AI adoption can improve customer experience

Why contractors should start experimenting with AI today

If you're looking for ways to improve call handling, increase booked appointments, and build a more efficient service business, this episode is packed with practical insights.

Timestamps

00:00 Challenges with contractor responsiveness
03:11 Kevin introduces himself
08:58 Kids' interest in trade careers
09:45 Issues with Customer Support Responsiveness
14:00 AI improving call center efficiency
18:33 Solving data analysis with AI
20:55 Improving business metrics accuracy
25:37 Implementing EOS for business owners
29:31 Focusing on business priorities
32:00 AI for persistent customer follow-up
35:27 Responsible AI use in marketing
39:33 Data export issues in QuickBooks
40:45 Using AI to clean CRM data
43:35 Trying something new for 30 minutes

Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Kevin Wu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-wu-452a6393/

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com 
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ 
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ 
Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo
PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

Most contractors don't have a recruiting problem. They have a recruiting system problem.

In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Paul Sanneman, founder of Contractor Staffing Source, to discuss how top home service companies are using systems, assessments, and AI-powered recruiting tools to consistently find better employees.

After helping more than 2,000 contractors and recruiting over 2,500 successful hires, Paul shares the biggest recruiting mistakes contractors make and why most hiring challenges are self-inflicted.

The conversation dives into the mindset shifts required to build a winning team, the importance of recruiting year-round, and how technology can help contractors identify better candidates before they ever schedule an interview.

If you're struggling to attract, evaluate, or retain quality employees, this episode provides a practical framework for building a repeatable recruiting machine.

What You Will Learn in This Episode
• Why recruiting should never stop
• The biggest hiring mistakes contractors make
• How applicant tracking systems streamline recruiting
• Why speed-to-lead matters for hiring
• How assessments reduce bad hires
• Why personality and integrity are often more important than experience
• The benefits of hiring outside the construction industry
• How AI can improve recruiting processes
• Why hiring slow and firing fast protects your culture
• The true cost of keeping B players on your team
• How recruiting impacts long-term business growth
• Why private equity companies are winning the hiring game

Timestamps 
00:00 Job applicant assessment process
05:03 Challenges in hiring decisions
07:21 Comparing coordinators to wedding planners
11:35 Using content to attract talent
13:38 Promoting job openings effectively
18:14 Asking ethical interview questions
21:54 Using call tracking for marketing
25:26 Managing job application process
28:44 Keeping a team member too long
29:39 Avoiding painful firing decisions
34:46 Importance of business skills

Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Paul Sanneman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sanneman  

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com 
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ 
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ 
Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo
PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

Most contractors walk past air curtains every day without realizing how much money they can save commercial buildings.
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Curtis Rosol from Mars Air Systems to break down how air curtains work and why they've become a powerful solution for energy savings, indoor air quality, and insect control in commercial spaces.
From convenience stores and restaurants to cold storage facilities and warehouses, Curtis explains how air curtains create an invisible barrier that keeps conditioned air inside while preventing heat, humidity, dust, smoke, and flying insects from entering the building.
They also discuss:
How air curtains reduce HVAC energy loss

Why electrification will make energy savings even more valuable

How air curtains help solve cold storage and freezer issues

The difference between strip curtains and air curtains

Why insects and contaminants enter buildings through open doors

How air curtains improve indoor air quality

The ROI contractors can present to commercial customers

Why these systems are becoming more important in high-traffic buildings

Simple installation opportunities for HVAC contractors

Residential applications for luxury outdoor living spaces

If you work in light commercial HVAC or want to offer energy-saving upgrades to your customers, this episode is packed with practical opportunities.

Timestamps
00:00 Energy efficiency in buildings
05:54 Energy savings with protected openings
07:08 Impact of Electric Demand on Costs
12:24 Using air curtains for patios
13:11 Using CallRail for Marketing
16:29 How air curtains work
19:43 Installing above-door units
22:54 Episode wrap-up and closing remarks


Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Curtis Rosol: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisrosol/

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com 
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ 
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ 
Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo
PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

The skilled labor shortage isn't just a hiring problem.

It's a perception problem.

In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Ruchir Shah, founder of SkillCat, to discuss why home service companies are struggling to attract and retain skilled workers and what the industry can do about it.

Ruchir shares how his background in workforce training led him to build SkillCat, an online trade training platform helping people transition into HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and appliance repair careers.

If your company struggles with hiring, retention, or technician development, this episode offers a practical look at how the future workforce is changing.

What You Will Learn in This Episode
Why the trades are becoming more attractive to younger generations

How white-collar workers are now transitioning into skilled trades

The real reason people are leaving traditional office jobs

Why many technicians feel more fulfilled than corporate workers

The growing impact of AI on career choices

Why training accessibility is critical for the future of the trades

How online trade training and certifications are changing recruiting

Why mechanical aptitude matters more than experience

The role gamification and microlearning play in technician development

How companies can build better apprenticeship and training programs

Timestamps
00:00 Expanding online trade certifications
04:52 Starting SkillCat to help reskill
06:26 Job security concerns in Savannah
09:43 Switching to a paid model
15:01 Relying on social media sharing
17:05 Emphasizing the importance of networking
20:08 Trades job satisfaction and benefits
22:55 The value of trade jobs
25:58 Returning to familiar industries
31:27 Building trade school courses
32:59 Designing bite-sized, interactive courses
Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Joshua Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Ruchir Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchir-shah/
SkillCat: https://www.skillcatapp.com

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com 
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ 
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ 
Breezy: Capture 25-30% more clients with Breezy AI Agents. Use code 'SBM' to book a demo and get $500 on us: https://getbreezyapp.com/schedule-demo
PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

The way homeowners search for HVAC, plumbing, and home service companies is changing fast. And most contractors are completely unprepared for it.
 
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Phil Risher from Phlash Consulting to discuss the massive shift from traditional Google SEO to AI-powered search and what it means for home service businesses.
 
Phil explains why AI search is changing how customers find contractors, why conversational search matters more than keywords, and how tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews are disrupting traditional marketing strategies.
 
What You Will Learn in This Episode
 
Why old-school SEO is no longer enough

How AI search actually works

Why Google is moving toward "agentic search" and booking

How to optimize your website for AI visibility

Why pricing pages and online scheduling matter more than ever

How contractors should use call transcripts to create content

Why AI-generated "slop content" can hurt your rankings

How local backlinks and authority still matter

What contractors should be doing right now to stay ahead

 
If you want your company to stay visible in the next generation of search, this episode is a must-listen.
 
Timestamps
00:00 Impact of AI on search queries
06:14 Shift in local search habits
09:00 Navigating AI for presentations
12:38 Debating the relevance of SEO
16:13 Using AI for customer insights
18:58 Importance of local backlinks
20:58 Building partner referral networks
24:15 Optimizing for AI search ranking
27:51 Importance of online recognition
32:29 Creating a searchable business database
33:34 Initial struggles with Notebook LM
39:10 Comparing Google and LLM relationships
42:35 Measuring AI visibility metrics
44:37 Navigating the AI search landscape
46:21 Dealing with AI memory glitches
 
Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Phil Risher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philrisher/
 
Connect with Us
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
 
This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com 
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/ 
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/ 
Breezy: $500 toward Breezy + we'll show you exactly how many jobs you're missing right now. Book a demo here: https://calendly.com/shaun-breezy/30min?month=2026-04 
PhoneTAP: Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo