Home Service Business Success
Kenny Chapman, Chris Crew
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Top 10 Home Service Business Success Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Home Service Business Success episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Home Service Business Success for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Home Service Business Success episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Margins: Muscle Up Your Margins
Home Service Business Success
12/25/24 • 36 min
Margins are the backbone of a profitable business, but are you managing yours effectively?
And what comes to mind when you think about breaking even – yay or nay?
In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into essential strategies for muscling up your margins.
From understanding gross margin dollars per hour to setting the right prices for your services, and all the way to the steps needed to go into hyperprofit mode...these actionable insights will help you boost profitability and avoid common pitfalls!
- Chris Crew brings up Under Armour and introduces the importance of visualization in business into the conversation.
- Kenny and Chris make the example of exercising and how approaching that the right way is how one should look at “muscling up” margins in business.
- Being driven in your business is key – but you need to make taking care of yourself one of your, if not THE, top priorities.
- Chris explains how profitability is 100% boiled down to gross margin dollars per hour...but he also emphasizes that there’s a challenge with it.
- Incorrect pricing is one of the main reasons why businesses fail – to avoid that trap, there’s an important question home service business owners should ask themselves.
- The second reason why businesses fail is the inability to get clients willing to pay the price they’re actually asking for.
- Chris believes that your close rate on the phone and in the field is a multiplier or a divider of your marketing dollars.
- Chris breaks down the minimum billable hour formula, something you can use even if you’re running a start-up.
- Working on picking the right price? “Your technicians and sales people have to buy the price first”, says Kenny.
- Chris and Kenny talk about the importance of focusing on your break-even point and its relation to being in hyperprofit mode.
- Kenny explains how a $100M company operates incredibly similarly to a $2M company.
- When it comes to wanting to be in hyperprofit mode, it’s important to keep in mind that, if not approached correctly, the strategy could backfire big time.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/7
HSBS episode 6 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/6
Cashflow: Why Cash is NOT King
Home Service Business Success
01/01/25 • 30 min
How many times have you heard the saying “cash is king?"
But what if someone told you that that’s just a myth ready to be debunked?
In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew tackle the myths surrounding cash flow and discuss cash confidence, creating a 90-day cash buffer, having an abundance mindset, and explain why “cash is NOT king.”
Tune in to learn how to keep your business thriving no matter the economic climate.
- In today’s episode co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about cash flow and why cash ISN’T king.
- Kenny touches upon the shift that’s currently taking place in the blue collar trade.
- Chris shares what “cash is king” meant to him in the 1990s – and explains why POSITIVE cash flow is king.
- Kenny brings up the concept of cash confidence, the confidence in your ability to generate the cash that you need.
- Chris doesn’t believe that knowledge is power...it needs to be turned into action.
- Remember: truth is knowledge but wisdom is the application of knowledge.
- If you’re saying “my business is debt-free!”, there’s something you’re forgetting.
- Kenny opens up about what a friend from the financial planning space told him about being afraid to “party with his cash.”
- Not being able to manage cash is something Chris sees as a cause of many blue collar businesses going belly up.
- Following Chris’ 90-day cash “buffer” is an advice that saved one of the Blue Collar Success Group’s clients from having his business being forced to close its doors.
- Are you looking for a way to take cash and let it still be working for you without it being tied up? Look at money markets!
- Chris invites you to avoid having such a scarcity mindset that you end up sitting on cash all the time.
- Unlocking an abundance mindset will become a game-changing move for every home service business owner.
- Kenny takes back the curtain on what the “best operator” he had ever met told him.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/8
HSBS episode 7 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/7
Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace With Your Money by Ken Honda
Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman
Invest in Your People: How to Empower Employees and Boost Profitability with Kelton Balka
Home Service Business Success
06/04/25 • 46 min
Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew sit down with Kelton Balka, owner of Tennessee Standard and a fifth-generation plumber. Kelton shares how taking care of your team isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smartest business move you can make. From scaling his plumbing company to over $1 million in monthly revenue and building a culture where people don’t want to leave, he breaks down what it really means to invest in your people—and why profitability is just a byproduct.
- Kelton starts by sharing his journey from being a fifth-generation plumber to running his own successful company — and why he nearly avoided plumbing because everyone told him there was “no money in it.”
- Kelton shares how going to college was his way of making sure he could run a business and be a great tradesman.
- Kelton reveals the hardest hump in growing a business: Going from one truck to four. That jump took him to $1.2 million in revenue.
- What is the real recipe for business success? According to Kelton, it comes down to business smarts, on-the-ground experience, and understanding your numbers.
- Kelton reveals what Tennessee Standard is all about--and how they plan on becoming Knoxville’s #1 plumbing company, give tradesmen a path to real wealth, and become a light in the community, all for the glory of God.
- Kenny and Kelton agree that ego has no place in business. If you want to build something sustainable, you must get rid of your ego.
- According to Kelton, plumbing is a people business. You're not selling parts — you're selling labor. And if you don’t take care of your people, you won’t make it.
- What is the smartest move you can make early on in your business? Kelton says: build a financial model. It may just be a big spreadsheet, , but it shows you exactly what happens when you sell X, spend Y, and what’s left at the bottom.
- Kelton reveals how to scale from $3 million to $6 million and stay profitable.
- How to invest in your people according to Kelton:
1. Pay better than average.
2. Train consistently — they train four days a week at Tennessee Standard.
3. Provide top-tier equipment — it improves both results and morale.
4. Build a real culture — even small things like lunch or coffee make people feel valued.
- Chris and Kenny explain why delegation isn't about handing off your work — it's about empowering your team and giving them the tools to win.
- Kenny on financial modeling: The magic of spreadsheets is that they don’t have emotions. You can make smart decisions without letting fear or excitement cloud your judgment.
- Chris shares the benefits of vulnerability in leadership and why it’s not weakness.
- Kenny challenges owners who don’t love their business or are in it for the money: If you’re just showing up for the money and don’t love what you do, don’t be surprised when no one else cares either.
- According to Kenny, it's not that we have a lack of skilled labor in the trades, it's that there's an overabundance of bad ownership in the trades.
- Kelton exposes a common trap: Thinking you should start a business just because you’re the best technician.
- Kelton on training fears: “What if I train them and they leave?” He believes that if you don’t train them, they’re definitely leaving. So invest in them and give them a reason to stay.
- Kelton reminds us--don’t take it personally when someone leaves. Business is fluid — some people are here for a season, and that’s okay.
- Kelton on why building a sellable business matters: even if you don’t want to exit, it forces you to build systems, track profitability, and make better long-term decisions.
- For Kelton, a healthy profit margin in home services is around 20%.
- Kelton’s final takeaway: stop chasing shortcuts. Put in the work and treat people the way you want to be treated.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e14
Kelton Balka on LinkedIn
Margins: Profit Suckers
Home Service Business Success
12/18/24 • 34 min
When it comes to profit, most home service business owners seem to be asking the wrong questions and focusing on the wrong things...
...and that can have COSTLY consequences.
In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew look at the critical aspects of profitability and operational efficiency. They challenge traditional thinking about business margins and touch upon the most common “profit suckers” many business owners completely overlook.
And to help you protect your profit margins, you’ll hear a couple of real-life examples too!
- Chris Crew shares a story that relates to wanting to drive profitability into a business – there’s some other stuff going on and you have to be aware.
- Kenny Chapman touches upon a couple of examples of so-called “profit-suckers.”
- The real question shouldn’t be “What kind of margin are you running?,” rather “What do you account for direct cost in your business?,” says Chris.
- Chris and Kenny discuss the things that can start eroding profit margins – starting with gross margin.
- Never forget: when you know who you are, you’ll know what to do.
- Chris believes that the very first thing anyone should do when they want to strengthen profit margins is to first look at gross margin.
- Did you know that in most services businesses, 50% of the revenue is in field labor, office labor, overhead labor, material and equipment?
- Chris explains why he believes that the process in your business should NOT be built around people.
- Chris and Kenny talk about operational inefficiencies, AA, “closing the loop”, and how Chris built his business off of other people’s money by leveraging his relationships.
- “We defend what we know because uncertainty is so scary,” says Kenny – don’t fall victim to this!
- Chris and Kenny share an example of how much operational inefficiency can start to eat up your profit margin.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/6
HSBS episode 5 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/5
HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1
Direct Mail & Marketing Isn’t Dead: Here’s How to Make It Work
Home Service Business Success
04/23/25 • 17 min
Direct mail isn’t dead—and it won’t die until mailboxes die.
Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew break down why direct mail still works and how to get the most out of it in the digital age. They discuss how to craft high-impact direct mail, ways to write an opening line that keeps readers hooked, how to keep your mail out of the trash, and the creative strategies that grab attention—like mailing preloaded iPads.
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why direct mail is still effective, how to get your message opened and read, and how to incorporate it into a winning marketing strategy.
- Is direct mail marketing dead? Kenny starts by explaining why direct mail marketing is alive and well.
- While many people think direct mail is outdated, it’s far from dead. As long as people have mailboxes, direct mail will continue to be an effective strategy.
- Chris points out that people still check their mail, making direct mail a direct-to-consumer channel.
- Kenny shares how most people sort their mail. They stand over the trash can and toss out ads immediately. Understanding this behavior is key to designing mail that avoids the trash bin.
- According to Chris, direct mail is more than just letters--it also includes postcards, shared mailings, and even high-end packages that grab attention.
- Chris emphasizes that direct mail guarantees your message reaches the mailbox—something digital ads can't always promise.
- Chris shares creative direct mail strategies that get your mail opened. Some marketers used to send iPads with preloaded videos about their product—because if someone receives an iPad, they’re more likely to open it and watch the video.
- If your mail doesn't grab attention right away, it goes straight to the trash. Kenny stresses the importance of standing out instantly.
- According to Chris, a great way to stand out instantly is to add creativity to envelopes in three simple ways:
- Make it hand addressed: Open rates of hand addressed envelopes are exponentially higher than those of typed ones.
- Fold your letter for maximum impact. Not all folds are equal. Chris explains why a C-fold (instead of a Z-fold) makes a letter easier to read and more likely to be engaged with.
- The power of a compelling opening line. Your first line should be catchy enough to grab attention and expertly written such that it gets the reader to read the next line.
- Consistency is key in direct mail marketing. Chris reminds us that, just like in digital marketing, people need to see a brand 7 to 10 times before they take action.
- How to integrate direct mail into a bigger strategy. Kenny and Chris discuss how direct mail shouldn’t exist in isolation. It should be part of a multi-layered marketing campaign, including digital ads and social media.
- Follow the money to target the right audience. Chris explains how to use data like median household income, home value, and age of home to ensure you always send mail to the right prospects.
- Successful campaigns use direct mail alongside other channels such as social media, paid ads, and content marketing for the best results.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Winning at Social Media Marketing: What Home Service Businesses Need to Know
Home Service Business Success
04/16/25 • 23 min
Social media marketing is one of the most valuable tools for home service businesses – but only if done right. Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew break down how contractors can use social media to build trust, attract customers, and grow their brand and business without feeling overwhelmed.
From choosing the right platforms to creating engaging content (and everything in between!), they share practical tips to help you maximize your online presence and turn your social media efforts into actual business opportunities.
- Kenny Chapman kicks off the conversation by highlighting the underutilization of strategy, commitment, and consistency in social media marketing.
- Chris Crew describes social media as “the most undervalued marketing platform there is.”
- The #1 challenge Chris sees contractors face is that not everyone is comfortable being the face of the company or creating video and visual content for social channels.
- When it comes to video content, many people immediately think of Facebook and Instagram – but in doing so, they often overlook the second-largest search engine: YouTube.
- Video has been a key marketing asset for Blue Collar Success Group since Kenny launched it 14 years ago, starting with video training and marketing materials.
- Kenny explains that culture brings life internally, while social media offers outsiders a window into that company culture and who’s behind it.
- Chris touches on the fact that social media serves multiple purposes, depending on the intentions you set as both an operator and an individual.
- People primarily go to social media for two reasons: information and entertainment.
- Social media is an excellent tool for home service businesses to humanize their brand – showing what’s behind the uniform and who’s behind the phone.
- Chris shares some noteworthy stats: 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube, while 70% use Facebook.
- Chris’ advice for navigating the vast number of social platforms: “Go deep rather than wide.”
- Instead of trying to be on every platform, focus on mastering a couple.
- Chris mentions an insight he heard from a content marketing expert: “Quantity has a quality all of its own.”
- Kenny talks about the importance of consistency and how it applies to your unique situation – having a dedicated social media person is different from handling content on your own.
- Chris and Kenny shed light on the engagement aspect of social platforms and how it impacts your content visibility.
- Reminder: people are still wary of contractors! Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram can help build trust.
- Chris makes an analogy between social media demographics and fishing, emphasizing the importance of knowing where your ideal customers spend time.
- A key takeaway: you may be a social media user but, in many cases, you are not your own demographic.
- Kenny and Chris stress the importance of getting laser-focused on your avatar (ideal client) – who exactly are you trying to reach on social media?
- Chris warns against underestimating the power of visual content and leveraging it effectively.
- When investing in social media marketing, understanding the ROI of your efforts is crucial to making informed decisions.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Beyond Five Stars: The Smart Way to Use Reviews to Boost Your Business
Home Service Business Success
04/09/25 • 32 min
Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about all things business reviews. They share compelling statistics about the role reviews play in the purchasing process, how to handle negative reviews, and how your online presence can either multiply or diminish the effectiveness of your marketing dollars.
You’ll hear the 4-step process Chris uses to approach online reviews, how you can get more quality reviews, and how Chris used a 3-star review as a marketing asset.
- Kenny Chapman kicks things off by discussing that everything is sales.
- Kenny introduces the main topic of this episode, reviews, by emphasizing their importance.
- Chris Crew talks about how the customer experience and referral customer dynamic worked before the World Wide Web became the go-to resource for everybody.
- When it comes to online reviews, it’s important to remember that different searchers have different criteria around reviews.
- Chris shares his four-step approach to looking at the online reviews a business has received.
- According to Chris your reputation as a business hinges upon how you handle things when they don’t go great – and not upon what you do when things go great...
- Kenny talks about how reviews are approached at the Blue Collar Success Group, and the role Amazon has played when it comes to reviews and their role within the buying process.
- 93% of consumers say online reviews impact their purchasing decision.
- Kenny finds it mind-blowing to have almost 80% of people trust an online review as much as they do recommendations from friends and family.
- The fact that approximately 54% of consumers would only consider using a business with a minimum four-star rating means that half the population expects you to not be perfect.
- 87% of consumers prefer businesses with three-to-five-star ratings before considering them.
- Chris touches upon a couple of scenarios in which you may have received negative online reviews – and how to deal with them.
- 70% of customers say they’re more likely to leave a review when an account is responsive to reviews.
- Chris sees an online review as a confirmation that says, “you did a good job!”
- At Blue Collar, it’s important for different team members to know how to effectively get online reviews – Chris role plays how to get a review as a technician.
- Kenny points out that, for him, whenever a customer makes a purchase, they buy the company and the technician, then they buy the product or service.
- Kenny explains how home service businesses can get more quality online reviews and how they can get their team members to buy in.
- Spoiler alert: privacy and secrets are long gone!
- For Chris, your online presence is either a multiplier or a divider of your marketing dollars.
- Kenny and Chris talk about how to leverage positive online reviews as marketing materials.
- Chris shares how he leveraged a three start review as a marketing asset.
- The key takeaway: It’s not just about collecting five-star reviews—there’s hidden magic in all reviews if you leverage them properly in your business.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Top Line Revenue: Top Line Intoxication
Home Service Business Success
12/11/24 • 37 min
Mindset plays a crucial role in navigating the challenges of running a home service business.
In this episode, Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the dangers of "top line intoxication" and how it impacts profitability, culture, and quality of life.
You’ll learn about balancing intuition with systems, understanding true costs, creating a business that’s true to your values, and why you should approach your business as if you’re going to sell it...even if that’s not actually the case.
- Co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew share their desire to give back to the home service industry.
- Chris compares the relentless chase for top line revenue to “an addict looking for the next high” and breaks down the neurological cycle behind it.
- Chris breaks down the neurological process that takes place when the top line revenue “cycle” occurs.
- Focusing solely on revenue growth – while ignoring profitability and margins – can lead to dangerous consequences for your business.
- Chris and Kenny discuss the intoxication around income – and what impact it can have on your quality of life.
- A client of Blue Collar Success Group chose not to scale his $3M company to $10M – Chris discusses the main reason behind his decision.
- Beware: top line intoxication can lead you to not only sacrifice profits and margins, but company culture too!
- Kenny and Chris talk about bringing together different ways of approaching life, the role of intuition in business, and running at your own pace.
- Thinking about your business as if you’re planning to sell it will lead you to having systems in place, quality leadership, and you driving profit.
- Here’s a powerful “mantra” for home service business owners: when the business isn’t right, it’s because something isn’t being done right on the basics.
- Chris unpacks the concepts of understanding your true cost to open the doors and pricing your services for the business you want to become, not the one you are today.
- There’s a healthier "dopamine rush" every business owner should chase: clarity on daily costs and a sustainable path to success.
- Chris lays out the key metrics to track at different revenue stages, from $250K to $10M+, and how they can guide your growth journey.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/5
HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1
HSBS episode 4 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/4
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke
Generating Leads: No Leads, No Problem
Home Service Business Success
11/20/24 • 38 min
Chris Crew and Kenny Chapman dive into strategies to generate more quality leads and drive sustainable growth.
Tune in to hear about practical tips for filling your pipeline with quality lead generation, how to approach sales calls and spend your marketing budget, and brand awareness, as well as market domination and the role your mindset will play in all of this.
- The episode kicks off with The Blue Collar Success Group president Chris Crew and founder Kenny Chapman addressing the question “No leads, no problem?”
- Chris shares a story of what happens with his past business that led them to go from not having enough calls to having too many calls with leads.
- Kenny explains why the way you’re probably thinking about leads right now is short-sighted.
- A common mistake people make with leads is putting away the “digging tools” as soon as things go well.
- Chris discusses something you can do, from an operational standpoint, to truly see what’s going on in your business.
- On a call, do you tend to give a long list of the services you provide? “Do things differently,” says Chris Crew. “List only what you don’t offer.”
- Chris and Kenny address the aspect of budget in relation to leads and marketing, and the reasons why businesses struggle with lead generation.
- Remember: a part of your marketing is about testing things.
- Some business owners forget to track the effectiveness of what they’re already doing marketing-wise.
- Kenny takes back the curtain on one strategy that helped him dominate his market.
- Chris and Kenny go over why you shouldn’t put all of your eggs in one basket, as well as how to go about actually testing your efforts and strategies.
- When it comes to brand awareness, ensure that all of your marketing looks and feels like your brand.
- For Kenny, leads are like speaking languages – make sure that you’re speaking the right language to the right lead.
- Chris identifies the type of leads you shouldn’t buy first when using a lead aggregator.
- An important lesson to remember: it may feel boring at times but, as Kenny says, “When it comes to your brand, boring is brilliant!”
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/2
HSBS episode 1 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/1
Angi (formerly known as HomeAdvisor)
Want to Increase Profitability? Fix These 5 Areas First
Home Service Business Success
05/14/25 • 32 min
Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss profitability and why it should be the driving force behind every decision you make in business. They break down the hidden costs that sneak into your operation, why most contractors misunderstand their income statements, and how fixing—not cutting—expenses is the smarter play.
By the end, you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of what it really takes to run a profitable home service business.
- Kenny starts the conversation with a reminder most business owners need to hear: the goal of every business is to make a profit, unless you’re a non-profit.
- For Chris, the simplest path to profitability is selling more than you spend.
- In most service businesses, Chris says nearly 50% of your revenue goes into two things: labor and materials. If you can’t control these two things, the rest will take care of itself.
- According to Kenny, business, at its core, is a system of relationships. Your success is a reflection of how well you manage your relationships with clients, employees, and vendors.
- Chris shares his thoughts on expenses and explains why you have to know the difference between fixed and variable expenses.
- If you’re struggling with revenue, Chris believes you shouldn't just raise prices. That’s a lazy fix. Raising prices without a strategic reason is making life harder for your sales team and driving revenue further away.
- Chris explains why compensation plans should incentivize behaviors that drive long-term success.
- Chris and Kenny see this all the time: contractors who never look at their income statements. If you’re not regularly reading the financials, you’re guessing. And guessing is the most expensive habit in business.
- According to Chris, you can’t cut your way to business success. Smart cost-cutting is about eliminating the baggage that isn’t driving your ROI.
- For Kenny, there's no such thing as a small business and there's no such thing as a large business. There's only a business and where you are on that journey.
- Chris explains the difference between an investment and a cost in a business. Investments move the business forward, costs drain it.
- One of Chris’ most practical tips: categorize your expenses into buckets. When you know what’s being spent where, you can start leading by numbers instead of emotions.
- He further breaks down the five key buckets every business should track: marketing, facilities, vehicles, employees, and admin. You don’t need to overcomplicate it; just bucket it, track it, and review it often.
- Kenny pushes back against the mindset that profit is a dirty word. Profit is what allows you to take better care of your team, reward excellence, and take some money home.
- Kenny and Chris agree that alignment matters. Success comes when everyone knows the goal is to run a profitable business and everyone is working towards the same objectives.
- Chris warns against cutting costs just because you can’t measure their ROI. For example, that billboard you want to take down might be the invisible force keeping your phones ringing.
- Instead of asking what to cut, Chris says, ask what to fix. Look at every expense through one lens: is this helping us make money today or tomorrow? If the answer’s no, then you look at cutting.
- Kenny believes the best investment a business can make is in its people. When you pour into them, they pour back into the business—and that’s how you become profitable.
- According to Kenny, your business goal shouldn’t be about getting bigger, it should be about getting better. And the fastest way to level up your company is by leveling up the people inside it.
- Training isn’t a box to check, it’s a key part of company growth. The businesses that win in the next five years will be the ones that take training seriously and commit to making their people better.
Mentioned in This Episode:
HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e11
You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School: And Other Simple Truths of Leadership by Mac Anderson
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FAQ
How many episodes does Home Service Business Success have?
Home Service Business Success currently has 28 episodes available.
What topics does Home Service Business Success cover?
The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Plumbing, Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Home Service Business Success?
The episode title 'Pace Not Race: How to Run a Successful Business Without Exhausting Yourself' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Home Service Business Success?
The average episode length on Home Service Business Success is 33 minutes.
How often are episodes of Home Service Business Success released?
Episodes of Home Service Business Success are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Home Service Business Success?
The first episode of Home Service Business Success was released on Nov 4, 2024.
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