Episode #306- Lawrence DeHart

Summary

HVAC Masters of the Hustle: Episode #306 - Lawrence DeHart

In Episode #306 of HVAC Masters of the Hustle, host JDubMoneyMaker sits down with Lawrence DeHart, a remarkable figure in the HVAC industry whose journey from adversity to success serves as an inspiring blueprint for aspiring contractors and industry professionals alike. Released on April 7, 2025, this episode delves deep into Lawrence’s personal story, the challenges he overcame, and the strategies that propelled his company, D Hart Plumbing, to the forefront of the market.

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1. Introduction: A Passion for Hustle

The episode kicks off with JDubMoneyMaker expressing his enthusiasm for having Lawrence as a guest. Lawrence’s reputation as a dedicated listener and his impressive achievements within his company set the stage for an engaging conversation. JDub underscores the value Lawrence brings, stating, “What he's been able to accomplish within his company and his organization and in his market has been absolutely mind-blowing” (00:38).

2. Lawrence’s Entry into the Trades: Overcoming Early Challenges

Lawrence recounts his entry into the trades in 2007 under unconventional circumstances. Initially seeking a plumbing apprenticeship, he instead started as a driver due to unexpected company needs. Reflecting on his early days, Lawrence shares, “Within about a year and a half, I was running job sites and letting it rip and getting after it in that company” (03:16). However, his journey was fraught with instability as the first few companies he worked for abruptly went out of business, leaving him repeatedly jobless despite his growing expertise.

3. The Turning Point: Starting D Hart Plumbing

After facing consistent setbacks, Lawrence hit rock bottom when he was unable to secure new employment due to a past felony conviction. This period of desperation catalyzed his decision to start his own business. Lawrence vividly describes his lowest point, saying, “It was just me and my baby boy in the beginning” (07:54), highlighting the personal stakes involved. Determined to rise above his circumstances, he leveraged his skills and resources, transforming his Chevy HHR into a makeshift work vehicle and aggressively marketing his services through door hangers and neighborhood canvassing.

4. Building from Scratch: The Importance of Customer Service

Lawrence emphasizes the critical role of exceptional customer service in differentiating his business from competitors. He meticulously crafted a professional image, ensuring he “smelled good” and maintained a tidy appearance, which resonated deeply with customers. “[...] The service I was providing was different than what they were used to. So then these customers became cheerleaders” (20:47). This commitment to quality service not only attracted clients but also fostered loyalty, laying a solid foundation for business growth.

5. Strategic Growth: Scaling Up and Overcoming Economic Challenges

D Hart Plumbing experienced remarkable growth, nearly doubling its revenue each year except for 2022 and 2023, when rising operational costs posed significant challenges. Lawrence explains, “We've doubled almost every year with the exception of 2023, 2022” (16:26). During these tough years, Lawrence focused on refining operational processes and maximizing opportunities within the office. This strategic pivot enabled the company to sustain itself and prepare for future expansion despite economic headwinds.

6. Hiring Right: Building a Strong Team and Maintaining Company Culture

As D Hart Plumbing grew, Lawrence recognized the need to expand his team. His approach to hiring was thorough, involving deep conversations to understand potential employees’ motivations and backgrounds. He states, “I think a lot of it comes down to having a culture of absolute accountability on all fronts and protecting my team” (25:29). By fostering a culture of accountability and eliminating dysfunction, Lawrence ensured that his team remained cohesive and aligned with the company’s values, which was essential for maintaining high standards and driving continued growth.

7. Investing in Training: Creating a Robust Training Facility

Understanding the importance of technical proficiency and continuous learning, Lawrence invested in creating a comprehensive training facility. “[...] I'm building a robust training facility that will rival any technical college” (26:56). This facility not only equips new employees with the necessary skills but also strengthens the company’s culture by emphasizing education and professional development. Additionally, Lawrence brings in national trainers to provide diverse perspectives, enhancing the overall training experience and fostering an environment of excellence.

8. Vision for the Future: Preparing for Rapid Expansion

Looking ahead, Lawrence is focused on preparing for accelerated growth and expanding into larger markets. He highlights the importance of developing a strong management team and enhancing communication within the company. “[...] my goals are to prepare a phenomenal management team [...] expanding into much larger markets” (30:03). By investing in leadership and infrastructure, Lawrence aims to position D Hart Plumbing for substantial expansion, ensuring that the company can scale effectively while maintaining quality and service standards.

9. Overcoming Obstacles: A Message of Resilience and Determination

Throughout the episode, Lawrence shares his personal struggles, including dealing with a felony conviction and experiencing severe professional setbacks. His story is one of resilience, as he transformed adversity into motivation to build a successful business. He advises listeners to overcome their fears and take decisive action: “Just go after it. Whatever, whatever is holding you back. Let that go” (31:29). Lawrence’s journey underscores the importance of persistence and self-belief in achieving one’s goals.

10. Conclusion: Making a Lasting Impact

In his concluding remarks, Lawrence reflects on the broader impact of his work. He speaks passionately about how his efforts have not only transformed his own life but also positively affected his employees’ lives and the community. “[...] I've changed people's lives, I'm impacting our community” (32:48). This sense of purpose drives him to continue striving for excellence, ensuring that his company remains a beacon of quality and integrity in the HVAC industry.

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Key Takeaways

• Resilience Pays Off: Lawrence’s story exemplifies how overcoming personal and professional challenges can lead to significant success.
• Customer Service is Crucial: Exceptional and genuine customer service can set a business apart in a competitive market.
• Strategic Growth: Scaling a business requires careful planning, refining processes, and overcoming economic hurdles.
• Strong Team Culture: Building a cohesive, accountable team is essential for maintaining high standards and driving growth.
• Continuous Learning: Investing in training and development fosters a culture of excellence and prepares the team for future challenges.
• Vision and Preparation: Preparing for rapid expansion involves developing a strong management team and enhancing operational processes.
• Inspiration Through Adversity: Personal stories of overcoming obstacles can serve as powerful motivations for others in similar situations.

Episode #306 of HVAC Masters of the Hustle with Lawrence DeHart is a testament to the power of determination, strategic planning, and exceptional customer service in building a successful HVAC business. Lawrence’s insights offer valuable lessons for industry professionals aiming to ascend to the top 1%.

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Notable Quotes:

• Lawrence on Starting Over: “[When my company shut down] it was just me and my baby boy in the beginning” (07:54).
• Lawrence on Customer Service: “The service I was providing was different than what they were used to. So then these customers became cheerleaders” (20:47).
• Lawrence on Hiring: “Having a culture of absolute accountability on all fronts and protecting my team” (25:29).
• Lawrence on Training: “I'm building a robust training facility that will rival any technical college” (26:56).
• Lawrence on Resilience: “Just go after it. Whatever, whatever is holding you back. Let that go” (31:29).
• Lawrence on Impact: “[...] I've changed people's lives, I'm impacting our community” (32:48).

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Timestamp Reference Guide:

• 00:38: Introduction and excitement about Lawrence as a guest.
• 03:16: Lawrence’s initial entry into the trades.
• 07:54: Lawrence’s lowest point and motivation to start his own business.
• 16:26: Revenue growth and challenges in 2022-2023.
• 20:47: Differentiating through customer service.
• 25:29: Hiring process and maintaining company culture.
• 26:56: Building a training facility.
• 30:03: Future goals and vision for expansion.
• 31:29: Motivational advice on overcoming obstacles.
• 32:48: Reflecting on the impact of his work.

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Episode #306, providing valuable insights into Lawrence DeHart’s journey and the key strategies that have driven his success in the HVAC industry. Whether you're a contractor, technician, or industry enthusiast, this episode offers actionable lessons and inspiration to help you strive for excellence and overcome your own challenges.

Transcript

[Jacob Moneymaker]

This is H Vac Masters of the Hustle with your host, Jacob Moneymaker.

[Lawrence]

Yeah, I'm a hustler Cuz I'm a hustler. Yeah, I'm a hustler.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

What is up? You are listening to H Vac Masters of the Hustle podcast and here's your host, J Dub Moneymaker. And welcome to episode 306. And man, I do I got a great episode for you. Before we dive deep into 306, this podcast is brought to you by Nuva Thermostat. This con thermostat is made by the contractor for the contractor. And you know, I'm excited because I also have a training event with Nuva this Wednesday for all the premier contractors. Part of it, we'll be talking about sales process, engaging with your homeowner for the best customer experience possible for a full hour. So I'm super excited to be able to deliver content and value to you guys all. And I'm going to be dropping some bombs. So if that's something you're interested in, go ahead and email over jdub@h vac masters of the hustle.com. but like I said, I am excited, excited y'all about this episode. You know, this is has been a true experience for myself to meet this gentleman, but he's also been a fan of the podcast or I'm not even going to say a fan. He's been a a strong listener of the podcast for quite some time. And I was super excited because I had the privilege and opportunity to go out there last week or this week and meet the team and I had the opportunity to meet this gentleman in Minnesota about a month and a half ago. And just a great human. What he's been able to accomplish within his company and his organization and in his market has been absolutely mind blowing. And this is why I'm excited about this episode because you guys are going to be sitting on the edge of your seat wanting more information, more content, and Lawrence is going to be delivering some great content. Mr. Lawrence, let's welcome him to the hot seat. Let's go.

[Lawrence]

What's poppin baby?

[Jacob Moneymaker]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Lawrence]

Let's go.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

So I mean, let's talk about this real quick. Yeah, my listeners, a quick elevator pitch of how you got into. Actually, you know what the elevator pitch, because you have a great story. Tell my listeners how you got into the trades of H Vac and your background story of all your challenges to get you to where you are today.

[Lawrence]

Okay, so I got in the trades in 2007. And it was pretty funny, man, because the newspaper, it was just looking for a plumber apprentice. And when I went to apply, what they really needed is the. Their main plumber got too many DUIs, and then he needed someone to drive them around. And so I started driving. I got hired there, started driving Roy around, who was the guy that trained me. And Roy was just kind of this old hippie, shaggy hair, always had his crack hanging out. And we. We did a lot of new construction and commercial and industrial plumbing and. But long story short, man, within about a year and a half, I was running job sites and letting it rip and getting after it in that company. And again, that was 2007. And so I worked at that company for about five years, and then they ended up going out of business. We got abruptly notified. It was, like the day after Christmas. Nobody knew. There was no problems. We show up to the shop, and my old boss announces that they're shutting down the doors. And so, kind of out of nowhere, we were all jobless. And then that very next day, I got offered a job from another company who wanted me to just. They were taking over the contracts for that company that I was working for, and they wanted me to just step right in and keep busy and keep doing the same work. And so I. I actually got a pay raise, stepped in, and started doing the same stuff I was already doing and running those job sites on the military base up here called Fort Riley. But then that company went out of business three months later. It looks bad on me, right? All these companies dropping off. But after that, say, actually, rinse and repeat, same thing. That company went out of business, or they shut down their operations. And then another company reached out, like, hey, we know you're great. We want you to continue doing what you were doing for them, for us. And that was when I experienced kind of poor leadership and poor management, and I didn't work at. Well, at that company. And that was. That was the first time in my career working where I didn't succeed instantly. And I had friction with the management and the bosses there. And long story short, I ended up losing my job there. So I got. I got canned. Do you want me to go into how my company started?

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Absolutely.

[Lawrence]

That's the next part to that.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Absolutely.

[Lawrence]

All right, so I'm gonna try to articulate this in. In kind of how I. How it really was evolving for me in the moment. But. So I got pressed about a situation I didn't agree with at that job. I ended up getting fired. And that day I was like, hey, whatever, no problem. I get a job right away. Because that's what happened these last two companies that went out. Literally next day, I got a job with a pay raise both times because I knew my value, right? It's. So I went home, put on a nice shirt with a tie, some slacks, and started applying. Well, what, Wasn't nobody trying to hire me. This was the first time I was outside of the bubble of that contract work on the military base. So I'm trying to get a job. These local companies. And my, my problem was when you fill out that application, there's a little, there's a little questionnaire on there. Were you ever convicted of a felony? And I have to check? Yes, because when I was 22, I got a felony. So I started plumbing at 21. At that first company I worked for, I got a felony acting up, acting a fool, not living right. Uh, but my boss worked with me about the whole thing. I did my due diligence, handled everything the way I was supposed to handle, you know, as far as probation and all that. Um, so outside of that bubble, I'm sorry, if you hear the train, it's going to get loud. It's about to roll past. So outside of that bubble, man, when I got into the real world, outside of that contracting work, that felony became a problem. And remember, this is years later. So I got my felony at 22. Now we're, now I'm 27 at this moment in my life. So I had done everything right, lived right, made right choices, corrected everything in my life at that time. I was a single dad raising my, my boy. Now, who you met Aiden, who's not little anymore.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Oh, he's a big boy.

[Lawrence]

He's a moose, man. And 16 years old. 16? Yeah, he's almost 61 and 240, but.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

So he's my best friend.

[Lawrence]

Yeah, that's, that's, that's my pup. So it was just me and my baby boy in the beginning. And so at that moment, nobody wanted me. I knew what I had to offer, but my felony was holding me back, which I didn't really expect because I felt like that was the, a long time ago at that time in my life. And so I tried everything, man. I, I, I, I, I made a question, I made a, a statement that I wrote down explaining what happened, what I did, what I would have done differently. I was open and honest to employers about it. And then, of course, out of desperation, I had that one employer that I decided to lie on the Application. And that's the one employer that did a background check. So that company was like, hey, man, you showed up a felon. I'm like, damn it. So I was. I was going through it. I lost everything. It was the first time of my life where I think I was having depression. Nothing was going right. I was taking an L at every turn that I made. And as a father, as a. As a man, it was hard for me to go home and hold my baby boy and hold myself up, too, because I felt like a bum. And I couldn't believe that. Not that long. Just a few months prior, a few weeks prior to that, I was doing good. I was making okay money. I was comfortable. I had a nice little trailer that was newer, a nice car. And now here I am, this loser with nothing. And nobody wanted me. Nobody would hire me. You know, for me, I. I had a. I had a moment, man, that's gonna. That's burned into my soul. So I'm in desperation mode, and my mom is like, honey, you need to sign up for food stamps and cash assistance. And I'm thinking, I ain't no bum, man. I can't do that. But I did. So I got food stamps, I got cash assistance. Because I was a single dad, I was able to get that income until. I wish I had it on me. But day, I have that EBT card, that card I got that gives me that. That food stamps, and. And I look at it every now and again, just remembering what that was. It's in my nightstand. But the moment that that got to me most is I'm sitting here. Locally, in Manhattan, there's a place called the Bread Basket, and it's a food pantry that, you know, for. If you qualify, you can go there and pick up groceries. And I didn't really have any groceries, man. So I'm sitting there in this food pantry, in this tiny little room, bouncing my boy on my knee, and I'm feeling like a loser. It wasn't nothing going right. Didn't nobody want me. I. I started to question my value and who I was as a man. I felt like a bad father. And there's this lady sitting next to me, and she's waiting for food, too. And this. This. This lady gets up, and it's her turn to get in line to get food, right? The. The volunteer worker who's passing out the food. This lady walks up, looks around at the food and goes, where's my pizza? I. This pizza I want isn't here. So I'm sitting here lowest Point in my life, feeling worthless, but also grateful that our community has something to help me when I need it most. And then there's this lady in front of me, bitching and complaining and angry because they didn't have the food she wanted. It was just. It was an experience, man, that I needed. And I remember sitting there going, I will never be in this fucking position again in my life. I will never do this. I will never feel this way again. And I got goosebumps just talking about it, man, because it was such a real moment in my life. And so that, you know, that day I went home and I had a girlfriend at the time, and she's sitting on the front porch. I'm like, babe, I think I'm going to start my own business. I don't know what else to do. I need money. I got to do something. And, you know, she. She was like, I don't know if that's a good idea. And I wasn't really listening, man. I started just thinking, okay, what can I do? So, first step, start a Facebook page, right? And. And here's. What's this? This was 2000, early 2013. So we're probably talking May. No, probably March of 2013. So I love this part, too, is at the time, my brother was stationed in Bagram Air Force Base. You know, he. He had a deployment over there in Afghanistan, but he's an IT guy. So I'm talking to Mark, my brother, late at night. It was that night. And I'm like, man, you know, I think I'm gonna start my own business. He goes, all right, cool. And I hear his little fingers pecking away at the keyboard. And he goes to namecheap.com and purchases the website D hartplumbing.com. he's like, Hey, I got the website purchased for you. I'm like, what are you talking about? So then he hurries up and starts coding and putting together a generic web page for me. Sets up my email, which, you know, my email that. It always makes everyone laugh. It's the boss. D hartplumbing.com. that was my brother. He just, off the whim, was like, what should we name this? The [e-mail]. so, boom, there it is, right? And so at that point, I had made. I got the. I still have the original business cards. I went on Vistaprint. I took my little bit of, like. I think it was like, 15 bucks, got a couple hundred business cards, started walking neighborhoods, dude. And I'm putting it in. You know, everybody's screen doors, every gas station on the bulletin boards up there for the local places. You know, I'm hollering at everybody, shaking everybody's hands and doing anything I can to get myself in a customer's house.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

A lot of, a lot of owners starting off don't want to do that. So talk to me real quick about why you did that. I do it royalty, right? I mean, I'm pounding the pigment still today, doing door hangers and everything. So talk about that real quick to some of the listeners out there that are maybe startup companies that are like, that's a waste of time. Why would you do that?

[Lawrence]

Sounds like you ain't desperate enough. I, I think desperation, right? You gotta understand, man, I was at my lowest. I had nothing. I had no choice but to make this work. I didn't have, I didn't even have any plumbing. I had my little handbag, all the tools. So this was, this was my grind in the beginning. I had a Chevy hhr that, which I still have. I don't know if you saw it out in the parking lot when you were here, but that was my personal car that I converted into my little work vehicle. I put a little 4 foot by 8 foot trailer on the back and would put my sewer machines back there because I do plumbing too, right? And in every tool that I needed that I didn't have because I didn't have no money. So I'm. I'm scraping every service call, I'm scraping begging a supply house to let me borrow a couple things for a little bit and I'll come pay you once the job's done. I went to True Value here, a local rental place. I would rent the tools, I would rent anything I needed and hope to God that that rental was under four hours so I could return it real quick. But there's not another option, man. I need the phones to ring and I need people to know that I exist. So. And that's only going to happen if I'm shaking hands, I'm talking. And one thing, it was uncomfortable for me. This wasn't something that I felt awkward, I felt weird, I felt uncomfortable. All of that journey was, was uncertainty and discomfort and worried about how I'm gonna look. Am I gonna speak right? Am I gonna do this right? Are they gonna be happy with me? But if, if you're not hitting the pavement, grinding, you're not desperate enough. You're. I. I don't know what else to say on that, man. For me, I had no choice. That was it. There was no other option. I wasn't about to go. Do you know something else? I wasn't gonna do a different trade. This is what I knew, and I got good at it. And I just wanted people to know who I, you know, know me and who I was.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Yeah, I absolutely love that. You know, talking about now starting D. Hart. Okay, what did your growth plan look.

[Lawrence]

Like in the beginning?

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Just year after year. So year one, year two. What kind of double did you see double every year?

[Lawrence]

Almost. Almost every year I. I've doubled with the exception of. Okay, so in the beginning, it was double in revenue. And then last year, we did fit a 50% increase, which is still substantial. And for me, it was substantial because we did a 50% increase with the same amount of bodies and less call volume. So we started refining our process and maximizing opportunities. That's where I finally started learning a little more about maximizing opportunity, especially the office man. Like when I started really honing in on the office operations and seeing how much. How. How much opportunity there is there in the office that we miss, that's when things started really popping off, too. But, yeah, we've doubled almost every year with the exception of 2023, 2022. There was a lot of. The price. Cost of doing business went up exponentially. And I didn't change my price. I didn't make a lot of money. We didn't lose money. That has never happened. But we didn't grow a whole lot in 23. And then I quit bullshitting, and we got on it good in 24.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Buckled down. Right. So talk about. We'll rewind back to year one. You know, you started this with yourself.

[Lawrence]

Yeah.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

When did you know it was time to hire and when was it time for growth?

[Lawrence]

The phone was ringing too much, and I couldn't get nothing done when I was taking the calls and doing the work. And now I'm doing the work, and I got a customer calling, and I can't pick up because I got to do the work. And then I call them back and they got a hold of somebody else. And that just would burn me, you know, because I need that work. So when the calls got too much and I was getting too busy and I couldn't handle everything, and you know that my first call to hire somebody was my mom, because she was going through kind of a midlife crisis at 55. There was some change in government funding. She lost her job at Head Start, which I don't know if you know what Head Start is, but it's a government Funded program for kids. It's like a kindergarten or something of that sort, but it's for low income children. And she ran, she worked there for like 25 years. But at that time she lost her job. So she was cleaning houses at Mary Maids. And my mom, my mom is a hero. You know, she, she raised five of us, dude. She's a, she's an absolute horse, man. She's, she's. She showed us all kids growing up that you work ethic, you could be poor, but you don't got to act poor. You can take care of your house. Love the things that you have. I mean, dude, you know, there is point in my life growing up where me and my brothers had bunk beds in, in a dining room in this little tiny shack because she's just trying to make. By raising us all. But she always worked hard, always kept everything clean. And so, you know, I had to call my mom. And so it was funny because that day I called her, I said, mom, I need to hire you full time. I can't take all these calls and schedule. And she literally said, I'm quitting right now, baby. And she, she went, she went straight to her boss and quit. And her boss has customer now as well and has been for quite some time. But yeah, she, she told me when she was driving to that office, she was just singing that song, take this job and shove it. She just couldn't wait. So she, and you know, we both lived in the same trailer park at that time. And so I had my trailer that I lived in for a while and hers was kind of caddy corner for me. And so that was like the first real office was in her home in the trailer park where, you know, I'd meet over there every day, have breakfast, sit with mom for a little bit, get ready, and then, you know, get her little tickets for the call that I needed to go to and go out and start running it. Yeah. And it really, it was just always based off call volume and me getting stretched too thin is when I would make the decision to get the next person. And I, that's when I cherry picked all my best friends.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

I want to ask you, you know, one thing that you said is you hired because you got your phones to ring and you felt like it was to the point where you were overloaded.

[Lawrence]

Yeah.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

I guess a lot of my listeners might be asking a question as a new business or a startup, how'd you get your phones to ring? How were you able to do that?

[Lawrence]

I love that. I love that, man. So okay. In the beginning, there were some fundamentals that I thought were just common sense because I understand that prior to my company, my company, when I started, I decided to do service, plumbing service, H vac, right? Prior to that, I didn't do service. It was all new construction, all of it. I only went service because I felt like that was my only chance to get any work because I didn't have any connections to get into new construction, right? So my first customer's house, I was so excited, they called it was for a sewer. And I had to go rent. I had to go first, diagnose, and then go rent the machine because your boy didn't have no money, right? So I did not have a sewer machine. So these are all things I had to rent. So I show up to their house, but before I show up, I'm like, okay, all right. I can't look like a chump. I can't have my crack hanging out. I gotta smell good, I gotta have a trimmed up beard. I gotta have a smile on my face. All right, cool. I'm gonna stop by Home Depot real quick and I'm gonna get a thing of fabuloso, lavender, fabuloso. So. And I'm gonna clean up after myself. So when I leave this house, this customer knows I handled business. And so that's. And that's exactly what happened. I showed up to the house, I diagnosed what was going on. I figured out it was the sewer. I went to the rental place, picked up the sewer, cleared it, cleaned everything up. I had that bathroom looking spotless, sprayed down, smelling the lavender, and they were blown away. Oh, and of course, the shoe covers, right? So I have my shoe covers walking in because I felt like, you know, that's the basics. Got to show that I care. Gotta be happy and friendly. And so with that mentality. And then of course, you know, that's bad. It was genuine. I was genuinely level 10, thrilled to be in their home and have that opportunity. I thought that things like a smile on my face, looking professional, smelling good, being kind and friendly, being there for the customer, I thought these were just common known things. What I started to realize is that it wasn't and that the service I was providing was different than what they were used to. So then these customers became cheerleaders. And that is how I started to gain traction. It was not realizing that the things that I thought were common sense, smile on my face, friendly, personable, being there for the customer, being happy. When I pick up the phone, when they call, it turns out that that wasn't something that seemed to be happening very often. So that's how I stood out. Now that got me traction. But then the next step for me was Google Ad. At the time it was called Google AdWords Pay per click campaigns. You got to remember, I didn't have no, I didn't have money to be paying third party companies to run this shit for me. Same with my website. I learned how to code, do generic coding and my brother helped me and I would code and build my own website. I was watching YouTube and learn how to put in some basic coding to have a, just a foundation of a website. I did the same with Google AdWords. I learned how to run my ad campaign and I'll never forget, man, the day my Google AdWords went live. That night McDonald's called me the local franchises to get a service call done. I was like, holy shit. So I went out and cleared their sewer. They're still a customer today. So those Google AdWords were like the ice on the cake. And that really allowed me to, when I could control those ads and where my placement was on those ads and make sure I was always in the top three in the top part. They don't do adwords like this no more. But it used to be a peach section at the very top of the page that had three of the ads on there. And uh, I was able to slide in and dominate on that. But I also had the advantage of none of my competitors were doing it and the ones that were, were paying third party companies who I was always able to outperform and put a little bit more ad spending on. So that, that's what helped me slide in and really blow up pretty quick.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Now you're the big dog. You know, I just had the opportunity to come out there this week and I saw your trucks everywhere, you know, and right, right, we're in, right there in Kansas. So as you're growing, you're hiring the right people. You're a massive company now within your market. How do you find the right people and keep the same culture?

[Lawrence]

Oh boy. So I, I refined my hiring process and take more time with these potential employees to really get to know them, have good conversation, learn who they are, ask great questions, trying to understand their, them, their lives, what drives them, what they, what their plans are in the future. I think take more time. But that still doesn't work perfect either because anyone could put a good foot forward in the hiring process. But I think, dude, I think a lot of it comes down to having a culture of absolute accountability on all fronts and protecting my team and not allowing dysfunction to thrive in my business. I, it is my job to cut the bullshit out right away, hold people's feet to the fire, to include myself, make sure everybody's accountable, does the right thing, and if they don't, call them out on it. And you can't let dysfunction thrive. When you let dysfunction thrive, then it is a cancer that will go through your business. And that's most important from management and ownership.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

I wanted to ask you, you know, as I was on site, one thing that I got to experience is your training room.

[Lawrence]

Yeah.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

And you're building something really special.

[Lawrence]

Yeah.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Talk about what you're building and what your vision is with that training room.

[Lawrence]

So I'm building a robust training facility that will rival any technical college. My goal is to be able to train employees, new employees, to be proficient and good technically on their, at their job so that we can invest in growth in a responsible way to where when we are transitioning new employees in the vans, they are technically ready to go and they've been able to learn and educate. So that as we grow, I am making sure that I am doing my best to maintain quality in the way we perform our work so that I can invest into my employees in a better way, help with culture. Because everyone, people thrive off training. Employees need it, they want it. And it's important that it's a fundamental part of who we are as a company. But it also helps drive growth in a good way. Not just taking somebody, throwing them in a van and hoping for the best because that is dysfunction that creates chaos. Right.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Talk about also, you know, investing in your team, in training. I mean, not only have you created and built a great training facility, but you also bring national, great trainers in, you know, bringing some, myself, other trainers as well.

[Lawrence]

Yep. It's outside perspectives, man. If we just live in our own bubble of we're never going to grow outside of it. Right. So some of the best learning that I've been able to provide to myself is getting outside of my bubble, talking with other people that have done it better, bigger than I have. It allows us all to grow. And so when my team gets to experience high performing, high level people, that's not just me talking or my managers talking. It's impactful, it's powerful, it revs people up, it gets you excited. So in it. And it does the same for me. But you know, company wide, it's appreciated. They love having these opportunities to meet new people, get different training, get different perspectives and just see how other people operate. It's. It's exciting, it's thrilling. And it, and it really helps that culture too. It's. I can't just be talking to people all the time. I got to bring in other people to show us what's up too.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

You know, Lawrence, as you're growing, right, and you're doing this so special, being a great leader yourself, what's your goals for D Hart like? What do you envision the next three years?

[Lawrence]

Your company grow, Growing? I think that we are on the cusp of rapid, rapid growth. And so my goals are to prepare a phenomenal management team which I already picked. We already meet nearly every morning and just go over fundamentals. How to be good people, how to be effective leaders, how to communicate properly amongst one another and have hard conversations. And so I want my goals in that is preparing for the growth, expanding into much larger markets, and really putting the foot on the gas pedal. That's why the training center is happening. That's why I've got people like you coming to offer different perspectives and offer your guidance and your expertise. It's all in preparation for the big show for me, which is expanding into metropolitan markets and really getting after it. Love it.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

You know, despite your obstacles and challenges and, you know, every thing that you had to endure within your journey, you've been able to create something really special, really not allow fear to dictate where you're going in life and in your journey. Yeah, you know, I got listeners from business owners, technicians, CSRs, dispatchers. What would you like for them to get out of this episode of H Vac Masters of the Hustle?

[Lawrence]

Just go after it. Whatever, whatever is holding you back. Let that go. You're smart enough, you're good enough, you can do it. There's never going to be a perfect time. Everyone gets so caught up in over analyzing and waiting for the perfect time. There's never going to be a perfect time. Just do the. I would have never started my own company had I not been forced into desperation and making it happen. It would have never happened. I would have never thought I could be a good leader of any type. But you have to just go, whatever, whatever it is, it doesn't have to. If you want to just be a phenomenal technician, let loose, start being uncomfortable and go. You always hear people saying, like, yo, get comfortable being uncomfortable. And it's the. It's so, so, so true. Our egos hold us back considerably and our fears of looking stupid or am I smart enough? You know that Imposter syndrome. Right. Because I deal with that too. You know, there's. There's been some great people on your podcast that are high performers, dude, that are at levels that I dreamed to be at. So was there a part of me I thought, man, I'm not. Why the is dumb old me gonna be? Why does he want me on here? You know? But that's that imposter.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

We all got something, right?

[Lawrence]

Right? It's always that little in my head sometimes that tries to go, nah, are you really ready? And then guess what? I kick that to the side and we get pushing forward. Yeah, I don't got, I don't got. I can't do it. If I let that little, little guy win, I would have never did. I wouldn't be able to be in the position that I'm in, which is, you know, I think I touched base with you. I think we talked about this. But you know, when I have an employee's wife come up to me at our Christmas party with tears coming down expressing how I've changed her family's life. That's what it's a bout, man. My broke ass little kid in a shitty, you know, a wonderful household, but a poor household with our mom working her ass off it. Felon fuck up. Doing a bunch of bad shit at one point in time in my life to, to where I'm changing people's lives, I'm impacting our community. I'm well known in our community for helping people out and making a difference. That's I, I love coming to my, to my shop every day because I, with my people, I love my workers. I, I give them my time, my energy because I, I, it's that, that's my drive is to make an impact on their lives, make an impact on our customers lives just by doing a great job where they're like, man, we've never had customer service like this. That's, that's what fucking motivates me, man. Changing people's lives. I've changed my life. I've changed my mom's life. My biggest accomplishment is knowing that my mom don't never have to worry about a bill again. She lived too long in her life living check to check. And I don't, you know the check cashing places where you, where you, you play that check cashing hustle where you go to the one check cashing place and get that advance on your paycheck. That's how my mom lived most of her, most of her adult life. Raising us, hustling the check cashing place. Mom don't gotta worry about that no more. It's. It's a change of lives, man. That. That's the biggest thing. And so you never know if you quit bullshitting and let that imposter syndrome kick that aside and just go, you never know what you're going to be able to do and how you can impact people in a positive way and change. And you never know what you're capable of, but you ain't never gonna. You will never know if you don't.

[Jacob Moneymaker]

Do by the journey, the obstacles, the challenges that you had to endure, because I know they're in those seasons right now, and this is what the podcast is about, is to put these heavy hitters that have obstacles and challenges and put them in the hot seat so they could explain what it was to get through those obstacles and challenges, to help you break through those barriers for me to have you a guest. Until next time, y'all late.

[Lawrence]

See ya. Thank you. Appreciate it.