Podcast Summary: To The Point - Home Services Podcast

Episode: The Business Playbook We Wish We Had 10 Years Ago
Hosts: Chris (RYNO Strategic Solutions) & Chad Peterman (Peterman Brothers)
Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode features Chris and Chad sharing the "business playbook" they wish they’d had a decade ago, drawing on lessons from their journeys in the home services industry. They dive deep into:

• Marketing best and worst investments
• Leadership and hiring tips
• Operational game-changers
• Culture and scaling expenses
• Legacy perspectives and actionable advice

The conversation aims to equip HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and other home service company owners with practical and proven advice for growing their businesses faster and more effectively.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Branding Lesson: Invest Early

Branding: The Missed Opportunity

• Chad stressed he regrets not investing in strong branding earlier. Peterman Brothers only rebranded their trucks and simplified their name in 2021, years after a competitor with just four trucks eclipsed them in local visibility.
• "We had white vans with letters...they were nice. But if we had pulled the trigger sooner… the way people know us now, could they have known us then?"
  — Chad Peterman [06:15]

Advice:

• Invest in memorable vehicle wraps and a cohesive brand story early, even in the small company stage.

Notable Moment:

• Chad realized the power of branding after learning a local competitor seemed much larger than they actually were due to strong branded trucks. [07:32]

2. Measuring Marketing ROI & Avoiding “Spray and Pray”

Ineffective Past Approaches

• Chad admits to a "spray and pray" approach early on—spending on ValPaks, mailers, newspapers, and radio with little measurement or accountability.
  • "We were just doing things to say we were doing marketing… We never really measured it." — Chad [10:02]
• Both hosts agree: Today’s marketing success is about measuring ROI, not just activity.

Performance Matters

• Chris emphasizes dual accountability: The marketing company delivers leads, but the business must convert them.
  • "If you can't book the damn call, I can't help you there." — Chris [14:10]

Actionable Takeaway:

• Measure every marketing channel’s performance, understand which leads convert, and ensure your team can close the business.

3. Building a Brand Story

Don’t Just Wrap the Truck—Have a Story

• Both hosts stress that brand investment should be more than aesthetics: There must be a compelling story and character customers connect with.
  • "Don't go spend money on branding if you don't actually have a brand to brand." — Chad [19:23]

4. Leadership: The Call Center Wake-Up Call

Key Leadership Hire Most Owners Miss

• Chad’s biggest hindsight regret: Not hiring a call center champion early or prioritizing the customer service process.
  • "We had no process, no procedure. We weren't looking at booking rates…just 'pick up the phone.'" — Chad [22:48]
• Improved CSR processes alone could have doubled business at various stages.
  • "You don't need to spend more money on marketing. You just need to book all the calls that come in." — Chad [25:33]

When to Add a Call Center Manager?

• Once you have 3-4 CSRs, at least one should step into a supervisory/managerial role. Even bigger companies constantly refine their CSR team performance.

Tools & Automation

• Chris describes how AI call analysis tools now make it easier for even small teams to monitor and improve CSR performance. [30:34-32:37]

5. Hiring Missteps & the Marketing Manager Trap

Bad Hire Pain Point

• Chad’s mistakes stemmed from unclear expectations. For marketing hires, creative types are less effective than analytical, results-focused professionals.
  • "You are not a marketing person, you are a lead gen person...You need to be really comfortable with data. I don't care what the ad looks like, I care that it works." — Chad [33:24]

What to Look for in Marketing Leaders

• Data obsession, not just creative flair.
  • "Ask them what was the last campaign you ran and what was the data around it? If they can't answer, you probably know you got the wrong candidate." — Chad [38:14]

Memorable Take:

• "My job [as CMO] was to only pay attention to the numbers. That’s it." — Chris [35:59]

6. Operations: The System That Would Have Saved Years of Headaches

Game-Changing Process: Turnover Sales

• Chad’s advice: Don’t just wait for weather swings; proactively identify and pursue aged system sales leads.
  • "You should be asking, what is the age of their equipment on every single phone call… Once you know how many have over-10-year-old systems, you have those leads on the board." — Chad [44:48]
• Coach turnover processes constantly, know your conversion benchmarks, and predict install volume year-round.
• "Imagine the impact on the business if you could predict [installs]." — Chad [48:55]

7. Scaling Expenses: CRM, Marketing, and Culture

Big Expense That’s Worth It

• ServiceTitan or similar high-quality CRM is a “must” for scaling, despite the sticker shock.
  • "It does all these things… that’s a part of that, that expense." — Chris [51:02]
• Don’t chase every new tool or vendor—focus on adoption and genuine ROI, not shiny object syndrome. [54:16-57:02]

Unique Culture Investments

• Take culture-building seriously—e.g., giving employees their birthday off, providing memorable "Musogi" experiences, or volunteering together.
  • "The sillier the thing that you give, the more impact it has. People love having their birthday off." — Chad [54:42]
  • "When you treat somebody like that...makes people feel special." — Chris [58:44]

8. Legacy & Perspective: The One Thing to Do Earlier

Personal Development, Networking & Action

• Chad’s biggest personal unlock: Seek out other contractors, see bigger operations first-hand, and ask more questions EARLIER.
  • "Get out and network...shop tours are great. Go see those and find out what people are doing." — Chad [63:02]
  • "Once I saw it, I’m like, all right, it’s possible. We just got to figure it out."
• Chris’s bottom line: “Take action. Ambition without action is useless."

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• [06:15] Chad: "We did not rebrand... until 2021. If we would have pulled the trigger sooner... could they have known us then?"
• [10:02] Chad: "We were just doing things to say we were doing marketing… We never really measured it."
• [14:10] Chris: "If you can't book the damn call, I can't help you there."
• [19:23] Chad: "Don't go spend money on branding if you don't actually have a brand to brand."
• [22:48] Chad: "We had no process, no procedure... just 'pick up the phone.'"
• [25:33] Chad: "You don't need to spend more money on marketing. You just need to book all the calls that come in."
• [33:24] Chad: "You are not a marketing person, you are a lead gen person...You need to be really comfortable with data."
• [38:14] Chad: "Ask what was the last campaign you ran and what was the data around it? If they can't answer, you probably got the wrong candidate."
• [44:48] Chad: "You should be asking, what is the age of their equipment on every single phone call…"
• [48:55] Chad: "Imagine what impact that would make on the business if you could predict [installs]."
• [54:42] Chad: "People love having their birthday off. Like, it's like the one thing that's like, yeah, never get rid of that benefit."
• [63:02] Chad: "Get out and network...shop tours are great."
• [68:38] Chris: "Take action… Ambition without action is useless."

Actionable “Plays” and Takeaways

• Invest in branding and a unique brand story from day one.
• Measure your marketing. Know ROI per channel; don’t rely on guesses or vanity metrics like web traffic.
• Prioritize your call center team and process— it’s sales, not just admin.
• For key hires (especially marketing): Seek data-driven, accountable, non-flashy talent.
• Proactively coach and measure operational processes, especially turnover sales and lead conversion in shoulder seasons.
• Spend on scalable systems and meaningful culture—even if the ROI isn’t instantly measurable.
• Get out of the bubble: visit other shops, ask, observe, and learn.
• Whatever the insight, TAKE ACTION.

This episode is a direct, humor-filled, and tactical masterclass for any owner or manager in the home services industry. The hosts' real-world stories—and the numbers behind them—make this a must-listen (or must-read!) for business builders seeking sustainable growth.