Want to win on trust, not price? Check out our latest article, and see how leading installers are transforming their business models.

👉 https://bit.ly/the-heatpump-business-model-matrix

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In this episode of the Heat Pump Podcast, hosts Ed Smith and Eric Fitz explore how to build a mission-driven, customer-focused HVAC company in the electrification space. They speak with Larry Waters and Alex Sloan of Electrify My Home, a California-based company known for their holistic, tech-forward approach to heat pump installations and customer service. With nearly 1,000 installs in just four years, their journey offers insights on scaling a sustainable business while training the next wave of electrification professionals.

Larry Waters, President of Electrify My Home, brings over 40 years of HVAC experience and has been a long-time advocate for building science and decarbonization. Alex Sloan, VP of Business Operations and Development, joined the company after being a customer and brings a background in energy efficiency program implementation and systems thinking. Together, they’ve turned Electrify My Home into a regional leader and educator in home electrification.

Key Takeaways:

Electrify My Home's model works because every counterintuitive decision reinforces the others:

• Know your ideal customer. This lets you say “no” to some customers with confidence. 
• Adding friction for customers increases ROI. Only people genuinely interested in electrification will complete the lengthy assessment.
• Stop giving away windshield time. Price realistic budgets remotely, then visit only once the customer has bought into the range.
• Mission and training make advertising easy. Waters built relationships in sustainability groups and city government early, creating "rabid fans" who refer endlessly. They're still over 40% referral-based after four years.
• Comprehensive electrification creates lifetime value. Once you're a customer, you keep coming back for the next phase of your journey.
• Cross-train your crews. Build teams that can handle HVAC, heat pump water heaters, basic electrical work, and envelope tasks.
• Premium positioning boosts brand. Waters gets customers who tell him, "You're too expensive for me, but I'll tell all my friends about you." That's not a problem—that's brand strength.

Timestamps:

[00:00] - Episode Teaser

[02:07] - Meet Larry Waters & Alex Sloan

[07:08] - From Customer to VP: Alex's Journey

[10:56] - Customer Journey and Process

[18:25] - Knowing Your Ideal Customer

[22:25] - Virtual Pricing and Real-World Design

[27:05] - Growing the Business While Staying True to Their Core Values

[32:04] - Offering Comprehensive Electrification Solutions

[36:59] - Why Electrify My Home is Training Other Contractors for Success

[42:13] - Electrifying 100,000 Homes by 2035: The Big Goal

[43:18] - Final Advice for Contractors

Follow Larry Waters:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-waters-31677b19/

Follow Alex Sloan:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexjsloan/

Follow Electrify My Home:

• Website: https://electrifymyhome.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/electrify-my-home/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electrifymyhomeca/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heatpumppro/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@electrifymyhome?si=4zqZO8qS5yFZZ4n6

Follow the Hosts:

• Ed Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716
• Eric Fitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/
• Amply Energy Website: https://www.amply.energy/
• Amply Energy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@amplyenergy
• Amply Energy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplyenergy
• Amply Energy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amply_energy/