Todd Studer sits down with Travis Waldstein of Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning and Waldstein Plumbing to talk about a major step forward for the company. Travis shares why hiring the right operations person can transform a growing business, how leadership requires learning to let go of certain responsibilities, and why building the right team is the key to scaling. The conversation also touches on lessons from franchise training, business growth in Council Bluffs, and the mindset required to move a company to the next level.

Todd Studer and Travis Waldstein cover a lot of ground in this Circle of Trades conversation, from old houses and outdated plumbing systems to how service businesses earn trust in smaller communities. Travis shares why older homes require deeper technical knowledge, why meeting customers where they are matters, and how empathy, options, and long term relationships should come before chasing dollars. The episode also dives into local business growth, legacy planning, passive income, and what it really means to build something that lasts for the next generation.

Todd and Travis get into a very real service business problem: how do you handle after hours calls when people are stressed, it feels like an emergency, and nobody wants to fight a phone tree or an AI bot. Travis shares what he’s tried, what has worked and what has not, and why “less is more” can matter when customers just want a live human fast. Along the way, they hit the bigger point: communication is not a nice to have, it is survival in a trade business.

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Travis Waldstein checks in from the real world of contracting after a rough stretch at the shop. Water line breaks road closures power issues and the kind of problem solving that never shows up in the brochure plus a quick detour into travel stories and early Hawkeye football talk.

Todd Studer and Travis Waldstein are back in the studio for another episode of Circle Of Trades, starting with wrestling and local sports talk before getting into what really matters in the trades world. The conversation centers on integrity, accountability, and responsibility in business, what it looks like to own mistakes, and why strong culture matters from the shop to the jobsite. Along the way, Todd gets practical travel advice from Travis ahead of his first international flight to Mexico, and the two trade stories that only blue collar life can produce.

Todd Studer and Travis Waldstein are back for another episode of Circle Of Trades, mixing shop talk, workforce issues, apprenticeships, and the realities of running a trades business with plenty of humor along the way. From workforce development at Iowa Western to fuel costs, material pricing, apprenticeships, and the business side of HVAC and plumbing, this conversation covers what trades professionals are really dealing with right now in Southwest Iowa and beyond.

Travis Waldstein from Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning and Waldstein Plumbing joins Todd Studer to kick off 2026 with a wide ranging conversation about business growth reflection and forward momentum. Coming off a Hawkeye bowl win the discussion moves into hiring an operations manager evolving leadership roles adapting to economic shifts and why strong processes matter as companies scale. They also touch on workforce needs in the trades community optimism heading into the new year and how staying flexible focused and willing to try is what keeps businesses moving forward.

Travis Waldstein from Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning and Waldstein Plumbing joins Todd Studer for a real life episode that literally starts with Travis grandkids on his lap. With the holidays approaching they talk about what it means to run 24 7 service when emergencies do not take days off how teams balance on call work with family time and what unpredictable Midwest weather means for the trades. The conversation also looks ahead to business planning for 2026 industry changes and why building a company is ultimately about people family and the next generation.

Travis Waldstein of Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning and Waldstein Plumbing joins Circle of Trades for a wide ranging shop talk episode. We dig into what contractors notice in a 100 year old building, how sound and airflow actually work in a recording space, what cold snaps mean for frozen pipes and water damage, and why “fix it now or pay later” is real. Travis also shares a big update on shifting apprenticeship training to Iowa Western, why programs like Career Advantage matter, and what it could mean for building a stronger trades workforce locally. Plus, a quick preview of the return of a Council Bluffs home show at the Mid-America Center in January.

Back with another episode of Circle of Trades, Todd Studer sits down with Travis Waldstein of Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning and Waldstein Plumbing for a wide-ranging conversation that blends winter HVAC realities with the bigger picture of running a trades business. From cold snaps and emergency calls to planning for slower months, staffing, private equity pressure, and what it really takes to build a sustainable service company, this episode is an honest look at the challenges and decisions trades professionals face beyond the job site.