In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Zay DuPree, the one-man mastermind behind DuPree Heating & Cooling!

When people think of a one-man operation, they typically picture an old dude with a beat up truck and a couple fans in the truck bed... But Zay couldn't be further from that vision. Fully insured and thoroughly professional, Zay proudly stands by the quality of his process and results. If you need HVAC work done, Zay is the best one-man band in town!

Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast!

Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners!

00:15 - Show Starts

01:09 - An Introduction to Zay DuPree

02:17 - Getting Started… Thanks to YouTube?!

05:25 - Shoutout to the Blue Collar College!

06:15 - A Man of Many Hats

07:13 - The First Step… Was a Leap

10:10 - Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable

12:49 - Let the Equipment Tell You

14:24 - Sales & Marketing: The Achilles’ Heel

16:40 - Feeling the Seal on the Deal

18:02 - The Value of Learning

19:07 - The Heartiest Crumbs: Big Business is a VERY Sloppy Eater!

22:16 - Answering the Call

24:06 - The Man with the Plan

27:18 - HVAC Becomes a Passion

29:33 - A Day in the Life of Zay DuPree: From Dawn ’til Dusk

31:27 - Learning to Let People Down

32:40 - A Scheduling Dream

35:29 - Bet on the Long Game

39:34 - Reach Out: A Learning Opportunity

41:12 - He’s Got Folders!

41:40 - Be the Means to Their End

43:49 - I’m Going Digital… But Not Completely Digital

45:51 - If You’re Thinking About It… Do It!

49:33 - How to Get in Touch

50:00 - Shoutout to Michaels Group, MLB Construction, HVCC, and BOCES!

51:09 - Take Your Social Media Seriously!