Home Service Business Success

This episode is a mailbag episode in which Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew tackle a couple of crucial questions from audience members.

From the biggest concern that keeps them up at night to the #1 cause of business failures and increasing credit card transaction fees.

You'll hear Kenny and Chris shed some light on these important issues, some of which will help you grow your business.

• Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew kick off the episode by addressing a question from audience member Haley, who asks about the challenges that are keeping them up at night in a time where consumers are financially struggling.
• Chris acknowledges that building a business is fun and rewarding and that different people have different concerns.
• The goal of pretty much every home service business owner is to grow top line – but it's important to do it profitably, stresses Chris.
• Chris explains why growing unprofitably is the most painful thing in the world, and why you should get profitability dialed in first.
• Chris and Kenny share a real-life example of a company that did not focus on profitability in its first three years–and how its business transformed once it did!
• Kenny brings Wall Street and unicorn startups into the conversation.
• Process optimization is the challenge that keeps Kenny up at night.
• Activity, commitment, courage, focus, confidence, implementation, and non-stop training all contribute to making a company take notice and want to hire you
• Chris discusses an approach that can generate very strong margins on low-end equipment.
• Scheduling is the focus of the next audience question…
• Chris touches upon the importance of having a call priority matrix in the context of sales.
• Kenny reiterates that it's about being profitable, as well as the fact that less is more.
• "Every day, we're doing the best we can in the human experience, in the service business world," says Kenny.
• Remember: your best is all you've got!
• Audience member Taylor asked Kenny and Chris for help in creating scripts and verbiage regarding a 3% credit card fee – something that Taylor's customers don't like.
• Chris' advice to Taylor is to increase all prices across the board by 3% and assume that everyone will use a credit card.
• Not being priced correctly is the #1 reason why businesses fail.
• Kenny and Chris bring up how a customer may feel if they're presented with increased credit card fees, as well as other types of fees.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e5

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Les Brown

Office Champion Academy

Venmo

Bud Light

Kenny Chapman and Chris Chrew welcome Darrell Boyd and Aaron Hagan from Mid-America Mister Sparky!

They take back the curtain on Mister Sparky's winning strategy for sales success – including the key role of company culture, the power of grit, and intentionality around sales.

You'll hear more about avoiding the top-line sales intoxication trap, the importance of being disciplined with your focus, and the ongoing blue collar "tsunami."

• Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew kick things off by introducing their guests, Darrell Boyd and Aaron Hagan, and by sharing how Chris and Aaron actually go way back.
• January 3, 2005 was a career-defining moment for Chris: it's when he went to work for Mister Sparky in Atlanta.
• Mid-America Mister Sparky is the largest privately-held franchise in the HSB network.
• Aaron and Darrell touch upon them meeting at an electrician on-time class back in 2007.
• Darrell has a message for all those in the home service industry: It's a tough space to be in, but you should never forget that you do have support as well as access to others.
• Kenny doesn't believe in number ones and number twos…
• His approach ties into Dan Sullivan's concept of Unique Ability.
• Darrell and Aaron talk about how, as dominant number ones, they deal with people who have strong personalities.
• Not being on the same page is something that rarely happens to Mid-America Mister Sparky's Darrell Boyd and Aaron Hagan.
• Aaron opens up about his "this will not fail!" attitude, especially when he started his joint venture with Darrell.
• When he first started, Kenny was one of those "you don't understand my market" people.
• Kenny is a fan of treating a small market as if it were smaller.
• With Mid-America Mister Sparky, Darrell and Aaron are in over 10 different states.
• Aaron illustrates Mister Sparky's approach in the region Darrell and Aaron are guests of.
• Years ago, Kenny shared an important lesson with Chris: Always aim at making your future greater than your past.
• A company Christmas gala is something Aaron and Darrell use to build a better company culture – they take back the curtain on what that experience looks like.
• Kenny sees everyone on the balance sheet as the most important asset home service businesses have.
• Kenny really likes Chris' principle of wanting to keep the main thing the main thing.
• Darrell and Aaron explain how they have been able to avoid the top-line sales intoxication trap and be disciplined with their focus.
• The average ticket among the Mister Sparky locations Aaron and Darrell manage is $1,500.
• Intentionality around sales has been one of the keys to Mid-America Mister Sparky's success.
• Kenny doesn't believe in failure but only in results.
• As the saying goes, "Your first million is always the hardest."
• Aaron and Darrell discuss how they went from watching and learning to becoming those people that watch and learn from.
• Chris warns against growing at the expense of not being profitable.
• Kenny sees the beginning of a shift in the home service industry: the blue collar class will replace the white collar class in this space.
• For Aaron, grit is one of the most important things to have to achieve success.
• "If you're not failing, you're not trying," says Aaron.
• Remember: When you fail… it's not over.
• Darrell talks about the importance of having urgency match the need.
• At the end of the day, the home service space is a people's business.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e4

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

Mid-America Mister Sparky

Darrell Boyd on LinkedIn

Aaron Hagan on LinkedIn

Cameron Harold

Dan Sullivan

Roger Bannister

"How do I turn 'just looking' prospects into paying customers?" is probably one of the most recurring questions among home service salespeople…and that's exactly what hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew tackle in this episode of the Home Service Business Success show.

They talk about the importance of having a process to follow, common mistakes salespeople make when visiting prospects' homes, and why you shouldn't fight objections but rather follow them.

You'll get to hear Chris and Kenny skills practice (aka role play) and share the step-by-step process that, if followed, will allow you to close more prospects.

• Today's episode addresses how to turn "just looking" prospects into paying customers.
• Chris Crew views process as something that "outperforms anything and anybody."
• Chris discusses the importance of not making assumptions in sales – and the consequences when you do.
• Uncovering a prospect's motive is the most important task when you walk into their home for the first time.
• Trying to shortcut the process and qualifying prospects too quickly are two of the biggest mistakes home service salespeople make.
• Kenny Chapman believes it's imperative to allow the process to do what it's meant to do.
• Chris and Kenny engage in skill practice (aka role play) and break down the process you should follow to qualify a prospect when visiting their home.
• Kenny emphasizes the power of running a process while allowing prospects to feel they are in control.
• Chris and Kenny unpack the scenario where a prospect says, "I'm going to look to get a couple more estimates before I make a decision."
• Remember: when there's no established buying criteria, prices become the default criteria prospects will rely on.
• For Kenny, it's important to remember that prospects are always "just looking" until they're not…
• Chris and Kenny advocate not fighting the objection, but rather following it – by following the conversation, you'll win more often than not.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e3

The Blue Collar Success Group

Sales Specialist Academy

HSBS season 2 episode 2 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e2

Best Buy

"I need to speak to my spouse."

That's an objection that many home service salespeople fear – you hear that, you're doomed…

Why do some people bring that point up during an appointment and what can you do to conquer that objection to successfully close the sale?

In today's episode of the Home Service Business Success Show, hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew discuss how to prevent the "I need to speak to my spouse objection."

You'll hear about the mindset needed, the reasons for that objection, and strategies you can use (like alternative closing and the "be-back appointment") to overcome it.

• This episode looks at what home service companies can do leading up to and during the "I need to talk to my spouse" objection they may face.
• For Chris Crew, the intake process whenever a phone conversation about the estimate for a big ticket item is taking place is key for setting up – and ultimately closing – the sale in person.
• One of the key steps of the process is to understand who the main decision maker is and ensure that they will be present at the time of the in-person appointment.
• Additionally, it's imperative to communicate to prospects that there's an expected time commitment, which will help when meeting them in person at their home.
• Chris shares a simple strategy you can use to increase the chances of all parties being present at the time of your visit.
• The "I need to talk to my spouse" conversation typically arises toward the end of an exchange – Kenny Chapman believes that it should occur earlier, rather than later.
• Kenny believes that every big purchase (of $1,000 or more) is a decision that people should discuss with their spouse/significant other.
• Chris and Kenny talk about the fact that, as a high-performing salesperson, you're going to have to do some nights and weekends.
• Kenny touches upon how COVID not only changed the way millions of people work but also the impact of those changes on the sales process of home service businesses.
• Chris brings up the concept of the so-called "be-back appointment" into the conversation – including when to rely on it.
• Chris and Kenny discuss the mindset needed and the steps you can take to facilitate the "I need to speak to my spouse" conversation and turn the momentum your way.
• Chris provides a breakdown of the "alternative close" strategy that you could leverage when having sales conversations.
• "Alternative closing goes back to consultative selling when I'm more involved with identifying what the customer wants, instead of me telling them what they need," says Chris.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e2

The Blue Collar Success Group

Sales Specialist Academy

IFTTT – If This Then That

In the first episode of season 2 of the Home Service Business Success Show, hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew tackle one of the most common objections in sales: "The price is too high!"

They break down why many home service business owners struggle with the pricing confidence needed, what you need to know to truly understand value, option closing, and how to stand clear of the tug of war that often takes place between buyers and sellers.

Plus, you'll learn about a simple gesture that will help you understand whether a prospect potentially trusts you – or not – and how to best approach the price object many people have.

Tune in to learn how you can handle pricing objections and close deals like a pro.

• Kenny and Chris address the "the price is too high!" objection.
• Chris explains that the price is established by the company based on the profit margins that they desire.
• One of the challenges home service businesses face is the fact that not all team members believe in the price.
• An important reminder for you to go back to, from time to time, is that you are NOT your own customer – therefore, the price objection that shows up in your mind is an illusion.
• "The #1 price objection we have is the person delivering the price!", says Kenny.
• Feeling as if we aren't worthy of the price we're charging is one of the biggest mental challenges home service business owners face.
• Kenny shares the psychology behind what a prospect saying "The price is too high!" may be thinking.
• Remember: everyone carries a different perspective of value.
• Chris goes through the concept of option closing – something they teach over at Blue Collar Success Group.
• Chris suggests really paying attention to how a customer welcomes you into their home, because, without realizing it, people tend to give you a visual cue that will determine whether they trust you or not.
• When it comes to selling, you should have an outcome-based approach, says Chris.
• As a technician or in-home salesperson, you need to tap into the emotional drivers of why people buy.
• Kenny touches upon the price always being too high unless it touches the "buying buttons" of the potential client.
• Shy away from the buyer-seller tug of war, focus on embracing the pricing conversation (and objections) instead.
• Chris sheds some light on a couple of strategies you can use to address the "the price is too high!" objection.
• Kenny brings up a huge mistake salespeople make that negatively impacts the buying process.
• Social proof and before & after pictures are excellent tools you should be using in your sales presentations.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/s2e1

The Blue Collar Success Group

Professional Tech Academy

For the season finale, hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew sat down in person at Acceleration Days to talk about the mindset needed to go beyond the "If only…" mindset and achieve both business success and personal growth.

Learn about the career-defining moments Kenny and Chris went through, the 3 Ps the Blue Collar Success Group teaches its clients, and what you should consider – and do – to navigate through business challenges and come out successfully on the other side.

You'll also hear about who you should focus on if you want to gain energy and who to focus on if you want to lose that energy!

• Kenny starts this in-person episode by sharing that the first edition of Acceleration Days took place in August of 2015.
• Chris and Kenny bring up the "If only…" statement – and the deep meaning behind this "dangerous" association of words.
• In the early 2000s, while working as a consultant for Michael Gerber, Kenny learned that being good at your trade and profitability have nothing to do with each other.
• Chris and Kenny talk about the dangers of building a "prison" around yourself as a new business owner.
• To get out of that situation, Kenny believes that utilizing the pain is key.
• Several studies have shown that we do more to get out of pain than we do to gain pleasure.
• Trying to be the best is something you should strive for. But are you able to bring your best version when you're in pain and are NOT enjoying what you're doing?
• That's valuable advice Kenny got when he was 27, while hating what he did, and wanting to get out of that situation.
• Chris recommends asking yourself this: "What if the way is actually through the dragon?"
• "The moment that you focus on the business is the moment the business changes" – this is something Chris has heard from several very successful entrepreneurs.
• A key distinction you need to make is understanding the difference between suffering and being in pain.
• Wise words from Kenny: "Wherever you are today, be in it!"
• Wanting the result without going through the process is a mindset Chris has seen in many people.
• Kenny opens up about what led him to return to the home service business space after he had left him to focus on speaking in a different industry.
• Chris shares a story showing you why, even though you are the owner, you may not necessarily need to run the company.
• Back in 2005, Chris went through a defining moment that really made him understand that he was undervaluing himself and that unlocked his potential.
• Never forget this: "Low goals, low results."
• Kenny and Chris go into what could happen if you don't want to be average and set a bit of a stretch goal.
• At Blue Collar Success Group they teach the central role of the three Ps – parents, peers, and previous experiences – play in forming your belief systems.
• Chris and Kenny bring successful business owners who are "printing cash but are in pain" into the conversation.
• 97% of lottery winners not only are broke in 5 years but most of them are in further debt and pain than they were before – and some even commit suicide.
• Kenny explains why "What you compare yourself to can be incredibly dangerous."
• Want to give yourself energy? Compare yourself to your PAST self! Want to rob energy? Compare yourself to your FUTURE self.
• Remember: the only person you can really be is yourself.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/13

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

The Six Dimensions of C.H.A.N.G.E. 2.0: The Proven Plan for Getting What You Want by Kenny Chapman

Michael Gerber

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber

John Moss

Linda Gilmore

Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts

Garrett J. WhitePatrick Kennedy

Jim Carrey

Bob Marley

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew go over mental health strategies for the home service business industry.

From understanding who you really are and following morning rituals to protecting your brain from distractions (and addiction!) and powering down to power up – this episode is a crash course in mental health that will make you a better professional and, overall, a better person.

Listen to learn how you can really take control of your life, so that you can control your business and bring your A game in everything you do.

• Kenny Chapman touches upon what it means to be in the energy management, as well as in the attention management, game – and its repercussions.
• There are types of addictions that seem to be acceptable today: business addiction, social media addiction, career addiction…
• It's up to you, and only you, to create the necessary boundaries to tackle those addictions.
• Chris Crew discusses the importance of being truthful to yourself and who gets hurt when that doesn't happen.
• Knowing yourself – where you thrive, what drains your energy, and everything in between – is key.
• Kenny opens up about the epiphany he had in his 40s about not having to be burnt out all the time.
• Kenny and Chris bring the importance of health into the conversation and remind everyone that "Your body is just on lease."
• Joe Polish's million dollar racehorse question will change how you think about your well-being. Ask yourself this "If I was given a million dollar racehorse, how would I treat it?"
• Sure, you may be focused on getting advice to grow your home service business… but you should never forget that the home service business is a PEOPLE business.
• Remember: the business starts to change when you change.
• Sometimes, the only way you can power up is by powering down.
• Kenny breaks down the three levels of "life happening to you."
• Chris and Kenny go over the impact of social media and other attention-eating things on your brain and overall performance.
• Kenny has a morning ritual that he follows, come hell or high water. It includes a mental download and a mental upload process.
• Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.
• As Chris puts it: "When you take control of your life, you're taking control of your business."

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/12

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 11 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/11

Dan Sullivan

Kolbe A Index

Def Leppard

Genius Network

Joe Polish

Forrest Gump

Krista Clive-Smith

Sean Stephenson

Vince Lombardi

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the critical role of energy management, boundaries, and clear communication in avoiding chaos.

They share personal experiences and actionable strategies for creating a productive work environment, setting healthy boundaries, and staying focused on what truly matters.

Tune in to discover how saying "no" and prioritizing your energy can transform your business and improve your relationships.

• Kenny Chapman kicks things off by stating that life is simply an energy management game and that emotion is energy in motion.
• When it comes to your energy, there's a series of questions that will help you understand how you approach yours.
• Contrary to what you may believe, doing things that drain your energy don't translate into you bringing value to your team…
• Kenny and Chris Crew pull back the curtain on an example of candid communication that happened with a Blue Collar Success Group lead.
• Remember: when you're the owner, you CAN'T interrupt the process or the flow, whether you like it or not.
• Kenny brings up a teachable moment of an owner-service manager interaction that didn't go as most people would think it should've gone.
• Processes play a key role because they create space and boundaries – they are the operating system of the business.
• Chris opens up about how he and his wife Chelsea, who works with him from home, ultimately created the ideal working environment for them.
• Chris and his wife created boundaries by establishing the difference between personal conversations and relationship-related matters and professional ones.
• It's imperative that you don't let relationships bleed over into all conversations…otherwise, you'll have plenty of blurred lines!
• Kenny shares a series of key questions he and his wife Christy have asked themselves throughout the years.
• Boundaries are positives for two reasons: they keep things in and they keep things out.
• Always keep in mind that what adds to your energy and what takes away from your energy are different for everybody.
• Chris suggests asking yourself "What are the things I need to know? And what are the things I need to 'NO'?"
• Kenny and Chris discuss the overcommitment trap – and why you should avoid falling into it.
• Chris shares an exercise that will help you approach tasks, as well as your effectiveness in dealing with them, differently.
• Never forget this: chaos ensues because you don't learn to say no.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/11

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

HSBS episode 10 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/10

Management Growth Academy

Jack Stack

Dan Sullivan

Covey Planner

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about how leaders can get rid of exhaustion and calm the chaos in their service business.

From mental aspects and key questions like "Am I serving my business or is my business serving me?" to the difference between boundaries and barriers, and common mistakes leaders make – you'll get a crash course on preventing inefficiency caused by mental fatigue.

• This episode addresses a topic that's very much present in the home service business industry: calming the chaos and dealing with exhaustion.
• Chris opens up about dealing with different types of exhaustion – and how they differ from one another.
• Following a pace that drives you to mentally feel exhausted ends up crippling you physically.
• Kenny believes that, in society, there's a collective agreement that burnout is not only acceptable, but it's kind of expected.
• Chris explains how his why – the reason why he got into the industry in the first place – has allowed the chaos not to get out of hand.
• Remember: the business isn't going to create boundaries for you, it's going to be you who needs to set them!
• Kenny touches upon one of the laws for blue collar success: essential self-care.
• A key question you should ask yourself is "Am I serving my business or is my business serving me?"
• Kenny shares his thoughts on his current situation, while Chris stresses that, oftentimes, it's not the business itself but who's in the business that drains you.
• "Magnified Agitation" is one of the first signs of a condition that could lead to burnout.
• "Your emotional quotient (EQ) or emotional intelligence allows you to be emotionally regulated (ER)," says Chris.
• Chris and Kenny discuss "the grind" and the impact it may end up having on you.
• Having unclear boundaries is one of the "sins" managers who operate in chaos are guilty of.
• If you're a leader who's focused on being selfless, you're making a big mistake...you should be "self-full" instead.
• Kenny goes over the difference between boundaries and barriers – and why it's important to have clarity on this distinction.
• Chris shares a powerful delegation tip that will help you become a better leader, while Kenny talks about why many leaders who are "firefighters" tend to be "arsonists" too.
• Never forget that success is sustainable only when you're calm and you're focused on keeping yourself in control.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/10

The Blue Collar Success Group

Blue Collar Success Laws: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Problem-Solving, Productivity, & Profit by Kenny Chapman

University of Notre Dame

50 Cent

Joe Rogan

What's needed to actually "make it rain" in your business? Positive cash flow and the right mindset are key, if you want your home service business to grow.

But what goes into creating the right conditions to make it happen?

Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew dive into the mental and emotional sides of cash flow – including a key lesson that will help you overcome challenges, the power of your Unique Ability, and why you shouldn't overextend yourself.

• This episode of the Home Service Business Success Show addresses positive cash flow – making it rain with cash.
• Co-hosts Kenny Chapman and Chris Crew talk about what you may or may not hear when things go well in your business…and when they don't.
• Kenny touches upon the mental and the emotional side of money and cash flow.
• Chris shares his great-grandfather's message about facing challenges in life (and business).
• Whenever you earn money, it's up to you to decide whether you want to pocket it to pursue something in your personal life or inject it back into your business to grow it.
• Kenny opens up about a mistake he made with his team years ago, while Chris explains why business doesn't have to suck.
• An important lesson Chris learned from Dan Sullivan: "When other people make things look easy, it's because they're in their Unique Ability.
• Something key for you to remember: some seasons you'll be in a "season of suck" but you'll get back to making it rain!
• Chris and Kenny discuss the role of cash as a tool, the danger of predatory loans, and the starting point needed to "make it rain."
• Kenny brings cash flow confidence into the conversation – and why you should be looking at your model as something that's always moving, always evolving.
• Overextending yourself can be risky, Chris explains why.
• As Kenny puts it: "Process allows Unique Ability."
• Focus is key. "What you focus on grows, what you ignore dies," says Chris.
• There's a common question home service business owners are confronted with – picking a specific answer to it can lead to you blocking future cash flow generation.
• Many home service business owners make the mistake of forgetting that profit doesn't equal cash.

Mentioned in This Episode:

HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/9

The Blue Collar Success Group

HSBS episode 8 - HomeServiceBusinessSuccessShow.com/8

Dan Sullivan