HVAC Leaders

What if your best rep loses a deal without ever knowing he was in the running?

In this episode of HVAC Leaders, host Ashlei Rolloff talks with Curran Ethridge, founder of Circuitry Media, about what happens when a relationship-driven industry meets a buyer who wants answers before a relationship begins. Curran has worked both sides of the table, inside manufacturing brands and outside consulting to them, and his take is direct. The relationship used to open the deal. Now digital opens it, and the rep closes it.

Key insights:

• Buyers now do most of their research (website, competitors, trade pubs, LinkedIn, Reddit, AI) before they ever call a rep
• An aging workforce is retiring with decades of institutional knowledge, right as buyers get more sophisticated
• Gartner data: 67 percent of B2B buyers do not want to deal with a rep, and the average buyer checks out six competitors before making contact
• Every digital touchpoint has to answer three questions: will it work, will you support it, and why should I care, in one sentence
• If you can not differentiate on the product, you differentiate on the brand, starting with listening to customers relentlessly
• Curran's "stranger test": hand a stranger five competitors' website copy side by side. Most companies find out they sound identical
  

For the executive still betting everything on the rep model, and the marketer who knows something needs to change but needs the language for leadership, this episode gives you both.

Mentioned in this episode:

- Curran Ethridge's website: circuitrymedia.com

- Curran's email: [email protected]

- Gartner study on B2B buyer behavior (67 percent stat)

What will it take to lead an HVAC company through thenext decade of change?

In the final episode of our special HVAC Leaders series, Three Generations of HVAC Leadership, Ashlei Rolloff talks with Matt Russell, President of ThermalNetics, about intentional leadership, company culture, communication, and preparing an organization for what comes next.

Matt shares how his path from engineering into technical sales shaped the way he approaches leadership today. He reflects on the multi-year succession process that prepared him to become President, why people and culture became his top responsibility, and what he has learned about showing up as a more mindful and present leader.

The conversation also explores the relationships that drive long-term HVAC growth. Matt explains why the strongest sales organizations begin by understanding the customer’s business and pain points rather than promoting the latest solution. He also shares how ThermalNetics uses its core values, recruiting process, and long-term planning rhythm to maintain focus through consolidation, market volatility, technology changes, and industry noise.

This episode completes our three-part series:

Three Generations of HVAC Leadership

Part 1: Where We Started with Jim Newman

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4XgYqEm8ig64TiYSN7wsgh?si=sPa6Z_gTS5ayxmFSBdBr6A

Part 2: Where We’ve Been with Rick Sutkiewicz

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PFjEvb0k1u5PufNJHDDkx?si=C0jm5Ug6Q72vLA9P-ayqbA

Part 3: Where We’re Going with Matt Russell

In this episode you'll learn

• Why people and culture became Matt’s topresponsibility as President
• How a thoughtful succession plan can prepare afuture leader before the title changes
• Why leadership development is never finished
• How presence and self-awareness affect the wayleaders serve their teams
• Why trust must be built before difficultfeedback can be heard
• How strong recruiting processes protect cultureand improve long-term retention
• Why customer value begins with understanding theproblem before presenting the solution
• How EOS helps the leadership team connect itslong-term vision to annual and 90-day priorities
• Why a weekly review can help leaders protectimportant work from daily noise
• What curiosity and adaptability will requirefrom HVAC leaders over the next decade

Memorable Moments

“You don’t have to have all the answers.”

“Be where your feet are.”

“What is the customer really asking for?”

“You need to deliver the message in a way thateverybody hears it.”

“Continuing to ask what’s next, and not just doing moreof the same, is an important mindset.”

Resources Mentioned

The Eisenhower Matrix

A four-quadrant framework for sorting work according tourgency and importance. Ashlei discusses using it as part of her weeklyplanning and delegation process.

https://eisenhowernotes.com/learn/eisenhower-matrix

EOS Delegate and Elevate

An EOS tool that helps leaders identify the work theyshould continue owning and the activities they should delegate.

https://www.eosworldwide.com/delegate-and-elevate

Entrepreneurial Operating System

https://www.eosworldwide.com/

Matt Russell on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-russell-mi/
ThermalNetics
https://www.thermalnetics.com/

For HVAC executives and marketing leaders, this conversation is a reminder that sustainable growth is not built by reacting to every new opportunity. It comes from knowing your direction, investing in people, listening closely to customers, and remaining curious enough to evolve.

What happens when the biggest obstacle to growth is the leader? 

In Part 2 of our special HVAC Leaders series, Three Generations of HVAC Leadership, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Rick Sutkiewicz, former President and current Chairman of ThermalNetics, to discuss one of the hardest leadership transitions: letting go. 

Rick reflects on how his leadership evolved from making every decision himself to building a leadership team empowered to make decisions, solve problems, and move the organization forward. Through honest stories and practical advice, he shares why growth required more than better systems. It required humility, trust, and a willingness to stop being the bottleneck. 

The conversation also explores EOS, company culture, strategic resilience, customer relationships, and why the organizations that thrive over the long term invest in people before processes. 

This episode continues our special three-part series: 

Three Generations of HVAC Leadership 

• Part 1: Where We Started with Jim Newman (Now Available)  

• Part 2: Where We've Been with Rick Sutkiewicz (Now Available)  

• Part 3: Where We're Going with Matt Russell (Coming Soon)  

  
  

In this episode, you'll learn 

• Why leadership changes as organizations grow  

• How to recognize when you've become the bottleneck  

• Why empowering others creates stronger organizations  

• How EOS created accountability and alignment at ThermalNetics  

• Why culture starts with self-awareness  

• How customer trust is built by solving problems instead of selling products  

• Why resilient companies stay focused on their core business while adapting to change  

• How intentional daily habits help leaders create space for strategic thinking  

  
  

Memorable moments 

• "I had to let go of the vine."  

• "I was the bottleneck in the organization."  

• "Culture first. Period."  

• "The collective results of the team will always outperform one individual."  

  
  

Resources Mentioned 

Traction by Gino Wickman 
https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book 

What the Heck Is EOS? by Gino Wickman 
https://www.eosworldwide.com/what-the-heck-is-eos 

From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks 
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670191/from-strength-to-strength-by-arthur-c-brooks/ 

Rick Sutkiewicz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-sutkiewicz-70b4aab/ 

Whether you're leading a growing business, building a leadership team, or trying to create more space to think strategically, Rick's story is a reminder that sustainable growth begins when leaders stop trying to carry everything themselves. 

What does it take to build something that lasts for more than 50 years?

In the first episode of our special HVAC Leaders series, Three Generations of HVAC Leadership, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Jim Newman, co-founder of ThermalNetics, to explore the leadership principles, customer relationships, and decisions that built a company designed to stand the test of time.

Jim shares stories from the early days of ThermalNetics, why selling service instead of simply selling equipment changed the customer experience, and how listening, resilience, and continuous learning became the foundation of his leadership philosophy.

The conversation goes beyond HVAC. Jim reflects on failure, mentorship, purpose, and why great leaders never stop learning. He also shares how a book by Pema Chödrön, Welcoming the Unwelcome, influenced the way he thinks about setbacks, growth, and attitude.

This episode begins our special three-part series:

Three Generations of HVAC Leadership

Part 1: Where We Started with Jim Newman

Part 2: Where We've Been with Rick Sutkiewicz (Coming Soon)

Part 3: Where We're Going with Matt Russell (Coming Soon)

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why relationships have always been the foundation of great business

• How ThermalNetics differentiated itself by selling service, not just equipment
• Why leaders should spend more time listening than talking
• What resilience really looks like in business and in life
• Why failure can become one of your greatest teachers
• How mentoring the next generation strengthens the future of the HVAC industry
• Why existing buildings represent one of the industry's biggest opportunities

Resources Mentioned

• Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World by Pema Chödrön Learn more about the book

Connect with Jim

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

Whether you're leading a business, mentoring future leaders, or looking for perspective from someone who has spent decades shaping the HVAC industry, this episode is a reminder that lasting success isn't built overnight. It's built through relationships, resilience, and a commitment to making the people around you better.

What if retention starts with how leaders show up every day?

In this episode of HVAC Leaders, host Ashlei Rolloff talks with Elise Radawitz, founder of Velocity Leader, about the inner game of leadership in the trades: the mindset, self-awareness, communication, and emotional literacy required to build cultures where people want to stay.

Elise brings nearly a decade of experience across HR, sales, marketing, and learning and development in HVAC distribution. After seeing the same leadership gaps show up across distributors, contractors, wholesalers, and manufacturers, she built Velocity Leader to help leaders in the trades become calmer, more confident, and less reactive.

They cover:

• Why strong technical performers are often promoted before they are prepared to lead

• The difference between managing tasks and leading people

• Why self-awareness is the starting point for better communication and accountability

• How one-on-ones can build connection instead of feeling like another corporate process

• Why emotional literacy matters in a practical, relationship-driven industry

• How leaders can become less reactive and more curious

• Why denying the human side of leadership keeps teams stuck

For HVAC executives, contractors, distributors, and marketers, this conversation brings leadership back to what truly drives retention: people who feel connected, coached, and supported by the leaders in front of them.

More on Elise Radawitz:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliseradawitz/https://velocity-leader.com/The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod - https://a.co/d/0cB9uk2V

What happens when your company’s most valuable knowledge walks out the door?

In this episode of HVAC Leaders, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Ben Bomar of Lithius to unpack one of the biggest operational risks facing HVAC and field service companies today: losing institutional knowledge faster than it can be transferred.

As companies scale, sales growth often outpaces operational readiness. Ben shares how HVAC leaders can identify the warning signs before customer experience, profitability, and team confidence begin to suffer.

They discuss:

• Why operational infrastructure breaks before leadership realizes it

• The “many-to-few” problem hiding inside service businesses

• How vacations, retirements, and light duty assignments expose process gaps

• Why customer complaints and repeat trips are often training problems in disguise

• The difference between knowing, doing, and being when capturing institutional knowledge

• Why documenting everything is not the same as preserving wisdom

• How HVAC companies can create scalable knowledge transfer systems without overwhelming the team

• Practical first steps leaders can take immediately

Ben also shares why institutional knowledge should be treated like any other critical business asset and why waiting until retirement is often too late.

For HVAC leaders navigating growth, workforce shifts, succession planning, or operational scaling, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for protecting what makes your company valuable.

More on Ben Bomar:https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbomar/

https://www.lithyus.com/

AI adoption is not a technology problem. It is a leadership decision. 

In this episode of HVAC Leaders, Ashlei Rolloff sits down with Zac Engler, Chris Morbitzer, and Rosalynn Verges for an honest conversation about what AI adoption actually looks like inside growing businesses. 

This is not another conversation about shiny tools or fear-driven headlines. It is a practical discussion about leadership, operations, culture, and the real maturity ladder companies must climb if they want AI to create measurable business value. 

Ashlei and the panel unpack why some companies scale faster with AI while others stall after rollout, how executives should think about adoption, and why the future belongs to leaders willing to rethink work itself. 

Key insights from the episode: 

• Why most companies suffer from “AI shiny object syndrome”  

• The AI maturity ladder and how businesses move from experimentation to real operational integration  

• Why AI adoption fails when leaders delegate the strategy  

• How fear and identity impact team adoption more than the tools themselves  

• What successful AI rollouts actually look like inside organizations  

• How to measure ROI from AI investments before scaling  

• Why AI should remove repetitive work, not human connection  

• The leadership responsibility behind creating healthier, more sustainable workplaces  

Memorable takeaway: 

“Leaders, you own that choice.” — Rosalynn Verges 

If you are an HVAC executive, marketer, or business owner trying to separate AI hype from real operational strategy, this conversation gives you a grounded framework for moving forward with clarity. 
 
More on Rosalynn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosalynnverges/ 
More on Zac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacengler/ 
More on Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismorbitzer/ 

What if the answers that built your HVAC business are now slowing your team down? 

In this episode of HVAC Leaders, host Ashlei Rolloff sits down with executive coach Lori Bruhns to discuss a leadership shift that many technical leaders struggle with: moving from telling people the answers to coaching them to think. 

After nearly two decades coaching engineers, executives, and technical leaders, Lori has seen the same pattern repeatedly. Leaders succeed because they know the answers. But eventually, that strength turns them into the bottleneck. 

Instead of building a team that solves problems, they unintentionally build a team that waits. 

Lori explains how a coaching mindset changes that dynamic and creates teams that think, solve, and grow on their own. 

Key insights from this episode: 

• Why the same expertise that built your company can limit your growth 
• The leadership shift from telling to asking 
• How curious questions reveal gaps in thinking and training 
• The difference between closed questions (facts) and curious questions (insight) 
• How the language shift from problem to puzzle changes how teams approach challenges 
• Why technicians and operators often need 90–180 days to truly absorb new knowledge  
• The four learning styles leaders should understand to train teams more effectively 

Referenced Links:

Grab Lori’s coaching guide: https://loribruhns.com/guide/hvac-coaching-guide
More on Lori: https://loribruhns.com
Connect with Lori: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribruhns/

You know AI matters. You know your team needs a strategy. But when you look at your operation and ask "where do we actually start?"—you hit a wall.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Colleen Keyworth is VP of Sales and Marketing at Online Access, a Michigan-based HVAC web solutions company. She's built AI into real HVAC operations from both the manufacturing and contractor side, giving her unique insight into what actually works versus what drains resources.

WHAT WE DISCUSS

• The AI framework HVAC executives need first: Identify where time is wasted before you buy any tool. AI replaces wasted time, not people.
• Internal agentic AI that scales your operation: How to build company-specific AI agents that let employees find answers instantly instead of creating management bottlenecks.
• The critical difference between chat tools and agentic AI: Chat (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) is a starting point. Agentic AI connects third-party systems to automate entire workflows.
• Why AI-generated marketing content tanks your campaigns: Contractors using synthetic content consistently underperform. Your competitors will learn this the hard way.
• Operationalizing AI through EOS frameworks: Use the Delegate & Elevate exercise to identify which tasks can be automated versus which still need human execution.

Essential listening for VPs of Sales and Marketing at HVAC manufacturers, reps, and distributor organizations who need to justify AI investments and prove ROI.

Email: [email protected]LinkedIn: Search "Colleen Keyworth"Company: Online Access (online-access.com)

Tools mentioned: Wispr Flow, Claude, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Zapier, EOS Framework

What actually moved the needle in HVAC this year?

In this “Best of” episode, Ashlei Rolloff brings together five of the sharpest conversations from 2025, conversations that challenge how we lead, grow, and market in this industry.

You’ll hear from:

• Greg Crumpton on retention, field leadership, and why presence still matters

• Craig Bunker on how private equity evaluates people, process, and culture and what HVAC businesses can do now to build long-term value

• Christyn Mueller on generational shifts in workplace communication and how leaders can close the gap

• Tony Mormino on practical HVAC social media strategy, by channel, audience, and time constraint

• Zac Engler on AI leadership, shadow tools, and how to support not replace your team
  

This isn’t just a recap. It’s a pulse check. A look at what’s really changing in HVAC and how the best leaders are responding.

Full Episode Links:

• Greg Crumpton - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3c1ZSGu6LDtVXUbMpcPtuo?si=TXKcCe4SRMi539zEn37jmg

• Tonka Bay - Craig Bunker - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Fy2v0oi02zyyCOQHlm3PT?si=ZG8kuuT2S3OERmRoy5UU_A

• Johnson Controls -Christyn Mueller - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5tyauPOkfyqbqQcBdjIqh0?si=iyDAc2w_Q0WWfv-QY382vQ

• Tony Mormino - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3YKtgtQaoHTrH7GMCBaIfS?si=3JKu63KSSVKPn4XyMxMaPw

• Bodhi Ai - Zac Engler - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NpNsKovQ09vZ4aljpMgaF?si=Fwd_Hd2OSJCpR3Jwck5ufw
  

Quote to Remember:"You do not scale a business by scaling people alone. You scale it by building clarity, culture, and systems that outlive the org chart." — Craig Bunker