In this episode of Next Level Pros, hosts dive into an eye-opening conversation with Elaine and Todd, co-founders of Mainstream Electric, Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. After spending over 15 years stuck at $3 million in annual revenue, they made a powerful decision—to get out of their own way.

By confronting ego, redefining success, and seeking mentorship through Nexstar Network, Elaine and Todd transformed both their mindset and their company. The result? A thriving $20 million business that attracted private equity buyers—and a journey that redefined what “winning” truly means.

This is a story of humility, discipline, and the courage to evolve.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• The Ceiling Is Internal: Why your business only grows as much as your mindset allows.

• Revenue Feeds Ego—Profit Builds Freedom: How they shifted from chasing sales to building wealth.

• The Power of Mentorship: How Nexstar Network and a trusted community sparked real growth.

• Scaling Through Humility: Why letting go of control was the best business decision they ever made.

• The Private Equity Exit: What it really takes to prepare, sell, and stay true to your values.

  
  

💡 Episode Highlights

• [00:00] – Hitting the wall: $3M for 15 years and the realization that something had to change.

• [04:00] – Killing the ego: redefining leadership and embracing coaching.

• [08:00] – Lessons from failure: expanding too fast and learning to stay focused.

• [12:00] – Building systems that serve both people and profit.

• [18:00] – Joining Nexstar Network and discovering the power of shared experience.

• [22:00] – Preparing for the private equity sale and what the process really looks like.

• [28:00] – Life after the exit: freedom, impact, and Elaine’s next chapter.
  

💬 Memorable Quotes

“The business only grows as fast as the owner does.”

“Revenue is for ego. Profit is for sanity.”

“Ego is the silent killer of growth.”

“We stopped chasing more trucks and started building a better company.”

📘 Mentioned in This Episode

• Nexstar Network – Contractor success and leadership community

• Elaine’s Book: Made in Vietnam – A powerful memoir on identity, forgiveness, and resilience

• Lessons in leadership, mindset, and sustainable growth for service-based companies
  

🎧 Listen If You’re

• A business owner stuck at a plateau and ready for a breakthrough.

• A contractor or service professional looking to scale profitably, not painfully.

• A leader who wants to trade ego for excellence and growth for freedom.
  

Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

📍Connect

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YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros 

In this episode of the Next Level Pros Podcast, Daryl sits down with his wife Joanna to share the real side of building a marriage and raising a family while growing businesses. Together they open up about the highs and lows of nearly 20 years of marriage, raising four daughters, and navigating seasons where entrepreneurship pulled them in opposite directions. You’ll hear how they built trust, created family culture, and learned to renegotiate their relationship through different phases of life. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your spouse connected and your kids grounded while you scale a business, this conversation will give you practical tools and honest insight from both sides of the journey.🔥

Highlights:

✅ The hidden struggles of being married to an entrepreneur

✅ How to stay connected as a couple when life gets busy

✅ Building family culture with mission, values, and vision

✅ Why opposites in marriage can actually be a strength

✅ Simple practices to protect your relationship while scaling a business

Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital AgencyAt Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs.

Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/🎧

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Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, Chris sits down with David Mayster, owner of Maester Heating and Air in Seattle. David shares his remarkable journey from Ukraine to building a thriving HVAC business, overcoming personal struggles, and learning the hard truths about running a profitable company. This episode is packed with insights for business owners—especially those in the trades—who want to get their pricing right, build a strong team, and scale their business while staying true to their values.

Highlights:

"If you know how to work, America will reward you for that."

"A standardized offer is one of the best things that I could get for you."

"Numbers don’t lie. People do."

"If the company makes a lot of money, we can provide you a lot of opportunity."

Timestamps:

0:00:00 – Introduction & David’s Background

0:06:09 – Starting Maester Heating and Air

0:10:13 – David’s Personal Transformation

0:19:38 – The Power of Money and Business Purpose

0:21:45 – Partnership Challenges and Lessons

0:28:36 – Pricing Strategy and Gross Margin Goals

0:36:11 – Sales Negotiation and Standardization

0:49:19 – Reviewing the Numbers: Revenue and Gross Profit

1:01:23 – Marketing Spend and Customer Acquisition

1:14:22 – Action Items: Standardizing Offers and Scaling Up

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

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YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, host Chris sits down with Alex Hormozi, founder of Acquisition.com, to dive deep into the mindset, strategies, and lessons behind building and scaling successful businesses. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or aspiring operator looking to level up, this episode is packed with actionable insights on growth, investment, and the realities of the entrepreneurial journey.

Highlights:

“I just enjoy playing the game… I know I would do it if it didn’t make money.”  

“At some point you have to expand… I was just in a pond, and everyone else was going after an ocean.”  

“If I’m afraid to take a risk now, I’ll never be able to take a risk later.”  

“You have to provide value—make them an offer so good they feel stupid saying no.”  

“This is the point where most people quit, and that’s why they don’t quit.”

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:55 – The Obsession with Business: Playing the Game  

04:48 – Transition from Gym Launch to Acquisition.com  

09:08 – Defining Moments: Leaving Corporate for Entrepreneurship  

12:45 – The Hardest Decision: Disappointing Family to Follow Your Path  

21:03 – How to Work for Free and Actually Add Value  

33:13 – What Acquisition.com Looks for in Investments  

36:47 – Identifying Founders with Big Visions  

45:54 – The Discipline to Say No: Focusing on the One Thing  

1:04:49 – Advice for Tough Times: Why You Shouldn’t Quit

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkVBSluEKMTg4gehyUOHYvBratcxHV5rt3kiWTXNC4/viewform?edit_requested=true

Watch my latest PodcastApple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281

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YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, we dive deep into the realities of entrepreneurship and family life. Daryl Kelly is joined by his daughter Evelyn Kelly for an honest conversation about growing up in an entrepreneurial household, balancing ambition with family connection, and the lessons learned along the way. This episode is for parents chasing big goals without losing touch with what matters most, and for kids witnessing the journey up close.

Highlights:

"Being an entrepreneur isn't just about building a business. It's about carrying the weight of providing while trying to be present at home."

"Success isn't just one thing, it's a million things combined."

"I just want to be able to have whatever, keep my choices open."

"The reason I want people to be at my house is to see that I'm not chasing money, but I'm building a family."

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

01:33 – Evelyn’s Unique Path: Graduating High School and College Early

02:37 – Realizing Dad Was Different: The Entrepreneurial Mindset

05:01 – Quality Over Quantity: Making Family Time Count

10:31 – The Impact of Absence: When Dad Was Away

16:10 – Childhood Hardships: Seeing the Ups and Downs

19:14 – Redefining Success: More Than Money

22:36 – What Drives Evelyn: Going 100% in Everything

28:55 – High School Side Hustle: Building a Dance Business

40:46 – Family as the Why: Building a Legacy Beyond Wealth

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here!

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Watch my latest Podcast

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YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, Chris Lee takes us on a candid journey through his entrepreneurial highs and lows, sharing the real story behind building Sol Gen Power and the lessons learned along the way. If you’re an entrepreneur, founder, or anyone interested in the realities of building and scaling a business—especially in the trades or home service space—this episode is for you!

Highlights:

“Throughout my life, I’ve had a very divisive personality. It’s either you love me or you friggin hate me.”

“There’s not a playbook for doing it. You’re literally just learning as you go, until you get slapped on the hand, and then you change your behavior.”

“The goal isn’t to produce the fruit. The goal is to become the tree that has the ability to continue to produce the fruit.”

“Life was meant to be hard, but when it’s hard with a positive mindset, it becomes bearable and joyful.”

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:19 Various Business Ventures and Experiences 

04:56 Transition to Employment and Learning from Entrepreneurs 

8:57 Vivint Solar and IPO Experience 

25:48 Starting Sol Gen Power and Early Challenges 

32:59 Growth and Expansion of Sol Gen Power 

Building a Strong Team and Culture 

42: 28 Overcoming Financial and Operational Challenges 

57:11 Expansion and Acquisition 

58:44 Personal Reflections and Future Plans 

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

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Watch my latest PodcastApple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2?si=95980cd4e55a437a

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, Chris shares the raw, unfiltered story of his first major business failure, the lessons learned from bankruptcy, and how he rebuilt his career and mindset. If you’re an entrepreneur, operator, or anyone in the trades or home service space looking for real, tactical advice and inspiration, this episode is for you.

Highlights:

“Take everything you believe are going to be your expenses and at least double it, sometimes triple it.”

“There is almost always a way out… Go ask for help. Quit being prideful.”

“Do what you’re physically able to do, not what you’re mentally able to do.”

“The best flattery you could ever give me is something that I 100% know that I did, and it was amazing.”

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

02:34 - Challenges and Mistakes in Early Business 

09:55 - Changing the Approach

16:06 Handling “Dead Partners”

19:36 - Impact of the 2008 Economic Crash 

24:02 - Rebuilding and Learning from Failures 

30:26 - Competing in the Sales Seminar 

34:33 - Winning the Sales Competition 

47:50 - Lessons Learned and Future Plans 

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkVBSluEKMTg4gehyUOHYvBratcxHV5rt3kiWTXNC4/viewform?edit_requested=true

Watch my latest PodcastApple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2?si=95980cd4e55a437a

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a New Episode of Next Level Pros! Today, Chris Lee shares his powerful origin story. From humble beginnings in a small town to early business ventures, overcoming personal challenges, and finding his true path in entrepreneurship. Originally recorded for his first podcast, “The Founder Podcast,” this replay dives deep into Chris’s childhood, his work ethic shaped by necessity, how he found confidence through Cutco sales, and the pivotal decision to walk away from medical school and build something on his own.

Apply to be on the show:

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Highlights:"Sales is the root of every successful business. Learn it or lose.""Diabetes didn’t define me. It disciplined me.""I was making $65,000 in three months while my dad worked all year for that.""You don’t need to be the quarterback to win the championship."

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why This Episode Matters

00:38 – Meet Chris Lee: Early Retirement & Entrepreneurial Lessons

02:00 – Growing Up in Connell, Washington

05:10 – Childhood Jobs & Early Financial Discipline

08:10 – Discovering Sales Through Cutco at 18

13:00 – Lessons from Sports & Being Benched

18:00 – Diabetes Diagnosis & Life-Changing Identity Shift

21:00 – Serving a Mission & Developing Deeper Resilience

27:11 – Marriage, Fatherhood & That First $65K Summer

31:30 – Pivoting from Medicine to Entrepreneurship

Looking to scale your business? Want to learn directly from the same team that helped me sell my last business for 9 figures? Click this link below to check out how you can work with us. https://nextlevelhomepros.com/grow-home-service-vsl 

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Watch my latest Podcast

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YouTube - @christhefounder 

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! Today, we sit down with Victor Rancour, a powerhouse in the trades and HVAC industry who scaled from scratch to multi-million dollar success in just a few years. In this episode, Victor breaks down the exact moves he makes when acquiring new businesses, the systems he installs for profitability, and the sales processes that drive results. If you're an entrepreneur, business owner, or sales professional looking to dominate your market and build a real machine, this episode is for you.

Highlights:

"If you decide to do something and you put your all into it, you can have an opportunity."  

"You have to recruit the sales guy. If you want to start winning, you got to get one from that big company."  

"If you can't get customers, you're not going to attract me and Chris ain't working for you."  

"Implement AI, know your numbers. Let's go."

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:06 - Breaking Into HVAC: The Craigslist Ad That Changed Everything

04:03 - Learning the Business: From Sales to General Manager

08:12 - Marketing in 2025: Hand-to-Hand Combat and Direct Mail

12:11 - The Power of Follow-Up: Building a Rehash Strategy with RP1

15:19 - Pricing Models: 65% Gross Margin and Sliding Scale Commissions

19:38 - Acquiring Businesses: The First Three Things Victor Changes

22:12 - Sales Training: Four to Five Days a Week for Consistency

28:53 - Leading with Financing: Making High-Ticket Sales Accessible

44:29 - Upcoming Event: Victor’s Sales Training in Ohio & Final Advice

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkVBSluEKMTg4gehyUOHYvBratcxHV5rt3kiWTXNC4/viewform?edit_requested=true

Watch my latest PodcastApple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2?si=95980cd4e55a437a

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

Welcome to a new episode of Next Level Pros! In this episode, Chris reveals three powerful strategies to 3x your revenue in the HVAC and trades industry. Whether you’re a business owner, manager, or sales leader in home services, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you scale your business, avoid common pitfalls, and close more deals with confidence.

Highlights:

“Customers do not buy products. They buy solutions.”

“Do not, I repeat, DO NOT train your technicians to go and do this work.”

“A confused buyer does not buy.”

“A no is still a decision. And a maybe, no matter how you convince yourself, is a freaking maybe.”

Timestamps:00:00 Introduction

02:25 Sales Process Separation and Technician vs. Salesperson Roles 

05:34 Limiting Sales Options and the Louis Vuitton Approach 

06:54 The Louis Vuitton Approach

09:25 Eliminating Quotes and Adopting Yes or No Decisions 

10:54 Understanding the Decisions Clients Make

Want me to teach you how to grow your business? Text me! 509-374-7554

Want access to more of my content? Click the link below for all of our latest updates and events!

https://linktr.ee/nextlevelpros

Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkVBSluEKMTg4gehyUOHYvBratcxHV5rt3kiWTXNC4/viewform?edit_requested=true

Watch my latest PodcastApple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2?si=95980cd4e55a437a

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros