Last week, I got to attend the Service Titan Pantheon conference for the first time. Now, if you've been a podcast listener, you know I have a love-hate relationship with Service Titan.

Years ago, I had a vision of creating my own app for our home service business, and we went all in on working on it. Then I found Service Titan, which turned out to be an amazing program. So, we abandoned our app and fully embraced Service Titan.

There are a ton of bells and whistles in Service Titan. It can do so many things that it can be overwhelming for people in the trades. But what I want to encourage all of you today is not to be intimidated by technology.

It's not going away. It will only expand in the trades, helping us do our jobs more efficiently, gather better data, and serve our communities with greater accuracy and information. Today, I'll be sharing my three main takeaways from attending the Service Titan Pantheon.

Episode Highlights:

[02:47] ServiceTitan is a CRM that trade companies use. It's similar to QuickBooks. Most major residential contractors use ServiceTitan.

[03:33] It's also used for communicating with customers, invoices, and a hub of information.

[04:17] Every year, Service Titan has a big conference. There are group sessions, breakout sessions, networking, and more.

[05:01] My first big takeaway is that it's amazing how much AI they are incorporating into the software. AI is not going away. Those of us in the trades need to get comfortable with using it.

[06:16] They are developing a job assistant which scans all of the customer information and reads it to the dispatcher and the tech prior to arriving.

[07:18] There's also a lot of vendors and products at the conference, but no outside vendor is going to save your business. Don't forget the basics.

[08:19] I was grateful to go to a session with Ellen Rohr who was one of my mentors. She's a financial Guru and taught me a ton about financials.

[09:01] Don't over complicate things. Know your numbers and know your margins.

[09:49] The third thing is to not forget to implement after the conference is over.

[10:49] Do not forget to execute and implement after the conference.

[11:34] 1. AI is here to stay, so we need to get on the AI train and see how we can utilize it to be more efficient. 2. Don't forget the basics. Know your numbers. 3. Do not forget to implement. Take action.

[12:20] When you're a leader, the learning never stops. Technology is always changing.

[13:23] Pure is always going to be at the forefront of utilizing technology.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• ServiceTitan

• Ellen Rohr

• F.T.I. Failure to Implement: The 10 Principles of Phenomenal Performance

Do you know what makes or breaks your success? Having a team that works together effectively. Today, we'll look at how to work well as a team. Working as a team is vital in our industry, whether you're dealing with clogged drains or managing sophisticated HVAC systems.

We look at four essential ideas that will help you become a valuable team player and contribute to your organization's success. We'll talk about identifying personality types for better communication, not taking things personally, working together toward common goals, and sacrificing your ego for the greater good.

We'll also discuss how team sports experience may influence your teamwork abilities, the importance of having clear short- and long-term goals, and the "mirror and door" leadership strategy, in which leaders accept failures while celebrating team victories.

So, if you're ready to improve your communication skills, create a winning team culture, and revive your enthusiasm for the trades, stick around. Let's advance our careers together!

Episode Highlights:

[01:26] Being part of a team is a really important skill that we all need to learn.

[01:36] When I interview people, I ask them if they played any team sports as a child.

[02:39] The home service business is a team sport. Communication and teamwork is key to having a successful business.

[03:22] Today I'm going to share four key principles to have an effective team in a home services business.

[03:37] We need to understand personality types in order to communicate with people effectively. It's important to treat people how they want to be treated.

[04:17] I appreciate directness, but not everyone is like that.

[05:33] 1. Understand the personalities of people on your team so you can communicate with them in a way that they'll understand.

[05:45] 2. When you're part of a team, you can't take anything personally.

[07:51] The more we can learn not to feel personally attacked, the better we will be at solving the issues.

[08:17] 3. We need to unite around the goal. It's important for leaders to keep the team focused on the goal.

[09:11] I love our daily huddles where each department sets their goal for the day.

[10:45] Make sure you're uniting around common goals and making each team member in the organization aware of those goals.

[11:07] 4. Surrender your ego. Your ego is not your friend. It's not about you. It's about the team and everyone achieving their goals.

[12:04] We can't grow unless we're challenged. Be open to constructive feedback when you're part of a team.

[13:03] Using the "mirror and door" approach. Owning mistakes you make. Surrender your ego and give credit to team members when necessary. Accept responsibility for outcomes.

[14:53] Be aware of how your ego may be getting in the way of you working effectively on a team.

[15:47] 1. Understand people's personality types. 2. Don't take anything personally. 3. Unite around the common goal. 4. Surrender your ego.

[16:46] Start with building a strong team that focuses on success.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• DISC Profiles With Andrew Aranda

• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

As temperatures drop and the heating season approaches, it's important to find a quality HVAC contractor. In this special episode, I depart from our regular trade-focused programming to provide helpful consumer advice.

Whether you're getting ready for winter or finishing off summer maintenance, these pointers will help you avoid being stuck with "Dan in a van" and instead select a dependable, quality-focused home service company.

I discuss the necessity of researching potential HVAC contractors, how to prioritize your demands based on pricing, quality, and timescale, and the importance of assessing a company's communication and responsiveness. I also cover how receiving numerous quotes can help you make an informed selection.

Finding the right home service provider is like finding a trusted partner for your home. It requires careful research, thorough vetting, and clear communication to ensure that your home is in the best possible hands.

Listen in to learn insider knowledge to help you make informed decisions regarding your heating and air conditioning requirements.

Episode Highlights:

[02:34] Do your research to find the best home service provider for you. Look online. Try to find a company with at least 1,000 five-star reviews or more.

[03:13] Look at the negative reviews and see how they respond to customers. Ask friends and family if they know any great contractors.

[04:22] Get clear on what you want as the consumer. 1. Cheapest price. 2. Quality of work and equipment. 3. What is your time frame?

[06:03] At Pure Plumbing & Air, we strive to be all three of these things for our consumers. We focus on price and quality within an efficient time frame.

[06:48] It's very rare to get all three of these from one company.

[07:02] Identify what's most important to you and communicate that back to your contractor.

[08:01] Reach out to the company and make sure you get a response.

[09:01] Is the technician friendly, on time, listening to your needs, and even taking notes?

[09:20] Make sure your communication from the company is on point from the start.

[09:32] Don't be afraid to get multiple estimates, especially if it's a large piece of equipment you're purchasing.

[10:54] 1. Do your research to find the best home service provider. 2. Get clear on what you want. 3. Contact the company and pay attention to their communication. 4. Don't be afraid to get multiple estimates.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

Are you looking to boost your income? Increase your sales? Improve communication with your spouse and team members? Then you're in the right place! Today, my gorgeous hubby Andrew Aranda and I dive into exploring DISC personality assessments and how you can leverage them in both your personal and professional life to achieve these goals and more.

Andy and I Discovered DISC about eight years ago during our first leadership training at the Ziglar headquarters in Plano, Texas. Since then, it's been nothing short of transformational for our business, enhancing how we communicate with team members, customers, and each other.

DISC is a powerful model used to analyze human behavior and personality traits. The assessment categorizes personalities into four primary types, each representing how individuals typically behave in different situations.

The personality types are: D (Dominance) for direct, results-oriented individuals; I (Influence) for outgoing, enthusiastic people; S (Steadiness) for patient, supportive types; and C (Conscientiousness) for analytical, detail-oriented personalities. Each type has distinct traits that affect how they interact and work.

Episode Highlights:

[02:35] DISC is a model to analyze human behavior and personality traits. It consists of four personality types based on how humans behave in certain circumstances.

[02:48] The Dominance personality is very focused on results. Influence is for people who emphasize social interactions. Steadiness is for people who highlight cooperation and patients. The Conscientious personality focuses on quality, accuracy and organization.

[04:19] Andrew describes DISC as a personality training framework that's used to describe different communication styles based on the personality traits that you had mentioned.

[05:50] Understanding these personality types helps create awareness with how to communicate with other people who have different types.

[06:55] Some people are very balanced on their personality traits. Creating awareness helps us to adapt to the different traits.

[08:51] A person with a D personality and a person with an I personality will communicate very differently.

[10:02] An I type personality can be very impulsive.

[10:54] If you have a lot of S-type personalities in the workplace, you have a very stable organization. An office full of D-type personalities will cause complete chaos.

[11:21] If you're building a team, learn the personality traits, so you can understand how your team is going to operate.

[12:22] We use DISC to make sure everybody is in the right position on the team.

[14:55] We do an initial DISC assessment in the hiring process to make sure the person is a good fit for the position we're hiring them for.

[16:04] Andrew is trained in DISC, and it's important for him to train other people in the organization as well. Understanding the personality types helps technicians communicate with customers in the field.

[17:53] Andrew shares how he got certified and finds DISC the least complicated form of personality assessment.

[19:04] The assessment will also help understand and know how to speak to your spouse.

[23:32] The training can even help you with your kids.

[25:10] We have a primary personality trait and then a secondary or adaptive personality type.

[28:23] We can train ourselves to be more balanced just by understanding other personality types.

[31:10] Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement. If you do 1% more each day in self-development and growth, it's safe to say by the end of the year, you will be a totally different person.

[33:37] Using DISC creates awareness around you and your communication style. It can help you adapt to communicating with different personality types. Getting 1% better each day and learning more about yourself.

[36:29] Be a leader with a service type mentality.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• Follow Andrew @themoderndaytradesman @andyaranda1

• Personality Insights

• Howard Partridge

• Dr. Robert A. Rohm Ph.D.

• Great Quotes from Zig Ziglar: 250 Inspiring Quotes from the Master Motivator and Friends

• Ziglar

• DISC

• Myers-Briggs

Motivation is the spark that ignites success, but what happens when that flame starts to flicker? Throughout the year, we all experience different levels of motivation. Summer can be particularly challenging. The heat and the kids are out of school and the temptation to relax at the beach can make it harder to stay focused professionally. Summer is also a crucial "separation season" for people in the trades, because this is where the money is made and that year's financial success can be determined.

In this episode, I walk through six motivation killers that can affect even the most dedicated professionals, and how to overcome them. I'll share strategies to conquer the hidden obstacles that can derail the most dedicated of us. I'll also talk about discipline and using it to combat many of these obstacles. It's my hope that we can all stay motivated and disciplined enough to make our careers and our year the best ever.

Episode Highlights:

[02:40] Discipline can help get you through periods when motivation is lacking.

[03:32] The trades are physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. This can lead to losing motivation. It's important to train yourself to be aware of motivation killers.

[04:08] Staying motivated and disciplined can lead to making more money and more career satisfaction.

[05:01] Motivation killer number one. Lack of clarity. Why am I doing this? What is the purpose of this? I know that I've been called to bring passion and respect back to the trades.

[06:35] What do you want to create? The desires in our heart are given to us by God, and it's up to us to go out and create them.

[07:05] Staying motivated through vision boards. Begin with the end in mind and have clarity about where you would like to go. It's important to be really clear about what you want and work towards those goals and dreams everyday.

[08:01] Motivation killer number two. Fear of failure. This is stifling and convinces us that not taking action is better than taking action and falling short.

[09:20] When you avoid failure you miss the chance to succeed and the chance to build your confidence.

[09:54] Motivation killer number three. Procrastination. We often avoid doing things that we don't really want to do.

[10:52] I trick myself and give myself little rewards when I do something that I didn't want to do.

[12:46] Motivation killer number four. Toxic people and relationships in our lives.

[14:33] Who you marry can be one of the biggest indicators of your success.

[15:21] I have a coach who actually schedules time to fight with her husband.

[16:53] Be careful about the news and drama on social media.

[18:32] Motivational killer number five. Being stuck in comparison.

[21:12] Motivation killer number six. Burnout. There's a lot of mental bandwidth and physical strength required to constantly solve problems.

[22:02] Take time off to fill your cup and do things that you are passionate about.

[23:09] Practice self care so you can show up as your highest self.

[24:14] The six motivational killers are: lack of clarity, fear of failure, procrastination, toxic people and relationships, being stuck in comparison, and burnout.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• Discipline Equals Freedom

This is a refurbished episode of Episode 20, Intrapreneur Versus Entrepreneur. Enjoy!

Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship are two distinct concepts that have gained prominence recently. An entrepreneur is an individual who initiates, manages, and assumes the financial risk in the establishment of a new business. An intrapreneur is a leader within a company who enhances the organization's growth through innovative ideas and advancements.

While entrepreneurship has been romanticized, the majority of people who branch out on their own fail, making intrapreneurs' contributions critical. Intrapreneurs utilize their organization's resources and create value with less executive risk, solving significant problems within the company.

In contrast, entrepreneurs take on more significant financial risks, have less time freedom, and must make considerable sacrifices to succeed. In this podcast, we'll focus specifically on intrapreneurs and explore some shared traits with entrepreneurs while highlighting three things to look for in a company if you are an intrapreneur.

Episode Highlights:

[03:03] Intrapreneurs are people within a company that make that company grow. They have a pivotal role in growing the organization.

[03:29] An entrepreneur has more risk and less time freedom. They also have to make significant sacrifices. There's a lot of opportunity, but a lot of sacrifice goes along with that.

[03:47] I was a different woman 5 years ago. I realized that there's a huge void for intrapreneurs specifically in the trades.

[04:26] I've seen amazing technicians fail in the transition to entrepreneurship. That's okay because entrepreneurship isn't for everybody.

[05:06] Shared traits include leadership, adaptability, innovation, and persistence.

[05:28] My husband was a free-spirited entrepreneur who took risks. I was the opposite. We've been so successful, because our talents are the exact opposite.

[07:40] "You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want." -Zig Ziglar

[08:15] If you would prefer to be an intrapreneur and not take all of the risk, look for these things in your company. Are the company's core values in alignment with your own?

[13:01] What is the company culture like? How do people interact? How do they feel about the company?

[15:18] What are the opportunities for advancement and growth? Is professional development provided? Is there a ladder of opportunity within this company?

[17:15] It's my passion to help bring respect back to the trades. I'm here to help intrapreneurs bring passion back to their careers.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

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

This is a refurbished episode of Episode 20, Get Your Financial House In Order. I loved this episode so much, I wanted to replay it for you. This episode was the foundation for my financial abundance series. Enjoy!

I'll be sharing actionable advice designed to help tradespeople take control of their financial futures and pave the way for a prosperous legacy. This week, I'll be talking about how to get your financial house in order.

We'll cover several concepts, including the importance of financial organization. I'll introduce the concept of a Known Financial Position (KFP) and share budgeting essentials that can set you on the path to achieving larger financial goals, such as the power of saving 10%. We'll also dive into evaluating financial decisions, prioritizing family and goals, and I'll share some strategies for eliminating debt and saving for important goals.

I hope this series motivates us all to get our finances in order.

Episode Highlights:

[01:54] Why should we get our financial house in order? In order to create generational wealth, we need to know where we are now.

[02:25] Sometimes we need to slow down and get to a known financial position or KFP.

[02:41] KFP. You want to know what your monthly expenses are. How much are you bringing in monthly? How much are you spending monthly?

[03:05] Creating a budget. I just use an Excel spreadsheet with our monthly income and our monthly bills. I also have the budgeted amount and the actual amount.

[03:43] If you save 10%. Every time you get paid, your net worth should increase.

[04:12] 1. Get to your KFP. 2. Ask yourself hard financial questions. Do I really need this?

[05:29] Look for places where money is leaking like app subscriptions. Get clear on what is important to you as a family.

[06:48] We put money aside for travel, because that is what's important for us.

[07:16] 3. Get a game plan for paying off bad debt. It's not smart to finance toys or get in trouble with credit cards.

[09:18] Be disciplined with your credit cards and keep them for a backup plan.

[09:36] Periodically check your credit score and make sure there's nothing on there that you need to dispute.

[09:42] Set up multiple checking and saving accounts and put certain amounts in these accounts. I have a savings account, travel account, investment account, and a major events account.

[10:27] When we get paid, a certain amount goes into each account. You can automate this process.

[11:36] 4. Create wealth in order to leave a legacy behind.

[12:00] Recap: 1. Get to a Known Financial Position (KFP). 2. Ask the hard questions? 3. Create a game plan for paying off bad debt. 4. Set up multiple accounts that will build each time you get paid.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

We're constantly told that culture is everything, what does it really mean to build a healthy business culture? Over the last five years, this has become a significant trend. There's been a lot of talk, countless books written, and even some extreme approaches to creating the "perfect" culture. However, in my opinion, going to extremes isn't always healthy.

I've seen both ends of the spectrum firsthand. For example, our business coach walked into our call center only to find a Disney movie playing, with people relaxing and putting their feet up. It was an extremely laid-back environment, which had been bothering me for some time.

I had discussed this with our call center manager, but she insisted that the work was boring, and allowing employees to watch movies was necessary to keep them engaged. She argued that without it, their performance would suffer. To me, this sounded more like excuses than solutions for improving performance.

Our business coach pointed out that there are two types of cultures: the "country club" culture, where anything goes, and the "prison" culture, where nothing is allowed. We had to laugh because we'd experienced both extremes in our call centers. But this realization made it clear that we needed to find a balanced, healthy culture because what we were doing simply wasn't working.

I'll share tips on how we decided to create a healthy and winning culture that benefits the team and business while making work enjoyable and profitable.

Episode Highlights:

[04:21] My husband Andy is an i personality according to his disc profile. He wants to have fun and wants people to be excited and energetic. I'm a D and C. I'm direct and like numbers. Making money is fun for me.

[05:26] We went on a quest in order to create a great culture for a team. Highly engaged employees outperform their peers by 147% in earnings.

[06:03] When working on your core culture, you should clearly define your values and have a mission statement.

[06:26] A winning culture is the first most important thing for a home service business. There's no amount of fun stuff a team can do to create a healthy culture if they are losing on a daily basis.

[07:11] Make sure the goals you are setting are attainable. Everyone should have a goal or number that they're responsible for.

[08:23] Winning as a team builds a bond with the people that you're winning with. Daily wins create abundance and value.

[09:02] Make it fun and gamify your business whatever that looks like.

[10:29] Don't bring down everybody else's mood when you're faced with the challenge.

[11:14] It's extremely important to recognize team efforts. Give credit, recognition, and bonuses.

[12:49] People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

[15:35] Create a healthy culture of inner department collaboration.

[19:38] Collaborate in a problem solving fashion so that departments can work together.

[20:12] 1. Create a winning culture. 2. Make it fun. 3. Recognize efforts. 4. Show people how much you care. 5. Foster healthy collaboration between departments.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• DiSC Profile

This is a special repeat of Episode 5, titled "Change Your Thoughts." It might sound a little cliché, but I'm incredibly passionate about the idea that changing your thoughts can truly change your life. I firmly believe that if you can shift the way you think, your entire life will transform in a positive direction.

One of my favorite quotes from Zig Ziglar is about "stinking thinking." About a decade ago, I found myself trapped in that very mindset. Anytime something went wrong, I instantly fell into a victim mentality.

When I first stepped into the world of self-development, I had to challenge myself to really examine the thoughts I was thinking. I'm so grateful I took the time to dig deep and do the work. In this episode, I'll help you build awareness around your thoughts by sharing eight steps that can help break any negative patterns that might be holding you back. Remember, if you can change your thoughts, you can change your world.

Episode Highlights:

[02:35] 2020 was a challenging year. Had I not done all the work prior, I may have been stuck in a perpetual negative pattern.

[02:58] 2022 was the first solid year of business with our second company in Dallas. Plus, we were launching an HVAC division in Las Vegas. Things didn't work out with our new GM, but we didn't let it get us down.

[05:14] 1. How is this happening in our favor? What are we learning? How are we growing? What can we do better? When you get curious, you open yourself up to find the solution.

[06:27] 2. Make time to feel your emotions. Make time to feel the emotions, process them, and release them. Make sure you are doing this in a safe place.

[07:53] Find a safe place for your anger release method. I'll hit pillows, yell into the pillows, stomp, or whatever I need to do. Not spiritually bypassing.

[09:43] 3. Choose your words. Choose empowering words. Switch your language to empowering words.

[11:08] If you say negative things, your subconscious mind will find ways to make them true.

[11:42] Switching your words can have a profound impact on your thoughts and mindset.

[11:52] 4. Examine the negative thoughts. A lot of our adult programming has come from our childhood, and these negative thoughts aren't even our own.

[13:36] Get to the root cause of where these negative thoughts are coming from. You may even have to have some tough conversations.

[14:03] Your inner child. Things from your childhood come up in your adult life.

[15:32] 5. Journal and write down your thoughts, so that you can examine them when you have time.

[16:16] 6. Pay attention to what you put in your body. All of the things we put in our body have an effect on our thoughts.

[18:00] 7. Cut out negative influences. Pay attention to who you hang out with. Take a step back from focusing on negative things to avoid creating anxiety.

[19:08] Create boundaries and eliminate toxic people and media.

[20:16] 8. Incorporate movement and exercise into your lifestyle. Movement and running makes me feel positive and high on life. Find something that you enjoy doing and that you'll be excited about doing.

[21:11] Incorporate walking, strength training, or riding a bike. When we exercise our bodies create dopamine which generates positive thoughts.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

I'm so excited about this episode and my guest today. We're going to explore the rapid changes taking place in the world of heating and air conditioning. There are so many regulations and new developments as our country moves towards more environmentally friendly practices, from the chemicals we use to the equipment we install.

Joining us today is one of our exceptional technicians, Chris Foster. Chris's superpower is equipment, and he's our go-to expert for all things equipment-related. He's also a dedicated family man and a man of faith. I'm thrilled to have him here to discuss the transformations happening in our field.

We'll explore the shifting landscape of the HVAC industry, examining new government regulations and their impact, and how These changes are contributing to a cleaner, safer environment. If you're in the trades and want to improve your knowledge of environmentally friendly technologies and mandates, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

[02:50] What do these changes in the HVAC world mean to us? January 1st 2023 SEER2 mandate. This is the minimum efficiency required to install. The more arid the climate, the higher efficiency needs to be installed.

[04:05] The equipment needs to be tested under real world conditions to make sure it meets the standard.

[04:34] The EPA has made a refrigerant change. R22 began being phased out in the early 2010's. Now 410A refrigerant is being phased out and replaced with r32 or r454b.

[05:33] This new refrigerant should allow for smaller coils with the same capabilities. It also has a lower GWP or Global Warming Potential.

[06:26] Since January 1st 2023, SEER2 is required. Refrigerant is moving towards r32 or r454b.

[07:27] Men and women in the trades are going to need a new certification to handle this refrigerant.

[08:09] The new refrigerant should work better in hot climates but it is more flammable.

[10:07] Chris talks about how to keep current on all of the regulations and changes.

[11:27] These changes will result in more efficiency and be more environmentally friendly.

[12:29] Being able to cool when it's over 110° and the smaller footprint are also advantages.

[13:28] There's potential to create fires through HVAC installation.

[14:40] To conserve energy, find a temperature range you're comfortable with and set it and let it regulate itself as opposed to leaving the AC off and heating the house in the afternoon during the hottest part of the day. Between 74 and 76°.

[16:57] Every unit will have a sticker with the model and serial number, and there's also a SEER rating sticker.

[19:15] There's a new certification and also talk to your suppliers, they should have some training available.

Resources & Links Related to this Episode

• Pure Plumbing & Air

• Pure Plumbing & Air Facebook

• Alexis Aranda Instagram

• Christopher Foster

• SEER2

• HVAC GSA.gov