The Fire Time Podcast

By Tim ReedBusiness Marketing Careers

The Fire Time Podcast episodes

October 25, 2022Chris Becker - Building a Business from the Truck Up
Standing in living rooms in a tattered t-shirt and jeans might sound like a terrible sales strategy, but it’s exactly how today’s guest began one of the largest hearth retail operations in the nation.
In today’s episode, Tim talks with the peak performer Chris Becker (President of Twin City Fireplace), who slowly took over his father’s business after realizing working in a cubicle wasn’t for him. After many years of backbreaking work, Chris has made a serious mark in our industry and has many lessons to share.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What a week-in-the-life of Chris looks like (and his advice for creating a schedule).
Why in-home selling works (and why it’s more effective now than ever).
Why success requires self-awareness (and how to cultivate that trait).

In the past, success required putting your nose to the grindstone and working hard—but things are a bit different now, and success requires more strategy than ever. Chris’s story is a prime example of this shift. Listen to this episode for tips on working smarter from someone who’s worked far beyond harder.

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40 min
October 18, 2022Mark Stoner - Blue Collar Gold
Few businesses in our industry have over 20 trucks on the road, more than 100 employees, and no limit for growth. This episode’s guest, however, is the owner of businesses that fit these unusual criteria.
In today’s episode, Tim talks with the peak performer Mark Stoner (President of Ashbusters Chimney Service and author of Blue Collar Gold). Their conversation starts with Mark’s life story, then moves to Mark diving deep into how he has achieved success with his businesses, and ends with a discussion about the importance of speed in business.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why chimney work is an untapped gold mine for hearth retailers (and how to start doing it).
Why you are the only thing holding yourself back from success (and how accountability is the secret sauce to move you out of your own way).
Why speed is essential to succeeding in the modern business world (and how to find the perfect relationship between speed and quality).

Don’t let your business be a unicycle that only you, the owner, are riding. Instead, build a business with multiple wheels and people in control so it’s less vulnerable to unexpected obstacles. Listen to this conversation to learn how Mark has used this philosophy to find remarkable success in several businesses.

Blue Collar Gold: How To Build A Service Business From The Dirt Up
Blue Collar Podcast
Poppy & Peep Chocolate
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1 hr 8 min
October 11, 2022Christy Campbell - Creating a Brand That’s Good News for Your Customers
If you don’t care about the outward-facing appearance of your business, why should a customer assume you care about the appearance of a fireplace you install in their home?
In today’s episode—a divider between the up-and-coming leaders and peak-performers sections of this season—Tim talks with his sister, Christy Campbell (Graphic Designer for The Fire Time Magazine) about marketing, branding, and photography. Tim constantly praises Christy for her uncanny eye for understanding a client's vision and making The Fire Time Magazine beautiful.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why consistency over time is the only way to build a brand (and why not being consistent will scare customers away).
Why caring about the small details in design builds trust (and how to find a balance between being not detailed enough to too detailed).
Why it’s okay if you can’t design things in-house (and what you need to tell external designers to get satisfactory results).

In the modern-day, marketing, branding, and photography are extremely important. If you don’t know how to get started or modernize your practices in these areas, this episode is for you.

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55 min
October 04, 2022Michael Verkruyse - From Google to Fireplaces
Moving from accounting to marketing to tech to fireplaces, this episode’s guest proves it’s never too late to make a drastic professional pivot.
In today’s episode, Tim talks with Michael Verkruyse (VP for Associated Energy Systems), an up-and-coming leader. Michael brings a wealth of knowledge to our industry which he gained from working for small startup companies and Google. A large portion of this conversation is comparing our industry to that of Google and discussing the significance of carbon neutrality in our industry.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How the hearth and tech industries differ (and how knowledge from the tech industry can be applied to ours).
How sales persons need to understand customers first, product second (and why this spirit makes our industry special).
How coming together as an industry to discuss carbon neutrality will benefit us (and examples of similar industries to ours that are already doing this).
Michael went from an industry at the forefront of technology to the hearth industry, which is certainly not at the forefront of technology. In doing this, he has noticed many things that our industry needs to do better to keep up with the times. Listen to this episode to hear what must be done for our industry to remain relevant.

StoveTeam International
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56 min
September 27, 2022Jodi Harrington - Creating a Comfortable Showroom
A college degree in English and a teaching job were today’s guest’s attributes when she became a full-time leader at her family’s hearth store. In the seven years since this transition, she has helped market the business into something that physically and digitally is effective and true to her family.
In today’s episode, Tim is joined by Jodi Harrington (Marketing & Purchasing Director for Classic Stoves & Fireplaces), a young leader who, in Tim’s opinion, has an intuitive sense of how a hearth business should be presented. Jodi shares her experience growing up in the industry, how her family's showroom has evolved since she stepped in, and how she doesn’t let being a female leader affect her.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why you need to sacrifice units for seats (generally, people don’t stand in their house when looking at a fireplace).
Why it’s essential to have sections in a showroom (think about how you navigate a department store).
Why focusing on bringing together your business’s digital and physical experiences matters now more than ever (Jodi’s family’s business does this very well).
Your showroom needs to be able to grow to meet the desires of your customer base. This often means removing units to make room for things to be more like a home. If you can listen to and practice the concepts discussed in this episode, your business will be better this season.

Classic Stoves & Fireplaces Instagram
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59 min
September 20, 2022Patrick Ryan - Making Change in a Family Business
Transitioning from the tech industry to the fireplace industry is something today’s guest never expected, even though he grew up watching his parents run their legacy business. However, this transition has set him up to help his family’s business overcome obstacles that many companies can’t.
In this episode, Tim talks with Patrick Ryan (Purchaser for the Stove Shop), a young leader using data and outside experience to revolutionize his parents’ business for the modern-day marketplace. This conversation begins with what motivated Patrick to leave the tech industry, then moves to Patrick’s ideals, mindset, and strategies for helping his parents’ business thrive.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why imperfection is okay (and how to deal with it).
Why not everyone in your company needs industry knowledge (and how teaching these people industry jargon can be harmful).
Why our industry would benefit from standardization (and how we might achieve that).

A common trait among all the young leaders we’ve interviewed for the first part of this season is that they all believe there’s a better way to do things. Often, they don’t immediately know the better way—but they aren’t afraid to fall on their faces finding it. We could all benefit from adopting this mindset as things tighten up over the next few years. Listen to this episode for some inspiration.

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48 min
September 13, 2022David Rettinger - Visibility is the Catalyst for Change
A man bun and a love for surfing are what today’s guest had when he left a tech job in San Francisco for his father’s hearth company in New Jersey. Ever since this pivot, he has been committed to understanding and redefining how his family’s business operates.
To start Season 9 of the podcast, Tim talks with the up-and-coming David Rettinger (Principal at Rettinger Fireplace). After beginning with David’s life story, this conversation explores how to gain visibility in a business and explains how David uses software to do just that.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to get visibility within your business (this is crucial to responding to incidents proactively instead of reactively).
How to build workflows for every part of your business (this will allow for your business to operate with intentionality).
How to overcome the title of being “the boss's kid” (this is a message that every leader needs to hear).
The next generation of leaders in our industry are rising and, more often than not, coming from unusual backgrounds that empower them to innovate. Listen to this conversation to hear how David’s experience has led him to succeed in doing things differently.

Check out Striven
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57 min
September 06, 2022Are Cord Wood Tested Stoves Going Away?
The issue examined in this episode came out of nowhere, but we’ve got to discuss it now. Many of the wood-burning appliances in your inventory are at risk due to new and upcoming EPA regulations.
This episode is delaying the official start of Season 9 of the podcast because you need to hear about it now. In this episode, Tim talks with Chris Neufeld (Co-Chair of the HPBA Solid Fuel Section), who is very knowledgeable about this upcoming change in regulation, and Patrick Ryan (The Stove Shop), who asks the questions retailers want to know.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What wood stoves are about to expire (selling them will eventually be illegal).
Why you need to have a conversation with your manufacturers and distributors about this issue (avoiding this could cost you thousands).
How to have a gracious conversation with people who don’t know about this issue (working together is absolutely key).

There are countless threats to our industry. Instead of fighting each other about them, we need to band together to offer clean-burning solutions that improve the lives and the communities of those we serve. If we can come together as an industry—like we did during the pandemic—we have the best chance of getting through this together. Listen today to learn how to protect your business and our industry from this threat.

Watch the Video Version of This Conversation (Please Share This)
Access the EPA Wood Stove Certification List
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53 min
August 30, 2022 Communicate Better with these Two Little Words by Clay Dennis (FTM Rapid Reaction)
Want to learn two little words that will transform the way you communicate? If so, listen to this rapid reaction episode of The Fire Time Podcast.
While we’re getting ready for Season 9 of the podcast, Tim will give you his rapid reaction to a series of audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from that publication, subscribe to the FTM podcast (linked below).
In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "Communicate Better with these Two Little Words” by Clay Dennis.

Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition online: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com.
Download The Fire Time Magazine app to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/app.
Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime.
17 min
August 23, 2022 The Power of the Backlog by Sam O'Donnell (FTM Rapid Reaction)
Many companies have the information their backlog provides right in front of them. Yet few companies understand this information—and even fewer know how to use it to execute. If you’re ready to understand your backlog and take control of your business, then this episode is for you.
While we’re getting ready for Season 9 of the podcast, Tim will give you his rapid reaction to a series of audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. To check out more audio articles from that publication, subscribe to the FTM podcast (linked below).
In this week's episode, Tim gives you his rapid reaction to "The Power of the Backlog” by Sam O'Donnell.

Read The Fire Time Magazine Reader Edition online: https://magazine.itsfiretime.com.
Download The Fire Time Magazine app to get full access to the magazine (for free): https://www.itsfiretime.com/app.
Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.patreon.com/itsfiretime.
18 min

About The Fire Time Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Are you tired of presentations that are only half relevant to your business? Many speakers are not practitioners of their material, simply teachers—not so with The Fire Time Podcast. This podcast is…

for the hearth industry and by the hearth industry. Host Tim Reed has over a decade of experience in the hearth industry, making conversations with guests relevant and extremely practical. In Season One, Tim speaks with twelve hearth industry leaders and provides content relevant to any position, whether on the retail or manufacturing side. Hearth companies everywhere are lost because the landscape of business has changed dramatically in the last ten years. They are trying hard, but they just don’t know what to do. The Fire Time Podcast equips hearth companies to win by sharing ideas and innovation from the best minds in our industry. This podcast will give you the tools to move the needle in your company and win in the changing landscape. This podcast is the first of its kind—specific to the business that you work in every day and simple enough to teach you what’s needed to succeed. Do not miss out on The Fire Time Podcast, available for Apple and Droid devices or at www.itsfiretime.com/podcast. The simple and repeatable steps provided will empower you to grow the bottom line of your company and inspire the team that you lead. ABOUT: Tim Reed is the Retail Sales Leader at Fireside Home Solutions in the Pacific Northwest where he helps his team members make it so stupidly easy to buy from them that there is no excuse not to. Starting as individual salesperson in an empty warehouse, he has grown Fireside’s Retail division by millions (after cutting his marketing budget by 90%). Tim has been invited all over the country to teach companies how to market effectively to their customers and sell more than ever before. His YouTube videos, sales blog, and “Fire Time Podcast” have become a resource for the industry and are actively helping thousands of people rethink their paradigms so that they can grow their businesses in the changing landscape. Tim learned “just enough to be dangerous” about sales, marketing, web development, and leadership from years of playing guitar in a failing punk band—which he swears has uniquely qualified him for his job today. Now considered one of the most innovative minds and compelling communicators in the industry, Tim uses his platform to serve others, helping them create clear messages that are wildly compelling to their audiences. Tim lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Jessica, two children, Olivia and Luke, and his 90 pound Golden Retriever, Walter. He still plays guitar in a failing punk band. CONTACT: [email protected] | www.itsfiretime.com