Cracking the Code

Hosted by Contractor University Powered by EGIA

Business

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Episodes

300

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Want EGIA’s critically acclaimed “Cracking the Code” show on the go? Every Monday, the home services industry’s must-watch weekly show brings you the guests you want to hear from, covering contracting strategies, industry news, roadmaps to success and more!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 26, 202648 min

Win the Customer Over The Phone

If customers are still shopping after they call you, lost leads isn’t a volume issue. It is a customer experience issue. More marketing will not fix what happens after the phone rings. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Brigham Dickinson reveals how contractors can create a stronger customer journey from the first call through the in-home experience. Learn why CSRs, dispatchers and technicians need to build trust, ask better questions and create commitment, how AI should support the process instead of replace it, and why better conversations can help contractors convert more of the opportunities they already have. The post Win the Customer Over The Phone first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

October 18, 202637 min

Great HVAC Leaders Stay Coachable

Who do you turn to when the business gets hard? Business is impossible to face alone. The leaders who grow fastest are usually the ones most willing to recognize their weaknesses and ask for help. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Brad Barron talks about the two things that shaped him most as a leader: mentorship and community. Brad shares the mentors who saw something in him before he saw it himself, why he hired an executive coach, and how fear, shame, and pride keep contractors from asking the questions that would move them forward. The post Great HVAC Leaders Stay Coachable first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

October 11, 202650 min

Run an HVAC Business Worth Keeping

Are you building your HVAC business for the life you actually want, or are you assuming the only end goal is to sell it? A strong business should create more than revenue. It should give you options, support the people around you, and become something you actually want to keep. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Brad Barron sits down with Stephanie Allen, CEO of AirWorks Solutions, to talk about what it means to build a business worth keeping. Stephanie shares how she and her husband have approached ownership, leadership, and long-term growth differently, including why contractors should stop relying on brute force to move the business forward and start creating more leverage through their people, systems, and technology. The post Run an HVAC Business Worth Keeping first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

October 4, 202647 min

Build Pricing That Actually Makes Money

Are you actually pricing your work to make money, or are you just hoping the numbers work out at the end of the month? Profitable pricing starts with understanding what it really costs to run the business, where your break-even sits, and how labor, overhead and job type all impact the number you should be charging. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker and Brad Barron sit down with James Leichter, President & CEO of Aptora, to break down the numbers behind profitable pricing. James explains why service pricing is often misunderstood, how to calculate and communicate break-even, why labor-heavy jobs need to be priced differently than equipment-heavy work, and how poor pricing can quietly erase profit even when revenue looks strong. He also shares why financial transparency with your team can create stronger buy-in around pricing, productivity and profitability. The post Build Pricing That Actually Makes Money first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

September 27, 202642 min

Combating the Leads Gap with Paid Social

Are you generating enough leads? More importantly, are you handling the ones you get correctly? In today’s saturated market leads are harder to come by, customers are slower to spend, and the old approach of waiting for the phone to ring isn’t going to cut it. Enter paid social media. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Brad Barron sits down with Brandon Sommers, President of HVAC Launch, to talk about closing the lead gap and getting more from your marketing and sales process. Brandon shares how he rebuilt his approach to Facebook and Instagram advertising after performance dropped, why every lead needs clear ownership and relentless follow-up, and how simple tactics like faster response times and the “double dial” can dramatically improve connection rates. The post Combating the Leads Gap with Paid Social first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

September 20, 202634 min

From Warehouse Cleaner to $4M in Sales

Price objections at the end of a sales call are probably because you skipped the budget conversation that should have happened in the first ten minutes. Sales isn’t all about talent, it’s about process. The shops closing at a high rate right now aren’t the ones with the smoothest pitch; they’re the ones running the same disciplined steps on every call and every job. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker sits down with Brad Barron to trace his path from shop warehouse cleaner to writing over $4 million a year at a 67% close rate. Jason covers the questions his call center asks, where to start your conversations, how to take control of a call before the homeowner takes it from you, and the three tie-downs he uses to close without pressure. The post From Warehouse Cleaner to $4M in Sales first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

September 13, 202644 min

Shop Tour: Inside the Operations Behind Long-Term Growth

See what it looks like when a contracting business has the right people and systems in place to support long-term growth. We’re taking Cracking The Code on the road and going behind the scenes at Barron Heating & Air and how they’ve built a well-oiled machine. In this episode, Jason Walker joins Brad Barron for a full shop tour, getting an inside look at how the business runs from sales and dispatch to the fabrication shop. Brad shares how they approach inventory control, employee development, accountability and in-house training. You’ll hear the operational decisions that help companies stay organized, reduce waste and keep growing without losing control. The post Shop Tour: Inside the Operations Behind Long-Term Growth first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

September 6, 202648 min

Is Your Contracting Business Sellable?

Is your contracting business actually ready to sell? A smooth sale takes the right setup, a clear understanding of what buyers are looking for and the systems needed for a strong exit and handoff. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker and Brad Barron sit down with Patrick Lange of Business Modification Group to talk about acquisitions, valuations and building a business buyers can believe in. Patrick explains why owners need to understand what their company is worth long before they are ready to sell, and how the right systems, clean financials, strong service and repair revenue, and less owner dependency can make the business more valuable. He also breaks down why acquisitions should support a healthy business, not be used to fix a broken one. The post Is Your Contracting Business Sellable? first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

August 30, 202616 min

Inside the Culture of a $50M+ Contractor

A strong culture is hard to prove. It shows up in the way people are led, trained, retained and connected to a purpose bigger than the work itself. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker joins Brad Barron onsite at Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing in for a conversation inside their production studio. They talk about the people-first foundation behind Barron’s $50M operation, from community impact and employee retention to leadership development, technician training, and clear growth paths. Together, they unpack why real growth is not just about hitting a bigger revenue number. It is about building the systems and culture that make sustainable growth possible. The post Inside the Culture of a $50M+ Contractor first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

August 23, 202640 min

How to Implement Big Ideas for Major Growth

Big ideas are exciting, but they are a non-starter on their own. Growth depends on how well a company can take a good idea, build the process, get the team aligned and execute consistently. In this episode of Cracking The Code, Jason Walker sits down with Paul Kelly, former owner and operator of Parker and Sons, to talk about the role implementation plays in scaling a contracting business. Paul shares how better execution helped Parker and Sons grow by $40 million in a single year. Learn how strong leadership and daily improvements all matter when turning ideas into real momentum and can turn a successful business owner into a GOAT. The post How to Implement Big Ideas for Major Growth first appeared on My Contractor University | Dashboard .

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