The Home Service Expert Podcast

Hosted by Tommy Mello: $200 Million Founder|Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur Columnist

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483

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Home Service Expert podcast is the No. 1 podcast for ambitious home service entrepreneurs, whether they are in plumbing, HVAC or another niche. In this show, Tommy Mello, a $200M business founder, will talk with the best entrepreneurs and experts in the home service industry and beyond, to share insights that have made them successful: from the newest marketing tools to the best scaling strategies. Previous podcast guests include Terry Nicholson (former national trainer of NYSE-listed home services company), Craig Smith (President of HomeAdvisor, a home services marketplace valued at $2B+), Cameron Herold (former COO of three $100M+ companies), etc.

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60 recent

June 11, 202652 min

The Smartest Home Service Owners in the Country Are All Doing This One Thing

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Jim Leslie is the CEO of Home Service Freedom and former CMO/CTO at A1 Garage Door — where he helped build the company to over $400 million. Today he breaks down exactly what's killing revenue inside most home service companies (hint: it's not your marketing), walks through real HSF member success stories with real numbers, and explains how the right systems, community, and coaching can take any home service company further, faster. In this episode: ▸ The #1 reason home service marketing doesn't work (it's your booking rate) ▸ How a $22M multi-trade company was losing money without knowing why — and turned it around ▸ The speed-of-implementation principle that separates companies that grow from those that stay stuck ▸ How AI is flipping the labor equation — and what it means for your team right now ▸ Why going deeper beats going wider — every time ▸ What smart investors actually look for in a home service company ▸ Inside HSF: membership, coaching, training, and the 90-day money-back guarantee ▸ Freedom Event: October 26–28, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 — Jim Leslie / HSF 08:11 — HSF Membership Overview 16:00 — Member Turnaround Story 23:52 — Speed of Implementation 29:05 — AI Productivity Shift 36:28 — Smart Investor Criteria 44:15 — Freedom Event Details 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

June 10, 20261 hr 19 min

Why Home Service Owners Lose Customers Before They Ever Pick Up the Phone

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Senja Spellman is a fractional CMO who has spent over a decade inside the marketing departments of companies like Tundra Land ($100M), Leaf Home, Bath Works, and Home Genius Exteriors. She took Bath Works from $12M to $25M in one year — now pacing $52M. Today she shares exactly how home service companies can build brand trust, track TV attribution, grow with zero ad spend, and disrupt in a market where everyone looks the same. In this episode: ▸ Why 66% of customers pick by trust — and only 7% by price ▸ The TV attribution model that ties every spot to a lead ▸ How to use ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to audit your brand visibility right now ▸ Brand vs. direct response — which one your business actually needs ▸ The 97% rule: why branding matters more than most owners think ▸ Omnichannel data strategy: how to hit the right person across mail and CTV ▸ Marketing budget benchmarks: growth (20–22%) vs. maintenance (15–18%) ▸ How cause marketing builds internal culture and external brand ▸ Why marketing is meant to disrupt — and how to stop blending in -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 — Senja's Background 07:06 — TV Attribution Model 15:31 — LLM Brand Visibility 22:48 — Home Service Differences 30:25 — Marketing Budget Benchmarks 36:10 — The 97% Rule 41:30 — Omni-Channel Data Strategy 49:50 — Private Equity Risks 57:07 — Brand Story Process 01:03:55 — Lead Gen Quick Wins 01:12:05 — Disruption in Marketing 01:17:55 — Senja's Contact Info 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

June 5, 202650 min

Why Most Remodelers Keep Paying for Demand They Could Be Creating for Free

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Tony Hoty filed bankruptcy at 29. Spent 10 years on the road training companies across the country because he had no choice. Then rebuilt to $10M+ in retail remodeling with Window Expo and Bath Expo. His message is simple: stop throwing money at digital ads and start building a system that creates demand. Tommy and Tony break down door-to-door canvassing, home shows, events, call center follow-up, and the lead handling mistakes costing most remodelers thousands every month. -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 Intro & Origin Story 05:40 Hunting vs. Farming 08:42 Door-to-Door Playbook 13:13 Creating Infinite Demand 17:10 Capacity Planning 19:42 Culture & Hiring 23:33 Event Profiling 29:54 Lead Handling & Leakage 33:03 Lead Follow-Up Mistakes 38:53 Process & Discipline 43:11 Ride-Alongs vs. Technology 46:45 Vision & Self-Improvement 49:28 Lead Gen Expo 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

June 3, 20261 hr 19 min

He Lost His Company as a Minority Partner. Then Built It Back From Zero.

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Justin Feichter started Providence Roofing just over a year ago — after getting pushed out of his last company as a minority partner. In his first eight months he realized his pricing was completely wrong, rebuilt his systems on the fly, and crossed $1.2M in revenue. He's still in the field every day. This is a real-time look at what it actually takes to build a blue-collar business from the ground up — the pricing mistakes, the social media strategy that's working without a budget, and what happens when you refuse to quit. -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 Intro & Background 06:00 Year One Pricing Mistakes 12:00 Hiring for Your Weaknesses 18:00 Trades as the New Goldmine 24:00 Competing on Price 30:00 Retention & Relationships 36:00 Technology & Systems 42:00 Tax Strategy 48:00 Sales Process & First Contact 54:00 Vendor Strategy 01:00:00 Close Rate & Lead Sources 01:06:00 Social Media & Content 01:12:00 Goals for 2026 01:17:00 Lead Gen & AI — Tommy's final word 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/

May 29, 202613 min

Peter H Thomas (Century 21 Canada Founder) Losing $70 Million and Why He Never Panicked

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Peter Thomas built $8 billion in real estate — then lost $70 million when his silent partner went bankrupt. At 87 years old, he's sharp, happy, and still building. Tommy gets the real story: how Peter faced 18 creditors with nothing, negotiated every single one, and rebuilt from zero. The lesson? Your skill set and your network are the two things no collapse can ever take from you. -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 Peter Thomas introduction 01:15 Century 21 Canada 1974 01:34 Built $8 billion 02:13 Biggest failures discussed 03:39 Living well at 87 04:31 What are your values? 04:45 Health and freedom aligned 06:05 Choose your life partner 06:19 Give everything away 07:09 Tommy grew up alone 07:40 Partner went bankrupt 07:58 Down $70 million 08:41 Skill set always survives 09:16 What was next move? 09:42 Negotiating 18 creditors 10:20 Worked all 18 deals 11:00 How to find Peter 11:29 Happiness is a choice 11:48 Tommy's life at 45 12:26 Manifesting your future 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/ My other podcast: Tommy Mello Millionaire ⟶ https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Live Q&A submission form: https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions

May 26, 20261 hr 5 min

The Sales Reframe That Changes How Every Technician Thinks About Their Job

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Joe Crisara has trained thousands of home service technicians — and the number one thing he hears is that they don't want to be called salespeople. In this episode, Joe breaks down why that resistance is costing your team money, your customers their options, and your business its potential. The fix isn't motivation. It's finishing the sentence. Joe's system, built over decades working with plumbers, HVAC techs, electricians, and garage door companies, is simple: make a friend, diagnose the whole system, build premium, mid-range, and economy options, personalize them, and close with "what should we do?" That framework closes 92% of jobs. Not because it's pushy, because it's honest. What you'll learn: — Why "sales" became a dirty word and how to fix it for your team — The five-step system behind a 92% close rate — Why financing is the primary offer — not an afterthought — How "magic moments" create raving fans without manipulation — The self-esteem problem behind underperforming techs — and the trainable fix — Pure-motive service and why caring outsells closing every time 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/ My other podcast: Tommy Mello Millionaire ⟶ https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello

May 22, 20261 hr 5 min

The One Mindset Shift That Separates Good Operators From Great Ones

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ John Block didn't build Unity Partners by being the smartest guy in the room. He built it by making sure he never was. As the founder of one of the fastest-growing private equity firms in home services, John has a framework that most operators never hear — and it has nothing to do with hustle, willpower, or grinding harder than everyone else. In this episode, John breaks down why chasing revenue is the wrong game, what private equity actually looks for before acquiring a home service company, and the one mindset shift that separates operators who plateau from those who build something that lasts. If you're running a home service business and you feel like you've hit a ceiling — this episode is the reason why, and exactly what to do about it. What you'll learn: — Why being the dumbest person in the room is the smartest move you can make — The difference between building bigger and building better — and why it matters — What PE firms actually measure beyond EBITDA — The "who not how" principle and how to apply it to your team right now — Why most operators overestimate what they'll do in a year and underestimate the hockey stick -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 - Introduction 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Check Out My Social Media: Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/ My other podcast: Tommy Mello Millionaire ⟶ https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello

May 18, 20261 hr 34 min

The Real Reason Most People Never Start (It's Not Discipline)

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Dr. Benjamin Hardy is one of the world's leading organizational psychologists — PhD, bestselling author of 10X Is Easier Than 2X, and Dan Sullivan's writing partner. In this episode, Tommy sits down with Dr. Hardy to break down why you don't need to be ready to start, how your future self is already waiting for you to decide, and the one mindset shift that separates the operators who scale from the ones who stay stuck. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Start Before You're Ready 02:54 Welcome and Introductions 04:31 Tommy's Hockey Stick Growth 05:28 Ben's Background Today 07:01 Profitability Over Revenue 09:26 Ben's Origin Story 16:08 Meeting Dan Sullivan 21:48 How to Co-Write Books 24:30 Building Your Audience 30:13 The Power Law Explained 36:24 How to 10X 43:59 Writing Seven Books 47:34 The Gap and the Gain 48:59 Future Self Framework 57:14 Stop Waiting for Perfect 01:00:11 Future Self Deep Dive 01:07:48 The Science of Future Self 01:21:40 Closeout Questions 01:25:01 Start Over With $10M 01:28:20 Ben's Favorite Books 01:31:18 Find Ben Online 🔗 Build Your Freedom → https://homeservicefreedom.com/ 📱 Follow Tommy: TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/officialtommymello 🎙️ Home Service Expert Podcast → https://homeserviceexpert.com

May 16, 20261 hr 30 min

The Leadership Skill That Gets More Valuable as AI Takes Over

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ The biggest myth in home service technology? That software solves problems. It doesn't. People do. Tommy sits down with Richard Kohberger — the go-to ServiceTitan expert and founder of Blue Collar Nerd — for one of the most honest conversations about technology, leadership, and what it actually takes to build a great home service company in the AI era.In this episode you'll learn: — Why most companies use ServiceTitan wrong — and what it actually looks like when you use it right — The truth about AI replacing CSRs and what to do about it before it happens to you — Why adding more AI to your business means your people need MORE human attention, not less — The four metrics every home service owner should know cold — Why emotional intelligence is the most underrated skill in home service leadership -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 - Introduction 00:34 - Richard's Background and Blue Collar Nerd Origin 03:08 - Why Investors Are Rushing Into Home Service 06:02 - Advanced ServiceTitan Integrations 10:31 - When to Get on ServiceTitan 13:50 - AI-First Software and What's Coming 17:46 - Tommy's AI-Written Radio Ad Live 21:16 - Social Media vs Traditional Advertising 28:03 - The A1 Garage Model vs HVAC 32:28 - Which Industry Would Richard Build In? 36:12 - Tommy's 2017 Trifecta and Podcast Origin 38:49 - SOPs: SweetProcess vs Trainual 41:13 - AI Supporting People Not Replacing Them 44:41 - Technology Changing Leadership and Culture 47:52 - Longevity Science and Fasting 51:03 - Skills the Next Generation of Operators Needs 54:14 - EQ vs IQ in Leadership 58:42 - Rapid Fire: The Four Metrics Every Owner Must Know 1:09:08 - Die With Zero and Tommy's Philanthropy Plans 1:13:53 - Get Clear on Your WHY 1:17:35 - Is "I'm Doing It for My Family" Really True? 1:23:39 - Meditation, Facing Fears, and Final Thoughts 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/ Tommy Mello Millionaire ⟶ https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello

May 11, 20261 hr 17 min

The #1 Reason Home Service Companies Get Stuck Between $1M and $10M

🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Most home service companies don't fail from a lack of opportunity — they fail because they lose focus. Tommy sits down with Yarin Gaon, a growth advisor who has mentored over 397 businesses through Chicago and SCORE and helped company after company break through the $1M–$10M plateau. Yarin's framework is built on one core idea: the path of least resistance always wins. In this episode you'll learn: — Why your current business model might not be the version worth scaling — How to find the 20% of your operation driving 80% of your profit — The growth canvas replacing vision traction organizers for home service leaders — What "path of least resistance" actually looks like applied to your business — Why you need to pause before your next quarterly session and design Version 2 Yarin's free playbook: fractional.partners — no lead magnet, no catch. Just the framework. -- 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 🕐 -- 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Yarin's Background and Story 05:06 - Hustle vs Focus 06:08 - What Vision Actually Means 08:20 - Defining Your Real Success Metric 10:39 - How to Build a Monopoly in Your Market 12:11 - Military E-Commerce Business Breakdown 15:49 - Diversification Mistakes and When to Cut 21:17 - The Wrong Growth Model 23:51 - Growth by Addition vs Subtraction 30:50 - Profitability Before Capital 33:41 - How Private Equity Values Your Business 37:47 - What the Best CEOs Have in Common 39:53 - Better Decisions Equal More Profit 1:05:46 - Why Franchising Fails in Home Service 1:07:09 - The Explicit Decision Framework 1:09:45 - The Growth Model Framework 1:12:48 - Free Playbook and Book Recommendation 1:13:32 - Path of Least Resistance Explained 1:15:14 - Build a Machine That Prints Profit 🚀 FREEDOM 2026 Get your Tickets Today! https://homeservicefreedom.com/ Tiktok ⟶ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialtommymello Instagram ⟶ https://www.instagram.com/officialtommymello/ Facebook ⟶ https://www.facebook.com/thomasmello/ Tommy Mello Millionaire ⟶ https://www.youtube.com/@officialtommymello Live Q&A ⟶ https://homeserviceexpert.com/questions