To The Point - Home Services VIP Room Podcast

Hosted by RYNO Strategic Solutions

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About the show

The Home Services podcast that gets to the point, with solutions to help your service company grow. Our focus is to help HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Roofing, etc. companies learn how to grow their companies with marketing & operational solutions.

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1 hr 3 min

Behind The Curtain of Tommy Mello’s $2B Deal

Tommy Mello is back on To The Point Home Services VIP Room to pull back the curtain on his massive $2B deal with KKR and what comes next for A1 Garage Door Service. Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Tommy to discuss the deal, why he chose KKR, and how he's thinking about the next phase of growth. Tommy also gets into building a company where employees have a stake in the outcome, scaling into new markets, recruiting and developing top talent, and why culture is becoming the biggest driver of long-term success. From creating millionaires within his organization to keeping people engaged as the business grows, this conversation goes beyond the headlines and gets into what it really takes to build a business at scale. In this episode: Behind the scenes of Tommy's $2B deal with KKR Why he rolled equity and doubled down on A1 How employee ownership creates long-term incentives Scaling into new markets and growing through organic expansion Recruiting, developing, and retaining top talent Why company culture matters more than ever Building stronger connections with employees and their families Why enjoying the journey matters more than reaching the destination Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: New multi-location advertisers on Yelp may qualify for a 20% bonus advertising budget when they start campaigns before December 31, 2026 . That means Yelp adds extra advertising dollars on top of what you spend: https://business.yelp.com/campaign/homeservicevip/?utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=mloc_emerging_ent_to_the_point_podcast_leads_2026&utm_source=to_the_point&utm_term=q4 Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

59 min

40 Years of Home Services Lessons | VIP Guest Jack Tester

In this episode, Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor sit down with Jack Tester, former CEO of Nexstar Network, to discuss what it really takes to build a successful home services business. With more than 40 years of industry experience, Jack shares the lessons he's learned from helping build Nexstar, working alongside some of the biggest companies in home services, and developing leaders throughout his career. They dive into why leadership starts with self-awareness, how to develop managers into great leaders, why avoiding difficult conversations can hurt your business, and the importance of having a clear company mission. Plus, Jack answers one big question: What's broken in home services that nobody wants to admit? If you're looking to become a better leader, build a stronger company, and create an organization people actually want to work for, this episode is for you. 00:00 Welcome to the VIP Room 02:05 Jack Tester's 40-Year Journey in Home Services 08:00 How Nexstar Got Its Start 11:00 How the Home Services Industry Has Changed 14:00 Advice for Growing Contractors 17:30 Why Your Company Needs a Clear Mission 23:30 Leadership Starts With Self-Leadership 27:00 Developing Great Leaders and Managers 32:45 How to Handle Difficult Conversations 41:30 Building Better Leadership Meetings 51:15 Why Great Leaders Must Be Vulnerable 55:00 What's Broken in Home Services? Employee Turnover 57:15 The Four Keys to Employee Retention Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: New multi-location advertisers on Yelp may qualify for a 20% bonus advertising budget when they start campaigns before December 31, 2026 . That means Yelp adds extra advertising dollars on top of what you spend: https://business.yelp.com/campaign/homeservicevip/?utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=mloc_emerging_ent_to_the_point_podcast_leads_2026&utm_source=to_the_point&utm_term=q4 Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

32 min

OG & Current Day Operators Talk Differences at RYNOx 2026

What does it take to build a successful home services business, and what happens when the founder and the next generation of leadership come together? In this episode of To The Point Home Services VIP Room , we're revisiting an incredible session from RYNOX 2026 featuring Alan O'Neill, founder of Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical, and Tony Patino, the company's current CEO. Alan and Tony share the story behind Abacus, how their paths crossed, how they went from competing to working together, and the lessons they've learned along the way. From building a strong company culture to developing leaders, retaining employees, and improving profitability, they break down what it takes to build and sustain a successful home services business. Whether you're growing your company, building your leadership team, or trying to take your business to the next level, this conversation is packed with insights you can put to work. In this episode: The story behind Alan and Tony's relationship Lessons from the founder and current CEO of Abacus Building a company culture that attracts and retains great people Developing leaders who can help your business grow Finding opportunities to improve operations and profitability What contractors can learn from an established home services business If you enjoy the episode, make sure to like, subscribe, and share it with another home services business owner. Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

51 min

The Follow-Up Mistake Costing Contractors Jobs

Most contractors think they need more leads to grow their business. But what if the next job is already sitting in your database? Nathan Klug joins Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor on the To The Point Home Services VIP Room to break down the follow-up mistakes costing contractors jobs and how to generate more revenue from the contacts they already have. Nathan shares how contractors can reactivate old estimates, clean up customer data, build referral networks, and use part-time sales reps to generate more opportunities without immediately increasing their advertising spend. He also explains why having the right systems in place matters before investing more money into lead generation. In this episode, you'll learn how to turn old contacts into new business, build a referral network that consistently generates opportunities, and create a follow-up process that helps your business stop leaving money on the table. Connect with Nathan Klug: https://nathanklug.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Welcome to the VIP Room 03:20 - Meet Nathan Klug 05:20 - What Is Operational Marketing? 09:15 - The Follow-Up Mistake Costing Contractors Jobs 11:00 - Database Reactivation: Turning Old Contacts Into New Business 13:00 - Why Customer Data Management Matters 15:00 - How 100 Contacts Generated 12 Pieces of Business 17:00 - Using Customer Data to Personalize Follow-Up 19:00 - What Contractors Should Track in Their CRM 24:00 - Text Messages, Email Deliverability, and Getting Customers to Respond 29:00 - Building a Referral Network That Generates Jobs 34:00 - Using Part-Time Sales Reps to Find More Business 39:00 - Building Referral Programs With AI 41:00 - Structuring Referral Partnerships and Commissions 43:30 - When Should Contractors Invest in Paid Advertising? 46:00 - Building Systems That Support Business Growth 47:00 - Nathan's 90-Day Strategy and Coaching Process 49:30 - How to Connect With Nathan Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com Subscribe to To The Point Home Services VIP Room for more conversations with business owners and industry experts on growing, scaling, and building a stronger home services business.

55 min

The Growth Strategy Hiding in Your Customer Base

Most home service contractors are focused on generating new leads. But what if the next stage of growth is already sitting in your customer base? Joshua Warner, Owner of Maverick Electric, Heating and Air, joins Chris Yano, Chad Peterman, and Aaron Gaynor on the To The Point Home Services VIP Room to share how he grew his overall business to a projected 16M–17M in annual revenue, including a $5M HVAC operation built by leveraging his existing electrical customer base. Josh breaks down how he uses memberships to create long-term customer relationships, why he offers free memberships to veterans, teachers, and seniors, and how his team turns those relationships into opportunities across multiple trades. He also shares his approach to electrical sales training, giving customers ballpark pricing over the phone, using AI to estimate electrical jobs, and building a team of electricians who can deliver a better customer experience. 00:00 - Intro & Meet Joshua Warner 03:30 - Building Maverick Electric From the Ground Up 07:30 - Expanding From Electrical Into HVAC 09:30 - Growing HVAC Through Existing Customers 10:30 - Turning Free Memberships Into More Revenue 14:00 - Marketing to Existing Customers 20:30 - Giving Customers Ballpark Pricing Over the Phone 24:20 - Building an AI Estimating Tool for Electrical Jobs 30:00 - Hiring and Training Electricians 37:30 - A Different Approach to Electrical Sales 40:00 - Educating Customers & Bundling Electrical Services 44:00 - Setting Customer Expectations After the Sale 49:50 - Would You Rather? Business Edition 53:00 - Final Thoughts & Lessons on Growth If you're looking to grow your home services business, get more from your existing customers, or expand into additional trades, this episode is for you. Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com 👍 Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and let us know your biggest takeaway in the comments.

54 min

The CEO’s Job Is NOT to Run the Business | Cameron Herold

What does it actually take to scale a home services business without becoming the bottleneck? Cameron Herold, known as the “CEO Whisperer,” joins To The Point Home Services VIP Room to break down what he learned helping scale 1-800-GOT-JUNK from $2 million to $106 million in just six years. Cameron has spent nearly two decades working behind the scenes with CEOs and leadership teams, helping entrepreneurs build stronger companies, develop their people, and step into the role only they can play. In this episode, Cameron shares his approach to scaling from $2M to $10M and beyond, including why entrepreneurs need to delegate everything except their “genius,” when you actually need a COO, and why so many businesses give out executive titles before someone is ready for the role. We also get into raising prices, hiring people who drive revenue, developing your leadership team, removing underperformers, using AI to make better decisions, and the simple things great leaders can do to build a stronger company culture. Plus, Cameron explains why the CEO’s job is to make the CEO “iconic,” what a healthy CEO/COO relationship really looks like, and why some of the simplest leadership practices can have the biggest impact. 00:00 - Meet Cameron Herold, the “CEO Whisperer” 02:20 - How Cameron Became a Business Growth Expert 05:45 - Why Every CEO Needs a Strong Second-in-Command 07:15 - The Biggest Mistake Entrepreneurs Make When Scaling 10:00 - When Do You Actually Need a COO? 13:50 - What a True C-Level Executive Should Actually Do 16:35 - Why Your First Second-in-Command Should Be an Assistant 18:45 - The Ideal CEO/COO Relationship 21:55 - How to Grow a Business From $2M to $10M 27:25 - Simple Marketing Strategies That Drive Growth 30:50 - How Small Businesses Should Be Using AI 32:50 - How to Build a Strong Company Culture 38:00 - Why Leaders Need to Invest in Their People 43:00 - How to Turn Training Into Real Growth 45:50 - Why Your Employees Should Come Before Your Customers 50:00 - How to Create a Customer Service Culture That Scales 52:50 - Where to Find Cameron Herold Want to learn more from Cameron about scaling your business, leadership, and the CEO/COO relationship? Check out his website for more resources, books, coaching, and information about the COO Alliance. https://cameronherold.com/ Thank you to our sponsors! Affiniti: Get a $1,250 bonus at affiniti.com/card. Mention To The Point. Terms apply. Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com

55 min

He Built a $15M Electrical Business in Under 5 Years | Shane Viggiani

Shane Viggiani went from serving time in prison at 20 years old to building one of Las Vegas’ fastest-growing electrical businesses. Today, Shane is the owner of Ampere Electric, a primarily residential electrical company that has grown from its first full year of roughly $700K in revenue to pacing $15M in 2026. In this episode, Shane opens up about his unconventional journey, from growing up in a family of electricians, to finding himself in prison, earning his degree, trying multiple businesses, and eventually returning to the trades through a handyman business before getting his electrical contractor’s license. Shane also breaks down how he’s scaled Ampere, including: • Why hiring managers was critical to scaling past $2M • How Ampere became one of the highest-reviewed electrical companies in Las Vegas • Why Shane embraces sales in an industry that often pushes back against it • How he recruits electricians and positions Ampere as the place to work • The commission model helping his electricians generate millions in sales • How he develops apprentices into lead installers and technicians • The marketing channels driving growth, including LSA, PPC, SEO, Yelp and branding • Why Ampere is investing heavily in billboards, radio and other brand-building strategies • How referral partnerships with HVAC and plumbing companies have become a major growth channel • Why Shane believes electrical could be a massive standalone opportunity in home services • Why Ampere joined Nexstar and how the organization is helping them prepare for the next stage of growth • His goal of building a $30M electrical business in Las Vegas Shane’s story is a powerful look at what can happen when you combine sales, systems, marketing, training and relentless focus on growth. Thank you to our sponsors! Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Sales Ask: Ready to turn conversations into predictable revenue? Book a demo with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer: https://www.salesask.com/ Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

14 min

I BEAT CANCER! Here’s What Comes Next.

Chris Yano is back with a personal update following his battle with throat cancer. After ringing the bell on August 21 and completing his final treatment, Chris opens up about what the weeks following treatment were really like, including losing nearly 40 pounds, struggling to eat and drink, extreme fatigue, and having to rely on his “No Zero Days” mindset just to keep moving forward. But this episode isn’t just about cancer. Going through the experience forced Chris to take a hard look at how he was spending his time, what really matters, and what he wants the next chapter of his life to look like. Chris shares why his health, his wife Anna, and his family are now his biggest priorities, the boundaries he plans to put around his time, his plans to get back in the gym, and why he believes more people need to take their health seriously. It’s a short episode, but an important one. Thank you to everyone who supported Chris throughout this journey. Thank you to our sponsors! Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Sales Ask: Ready to turn conversations into predictable revenue? Book a demo with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer: https://www.salesask.com/ Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

50 min

Mandie maintains steady growth: $14M to $16M to $17M to $20M in 2026

What does it really take to take over a family business, expand into multiple trades, and build it into a $20M home services company? In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room, Chris Yano and Chad Peterman sit down with Mandie Hagan, owner of Rowell Services, a family-owned home services company in New Hampshire offering septic, drain cleaning, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, excavation, and pipe relining. Mandie shares the story of stepping into the family business after the unexpected loss of her father, moving back from Colorado, and helping her mom continue the company. From starting with just a small operation to building a team of nearly 90 employees and pacing toward $20M in revenue, Mandie opens up about the decisions, challenges, and leadership lessons along the way. The conversation covers adding multiple trades, finding the right leaders, moving from top-line growth to focusing on profitability, building an organizational structure, generating leads with a strong local brand, cross-trade referrals, and the personal pressure that comes with running a growing company. Mandie also talks about why Rao Services has remained independently owned, her plans to preserve her father's legacy, and what she's focused on as the company enters its next stage of growth. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to the VIP Room 01:30 – Meet Mandie Hagan & the Rao Services story 04:15 – Losing her father and returning home to the family business 08:10 – Moving back from Colorado and taking over the company 11:30 – How Rao Services began expanding beyond septic 15:00 – The lesson Mandie learned from adding multiple trades at once 18:00 – Finding the right people for the right seats 21:00 – Mandie's role as owner and Ian's transition out of the field 24:00 – Building the leadership structure at Rao Services 27:00 – Visionary vs. Integrator: Knowing your role as an owner 30:30 – Marketing strategies behind a $20M home services business 33:30 – The power of cross-trade referrals 36:00 – What's actually difficult about growing a larger company 39:00 – Dealing with criticism and the pressure of success 42:00 – Preserving her father's legacy and the 2027 vision 45:00 – What's next for Rao Services? 47:30 – Planning for the next stage of growth 49:00 – Final thoughts with Mandie Hagan Thank you to our sponsors! Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Sales Ask: Ready to turn conversations into predictable revenue? Book a demo with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer: https://www.salesask.com/ Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com

1 hr 0 min

Guaranteed Tactics To Win in Sales & Marketing Today | Marcus Sheridan

What happens when a nearly bankrupt pool company decides to answer every question its customers are asking? For Marcus Sheridan, it changed everything. After nearly losing River Pools during the 2008 recession, Marcus transformed the business through radical transparency and became the bestselling author of They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers . In this episode of the To The Point Home Services VIP Room , Marcus breaks down what home service companies need to do to win in sales and marketing today, from being transparent about pricing and building trust to adapting to AI and changing customer behavior. He shares why pricing estimators can drive more leads, what makes AI recommend one contractor over another, why speed-to-lead matters, and how sales teams can build trust without relying on outdated or manipulative tactics. If you want to win more customers and stay ahead of where sales and marketing are heading, this episode is packed with tactics you can put to work right now. RESOURCES FROM MARCUS Want to add a pricing estimator to your website? Check out PriceGuide: https://priceguide.ai Want to see how AI views your business? Run your AI Trust Signals check: https://aitrustsignals.com Want to learn more from Marcus? Explore his books, including They Ask, You Answer and Endless Customers : https://marcussheridan.com/books Put the customer’s questions first. Learn more about Question First: https://questionfirst.com Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome Back to the VIP Room & Marcus Sheridan Introduction 03:30 - Marcus' Story: River Pools Nearly Goes Bankrupt 08:00 - How the 2008 Recession Changed Marcus' Approach to Marketing 12:00 - The Origin of They Ask, You Answer 15:00 - Why Businesses Need to Become Obsessed With Their Buyers 18:00 - Should Contractors Give Pricing Over the Phone? 22:00 - Why Customers Get Frustrated When Companies Hide Pricing 26:00 - How a Pricing Article Generated $35M+ in Sales 29:00 - Why Pricing Estimators Can Transform Lead Generation 32:00 - AI Is Changing Search Forever 35:00 - What Makes AI Recommend One Contractor Over Another? 38:00 - The 3 F's of Innovation: Fear, Faster & Friction 41:00 - The "Mother of All Review Pages" & AI Trust Signals 44:00 - Why Contractors Need Awards & Expert Author Pages 47:00 - Speed-to-Lead & the Future of AI Voice 50:00 - Showroom vs. In-Home Sales 52:00 - Why Homeowners Should Know Who Is Coming to Their Door 54:00 - Stop Selling With Manipulation: The Power of Discovery 56:00 - Why 80% of Sales Training Should Focus on the Opening 58:00 - Teaching Homeowners to "Call Your Baby Ugly" 59:00 - Marcus' Final Advice for Home Service Contractors Thank you to our sponsors! Avoca.ai: Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: 4% Rebate, Your First 12 Months - https://avoca.ai/r/tothepoint Yelp: https://business.yelp.com/homeservicevip Sales Ask: Ready to turn conversations into predictable revenue? Book a demo with SalesAsk and mention To The Point to access the exclusive listener offer: https://www.salesask.com/ Basic Capital: To The Point Podcast listeners get $0 employer fees for 12 months. Claim the offer and give your team a real path to retirement: https://basiccapital.com/tothepoint Send It! Email Marketing: https://www.withsendit.com/ Can’t Stop The Growth: https://cantstopthegrowth.com Contractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com