EP #74: Honest Work, Honest People: A Family's Journey in Heating and Cooling

What makes Gary Randolph with Falcon Heating and Cooling, Inc a good neighbor?  

Ever wonder what makes a family business endure for nearly three decades in an industry often associated with high costs and questionable sales tactics? The answer lies in values that transcend business transactions.

Sarah Miller and Gary Randolph share the remarkable journey of Falcon Heating and Cooling, founded on April Fool's Day 1996 when "everybody said we were fools to start a business in Falcon." Gary's 43-year industry experience began during his college years when he discovered his HVAC career was more rewarding than his studies. The business truly embodies "family-owned" – employing Gary's daughter Sarah, son, son-in-law, and wife.

They openly address industry misconceptions, acknowledging that air conditioning can seem overpriced, largely due to government efficiency mandates and refrigerant regulations. But they challenge the common practice of pushing new equipment sales when repairs might be more economical. "You should have that information to make that decision on your own," Gary explains. Similarly, they warn about suspiciously cheap maintenance offers that inevitably lead to unnecessary upselling.

The family's resilience shone during the 2009 economic crisis when they nearly closed. Gary worked days alone after employees departed, then taught college courses until 11 PM to keep the doors open. This crucible strengthened their business foundation and created lasting relationships with former students he still encounters today.

What makes Falcon Heating and Cooling special? "We're a family-owned group, we're a small company and we're honest," Gary states. "We're not the cheapest guy on the block, but we're always the best value." Their commitment to integrity recently earned them recognition as Nextdoor's #1 heating and air company for 2024.

Curious about working with a company that values relationships over transactions? Check out their services at falcon-heating.com or find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor.

To learn more about Falcon Heating and Cooling, Inc go to: 

https://www.falcon-heating.com/

Falcon Heating and Cooling, Inc

719-683-4567

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Tony Hills.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a greatheating and cooling company?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing our good neighbors
Sarah Miller and Gary Randolph,with Falcon Heating and Cooling
Folks, how's it going today?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
we're doing great today.
How are you, tony?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
awesome, awesome.
Hey, we're excited to learnabout your company, so tell us
about your business so ourbusiness?

Speaker 3 (00:35):
we're a full-service heating and air conditioning
company.
We've been in business since1996.
Everybody said we were fools tostart a business out in Falcon
area in 1996.
So we opened on April 1st.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Okay, how did you both get into this business?

Speaker 3 (00:56):
When I was going to college I was working full-time
days and going to schoolfull-time at night, and I
reached a point where I wasn'treally enjoying college and I
was making really good moneyworking in an air conditioning
company, and so it just kind ofmoved in that direction.

(01:17):
So I've been doing this 43years now.
We've been in business 28 yearsas Falcon Heating and Cooling,
and Sarah's my daughter, so shewas born into it.

Speaker 4 (01:32):
I grew up doing it.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
That's awesome.
What are some myths ormisconceptions in your industry?

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Excuse me, I don't know about myths or
misconceptions.
I think maybe a lot of peoplethink that particularly air
conditioning is reallyoverpriced, and I guess I would
have to agree to a certainextent that it is based on a lot
of regulations in our industrybetween efficiency standards
mandated by the government andchanging refrigerant

(02:12):
requirements.
It's made a lot of costincreases for us that we've had
to deal with over the years, butyou just you roll with it and
just know that it's there.
Maybe another myth is that alot of companies will come into
your home with the intention ofselling you new equipment, and

(02:35):
that's not necessarily the case.
Sometimes it's morecost-effective to repair what
you have rather than replace.
That's not always the case.
There are arguments to be madeboth ways, but you should have
that information, be able tomake that decision on your own.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Who are your target customers and how do you attract
them?

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Our target customers are homeowners, that they're
interested in maintaining theirhomes and taking care of their
equipment.
If you don't take care of yourfurnace and air conditioner,
it's not going to last as long.
So we encourage people to getregular annual visits from a

(03:17):
licensed heating and airconditioning contractor to check
the equipment, maintain it,make sure it's in proper working
order.
Now, that being said, there area lot of contractors out there
that will offer a real, realcheap special to come in and
maintain your equipment,maintain your equipment.

(03:38):
But since the actual cost ofcoming in to do that is about
two to three times what they'recharging, they've got to make
their money somewhere.
So you may be getting somethingyou don't necessarily need.
So it's important to watch outfor that.
But we encourage people thatare homeowners to maintain their
equipment and they're they'reinterested in a quality, honest

(03:58):
company.
That's the demographic we'relooking for.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Okay, outside of work , what do you do for fun?

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Oh, we love to have fun.
We uh, we're all a family ownedbusiness.
We all work together my son, mydaughter, my son-in-law, my
wife.
We all work in the business.
And when we're not at work, welike to go camping together.
We like to do barbecuestogether.
The boys are really good atsmoking meat, so we all eat way

(04:32):
too much, but totally worth it.
We also like to vacation.
We tend to vacation together.
We have a resort in Mexicowhere we bought a membership
years ago, so when we have tojust get away, we like to go
down there and just enjoy a weekin the warm sunshine.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Let's switch gears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge you overcame, how
it made you stronger and whatcomes to mind?

Speaker 3 (04:59):
Sure, business-wise, in 2009,.
The economy, as we all know,hit a pretty rough patch there
and business was not very goodand we were on the verge of
closing our doors.
We got to the point where itwas just me working closing our
doors.
We got to the point where itwas just me working.
All of our employees had goneoff looking for other things

(05:19):
where they could actually getpaid to work, since we didn't
have any work, and at that timeI started teaching at the
college level at night tosupplement what I was making to
keep the doors open.
It was a very difficult time forus, working full-time in the
daytime by myself and thenteaching until 11 o'clock every
night.
Very difficult time, but it'swhat it took to get us through

(05:43):
that rough patch.
As we got through that and cameout the other side, we were
there, we were prepped and, asthe economy started getting
better, we were ready to getback in and start to expand back
to where we had been.
So it was a very difficult time, but I learned a lot through it
, made a lot of good contacts.

(06:03):
I still see former students tothis day when I'm in supply
houses and they'll come up andvisit with me and tell me how
their lives are going, so itturned into a really rewarding
situation.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Okay, okay, sarah and Gary, please tell us one thing
they should remember aboutFalcon Heating and Cooling.

Speaker 3 (06:24):
Well, the thing to remember about us is we're a
family-owned group, we're asmall company and we're honest.
We don't lie or cheat or steal.
We don't tolerate that out ofanybody we work with.
We just want to be the bestproduct at the best price.
We're not the cheapest guy onthe block, but we're always the

(06:47):
best value and that's where wewant to be.

Speaker 4 (06:50):
We're your friendly neighborhood furnace guy.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Awesome.
How can our listeners learnmore about Falcon Heating and
Cooling?

Speaker 3 (06:59):
We have a great website at falcon-heatingcom and
you can go there and check intoeverything we've got.
We're also on, sarah, help meout here.
Facebook.

Speaker 4 (07:13):
Instagram and Nextdoor.
We actually were votedNextdoor's number one heating
and air company for 2024.
It was kind of an excitingthing for us.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Awesome.
Well, Sarah and Gary, I reallyappreciate you being on the show
.
We wish you and your businessmuch success moving forward.
Thank you very much.
It's a pleasure to be here.

Speaker 3 (07:34):
Well, Sarah and Gary, I really appreciate you being
on the show we wish you and yourbusiness much success moving
forward.
Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
It's a pleasure to be here.
Thank you for listening to theGood Neighbor Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go toGNPColoradoSpringscom.
That's GNPColoradoSpringscom.
Or call 719-679-4720.