Service Business owners are some of the busiest out there, wearing so many hats, putting out fires, trying to stand out and compete, grow the business and boost profits. Profit Coach Diane Gardner is on a mission to help owners grow faster with less stress so they can create more freedom and spend more time with family. Joined by top experts in the service business industry, they’ll share key strategies in areas of finance, hiring, marketing, sales, management, operations and mindset. Plus hear from service professionals just like you share their success stories - all with the goal of helping you profit.
Stress and cash flow headaches don’t have to be part of running your business. In this episode, I’m joined by Brad Herda from Vision Forward Business Solutions to talk about real-world profit strategies that keep money in your pocket and build a sustainable business. Brad and I swapped stories about growing up stretching every nickel and how those same principles apply when you’re running a company today.
Running a business shouldn’t feel like running a marathon on a hamster wheel. When you’re overworked, it’s easy to slip into reaction mode—constantly chasing calls, juggling payroll, and missing family moments. I’ve seen owners like Jake, an HVAC pro, who looked successful from the outside but was secretly drowning inside his business. In this episode, I’ll share simple but powerful steps that help you move from being ...
Growth without profit is like running on a treadmill—you’re moving fast but getting nowhere. Jake, an HVAC owner, learned this the hard way when his $5 million sales milestone left him exhausted and almost broke. The truth is, more jobs often multiply your profit leaks instead of fixing them. That’s where Sneaky Leaky (our new mascot who points out profit leaks) slips in—through wasted time, underpricing, and overhead ...
Networking doesn’t have to feel like a root canal. For introverts especially, the thought of walking into a crowded room can be downright paralyzing. I know, because I’ve been that wallflower. The truth is, networking is often where doors open—new referrals, stronger partnerships, and even lifelong friendships are made. I’v... Mark as Played August 25, 2025 • 46 mins Your best employee just gave their two weeks notice. It’s like a sucker punch to the gut, and your bank account. Losing employees is expensive. I learned this the hard way when I lost a key employee and watched the ripple effect across my business. Higher-paid team members were pulled into the wrong work, productivity slowed, and customer service took a hit. This episode dives into the hidden costs involv... Mark as Played August 18, 2025 • 47 mins What was the name of that waitress that did such a great job the last time you went out to eat? Oh wait…. You don’t remember? It’s the same with your customers. In the home service world, good work gets you in the door—but staying in touch is what keeps you there. That’s where a company newsletter comes in and Cathy Minz joins me to share her expertise. A newsletter is not about flooding inboxes with offers—it’s about ... Mark as Played August 11, 2025 • 40 mins Reports. Spreadsheets. Statements. Intimidating right? Your business numbers don’t have to feel like a foreign language. They should be accessible and valuable pieces of information. When you are making data-driven decisions you’re building a business that works smarter, not harder. I remember one client who had the Customer Relation Management (CRM) system ServiceTitan but barely touched the reports because it felt ov... Mark as Played August 4, 2025 • 36 mins An earthquake had just ripped through my town in California. I watched everything fall apart. My business, my finances, and the deal I thought was going to launch me to the next level. I sold my practice in desperation and ended up getting completely taken advantage of. That moment taught me more lessons in business than any textbook ever could. Over the next 30 years, I collected dozens more of these rea... Mark as Played July 28, 2025 • 48 mins Construction business accounting isn't just about spreadsheets—it's about survival. In this episode, Wade Carpenter joins me to break down real-world ways contractors can take control of their cash flow and stop bleeding money on every job, especially from things like “zombie rentals”. Wade shares stories from the field, including a contractor who discovered his paycheck was getting eaten alive by bad math and worse sy... Mark as Played July 21, 2025 • 28 mins When you're trying to lead a profitable team, clarity and focus are vital. Without clear company mission statements, your business ends up spinning its wheels—especially when you’re not in the room. I remember sitting in my own office, frustrated that things were slipping through the cracks until I realized we were out of alignment with one of our core values. That one shift—getting our mission, vision, and values on p... Mark as Played July 14, 2025 • 45 mins Not every business success story starts with throwing fish, but this one sure does. In this episode, we dive into how the legendary FISH! philosophy transformed not just a seafood stand, but an entire construction company’s work culture. Peter Lisoskie shares how he built a 77-person team in just a few years by focusing on attitude, presence, and fun—and how that approach boosted profits and loyalty acros... Mark as Played July 7, 2025 • 43 mins Financing isn’t just for banks and big-box stores anymore. These days, offering financing for customers could be the difference between closing a sale or watching it walk away. In this episode, Chris Scoville joins me to talk about how payment options directly impact your bottom line and your customers’ buying power. We’re diving into practical strategies that help your business stay profitable, competitive, and sustai... Mark as Played June 30, 2025 • 36 mins Money mindset isn’t just a buzzword—it’s your quiet undercurrent that drives how you price, spend, and save. And for home service business owners, anxiety over money can sneak into decision-making without you even noticing. It shows up in delayed price increases, guilt over turning a profit, or telling yourself you’re not “good with numbers.” In this episode, we’ll call out the common beliefs holding your business back... Mark as Played June 23, 2025 • 51 mins Real profits come from value-driven service, not slashing prices or running yourself ragged. So many service businesses before you have faced the dilemma, and now it’s your chance to learn from their experience. I got to sit down with Joe Crisara of Service MVP, and between the both of us, we’ve seen it all! If your business feels like it’s stuck in survival mode, we’ll show you how better communication, stronger syste... Mark as Played June 16, 2025 • 24 mins Your “profitable business” dream… you know, the reason you started your business… is it your reality yet? I know you’re busy running jobs, managing crews, juggling estimates and invoices, etc. But when you look at your numbers, are the profits adding up for you? If you’re working this hard and still not seeing the financial results you should, chances are your business is leaking profits in places you have... Mark as Played June 2, 2025 • 49 mins Letting go of some employees is a part of business; after all, you want A Players on your team that help you grow your home service business. But the paperwork - ick - not fun, but skipping it can create a stack of new problems. In this episode, we’re digging into the real-life steps you need to take when it comes to terminating an employee—especially if you want to avoid costly legal mistakes. From docum... Mark as Played Fancy statistics from your marketing people don’t cut it when your techs are sitting at home and your phone’s not ringing with customers. As we move into uncharted territory with tariffs rising I wanted to revisit a key component of business - how to hold your marketing agency accountable. Stephen Christopher from Wit Digital originally joined me to go over real metrics for marketing that actually tie back to your call... Mark as Played Busy doesn’t always mean profitable—and for too many home service business owners, that truth hits hard. You’re putting in the hours, keeping customers happy, and still wondering why your bank account doesn’t reflect all that effort. In today’s episode, I’m revisiting a conversation with Jeremy Lowe to talk shop about how to shift your service department from barely breaking even to actually pulling its w... Mark as Played May 12, 2025 • 45 mins Don’t let your dreams of a profitable business leak away. You work hard, put in long hours, and yet the money never seems to match the effort. That’s not just exhausting—it’s unsustainable. A truly profitable business doesn’t come from hustle alone; it comes from a plan that puts your profit first. I wanted to revisit a conversation with Ron Saharyan where we unpacked simple, no-shame strategies that help... Mark as Played May 5, 2025 • 49 mins Your business is growing and you need to hire more people! That’s great! But before you rush off and start doing interviews, you need to make sure you understand the legal requirements for having employees and independent contractors working for you. Did you know that a single mistake with employee classification or payroll practices could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in back wages, penalties, an... Mark as Played Popular PodcastsI’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode! If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered. The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan. If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. 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