The TradeMarke
Step into ’The TradeMarke,’ your go-to podcast for everything marketing in the trades. Hosted by Award Winning Industry Marketing Experts, Sarah Ghirardo from ReMarketable and Eric Thomas from Rival Digital. Together, we’re here to unite the worlds of trades and marketing, bringing you insights, stories, and strategies from the heart of the home service industry. Whether you’re a trade professional, a marketing expert, or somewhere in between, this is the place for you. Listen in as we’re here for the BIG ideas, the game-changers, and the everyday successes. Because at ’The TradeMarke,’ we’re with the trades and for the trades.
Episodes
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Chelsea Fusselbaugh, Co-Founder of TradeEngage, to explore how referral marketing is transforming the home services industry.
Chelsea shares how TradeEngage helps contractors turn word-of-mouth referrals into a scalable growth engine by connecting businesses, customers, and communities through a modern referral platform. The conversation d...
Houston, TX is the number one air conditioning city in the entire world. That means it's also one of the most cutthroat HVAC markets on the planet, dominated by private equity rollups, aggressive pricing games, and technicians who are taught to sell first and serve second.
Max Benbrook, founder of Winsupply in Austin, Texas, joins Sarah and Eric to break down what five years of supply chain disruption has really taught the HVAC industry. From the just-in-time collapse during COVID to the slow death of OEM brand loyalty, Max pulls no punches on where contractors are leaving money on the table and what it takes to actually...
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirado sits down with Gabe Bustos to talk about what’s really working in home service marketing heading into 2026.
From the realities of SEO and AI-generated content to building trust, earning reviews, and creating authentic customer experiences, Gabe shares a grounded perspective on how small and family-owned trade businesses can still compete and grow in an increa...
Hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas chat with technologist and book author Chris Carter about using AI and automation in trade businesses, practical tools that save time, and how to adopt technology without getting overwhelmed. They cover real-world examples, common operational gaps, and why trades need to start experimenting with AI to stay competitive.
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Tara Landes of Bellrock to break down what it really takes to scale a business beyond the plateau.
From defining a true BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to building systems that don’t break as you grow, Tara shares practical insights from years of hands-on implementation with service-based businesses. This isn’t theory. It&rsquo...
Laura Kelly, CPO of Clover Growth Partners, joins Sarah to break down the mindset shifts that separate high-achieving business owners from burned-out ones. From her RPM planning system to the concept of "who, not how," Laura shares the frameworks she uses to run six home service companies, raise two kids, and still show up as her best self — without sacrificing the life she's building along the way.
What does it look like to lead 15 home services franchise brands — and still be excited about every single one of them? In this episode, Sarah and Eric sit down with Beth Toenies, COO of 1-800-BOARD-UP and VP of Franchise Development for BELFOR Franchise Group, to talk all things franchising, growth, and the future of the trades.
What does it take to generate $18.5 million in residential sales in a single season? According to Dan Walrack, the founder of Go Beyond the Hustle, it isn’t about fancy tech or aggressive closing tactics—it’s about being a good human.
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Dan live at the Build It to Sell It conference. With 27 years of experience in the roofi...
Live from Build It to Sell It in Marco Island (formerly the Roofing Process Conference), Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas unpack what it really takes to scale a home service business you can eventually exit. They dig into the true bottleneck to growth (spoiler: the owner), why buying more software rarely fixes anything, and how agencies and marketers are reacting to the “shift” happening in search as AI changes how custom...
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, we are joined by Aaron Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Sameday AI, for a deep dive into how AI is transforming call handling, booking rates, and revenue growth in the home services industry.
Aaron shares the real story behind building Sameday after discovering his own company was missing 15–20% of inbound leads—and how that realization led to an AI sales agent that now answers mi...
The TradeMarke Podcast bridges the gap between the skilled trades and modern marketing. Hosted by Eric Thomas of Rival Digital and Sarah Ghirardo of Remarketable, this podcast is built for contractors, trade business owners, and marketing leaders who want to grow smarter, scale faster, and build lasting value.
Each episode delivers real conversations with industry leaders across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and home service...
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Ismail Shahid, a 30-year plumbing veteran who has worked everywhere from historic New York brownstones to the mountains of Colorado and the neighborhoods of South Carolina.
Ismail shares how he went from organizing parts in a shop to becoming a seasoned service plumber, why starting in the stockroom gave him a competitive edge, and a few u...
The Trademarke Podcast welcomes Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads for a masterclass in trades marketing—from HVAC to plumbing and electrical. Hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas dig into why most contractors get stuck choosing between branding and lead gen, and how a three-part marketing mix (brand messaging, calls-to-action, and points of entry) outperforms click-chasing campaigns.
Ryan explains the “paint the door orange&r...
Step into The Trademarke Podcast with hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas as they interview Ryan Kiscaden about his self-published children’s books — The Water Came to a Stop and The Air Came to a Stop — and his mission to introduce plumbing and HVACR to young readers.
They discuss the inspiration behind the books, surprising reactions from kids and parents, partnerships like ACCA, and how storytelling can change...
On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with franchise matchmaker Adam Goldman to demystify modern franchising, especially in the home services world. Adam has spent 15+ years in the space, from owning an office-cleaning master franchise to placing candidates across 75 industries, with 60 to 70 percent in home services.
You’ll learn what makes a strong franchise candidate, why ...
On this episode of The Trademarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Ryan Redding for a candid, practical playbook on scaling a home service company the right way. Fresh off a year that included his team joining forces with KickCharge Creative, Ryan shares what he is doing now, why frameworks like EOS help owners win back their time, and how to spot the three problems that stall growth: time traps...
Step into The TradeMarke with Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas as they sit down with Brigham Dickinson of Power Selling Pros to explore the evolution of CSRs, technician training, and the impact of AI on trades marketing. Brigham shares real-world stories on improving call conversion, reducing callbacks, and turning CSRs into inside sales experts while emphasizing empathy, technical knowledge, and accountability.
Learn why blending s...
On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with James Hatfield, Chief Revenue Officer at LiveSwitch, to explore how live video technology is reshaping the trades.
James shares his journey from climbing ladders in the painting and power washing world to leading a global tech company powering live video for the NFL, the Super Bowl, and now thousands of home service businesses. He explains...
On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Kevin Thornton, VP & GM of Dealer Business Services at JB Warranties, to uncover how warranties are transforming the trades.
Kevin shares how JB Warranties helps contractors increase revenue, build stronger customer relationships, and provide homeowners with true peace of mind. From HVAC and plumbing systems to electrical and water fil...
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