Struggling to find skilled HVAC technicians or plumbers? Facing the home services labor shortage head-on? In this episode of the To The Point Home Services Podcast, Kevin Comerford (Founder of Service Champions) and Jonathan Bancroft (President of Morris-Jenkins) reveal how building internal training academies and technical trade universities helped them overcome the skilled labor gap, scale operations, and build a leadership pipeline within their companies.
🔧 Whether you’re in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or any home service business, this episode is a masterclass on workforce development and scaling through in-house training and manager development systems.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Why create a home services university?
00:02:28 – "Sweat in peacetime" mantra & its impact
00:04:34 – Building Champions University: Solving the HVAC tech shortage
00:06:14 – Training curriculum: What worked and what didn’t
00:07:29 – The real reason Morris-Jenkins started their university
00:10:04 – Turning plumbers and HVAC techs into managers
00:12:15 – Solving organizational conflict with real training
00:14:52 – Jiffy Lube vs Bob's Auto Shop: The scalable model
00:18:32 – How to start small with leadership development
00:21:15 – Overcoming the "ceiling of complexity"
00:24:23 – Monthly bonus structures that drive growth
00:26:22 – KPIs, team incentives & positive reinforcement
00:27:18 – Are your leaders reward-driven or responsibility-driven?
00:28:09 – Weekly accountability meetings: Structure & success
00:30:09 – Why your business might lack urgency and accountability
00:31:21 – Real-world financial meeting frameworks for trades
00:35:11 – Grants for company training programs (and the red tape)
00:37:01 – Final thoughts on scaling home services companies
📚 Resources Mentioned:
First, Break All the Rules – Marcus Buckingham -
https://shorturl.at/YgSql
When Goliaths Clash – Howard M. Guttman -
https://shorturl.at/tvyGm
Bringing Out the Best in People – Aubrey C. Daniels - https://shorturl.at/XwcpB
The Motive & Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni - https://shorturl.at/kIx6z
💬 Got questions or building your own HVAC or plumbing training academy?
Drop a comment below. 👇 We’d love to hear about your journey and answer your questions.
⭐️ Thank you to our Sponsors!
Rilla: https://www.rilla.com/tothepoint
Chiirp: https://chiirp.com/
🔔 If you found value in this episode, make sure to:
✅ Like this video
✅ Subscribe for more leadership and business growth insights
✅ Share with fellow HVAC, plumbing, or home service pros
✅ Hit the bell for notifications on future episodes
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.