In this powerhouse episode, Leland Smith, founder of Service Champions, and Aaron Gaynor, host and industry leader, sit down for an eye-opening discussion on how to thrive in the trades—even in the face of rising tariffs, economic shifts, and operational challenges.
Leland dives deep into the art of pricing, how his team stayed ahead of the curve during economic shifts, and why club memberships have been a cornerstone of Service Champions' success. From lessons learned during COVID to building a pipeline of talent through internal training schools, this conversation is packed with insights for anyone serious about growing a home services business.
💡 Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or just getting started, you’ll walk away with real strategies you can apply to boost profitability, improve retention, and future-proof your business.
📌 Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
00:01:06 – Leland’s industry reputation & numbers mindset
00:01:37 – Tariffs & pricing strategy: navigating constant change
00:02:52 – Marking up pricing while keeping margins
00:05:00 – Lessons from COVID: don’t delay price increases
00:06:12 – Communicating increases: “Everyone just got a raise”
00:06:56 – The club membership model: structure, renewals & success rates
00:09:22 – Value-driven service: why tune-ups matter more than big-ticket jobs
00:10:50 – M&A insights: what to look for in a company (hint: it’s memberships)
00:14:22 – Building great tradespeople & Service Champions’ core philosophy
00:16:05 – Timeless business lessons from Jim Abrams
00:18:38 – Weekly field meetings to track memberships & instill culture
00:19:11 – Internal training programs & creating your own pipeline
00:24:01 – Million-dollar technician success story
00:25:17 – Balancing pricing with operational efficiency
00:27:53 – Operational audits: don’t hide inefficiencies behind pricing
🔗 Related Resources & Mentions
Service Champions: https://www.servicechampions.com
Airtime 500 (now part of Success Group)
🛠️ Subscribe for More Real Talk on Growing a Trades Business
👉 Like what you heard? Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.
💬 Drop a comment below: What's your biggest takeaway from this episode?
📢 Share this with a business partner or team member who needs to hear it.
🎧 Listen to the full podcast on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music
#HomeServices #HVAC #ServiceChampions #TradesBusiness #PricingStrategy #Memberships #Entrepreneurship #ToThePointPodcast #AaronGaynor #LelandSmith #Leadership #Tariffs #BusinessGrowth
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’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!
Stuff You Should Know
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.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com