In Home Services … You Must-

team training

KickStart: “Seek first to understand.” Stephen R. Covey

team trainingMany, many, many🙄 years ago I finally learned that all successful Residential Services companies are “Emotionally Based”.

I know, you’re shaking your head here while muttering, “No, Steve you don’t get it. I own a plumbing/ carpet cleaning/ lawn care, and/or HVAC company”. My reply? “No, these things are the physical service(s) you deliver. BUT…

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Don’t Hate on “Home Service Price Shoppers”!

calculate the value of a price caller

KickStart: Recognize the long term consequences of not focusing on every service caller!

disgusted with service price callers

“Aargh, another ‘how much do you charge’ caller!” (Screamed as I slammed down the phone!) “I hate price shoppers!” 😡

Steve’s True Confessions Time: This “I hate price shoppers!” outburst was an ongoing complaint from my office staff for many years.

However, I finally realized my company needed to…

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The Insidious Danger of “Displacement Activities”

small business owner considering future plans

KickStart: Don’t waste precious business time on non-important busy work.

Maybe Fyodor Dostoevsky said it best 143 years ago, “Above all, don’t lie to yourself.” And yes, our Home Services industry is full of hard-working entrepreneurs who are lying to themselves.😥

“Say what, Steve?” Here’s the deal. Everyone “fritters away” time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing- we all need down time to relax and recharge.😎 But when we fool (lie to) ourselves we may fall into what I call…

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Why (and How to) Focus On 3 Essential Business Areas

small business owner focuses on priorities

KickStart: man·​age ˈma-nij To direct with a degree of skill. 

small business owner focuses on priorities

Finding a balance in business (and life) is an ongoing, moving target for most of us. Our shared Home Service Pro entrepreneurial challenge? Managing our OCD tendencies to not get distracted off into Displacement Activities!🙄 Instead, you must focus ONLY on the high-profit, “important stuff”.

True Confession Time: I still find myself going down obsessive rat holes while wasting enormous time on pursuits that add nothing to my happiness, relationships or even my financial net worth!🤔 (You’d think I would have learned by now!)😲

Remember, your residential services company is an incredibly fragile creature. This means as a service business owner or manager you must…

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