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Most companies don’t have a service problem… they have a perception problem. In this episode, Chris Lee sits down with Dan Antonelli, founder of KickCharge, to break down what actually makes a brand unforgettable—and why most home service companies get it wrong from day one. From naming your business to designing your trucks, website, and overall customer experience… every piece of your brand is either building trust or costing you opportunities. Dan shares what he’s learned from building over 3,000 brands, including: The #1 mistake owners make when naming their companyWhy “looking average” is silently killing your growthHow branding lowers your cost to acquire customersThe real reason customers are willing to pay a premiumWhy weak brands rely on Google… and strong brands don’tHow branding impacts recruiting, close rates, and even your exit valuationIf you want your company to stand out, charge more, and become the obvious choice in your market… this conversation will change how you think about branding. Connect with Dan Antonelli:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.antonelliBranded Not Blanded: https://www.kickcharge.com/tips-tools/our-books-on-branding/Website: https://www.kickcharge.com/

Most home service companies post finished work and five star reviews, then wonder why nobody cares or calls. In this episode, Jade Sprake breaks down how she generated over 10 million views by making content that feels human, story driven, and actually social, even without a camera crew. You’ll learn what to film day to day, how to make homeowners feel connected to you, and why a personal brand can win jobs even when you’re not the cheapest.CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

Most techs fail because they lead with a price tag, but Zack Reynolds just proved that slowing down is the fastest way to hit $4.1 million in a single year. We’re diving deep into the exact "front door" psychology he uses to dismantle a homeowner’s guard and turn simple maintenance calls into massive, high-margin victories. If you want to stop being a "parts changer" and start building real authority in the field, this is the masterclass you’ve been waiting for.CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

In this episode, Chris Lee sits down with David Royce — founder and former chairman of Aptive — to break down how a $500M+ pest control business was built (and scaled) through door-to-door, culture, and a recruiting system that translates to any home service company.If you’re in HVAC, plumbing, roofing, solar, or electrical, this isn’t a “pest control story” — it’s a blueprint for raising your growth ceiling by building a team that can win year-round (including shoulder season).You’ll hear why door-to-door puts you back in control when demand drops, how to make the shift from technician to manager to true scaler, and how the best companies turn “secret sauce” into systems, training, and repeatable process. David also breaks down what he means by “obsession,” why it shows up in every high performer, and how Aptive created real buy-in with a 25% employee equity pool that produced life-changing payouts for key people.If you want to stop relying on luck, seasonality, and “hoping the phone rings,” this conversation will change how you think about growth.Connect with David Royce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425/CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbSPONSORSPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

You’ve got an add-on service sitting right under your customers’ feet — and it can save lives and add serious profit to your business.In this episode, Chris Lee sits down with Jeff LeBlanc to break down the “invisible” threat most homeowners don’t even know they’re living with: radon gas. Jeff explains what radon is, why you can’t see/smell/taste it, and why it’s tied to a shocking percentage of lung cancer. Then they shift into the contractor opportunity: how testing works, why it’s such an easy loss-leader, what mitigation actually involves, and why this can be a high-ticket, high-margin service that most home service companies still aren’t offering.They also talk through real-world install time, basic certification requirements, how to sell this through education (not fear), and why this vertical is wide open for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general contractors who already have a customer database and membership plans.Connect with Jeff: [email protected] WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/...FACEBOOK:   / chrisleeqb  TIKTOK:   / chrisleeqb  Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

OIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP:   / 1bmudi9htk  In 2025, two forces are colliding fast: AI and blue-collar trades.In this episode, Chris Lee sits down with the team from Callsource to unpack what’s actually happening when home service companies replace CSRs with AI voice/text bots — and why it can quietly destroy trust, create missed revenue, and damage your brand even when the phones are ringing.They break down real call data (including thousands of inbound calls handled by AI), the hidden “zero outcome” problem, incorrect dispositions inside the CRM, and why most owners don’t realize the damage until conversion drops and the backlog tightens. Then they get practical: what a hybrid AI + human model looks like, how to build a manual process first (even if it starts in a spreadsheet), and how fast follow-up and human empathy can recover deals your competitors would’ve taken.If you run a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or other home service business and you’re considering AI for inbound calls, this is the episode you need before you flip that switch.CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/...FACEBOOK:   / chrisleeqb  TIKTOK:   / uc6m5_nuhcx-jdtyb4ge8giq   Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP:https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bmudi9HTK/Most business owners think charging less makes them more competitive. In reality, it’s the fastest way to stay stuck, burn out, or shut down. In this episode, Chris Lee teaches you why “affordable” pricing quietly destroys teams, margins, and long-term stability — and how one early pricing mistake led to a $2.2M bankruptcy.Pricing isn’t just a number. It’s a signal to your market, your team, and your future. If you’ve ever wondered why your business feels harder than it should, this conversation will permanently change how you think about price, profit, and positioning.CHRIS SOCIALSCONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqb

Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bmudi9HTK/Can’t clearly communicate the pain you solve, who you solve it for, and why you’re the best option, you don’t have an offer… you just have a service.In this video, Chris Lee teaches you the simple structure that turns a basic service into a powerful offer customers actually buy. When you frame your message around pain, proof, and promise, your close rate goes up, your marketing hits harder, and you stop competing on price.If you want a business that grows because of your offer — not in spite of it — start here.CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbSPONSORSPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

Join our Facebook Group:   / 1bmudi9htk   Most business owners hire because they’re exhausted. The ones who scale hire because the math says it’s time. In this video, you’ll learn the five critical hires every growing business needs — and the exact order to make them so you can scale without blowing your budget.Chris Lee breaks down the same hiring sequence he uses with hundreds of home-service and trades owners to help them buy back their time, build real teams, and remove themselves from day-to-day chaos. These five seats exist in every company from $0 to $100M, and once you understand them, you’ll know exactly where to start — and what’s been holding you back. You’ll also learn the math behind smart hiring: how to calculate your fixed costs, your gross margin per job, your true break-even point, and how to know with certainty whether you can afford a new hire. No emotion. No guessing. Just clarity. If you’ve completed the Impact Audit or watched our Impact Quadrant breakdown, this video is the natural next step. By the end, you’ll know how to move from “I need help” to building a team that runs the business with you — not because of you. CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/... FACEBOOK:   / chrisleeqb   TIKTOK:   / chrisleeqb   SPONSORSPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bmudi9HTK/Most business owners think they’re burned out because they’re doing too much. The truth is you’re burned out because you don’t actually know where your time is going — and that’s the reason your business isn’t scaling.In this video, Chris walks you through the Impact Time Audit: the one-week process we use with trades and home-service owners to reveal exactly where their hours are disappearing. Once you see the truth on paper, everything changes. You’ll know what tasks drain your energy, which ones are below your pay grade, and what your next hire should actually be doing.You’ll also learn how to track every 30 minutes for seven days, assign Energy and Value levels, place each task into the four Quadrants, and diagnose where your time leaks are. Most owners discover 20+ hours a week trapped in low-value, low-energy work — the busywork that keeps you stuck.This audit gives you clarity. It shows you the exact tasks your next hire should take off your plate and gives you the path to scale without adding chaos.Start your Impact Audit today, and next week Chris will walk you through the five hires every real business needs — and how to know exactly when you can afford them.CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!TEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbSPONSORSPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

If you feel burned out in your business, it’s probably not because you’re doing too much — it’s because you’re doing the wrong work. In this video, Chris Lee breaks down The Impact Quadrant, the simple framework that shows every home-service and trades business owner exactly where their time is going… and why most of it is keeping them stuck.You’ll learn:- Why burnout has nothing to do with hours worked- How to calculate the real value of your time- The 4 quadrants every task falls into (and the one most owners get trapped in)- How to shift out of low-value work and into the high-value, high-energy work that actually scales your businessIf you want to buy back your time, get out of the day-to-day chaos, and finally step into the role of owner instead of operator — this is where it starts. COMING UP: HOW TO TRACK YOUR TIMECONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIATEXT ME: 509-905-4109INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/chrisleeqb/?hl=enFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/chrisleeqb/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisleeqbPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: Join Our Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bmudi9HTK/ At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

From living under a bridge to running a $3M plumbing company — this is how Cale Forester rebuilt his life and business from the ground up. We dive into how Cale’s veteran-owned plumbing shop has doubled revenue year after year without outside investment, fancy tech, or massive crews. Cale and fellow trades leader Dylan Moya sit down with Chris Lee to reveal the simple systems, rebrand strategy, and sales process that turned a “chuck-in-a-truck” startup into a multi-million-dollar operation. If you own a plumbing, HVAC, or home-service business and want predictable growth built on process—not luck—watch until the end for their exact playbook. Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

Everyone says, “No one wants to work anymore.”But while most business owners were complaining, two teenagers built JunkTeens — and turned the labor shortage into their advantage.In this episode, we break down how they built a culture where young people show up, work hard, and stay — and how you can do the same inside your company.Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/

In this episode of Next Level Pros, hosts dive into an eye-opening conversation with Elaine and Todd, co-founders of Mainstream Electric, Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. After spending over 15 years stuck at $3 million in annual revenue, they made a powerful decision—to get out of their own way. By confronting ego, redefining success, and seeking mentorship through Nexstar Network, Elaine and Todd transformed both their mindset and their company. The result? A thriving $20 million business that attracted private equity buyers—and a journey that redefined what “winning” truly means. This is a story of humility, discipline, and the courage to evolve. 🔑 Key Takeaways The Ceiling Is Internal: Why your business only grows as much as your mindset allows. Revenue Feeds Ego—Profit Builds Freedom: How they shifted from chasing sales to building wealth. The Power of Mentorship: How Nexstar Network and a trusted community sparked real growth. Scaling Through Humility: Why letting go of control was the best business decision they ever made. The Private Equity Exit: What it really takes to prepare, sell, and stay true to your values. 💡 Episode Highlights [00:00] – Hitting the wall: $3M for 15 years and the realization that something had to change. [04:00] – Killing the ego: redefining leadership and embracing coaching. [08:00] – Lessons from failure: expanding too fast and learning to stay focused. [12:00] – Building systems that serve both people and profit. [18:00] – Joining Nexstar Network and discovering the power of shared experience. [22:00] – Preparing for the private equity sale and what the process really looks like. [28:00] – Life after the exit: freedom, impact, and Elaine’s next chapter. 💬 Memorable Quotes “The business only grows as fast as the owner does.” “Revenue is for ego. Profit is for sanity.” “Ego is the silent killer of growth.” “We stopped chasing more trucks and started building a better company.” 📘 Mentioned in This Episode Nexstar Network – Contractor success and leadership community Elaine’s Book: Made in Vietnam – A powerful memoir on identity, forgiveness, and resilience Lessons in leadership, mindset, and sustainable growth for service-based companies 🎧 Listen If You’re A business owner stuck at a plateau and ready for a breakthrough. A contractor or service professional looking to scale profitably, not painfully. A leader who wants to trade ego for excellence and growth for freedom. Partner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital Agency: At Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/ 📍Connect Want to be a guest on our show? Apply here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkVBSluEKMTg4gehyUOHYvBratcxHV5rt3kiWTXNC4/viewform?edit_requested=true Watch my latest Podcast Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-level-pros/id1687030281  Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2?si=95980cd4e55a437a  YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@NextLevelPros

In this episode of the Next Level Pros Podcast, Daryl sits down with his wife Joanna to share the real side of building a marriage and raising a family while growing businesses. Together they open up about the highs and lows of nearly 20 years of marriage, raising four daughters, and navigating seasons where entrepreneurship pulled them in opposite directions. You’ll hear how they built trust, created family culture, and learned to renegotiate their relationship through different phases of life. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your spouse connected and your kids grounded while you scale a business, this conversation will give you practical tools and honest insight from both sides of the journey.🔥 Highlights:✅ The hidden struggles of being married to an entrepreneur✅ How to stay connected as a couple when life gets busy✅ Building family culture with mission, values, and vision✅ Why opposites in marriage can actually be a strength✅ Simple practices to protect your relationship while scaling a businessPartner Spotlight: 1SEO Digital AgencyAt Next Level Pros, we teach you the best ways HOW to market your business. If you want additional hands-on help executing, we trust 1SEO, our marketing partner. They implement SEO, PPC, Google Local Services Ads, and high-performance websites that turn stronger operations into booked jobs. Learn more or book a consult: https://1seo.com/next-level-pros/🎧 Listen on:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2v...▶️ YouTube:    / @nextlevelpros  Want more tools and strategies? Join the community:📲 https://linktr.ee/nextlevelprosWant to be a guest? Apply here:📩 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YlkV...#nextlevelpros #hvacbusiness #tradesbusiness #businessgrowth #salestraining #nlp #leadership