#174: Ex-Microsoft Head of Product: Anand Subbaraj on Building AI for the Trades

Paul Reed from Northwest Roofing shares his journey from chasing business opportunities to running a multi-state roofing business including the route to building permanent locations and what it really takes to scale a roofing company.Whether you're a roofing pro or just looking to grow your home service business, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Special Thanks to Service ScalersWe’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel. Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you? Check out Service Scalers here: https://www.servicescalers.com/?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ownedoperatedShoutout to AvocaLooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. Use our link to schedule a demo: https://calendly.com/d/cp54-9jr-nht/avoca-ai-demo?month=2025-01Episode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Paul Reed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-reed-19682228/Contact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

Jamie Smith, VP of Marketing at Modernize, joins us to break down the secret to finding the best leads for your home service business.We tackle the big question: Are lead aggregators worth it? Jamie explains why Modernize isn’t just another lead aggregator but a smarter way to generate high-quality leads using data-driven strategies.If you want to stop wasting money on bad leads and start closing more jobs, this episode is for you.Special Thanks to ModernizeWe’ve been using Modernize them for our water quality leads, and it’s been smooth sailing from day one.  If you’re serious about boosting your leads, definitely check them out: https://modernize.com/pros/leads?utm_campaign=owned-podcastShoutout to Quick Staffers LLCQuick Staffers are the staffing agency bringing global talent to the HVAC and plumbing industries. They specialize in placing trained overseas CSRs, fully equipped with the best SOPs and scripts at a fraction of the cost.Don't miss out. Get $1000 off your first placement here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc16JbSEqySXdOFuFm8JIzPIEgE7AOvBp9NxlLi4ypeGpZ8gQ/viewformEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Jamie Smith on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiesmithaustin/Contact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

Anand Subbaraj, former Head of Product at Microsoft, joins us to share his journey from big tech to building Zuper, a game-changing field service management platform.We dig into why he left Microsoft to tackle a massive industry problem, the challenges of launching a tech startup and how Zuper is reshaping field service management with flexibility, automation, and a seamless customer experience.Special Thanks to AvocaLooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. Use our link to schedule a demo: https://calendly.com/d/cp54-9jr-nht/avoca-ai-demo?month=2025-01Shout Out to Supply HouseBig shoutout to Supply Housefor helping us meet our fast turnaround times. With 250,000+ SKUs across plumbing, HVAC, and electrical, they get us what we need—fast. Their Trademaster program offers free shipping, returns, and discounts, all with no membership fee. Check them out at www.supplyhouse.com!Episode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Anand Subbaraj on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anandsubbarajContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

Tyson Chen from Avoca is back to break down how AI is changing the game for home service call centers.We dive into Avoca’s AI tools—like Coach for CSR training and Responder for automated call handling—that have helped us book more jobs while cutting costs. We also get into the real challenges of bringing AI into traditional call centers and what’s coming next in the AI space. If you want to know how AI can boost efficiency and improve customer service, this episode is packed with insights.Special Thanks to AvocaLooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. Click here to schedule a demo: https://calendly.com/d/cp54-9jr-nht/avoca-ai-demo?month=2025-01Special Thanks to ModernizeWe’ve been using Modernize them for our water quality leads, and it’s been smooth sailing from day one.  If you’re serious about boosting your leads, definitely check them out: https://modernize.com/pros/leads?utm_campaign=owned-podcastEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Tyson Chen on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonchen17/Contact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

In this episode CEO of Moss Heating and Cooling Kelly Roberts, shares her journey from college dropout to C-Suite member in a fast-growing HVAC company.Kelly talks about the challenges of shifting to high-end residential new construction, navigating financial setbacks, and scaling from $7 million to $15 million in just one year. This episode is packed with real-world insights on leadership and growth you won’t want to miss.Special Thanks to ModernizeWe’ve been using Modernize them for our water quality leads, and it’s been smooth sailing from day one.  If you’re serious about boosting your leads, definitely check them out: https://modernize.com/pros/leads?utm_campaign=owned-podcastShoutout to Quick Staffers LLCQuick Staffers are the staffing agency bringing global talent to the HVAC and plumbing industries. They specialize in placing trained overseas CSRs, fully equipped with the best SOPs and scripts at a fraction of the cost.Don't miss out. Get $1000 off your first placement here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc16JbSEqySXdOFuFm8JIzPIEgE7AOvBp9NxlLi4ypeGpZ8gQ/viewformEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Kelly Roberts on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-roberts-911a19b0/Contact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

In this episode, John sits down with Tim Geisenheimer from Hatch to break down what it takes to build a winning sales process.With his background in leading software sales teams, Tim shares how to create successful B2B sales functions and draws on the power of data for targeting the right customers and how technology is changing the game for business operations.SPECIAL THANKS TO HATCHBook more leads with the power of Hatch.Hatch has been an incredible partner in our outbound journey. Since starting with them, we’ve ramped up with powerful automations that keep every lead engaged and every invoice followed up. Hatch’s AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, have saved us hours. Learn More HereSHOUT OUT TO AVOCALooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. If you want to skyrocket your team this year, you need to check these guys out.  Schedule a Demo Today Episode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Tim Geisenheimer @tgeisenheimer on XContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

In this episode, Jake Cronin, CEO of Siro, delves into the intricacies of modern sales coaching utilizing advanced AI technologies. From his transformative experiences on the sales floor to building Siro, Cronin shares invaluable insights on leveraging data to enhance sales performance and process adherence. Jake highlights the pivotal role of AI in capturing and analyzing in-person sales interactions, offering a comprehensive look at Siro’s evolution, upcoming innovations, and the profound impact on sales training. This episode is packed with insights you won’t get anywhere else.Special Thanks to Service ScalersService Scalers have helped us to deliver the leads we need to scale Wilson, and their expertise in SEO, PPC, LSA, and GMB marketing has been a game-changer.Last year their partnership helped us achieve 46% year-over-year growth and this year is going to be even bigger. If you're in the trades and serious about growth, I can't recommend them enough. Check out Service ScalersShoutout to Quick Staffers LLCQuick Staffers are the staffing agency bringing global talent to the HVAC and plumbing industries. They specialize in placing trained overseas CSRs, fully equipped with the best SOPs and scripts at a fraction of the cost.Don't miss out. Get $1000 off your first placement here.Episode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XEpisode Guest:Jake Cronin on LinkedInContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

In this episode, Jack and John sit down with Andrew Morrell, who took his HVAC business from zero to $6 million—without a massive budget or a big head start. They dive into his journey, what worked (and what didn’t), and how smart marketing helped him scale fast. SPECIAL THANKS TO SERVICE SCALERSIn a year where many in the industry faced challenges, we’re thrilled to have hit the low 20s, outperforming expectations and driving serious growth. A huge part of that success is thanks to Service Scalers.The team have been invaluable partners, helping us achieve awesome results with out SEO, PPC, LSA and GMB marketing.If you’re in the trades and ready to level up your marketing, do yourself a favor and check out ServiceScalers.com. Sam and his team are killing it right now.SPECIAL THANKS TO AVOCALooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. Click here to schedule a demoEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

In this episode, Jack and John break down how businesses are cutting costs and boosting efficiency by leveraging overseas teams for call centers, accounting, and recruitment.We also dive into the biggest challenges of managing remote teams, setting up effective communication, and streamlining operations to scale smarter.Special Thanks to AvocaLooking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI is here to help your team identify existing issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish. Click here to schedule a demoShout Out to FieldPulseFieldPulse is a really awesome Field Service Management platform that helps you save hours every week and keep operations running smoothly. With features like scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and reporting, it takes the headache out of managing the day-to-day.If you're looking to streamline your ops, stay ahead of the competition, and focus on what really matters, FieldPulse is a game-changer.👉 Book a Demo with FieldPulse to get 15% off the annual plan when you mention Owned and OperatedEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

Most techs aren’t salespeople—but they should be closing more jobs. In this episode, Jack and John break down the sales tactics that get homeowners saying yes more often. We're talking about the difference between soft and hard selling, how full system evaluations can boost your close rate, and why most techs miss the real root cause of a homeowner’s problem. Plus, we cover the must-know steps for handling calls like a pro. If you want to turn more estimates into booked jobs, this one’s for you.SPECIAL THANKS TO SERVICE SCALERSIn a year where many in the industry faced challenges, we’re thrilled to have hit the low 20s, outperforming expectations and driving serious growth. A huge part of that success is thanks to Service Scalers.The team have been invaluable partners, helping us achieve awesome results with out SEO, PPC, LSA and GMB marketing.If you’re in the trades and ready to level up your marketing, do yourself a favor and check out ServiceScalers.com. Sam and his team are killing it right now.SHOUT OUT TO HATCHTurn communication into conversion with Hatch and its AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, and more for your home service business. Save employee hours and book more leads with the power of Hatch.Learn More About HatchEpisode Hosts: 🎤John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on XJack Carr: @TheHVACJack on XContact Owned and Operated: [email protected] Visit the website for more information More Ways To Connect with O&O John's YouTube Channel Weekly Newsletter Leave a Review John Wilson, CEO of Wilson CompaniesJack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC