HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

• Group Training - What We Have Learned

  In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan Orr sits down with Bert and Leanna to discuss Kalos's first official cohort apprenticeship program, dubbed the "Launch Program." What started as Bryan's persistent idea—one that the team initially resisted as too expensive and logistically challenging—evolved into a transformative three-month training experience that brought 15 green apprentices through intensive classroom, lab, and field work across HVAC, electrical, and building automation systems. Bert, who graded himself a B for his first attempt at leading the program, shares candid insights about the challenges of planning and execution. While he meticulously mapped out the first two weeks hour-by-hour, the remaining time was far less structured, leading to valuable lessons about the importance of ongoing planning and verification. Leanna, who came to Kalos with both teaching experience and a commercial HVAC background, brought crucial support that Bert initially didn't think he needed. Her contribution proved essential in managing the group of 15 and ensuring hands-on engagement. Of the original cohort, nine graduated, with two additional apprentices added later who showed exceptional promise. The conversation reveals critical insights about what makes training effective in the trades. Both trainers emphasize the importance of hands-on experience over lecture, with Bert noting his biggest mistake was spending an entire day lecturing on refrigerant circuits before showing apprentices actual equipment. The most successful exercises involved real-world scenarios, like Leanna's mock dispatch day where apprentices handled service calls from start to finish, including customer communication. The program also incorporated broader trade skills beyond HVAC—carpentry, ladder safety, and tool confidence—recognizing that many young workers today lack the tactile experience that builds confidence in using tools and solving problems independently. Perhaps most importantly, the discussion highlights the value of verification and confidence-building over knowledge dumping. Bert learned that making diagnostic exercises too complex early on destroyed apprentice confidence, while starting simple and building up created self-motivated learners. The cohort model's unique advantage lies in its competitive yet supportive environment, where apprentices can gauge their progress against peers who started at the same level, creating natural motivation to improve. While expensive and demanding, the program represents a long-term commitment to developing well-rounded tradespeople who can think critically and solve problems—not just perform repetitive tasks. Topics Covered: The origins and initial resistance to implementing a cohort-style apprenticeship program Structuring a 90-day training program with classroom, lab, and field components The critical importance of planning and having adequate instructor support Selecting apprentices: key traits including self-motivation, adaptability, and humility Balancing lecture, hands-on training, and real-world field experience The power of verification and skills checklists over pure knowledge transfer Teaching broader trade skills (carpentry, ladder work) to build overall confidence Creating realistic scenarios like mock service calls for soft skills development Managing group size and the challenges of keeping all apprentices engaged The role of confidence-building in safety and long-term success Starting simple with diagnostic exercises and building complexity gradually Using field feedback and peer comparison as motivational tools The cost and commitment required to run effective cohort training programs   Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

  --------  

  1:03:12

  --------

  1:03:12
• How Air Conditioning Saved the Movies - Short #262

  In this short podcast episode, Bryan explores an interesting story in the history of HVAC: how air conditioning saved the movies. In the summer of 1925 in NYC, a new film was set to appear on the big screen... but the theater was stuffy with no fan that could cool down the sheer mass of people packed into the room. People were uncomfortable, and theater attendance plummeted in the summer. The movie industry struggled to fill seats in the summer. Willis Carrier, who had solved humidity problems in factories and printing plants, was called on by the theater owners to cool a 2000-seat auditorium in July. Carrier had used cold water up to that point, but his team installed a refrigeration-based cooling system, and the response was sensational. Theaters were able to sell comfort AND relief all at once, drawing record crowds. What was once the slow season for the movies became the prime time for new film releases; the summer blockbuster was born, and Carrier had changed the movie industry forever.  However, Carrier's system wasn't perfect straight out of the gate; orchestra seats near supply vents were very cold, and the balcony was still warm. It became clear that tonnage meant nothing if the air couldn't move and mix properly. Carrier had to think about air distribution to keep people comfortable and make the invention reach its full potential. Air distribution problems are still common issues we see in homes today; capacity has to work hand in hand with duct design in order to deliver comfort.   Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

  --------  

  7:23

  --------

  7:23
• Just Do it! w/ Chad Simpson

  In this candid conversation recorded live at the NCI Summit in Austin, Bryan Orr sits down with Chad Simpson, owner of Simpson Solutions, for an unexpectedly revealing discussion about the reality of building a successful HVAC business. What makes this episode particularly compelling is Simpson's refreshing honesty about his struggles, failures, and the gradual transformation from a struggling contractor making $8 an hour to running a $28.5 million operation with healthy profit margins. Simpson's journey began unusually early—he wrote a paper in his freshman year of high school (1996) declaring his intention to own an HVAC company. After graduating from trade school and working for a residential replacement contractor, he started his own business with his father, who had just retired from building interstates and bridges. For the first eight years, Simpson made virtually no money despite working 12-hour days, falling into the common trap of thinking he could "outrun" financial problems by simply working harder and hiring more people. The turning point came around 2008 when mentor Brad Hohn discovered Simpson calling receivables on a golf course to make payroll—and offered to help departmentalize his finances with the promise of a Vegas golf trip once Simpson hit 10% net profit. The most striking aspect of Simpson's story is his emphasis on process documentation and his willingness to admit what he didn't know. After finally achieving profitability, he hired a business coach who refused to write processes for him, insisting Simpson had to "own" them himself. This led to the creation of Simpson's now-famous process book, which started with simple one-page job descriptions and grew to encompass every aspect of the business. Simpson's approach to callbacks changed dramatically after 2021, when his company's callback rate hit 23% following rapid growth. Working with Jim Bergmann and implementing Measure Quick transformed his operation from quick-fix service calls to thorough 2.5-3 hour diagnostics that actually prevent future problems rather than creating false urgency. Perhaps most impressive is Simpson's Fast Track training lab, which he built initially just to train his own technicians but has evolved into a resource for competitors, universities, and the entire industry. His philosophy centers on finding real problems through proper diagnostics rather than making up issues or pushing unnecessary replacements. Simpson emphasizes that service technicians should educate, not sell—and that when you deploy the right tools and probes, you'll find plenty of legitimate problems without resorting to dishonest tactics. Today, Simpson's company maintains a 2% service callback rate and 3% install callback rate while continuing to grow and expand into plumbing services. Topics Covered: Starting an HVAC business straight out of high school with minimal capital and business knowledge The reality of struggling financially for the first eight years despite long hours and hard work The critical importance of understanding financial KPIs and departmentalized accounting How mentorship from Brad Hohn transformed Simpson's approach to business financials Building comprehensive process documentation and job descriptions for every role The difference between being teachable versus being controlling as a business owner Transitioning from quick-fix service calls to thorough diagnostic work using Measure Quick and True Flow tools Reducing callback rates from 23% to 2-3% through proper commissioning and diagnostics Creating the Fast Track training lab and training competitors at no cost The philosophy of finding real problems versus creating false urgency with customers Why service technicians should focus on education rather than sales tactics Scaling from $3.5 million to $28.5 million while maintaining healthy profit margins Expanding into plumbing services using the same process-driven approach developed for HVAC The importance of celebrating wins as a team and taking responsibility for losses as a leader   News for next year's High-Performance HVAC Summit will be available at gotosummit.com.  Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

  --------  

  55:58

  --------

  55:58
• Analyst vs. PM vs. Operations - Short #261

  In this short business-oriented podcast, Bryan breaks down the differences between three commonly confused positions/roles: analyst vs. PM (project management) vs. operations. When you own or work in a small business, you might wear a lot of hats: estimating, writing proposals, troubleshooting, being a customer or coworker's therapist, etc. This work can be organized, and problem-solving roles include analysts, project managers (PMs), and directly responsible individuals (DRIs). Sometimes, the same person might do more than one of these (or all of them), but separate people can do these as long as you know what success looks like for each of these. Analysts gather data (such as costs, labor hours, inventory, and SME interviews) and ask big questions. They don't try to fix the problem right away; their job is to seek ideas, pay attention, document, and organize. They think in terms of stories and problem statements, and technicians can benefit from this type of mindset on service calls. Project managers translate the data, goals, and even the plans, and these people organize those items so that they can be executed in real life: creating checklists, gathering manuals, scheduling, and implementing basic SOP. PMs set a plan, but they have to maintain flexibility and drive execution (but may not be responsible for the outcome). The DRI owns the outcome; this person may or may not be the project manager. If there's a new program, software, or procedure, this person drives those. They are the operator and may not be involved in the analysis or planning, but they own the execution and are responsible for those results.     Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

  --------  

  11:53

  --------

  11:53
• How to REALLY get S&!# Done! w/ Nate Agentis

  _*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> In this powerful episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan sits down with Nate Agentis, third-generation plumber and author of Get Shit Done: How to Build a Strong Team, A Profitable Business, and a Lasting Legacy. Their conversation explores the intersection of personal health, business success, and meaningful leadership in the trades industry. Nate's journey from technician to business owner wasn't easy. After his grandfather built the family plumbing business from nothing, only to lose it to the IRS, and his father rebuilt it from scratch, Nate found himself thrust into leadership at age 33 when his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The tragedy of losing his mother while simultaneously taking over the business created a perfect storm that eventually led to burnout and a period of deep reflection during COVID-19. This experience became the foundation for his leadership philosophy and his book. The conversation delves into the generational divide in the trades, where older workers view younger employees as lazy while younger workers see their elders as slaves to their jobs. Nate argues that healthy leadership requires bridging this gap through understanding and practical solutions. His approach centers on five pillars: healthy owner, sticky culture, skilled technicians, efficient operations, and clear metrics. However, he emphasizes that without the foundation of personal health and self-awareness, the other pillars crumble. Perhaps most compelling is Nate's emphasis on humility and accountability as twin keys to success. He challenges the "self-made man" mentality prevalent in trades culture, arguing that true leadership requires vulnerability, community, and the willingness to seek help. This philosophy extends beyond business into his nonprofit work with Hope for the Trades, which provides educational resources, retreat opportunities, and humanitarian mission trips for tradespeople seeking both professional development and personal renewal. Key Topics Covered Generational Business Transitions - Navigating the challenges of taking over a family business during crisis and the unique pressures of third-generation ownership The Burnout Epidemic in Trades - Understanding why skilled tradespeople burn out and how to create sustainable career paths that don't sacrifice family and personal health Bridging Generational Divides - Addressing the tension between older workers who prioritize work ethic and younger workers who emphasize work-life balance The Five Pillars Framework - Healthy owner, sticky culture, skilled technicians, efficient operations, and clear metrics as the foundation for sustainable business growth Humility and Accountability in Leadership - Why admitting weakness and seeking help are actually signs of strength and keys to long-term success The Balance Wheel Concept - A practical tool for evaluating different areas of life (marriage, parenting, health, spirituality, etc.) and identifying areas needing attention Community and Isolation in Trades - Addressing the epidemic of loneliness among tradespeople and the importance of genuine relationships for personal and professional growth Metrics Without Depression - How to implement business measurement systems as tools for clarity rather than sources of shame or discouragement Hope for the Trades Nonprofit - Educational resources, retreat programs, and humanitarian missions designed to support the whole person, not just the business owner Legacy vs. Profit Mentality - Shifting focus from purely financial success to creating lasting positive impact on employees, families, and communities Practical Life Planning - Applying strategic planning principles to personal life, marriage, and parenting with the same intentionality used in business planning   Sign up for Hope for the Trades at https://hopeforthetrades.com/ and get a free copy of Nate's book. You can also order Get Shit Done on Amazon at https://a.co/d/56QyjLQ. Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool. Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium. Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android

  --------  

  54:35

  --------

  54:35

Más podcasts de Economía y empresa

Podcasts a la moda de Economía y empresa

Acerca de HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs: Podcasts del grupo