Today's Guest

Susan Frew is a professional speaker focused on helping business owners to overcome adversity and achieve success. As a Business Coach, Susan has coached 150 different companies and 17 different trades to success during the 2008 Recession. The balance of her time is spent managing her multimillion-dollar Plumbing Heating Air Conditioning company in Denver, CO. Susan shared some of the key lessons she’s learned along the way and the coaching tips she shares with clients to help them overcoming adversity and reaching the TOP again!

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Episode Summary

Before I started my own business I worked for AT&T wireless as an international general manager in the Caribbean. After I returned from my assignment I bought a business coaching franchise. I would often speak at various events for small business owners and ended up meeting my now husband at one of those events. Together we started Sunshine Plumbing, Heating & Air because we felt it would be a good recession-proof type of business. We grew lightning-fast from zero to over a three million dollar business it seemed overnight.

I would credit our rapid growth to what I learned through my business coaching practice. The majority of the businesses I coached were in the trades and so I had a good understanding of what was working and what did not work. The key with almost any business is to find a way to differentiate yourself from your competition. In our business, we focused on providing over-the-top great customer service. From thank you cards and dog treats to putting people up in hotels if the repairs were taking longer than expected. It sounds a bit crazy but our focus on customer service differentiated our business and fueled our explosive growth. Doing the job right is the most important factor but people will remember you most for how you treated them.

One of the key elements we leverage in our business is video. Next week we are releasing a video that discusses the labor shortage we are all experiencing. That way we are keeping our customers informed as to why it might take us a little longer than normal to get to them. Right now we’re offering a $10,000 sign-on bonus and still not getting many applications. We also advocate for getting involved in your local community, be engaged at Chamber events, and apply for various awards. The more you grow your exposure in the community the more successful you will become.

A common issue I’ve seen in the trades industry is people not pricing their services correctly. In the current economy, you need to be in communication with your vendors so that you know what the replacement costs for raw materials will be. You might have paid a lower price 6-months ago but when you have to reorder you might be paying 10 to 15 percent or more for those same items. This means you need to increase your prices now so that they cover the replacement cost of the materials you are using today.

Resources Shared

• SusanRobertsFrew.com
• Pufferfish Effect by Susan Frew
• Secrets to Less Stress and More Success in Your Business by Susan Frew
• Sunshine Plumbing, Heating & Air
• Thryv
  

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