The TradeMarke

15 Brands, One Vision: Inside the BELFOR Franchise Group

What does it look like to lead 15 home services franchise brands — and still be excited about every single one of them? In this episode, Sarah and Eric sit down with Beth Toenies, COO of 1-800-BOARD-UP and VP of Franchise Development for BELFOR Franchise Group, to talk all things franchising, growth, and the future of the trades.
Beth breaks down what makes the franchise model so powerful for tradespeople who are great at their craft but want support on the business side. She shares how BELFOR's family of brands — from Ducks and Z Plumbers to Blue Kangaroo Packouts and Redbox+ Dumpsters — are designed to complement each other and create real synergy in local markets.
The conversation also dives into how AI and automation are reshaping operations in the field, why BELFOR is leaning in rather than shying away, and what intentional, sustainable growth actually looks like in franchising.
Whether you're a trade professional curious about business ownership or a franchise enthusiast looking for your next opportunity, this episode is packed with insights, energy, and a few laughs along the way.

AI Without Guardrails Is a Liability: A Candid Conversation with Katie Donovan

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Eric Thomas and Sarah Ghirardo sit down with Katie Donovan, Founder of CAMP Digital, for a deep, practical conversation about the real impact of AI on marketing, operations, and growth in the trades.
Katie breaks through the noise surrounding AI and explains why “AI” has become one of the most misunderstood terms in business today. From operational AI and generative AI to ad performance, data ownership, and compliance, this episode explores what contractors should be paying attention to—and what could quietly put their businesses at risk.
You’ll hear why AI is more than a shift and why it may be bigger than the invention of the internet itself. The discussion covers how search is evolving into a predictive, agent-driven experience, why “queryless search” is coming faster than most people realize, and how small and mid-sized contractors actually have an advantage in this moment if they’re willing to move.
This episode also dives into:
Why messy data leads to dangerous AI outputs
How AI hallucinations and automation errors can create real liability
What contractors must ask vendors about data ownership and compliance
Why trust-but-verify is now a requirement, not a suggestion
How AI agents will soon book jobs, schedule service, and make decisions on behalf of customers
Why marketing, operations, and technology are converging faster than ever
Most importantly, this conversation reframes AI as both an asset and a responsibility. If you’re a contractor, marketer, or business owner trying to understand how AI affects your marketing, your customer data, and the future of search, this episode will give you clarity without hype—and direction without fear.

Be a Good Human: The Secret to Long-Term Success in the Trades

What does it take to generate $18.5 million in residential sales in a single season? According to Dan Walrack, the founder of Go Beyond the Hustle, it isn’t about fancy tech or aggressive closing tactics—it’s about being a good human.
In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Dan live at the Build It to Sell It conference. With 27 years of experience in the roofing industry, Dan shares his transition from the "blood, sweat, and tears" of door knocking to building a sustainable, high-growth career by leveraging his "village" and putting the homeowner first.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Evolution of Sales: Why it was actually harder to sell roofs 25 years ago despite today’s increased competition.
The "Good Human" Philosophy: Why pursuing the homeowner’s best interest is the most profitable business strategy you can have.
Career vs. Job Mindset: How to stop treating your sales role like a 9-to-5 and start building your personal brand within your company.
The Power of Support: Dan discusses the importance of delegation and how virtual assistants (like SMA) can break the ceiling on your sales capacity.
Modern Entitlement in the Trades: A candid look at how technology has changed the sales floor and what’s missing in the new generation of closers.
Whether you're a roofing veteran or a technician looking to improve your conversion rates, Dan’s insights on "playing the long game" will change the way you look at your next service call.

Content Is Monetization: How to Stop Being Held Hostage by Search

Live from Build It to Sell It in Marco Island (formerly the Roofing Process Conference), Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas unpack what it really takes to scale a home service business you can eventually exit. They dig into the true bottleneck to growth (spoiler: the owner), why buying more software rarely fixes anything, and how agencies and marketers are reacting to the “shift” happening in search as AI changes how customers discover contractors.
From AEO and AI search visibility to the fundamentals that still win (brand, community presence, content that actually answers questions), this episode is a rapid-fire reminder that marketing can’t revolve around Google alone. The conversation wraps with a practical list of community-driven marketing ideas contractors can implement immediately, plus a challenge to rethink lead aggregators, referrals, and the long-term game of building a business worth buying.
If you’re trying to grow, simplify, and build something that doesn’t depend on you for every decision, this one’s for you.

How Sameday AI Turns Missed Leads into Booked Jobs

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, we are joined by Aaron Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO of Sameday AI, for a deep dive into how AI is transforming call handling, booking rates, and revenue growth in the home services industry.
Aaron shares the real story behind building Sameday after discovering his own company was missing 15–20% of inbound leads—and how that realization led to an AI sales agent that now answers millions of calls and books over 90% of qualified leads for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses.
The conversation covers why AI should multiply strong systems rather than replace people, how elite contractors are using AI CSRs and dispatchers to outperform traditional call centers, and why missed calls remain one of the most expensive leaks in a contractor’s marketing funnel. They also explore where AI is headed next in the trades—from autonomous follow-ups and collections to predictive dispatching—and why the contractors who “turn it on full-time” are seeing outsized growth.
If you’re a home service business owner wondering whether AI is hype or a true competitive advantage, this episode delivers a grounded, operator-level perspective on what’s working right now—and what’s coming next.

Build It to Sell It: Scaling Trade Businesses the Right Way

The TradeMarke Podcast bridges the gap between the skilled trades and modern marketing. Hosted by Eric Thomas of Rival Digital and Sarah Ghirardo of Remarketable, this podcast is built for contractors, trade business owners, and marketing leaders who want to grow smarter, scale faster, and build lasting value.
Each episode delivers real conversations with industry leaders across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and home services. We dig into what actually drives growth in the trades, from systems and technology stacks to leadership, capital, branding, and demand generation. No fluff. No theory. Just proven strategies, real stories, and hard-earned lessons from the field.
Whether you are building a local trade business, scaling past eight figures, or supporting the trades through marketing and technology, The TradeMarke Podcast gives you the insights you need to make better decisions and stronger moves. We are here for the big ideas, the everyday wins, and the people shaping the future of the trades.

Mindset, Mistakes, and Mastery: What 30 Years in Plumbing Taught Ismail Shahid

In this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with Ismail Shahid, a 30-year plumbing veteran who has worked everywhere from historic New York brownstones to the mountains of Colorado and the neighborhoods of South Carolina.
Ismail shares how he went from organizing parts in a shop to becoming a seasoned service plumber, why starting in the stockroom gave him a competitive edge, and a few unforgettable “learning experience” stories from the field. He breaks down what it really means to be a true service technician today: minimizing mistakes, adapting to constant change, and always putting the homeowner’s needs first.
The conversation dives into:
How mindset shapes a long-term career in the trades
Why service quality has slipped in some areas and how to bring it back
The tension between sales training and true technical training
Adapting to new technology, tools, and even AI in home services
Ismail’s passion for mentoring youth and building up the next generation of tradespeople
Whether you are in the field, in the office, or leading a team, this episode will push you to rethink how you train, serve, and grow in the trades.

Break the Doom Loop: The 3-Part Marketing Mix Trades Pros Miss

The Trademarke Podcast welcomes Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads for a masterclass in trades marketing—from HVAC to plumbing and electrical. Hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas dig into why most contractors get stuck choosing between branding and lead gen, and how a three-part marketing mix (brand messaging, calls-to-action, and points of entry) outperforms click-chasing campaigns.
Ryan explains the “paint the door orange” approach to stand out on search, why audio and frequency still move markets, and how to write campaignable messages that pass Broca the bouncer and live rent-free in Club Imagination. You’ll hear real-world riffs on ditching “$29 tune-ups” for offers people actually understand (hello, Noisy Door Special), adding branded chunks to improve non-branded PPC performance, and avoiding the doom loop by keeping 30%+ of spend on brand. We also touch on PPC fraud/bots, PMAX skepticism, and why radio + social mass media still win when your frequency is right.
Perfect for owners, marketers, and GMs in home services, this episode gives you the language, levers, and frequency needed to build brand equity, lower CAC, and drive the second sale.

The Water Came to a Stop: Teaching Kids to Value the Trades

Step into The Trademarke Podcast with hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas as they interview Ryan Kiscaden about his self-published children’s books — The Water Came to a Stop and The Air Came to a Stop — and his mission to introduce plumbing and HVACR to young readers.
They discuss the inspiration behind the books, surprising reactions from kids and parents, partnerships like ACCA, and how storytelling can change perceptions and support workforce development. Find the series at nextuptrades.com and on Amazon.

Semi-Absentee, Full Opportunity: What Top Franchisees Do Differently

On this episode of The TradeMarke Podcast, hosts Sarah Ghirardo and Eric Thomas sit down with franchise matchmaker Adam Goldman to demystify modern franchising, especially in the home services world. Adam has spent 15+ years in the space, from owning an office-cleaning master franchise to placing candidates across 75 industries, with 60 to 70 percent in home services.
You’ll learn what makes a strong franchise candidate, why business development and operational excellence are the twin superpowers, and how owners are thriving with semi-absentee models. Adam breaks down practical growth levers like BNI, referrals, canvassing, and digital channels, and explains the trend of stacking seasonal businesses (think mosquito control plus holiday lighting) to keep teams working year-round. He also tackles the biggest misconceptions: that franchises must be brick-and-mortar and seven figures, and that royalties are a sunk cost rather than a shortcut to proven systems.
We close with Adam’s take on disclosure docs, avoiding conflicts across brands, and why the right playbook can buy back your time.
Listen in, take notes, and check the show notes for Adam’s free consult links and his book, The Franchisee Lifestyle.