In this insightful episode of the Power Women of the Trades podcast, hosts Cassie Pound and Heather Bargender-Wavra welcome Heather Arlinghaus, a remarkable leader from Cincinnati, to discuss her journey in the trades industry. Heather Arlinghaus shares her experience of running a business with her husband, highlighting the importance of defining roles to ensure both business success and personal harmony. As the driving force behind Arlinghaus, she discusses how they've successfully expanded into plumbing and electrical services after initially starting as an HVAC business.
The episode explores the significance of branding and standing out in a crowded market. Heather Arlinghaus recounts their bold move to adopt a pink-truck strategy in 2016, which has since become synonymous with their brand, setting them apart from the competition. Cassie shares their own experience of adopting orange for Quality Heating, Cooling & Plumbing to differentiate themselves in Oklahoma. This strategy showcases their commitment to innovation and adaptation in the industry, leading to effective market presence and growth.
Additionally, Heather Arlinghaus talks about managing growth, pivoting strategies, and the critical role of having the right management team in place to facilitate expansion. They delve into the challenges of gaining market presence in February, a notably tricky month for HVAC businesses, and how Arlinghaus continues to push through with proactive strategies and planning. The episode closes with a look at the future of Arlinghaus, including exciting plans for growth through tuck-in acquisitions and the development of Arlinghaus University to train the next generation of trades professionals.
Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introduction and sponsorship information.
2:01 - Welcome and introduction to Heather Arlinghaus.
2:31 - Heather shares the story of founding Arlinghaus.
4:33 - Balancing business and family life.
6:17 - The pink branding strategy and its impact.
7:57 - Overcoming industry competition.
10:23 - Expanding service offerings to include plumbing and electrical.
11:54 - Growth timeline and managing employee roles.
16:09 - Celebrating business wins and handling February challenges.
21:13 - Addressing HVAC peak and low seasons.
24:07 - Transitioning roles within the company.
27:08 - Future plans for Arlinghaus and upcoming initiatives.
Meet Your Hosts: Cassie Pound is the co-owner of Quality Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Connect with her on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassiepound/
Heather Bargender-Wavra has a broad expertise in the construction sector, focusing on specialized accounting and strategic business areas like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. Reach out to her to see how she can support your business's growth and efficiency. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-bargender-16787a13/
Special thanks to our sponsors for making the show possible:
Relentless Digital https://www.relentless-digital.com
Kee Hart Marketing https://keehartmarketing.com
Forrest Perry Marketing https://perrymarketing.com
Rilla www.rilla.com
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This episode was produced and brought to you by the Skilled Trades Syndicate @ServiceBusinessMasteryPodcast https://www.servicebusinessmastery.com/
