Here’s something that you may have never thought about, but it’s something I think you should pay more attention to when you’re training your technicians. So, let me ask you a question. Are your technicians presenting the customer with the facts, or are they unknowingly making financial decisions for the customer? Here’s what I mean. For example, let’s say you have a technician who goes into a customer’s home, diagnoses a refrigerator, and the repair is going to be $900. In that technician’s personal financial world, $900 may feel like a lot of money. They may personally think, “There’s no way I would spend $900 repairing this refrigerator.” The interesting part is that belief can start showing up in how they communicate with the customer without them even realizing it. Their tone may change when they present the price. They may hesitate, soften the recommendation, or begin steering the customer toward replacement simply because the repair feels expensive to them. But what is that based on? The customer could have a $5,000 built-in refrigerator, they may love the appliance, replacing it may create a much larger expense, and $900 may make complete financial sense in their situation. The technician is looking at the repair through their own financial lens instead of the customer’s. I believe this is something we really need to address during our weekly technician training. We should absolutely teach technicians how to help customers understand the economics of a repair, including the age and condition of the appliance, replacement cost, parts availability, other potential repairs, and anything else that legitimately affects the decision. There are situations where replacing the appliance may make more sense. What we don’t want is a technician deciding that something is too expensive simply because it feels expensive to them. Imagine this like a pair of glasses. Every one of us has our own money glasses based on our income, upbringing, experiences, and beliefs about money.

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Before we discuss growing your appliance business, it is important to revisit Be the Leader and the principle that accompanies it: every successful enterprise is built twice; first within the mind of its architect, and then within the marketplace. A business rarely rises above the quality of the vision, structure, and intentionality behind it. The following five principles I am about to share with you are not simply habits. They are disciplines that help an owner move from reacting to circumstances; toward intentionally designing a business capable of creating abundance, impact, and lasting value. 1. The First Hour Advantage The early hours belong to the leader. Before customers call, technicians arrive, and unexpected challenges begin competing for your attention, there is an opportunity to align yourself with your vision and purpose. Being present reminds us that wisdom is found when we direct our attention intentionally rather than allowing distractions to direct it for us. A clear mind sees opportunities, solutions, and efficiencies that a rushed mind often overlooks. 2. The Driver's Seat Principle Conditions are always changing. Markets shift, competitors emerge, employees come and go, and customer expectations evolve. Successful business owners understand that while they cannot control every condition, they can control their response to those conditions. A purposeful morning routine creates space to evaluate systems, people, and priorities before the day gains momentum. Rather than allowing circumstances to shape your future, you begin shaping the future of your business through thoughtful refinement and strategic direction. 3. The Wisdom Multiplier Every appliance business is ultimately the result of thousands of decisions compounded over time. The more understanding you gain, the better your judgment becomes. The more adaptable you remain, the more effectively you can navigate change. Decisions made from clarity, preparation, and wisdom tend to produce stronger teams, better customer experiences, and greater profitability. Just as poor decisions compound, so does wisdom.

I was talking with a business owner today who mentioned that he had about 80 days of runway left, and it made me think about the Principle of Money Phasing and the way we tend to look at available capital. When somebody says they have 80 days of runway, our natural inclination is to think about how to make the money last. Can we stretch 80 days into 90 or perhaps 100? Can we reduce enough expenses to give ourselves a little more breathing room? Those aren't unreasonable considerations, but they can distract us from a much more important question: What does this business need to accomplish with the capital it still has? There is an enormous difference between using money to strengthen a business and using money to postpone the consequences of a business that hasn't yet learned to support itself. If I have enough cash in the bank to absorb losses for another 80 days, but arrive at the end of that period with essentially the same problems, I haven't really solved anything. I've simply purchased another 80 days. It reminds me of a farmer who had a calf born on his farm. When the calf was little, the farmer carried it around, bottle-fed it and tended to it constantly. The neighbors would see him walking around with this little calf in his arms and thought it was adorable. The farmer meant well, but he made one important mistake. He became so accustomed to helping the calf that he never allowed it to struggle long enough to develop its own strength. Whenever it had difficulty finding its footing, he intervened. Naturally, the calf continued to grow, and before long the farmer could no longer carry it comfortably. He eventually resorted to moving it around the farm in a wheelbarrow because the animal had become larger without becoming stronger. Eventually, even that became impossible. What had begun as a small calf needing temporary assistance was now a full-grown cow lying in a field, unable to support its own weight and vulnerable because it had never developed the ability to stand.

1 tech 1 admin = 10k weeks If you're not producing that.. why?