Is contractor licensing a good thing for the public or just a restriction on the number of contractors? When I started writing for this publication about 10 years ago, I agreed to leave the political subjects to the real writers.

Well, it’s that time of year again. Thank heaven! The phones are ringing with customers wanting service and with leads for replacement systems. These are the times we look forward to all year.

Each one of us contractors realizes the need for training. Some of us do it more than others. Almost everyone provides some type of technician training for their service technicians and installers.

I’m not really much of a fan of reality show television, but I must admit that the title and concept of “Undercover Boss” intrigued me. If you haven’t seen it, this new show premiered right after the Super Bowl.

One of the most misunderstood terms in the entire trades industry is the word “growth.” The problem lies in the fact that most business owners mentally see a direct relationship between growth and profitability.

What should we charge per hour? How should my financial statement be set up? Why does my P&L show a profit but there is no money in my checkbook? What do we need to do to increase profitability?

It seems I remember the current president promising changes. We sure got ’em. Everything’s changed, and if you don’t like the way things are now, just give it a few minutes.

I had a dream, (or was it a nightmare?), that I spent my next 30 years advertising budget on a 30 second Super Bowl commercial. It was so obvious; our company name seen by millions and millions of people and us associated with the biggest annual sporting event.

There are changes taking place in our industry that are unprecedented. The changes in efficiency were to be expected, along with working through the phase-out/phase-in of refrigerants.

Contractor marketing expert Adams Hudson recognizes value. For years, this popular speaker and coach has preached “value-based marketing” to contractors through his website, live events, and numerous publications.