In the home service industry, success isn’t just about what happens in the field—it’s about what...
If you’ve ever caught yourself asking, “How do I grow my home service business without lighting my marketing budget on fire?” — this episode is for you.
I sat down with Derek Cormier, owner of Climate Experts Air, Plumbing & Electric out of Melbourne, Florida. Since 2016, Derek has scaled his company to over $10M while keeping marketing spend under 7% of revenue. Not only that, he’s built a resilient, transparent culture that’s winning on the recruiting front, delivering high-touch service, and training talent in-house with military precision.
Marketing Spend Doesn’t Equal Marketing Strategy
Derek’s approach to marketing? Ruthlessly intentional. He doesn’t outsource his strategy to one-size-fits-all agencies. Instead, he works with specialists—one for PPC, another for social, another for print. Each is accountable to a plan that Derek and his team build annually during a budgeting workshop.
“If you can’t speak the marketing language, you can’t hold vendors accountable.”
That’s why Derek invests in marketing education—for himself and his team. He knows that vague goals like "more leads" set you up for wasted dollars. Instead, he tracks ROI, customer lifecycle value, and conversion—not just lead volume.
The Membership-First Growth Flywheel
Rather than chasing cold traffic, Derek doubled down on existing customers. He keeps his membership pricing low ($19-$29) to stay in the door and stack opportunities. And when he gets there, he sells services that naturally extend from HVAC—duct sealing, insulation, plumbing, and now electrical.
"That $29 tune-up might lead to a $1,500 job. That’s better than gambling $500 on a PPC lead who doesn’t even want what you sell."
Culture Over Commission: Training That Filters for Fit
Climate Experts gets over 300 applications per week. But they don’t lower their standards—they raise them. Every recruit goes through a four-week bootcamp that tests technical skills and cultural fit. Sales reps have to braze and cut ductwork before they’re trusted in front of a customer.
Derek doesn’t want warm bodies. He wants people who buy into the mission.
“We’re known in the area for doing it right—no shortcuts, no gimmicks. Our mission is: Do it the right way, no matter what it takes.”
Daily Huddles, Weekly P&Ls, Monthly Truth
Every day, Derek’s team meets to plan how they’ll win the day—not just report numbers. They align around technician availability, high-opportunity calls, and real KPIs like booking rate, close rate, and average ticket.
Every month, managers sit through a financial deep-dive. If their margins or commissions are off, they’re expected to know why.
“I don’t want a coach that pats me on the back. I want someone who tells me where I’m messing up so I can fix it.”
Final Take: Scrappy, Smart, Scalable
Derek’s not playing the vanity metric game. He’s not chasing the next viral tactic. He’s scaling with principles—leadership, systems, accountability—and letting the results speak.
This is what we mean at Service Crucible when we say service first, revenue second.
🎧 To hear the full episode and dive deeper into how Derek built one of the most grounded, future-proof shops in the country, Listen now at Service Crucible
And if you're ready to build something that outlasts trends, schedule a strategy session to learn how Service Crucible can help you forge your next level of operational excellence.
