CSTG 230: Chad Peterman vs. Tommy Mello | Who Wins the Automation Gauntlet?
Release Date: 09/16/2025
To the Point: Why Some Home Service Businesses Stall at $5M While Others Hit $50M
Can't Stop the Growth
Why do some home service companies stall at $5M while others explode past $50M? 💰 Chris and Chad break down the real reasons home service businesses stall out, and what separates the ones that scale from the ones that stay stuck. From the crucial shift between operator and CEO to building systems that drive accountability without micromanagement, Chad shares unfiltered lessons from scaling Peterman Brothers beyond the $50M mark. Whether you're at $2M trying to grow or feeling stuck at $10M, this episode will challenge your thinking, call out the excuses, and arm you with practical steps to...
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CSTG 243: Turning Confusion Into Commitment In Your Trades Team with Chad Peterman
Can't Stop the Growth
Too many HVAC, plumbing, and home service leaders feel stuck in a cycle of “meeting after the meeting.” Plans sound good in the room, but out in the field, nothing really changes. Technicians are confused, office teams feel out of the loop, and commitment is hit-or-miss. In this solo episode, Chad Peterman continues the series on The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and digs into dysfunction number three: lack of commitment. He breaks down why clarity and conflict are non-negotiable if leaders want real buy-in, not silent resistance. From explaining lead costs to CSRs to involving field...
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Inside Peterman’s Growth Engine with Matt Murray
Can't Stop the Growth
Home service owners are pouring money into marketing and still watching the call board swing from “overbooked” to “crickets.” In this special Around the CAMPfire takeover on Can’t Stop the Growth, CAMP Digital founder Katie Donovan sits down with Matt Murray, CMO and Head of Innovation at Peterman Brothers, to unpack how Peterman built a growth engine that actually matches demand to capacity. Matt shares how Peterman uses real-time data, capacity-aligned marketing, and tight alignment between operations and marketing to keep techs busy, CSRs confident, and ad spend pointed at the...
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CSTG 242: Turning Conflict Into Your Competitive Edge with Chad Peterman
Can't Stop the Growth
Chad Peterman breaks down why most home service teams do not stall out because of talent or opportunity, but because leaders avoid conflict. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Chad focuses on the “fear of conflict” and shows how quiet meetings and fake agreement quietly kill performance in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses. Through stories from the early days at Peterman Brothers, Chad shares how a “just do what Chad says” style of leadership worked at a small size but began to break everything as the company grew. He contrasts top-down control...
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CSTG 241: Fixing Team Dysfunction With Vulnerability-Based Trust with Andrew Hasty
Can't Stop the Growth
Peterman Brothers’ Andrew Hasty breaks down why most home service teams do not fail for lack of talent or opportunity, but because of dysfunction. Drawing from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Andrew focuses on the base of the pyramid, the absence of trust, and why it quietly kills performance in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses. Through stories from his own life and leadership journey, Andrew shows how perfectionism, fear of failure, and “old school toughness” create blame cultures, silos, and defensiveness on a team. He contrasts that with...
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CSTG 240: Creating “Win for All” Solutions with Andrew Hasty
Can't Stop the Growth
Peterman Brothers’ Andrew Hasty unpacks Commitment #4 from The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: Create Win-for-All Solutions. Andrew draws a powerful parallel between history and leadership using the Treaty of Versailles and the aftermath of World War I to show how “win–lose” thinking always backfires. He challenges leaders in the trades to move beyond short-term victories and build systems where everyone: customer, field professional, and the company — can win together. Through real stories from the Peterman team, Andrew shows why loyalty to outcomes, not rigid processes,...
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To the Point: The 5-Year Sprint from $5M-$65M with Zero Technical Skills
Can't Stop the Growth
From poker tables in Vegas to leading a $65M home services empire—how did Mike Bruner scale without ever turning a wrench? Michael Bruner, co-founder of Iceberg Home Services, shares his incredible journey from a 5.5M business in 2019 to a 65M powerhouse in 2024, all without a technical background. This episode dives into the mindsets, leadership shifts, and tough decisions that fueled Iceberg’s exponential growth. From letting go of control and embracing mentorship, to prioritizing personal health and inspiring his team, Mike unpacks the habits and lessons that transformed both his...
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CSTG 239: Commit to Enough with Andrew Hasty
Can't Stop the Growth
What if the secret to becoming a better leader isn’t getting more, but realizing you already have enough? ⏳ Andrew takes the mic to unravel one of the most transformative ideas from “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership”: the shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. Blending sharp insights with personal stories, Andrew challenges the deeply ingrained belief that we need more to be successful: more time, more money, more recognition. He breaks down the toxic myths of scarcity that keep us trapped in fear and comparison, and instead offers a refreshing, people-first lens...
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CSTG 238: Lead Like a SEAL | Lessons in Grit and Growth with Dan Newell
Can't Stop the Growth
Every trades leader faces moments that test their grit. In this episode, former Navy SEAL turned business owner Dan Newell joins Chad Peterman to share how the lessons forged in SEAL training resilience, service, and accountability—apply directly to leadership in HVAC, plumbing, and home service businesses. Dan’s journey from ringing the bell in SEAL training to coming back, graduating #1 in his class, and later running his family’s custom cabinet shop is packed with wisdom for leaders building strong teams. He opens up about what it means to lead from the bottom up, how to “get your...
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CSTG 237: Find Your Purpose | How to Lead with Passion and Consistency
Can't Stop the Growth
What if work didn’t feel like work? In this solo episode, Chad Peterman breaks down how finding your purpose can completely transform not just your leadership, but your life. Too many trade leaders chase “work-life balance” and end up feeling guilty on both sides. Chad shares why that struggle disappears once you align who you are at home with who you are at work. From mindset to mission, this is a reminder that leadership isn’t about switching hats, it’s about becoming the same authentic, purpose-driven person in every environment. Leaders in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical: this...
info_outlineAutomation isn’t the future—it’s happening right now. The question is: will you dominate with it, or be dominated by those who do?
In this high-energy Can’t Stop the Growth showdown, Chad Peterman goes head-to-head with Tommy Mello to tackle one of the hottest topics in home services: automation. From call centers to lead follow-up, recruiting, and customer experience, you’ll hear exactly how the industry’s top leaders are leveraging AI and automation to scale faster, serve better, and protect their culture.
Here’s what you’ll take away from this conversation:
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Speed to Lead = Speed to Cash – Why contacting customers within 60 seconds changes everything
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Automation Protects Culture – Tools that reduce chaos while empowering your people
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Measure What Matters – Focusing on booked calls, conversions, and retention over vanity metrics
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Small Wins Stack Fast – How market leaders test, tweak, and iterate daily
👉 Want the full Automation Playbook from this event? It’s available exclusively inside The Arena. Join today and grab your copy: https://cantstopthegrowth.com
Connect with Chad:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-m-peterman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chadmpeterman
Learn more about: Chad Peterman - https://chadmpeterman.com/
Peterman Brothers - https://www.petermancareers.com/
The People Forward Network - https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/
Key Takeaways:
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Automation Is About Efficiency, Not Replacement
AI isn’t here to take jobs—it’s here to make your people more efficient, freeing them up to focus on problem-solving and customer care. -
Speed to Lead = Speed to Cash
Contacting a lead within 60 seconds can 4x your chances of booking. After five minutes, conversion drops sharply. -
Customer Experience Can Be Automated Without Losing the Human Touch
Chad’s “owner handshake” videos show how automation can scale personal connection and protect company culture. -
Recruiting Needs Automation Too
Automated follow-ups with tech applicants increase engagement and keep the pipeline full, even when candidates respond after hours. -
AB Testing Is the Secret Weapon
Tommy stressed that no automation is “set it and forget it.” Constant testing and tweaking can double results. -
Don’t Chase Every Shiny Tool
Start small, focus on one business problem, and find the right partners to implement practical solutions. -
AI in Call Centers Is a Game-Changer
At Peterman Brothers, 40% of calls are now handled by AI, freeing CSRs to focus on high-value conversations and boosting booking rates.