The Power of Mindset: Fueling Your Brand and Business Growth with Sandy Papavero
Release Date: 07/08/2025
The Kee To Growth
In this episode of The Kee to Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Mehdi Khachani, CEO and founder of Sunny Bliss, to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to scale in the home services industry. The episode kicks off with Mehdi’s story of spinning a plumbing division out of his residential remodeling company and boldly rebranding and expanding the business in under a year. Jen and Mehdi dig into the messy middle between vision and execution, challenging the notion that growth requires waiting for the "perfect" moment. Instead, Mehdi shares how embracing rapid, calculated...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of The Kee To Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Chuck Worley for an inspiring, no-nonsense conversation about building a business rooted in personal branding, community, and character. Chuck shares his remarkable journey from growing up in a military town and struggling with school challenges, to breaking through industry stereotypes and scaling Whirley’s from a small, struggling company into a $17 million local leader in home services. Chuck and Jen dive deep into the “messy middle”—the real-life detours of entrepreneurship that don’t get talked...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of the Kee to Growth podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group, for a fascinating deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing, AI-enabled websites, and the ongoing digital transformation in the home services trades industry. Jennifer shares her journey from a background in global supply chain and enterprise systems to becoming a pioneering voice in digital marketing for home services. Her approach reflects a unique blend of data-driven strategy, relentless education, and an entrepreneurial spirit focused on learning and...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of The Kee To Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Lawrence DeHart, founder and owner of De Hart Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in Manhattan, Kansas. Lawrence shares his journey of building a thriving home services business from the ground up against all odds, starting with nothing but determination, a $20 box of business cards, and a focus on relationship building. The conversation unfolds with raw honesty, covering the realities of entrepreneurship and how the messiest beginnings often lay the strongest foundations. Lawrence reveals that authentic growth is less...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of The Kee To Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Gregg Schonhorn of SF&P Advisors for a refreshingly candid conversation about marketing, branding, and what truly drives the value of a home services business. Gregg, who brings decades of Wall Street experience and a current role matching sellers and buyers in the trades, shares firsthand insights into what makes some companies stand out during a sale—and how marketing plays a much larger role than most owners realize. Forget the “overnight success” talk. Gregg and Jen break down what actually moves the...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of The Kee To Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Sandy Papavero, Director of Sales and Marketing at CEO Warrior, to unpack the often-overlooked connection between mindset and marketing success for business owners in the trades. The conversation starts with Sandy’s unique journey flipping houses alongside her dad, navigating both blue-collar grit and white-collar strategy—a story that ultimately led her to roles in finance, entrepreneurship, and even coaching at Tony Robbins. Sandy shares how her immersion in mindset work, from timeline therapy to neuro-linguistic...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of the Kee to Growth podcast, host Jen McKee, founder of Kee Hart Marketing, sits down with Ryan Fenn, CEO and founder of Chiirp, an automation tool built to help home service businesses convert more leads into booked jobs. Ryan shares the origin story behind Chiirp, which began with his own windshield repair business and a realization about the power of immediate text follow-ups to convert online leads. This episode explores how automation tools like Chiirp transform the home service industry by closing the critical gap between lead generation and actual job bookings. Jen and...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of the Kee to Growth podcast, host Jen McKee, founder of Kee Hart Marketing, sits down with Ashley Lynds, the creative mind behind HVAC Ash and current Director of Education and Brand Management at Viper (Refrigeration Technologies). Together, they dive deep into the intersection of B2B marketing, personal branding, and influencer strategies within the trades, specifically looking at what's driving growth for brands in the HVAC industry. Ashley shares her journey from navigating sales during COVID-19 to building an authentic and impactful social media presence, revealing how...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
Welcome to the latest episode of Kee to Growth Podcast with your host, Jen McKee. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of home services marketing with our special guest, Tim Brown, CEO and founder of Hook Agency. With a wealth of experience in marketing for the trades, Tim shares his journey from roofing marketing to expanding into HVAC and plumbing, and the strategic insights he gained along the way. This conversation is packed with valuable tips on leveraging video content, optimizing SEO, and harnessing the power of branding to drive business growth. Tim discusses how video content...
info_outlineThe Kee To Growth
In this episode of the Kee to Growth podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Matthew Abbott, cofounder of Abbott Family Insurance, to dive into the world of internal marketing in the trades and how offering employee benefits can transform recruitment, retention, and company culture. Matthew shares his unique journey from growing up in a blue-collar, trades family, serving in the military, and rising through the ranks in the home services industry before launching his family-run insurance agency focused on tradespeople. With firsthand experience in both trades operations and benefits brokering,...
info_outlineIn this episode of The Kee To Growth Podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Sandy Papavero, Director of Sales and Marketing at CEO Warrior, to unpack the often-overlooked connection between mindset and marketing success for business owners in the trades. The conversation starts with Sandy’s unique journey flipping houses alongside her dad, navigating both blue-collar grit and white-collar strategy—a story that ultimately led her to roles in finance, entrepreneurship, and even coaching at Tony Robbins. Sandy shares how her immersion in mindset work, from timeline therapy to neuro-linguistic programming, has shaped not only her own trajectory but also the way she helps business owners unlock their potential.
Sandy addresses a common struggle for home service business owners: the leap from being a skilled technician to embracing the identity of a visionary owner. They discuss how old belief systems—often rooted in childhood or early work experiences—can quietly stall your growth, making it hard to truly delegate, scale, and market authentically. Through relatable anecdotes, Sandy reveals how self-sabotage, imposter syndrome, and a scarcity mindset show up in everything from leadership to branding, and how rewiring those beliefs is essential for sustainable growth.
Jen and Sandy get tactical, exploring how clarity about your own identity and values directly impacts marketing strategy. If you’re stuck in a brain fog, unsure of your "why," or simply mimicking competitors, you’ll struggle to create campaigns that resonate with ideal clients. Instead, Sandy suggests that crystal-clear brand messaging—and the confidence to unapologetically stand out—are the secret sauce to attracting the right customers and building intentional boundaries within your business.
In the latter part of the episode, Jen and Sandy examine the double-edged sword of constant content consumption and perfectionism, especially in the age of AI and information overload. They discuss how to break the loop of “procrastination by preparation,” the importance of specificity in goal setting, and whether you can outsource your brand’s soul to a marketing agency. The episode wraps with practical advice and an invitation: growth happens at the speed of your healing, and it all starts by getting honest about what you truly want.
Timestamps:
01:39 – How Sandy got started in the trades, early influences, and entering marketing
05:14 – Lessons from Tony Robbins, the power of polarizing brands, and identity shift
07:12 – What is mindset? How wiring and belief systems shape business owners
09:30 – How mindset impacts marketing strategies and brand articulation
11:46 – Practical steps to rewire belief systems for personal and business growth
15:05 – The trap of over-consuming marketing advice and perfectionistic procrastination
17:17 – Getting clarity on your “why,” outcome-based strategy, and building authentic brands
19:25 – Can you outsource your brand voice? Working with marketing experts vs. doing the deep work
22:01 – The role of AI in self-reflection and breaking personal barriers in branding
24:24 – Using language, reflection, and coaching for breakthrough shifts in business
To learn more about the transformational work Sandy Papavero and her team are doing at CEO Warrior, visit their official website at https://ceowarrior.com. You can also connect with them on social media — find them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ceowarrior1/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CEOWarrior, where they regularly share resources, events, and strategies to help business owners level up their leadership and growth.
Meet Your Host: Jen McKee
Jen McKee is the founder of Kee Hart Marketing & Events, specializing in award-winning social media strategies for trade services. With expertise in content creation and personal branding, she helps businesses forge authentic connections with their audiences. As the host of the "Kee to Growth" podcast, Jen simplifies marketing strategies and empowers businesses to thrive. Tune in for actionable insights and inspiring stories to elevate your brand!
Connect with Jen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.hartman.73/ or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-mckee-72114824/
Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Kee to Growth in your favorite podcast player.
The Kee to Growth Podcast is Powered by: Kee Hart Marketing, the social media company for the trades. Learn more at www.keehartmarketing.com
This episode was produced and brought to you by the Skilled Trades Syndicate @ServiceBusinessMasteryPodcast https://www.servicebusinessmastery.com/