In the episode Eric and Bill interview Chris Wisniewski, a high-end residential HVAC contractor. Chris shares his journey from having no initial interest in HVAC, influenced by his father's work, to taking over the family business after college. He emphasizes the importance of being in the field and understanding the technical aspects, leading to his interest in control systems and the evolution of his business from industrial to high-end and standard residential services.
Chris discusses the business's transition towards high-end residential work in the city (NYC), incorporating standard residential projects, and the challenges of adapting to different market demands. He highlights his commitment to quality, the struggles with business coaching programs focused more on sales than HVAC specifics, and his dissatisfaction with standard residential HVAC approaches. Chris stresses quality installations and the challenge of pricing them competitively without compromising standards.
Finally, Chris speaks on the recruitment challenges in the HVAC industry, especially the difficulty in finding dedicated and skilled technicians. He shares his company's approach to integrating new technology, providing value, and maintaining high standards. He also reflects on the importance of choosing the right customers and projects that align with the company's ethos, emphasizing that while it may limit scaling, it ensures the company remains true to its values and delivers high-quality, satisfying work.
Chris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswisniewskinj/
His business, ICS: http://www.icshvac.com/
You will also find him active in the HVAC Owners Group on Facebook.
This episode was recorded in December 2023.
EP164 Behind the Scenes at ACCA 2024: A Dialogue with Ed Janowiak (MARCH 2024)
EP163 Lies, Damn Lies and Manometer Readings with Jesse Smith (MARCH 2024)
EP162 Inside HVAC: Codes, Standards, and Shaping the Future at ACCA 2024 With Wes Davis, ACCA (MARCH 2024)
EP161 Connecting the Dots: HVAC Excellence Conference Highlights and Industry Evolution With Josh Crawley & Casey Prater (April 2024)
EP160 From Recovery to Revolution: The Jason Julian HVAC Journey With Jason Julian (February 2024)
EP159 Blueprints to Bytes: How Russ King is Redefining HVAC with Technology With Russ King (February 2024)
EP158 Comfort, Co-ops, and Climate Care: Revolutionizing HVAC in Ontario With Victor Hyman (February 2024)
EP157 Heat Pumps, Homes, and High Tech Amply Energy's HVAC Evolution With Ed Smith and Eric Fitz (February 2024)
EP155 Sustainable Spaces: The Journey from Efficiency to Humanity in Design With Vali Homes (November 2023)
EP154 Closing the Gap: AeroSeal's Quest for Net-Zero Buildings With Amit Gupta (January 2024)
EP153 HVACR Horizons: From 12-Year-Old Prodigies to Industry Pioneers With Eric & Bill (February 2024)
EP152 Ralph Wolf's HVAC Odyssey: Lessons, Laughs, and Legacies (December 2023)
EP151 From Ice to Inspiration: Highlights at the AHR Expo (January 2024)
EP150 Filtering the Future - The Journey of John Ellis in Reinventing Air Quality (November 2023)
EP149 More Than Just Fixing Furnaces: Why NCI is the Heartbeat of the HVAC Industry With Dominick Guarino (December 2023)
EP148 Trade Secrets Revealed: Inside Classset, the Platform Building a Blue-Collar Boom with Cooper Newby (November 2023)
EP147 Building science haiku with Shawna Henderson November 2023
EP146 Around the country in 227 days Or ELK's 2023 Travelogue (December 2023)
EP145 Product innovation from Holland - a conversation with Niek-Jan Bink of ACIN Instruments (October 2023)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
LifeBlood
Meditation Life Skills Podcast
Science of Reading: The Podcast
Old Fashioned On Purpose
The Minimal Mom