The Successful Contractor

The Celebrity Apprentice Kicks Off Huge Branding Campaign

Clockwork Home Services® shared the small screen with Donald Trump, Sharon Osborne, and a host of other celebrities during the May 2 episode of “The Celebrity Apprentice” on NBC. Clockwork Home Services will now leverage the unprecedented publicity they received on the show throughout the rest of the year in the hopes of attracting both new customers and franchisees.

Nuts & Bolts

Direct Energy, one of North America’s leading integrated energy and services companies acquired the assets and business of Clockwork Home Services®, Inc. for US$183 million.

Software: To Buy or Not To Buy?

Today, many contractors use an accounting package, like QuickBooks or Peachtree, but don’t have a package that has call taking, dispatching, marketing, productivity, inventory, service agreement, or sales management modules. Over the years, many contractors have wondered, “When should I invest in software specifically for the contracting industry?” 

What are the three reasons to invest in a fully integrated software program for contractors?

Sell More or BuyMax?

Benjamin Franklin once said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Is this really true?
In the game of business, there is an easy equation that is used on our Profit and Loss Statement that tells us how much profit we earn each month and each year. You know that Sales – Expenses = Profit. In the simplest terms, to earn more money we either have to increase sales or decrease expenses to drive more profit dollars.
Which is easier to do?

by Rebecca Cassel

Independent Contractors Stand Up For Themselves

Across the Country, Contractors Unite to Take on Big Box Stores and Wall Street Consolidators by Negotiating Best Prices on the Everyday Items Needed to Operate their Businesses!

Clockwork Franchises Tops in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500

Clockwork Home Services Inc. announced in January that its three franchises have all been ranked among the nation’s top 500 franchises for 2010, according to Entrepreneur’s 31st annual “Franchise 500®” issue, which is published in the January 2010 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.

Making Easy Money at Your Desk

Your technician just made a $10,000 sale! You jump out of your chair and give the man a huge bear hug. Everyone cheers! The day is saved by the $10,000 sale! And, it is great, but just how great is it really?

by Terry Nicholson

Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Contractors Coming To Sunday Night on NBC

“My friends at Mister Sparky, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, and One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning practice what they preach — time is money,” said Donald Trump. “Punctuality is a key requirement in business. Be sure to tune in as they make Apprentice history by doing something no other brand has done."

What does a Mogul Aerialist Know About Electricity?

Murdy is a Level 3 professional ski instructor and a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) mogul and aerialist coach, but his day job is as the president of Murdy Electric Co. Inc., in Oceanside, N.Y., where his company performs 80 percent residential and 20 percent commercial work.

by Tom Watts

Hard Work Made the Toys Possible, Sent the Kids to College

Second home in Key West? Check. WaveRunners® for use at the second home? Check. A motor home to enjoy vacations? Check. Those are just some of the toys that Beverly Goshern, former owner of Candlelight Electric in Denver was able to purchase after learning how to run her business the right way from Clockwork Home Services, Inc.

by Kyle Gargaro

Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Contractors Coming To Sunday Night on NBC

For the first time in the history of the hit television show “The Celebrity Apprentice,” three brands will be featured during just one task as celebrity guests vie for the role of Donald Trump’s No. 1 apprentice choice during season No. 3. In fact, this is the first time that any service brand has been integrated into the show.

Strong HVAC Business Fuels Rapid Electrical Growth

Wilson, 40, owner and general manager of Mister Sparky in Baton Rouge, La., employs 13 people, including both One Hour and Mister Sparky franchises. During a 12-month period from September 2008 to August 2009, his Mister Sparky business — made up of 99 percent residential clients — amassed nearly $1.2 million in revenue.

by Tom Watts

BuyMax Alliance Growing Stronger

The concept of leveraging one’s purchasing power during negotiations is far from novel. Face it — it’s all about the Deal. You want the deal, so does your customer.

Ask The Experts

Q: I just got my latest rates from my insurance rep, and my rates are skyrocketing. What can I do to get them down? — Mike, Ohio

LEADERSHIP: Rising Tides and Sinking Ships

It’s been hard to avoid stories of companies failing over the past year, but when a company finally goes under, sifting out the real reason isn’t always that tough. Companies don’t fail. People fail.

by Terry Nicholson

Interest Free, Deferred Payment Loans For Contractors

The plumbing residential service and replacement market in the Oshkosh, Wis., area had been pretty steady until about the fall of 2008. Plumbing contracting businesses such as EC Merrill Inc. had cleanup jobs on their books from area flooding. But when that business “dried up” and the recession continued, those same plumbing contractors found it tough to keep cash flowing.

by Kelly Faloon

What They Don’t Teach You At Trade School

While Ivy League schools boast graduates that are heads of state and leaders of industry, Clockwork is quietly helping thousands of contracting business owners achieve success that would rival theirs.

by Mike Murphy

“Why I Left UPS for a Plumbing Career”

When Mike Fowler took early retirement from his management position at United Parcel Service (UPS) in 1995, he didn’t imagine that one day he would own a Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchise.

by Kelly Faloon

A TRIUMPH OF HUMAN SPIRIT (And Business Expertise!)

Buried in a $150,000 hole, Ed Valot clawed his way back, then turned his business into one of the fastest growing electrical companies in the country. What can you learn from his remarkable story?

SUCCESS STORY: Second Mortgage Saved My Business

Connie Blackwell was 40 years old, divorced, living back in the neighborhood she grew up in, and working nights at K-Mart while her dad watched her three sons. Not exactly a glamorous existence. Flash forward a few years, and Blackwell is the owner of the highly successful heating and air conditioning company, Rose Brothers.

by Kyle Gargaro

History in the Making: Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC Contractors in Positive Light on Top-rated Television Show

The founders of Clockwork Home Services are no strangers to celebrity. John Young and Jim Abrams are often referred to as legends in the industry. With three of the fastest-growing franchises in the United States to their credits, they will have the opportunity to challenge Hollywood celebrities on national television as they are scheduled to appear on Donald Trump’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

by Mike Murphy

How A Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® Franchise Is Prospering In This Tough Economy

The president of one of the most successful Benjamin Franklin Plumbing franchises shares her secrets.

Paul Bigham joins a franchise - Planning For The Future

To combat increased competition in the future, HVAC contractor Paul Bigham becomes a One Hour® franchise.

On A Roll!

How a Georgia electrician used the Mister Sparky® brand and the right tools to build a residential service business – and create a life outside the office.

Good News For Contractors That Need Cash Now!

What Does The Future Hold?

An industry group predicts the HVAC marketplace will undergo widespread change and enjoy high-volume growth in the next 10 years. The bad news? New competition will force many small, independent contractors out of business.

Frank Harrison joins a success group Planning For The Future

Frank Harrison has heard about all the new competition his HVAC company will face in 2018. But this independent contractor has a vision of what his company should be, an innovative spirit, and a particular, singleminded determination to serve customers.

A Search For Redemption!

Type here