Contractors’ Stories Podcast
Contractors’ Stories is a deep dive into the lives of home service contractors from all walks of life. Learn what makes successful business owners tick in the home service world. The host, Jim Klauck has been interviewing contractors for 20 years on his radio show, The Check A Pro Radio Show, and now brings the stories of contractors to life in this podcast – Contractors’ Stories. Tune in every week for a new episode, where we learn about the contractor that built the successful home service company.
Contractors’ Stories is a deep dive into the lives of home service contractors from all walks of life. Learn what makes successful business owners tick in the home service world. The host, Jim Klauck has been interviewing contractors for 20 years on his radio show, The Check A Pro Radio Show, and now brings the stories of contractors to life in this podcast – Contractors’ Stories. Tune in every week for a new episode, where we learn about the contractor that built the successful home service company.
Episodes

Monday Apr 22, 2024
Al Levi Inspiring Today's Home Service Professional
Monday Apr 22, 2024
Monday Apr 22, 2024
In this memorable episode of Contractor Stories, host Jim Klauck from Check A Pro presents an engaging conversation with industry leader, Al Levi. Known for his significant contributions in the contracting world, Al shares invaluable insights from his own life and prosperous career, and how embracing accountability led to transformative personal and professional growth.
Al's journey, rich with inspiring anecdotes from his childhood, reveals how instilled work ethics guided him to success. Discover how he shaped from feeling incompetent to becoming one of the top names in the industry, realizing the powerful role mentorship plays along the way. His father's constant guidance created a positive influence that helped mold his career path.
Throughout this riveting episode, Al candidly reflects on his past mistakes and learnings, offering invaluable insights to listeners about life and business. Delve deep into his experiences, from initializing in a family firm to experiencing the transformative power of mentorship. Learn from his account on transforming apprentices into skilled technicians resulting in the building of a successful career.
Al’s exploration into his life-changing realization of how his actions impacted his life and business will leave you contemplating. He shares his strong belief and ethos, ‘Don’t ever do anything or ask anyone to do anything that you have not done yourself,’ reflecting years of his consulting experience worldwide.
Unveil the beauty of resilience as Al paves his path through the uncomfortable and unfamiliar, stepping out of his comfort zone to build a flourishing business. Al also shares his perspective on overcoming tough times, explaining his belief in how pain and reward can lead to monumental change. With his recommended must-read, ‘The E-Myth’ by Michael Gerber, discover more about Al and his insightful tales that are bound to inspire and motivate.

Monday Apr 15, 2024
Billy Stevens - 100 X Growth! A Plumber's Journey - SERA & billyGo
Monday Apr 15, 2024
Monday Apr 15, 2024
In this introspective episode of Contractors' Stories, our host, Jim Klauck, engages in a revealing conversation with Billy Stevens- a plumber turned entrepreneur and industry disruptor. Billy shares his captivating journey from inheriting a small plumbing company to driving its growth into an industry-leading enterprise. Learn about the groundbreaking strategies and innovations behind the staggering 100x growth of his initial company.
Billy also spills the beans on his successful private equity ventures and how he managed to shape a precedent-setting enterprise with his Stanford-educated partners. Hear about the creation of his revolutionary software, SERA, that enhances customer experience by eliminating redundancies and facilitating ease-of-business.
This enlightening narrative illuminates how Billy, once a common plumber, ascended to become a software genius and a successful businessman. He continues to turn industry norms on their head, while staying grounded in his appreciation for the trade that gave him his start. Join us to unravel Billy's story of transforming a struggling small-scale enterprise into an industry-changing giant.
Also, delve into our discussion about Sarah- Billy's AI-based software that aims to redefine customer service in the contracting industry. Understand how this software ranks calls based on priority to connect customers with the right technician in real-time. The episode takes you through Billy's journey from being an adventure-lover to becoming a trailblazing entrepreneur, shedding light on the strategic decisions leading to his business's triumphs.
Finally, travel along with Billy's continuing mission to refine the contracting world's services, full of insights, inspiration, and legitimate stories on how to progress in the home service industry.
Join us in this riveting episode, "Maximizing Potential with Smart Technology: The SERA/billyGo Story," where Billy shares his life’s highs and lows, his path to find his place, and the secret behind his success in the industry.

Monday Apr 08, 2024
The Inspiring Journey of Tommy Mello - A1 Garage Door Service
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Monday Apr 08, 2024
In this engaging podcast episode, Jim Klauck sits down with renowned entrepreneur, Tommy Mello. Known widely for his exceptional business acumen and time management skills, Tommy shares his journey from basement beginnings to projected earnings between $550,000 to $800,000 a day by 2025. Learn the secret behind his motivation and how he uses his success as a reminder of the value of time and eventual possibilities.
Get Tommy's Books: ELEVATE and Home Service Millionaire
Delving into his humble start in landscaping and his move into the garage door industry, Tommy lays bare his business strategy. From investing in personal growth, outsourcing, and seizing opportunities often overlooked by others - Tommy offers invaluable nuggets of wisdom for both budding and thriving entrepreneurs.
Listen in as Tommy discusses his passion beyond the realm of business - automobiles. Not steeped in luxury but deeply tied to nostalgia, Tommy shares his love for a 68 convertible and the special memory associated with his girl friend's grandfather.
Casting light on the growth of his business, A1 Garage Door Service, we explore how Tommy used economic downturns as a fantastic opportunity to scale and take over market share. He has built his company to potentially earn over 200 million with further expansion plans across 21 states. This episode highlights Tommy's belief that economic recessions breed billionaires.
Beyond his financial achievements, this episode delves deeper into Tommy’s personal journey, his early days spent painting garage doors, a successful partnership in home service, and the transformative impact of mentor Al Levy's guidance. Tune in to listen to Tommy’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey and his practical strategies for success.
In this episode rich with life lessons, Tommy further shares his perspectives on higher education, his win-win business philosophy, and how his leadership style has helped drive his business growth. He also provides sage advice to his younger self, underlining the importance of investment, focus, and understanding business financials.
Experience this riveting discussion, and seize the opportunity to learn from Tommy Mello's experiences. Embark on your own successful entrepreneurial journey through the lessons that this business tycoon has to share.
Suggested Book: Tommy Mello's ELEVATE

Learn From The Pros In Home Improvement
Contractors’ Stories is a deep dive into the lives of home service contractors from all walks of life. Learn what makes successful business owners tick in the home service world. The host, Jim Klauck has been interviewing contractors for 20 years on his radio show, The Check A Pro Radio Show, and now brings the stories of contractors to life in this podcast – Contractors’ Stories. Tune in every week for a new episode, where we learn about the contractor that built the successful home service company.







