From the Yellow Chair
Home Service Industry marketing and branding gurus, Crystal Williams and Emily Fleniken speak the language of contractors by talking condensers, co-op dollars, service agreements, and equipment warranties, but also the language of entrepreneurs by talking ROI, creative strategy, trending tactics, employee retention, and community engagement. You’ll be entertained by the comical banter, but informed by the holistic approach to marketing and branding. On the daily, you’ll find this dynamic duo working the grind at Lemon Seed Marketing, but this podcast is an outlet for us to share their experiences with the masses, From the Yellow Chair.
Episodes
204 episodes
Coach or Guru? Navigating the Noise in the Trades
Growth stalls when we expect marketing to fix what’s really an operational problem. We dig into the honest math of margins, staffing, and process with Joe O’Grady of Team SPG, and we map out how to turn ad spend into predictable revenue without...
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Episode 205
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25:44
Why Every Brand Needs a Story and How to Tell It Well with James Erskine
What makes a brand memorable isn’t volume, it’s precision. We sit down with James Erskine, CEO of Rocket, to explore how one product can hold multiple stories—and why telling the right one to the right person is the difference between being not...
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Episode 204
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26:18
The Missing Link Between Leads and Revenue with Kathrine Farris
What if your marketing wasn’t a stack of disconnected tools but a living system that turns attention into revenue every day? We sit down with Kathrine Farris of MarkeTecs to map the path from inspired ideas to measurable conversions, showing ho...
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Episode 203
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20:55
Over-Responsibility: The Silent Profit Killer in Home Services with guest Roger Daviston
What if the trait you’re most proud of—being the one who always steps in—quietly destroys your profit and peace of mind? We dive into over-responsibility as a hidden profit killer and lay out a practical plan to reclaim your time, your culture,...
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Episode 202
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47:10
2025 Lemon Wrapped
Stop chasing silver bullets and start stacking real wins. We’re taking you through the most useful, unfiltered moments of 2025—what worked for contractors, what flopped, and how to build a brand that outlasts any algorithm. From booking rate be...
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Episode 201
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23:44
The Gift of a Good Brand
Want your marketing to feel smoother, your sales to close faster, and your decisions to get easier? We dig into the real gifts of a strong brand and why it’s the best investment you can make heading into a new year. Forget the myth that a brand...
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Episode 200
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17:23
Behind the Curtain of an Internal CMO
Want a marketing plan that survives platform changes, rising CPCs, and slow seasons? We sit down with CMO Matt Tyner to unpack a practical playbook for home service companies that blends brand building with capacity-aware demand generation. Fro...
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Episode 199
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43:34
Behind the Scenes: Great American Brand Story 2025 Winners, Skagit Plumbing
A new logo didn’t change everything—owning a clear promise did. We sit down with Mark and Teresa Summers of Skagit Plumbing to unpack how winning the Great American Brand Story set off a deeper transformation: a cousin-made logo gave way to a b...
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Episode 198
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32:04
Unlock the mystery of building a strong foundation with Dave Sullivan
Ready to stop chasing topline and start building a business that lasts? We sit down with Dave Sullivan—third-generation contractor, founder of The Roofer Show, and coach to growth-minded owners—to unpack how real progress comes from balancing t...
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Episode 197
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28:55
Creative Ways To Show Thanks To Your Customers
Loyalty doesn’t happen at the invoice; it happens in the simple, human moments after the job. We break down a practical gratitude playbook for home service brands—HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and beyond—so you can turn happy customers into repea...
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Episode 196
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13:36
Smart Pricing in Home Services: Profits without fear
Ever wonder why some shops can charge premium prices without flinching while others apologize their way through every estimate? We unpack the playbook for home service pros who want to price with confidence, execute with precision, and market w...
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Episode 195
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21:49
The Importance of the Speed to Lead With Danielle from Contractors In Charge
Leads aren’t dying. They’re expiring while your team gets to them. We unpack a practical playbook for contractors to capture more jobs without buying more clicks, focusing on speed to lead across online scheduling, AI-enabled chat, and automate...
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Episode 194
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21:11
From Technician to Leader: The Untold Transition
Tired of launching “great ideas” that die in the field? We break down a practical playbook for moving from technician to owner and getting your team to champion marketing initiatives without the eye rolls. The throughline: earn trust, speak wit...
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Episode 193
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13:47
Ugh, Another Slow Month?!? Is it Ops or Marketing?
Shoulder season has a way of telling the truth. When the weather stops handing you leads, response-based digital channels cool off, and the real drivers of growth—outbound effort and tight operations—step into the spotlight. We walk through a p...
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Episode 192
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14:56
Navigating your business with your partner - the good, the bad, the ugly
What if working with your spouse or sibling could be your unfair advantage instead of a constant tug-of-war? We sit down with women leading HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and home service companies to unpack the real playbook for thriving in busin...
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Episode 191
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42:02
3 Home Service Marketing Strategies You’ve Probably Never Tried (But Really Should)
Ever wonder why some home service brands feel trustworthy before they even quote the job? We pull back the curtain on three simple, overlooked moves that stack trust fast: a brand ecosystem audit, a hyperlocal micro influencer network, and a do...
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Episode 190
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20:30
Maintenance Club EXTRAS: Growing Revenue During the Slow Season
Phones get quiet, bills don’t. We tackle the slow-season squeeze head-on with a blueprint for building maintenance clubs that are easy to sell, rich with perks, and powerful enough to turn downtime into dependable revenue. Rachel kicks things o...
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Episode 189
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20:04
Stop the Scatter: Smart Marketing Systems for Home Service Businesses
Most contractors don’t have a marketing problem—they have a systems problem. We sat down with Skip Wilson, CEO of Draft Media Partners and a veteran of iHeart’s digital era, to break down how to replace tactic-hopping with a durable plan that c...
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Episode 188
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32:42
From Operator to Owner: Scaling Smarter with Ryan Lee
Tired of adding hours and still feeling stuck? We dive straight into the moves that create freedom: pricing for profit, selling outcomes in the home, and using a simple, layered marketing mix that actually compounds results. Our guest, Ryan Lee...
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Episode 187
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31:20
AI-Powered Sales: How Distance Helps Service Businesses Win More
How quickly are you responding to potential customers? In today's instant-gratification marketplace, that question might determine whether your contracting business thrives or struggles. When a homeowner discovers a pest problem at midnight or ...
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Episode 186
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26:18
Top 5 Dumbest Mistakes Contractors Make (Are YOU on our List?)
Ever wonder why some contractors seem to explode onto the scene while others struggle for decades without significant growth? The answer lies in avoiding what Crystal Williams and Eric Thomas call "the dumbest marketing mistakes" that plague th...
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Episode 185
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1:02:38
Pay Smarter, Grow Faster: A Conversation with FieldPay’s Flavia de la Fuente
The search for qualified HVAC talent has contractors desperate for innovative solutions. In this eye-opening conversation, Crystal welcomes Flavia De La Fuente, founder of Field Pay, who's pioneering a revolutionary approach to compensation tha...
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Episode 184
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27:27
Beyond the Algorithm: Marketing That Doesn’t Bow to Google
Feeling trapped in the Google advertising hamster wheel? You're not alone. As contractors face rising ad costs and diminishing returns from traditional search marketing, many are desperately seeking alternatives—but fear venturing into unfamili...
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Episode 183
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30:31
You're Only as Strong as Your Bench: Why Team Strength Matters in Home Services
Ever wonder why your service business hits a ceiling despite your best marketing efforts? The answer might not be in your advertising strategy but in your leadership bench strength.In this enlightening conversation, Crystal welcomes lea...
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Episode 182
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36:05
Tracking Marketing- How do I Know if my Marketing is Working?
Ready to transform your contracting business? Crystal, co-founder and lead strategist at Lemon Seed Marketing, breaks down the three essential mindshifts that separate thriving contractors from those constantly struggling with marketing frustra...
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Episode 181
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12:24
