Episode Overview
Chris Ramsay came to Pantheon 2024 in Orlando as Operations Manager at ICE Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing in Las Vegas. Previously, his career had been a rollercoaster journey – from sweeping floors as a teen to his present task of scaling a 40-employee company.
In Ramsay’s first industry job, his father had two business partners. All had sons. When a disagreement arose, Ramsey found himself on the outside.
“ Family doesn't always mix well together in business,” Ramsay says. “And so, we all found it best for me to go somewhere else. I’m super grateful for that opportunity.”
The trades are filled with second- and third-generation owners, but Ramsay would warn companies not to just hand a company down because of familial ties.
“I would say you shouldn’t do that,” he says. “...A high percentage of second-generation businesses fail.”
Ramsay believes in his case it was better that he left and built a company on his own.
He moved around a few times before landing with a business partner at ICE. After getting exasperated with a different software platform, Ramsey struck a deal with ServiceTitan.
He says that was a key decision that set up ICE for success. Ramsay believes getting that right early enough in the life of the company saved him trouble down the road.
“If you can implement ServiceTitan and pro products and things like that when you're smaller, as you grow, it's less of a headache,” Ramsay says.
The biggest lesson he learned, from trial and error, was to keep processes simple.
“A lot of contractors want to make things complex,” he says. “They want a two-hour process for somebody in the home. I don't think it needs to be that complicated.”
If technicians understand that they're there to service the homeowner, he says, it doesn't need to be a dog-and-pony show.
Chris Ramsey recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included Ramsey’s thoughts on:
[1:50] Rocky exits and failed business partnerships
[7:20] Implementing new tech stacks and preventing future hiccups
[9:25] Implement processes when you’re small
[16:39] Game-changing software that’s driving efficiency
[18:50] Consider not leaving your family business to your children
To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.
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