Note sull'episodio
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Home Service Roundtable! Hosted by veteran entrepreneur Chuck Staszkiewicz—who built his plumbing business from a $2,000 Craigslist van into a $22M enterprise with 130 employees—this show is built to cut through the noise and give home service operators real, battle-tested strategies. In this premiere, Chuck sits down with his co-hosts, sales and scaling expert Shai Arras and former corporate forensic accountant turned CFO Olga Gershgorin, to break down the brutal realities of scaling a trade business—including the massive $500,000 financial blindspot that almost derailed Chuck's empire. Together, the panel exposes the hidden dangers that keep contractors trapped, broke, or flying blind. Olga reveals the biggest accounting lies business owners tell themselves, explaining why cash-basis bookkeeping hides deep financial leaks and why real growth requires hard-close accrual financials. From unwritten partnership traps and employee embezzlement to fixing broken pricing models after a half-million-dollar loss, this episode delivers a raw, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to transition from a "technician in a truck" to a CEO running a multi-million dollar company. About the Host: Chuck Staszkiewicz is an entrepreneur, master plumber, and former founder who spent over 25 years in the trades. After starting with zero capital and a $2,000 van, Chuck scaled his company to $22M in annual revenue and 65 trucks before successfully exiting. Today, Chuck dedicates his energy to mentoring business owners, helping them navigate growth plateaus, master operational efficiency, and achieve true financial independence. About the Guests: Shai Arras is the co-owner of Title Remodeling and founder of One Closed Academy. With 17 years in home services, Shai specializes in door-to-door marketing, sales rep development, and scaling blue-collar businesses into multi-million dollar powerhouses. Olga Gershgorin, CPA is a financial expert with a background in corporate audit, forensic accounting, and high-level CFO advisory. After working in international fraud investigation and venture-backed startups, Olga now focuses on helping trade contractors master accrual accounting, protect their margins, and build bulletproof financials. Key Topics Discussed: The $500,000 Loss at $12M Revenue: How Chuck doubled his workforce to 100 employees during COVID yet still lost half a million dollars—and how fixing his pricing structure saved the company. The Origin of Home Service Roundtable: Why Chuck, Shai, and Olga teamed up to bring real-world advice, financial sanity, and entertainment to the home service industry. From "Chuck in a Truck" to a $22M Exit: How Chuck built a massive plumbing empire from scratch and why setting a target retirement age of 45 kept him driven. The Truth About Financials in the Trades: Why relying on bank account balances or cash-basis bookkeeping leaves contractors blind to hidden losses and embezzlement. Navigating Partnerships & Protecting Your Assets: The expensive lessons learned from handshake deals, bad business partners, and how monthly accountability meetings prevent major explosions. Forensic Accounting & Preventing Internal Theft: Real stories of employee embezzlement in the trades and the step-by-step systems required to lock down your numbers. COVID-19 Pivot Strategies: How adapting sales presentations for outdoor setups allowed smart contractors to dominate while competitors stayed home. Essential Book Recommendations for Business Growth: Top book picks from the hosts including Hal Elrod's The Miracle Morning, Unbound, and Bob Phifer's How to Double Your Profits in Six Months or Less. Ready to stop guessing and start running your home service business like a true CEO? Subscribe to the channel, hit the notification bell, and drop a comment below telling us the biggest challenge you're currently facing in your business!