Leadership Lounge With Jack Tester

Dr. Robert Cialdini's books on influence and persuasion have sold over 3 million copies. He shares his insights on influence and persuasion, and talks about one of his six principles, Authority. Dr. Ciandini shares how to effectively communicate your authority as a leader.

Ed Cerier was Nexstar's first marketing coach. He tells Jack about his journey from a career in advertising in the mid 1980s to his present position as Nexstar's Marketing Manager. Marketing is all about having a plan, Cerier says, and making sure you've got the right people to put that plan into action.

Jack interviews Wyatt Hepworth, owner of Any Hour Electric, Plumbing, Heating and Air. Any Hour's revenue increased from $1.5 million to $40 million over 10 years. The company employs over 225 technicians. The two discuss Hepworth's career arc, and how he realized that if he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, he needed to find a better business model – one that included a team leadership approach. 

Jack talks with former FBI agent, body language expert, and best-selling author Joe Navarro. Joe tells the story of arriving in the United States as a refugee during the Cuban missile crisis, and not knowing English. It formed his fascination with understanding people by reading body language. The two talk about the importance of body language for home service technicians, who are constantly meeting and greeting strangers.

Jack interviews Nexstar member Rob Carr, owner of Mel Carr Electric. Rob talks about how building camaraderie with everyone on your team creates a foundation of support that fosters the cooperation you need to achieve business goals. 

Explore the Trades executive director Kate Cinnamo talks about the work the foundation is doing to change how students and parents view careers in the trades.

Jack chats with Nexstar board of directors member Mary Jean Anderson. Her company, Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air, does more than $30 million in revenue and employs 109 people. Her face is on the company's trucks, but she'll be the first to say it's her people who make the business successful. Anderson tells the story of how she went from being a nurse to helping her husband right-size his struggling business. 

Nexstar's head of operations Julian Scadden talks about his experience as an underprivileged young man who worked his way through plumbing jobs by learning as he went. Ethnicity, Julian explains, should never be a barrier to finding a good job that turns into a career. He tells the story of how he found his path.

Jack interviews Brian Cranney, owner of Cranney Home Services and a Nexstar member for over 12 years. Cranney shares how he grew his business by transitioning from commercial to residential and adding services. He talks about the difference between the two sets of customers. 

Jack talks with Perfect Plumbing, Heating & Air owner Marty Cullen, who purchased the company knowing pretty much nothing about plumbing, just before the start of The Great Recession. Cullen talks about how he pushed through to success. 

Jack talks with Nexstar trainer Bobby Hamilton, who's a licensed third-generation plumber. Hamilton walks through his career and talks about what it's like to grow up with 12 siblings. He notes that coworkers are another form of a family, and they share similar dynamics. 

Jodi Peter, who began her career as a service manager, has been a Nexstar business coach since 2008. She talks about what it was like to start at one of the lowest levels in the industry and succeed in a male dominated industry.

John Taffer is best known for his reality show "Bar Rescue." He's often referred to as the Gordon Ramsay of the bar and nightclub business. He and Jack talk about how authenticity can transform any kind of company, whether it's in the trades or the hospitality business.

Jack speaks with leadership expert and best-selling author John Maxwell, who spoke at a Nexstar Super Meeting.  The two trade stories about what led to their callings, and the importance of understanding why you are drawn to a career.

Jack talks with Jamie DiDomenico, whose multiple company locations employ more than 250 people and generate close to $40 million in annual revenue. DiDomenico tells how he went from a college drop-out and working the graveyard shift for a service company to becomming the VP of operations by the age of 36. The most valuable thing he's learned along the way is that the relationship with a current customer is worth three times as much as a transactional customer. 

Jack chats with Wayne Boothe, the founder and CEO of Boothe's Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Wayne is not shy about admitting that he's a high school dropout. Hard work and tenacity helped him grow his business, but he says the turning point was admitting that he didn't know what he didn't know. 

Jack welcomes back Hero Plumbing, Heating & Cooling owner Josh Savage. Josh talks to Jack about the challenges of finding and retaining good people, and the frustration of employee turnover. 

Jack interviews Phil Frasier, whose company Frasier Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is celebrating its 100th year in business. A lot of family stories and business ups and downs fit in that century. Phil shares the legacy.

Edan Bar-Lev started Do It Right Plumbers from scratch and became a Nexstar member before the company was launched. He talks to Jack about his professional start as a chef after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, to getting a license as a plumber so he could get into the trades. The connection? Understanding the necessity of customer satisfaction and good reviews.