In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Ellen Rohr, co-founder of Zoom Drain, a rapidly growing drain and sewer franchise now with 60+ locations across the United States. Ellen is also a major industry leader at ServiceTitan where she serves as the brand and industry marketing lead, helping guide thousands of contractors on building better, more profitable companies.

Dan and Ellen explore how she helped grow two national brands so quickly, the most common money and pricing mistakes across the trades, and her best advice for scaling with clarity and confidence. Ellen shares her powerful story of coming into the industry as a plumber's wife, stepping into a struggling business after a sudden tragedy, and turning it around by mastering financials.

The conversation covers Ellen's journey from a four-truck company to becoming president of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, helping grow that franchise from 0 to 47 locations and over $40 million in franchise sales in under two years. She breaks down the three main KPIs: sales, profits, and cash, stressing that most struggling businesses are simply underpriced.

Ellen walks through her pricing philosophy, explaining why home service owners need to reverse engineer their desired income into hourly rates. She demonstrates how wanting $200,000 annual income with 1,000 billable hours requires charging $200 per hour just for salary before any expenses, making $400-500 per hour rates necessary for sustainable growth.

The episode covers the importance of sales skills and financial literacy, with Ellen emphasizing that understanding business mechanics creates tremendous freedom. She shares the Zoom Drain story and her partnership with Al Levy and Jim Kreniti, emphasizing that success requires personal development and grit beyond just following procedures. Ellen addresses brutal moments in business around disappointing people and running out of money, explaining how profitability is essential for maintaining integrity and standards.

Ellen Rohr, Co-founder of Zoom Drain:

Website: https://ellenrohr.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ellen-rohr-5052101

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ellenrohr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellenrohr/

Her Book: https://a.co/d/3ruYEGj

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt

Website: https://danleibrandt.com

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Ellen Rohr

02:58 Turning Challenges into Opportunities

05:58 The Importance of Financial Literacy

09:05 Sales Skills and Business Growth

11:52 Key Performance Indicators for Success

15:01 Pricing Strategies for Profitability

17:47 Understanding Business Fundamentals

21:03 Navigating Business Challenges

23:56 Setting Realistic Financial Goals

27:51 Pricing Strategies for Success

30:13 Thinking Bigger: Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

33:40 The Power of Personal Development

34:49 Lessons from Successful Companies

38:11 The Journey of Zoom Drain

42:33 The Importance of Personal Growth in Business

46:14 Navigating Brutal Moments in Business

51:05 Embracing Opportunities in Home Services

#homeservicebusiness #profitability #businessfinance #franchising #pricing