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He lays out three options, then he stops talking. Sometimes for two full minutes.

Ray Kinder is the senior technician at Perfect Star Heating, Cooling and Electrical in Antioch, California. Last year he did $2.4 million in sales and service. He is not a salesman by training. He came out of union drywall, got his GED, and promised himself he would be in a profession by 25. At 25 his brother-in-law Chris, who owns Perfect Star, put him on a duct crew, where he stayed a year before he ever touched an air conditioner. Fourteen years later he trains the team, and here he walks Bob Houchin through his entire call.

He makes a friend on the walk up, because people buy from people they like. He asks permission before he shares a single finding. He never asks about budget, because the people you least expect are often the ones who want the platinum package.

Then he presents, top down, and goes quiet. He plays with his wedding ring and looks down, the way Chris used to do it with his glasses, and waits out a silence that can feel like an hour. Most of the time it ends with the homeowner wanting to move today.

When the price lands hard, Ray agrees with them. It is a lot of money, and in 14 years it has never gotten cheaper, so today is the best price they will see. Then he walks the equipment again until they say the condition out loud themselves, because when it is the client's idea, it is the best idea.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

• The permission question that turns a tune-up into a sales conversation

• Why he refuses to guess what a homeowner can afford

• The word he will not say out loud, and what he calls it instead

• The product he did not believe in until his son was born

• The advice he would give himself ten years ago, in one sentence

Whether you run a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or roofing company, this is an hour with a technician who can explain exactly how he sells.

Watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to subscribe to The Successful Contractor for more interviews that move the needle.

About the Show

The Successful Contractor is a podcast for residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing contractors. Hosted by Bob Houchin, each episode features real contractor growth stories, hard-won business insights, and practical takeaways for building a profitable home services company.

Meet the Host

Bob Houchin has spent 20+ years immersed in the home services industry — listening to, learning from, and serving the people who run it. As host of The Successful Contractor, he's interviewed hundreds of the brightest minds in the trades. Beyond the mic, Bob is a Senior Strategist at CertainPath, building the training, onboarding programs, keynotes, and playbooks used by 1,200+ residential service companies. His motto: smart contractors learn from their mistakes; wise contractors learn from the mistakes of others.

About CertainPath

CertainPath is a business coaching and training organization that has built successful home service businesses for more than 25 years. We serve 1,200+ member companies across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing with professional coaching, training for every role, software solutions, and a vendor partner network that delivers millions in member rebates every year. Doubling your sales with a 20% net profit and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain.

Connect

CertainPath: https://www.mycertainpath.com