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Most home service businesses struggle to find good employees. Tommy Mello has 350 of them actively recruiting for him.
As founder of A1 Garage Door Service, Tommy has built a remarkable empire spanning 15 states with plans to reach $300 million in revenue this year. But his ultimate goal isn’t just ambitious, it’s audacious: building the first billion-dollar home service company in history.
What makes Tommy different isn’t just his vision, it’s his systematic approach to the fundamentals that most contractors ignore. While others complain about labor shortages, Tommy has turned every employee into a recruiter. While competitors focus solely on lead generation, Tommy understands that recruiting great people is the ultimate lead generation strategy.
From starting with limited capital in 2007 to developing a billion-dollar roadmap written on his office whiteboard, Tommy’s journey reveals the systems, mindset, and strategic thinking required to scale beyond what most home service owners think possible.
His approach challenges conventional wisdom: instead of just posting job requirements, sell your company. Instead of competing on price, build relationships that make price irrelevant. Instead of working in your business, build systems that run without you.
• Recruiting is the ultimate lead generation strategy because 350 employees generating 10 leads each creates 3,500 leads per week
• Four essential KPIs drive everything: average ticket, conversion rate, booking rate, and cost per acquisition
• Employee culture directly impacts customer acquisition when team members become brand ambassadors and recruiters
• Systems and processes must be documented to create a business that operates like a franchise model
This show is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a web design and SEO agency focused on helping home service companies grow.
Tommy’s most counterintuitive insight is treating recruiting as the primary business function, not just an HR necessity. “We’re a recruiting company that’s very good with software that loves sales and happens to be in garage doors. I put those three things before I put garage doors.”
This mindset shift changes everything. Instead of posting generic job ads that scare people away with “must work nights and weekends,” Tommy sells the opportunity. A1’s Indeed page features 154 five-star reviews from employees, comprehensive benefits information, and videos showcasing company culture.
Tommy offers employees three ways to make money, targeting $100,000 annual income:
Primary Job Performance: Base pay plus performance bonuses based on reviews, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction.
Active Recruiting: $1,500 for every person they bring on who gets hired through their personal portal.
Lead Generation: Personal call tracking numbers and scheduling portals that pay percentages on every job they generate, even if they don’t perform the work.
This system turns every employee into a business development representative. CSRs can earn significant income from leads they generate through networking, social media, and community involvement.
Tommy recently hired George, a leader in Business Network International (BNI) groups, specifically for his networking abilities. “He’s gonna go to the 30 BNI groups in Minneapolis with 50-60 people each. Even if there’s another garage company, he’s gonna say, ‘This is what we do.'”
The strategy creates a multiplier effect: one networker accessing 1,500+ business professionals who each have their own networks. Instead of competing for unemployed workers, Tommy recruits employed people to quit their current jobs for better opportunities.
“Every time you’re at a restaurant, you talk to the busboy. Every time you get a haircut, you’re talking to the hairdresser. If your employees learn that, you got 350 recruiters out there.” – Tommy Mello
While most contractors track revenue and hope for profit, Tommy focuses on four specific metrics that drive all business decisions:
Tommy includes zeros (jobs that don’t close) and subtracts parts costs to get “sales less materials.” This gives the true profit picture rather than inflated revenue numbers.
“Conversion rate’s probably the most important because they called us out, they got a broken garage door, we should be able to convert that.” Tommy’s teams consistently achieve high conversion rates through relationship-building rather than transactional interactions.
The percentage of phone calls that result in scheduled appointments. Tommy emphasizes that CSRs who book 90% versus 60% of calls can generate an extra $1 million annually for the business.
Understanding exactly what it costs to acquire each customer allows for strategic marketing spend decisions and ROI calculations.
Tommy reviews these numbers every single day during his first 30 minutes in the office. “I’ve got four or five pages sitting on my desk of every major thing from our CSRs to our dispatchers, to our technicians, to our markets. I know everything every single day.”
Weekly “Financial Quick Check” meetings dive deeper into performance across all markets, with monthly deep dives into each location’s specific metrics.
“I don’t rely so much on emotion anymore. It’s the numbers and they kind of dictate what we do.” – Tommy Mello
Four years ago, Tommy wrote “1 billion dollars” on his office whiteboard. But unlike most entrepreneurs who stop at the dream, he reverse-engineered the entire path.
Goal: $1 billion in revenue
Average ticket: $500
Revenue per technician: $500,000 annually
Required technicians: 2,000
From there, Tommy calculated:
“I showed my managers this board and they go, ‘Holy sh*t. You’re not kidding.’ They go, ‘This is real.’ Now they’re like, now you can’t walk in here. Everybody knows we’re gonna get to a billion in revenue.”
The specificity transformed skepticism into belief. Instead of dismissing it as unrealistic dreaming, his team saw the concrete steps required and committed to the journey.
Tommy’s path to $5 billion involves becoming a consolidator, buying hundreds of companies and “making hundreds of millionaires in the process.” The key is creating win-win scenarios where acquired business owners benefit from A1’s systems, training, and scale.
“I showed them exactly what needed to happen and they go, ‘Holy crap. Okay, let’s do it.’ The vision needs to be written down on the right side of a whiteboard.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s approach to customer service challenges the transactional mindset common in home services. His philosophy: build relationships that make price irrelevant.
“If I ran three jobs today, I’d be invited to two Easter dinners because that’s what I do. I spend time and I get to know them, and I laugh, and we joke and we get to know each other. I’ve gone golfing with my clients. I’ve literally invited them to dinner and vice versa.”
This relationship-building approach creates customers who refer others and never shop on price because they trust A1 completely.
Tommy shared a story about a severely upset customer. Instead of defending the company’s position, he showed up personally with flowers, apologized for wasting her time, and redid the work himself. The customer became a raving fan, and the local newspaper wrote a story about the exceptional service.
“It’s weird that the customers that are upset, as long as you listen to them, let them vent and offer a solution, they’re okay. We had 10,300 customers last month, so you better believe we didn’t do everything perfect.”
Tommy’s research shows only 4% of the population are pure price buyers, and most don’t own homes. “Price comes number 10 when it comes to garage doors” based on double-blind studies A1 has conducted.
Instead of competing on price, Tommy focuses on value: better parts (like Z bearings with triple the cycle life), better service, better warranties, and better customer experience.
“People will remember the way you made them feel long after they remember what the price was.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s office bookshelf reveals the foundation of his success: continuous learning. He reads approximately one hour daily and plans to reclaim 15 hours weekly by hiring an assistant for his assistant.
Double Your Profits by Bob Pfeiffer: “78 Ways to Cut Costs” that can immediately impact profitability
Go for No by Andrea and Richard: Reframes rejection as a path to success
Maximum Influence by Kurt Mortensen: Teaches influence techniques and language that attracts rather than repels
How to Win Friends and Influence People: A yearly re-read for relationship-building fundamentals
Tommy’s “Home Service Expert” podcast serves dual purposes: learning from industry experts and building his network. “I’m literally searching for people to answer my questions. I’m the business owner, so I literally ask whatever I want, whatever I’m going through at the time.”
This approach provides real-time solutions to current business challenges while building relationships with potential partners, consultants, and acquisition targets.
Tommy practices what he preaches about reinvesting in the business rather than lifestyle inflation. He recently bought his first new truck, getting $13,000 off because A1 purchases many Nissans for the fleet.
“A lot of people go out and they start buying toys and Harleys and second homes. They start becoming real estate investors. So all their time and focus and money is pulled out of the thing that’s doing it all.”
“The first few years it’s crucial to reinvest all the money back into the business and multiply.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy runs A1 like a franchise system without being a franchise. Every location operates with standardized procedures, training, and expected outcomes.
“I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, South America, and China. And I go back to McDonald’s ’cause I know what a burger’s gonna taste like. I really think of our company as a franchise model, although we’re not a franchise.”
This consistency requires documented systems for every aspect of operations:
Rather than hiring experienced garage door technicians and trying to change their habits, A1 hires good people and teaches them garage doors. “We take the person and teach them garage doors rather than find a garage door guy and teach them our way.”
This approach ensures cultural fit and system adherence from day one.
Tommy emphasizes clear organizational charts and accountability measures. “When a lot of people are responsible for the outcome, nobody’s responsible.” Each role has specific KPIs and clear reporting structures.
Regular meetings (though Tommy admits they probably have too many) ensure consistent communication and problem-solving across all locations.
“What we’ve learned how to do here is take the person and teach them garage doors rather than find a garage door guy and teach them our way.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s marketing philosophy prioritizes Google dominance while building brand recognition through traditional media and relationship marketing.
“Google is God when it comes to lead gen.” Tommy focuses A1’s digital efforts on:
While digital drives immediate leads, Tommy uses TV, radio, and billboards for brand awareness and employee recruitment. “The more marketing we do, the more billboard, TV, radio, the more better employees come work for us. They’re like, ‘Geez, you guys are everywhere. You’re growing. I wanna work here.'”
Tommy considers affiliate marketing his path to billion-dollar revenue. By partnering with painting companies, pest control services, and other home service providers, A1 creates a network of lead generators.
“Why would you paint an old piece of crap garage door? Why not let us replace it with something good quality? Then you could paint it.”
These partnerships create win-win scenarios where partners earn referral fees while customers get better solutions.
Tommy recommends spending 10% of revenue on marketing, but only after understanding your KPIs. “Until you know that marketing is just gas you put in the vehicle, until you really know your KPIs, I don’t believe you should be putting more into marketing.”
“Partnership marketing is a monster. When I’ve got every painting company, every pest control company, every epoxy company delivering leads to me, they’re gonna make a lot of money in the process too.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s success stems from specific mindset principles that separate empire builders from small business owners.
“You wanna become a better dad, hang around with great dads. You need to go get outta your comfort zone, travel to another state, and go to a large company that you want to become.”
Tommy regularly visits larger companies in non-competing markets to learn their systems and culture. He returns with specific improvements to implement at A1.
Tommy teaches his technicians to look in the mirror for both success and failure. When things go well, celebrate. When they don’t, examine your role rather than blaming external factors.
“A lot of guys tend to blame, ‘Oh, the dispatcher doesn’t like me,’ or ‘Oh, drive time,’ or ‘Oh, the customer’s cheap,’ or ‘Oh, this is a bad neighborhood.’ They always want to give themselves credit when they’re successful, but they want to point the finger when they’re not.”
Tommy doesn’t just think about growing A1 Garage Door Service. He thinks about creating a platform that can be replicated across multiple industries. “I could do this in 10 other industries. Literally, it’s just a formula. You go in, you gotta build recruiters and trainers, you gotta have a good orientation, you gotta build a culture.”
This platform thinking allows him to see opportunities beyond garage doors and plan for massive scale across home services.
One of Tommy’s most counterintuitive strategies is saying no to certain types of work. A1 exited Home Depot partnerships, home warranty companies, and commercial work because the margins didn’t support their service model.
“I say no to revenue too. We got outta Home Depot because there was no margin there. We got out of all the home warranty companies ’cause they want it done for nothing.”
This discipline allows A1 to focus on high-value residential customers who appreciate quality service and are willing to pay for it.
“You gotta learn to say no to revenue too. If you’re gonna commoditize your business, then that’s fine, but I never have to sell on price.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s success isn’t just about people and processes, it’s about leveraging technology to create competitive advantages.
Tommy credits ServiceTitan as one of the major catalysts in A1’s growth. The software provides the data infrastructure needed to track KPIs, manage operations, and scale systematically.
A1 uses Schedule Engine integrated with their capacity board to make booking appointments as easy as possible for customers. This reduces friction in the sales process and improves conversion rates.
Tommy’s team uses tap cards that store contact information directly in smartphones when tapped. This makes it easy for employees to network and generate leads while providing complete tracking for commission purposes.
Tommy mentions that Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to analyze voice patterns and enthusiasm levels in phone calls. This artificial intelligence helps determine which companies provide better customer experiences and deserve higher rankings.
Tommy leverages cryptocurrency and high-yield stable coins through platforms like Celsius to maximize returns on company cash reserves. This financial sophistication allows A1 to generate passive income while building the core business.
“We’re a recruiting company that’s very good with software that loves sales and happens to be in garage doors.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s billion-dollar vision extends beyond organic growth to strategic acquisitions that create a home service platform.
“When you buy a company, it’s gotta be a win-win. My negotiation is going to be you and your family are gonna make out, you guys are gonna be part of something so big and so cool and make so much money and so much free time.”
Tommy’s acquisition strategy focuses on improving the lives of business owners he acquires rather than just extracting value from their companies.
Tommy sees massive opportunity in an industry filled with small, systems-dependent businesses. “By the end of the year, I’ll be a consolidator. I plan on buying out hundreds of companies and making hundreds of millionaires in the process.”
His platform approach means acquired companies benefit from A1’s recruiting systems, training programs, technology stack, and operational excellence.
Tommy’s $400/month mastermind program serves multiple purposes: providing value to other contractors, building relationships, and identifying potential acquisition targets. “I’m looking for opportunities to partner up with some of these guys down the road. The ones that wanna learn, the ones that are actually implementing.”
This creates a pipeline of pre-qualified acquisition candidates who already understand A1’s systems and culture.
Tommy’s expansion into epoxy flooring and storage solutions demonstrates the platform strategy in action. These services allow A1 to enter garages at lower cost while providing additional revenue streams from existing customers.
“It’ll be the largest roll up in the history of home service and it’s gotta be a really, really, really win-win.” – Tommy Mello
Tommy’s strategies apply far beyond garage doors. His principles work for any home service business ready to think bigger and execute systematically.
Before focusing on marketing tactics or lead generation, build a culture that attracts and retains great people. Your employees are your best marketing asset and your primary competitive advantage.
Create systems and processes that allow your business to operate without you. If you can’t take a vacation without everything falling apart, you don’t own a business, you have a job.
Focus on the KPIs that actually drive profitability: average ticket, conversion rate, booking rate, and cost per acquisition. Review these numbers daily and make decisions based on data, not emotion.
Instead of just selling your service, think about how to create a platform that can scale across markets and potentially across industries. This mindset shift opens up exponentially larger opportunities.
Dedicate time daily to learning from books, podcasts, and other successful business owners. The knowledge you gain compounds over time and creates competitive advantages that can’t be easily replicated.
Focus on creating customers who become raving fans rather than one-time buyers. These relationships generate referrals, reduce marketing costs, and create sustainable competitive advantages.
“Success leaves clues. You’ve gotta have a target, you’ve gotta write it down, you’ve gotta understand it, you’ve gotta be able to see it and say, ‘I’m gonna build that same thing.'” – Tommy Mello
Tommy Mello’s journey from a cash-strapped startup to a $100 million empire heading toward a billion dollars provides a roadmap for any home service entrepreneur willing to think bigger and execute systematically.
The key insights aren’t complicated: recruit great people, build systems that scale, focus on relationships over transactions, and never stop learning. But the execution requires discipline, patience, and the willingness to reinvest profits back into growth rather than lifestyle inflation.
Most importantly, Tommy’s story demonstrates that the home service industry offers unlimited potential for entrepreneurs willing to apply sophisticated business principles to traditionally unsophisticated markets.
The question isn’t whether these strategies work. Tommy’s results prove they do. The question is whether you’re willing to implement them consistently over the years required to build something truly extraordinary.
As Tommy says, “What got you here won’t get you there.” The contractors who thrive in the next decade will be those who evolve beyond traditional thinking and build businesses that operate more like technology companies than typical service providers.
The opportunity is there. The roadmap is clear. The only question remaining is: how big are you willing to think?
“I absolutely love what I do. I love what I do on a daily basis. My life is enriched every minute of every day. I’m on vacation because every single day I love my occupation.” – Tommy Mello
Want to learn more from Tommy?
Check out Tommy’s book “The Home Service Millionaire” at homeservicemillionaire.com/free and listen to his podcast “Home Service Expert” for ongoing insights from his journey to building a billion-dollar home service empire.
This Podcast is sponsored by Blue Crocus Solutions, a marketing agency offering website design, branding, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services for Home Service businesses.
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