• Specialty Installation is Your Number One Asset (Part 1)
    Sep 22 2026
    "Service and installation is your moat—and I can't cross it." That's a direct quote from an AI agent when Tim asked how specialty retailers stack up against big box and e-commerce. In this episode—the first of a two-part series on the value of specialty installation—Tim shares a class he taught for the North Central HPBA in Wisconsin, making the case that installation isn't a necessary evil or a line item to tack onto a quote. It's the single most important asset any retailer in this industry has. In this episode, Tim covers: - Why retailers lose jobs four-to-one to indecision over competition—and how a seamless baton pass from showroom to estimator to install crew closes that gap - The 20% rule—most customers will pay up to 20% more for a service that's less of a hassle, which means you don't need the best price, just a competitive one - How to build a value wedge—something important to your customer, unique to your company, and objectively defendable—that makes your business impossible to shop against Don't miss this one if you've ever treated installation labor like a commodity—Tim lays out exactly why your install team, not your product line, is the thing big box and e-commerce can't replicate, and how to price, schedule, and sell like you believe it. —— Links from this episode: WhyFire Pro: http://whyfire.com —— Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/824ip58vNag Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 28 mins
  • Shelby Kardas - Build a Business Bigger than Yourself
    Sep 15 2026
    "It kills more people every year than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined." In this episode, Tim sits down with Shelby Kardas (Executive Director, StoveTeam International) to talk about the smoky-kitchen crisis affecting half the world's population—and why supporting a cause bigger than your bottom line might be the smartest business move a hearth retailer can make. Shelby joins from Cuenca, Ecuador, where StoveTeam has helped install over 80,000 clean-burning cookstoves across Central America since 2008. In this episode, Tim and Shelby cover: - Why a $250 stove changes everything for a family in rural Guatemala—and how the hearth industry has already funded more than 2,000 of them through the 1,000 Stove Challenge - How supporting a cause wins the "coffee table battle"—when customers compare brochures at home, over ninety percent will choose the business that stands for something beyond profit - Why taking your team to stand in a smoky kitchen—or offering an extra week of vacation for volunteer work—builds the kind of committed employees no training seminar ever will Don't miss this conversation if you've ever wondered whether generosity actually moves the needle for your business—Shelby and Tim make the case that doing the right thing and doing good business aren't just compatible, they're the same thing. —— Links from this episode: StoveTeam International: https://www.stoveteam.org/ WhyFire Fireplace AI Visualizer: http://whyfire.com —— Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hFIFLkQfiso Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Jonny Holsten - Learn to Sell Across the Bridge
    Sep 8 2026
    "Do you want them asking those questions to ChatGPT or their buddy who's a contractor—or do you want them asking you?" In this episode, Tim kicks off Season 17 with Jonny Holsten (Owner and Sales Trainer, bridgeselling.com), author of Fix Your Broken Sales Calls. Jonny built a six-step framework that helped one company grow from $3 million a month to $30 million a month in a single year—and he breaks down exactly how it applies to selling fireplaces, complete with a live role play that shows the difference between asking two questions and asking seven. In this episode, Tim and Jonny cover: - Why "shadow the top rep" isn't training—80% of companies have no sales playbook, and it's costing them deals they never even see slip away - How addressing sticker shock early with a simple price range turns the rest of the conversation into the buyer justifying the value—instead of choking on the number at the end - The "three next steps" formula that makes your follow-up plan impossible to ghost—my step, your step, our step together Don't miss this one—if you've ever asked "how many square feet?" and walked straight to the showroom floor, Jonny's framework will show you exactly what that shortcut is costing you and how to fix it before winter buying season hits. —— Links from this episode: Get the FREE Book "Fix Your Broken Sales Calls": https://www.bridgeselling.com/book https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnyholsten/ WhyFire Website: https://whyfire.com —— Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/my89ONkB6Nw Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • What's Your Return on Luck? (FTM Rapid Reaction Series)
    Sep 1 2026
    While we prepare Season 17 of the podcast, Tim will be giving weekly rapid reactions to audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. This week, Tim closes out the series reacting to an article he wrote titled, "What's Your Return on Luck?" (released in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠September 2023 issue of The Fire Time Magazine⁠⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Watch this podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/zHWgsvOqgP4 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Tomorrow's Customer (FTM Rapid Reaction Series)
    Aug 25 2026
    While we prepare Season 17 of the podcast, Tim will be giving weekly rapid reactions to audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. In this week's episode, Tim reacts to an article by Peter Parsons titled, "Tomorrow's Customer" (released in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠March 2026 issue of The Fire Time Magazine⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0k9by8widxE Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • "3 Tips for Increasing Throughput" (FTM Rapid Reaction Series)
    Aug 18 2026
    While we prepare Season 17 of the podcast, Tim will be giving weekly rapid reactions to audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. In this week's episode, Tim reacts to an article by Zack Estes titled, "3 Tips for Increasing Throughput" (released in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠January 2025 issue of The Fire Time Magazine⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qww9sUsJwnU Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • "Enjoy Being Wrong" (FTM Rapid Reaction Series)
    Aug 11 2026
    While we prepare Season 17 of the podcast, Tim will be giving weekly rapid reactions to audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. In this week's episode, Tim reacts to an article by Gideon Honeycutt titled, "Enjoy Being Wrong" (released in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠May 2026 issue of The Fire Time Magazine⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eH5UjHyObGU Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • "Build Careers, Not Just Crews" (FTM Rapid Reaction Series)
    Aug 4 2026
    While we prepare Season 17 of the podcast, Tim will be giving weekly rapid reactions to audio articles from The Fire Time Magazine. In this week's episode, Tim reacts to an article by Dave Anderson titled, "Build Careers, Not Just Crews" (released in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue of The Fire Time Magazine⁠⁠)⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/20FLyJLvKC8 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-time-podcast/id1433804268 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vHdzg48bE5qFf0KjMeMej?si=7b6cae3923d348f2 Read The Fire Time Magazine: https://www.itsfiretime.com/magazine Subscribe to The Fire Time Magazine: https://itsfiretime.com/subscribe Support The Fire Time Podcast financially: https://www.itsfiretime.com/join Want to get more fireplace leads for your company? Check out: https://findmyfireplace.com
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins