Tom Casey, Jr. grew up in the HVAC industry. He began his apprenticeship with his father in the family HVAC service company, Climate Partners, Milford, CT. They worked together, building a company that specialized in Design/Build systems. He worked during summer breaks from junior high school, and took adult education classes in his late teen years.
When Casey graduated from high school two years later, he also completed all his apprenticeship technical training.
“My dad had a mission of moving me to a higher level than he ever obtained,” he says. “In addition to training, he also loaned me out to other people while he paid my
salary. For example, I worked in a metal fabrication shop for a couple of months, but we didn’t do sheet metal fabrication. But he said I needed to know how to do it.”
The family work ethic was two-fold: don't ask employees to do what you wouldn't be willing to do yourself; and as long as we're going to do it, we're going to do it right, and we're going to be the best at it.
“We’ were not trying to emulate anyone else; we were trying to be the best versions of ourselves,” Casey explains. “That's what my grandmother constantly drilled into our heads, personally and professionally.”
Know Your Purpose
Casey says contractors should understand who they are and why they are in
business.
“It’s got to be genuine; a story you're telling, but it's not a lie,” he explains. “It’s not a made-for-TV story; it’s the story of who you are. That’s the first part of marketing that everyone gets wrong. We talk about branding. We talk about all the online, direct mail, billboards, TV and radio tactics. However, none will be successful until we fully vet out who we are. Then we can craft our story and message around it.”
Tom's best advice for HVAC marketing tactics is that contracting businesses should be in all the areas where they’ve identified their customers.
Seeking to retire and relax in a new environment, Tom and his family -- wife Dana, daughters Abby and Jenna, and son Deklin -- moved to Florida. Tom did some consulting on the side, but soon realized he was traveling more than retiring. After some family discussions, it was decided another business was in order. So Casey built Griffin Service in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. from the ground up, and after six years, he’s looking at 2022 revenue to be more than $12 million. He serves the business as Chief Visionary Officer.
Defining the home services company as “legendary,” Casey and his team set out to look for their customers in private neighborhoods and those associated with golf course complexes.
“We visited all the country clubs to find out their messaging,” he explains. “We picked up the magazines and looked at all the ads. And we crafted our message around what it meant to be serving and being appealing to these people who wanted 'legendary'.”
- "All of Tom's years of experience, knowledge of best practices gathered from his friendships and sharing of wisdom around our great country over the years are on display here daily at Griffin as we grow into his vision." - Shane Olsen, Griffin Service Operations Manager
- "Tom helped me transform a newly acquired HVAC business through his expertise of operating metrics and how to successfully drive strong earnings." - George Godfrey, CEO, Super Home Services/Super Heat and Air
- Tom has always sought out to take his businesses and those he interacted with and the people to be better versions of themselves. His legacy is the impact he has had on those people and businesses, which are forever better off a result of Tom’s tutelage.
Tom's best advice for HVAC marketing tactics is that contracting businesses should be in all the areas where they’ve identified their customers.
“I'm a strong believer that marketing from an expense perspective is an investment just like your 401k or any other investment portfolio,” Casey says. “It should be balanced. So, don't go all-in on Google, because if it changes its rules, you lose all your customers and your new marketing. Don't go all-in on radio or TV. Don't go all-in on direct mail. However, you should have some of each thing in your marketing investment portfolio.”
Casey attributes his success to his work ethic: “You get up every day, go to work, and bust your ass. Honestly, there's no substitute for consistency around those things or what my why is. It's showing up and doing the work.
“And to have like recognition by Contracting Business and its Hall of Fame is the cherry on top that validates that you did things right and they didn't go unnoticed.”
