Show Information
Episode Number: 136
Date: March 02, 2026
Duration: 41:35
Host Contact Information
Host: Justin Deese
Website: JustinDeese.com
Contact: podcast@JustinDeese.com
Guest Contact Information
Guest: Jimmy Speyer
Company: Glasshouse
Guest Website: https://glasshouse.biz
Gift to listeners: Free live demo of Glasshouse platform
Summary
In this episode of the Freedom Blueprint Podcast, Justin Deese sits down with returning guest Jimmy Speyer, Founder & CEO of Glasshouse, to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing home service businesses in 2026 — rising customer acquisition costs.
Jimmy explains why relying solely on Google and paid ads is becoming more expensive every year (what he calls the “digital Yellow Pages problem”) and how contractors can shift from reactive marketing to proactive neighborhood-level outreach.
But this episode goes deeper than marketing.
Jimmy also shares powerful leadership lessons from growing Glasshouse from 1 employee to 18 in just two years, including:
- How to hire for alignment, not just skill
- Why most companies hire wrong
- The importance of core values and mission clarity
- How to manage rapid growth without breaking culture
- Why transparency and weekly team communication matter
If you’re a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or home service business owner looking to grow smarter in 2026, this episode is packed with practical strategy and leadership insights.
Takeaways
- Customer acquisition through Google Ads continues to get more expensive every year.
- Waiting for homeowners to search is reactive marketing.
- Proactive outbound neighborhood outreach creates demand instead of waiting for it.
- Speed to lead isn’t enough — speed to creating the lead matters.
- Hiring mistakes are expensive financially and culturally.
- Involve your team in defining core values.
- Growth requires constant communication and transparency.
- Meet with your team weekly to maintain alignment during change.
- Define your culture clearly — and hire only people who match it.
- Leadership is repetition. Say the mission until you’re tired of hearing it.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome Back Jimmy Speyer
03:00 – The “Google Tax” and Rising Ad Costs
06:00 – Proactive vs Reactive Customer Acquisition
10:00 – Why Homeowners Aren’t Thinking About Your Business
12:30 – Growing Glasshouse from 1 to 18 Employees
15:00 – Hiring for Alignment (The Right Way)
18:00 – Interview Questions That Reveal Character
23:00 – Why Consensus Hiring Doesn’t Work
27:00 – Managing Rapid Growth & Team Communication
31:00 – Building Mission, Vision & Core Values
35:00 – Leadership Lessons from Scaling Fast
38:30 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect with Glasshouse
Keywords
#FreedomBlueprintPodcast #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACBusiness #PlumbingBusiness #ElectricalContractor #ContractorMarketing #CustomerAcquisition #OutboundMarketing #LeadershipDevelopment #CompanyCulture #HiringRight #CoreValues #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurLeadership #GlasshouseSoftware #JustinDeese #JimmySpeyer