HVAC R&D Podcast

HVAC R and D is a conversation-driven podcast exploring the people, ideas, and leadership shaping the skilled trades. Hosted by Rhydon Atzenhoffer, the Ramblin’ Rhyno, the show brings together technicians, contractors, distributors, manufacturers, and business leaders for honest discussions on growth, culture, mental health, entrepreneurship, and real-world lessons from inside and outside the trades. It’s less about hype and more about meaningful conversations that move the industry forward.2024 and 2025 HVAC Tactical Podcast of the Year NomineeVisit www.hvacrnd.com and join the #TradeCrew

HVAC R&D Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 195 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts HVAC R&D Podcast, a business show with 195 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #197

  You're Not Buying Insurance—You're Protecting Everything You've Built with Michael Senderovich

  Sep 8, 20261h 9m

  You're Not Buying Insurance—You're Protecting Everything You've Built with Michael Senderovich ️ HVAC R&D Podcast — Episode 197 A cheap insurance policy isn't cheap when you discover it doesn't cover you. In Episode 197 of the HVAC R&D Podcast, Rhydon Atzenhoffer sits down with Michael M. Senderovich, MBA, Founder & CEO of Six-Thirteen Business Insurance Solutions, to talk about something every contractor needs but far too few truly understand: protecting the business you've sacrificed to build. Since founding his brokerage in 2013, Michael has helped small business owners move beyond simply buying insurance to understanding their actual risks, coverage gaps, and what happens when the unexpected becomes reality. Together, Rhydon and Michael dig into the mistakes contractors make when choosing coverage, the danger of shopping on price alone, and why a great insurance broker should be one of your most trusted business advisors—not someone who simply renews your policy every year. Because as your company adds employees, trucks, technology, services, and revenue, the risks you're carrying change too. In this episode, we cover: • What contractors misunderstand about insurance • The danger of buying coverage online • Common coverage gaps that can devastate a business • Cheapest policy vs. the right policy • How often your coverage should be reviewed • How growth changes your risk • Cyber threats, AI & emerging business exposures • How to know if your broker is actually serving you • Protecting your business beyond insurance Whether you're running one truck or building a multi-million-dollar operation, you've worked too hard to discover after a loss that you weren't protected the way you thought you were. Listen now and subscribe so you never miss a drop. The HVAC R&D Podcast is the Voice of Distribution, Contractors, and the #TradeCrew. #HVAC #BusinessInsurance #RiskManagement #Contractors Thanks to our partners: DiversiTech Corporation • DRAIN IV • FieldMind • LiveSwitch • ProIAQ • RLS Rapid Locking System • True Nature Meats Co.

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  Episode #196

  You Can't Scale What You Don't Understand

  Aug 30, 20261h 15m

  ️ HVAC R&D Podcast — Episode 196 You Can't Scale What You Don't Understand with Zachary Cooper-Vastola Before you can build the systems, you need to understand the work. In Episode 196 of the HVAC R&D Podcast , Rhydon Atzenhoffer sits down with Zach Cooper-Vastola, COO/CIO and founding partner of Hickory, for a conversation about what happens when you learn a business from the inside out—and then start building it for something much bigger. Zach has done nearly every job inside the company. That hands-on experience became part of the foundation for how he approaches operations, technology, leadership, and growth today. The journey traces back to 2018, when Zach and his partners acquired Stanley Ruth, then roughly a $4 million business with around 20 employees. From there came the challenge of learning, improving, systemizing, scaling, and ultimately building an organization capable of continued growth. Together, Rhydon and Zach dig into what it takes to evolve from doing the work yourself to creating the people, processes, and technology that allow a business to grow beyond you. In this episode, we cover: • The story behind acquiring Stanley Ruth in 2018 • Why Zach chose to learn nearly every role in the business • Going from doing the work to building the organization • Creating systems without losing what made the company successful • Using technology to make people and processes better • What scaling exposes inside a growing business • Growth through acquisition • Developing leaders as the organization expands • Balancing operational discipline with entrepreneurship • Building a company designed for what comes next Whether you're running a small shop, building your leadership team, or trying to take an established company to another level, Zach's journey is a reminder that sustainable growth starts with understanding the business you're trying to scale. Listen now and subscribe so you never miss a drop - https://rhydonatzenhoffer.substack.com/p/you-cant-scale-what-you-dont-understand The HVAC R&D Podcast is the Voice of Distribution, Contractors, and the TradeCrew. #HVAC #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #TradeCrew Thanks to our partners DiversiTech Corporation • DRAIN IV • FieldMind • LiveSwitch • ProIAQ • RLS Rapid Locking System • True Nature Meats Co.

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  Episode #195

  HVAC Will Take You Wherever You Want to Go

  Aug 21, 20261h 3m

  ️ HVAC R&D Podcast — Episode 195 HVAC Will Take You Wherever You Want to Go with jonathan lisojo At eighteen years old, jonathan lisojo didn't even know what HVAC was. Seventeen years later, he eats, sleeps, and breathes it. In Episode 195 of the HVAC R&D Podcast , Rhydon Atzenhoffer sits down with Jonathan, owner of Total Air Satisfaction and Journeyman Commercial HVAC Technician with Local 475, to talk about a career that's taken him from a completely green apprentice to residential technician, instructor, commercial and industrial journeyman, business owner, and content creator. Jonathan spent fourteen years growing inside a family-owned residential company and ten years teaching the next generation at Eastwick College before moving into commercial and industrial HVAC—all while continuing to follow his curiosity wherever the trade takes him. But this conversation is about more than a career. Rhydon and Jonathan talk about loving what you do, staying curious, building a business, working eighteen-hour days, family, faith, gratitude, and remembering that no matter how important the service call feels, someone who loves you is waiting for you to come home. In this episode, we cover: • Starting HVAC at 18 with absolutely no experience • Why HVAC can take you anywhere you want to go • Residential, commercial, industrial, teaching & ownership • Staying curious instead of becoming stagnant • The satisfaction of diagnosing unfamiliar equipment • What ten years of teaching revealed about the next generation • Taking the leap into business ownership • Faith, family, gratitude & finding balance • Giving back to the trade that gave Jonathan so much Whether you're an apprentice figuring out your next step or a veteran decades into the trade, Jonathan's story is proof that HVAC can become whatever you choose to make of it. Listen now and subscribe to the HVAC R&D and Ramblin' Rhyno Substack so you never miss an Editorial or Pordast Drop - https://rhydonatzenhoffer.substack.com/p/hvac-will-take-you-wherever-you-want #HVAC #SkilledTrades #HVACTech #TradeCareers #TradeCrew Thanks to our partners: DiversiTech Corporation • DRAIN IV • FieldMind • LiveSwitch • ProIAQ • RLS Rapid Locking System • True Nature Meats Co.

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  Episode #194

  Leaving the Industry Better Than We Found It with Don Gillis

  Aug 7, 20261h 13m

  Leaving the Industry Better Than We Found It with Don Gillis ️ HVAC R&D Podcast — Episode 194 The greatest legacy in the skilled trades isn't the equipment you install. It's the people you help along the way. In Episode 194, Rhydon Atzenhoffer sits down with Don Gillis , Technical Trainer, consultant, and founder of Gillis Coach , for a conversation about building careers, developing technicians, and preparing the next generation for the future of HVACR. With more than 35 years in the industry—including 25 years in the field as a licensed HVAC Journeyman, leadership roles in service and sales, and years as a Senior Technical Trainer with Copeland and Chemours—Don has dedicated his career to helping others succeed. Today, he trains 5,000–7,000 HVAC professionals each year and was recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential HVAC Educators in 2024. Together, Rhydon and Don discuss career development, technician shortages, emerging technologies, and why sharing knowledge is one of the greatest responsibilities we have in the trades. For the TradeCrew, this episode is a reminder that every experienced technician has the opportunity to shape the future—one lesson, one apprentice, and one conversation at a time. In this episode, we cover: • Don's 35-year journey through the HVACR industry • Closing the technician shortage through education • Adapting to new technology without losing the fundamentals • Building a career through continuous learning • Why mentorship is essential to the future of the trades • Leaving the industry stronger than you found it Whether you're just entering the trades or have decades of experience, this episode will challenge you to think differently about learning, leadership, and the legacy you're creating every day. Listen now and subscribe to the HVAC R&D Podcast and Ramblin' Rhyno Column on Substack so you never miss and Article or Podcast drop - https://rhydonatzenhoffer.substack.com/p/leaving-the-industry-better-than The HVAC R&D Podcast is the Voice of Distribution, Contractors, and the TradeCrew — bringing together the people, stories, and ideas shaping the future of the skilled trades. #HVAC #Training #Leadership #Mentorship #TradeCrew Thanks to our partners: DiversiTech Corporation • DRAIN IV • FieldMind • LiveSwitch • ProIAQ • RLS Rapid Locking System • True Nature Meats

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  Episode #193

  You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Measure: Building Better HVAC with Bill Spohn

  Jul 31, 20261 hour

  New Podcast Drop! ️ HVAC R&D Podcast — Episode 193 In Episode 193, Rhydon Atzenhoffer sits down with Bill Spohn, P.E. , CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, co-host of the Building HVAC Science podcast, host of RESTalk, and co-founder of the BetterHVAC Alliance, for a conversation about why measurement, diagnostics, and building science are transforming the future of residential HVAC. With nearly four decades of industry experience, Bill has dedicated his career to helping contractors move beyond assumptions and embrace data-driven decision making. From airflow and combustion analysis to commissioning and home performance, he believes the best results begin with understanding what the system is actually doing. Together, Rhydon and Bill explore why better diagnostics lead to better comfort, healthier homes, happier customers, and stronger businesses. For the #TradeCrew, this episode is a reminder that the future of HVAC isn’t just installing equipment—it’s delivering verified performance. In this episode, we cover: • Bill’s journey building TruTech Tools • Why measurement beats guesswork every time • The role of diagnostics in modern HVAC • Helping homeowners understand comfort and efficiency • Why contractors should embrace testing and verification • The mission behind the BetterHVAC Alliance Whether you’re a technician, contractor, educator, or distributor, this episode will challenge you to think differently about diagnostics, system performance, and delivering better outcomes for every customer. Listen now and subscribe to the HVAC R&D Podcast and Ramblin’ Rhyno Column on Substack so you never miss and Article or Podcast drop - https://rhydonatzenhoffer.substack.com/p/you-cant-fix-what-you-dont-measure #HVAC #Business #Leadership #Diagnostics #Tools Thanks to our partners: DiversiTech Corporation • LiveSwitch • FieldMind • Asurity • hilmor • RLS Rapid Locking System • True Nature Meats Co. The HVAC R&D Podcast is the Voice of Distribution, Contractors, and the #TradeCrew.

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