Chris Hoffmann currently serves as the CEO at Deutschmann Lane Holdings (DLH), which operates a family of companies including Hoffmann Brothers, Ferguson Roofing & Exteriors, Deutschmann Lane Real Estate, and HBH Investment Company. Before joining DLH, Chris served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, leaving active duty in 2014.
On this episode, we discuss:
- Chris' experience in the Marine Corps
- Taking over the family business
- Scaling the business
- Retaining and training labor
- The future of the trades
- Scaling acquired businesses
Links:
Chris Hoffmann on X - https://twitter.com/STLChrisH
Chris Hoffmann on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hoffmann-9977a585/
Hoffmann Brothers - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hoffmann-brothers/
Nexstar Network - https://www.nexstarnetwork.com/
Tugboat Institute - https://www.tugboatinstitute.com/
ServiceTitan - https://www.servicetitan.com/
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:20 - Chris’ time in the Marines
00:09:07 - Taking over the family business
00:12:02 - Scaling the business
00:16:53 - The first year in the business
00:20:51 - What metrics matter in your industry?
00:23:22 - Scaling the business after $20mm
00:25:23 - Successfully retaining labor & Hoffmann Brothers University
00:30:51 - The future of the trades
00:32:20 - Purpose-driven ownership vs. PE
00:39:35 - What questions should sellers be asking buyers?
00:43:33 - Scaling acquired businesses
00:46:36 - Call centers
00:49:14 - The future of marketing is not paid search
00:50:42 - The importance of Google reviews
00:51:13 - Is B2C harder than B2B?
00:52:49 - Recession resistance
00:55:30 - Business ideas: House managers
00:58:27 - What do the next 10 years look like for Hoffmann Brothers?
01:01:34 - The family dynamic within the business
01:04:55 - Do you have a succession plan?
01:08:15 - Mistakes made
01:11:43 - What do you see for the future of your industry?
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