When I say “the lack of training and systems can be disastrous,” it might sound a bit dramatic to you. I can assure you, however, that the quality of your training and systems can truly make or break your business, your reputation, the level of service you offer, safety on the job and your overall profitability.

In 1989 when we started our business, The Lovely Marianne asked me what I was going to do to make money for her and our four daughters. I told her I was going to write books, but it would take some time to do that.

One of the “delights” of designing hydronic systems is looking for synergistic opportunities, where one device provides multiple functions or benefits that would otherwise require two or more separate devices.

For more than 17 years, I’ve been helping contractors learn and practice good habits. It has improved their lives, their employees’ lives and even the lives of the customers they serve.

Four years ago, I attended my first AHR Expo in Chicago. And no matter how many times my colleagues warned me to bring my walking shoes, I was blown away by the sheer size of the event. I put in my daily 10,000 steps — and then some — walking back and forth between the halls learning about ductless mini-splits, cooling towers, boilers, water heaters and more.

Price is a topic everyone wants to discuss and everyone has an opinion about, and you are probably wondering why I am even implying there is a circumstance when price doesn’t matter. Before you start thinking I’m crazy, let me explain.

I’m 69 years old and my hair is as brown as it was when I was a teenager. A bit of it, mostly around my ears and the back of my neck, sneaks in as gray, but some Russian barber just buzzes those stray hairs away and I’m back to being a young fella again. I like the Russian barbers.

In last month’s Hydronics Workshop column I described five devices that would, in my opinion, improve and expand the North American hydronics industry.  Here’s my “wish list” from that column:

When I was the last of the three brothers to enter the family business, my dad said to me, “I owe you an opportunity, not a guarantee.”

As a backpacker, the most important item I carry in my backpack is water. I start each morning of a hike with three liters of water; two in my bladder and one in my bottle. The water bottle looks like any typical water bottle that people carry.