Building a Business Where Everyone Wins: Tommy Mello’s Secrets to Scaling Home Services

Building a Business Where Everyone Wins: Tommy Mello’s Secrets to Scaling Home Services
By Joe Crisara

In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, I had the honor of speaking with one of the most passionate, driven, and system-focused leaders in the home service industry, my good friend Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage.

Tommy isn’t just a business success story, he’s a blueprint for how to scale a company the right way. He’s grown A1 to over 700 employees and more than $200 million in revenue, and what’s most impressive is how personal it all still feels. From the moment I visited his team in Phoenix, it felt like a $1 million culture inside a $200 million company, tight-knit, energetic, and aligned.

And in our conversation, Tommy revealed exactly how he did it.

Watch the full episode here: Unlocking Success with Tommy Mello: A Home Service Revolution

or 

Listen to the podcast here: Unlocking Success with Tommy Mello: A Home Service Revolution

 
From Lawn Mowing to Leadership: Tommy’s Origin Story

Tommy started like many of us, in the trenches. Mowing lawns, shoveling snow, and fixing sprinklers in Michigan before discovering his true path in home services. He wasn’t a technician when he launched A1 Garage in 2007. What he brought to the table was something even more important: a deep love for sales, marketing, and customer experience.

Over time, mistake after mistake, he built a business that not only works, it thrives. His recent partnership deal allowed him to roll significant equity back into the business, because, as he said, “I’d rather grow faster with fuel than struggle alone.”

That’s the first big lesson: Tommy bets on himself and his people.

 
Culture Over Everything: Why Team Connection Fuels Growth

What struck me the most during my visit to A1 Garage was the sense of unity. Despite the massive size of the operation, it felt like a small business. No silos. No bureaucracy. Just a team moving together with a shared mission.

Tommy’s not just proud of that and he’s intentional about it. “I view business like a sports team,” he told me. “I want to work for a great coach, and I want to be that great coach for my people.”

This culture didn’t happen by accident. It’s the product of clear communication, shared values, and a passion for constant improvement.

And Tommy’s not afraid of tough love. He told me, “If you’re afraid to have hard conversations with top performers, you’re not running a business, you’re just trying to survive.” Truth.

 
The Power of SOPs and Systems

If there’s one secret to Tommy’s success, it’s this: document everything.

His partnership with Al Levi was a turning point. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), checklists, and manuals helped him create a company that doesn’t rely on memory or charisma but on systems.

But Tommy didn’t stop at documentation. He made sure the systems are trained, tested, and followed. “It’s not enough to write the SOP,” he said. “You need to inspect it. Test people on it. Make sure they live it.”

He recently hired a former ServiceTitan team member to lead data integrity, reviewing daily meetings, CSR calls, and technician performance to ensure consistency and accountability across all 23 states.

Here’s what that tells me: scaling isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing things the right way, over and over again.

I invite you to join the Service MVP Club, your all-in-one platform for weekly live coaching, self-paced training, and the tools you need to grow your confidence, communication, and results.

Start your free trial today: Service MVP Club

 
Recruiting A+ Talent by Being an A+ Leader

Another game-changing insight from Tommy: “If you don’t have A+ people knocking on your door to work with you, you haven’t done your job.”

In the past, he focused his marketing on customers. Now, he invests just as much in marketing to potential employees. LinkedIn, TikTok, Indeed, Glassdoor, you name it, he’s on it.

But attracting great talent starts with becoming the kind of leader people want to follow. Tommy challenged all of us to ask: “Would the person I want to hire want to work for someone like me?”

When he read Darren Hardy’s book The Compound Effect; he made two lists, one for the traits of the perfect team member, and one for the traits he needed to develop in himself to be worthy of that person.

The lesson? Before you build your team, build yourself.

Want more from Tommy Mello?

Listen to his podcast: Home Service Expert
Grab his book Elevate at here: Elevate 
Follow him: @officialtommymello on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok

 
Small Moves, Big Results: Tommy’s Daily Growth Secrets

Tommy calls them “small bigs”, the little actions that produce big results over time.

Here are just a few of his most powerful tips:

Have a written plan for everything, fitness goals, family relationships, and business success. “If it’s not on paper, it’s not real.”

Use a daily planner to focus on 2–4 needle-moving tasks. Write down every distraction and learn from them.

Put on the blinders. Say no to things that don’t align with your priorities. Focus is your greatest asset.

Get accountability. Lock yourself in a room if needed. Stay until the mission is done.

Systematize everything. From bedtime routines to cleaning schedules, habits matter. Think in systems.

 
Training, Testing, and Elevating the Team

Tommy’s not interested in shortcuts. He wants every team member to earn their role.

At A1 Garage, technicians don’t hit the field until they’ve passed written tests, customer simulations, and technical evaluations. There’s a process for everything, onboarding, dispatch, call reviews, even morning meetings.

And when it comes to scaling, he doesn’t just push harder. He inspects closer.

“If your systems aren’t followed, they’re worthless,” he said. “The biggest failure isn’t having the wrong system. It’s having the right one and not enforcing it.”

 
Final Thoughts: Building a Business Where Everybody Wins

Tommy’s newest book Elevate is all about this core belief: a truly great business is one where everyone wins. Employees, customers, vendors, and owners. All growing and all winning together.

He summed it up perfectly: “I want to build a business where people leave better than when they came in. Where they can buy a home, take care of their families, and be proud of what they’re part of.”

And that’s why I’m proud to call Tommy Mello not just a friend, but a fellow leader in this industry. He reminds us that success isn’t about ego and it’s about service. And when you do it right, that service changes lives.

Joe Crisara

America’s Service Sales Coach

Founder, Service MVP