From Fitness Sales to HVAC Legend: Building a Modern Sales Culture with Darren & Tyler Dixon

The trades industry is facing a talent crunch, especially in HVAC and home services. Why do so many young professionals overlook this explosive field? How do leaders attract and ramp up top talent fast? This week on Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley and Chuck Staszkiewicz sit down with father-son duo Darren and Tyler Dixon to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to grow the next generation of sales superstars.

If you think home services isn’t “sexy,” Tyler Dixon will change your mind. At just 21, Tyler walked away from a six-figure management job in the fitness world to sell HVAC. Within two months, he was posting record sales numbers after just three weeks of training. Why? Because his dad, industry veteran Darren Dixon, refused to train him “the old way.” They leveraged tech, focused on relationships, and built a blueprint that any forward-thinking company can use.

Whether you’re a business owner struggling to recruit, a sales leader aiming to build a fast-track program, or a young pro considering a different path, this episode is pure gold. It’s not just about family legacy—it’s about how smart companies win the next wave of talent.

Why You Should Listen

What if you could get a rookie to $3 million in annual sales in 12 months, with just three weeks of onboarding? The Dixons are proving it’s possible. This episode is for every leader (or ambitious newbie) who wants to know:

• What does a modern, tech-enabled trade sales culture look like?
• How can you attract Gen Z and Millennials to the trades?
• What mindset, process, and tech stack sets up “rookies” for rapid success?
• And what lessons can every business steal from the Dixon family playbook?

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. Rethinking Trade Careers: “It’s Not Sexy—Or Is It?”
   Tyler unpacks his leap from managing a gym to HVAC sales. Chuck and Darren break down why trades are, in fact, “the Super Bowl of home services,” with uncapped earnings, job security, and an all-time high demand for true professionals.
2. Onboarding for Success: 3 Weeks to Sales Rockstar
   Hear exactly how Darren trained Tyler: focus on conversational product knowledge (not tech jargon), sales psychology, and a process that supports rather than overwhelms new talent. Discover why most companies get this wrong, and how you can get it right.
3. Technology as a Talent Magnet (and Leveler)
   “Perfect Match,” a tech-forward sales platform, lets Tyler deliver a polished, interactive sales experience, even as a beginner. They discuss why tech-enabled sales is the only way to attract and empower young talent and why paper pricebooks are a deal-breaker for the next generation.
4. Relationship > Transaction: Building Lifetime Customers
   Get an insider look at Tyler’s approach: “I’m just here to hang out.” Why letting the sale follow the relationship builds trust, differentiation, and closes deals—even with “comparative” (aka, shopping around) customers.
5. Process Drives Profit—Detach from the Outcome
   Darren and Tyler stress the discipline of following the process, not chasing outcomes. Tyler shares his nightly ritual for self-auditing sales calls and why consistent process beats talent alone.
6. The Future: Upward Mobility and Multi-Generational Trades
   Explore why the best sales reps think like owners, manage “the handoff” to installers, and constantly invest in personal growth, including podcasts and peer mentoring.

Attracting Top Talent: Why Onboarding, Culture, and Tech Matter
Jennifer and Chuck explore what’s working (and not working) to recruit, ramp, and retain the next generation, from paid training to steady lead flows to how tech-forward companies win the war for young talent.