Elton Stewart - Bossier City, Louisiana

Unless you grew up in a family business, odds are that mowing lawns, baby sitting or washing cars were a quick way for you to make a little cash when you were a kid. Thanks to a family friend, Elton Stewart decided to go another route from the typical summer job. At the age of 14, Stewart spent weekends and school holidays getting his hands dirty with the occasional condenser coil and refrigerant change out, which eventually led him to becoming the owner of Stewart’s Aire Serv in Bossier City, La., before he turned 30.

What was business like before Aire Serv, and why did you invest in a franchise?

I’ve worked in various roles, from technician to owner, over the last 16 years. I had a business partner for a few years and worked for another HVAC franchise as a technician, so I learned how to treat customers the way they wanted to be treated. Shortly before looking into my own franchise, I worked as a one-truck business operation and needed to hire technicians occasionally to help keep up with the work. However, I was getting so many referrals from customers that I knew I could either turn business away or get more organized to grow my business.

With my wife’s support, I started to investigate HVAC franchise options. Anna and I had a great experience with the Aire Serv representatives, so we went home and prayed about whether it was a good fit for us. We signed with Aire Serv.

What challenges did you face when you first started your Aire Serv franchise?

Our biggest challenge was implementing all the systems. We didn’t know how to start and when to put each element in place – it was very overwhelming at first. We just started working on one piece of the system at a time. I started by learning the software programs and worked with our franchise consultant who offered a lot of insight into making sense of everything. When one system was finished I would start another. Before Aire Serv, we were living paycheck-to-paycheck because we mismanaged our budget. However, with help from our franchise consultant, my wife and I have more insight into the systems and Anna is looking at our budget daily. We are able to forecast our budget and plan ahead for cost – we have money in the bank now.

Why did you put an emphasis on the Aire Serv systems with your team?

I had learned the value of a routine or system when I worked as a technician for another franchise. I appreciated having a pricing system in place for the customer and providing incentives for technicians, so I just plugged the Aire Serv systems in place. It worked well and I began educating my employees on how the systems worked. You need to be very consistent to make it work and be very empathetic with customers. I discuss the systems and role-play with my technicians throughout the month, and keep them involved on how we’re doing financially. Everyone feels more valuable to the overall success when they’re aware of what’s going on. The Aire Serv systems and image make us stand out from our competitors, which my team has come to appreciate.

What impact has the Aire Serv brand had on your business?

We have a military base here – so people come in and out from various states. They’ve experienced Aire Serv from their previous locations and want a brand they’re familiar with, which has definitely helped us.

People also tend to want to do business with a successful, small business. So, while customers might be cautious at first, it helps that we’re independently owned, but part of a national franchise that helps us focus on customer service and overcome issues that may arise. Customers like that after I explain it to them.

How has your family been involved?

In the beginning, when my wife, Anna, first joined the company, I wasn’t sure how it would all work out. I was my own worst enemy, but finally realized I couldn’t do it all on my own. Anna became the office manager and accountant, which meant learning the franchise software. My mother-in-law, Gayle, joined the team over the summer and runs day-to-day tasks while acting as our customer service representative. My brother, Houston, also works for us as a technician. Having family in the business gives us a unique ability since everyone here trusts each other to succeed.

Anna and I also make sure we leave work at the office and keep our home life separate from the business. The one aspect of the business we do together is marketing. We utilize marketing tactics from yellow page ads and direct mail to putting a strong emphasis on community involvement. We put a lot of effort into branding ourselves into the community.

Running the business with family is all about having a good attitude and trusting each other. Since starting Stewart’s Aire Serv,  Anna is also able to bring our baby girl to work and we can both spend more time with our kids now and in the future.

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