We were lucky to catch up with Krista Landen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Krista , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

I started working at 13 or 14, babysitting and working at a local grocery store. While working as a bagger and cashier, I began to learn how a positive attitude can have a significant impact on others. My manager at the time was always smiling when she was on the floor and engaging with shoppers. While there, I also saw the power of upsells and offering products that others would enjoy. Many times when you are standing in line to check out, you’re looking at magazines or candy. A few times, I could jokingly talk patrons into purchasing what they had just been staring at. Note that we, as employees, were never pushed to upsell items in our lanes or held to goals for that. But I like to see people smile, and when they would leave with the magazine, soda, or candy, they would always be happy. My next career opportunity was hosting and serving at our local Red Lobster. That is really where I honed my skills in connecting with our patrons and ensuring they had a great experience. While at that location, I led the team in upselling appetizers, bar drinks, and desserts for many months. I found that just asking the simple question of this or that would go a long way in getting people to consider a drink, an appetizer, or indulging in a sweet treat.

Krista , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

While I never imagined I would choose to enter the HVAC industry, I now can’t imagine being involved in a better trade! After graduating from college with a plan to attend culinary school to become a professional pastry chef, I was visiting our local community college. I happened to pass by a wall with job opportunities. There was an opportunity placed for them. Administrative Assistant position at Gulfshore Air. I had no idea what this business even had to offer in terms of services or products, but after reading the required scope of work, I was sure I could do that. Upon interviewing and accepting the job offer, it was determined that the business owner, Steve, and my father had previously worked together at the local Sheriff’s Department. From this point forward, there were ups and downs with the business and my career path in the organization. But I knew I had found a company I could apply my dual primary degree to and apply myself, I didn’t know was possible. I graduated from Saint Leo University with a dual BA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship and Family Business in just 3 years. All of which are aspects I have applied in my 14 year career here at Gulfshore Air. As the business grew and leveled up, so did my position, responsibilities, and scope of work. Currently, I serve as the Marketing & IT Manager and have held every internal position this organization has to offer. While I do not physically own any portion of this organization, I take significant ownership of its success and work to help Steve achieve his career dreams of growing it. My passion for delivering an exceptional experience at every step and being a premier brand in our area helps us stand out from others offering similar products and services.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Even to this day, after 14 years of serving our local community, client referrals remain the best source of new clients for Gulfshore Air. While we utilize traditional marketing funnels, such as Google Local Services, social media, and other branded channels, referrals account for 60% of our new clients each year. Which is uncommon for our business and the area we service, as retention and homeowner ownership is volatile. However, we provide something most contractors do not: a quality experience and a full workmanship guarantee on all services we provide.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We offer e-commerce on our website, which provides local owners with complete transparency into the projected expense for replacing their HVAC system. This is new for trade businesses, as most don’t want to or know how to lean into answering questions our potential clients have. For Steve and me, reading the book They Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan is what tipped the scales in choosing to update our website and offer this information. There isn’t anything we cannot share on our website that wouldn’t aid in client education and confidence than the potential amount they are expecting to invest in the comfort of their home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gulfshoreair.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gulfshoreair/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gulfshoreair/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gulfshoreairconditioning/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GulfshoreAir