Direction Matters More Than Speed: Building a Purpose-Driven Business with Dasean Willard

What happens when genuine service gets lost in corporate sales tactics? On the Epic Entrepreneur’s Podcast, Dasean Willard, founder of Eagle Air Services and Repair, shares his mission to restore honesty and integrity in the HVAC industry. From flashlight holder at 13 to business owner, his journey offers timeless lessons for entrepreneurs across all fields.

"We've kind of lost our way a little bit in the service industry, and I'm on a mission to clean it up," explains Willard. With private equity companies increasingly acquiring HVAC businesses and prioritizing sales over service, he saw an opportunity to offer something different: honest evaluations and genuine solutions without the aggressive upselling. Having worked for larger companies and witnessed this transformation firsthand, his approach represents a return to fundamentals that many customers find refreshing.

The conversation reveals powerful insights for entrepreneurs across any industry. Willard shares his struggle to properly value his expertise—a common challenge for service-based business owners. "We tend to cut ourselves short," he admits, whether to win a job or out of empathy for customers. His breakthrough came with realizing customers are paying for knowledge, not just time. As he puts it, "When I become more efficient at my job, it's better for both of us."

Among the most memorable moments is Willard's advice on bringing energy to your business: "Be a thermostat, not a thermometer." While thermometers merely react to their environment, thermostats set the temperature and influence everything around them. Similarly, his observation that "direction is way more important than speed" captures the essence of purposeful business growth. These principles, combined with his emphasis on coachability in employees and establishing clear work-family boundaries, provide a roadmap for purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

Want to hear more wisdom from entrepreneurs who are redefining their industries? Subscribe to the Epic Entrepreneur's Podcast for conversations that go beyond business tactics to explore the values and mindsets driving successful leaders.

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All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill