Burgers, Bangles, and Blue Collars: The Billion-Dollar Lesson in Transferable Skills

About This Episode

In this episode of First Shift, host Graeme Bryks talks with Lori Tschohl, owner of Eagle Pipe Heating and Air and past president of Women in HVACR. Lori's path to the trades is unlike anything you have heard before. She spent 35 years at McDonald's, rising from a 16-year-old crew member to building and selling a $10 million franchise operation. After that, she opened Pandora jewelry stores. Then in 2015, she founded Eagle Pipe, an HVAC and mechanical company based near Seattle on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Her philosophy is simple: business is business, and the systems that make french fries consistent across the globe are the same systems that can make an HVAC company run like a machine. Lori breaks down exactly how she transferred franchise discipline into the trades. The upselling skills she learned at McDonald's ("Would you like fries with that?") and refined at Pandora ("You need clips and a safety chain for that bracelet") translate directly to HVAC. When a comfort advisor visits a home, they should be asking about duct work upgrades, thermostat replacements, and indoor air quality solutions. Lori also dives into the heat pump market, sharing how switching her own home from propane to a heat pump dropped her monthly costs from $1,200 to almost nothing. For contractors in mild climates like the Pacific Northwest, she explains why heat pumps are quickly becoming the default recommendation for systems over 12 to 15 years old, and how brands like Mitsubishi are leading that transition. The conversation gets practical when it comes to AI and technology. Eagle Pipe already uses AI to handle overflow calls and after-hours coverage, and Lori is actively evaluating more advanced AI phone systems that can handle outbound calls, follow-up "happy calls" after installations, and keyword-based emergency routing. She uses Service Titan for dispatch and call tracking, and recommends a training program called Just Start AI from CI Web Group that teaches AI implementation specifically for HVAC and plumbing contractors. Lori is clear that AI is not replacing her team. Her CSR still answers calls first for that human connection. But AI fills the gaps, covering nights, weekends, and those moments when three calls hit at the same time. Lori also shares her work with Women in HVACR, an organization with roughly 1,400 members that provides education, mentoring, and scholarships to women across the HVAC and refrigeration industry. The group offers six $5,000 scholarships per year and has helped women move from service tech roles to writing for trade publications and even opening their own companies. For anyone feeling stuck in their current career and considering a switch to the trades, Lori's advice is direct: invest in communication skills, build your network, and get yourself a coach. She is living proof that the right systems and the right mindset can take you from the front counter of a fast food restaurant to the helm of a growing mechanical company.

Key Takeaways

• 1Lori went from a 16-year-old McDonald's crew member to building a $10 million franchise, then transitioned through Pandora retail before founding Eagle Pipe Heating and Air in 2015, proving that strong systems transfer across any industry.
• 2Her personal propane bill dropped from $1,200 per month to almost nothing after installing a heat pump, and Eagle Pipe now recommends heat pumps for any system over 12 to 15 years old in the Pacific Northwest.
• 3Eagle Pipe uses AI for overflow and after-hours call handling, and Lori is upgrading to a more advanced system that can make outbound follow-up calls and route emergencies using keyword detection.
• 4Lori recommends Just Start AI from CI Web Group, a training program built specifically for HVAC and plumbing contractors who want to learn AI implementation for their businesses.
• 5Women in HVACR has roughly 1,400 members and offers six $5,000 scholarships annually to women entering or advancing in the trades, with mentorship programs connecting service techs to business owners.
• 6The upselling framework from McDonald's and Pandora applies directly to HVAC: just as you ask "Would you like fries with that?" a comfort advisor should be recommending duct work upgrades, better thermostats, and indoor air quality products.
• 7Lori's top advice for anyone switching careers into the trades: master communication, build a strong network, and invest in a business coach to accelerate your growth.

Watch This Episode

Listen on Spotify