PROs Networking Group

We had another great PROs meeting this week.

It was especially exciting to welcome some new, or new-ish, members into the group. Tammy Leventis of MailCo, Inc. and David McKay of Black Sheep Customs received their books and are officially ready to continue becoming strong referral partners in this amazing and growing group.

Tammy Leventis
MailCo, Inc.
Printing, Mailing & Promotional Services
727-548-6245
[email protected]
www.mailcopromo.com

David McKay

Automotive Restoration
727-946-1550
[email protected]

We also had another big Silver Spoon moment. This week’s winner was Didier Malagies, DDA Mortgage. The Silver Spoon always brings a little extra fun to the meeting, and it is a great reminder that PROs is not just about referrals. It is about personality, connection, and showing up in a way people remember.
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Our Business Education Moment

Our business education speaker was Kevin Hunt of Fair Wind Inspections, Inc.

Kevin spoke about something every business owner needs to think about: phone etiquette.

It sounds simple, but how we handle the phone can make a huge difference in the way customers experience our businesses. Kevin reminded us that answering quickly matters. Even if you cannot talk right away, sometimes just picking up and saying, “Can I call you back?” can make all the difference.

He also talked about the importance of returning calls quickly. Same-day follow-up is critical, and within an hour is even better. People do not want to feel ignored, especially when they are trying to hire you, ask a question, or solve a problem.

Kevin also reminded us to be fully present on the phone. Do not take important calls while driving, distracted, or surrounded by background noise. Be engaged. Listen. Respond. Speak clearly. Slow down. Avoid industry jargon. And always be professional by introducing yourself and making the next steps clear.

One of the best reminders was to check your own voicemail. Call your business like a customer would. What do they hear? Is the message clear? Is the mailbox full? Is the experience professional? Sometimes the smallest details can shape a customer’s first impression.
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Key takeaways from Kevin:

* Answer the phone as quickly as possible
* Return calls the same day whenever possible
* Within an hour is even better
* Be present and engaged during phone calls
* Avoid background noise and distractions
* Speak clearly and avoid industry jargon
* Introduce yourself professionally
* Give clear next steps
* Check your own voicemail experience
* Never let your voicemail box get full
* Be friendly, because friendliness matters

Kevin Hunt
Fair Wind Inspections
Home Inspector
727-278-5148
[email protected]
www.fairwindinspections.com
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Our First Speaker

Our next speaker was Joshua with Catalyst Physical Therapy and Diagnostics.

Joshua led the group through a simple but very effective exercise using a deck of cards. Each team had to divide, sort, and arrange the cards. The tasks were similar, but each group had slight variations in their instructions.

The point became clear quickly. In business, many of us face similar challenges, but the details are not always the same. Each group had to communicate with each other, work through the information they had, and try to complete the task.

Some teams did not have the current or complete information, so they did not complete the task the same way. That opened up a great conversation about communication, feedback, and how it feels when we are expected to succeed without being given everything we need.

Every group asked for feedback, but it was not given right away. That made us think about how frustrating it can feel when customers, employees, or team members are left wondering if they are doing things correctly.

It was a simple exercise, but it made a strong point. Communication matters. Feedback matters. Clear instructions matter. And when people do not have the right information, even smart and capable people can end up moving in different directions.
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Key takeaways from Joshua:

* Similar problems can still have different details
* Clear communication helps teams complete tasks correctly
* Missing information can change the outcome
* Feedback is important during the process, not just after
* People perform better when expectations are clear
* In business, confusion often comes from unclear communication
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Joshua
Catalyst PT Clinics
Physical Therapy
727-286-8408
[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
catalystpt.org

Our Final Speaker

Our final speaker was David McKay of Black Sheep Customs.

David started with a few jokes and had the whole room laughing before jumping into one of his favorite topics: cars.

What started as a presentation quickly turned into a great question-and-answer session. David talked about automotive restoration, finding parts, sourcing hard-to-find pieces, and what it really takes to bring older vehicles back to life.

One of the big questions was how you find parts for something like a 1937 car. David shared some of the behind-the-scenes realities of restoration work and how much creativity, patience, and persistence it takes.

He told a story about a 1976 Camaro and the process of finding a quarter panel, restoring the rusted-out bottom, dealing with timing issues, back orders, different options, and sometimes needing to fabricate parts when the right piece is not available.

One thing that stood out was David’s commitment to quality. He said he is always chasing quality, and that is one of the hardest parts of the job. He works with around 1,000 different companies to find the right parts, and even uses eBay as a source when needed. Sometimes, he even has to buy other cars just to get the parts required for a restoration.

David also made it clear that he does not work on new cars. In fact, he does not really like working on anything after 1978. It is not because he cannot handle technology. He adds computers to the rebuilds he does when needed. For David, it is about the soul of the car. Newer cars feel too routine to him. He loves the challenge, the craftsmanship, and the story behind older vehicles.

His favorite cars are old Chevy muscle cars, and you could tell from the way he talked about them that this is not just a business for him. It is a passion.

Key takeaways from David:

* Automotive restoration requires patience and creativity
* Finding parts can be one of the hardest parts of the job
* Quality is always worth chasing
* Some restorations require fabrication or sourcing from donor cars
* Older cars have character, history, and soul
* Passion matters when the work is detailed and difficult

David McKay
https://www.facebook.com/p/Black-Sheep-Customs-PhD-100064170755808/
Automotive Restoration
727-946-1550
[email protected]

Closing

Another great PROs meeting with strong business lessons, great stories, and plenty of personality.

From phone etiquette and customer communication to teamwork, feedback, and the craftsmanship behind automotive restoration, this meeting had a lot of practical takeaways we can all use in our own businesses.

Grateful to be part of a group that continues to grow, support each other, and help each member become a stronger referral partner.

PROs Networking had another strong meeting this week with a great mix of mindset, practical education, and real-world business experience. From gratitude, to estate planning, to websites that actually work, this meeting was a good reminder that success is not just about what you sell. It is also about how you treat people, how well you prepare, and how clearly you communicate value.
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Business EDU Moment

Deborah Keane
Cruise Planners -- Ineedtotravel.com
Travel Agency
727-286-2355
[email protected]
www.ineedtotravel.com
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Deborah kicked off our Business EDU moment with a message about gratitude. She started with two simple words: thank you. From there, she reminded the group that authentic gratitude stands out, especially in business. Deborah pointed out that the most successful people are often the most appreciative. They thank their vendors, employees, partners, suppliers, and everyone else who touches their business. Her message was a strong reminder that while so many businesses focus heavily on metrics, performance, and growth strategies, gratitude may be one of the most powerful tools we have. It makes people feel seen, valued, and treated like true partners instead of transactions.

What stood out most in Deborah’s presentation was the idea that business moves at the speed of relationships. People may forget your pitch or your pricing, but they remember how you made them feel. Gratitude helps strengthen relationships, creates goodwill, and often spreads further than we realize. It was a simple message, but an important one, and a good reminder that appreciation is not soft. It is strategic, memorable, and contagious.

Key takeaways from Deborah’s presentation:
• Authentic gratitude stands out
• Strong businesses are built on strong relationships
• People remember how you make them feel
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Next, we heard a presentation focused on probate planning, including a helpful explanation of Lady Bird deeds. Briefly, a Lady Bird deed, also known as an enhanced life estate deed, is a Florida estate-planning tool that can let someone keep control of their homestead during their lifetime while allowing the property to transfer automatically to named beneficiaries at death, outside of probate. It is often discussed in Florida because it can preserve certain homestead benefits and may help avoid some Medicaid estate recovery issues, though it does not replace a full estate plan and does not keep other non-deeded assets out of probate. Because the details can affect taxes, Medicaid planning, and inheritance issues, this is one of those topics where Florida-specific legal advice really matters.

The presentation also covered some of the advantages that make Lady Bird deeds appealing in Florida. The speaker explained that they can help someone avoid probate on the home while still keeping homestead advantages, and that they generally do not trigger the same concerns people often hear about with the five-year Medicaid look-back period. We also heard that they can be more affordable than setting up a trust in some situations, and that there can be tax advantages such as a stepped-up basis. At the same time, the speaker made it clear that there are still financial drawbacks to consider and that other assets would still have to go through probate if they are not planned for separately. It was a helpful reminder that avoiding probate is not always about one perfect tool, but about making thoughtful decisions based on the full picture.

Key takeaways from the probate presentation:
• A Lady Bird deed can help a Florida homestead transfer outside probate
• It may preserve key homestead and Medicaid-related advantages
• It does not solve probate issues for every asset

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Justin Babcock
Web Education Services
Education services
412-915-1746
[email protected]
www.WebEducationServices.com

Our final speaker was Justin Babcock with Web Education Services. Justin walked the group through what makes a good website and what makes a bad one, starting with design. He talked about the importance of clarity, structure, and helping users quickly understand who you are, what you do, and what they should do next. A site can look nice on the surface, but if it is confusing, cluttered, or built without the user in mind, it will not perform the way it should. His presentation highlighted the difference between a site that simply exists and a site that actually works as a tool for the business.

Justin then shifted into the backend side of websites and SEO, explaining that good design alone is not enough. A strong site also needs to move well, function well, and give search engines the right signals. He talked about what helps a website rank, what helps it load and perform, and what makes it more useful both for visitors and for search visibility. It was a great reminder that a website is not just a digital brochure. When it is built correctly, it becomes a business asset that supports credibility, discoverability, and conversion.

Key takeaways from Justin’s presentation:
• Good website design should be clear, useful, and easy to navigate
• A good-looking site still needs strong backend structure
• SEO and performance both matter if you want a site to move and rank
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Another great PROs meeting with strong reminders about appreciation, preparation, and building businesses that serve people well.

Come to the next meeting: https://www.pro-networking.org/