Service Managers
Leadership Lab

Stop being the best technician in the room.
Start being the leader your team needs.

7-Month Cohort Kicks Off Fall 2026 In-Person at ACCA 2027

ENROLLMENT OPEN

Sound Familiar?

"I was great at the job. Then I got promoted — and suddenly I was responsible for everyone else doing it. Nobody told me how to actually lead."

What is it?

A 7-month leadership cohort designed specifically for HVACR service and install managers, new and experienced alike.

Not a generic management course. Not a one-day workshop you forget by Friday. A structured, month-by-month program built around the real challenges trades managers face every single day, with the peer community to make it stick.

Virtual Monthly Sessions

Live, facilitated sessions each month covering one leadership module. Practical, conversational, and built around real scenarios from the field. Typically 2 hours.

In-Person at ACCA 2027 Conference

Your cohort comes together face-to-face. A full learning and connection experience built into an event you're already investing in.

Peer Cohort Community

An ongoing moderated forum where you share wins, work through challenges, and stay connected, during and after the program.

Post-Program Community Access

The relationships and the resource community continue well after the program ends.

The Hardest Seat in the Building

Service managers sit between ownership and the field — catching pressure from both directions, often with authority that doesn't match their responsibility.

From ownership they hear:

Hit the numbers
Control the callbacks
Keep the techs motivated
Make sure the trucks roll on time

From the field they hear:

You don't understand what it's like out there
The schedule is a mess
I should have gotten that call
Nobody tells us anything

And in the middle? A manager who was never trained for any of it.

This program names that reality — and gives managers the tools to
navigate it with confidence.

RESERVE MY SPOT

The 7-Month Curriculum

Every module is immediately applicable — not theory, but tools you can use the next day.

MONTH 1

From Doer to Leader

Focus: Transitioning from technician to manager

Understanding your evolving role as a leader
Letting go of the wrench, picking up the vision
Setting expectations for yourself and your team

MONTH 2

Communication That Connects

Focus: Leading tough conversations & meetings

Running effective, productive team meetings
Navigating difficult conversations with confidence
Communicating expectations clearly and consistently

MONTH 3

Operational Excellence + Safety & Risk Management

Focus: Running a safe, efficient operation

Scheduling, dispatch, and workflow management
Creating systems that don't depend on you
Building a strong safety culture and accountability
Risk identification and incident prevention

MONTH 4

Financial Fundamentals

Focus: HVAC financial basics every manager should know

Reading a P&L and understanding margins
Job margin, labor vs. materials cost, overhead contribution
Financial metrics to track and act on daily

MONTH 5

Leading Through Change

Focus: Managing change and uncertainty

Leading your team through uncertainty and disruption
Navigating industry shifts, including private equity
Keeping morale and momentum when the ground moves

MONTH 6

Team Accountability + Coaching for Performance

Focus: Hold people up, not just accountable

Setting clear expectations and measuring results
Holding people accountable without micromanaging
Coaching for growth, not just correcting for mistakes
Building a team culture of continuous improvement

MONTH 7

Ethics, Integrity & Professionalism + In-Person Capstone at ACCA 2027

Focus: Leading with honesty and trust — culminating in person at ACCA 2027, Washington D.C.

Setting the standard for professional behavior
Handling ethical dilemmas in the field and office
Building a reputation your team and customers trust
Reflect on your leadership journey across the program
Connect in person with your cohort peers and mentors
Leave with a personal leadership action plan going forward

What will you walk away with?

Habits, tools, and a network that lasts.

A clear understanding of your role as a leader, and how to operate from it confidently

Communication frameworks for running better meetings and having hard conversations

Financial literacy built for HVACR — P&L, margins, and the metrics that actually matter

Operational systems that reduce chaos and don't depend on you being in the room

Skills to develop your team's performance over time, not just manage it day to day

A peer network of managers across ACCA and PHCC you can call on for years to come

Who should join?

ACCA and PHCC members — service managers and install managers
Technicians recently promoted into a management role
Managers who've been in the role but never had formal leadership training
Experienced managers looking to sharpen their skills and find their people
Business owners investing in their management team's development

RESERVE MY SPOT

What makes this program different?

Built for Trades Managers — Not a Generic Business Course

Every module, case study, and conversation is grounded in the HVACR environment. The challenges, the language, the scenarios — all of it is specific to running a service department in this industry.

You're Not Learning Alone

You'll go through this with a cohort of peers who face the same exact pressures you do. The learning is valuable. The relationships are invaluable. That 'I thought I was the only one' moment usually happens in the first session.

Paired With the Owner Program — Intentionally

Legacy Builders, our owner-focused leadership program, also kicks off Fall 2026. When owners and their managers are growing together, the impact inside a business compounds. Some owners may enroll their service managers alongside their own Legacy Builders journey, and we think that's a powerful combination.

Priced for Real Businesses

Leadership development doesn't have to be a $15,000 line item. We've built a serious program at a price point that makes it practical for owners to invest in their managers — not just their top executive.

Developed for the Industry, By the Industry

Service Managers Leadership Lab was developed by ACCA — the trade association that has represented HVACR contractors for decades. This isn't a consultant's program repackaged for contractors. It's built from the ground up for this industry.

The Investment

Available exclusively to ACCA and PHCC members. Pricing is based on your membership tier.

BRONZE

Member or PHCC Member

$3,999

Member Rate

SILVER

Member

$3,599

10% Member Discount

BEST VALUE

GOLD

Member

$3,199

20% Member Discount

Not sure of your membership tier? Contact us and we'll help.

PHCC Members Are Welcome

Service Managers Leadership Lab is open to both ACCA and PHCC members. ACCA and PHCC are building a stronger partnership to serve the trades — and developing the next generation of service leaders together is a key part of that vision.

ACCA & PHCC Members: Member pricing applies based on your tier. Same program. Same community. Same investment in your team.

Investing in Your Managers? We Made Something Just for You.

If you're an owner thinking about enrolling your service or install manager — or if you're trying to make the case internally for why this investment matters — we've put together a dedicated resource.

Download: Why Your Service Manager Is Your Most Important Leadership Hire

A short guide for HVAC owners covering the real cost of an undertrained manager, what to look for, and why investing now pays off for your whole team.

DOWNLOAD THE OWNER'S GUIDE