A new book about starting or re-starting a small business based on real-life experiences from heating & cooling (HVAC) contractors – “The Next Contractor” – is now available through www.amazon.com. The book, an accumulation of true stories set to a fictional backdrop, is written by John R. Hall, Business Management Editor for The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, the leading publication for the HVAC trade. Hall has eight years of reporting experience covering the HVAC contracting trade and is a 20-year trade journalist.

Hall recounts interviews with over 100 contractors in weaving this tale of a small businessman, intent on buying an HVAC service & replacement business, who goes on a fishing trip with his friend, Robert (also a successful HVAC contractor and consultant), and learns about the do’s and don’ts of running a small business.

Readers will learn what other contractors have experienced when it comes to such things as employee hiring and retaining, marketing and advertising, how to choose a software program, customer service tips, what mistakes to avoid, etc. There are also bonus chapters containing “sage advice” and profits tips. Learn what it is like to work “on” the business instead of “in” the business. You don’t have to be an HVAC contractor to enjoy the book – only a businessperson looking for answers.