The Team First Playbook — How Chad Peterman Builds High-Trust Cultures

What does it truly mean to lead a growing, family-owned business into a high-trust, high-performance culture? This week, we talk with Chad Peterman — President and CEO of Peterman Brothers, a family plumbing and HVAC business in Indiana — about transitioning, building culture, and hiring right.

Chad shares insights from taking over his father’s business and crafting a vivid, evolving vision to unite the team around shared goals. He opens up about his leadership philosophy which revolves around empowering the tradespeople in his company to grow without limits, putting values into consistent practice, and modeling accountability daily.

He stresses the importance of showing care for employees above all else, linking employee wellbeing directly to customer service and business growth. Chad walks us through his robust one-on-one meeting rhythms, the integration of KPIs with individual development, and how consistent communication keeps his team aligned and motivated.

Drawing on his sports background and hands-on experience, Chad also discusses handling conflict, unlearning old habits, and embracing accountability to create lasting organizational change. He reflects on the balance of family and business leadership, and how core values continually shape his approach.

Whether you’re stepping into leadership or scaling a family business, this episode offers practical strategies and inspiration for leading with heart, integrity, and vision.

Learn more about Chad: https://chadmpeterman.com/

Learn more about Peterman Brothers: https://petermanhvac.com/