--- title: "HomeTeam Inspection Service Annual Summit Highlights Leadership, Growth and Innovation" url: https://burnaze.com/article/3d6c5c8b-81df-401f-ac66-1bec6ea7deba source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice/hometeam-inspection-service-hosts-most-successful-summit-yet-2728662 category: "Repair & handyman" industry: "Home Services" segment: "Repair & handyman" topics: ["People"] published: 2025-02-25T12:07:46.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T16:56:40.307Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1740490195_2728662.png --- # HomeTeam Inspection Service Annual Summit Highlights Leadership, Growth and Innovation **TL;DR:** HomeTeam Inspection Service recently concluded its annual Summit, focusing on leadership, business growth, and company vision. The event featured keynote speakers, including Gino Blefari and Jimmy May, and recognized several franchises for outstanding achievements. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2025-02-25. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice/hometeam-inspection-service-hosts-most-successful-summit-yet-2728662).* ## Key facts - HomeTeam Inspection Service held its annual Summit - Gino Blefari spoke at the welcome reception - Jimmy May shared insights on leadership and team building ## Story HomeTeam Inspection Service recently concluded its most successful annual Summit to date, bringing together franchise owners and industry leaders for a comprehensive program focused on leadership, business growth and company vision. The event served as a crucial gathering point for the company's network during a transformative period in the real estate inspection industry. The Summit opened with a welcome reception featuring an insightful Q&A session with Gino Blefari, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network. "Gino is perennially one of the most influential people in real estate in the world and a year or so ago was the number one rated most influential person in the world," said Matt Cook, Director of Business Development at HomeTeam. "The fact that he continues choosing to join us for our annual summits is amazing. He’s already told us that he’s coming back next year, and he let me know he already has a message in mind.” ## Leadership and growth The Summit's thematic foundation drew inspiration from Simon Sinek's "Start With Why," emphasizing the importance of purpose-driven leadership and behavioral change in business relationships. "The whole event was geared towards helping our owners better understand why they do what they do," Cook said. "When you go out there and try to grow your business and do sales and marketing, you’re not just starting with the how. It shouldn’t be a conversation that starts with 'Hey, we do home inspections, we use these tools, and we'll be there in a few days.' We should be connecting with people, saying things like, ‘This is why I got into the home inspection industry. This is what drives me.’ When you connect with people first, then they're interested in hearing what you have to say." A highlight of the event was keynote speaker Jimmy May, a recently retired U.S. Navy SEAL commander with 20+ years of service. May shared powerful insights about leadership and team building, drawing from his extensive military experience to provide practical business lessons. His presentation began with an engaging icebreaker focused on personal safety awareness before transitioning into crucial leadership principles. "Jimmy talked about times where his leadership was questioned, times where he questioned himself and then times where he had to work on his own ego and pride," Cook said. "All of that’s applicable to small businesses. He talked about creating a culture of dissent. It has to be respectful dissent, of course, but some of the best ideas come from scenarios where team members feel empowered to ask questions and make suggestions. Franchise owners who can set aside their pride will be able to foster this type of conversation within their teams and ultimately drive their businesses forward.” ## Innovation and recognition The Summit also showcased several significant business developments that signal HomeTeam's commitment to innovation and growth. These included the introduction of new package pricing programs, enhanced warranty offerings, and a preview of upcoming proprietary software designed to streamline operations and improve client experience. The new software platform will incorporate video capabilities and provide a more dynamic reporting system that moves beyond traditional PDF formats. Several franchises received recognition for outstanding achievements throughout the year: - **Franchise of the Year:** HomeTeam of Louisville (Kentucky), recognized for achieving top revenue performance. - **Rising Star Award:** HomeTeam of Central Indiana, acknowledged for exceptional customer reviews. - **Influencer Award:** Josh Holland, HomeTeam of Citrus Hernando, honored for community impact and organizational leadership. - **HomeTeam Award:** Steven Ming, HomeTeam of Northeast Metro Atlanta, was recognized for embodying company values and launching a successful podcast initiative that has generated over 1,900 hours of educational content. Reflecting on the event, Cook drew a powerful parallel between the summit’s desert backdrop and small business ownership. "The desert is a perfect symbol of small business ownership," he said. "Sometimes you truly feel alone. You can see so far into the distance and not see a soul. As an entrepreneur, you can feel like you’re out there alone — no water, no food, no shelter. The point of our summit is to be an oasis. It’s where you get a drink of water, quench your thirst, learn, and reconnect with all your people." ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - Home Services (sector) - business growth (topic) - franchise awards (topic) - leadership development (topic) - HomeTeam Inspection Service (company) - Matt Cook (person) - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (company) - industry innovation (topic) - Gino Blefari (person) - Jimmy May (person) - Josh Holland (person) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice/hometeam-inspection-service-hosts-most-successful-summit-yet-2728662). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/3d6c5c8b-81df-401f-ac66-1bec6ea7deba).