Andrew Tittle

Originally from Kent County, Andrew Tittle is a veteran heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) official currently managing operations at Aireconomics Inc., a family-run company based in Tennessee. Widely regarded throughout the state’s HVAC industry as a well-rounded professional, Andrew draws from a wealth of training and experience in everything from building and construction management to various academic subjects, including literature and foreign language studies.

After graduating with honors from a prestigious college-preparatory boarding school in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, Andrew Tittle enrolled in Purdue University, where he earned multiple degrees; a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Management, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature. Upon completing his education, he was offered a position with a large construction firm in Orlando, Florida, where he thrived for a substantial period of time.

In 2009, Andrew decided to leave Florida and join his father, taking his professional talents to the family business, Aireconomics Inc., a firm that installs HVAC systems designed for industrial facilities, commercial facilities, and other large-scale venues, such as schools, restaurants, and hotels. Eager to become well-acquainted with every aspect of the company, Andrew began work as a field technician, responsible for performing environmental testing and balanced and building systems commissioning. In 2011, he earned certification from the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB). By this time a seasoned veteran of both the construction and HVAC industry, Kent County’s Andrew Tittle was almost instantly recognized for his skills in the field of testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB), as well as building systems commissioning (BSCx), which is a complex process ensuring that all systems in a given building are functioning correctly and efficiently. Andrew’s expertise in all these areas enabled him to provide valuable insights and top-notch service to Aireconomics Inc.’s roster of clients.

After some additional time had passed, Andrew began to perform administrative work at Aireconomics Inc., learning the company’s practices regarding invoicing, bidding, and drafting reports, among other matters. When the time came for the company to expand and open a new office in Nashville, Andrew was the natural choice to manage the branch. In executing this position, Andrew took a much more hands-on role in running the company, including heading up marketing efforts, negotiating contracts, liaising with contractors, and devising strategies to attract new clients and grow the company further. Safe in the knowledge that Andrew had acquired the necessary know-how to take Aireconomics into the future, his father soon put him in charge of all company operations, opting to ease himself into semi-retirement. These days, although his father is still somewhat involved, Andrew Tittle is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of Aireconomics Inc.

In his free time, Andrew Tittle of Kent County enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, boating, and motorcycling. He is an active member of his local church, and regularly volunteers his time and money to support several charitable causes. He is passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others, and is always looking for ways to give back to his community.

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

At Aireconomics Inc., we specialize in ventilation solutions. My typical day, whether at the office or in the field, consists of managing all aspects of our operations. This includes certifying and reviewing reports, as well as initiating meetings or conference calls with mechanical contractors, engineers, architects, and business owners, as well as other assorted duties. We identify the issue for each client and find solutions to their ventilation requirements. Although we are a small business, I communicate directly with all of our contacts and contractors—even for our major commercial projects. Direct communication is very much appreciated in this field. It helps keep everyone involved well-informed of specific project details. To that end, I have to be very well-organized in order to assure that all of our customers and contractors are happy. After all, that’s what causes the business to flourish.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Bringing ideas to life comes from experience. When I take a job, usually I have some lead time to plan things out before setting to work. However, after years of industry experience, I’ve also encountered issues where I need to provide a solution right away. For example, a hospital facility requires 24/7 operations. So, if they happen to encounter a ventilation problem, we need to come up with a solution for how to upgrade the ventilation system while they are still occupying the space. In a case like that, I’ll collaborate with the engineers to figure out a method to accomplish the task as quickly as we possibly can. Then we’ll have to schedule appropriate hours to implement a change to the system or a total change-over to a brand new HVAC system. There are some other situations that require immediate solutions. A restaurant may be experiencing very high humidity, which is a common issue in restaurants. I actually have extensive experience dealing with that particular situation, and as such, I can execute a solution by drawing on the knowledge I’ve accrued in the past.

But regardless of the time frame involved, I bring solutions to life by communicating directly with the business owner or facility administrator in question, defining what their issue is, figuring out what we have to do in order to deal with the problem, and then explaining the solutions we can provide.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Something that excites me right now are the new technologies becoming available in my profession. The newer technologies have markedly higher efficiency, and many buildings and facilities are going to want to install them in the near future. However, they don’t all quite work perfectly, yet. Before we can recommend their use, my team and I have to know what to expect from them, how to operate them, and how to make money from them. So, put simply, the trend that excites me is getting Aireconomics Inc. involved with the future of HVAC technology.

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

My organizational skills are definitely what keeps everything running smoothly at the company. I make a daily list of tasks supplemented by detailed notes, and I check my notes often. Also, maintaining a clean, healthy lifestyle at work and at home helps to keep me productive, as well.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to focus on the things that are good for you and make you happy. Also, put your best foot forward and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?

I have a wealth of knowledge, and I’m a multi-faceted person. I’m capable of doing many diverse things beyond running the operations of the company. For example, I love the outdoors. I have great survival skills, and I can camp for long periods of time. I also have my pilot’s license, although I haven’t had the opportunity to fly in a while. I also know how to repair motorcycles. I’m not sure anyone would believe any of that if they only know me in a professional capacity.

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

There have been times in my life when I was overwhelmed by hardships. But I take great solace in the fact that God is watching over us. Everyone will have difficulties and hardships in life. But you have to ‘inner-stand’ that you are being watched over, and that you’re not alone as you get through it. By ‘inner-stand,’ I mean that you have to understand this deep within your inner being; you have to have an innate faith that God has your best interests at heart.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

When I feel overwhelmed, I talk to my friends, meditate, watch movies, or simply do something completely different from whatever is on my mind.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

My key strategy is being personable. I’m the central contact for the company. It’s hard work, but I know it’s something our customers and contractors really appreciate. We don’t advertise, but our name is very much out there. In fact, the company has mostly grown through word-of-mouth referrals, and nearly every month we bring in new contacts. Our strength has been that people know we perform our work very well, all the while working hand-in-hand with our clients.

What is one failure in your career,  how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

We go through a period of time each year when work slows down. In the past, I’ve viewed the off-season as a bit of a failure because we have not created enough new contacts to keep our technicians busy until things picked up again. That being said, we are a small company and we want to remain that way. Our growth and expansion should remain in balance with our number of employees. But considering the future of the company, I learned that we have to put in the work to attract business and make the company grow all year long in order to keep everyone busy and keep the workflow consistent.

What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I would like to see someone create a way to make the company a little more modular, such as modernizing the filing system and the reporting system. Maybe someone could devise a way for us to switch to a digital format in the field, which would transition us to using partially completed report forms. That would enable us to create reports in about half the time it takes us now, which would make our operations much more efficient.

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

We use the Microsoft suite of software a great deal, especially Outlook and Excel. Excel in particular is helpful when we calculate formulas and measurements that we take out in the field.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?

I once read a book called The Small Business Bible by Steven Strauss. It’s a comprehensive guide to everything a would-be or novice entrepreneur ought to know about running a small company.

What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?

I watched the academy award winning, The Whale. It is a very profound movie. It is one of those that focuses on a person who has so much kindness in his heart. You really become part of the character and then you realize who he is. It was well written I think compared to everything else out there. That is why he won the academy.

Key learnings:

• Simply being personable is a winning business strategy. Combined with solid work, this can translate into word-of-mouth referrals that sustain business growth.
• Having one person as a point of contact in a small business is very much appreciated by customers, as is direct communication.
• Put your best foot forward and don’t sweat the small stuff.