04/07/2026
“I Know Mike!”
39 Years of Being Everyone’s Friend
In Northeast Louisiana, summers are something you feel. The heat settles in early, the humidity hangs in the air, and by mid-afternoon the shade starts to look pretty appealing. For the past 39 years, my dad has spent a lot of those days (and plenty of nights) making sure other people’s homes stayed comfortable.
Most people know him as Mike, the founder of Mike Smith Heat & Air. I’ve always just known him as Daddy.
He started the company in 1987 after leaving a partnership and deciding to build something of his own. Like most small businesses, the early years weren’t glamorous. He actually started working out of his mom’s house. On March 1, 1987, I was only five years old, but I have a vivid memory of him standing in my Memaw’s oystershell driveway on Lincoln Road. I remember thinking how cool it was for him to have his own business and being proud of him without really knowing why. My cotton-topped younger self couldn’t have known what it really meant, but the memory stuck.
It took long days, weekend calls, and a lot of determination, but what he wanted to build wasn’t complicated. He just wanted to do honest work and take care of people. He sounded like a broken record when I was a teenager, “We’re gonna love on and take care of people, and fix air conditioners along the way.”
Growing up, I remember how seriously he took that responsibility despite how young he was. He was only 25 years old when it all started. When someone called with a problem, it wasn’t just another service call to him. It was a chance for him to prove himself. When he showed up, the homeowners would sometimes look nervously at his young face, but he would say, “I know what you’re thinking. Just give me a chance.” Someone who was uncomfortable in their own home would suddenly feel at ease and end up giving that young man a chance for next three decades.
And he did it the same way every time.
Slow down.
Pay attention to the homeowner.
Fix the problem the right way.
Those principles shaped the business long before we ever had mission statements or company values written on the wall. Over the years, the company grew the way many good local businesses do—one satisfied customer at a time. Neighbors told neighbors. Friends recommended friends. Slowly but steadily, my dad built a reputation for doing things the right way.
Today, Mike Smith Heat & Air still operates with the same philosophy. We talk a lot about “whole-system thinking,” which means looking at everything that affects comfort in a home—equipment, airflow, ductwork, and how the entire system works together. When I feel fancy, I like to call it “Holistic HVAC.” But really, that idea started with my dad simply refusing to cut corners.
If something wasn’t right, he fixed it. That mindset has shaped the company in ways that go far beyond heating and air conditioning.
For him, the work has always been about relationships. Some of our customers have been with us for decades. In fact, it’s not unusual for us to service homes today that belong to the children of the customers he first worked for years ago. And now we are serving grandchildren who grew up hearing their parents say, “Call Mike. He’ll take care of you.”
That’s something I’ve come to appreciate more and more as I’ve gotten older. What my dad built wasn’t just a company. He built trust.
The industry has changed a lot since 1987. Equipment is more advanced, homes are more complex, and technology now plays a much bigger role in how systems operate. But the foundation of the business hasn’t really changed at all. Do what you say you’re going to do. Take care of people. Stand behind your work.
As the company moves into its next chapter, those lessons still guide everything we do.
Thirty-nine years ago, my dad set out to build a small business where customers could rely on the work and trust the people behind it. Looking back, I’d say he accomplished exactly that. And the best part is, the story isn’t finished yet.
Jerod Smith
Mike Smith Heat & Air
West Monroe, Louisiana
