Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Owned and Operated Podcast is the go-to show for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical business owners who want to grow faster, increase profits, and scale smarter. Hosted by John Wilson and Jack Carr, real home service operators in the trenches, this podcast delivers 2x weekly, no-BS conversations on what’s actually working in the trades today. From lead generation and marketing to hiring top-tier talent and building scalable systems, every episode is packed with actionable strategies you can implement immediately. If you're an HVAC contractor, plumber, or electrician looking to grow your business, improve operations, and stay ahead in a competitive market, this podcast is for you.
Episodes
He Left Tesla to Buy a Plumbing Company. Here's What Happened Next.
How do you go from Tesla to owning a plumbing company?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Jared Worthen to discuss buying a plumbing business, transitioning from tech into the trades, and what it's really like to acquire and operate a home service company.After building his career at Tesla and ServiceTitan, Jared spent years searching for the right acquisition be
Why We're Building Our Own Software for Home Service Businesses with AI
Most contractors are using AI to save time. John Wilson and Service Scalers CEO Sam Preston argue the real opportunity is much bigger: using AI to replace software, automate workflows, and build custom tools that drive growth.In this episode, John and Sam break down how home service companies are using "vibe coding" to build websites, internal software, dashboards, and automation systems
How Top Contractors Convert More Leads Without Spending More on Marketing
How Speed to Lead Unlocks More Revenue From Every Lead SourceMost contractors think they need more leads. According to Tyson Chen, co-founder of Avoca, most home service companies actually need a better system for capturing, contacting, and converting the leads they already have.In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Tyson Chen to break down the speed-to-lead systems that are helping home ser
Dirty Jobs, Big Profits: Inside the Poop Scooping Business
Most people think pet waste removal is a side hustle. Erica Krupin built a real business around it.In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Erica Krupin, founder of Kroopin's Poopin' Scoopin', to break down the surprisingly scalable world of pet waste removal. From starting with a bucket, rake, and a 2007 Chevy Cobalt to building a recurring-revenue service business with hundreds
10 Books That Scaled My Business to $44M
This week, I’m sharing the books that shaped the way I think about business and helped me scale my family’s company from $1 million to $44 million in revenue.These are more than popular business books sitting on a shelf. Each one solved a specific problem at a critical stage of growth, from leadership and operations to hiring, sales, and scaling. In this episode, I break down the lessons that had
The Biggest Lead Source Most Home Service Companies Are Ignoring
Most contractors wrote off Yelp years ago. But the platform has quietly become one of the most powerful lead-generation engines in the home service space, powered by AI partnerships with OpenAI and Perplexity that are funneling search traffic directly to Yelp listings. John Wilson sits down with Katy Lightsey, Head of Services at Yelp, to break down exactly how 61 home service leads are flowing
How We Built a 30+ Person Offshore Team (And Why It Changed Everything)
Most contractors think offshoring is about saving money. It's actually about creating leverage.John Wilson and Jack Carr break down how offshore teams helped them scale faster, build better systems, and free up key leaders to focus on growth. They share exactly which roles to offshore, what to keep in-house, and the leadership lessons they've learned after managing dozens of remote team
We Replaced 40 Service Vans with Ford Mavericks and Saved Thousands
We swapped 40 Ford Mavericks into our home service fleet — and the results changed the way we think about fleet management.Most home service companies are overspending on vehicles without realizing it. A new service van can cost $50,000–$60,000 today. A Ford Maverick? Around $27,000. We now run 40 Mavericks inside a 120+ vehicle fleet — and we’ve lowered overhead, reduced accidents, improved fuel
The REAL Systems That Take You From $1M to $10M
Most contractors who can't scale their home service business aren't failing — they're solving the wrong problems at the wrong time.John Wilson sits down with FieldPulse Chief Growth Officer Daniel Eigner to break down the operational chaos that kills growth between $1M and $10M. From contractor CRM setup and price books to job costing, KPIs, and AI tools — they cover what actually m
Why Most Home Service Companies Scale Too Early
Most home service companies don’t fail because they scale too slowly — they fail because they scale too early.In this episode, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down the biggest scaling mistakes contractors make between $2M–$5M, including second locations, new trades, over-hiring, and broken systems. They share hard-earned lessons on leadership, KPIs, operational bottlenecks, and what actually makes
I Bought 15 HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Companies — Here’s What Actually Happens After Closing
Having acquired 15 businesses in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical services, John Wilson breaks down what really happens after the acquisition closes. Learn practical strategies for how to buy a business, including sourcing off-market deals, business valuation, negotiating with sellers, due diligence, and building a strong post-acquisition integration plan.If you're interested in business acquis
The 2026 Google Strategy for Home Service Companies
What separates the fastest-growing home service companies from everyone else?In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Julie from Big Reputation to break down what’s actually working in local SEO, Google Business Profiles (GBP), and online reviews in 2026. From review velocity and AI-driven search to multi-location GBP strategies and ranking in competitive markets, this conversation dives deep i
How We Doubled a Plumbing Business in 90 Days | Cash Flow, Sales & Buying Businesses Explained
What actually drives growth in home services?In this compilation episode, John Wilson shares the systems and strategies behind scaling a $40M home service company — including how his team doubled a plumbing business in 90 days, improved cash flow, increased average tickets, and expanded through acquisitions.From pricing strategy and speed-to-lead automation to technician training and buying busine
Buy vs Build: The Fastest Way to Grow a Home Service Business
Most entrepreneurs think starting a business from scratch is the best way to grow. John Wilson disagrees.In this episode, John breaks down why buying an existing business can dramatically accelerate growth, reduce startup friction, and create opportunities that organic expansion often can’t match.Drawing from experience acquiring 14 companies and scaling a $40M plumbing, HVAC, and electrical busin
Most Home Service Companies Are Wasting Their Best Leads (Referral Marketing Blueprint)
Home service companies are leaving serious money on the table when it comes to referrals. In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld from ReferPro to break down how top HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing companies are building scalable referral engines through lifecycle marketing, automation, and AI.In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why referrals are underutilized in home servi
High-Ticket Sales in Home Services: What Actually Works
High ticket sales in home services aren’t about being pushy — they’re about giving customers the right options.In this episode, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down the systems behind bigger tickets, better close rates, and stronger sales cultures in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses. They unpack why many technicians struggle with sales, how to shift the mindset around presenting options,
Why Your Techs Aren’t Selling High Ticket (And What to Fix)
Most home service companies think they have a sales problem. In reality, they have an organizational problem.In this bonus episode, John Wilson breaks down why low average tickets usually come down to poor positioning, weak training, and solving the wrong customer pain points—not bad technicians.Drawing from experience scaling a $40M plumbing, HVAC, and electrical business and acquiring 14 compani
The Real Reason Everyone in the Trades Is Starting a Podcast
In this episode, John sits down with Jackie Aubel, host of ServiceTitan’s Toolbox for the Trades, to unpack what content actually does for a home service business—and why most people get it wrong from the start.They break down the real role of podcasting: not a short-term revenue driver, but a long-term play for brand, relationships, and access. Jackie shares how ServiceTitan approaches content as
How Door-to-Door Marketing Is Driving Millions in Home Service Revenue
Most home service companies rely too heavily on digital channels—and that’s a risky game.In this episode, John Wilson and Sam Preston break down door-to-door marketing (canvassing) and why it’s becoming one of the most powerful, scalable lead generation channels in home services. What started as a way to de-risk dependence on Google and Meta has turned into a multi-million dollar revenue driver—an
Cash Flow 101: Why Profitable Businesses Still Go Broke (and How to Fix It)
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson ($40M revenue, ~200 employees), breaks down a hard truth: profit doesn’t keep businesses alive—cash does.In this episode, he explains how companies can look profitable on paper while quietly running out of money. From accounts receivable and payable to debt that never shows up in net income, John reveals why EBITDA and profit are often misleading—and what actually matter
The MOST Overlooked Growth Lever in Home Services
Most home service companies don’t have a lead problem—they have a follow-up problem.In this episode, John and Sam break down lifecycle marketing and how to turn every lead into more revenue without increasing ad spend. From speed to lead to SMS, email, and outbound calling, they explain how top operators build systems that consistently generate repeat business.If you want to stabilize lead flow, l
Fleet Strategy: How to Buy, Finance, and Scale Your Vehicles
Most home service companies treat their fleet like a necessity.The best operators treat it like a strategy.In this episode, John and Jack break down how to actually think about fleet management—from financing vehicles to choosing the right trucks—and why most businesses are overspending without realizing it.They walk through the five main ways to buy vehicles (cash, loans, lines of credit, and lea
What Buyers Actually Look for When Buying a Business
If you think a big EBITDA number alone will get you a big exit… you’re in for a rude awakening.In this episode, John sits down with longtime business advisor David Barnett—who’s helped sell hundreds of companies—to break down what actually drives value when it’s time to sell your business.From misunderstood multiples to messy financials, from distressed sales to “built-to-sell” winners, this conve
Why Most Business Owners Lose Millions When They Sell
If you’re not building your business to sell, you’re building yourself a job.In this episode, Jack sits down with Steve and Austin from McCall Wealth Advisors to break down what actually drives business value—and why most owners leave millions on the table when they exit.From EBITDA games to private equity traps, this is a masterclass on how to turn your home service business into a sellable, high
We Merged Our Home Service Companies—Now We’re Building to $100M
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid Response, to break down their recent partnership and the strategy behind building a multi-market home service platform.They share what it actually looks like to scale through acquisitions—covering the real advantages of size, from better pricing to shared capacity—and why smaller operators struggle to compete.
Do Yard Signs ACTUALLY Work for Home Service Businesses?
Do Yard Signs Actually Work for Home Service Businesses?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down one of the simplest—and most debated—marketing channels in home services: yard signs.Are they actually effective, or just cheap noise?John and Sam dig into the real economics behind yard signs, including why they can be 10–100x c
The Strategy That Doubled My Plumbing Sales in 90 Days
How do you double a plumbing business in just 90 days after buying it?In this episode, John Wilson breaks down the exact moves that led to nearly 100% growth immediately post-acquisition. From simple operational fixes to high-impact decisions, this is a practical look at what actually drives results in a small service business.If you're buying—or thinking about buying—a home service company,
I Bought 3 Home Service Businesses in 90 Days — Here’s What Happened
I Bought 3 Home Service Businesses in 90 Days… Here’s What HappenedIn this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with co-host Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid HVAC) to break down what actually happens when you aggressively scale through acquisitions.After buying three businesses in 90 days, John walks through the strategy, the chaos, and the results—from rapid revenue growth to hitting 24% E
Weird Marketing That Actually Works ($1M from Home Shows, Newspaper Leads, & Toilet Ads)
Is “weird” marketing actually working in home services… or are contractors missing massive opportunities?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down unconventional marketing channels that are quietly driving real revenue for home service businesses.From advertising above 100+ stadium toilets to generating leads through church b
If I Had to Start a Home Service Business From $0, Here’s Exactly What I'd Do
If you’re starting a home service business in 2026… you’re probably focusing on the wrong things.Most people waste months on logos, websites, and branding—before they ever get a single customer.In this solo episode, John breaks down exactly how he would start a home service business from $0 today—and the framework that actually drives revenue from day one.This isn’t theory. It’s the same mindset a
AI Is Creating a MASSIVE Gap Between Contractors
Is AI actually changing home services… or just hype?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Tyson Chen (Founder of Avoca) to break down how AI is actually being deployed inside home service businesses right now—and why the gap between operators is widening fast.From contractors building their own tools to PE-backed companies unlocking millions in efficiency, this episode
The REAL Future of Home Services: Chick-fil-A, Handyman Businesses, and Industry Consolidation
Is Chick-fil-A entering home services… and what does that mean for contractors?At first glance, it sounds like a joke — but it’s real. A Chick-fil-A–backed venture has launched a home service brand focused on handyman work, and it raises a much bigger question:Who’s coming for the home service industry next?In this episode, John Wilson is joined by Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid HVAC) to break down what
The HVAC Marketing System That Will Dominate 2026
If you’re trying to win in HVAC in 2026… most of what you’ve been told about marketing is wrong.Contractors are wasting thousands on agencies, chasing “leads,” and relying on channels they don’t actually control.In this solo episode, John breaks down the exact HVAC marketing system he’s using to scale one of the largest non-private equity-backed home service companies in Ohio—and what’s actually w
You're Tracking Your Ad Spend Wrong (Here’s What to Do Instead)
Is your home service marketing actually working — or is Google getting all the credit? In this episode John Wilson and returning guest Tony Castelucci (Wanamaker Advertising) explain why cost‑per‑lead (CPL) often misleads, how attribution and demand generation are changing in 2026, and practical steps to measure true marketing ROI for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC businesses.They unpack why cost
AI Isn’t Killing SEO—It’s Killing Bad Traffic (What Actually Works in 2026)
Is AI killing SEO—or just changing how it works?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Lisa from Service Scalers to talk about what SEO actually looks like in 2026. They break down why AI isn’t replacing search, why Google still dominates high-intent local buying behavior, and what home service companies need to do to stay visible.They cover the shift away from low-inten
The 3 Stages of Building a Home Service Business From $1M to $20M and Beyond
I was obsessed with hitting $10M.And when we finally got there… everything broke.In this solo episode, John breaks down what it actually looks like to scale a trades business from $1M to $40M over the last decade — including the messy middle no one talks about.If you’re trying to grow past $1M, push to $10M, or build a $100M platform, this episode maps out the three stages every operator goes thro
Building a Billion-Dollar Septic Business
What does it actually take to build a billion-dollar septic company?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with the founders of Epic Septic to break down one of the most overlooked—and profitable—home service industries.They share how they went from zero to rapid growth, why septic is dramatically less competitive than HVAC or plumbing, and how simple fundamentals like answer
The $50K Truck Wrap Mistake Home Service Companies Make
Do truck wraps actually drive leads, or are most home service companies wasting money to look like everyone else?In this episode, John Wilson and Sam Preston break down branding, truck wraps, and why many HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies overspend on “professional” branding that does not actually set them apart. They talk about what branding really does, why it helps close more deals than
The Marketing Stack for Home Service Businesses: $1M to $10M
The Marketing Stack for Home Service Businesses: From $1M to $10MWhat should home service companies actually spend on marketing at $1 million, $5 million, and $10 million?In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Ethan Wright of Service Scalers to break down the real marketing stack for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies at every stage of growth. They cover what changes as you scale, what
Billboards for Home Service Businesses: When They Work (and When They’re a Waste)
Are Billboards Worth It for Home Service Businesses? (Or Just an Expensive Ego Boost?)Billboards can feel like a milestone for a growing home service company—your name on the highway, customers saying they saw your brand, friends texting photos of your sign. But for most HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies, billboard advertising starts too early and becomes an expensive distraction from what
How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business
How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business (and Avoid a $100K Hiring Mistake)Scaling past $10M can expose a brutal truth: the leadership team that got you here might not be the team that gets you to $25M+. In this episode, John Wilson talks with Brendan Aronson (Founder of The Military Veteran, TMV), a recruiting firm that places military veterans into executive and operator roles
The One Hire That Unlocks Growth
If you’ve ever felt stuck because your business outgrew your leadership team — or rushed a key hire just to relieve the pressure — this episode is for you.In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Brendan Aronson, Founder of The Military Veteran (TMV), a recruiting firm that places military veterans into executive and operator roles.They break down what it really takes to h
Our Biggest Business Failures (And What They Cost Us)
Every home service operator has a failure story.In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric in Nashville) to break down the biggest business mistakes they’ve made — and what those mistakes actually cost.From a $13,000 ad spend weekend that only generated $7,000 in revenue… to overpaying vendors for an entire ye
HVAC vs. Security: If You Had $5M, Where Would You Invest?
If someone handed you $5 million… would you buy an HVAC business or a security/alarm business?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Stephen and Collin from the Entry Exit Podcast to debate where they’d place the bet.HVAC has massive buyers, big platforms, and strong exit demand — but it’s also weather-driven, cyclical, and much less “truly recurring” than most operators t
How to Fire Employees Fairly (Without Ruining Your Culture)
Firing employees is one of the worst parts of owning a home service business — and the bigger you get, the more often it happens.In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Jack Carr (Jack Acquisitions / TriR) to break down a practical framework for terminations that’s fair to the employee and protects the team.They walk through how to diagnose whether performance problems are
Is Direct Mail Back? The 2026 Growth Strategy for Service Businesses
Is direct mail actually back in 2026 — or is it a dinosaur channel that should stay extinct?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down how the best home service companies are using direct mail as direct response, why some operators get 14x ROI while others lose money mailing the same market, and the exact levers you can pull
Why We Stopped Buying Service Vans — And You Should Too
Should Home Service Companies Stop Buying Vans?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Nashville operator Jack Carr to break down one of the most overlooked expenses in home services:Fleet decisions.With service vans now costing $60,000+ and fuel and repair costs climbing, John and Jack make the case for a radical shift:Ford Mavericks for service… and trailers for installs.
Google PPC Isn’t Dead — You’re Just Running It Wrong
Does Google PPC still work for home service businesses—or is it just an expensive mistake?In this Clicks to Calls episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Service Scalers CEO Sam Preston to break down the truth about Google Ads (PPC) for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies. Some operators swear PPC is dead. Others are spending six figures a month and winning. The difference i
How to Scale to $100M Without Breaking Your Business
How do you keep growing fast without breaking your business?In this Owned and Operated supercut, John Wilson pulls together his favorite moments from recent conversations on what actually snaps when you scale: cash, leadership bandwidth, and the frontline experience that drives revenue.You’ll hear why growth is expensive (in trucks, infrastructure, and overhead), how disciplined operators reinvest
Under $5M? Marketing Isn’t Complicated (Here’s the Playbook)
How do you stop wasting money on marketing… and start building a lead engine that actually scales?In this episode of Click to Calls, John Wilson sits down with Service Scalers CEO Sam Preston to break down one of the biggest mistakes growing home service operators make:Hiring a marketing person too early — and expecting them to do everything.They walk through what your first real marketing hire sh
Building, Scaling, and Selling Home Service Businesses (Supercut)
This episode is a supercut of standout moments from multiple Owned and Operated episodes, focused on one theme: how great operators build, scale, and eventually sell home service businesses.John Wilson pulls together some of the most valuable conversations from past episodes—covering acquisitions, exits, org structure, leadership at scale, and what actually changes when you stop running a single t
How to Budget Marketing in 2026 (Without Wasting Cash)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down how smart home service operators should budget for marketing in 2026. They explain why one-size-fits-all marketing budgets don’t work, how to reverse-engineer spend from the number of leads you actually need, and why most companies don’t have a lead problem—they have an execution prob
What Home Service Business Should You Start in 2026? (And How to Win Early)
If you want to play the game on hard mode… randomly pick an industry and hope it works.In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down exactly how they’d build a home service business in 2026—and why the old 2016–2020 playbook is dead. They go deep on research-first market selection, avoiding late-stage consolidation traps, picking “boring” services with clean SKUs, and
How Smart Operators Plan for Real Growth (Bonus)
Most security & life-safety companies don’t get stuck because they lack hustle—they get stuck because they lack measurement.In this special feed drop of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble (Alarm Masters, Houston) walk through their 2026 planning process: how they set revenue/RMR/EBITDA goals, translate them into departmental KPIs, and use actuals vs. budget to decide when to in
The Dark Side of Roofing: Insurance Scams, Storm Chasers, and Why Homeowners Get Burned
Insurance claims, storm chasers, and broken incentives — welcome to the dark side of roofing.In this episode, John Wilson sits down (again) with Adam Cherup to unpack what really happens behind the scenes in roofing — from “deny, delay, defend” insurance tactics to the storm-chasing playbook that leaves homeowners stuck holding the warranty bag. They also get practical: seasonality, lead gen, cash
The Disaster Roofing Business: Temporary Roofs, Real Margins
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Adam Cherup, a “disaster roofer” who’s built a niche, high-margin business installing shrink-wrap temporary roofs after hurricanes, wind events, hail, and fires. Instead of blue tarps that fail in weeks (and often aren’t covered more than once), Adam installs a manufacturer-rated wrap that can last up to a year (or longer)—buying ho
How to Turn Referrals Into a Scalable, Predictable Growth Engine
Referrals are still the #1 growth channel in home services — but most contractors treat it like hope marketing.In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld (ReferPro) to break down how the best operators turn word-of-mouth into a systematic, trackable, ROI-positive referral engine.They unpack why 83% of customers are willing to refer, yet only 29% actually do — and the three levers t
Google LSAs: The Easiest Way to Add Leads Tomorrow
This is the literal easiest lever you can pull to add leads tomorrow: turn on (and properly run) Google Local Services Ads (LSAs).In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down why LSAs are still absurdly underutilized in home services—and how a simple setup + consistency flywheel (answer calls → book jobs → earn 5-star reviews) can ramp a business f
Stop Losing Money in 2026: The Profit Plan for Higher EBITDA
We’re heading into 2026 with one goal: stop losing money.Not “grow at all costs.” Not “try harder.” Just: build a healthy business that actually cash flows.In this episode, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down what they’re cutting, tightening, and renegotiating in 2026 to go from ~13% EBITDA to 20% EBITDA—and why they’re also targeting 10% net profit after realizing how big the gap can be between
The Sales Process That Took Us From Losing Money to $12.5K Tickets
We break down how we tripled our HVAC average ticket—from $5,000 to $12,500+—and finally made sales profitable. In this episode, we walk through the painful mistakes, system overhauls, and process changes that turned HVAC from a money-loser into a real growth engine.If you run a home service business, this episode is a masterclass in why “selling harder” doesn’t work—but selling better systems, ea
The REAL Cost of Running a Trades Business in 2025 — What Most Owners Don’t Understand
We reveal the real cost of running a home service business in 2025. In this full debrief, we open our books to show why plumbing business growth exploded while HVAC stalled, and exactly how we navigated the hardest summer in years.If you run a contractor business, you know 2025 was volatile. HVAC shipments cratered 49% YoY, forcing operators to face a brutal reality. In this episode, we break down
Nextdoor Marketing for Contractors: The Local Referral Engine for Plumbing, HVAC & Home Services
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) marketing channels in home services: Nextdoor.They unpack why Nextdoor feels annoying—but works incredibly well when used the right way. From neighborhood recommendation posts to organic storytelling, this platform behaves less like Goo
How Smart Home Service Owners Should Invest (P&L, EBITDA, and Enterprise Value)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson and Jack break down what “smart investing” actually looks like for home service operators—starting with the truth most owners miss: if you run a business, you’re already an investor. You’re investing money, attention, and people every day.They start with a practical framework for P&L investing (software, headcount, SG&A): if your business
Remote Staffing for Contractors: How to Hire Offshore for Recruiting, Dispatch & Ops
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Aizik Zimerman of Jay Blanton Plumbing (Chicago) to break down the remote staffing playbook that most home service operators still aren’t using.John and Aizik start with a real-world story from a contractor event—how one company allegedly went from $0 to $6M using yard signs, and how Aizik tested it immediately (including the “don’t
AI Didn’t Kill Google Search — Here’s Why GBP Still Wins
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston — CEO of Service Scalers — to talk about the marketing asset that still quietly outperforms everything else in home services: your Google Business Profile (GBP). John and Sam break down why AI hasn’t disrupted GBP the way people expected, how Google reviews are now getting pulled directly into AI search results, and why
This HVAC Owner Scaled from $11M to $250M (Ken Goodrich’s Playbook)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Ken Goodrich — legendary home services operator, turnaround specialist, and former CEO/Chairman of Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing — to unpack what it really takes to build, scale, and successfully exit a home service business.Ken shares the origin story that shaped his entire career: buying his first HVAC business at 25, get
You’re Growing Fast… So Why Are You Still Broke?
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Patrick Dichter, owner of AppleTree Business Services, to break down what “good accounting” actually looks like inside a growing home service business — and why financial clarity becomes a competitive advantage as you scale.John opens up about a hard truth: he didn’t get his first clean month-end close until last year, and it made almost a decade of deci
Plumbing Owner Grew From $6M to $25M on Sewers (Here’s How)
In this episode, John Wilson is on-site in Chicago with Aizik Zimerman, owner of J.Blanton Plumbing, to break down how one of the fastest-growing plumbing companies in the country built a sewer and drain growth engine. Since buying the $6M Jay Blanton business at the end of 2022, Aizik has scaled it to ~$25M this year and a $30M run rate — and nearly half that growth is coming from sewers. They un
The Silent Growth Blocker in Home Services
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Daryna Kulya, co-founder of Quo (formerly OpenPhone), to unpack one of the most underappreciated growth levers in home services: how you communicate as you scale. What starts as “one tech, one phone, one truck” quickly becomes a bottleneck once you’re trying to hire CSRs, build a call center, and stop missing leads. Daryna shares the real story behind Qu
The Ultimate Home Service Trivia Show (What Homeowners Really Think)
In this episode, John Wilson and Brandon Niro are joined by Zac Dearing from Mantel for a fast-paced, trivia-style breakdown of what homeowners actually want when buying HVAC and home services in 2025. Mantel just surveyed 500+ homeowners nationwide, and instead of guessing in the dark like most of the industry, we put real customer data on the board. John and Brandon compete to predict homeowner
How To Scale a Service Based Business by Implementing an FSM
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Richard Dunbar of FieldPulse to dig into one of the most important — and often overlooked — levers for scaling a home service company: modernizing your operational platform. Whether you’re running HVAC, plumbing, electrical, restoration, or any specialty trade, the shift from legacy tools to a true field service management system (FSM) is one of the high
How to Rebrand Your Company and Add $500K in Revenue
In this episode, John Wilson and guest Rich Jordan dig into one of the scariest (and most valuable) moves you can make in home service: rebranding multiple companies into a single brand.Rich runs three acquired companies across New Hampshire and New Jersey…and he’s in the middle of rolling them all into one new identity: High Ground Service Pros. They walk through why he’s willingly tearing down a
How to Scale Beyond Yourself and Build a Real Company
In this episode, John Wilson and co-host Jack Carr unpack one of the biggest transitions in home service — going from owner to operator. What does it really take to scale beyond yourself? We dive deep into building layers of leadership, knowing when to delegate, hiring vs. promoting internally, and what the first real leadership hire should look like. From service managers and field supers to acco
How to Future-Proof Your Home Service Business in 2025
In this episode, John Wilson and co-host Jack Carr break down how home-service companies can actually future-proof in 2025: flattening org charts, using AI to nuke overhead, building adaptable teams, and keeping a balance sheet that can take a 30% punch. We get into real numbers (gross margin, overhead targets, EBITDA), how to think about “risk on” vs. “risk off,” and why the middle of the market
How This Operator Turned a Viral Laundromat Video into a $20M Roofing Company
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Brandon Schlicter—better known as Investment Joy—to unpack how a viral laundromat video turned into a portfolio of laundromats, car washes, rentals, and now a fast-scaling commercial roofing company. Brandon shares the mindset shift from small plays to bigger bets, why he assumes success (and plans for failure), and how social media distribution can attr
The Consumer Always Wins: Building the Business They Actually Want
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Jamie from Modernize to unpack how a consumer-obsessed mindset is reshaping home services—from the first inquiry to the final install. They dig into why “experience always wins,” how answer engine optimization (AE/O) is changing search, and what a true platform approach looks like when lead gen, reputation, financing, and programmatic all work together.
$170M in 2 Years: Premier Home Pros’ Playbook for Scaling Without Debt
In this follow-up to our Premier Home Pros deep dive, John Wilson sits back down with AJ and Noah to unpack how they turned six greenfield locations into a nationwide engine doing $170 M+ run-rate—without outside debt. They break down the playbook for market launches, recruiting, and leadership restructuring that turned chaos into scale.Hear how they rebuilt their org for hypergrowth—cutting the V
Zero to $86M in 24 Months: The Home Service Growth Blueprint
In this special re-release of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with AJ and Noah of Premier Home Pros to unpack how they went from a dining-room-table idea to $15M in year one, $86M in year two, and a national rollout—without taking on debt. They break down the sales system, affiliate-led demand gen, installer model, and the ops math behind a ~46-day greenfield payback. If you’re scaling a
How Regular People Get Rich Buying Boring Businesses - JackQuisitions Feed Drop
Get MORE JackQuisitions HEREShould you stay sector-agnostic in ETA (entrepreneurship through acquisition) or plant a flag with a clear buy box brokers, CPAs, and attorneys can remember? After a month sidelined by a home flood, searcher Chris Barr returns to his acquisition entrepreneurship journey—refining a small-business acquisition thesis around B2B services, GovCon janitorial contracts, and Fl
How One Inspection Company Scaled to $20M Without Private Equity
John sits down with Harmony Brownwood, CEO & founder of GreenWorks Inspections & Engineering, to unpack how she grew from zero connections in 2009 to one of the largest independently owned inspection companies in the U.S.—now operating across six states with 11 locations, 2,500–3,000 services a month, and a runway from ~$15M toward $20M in annual revenue. Harmony shares the mindset work th
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