Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#156 LEGENDS: From the Trades to $110 Million with Nexgen Founder Ismael Valdez Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

This week on the Owned and Operated Legends series we sit down with the unstoppable powerhouse of HVAC Ismael Valdez, founder of Nexgen. From starting in the trades at 18 to building an empire in just four years, Ismael shares his journey to revolutionizing the contracting industry.
Special Thanks to Avoca AI Coaching and Training
Looking to train your call center and technicians back on their calls? Get better performance today with the power of Avoca AI, as your staff learns their pain points and improves end-to-end. We have a special promo code available if you schedule now: ‘OWNED’.
Click here to schedule your demo today.
Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Ismael Valdez: On LinkedIn

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC
📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

#155 - Merging Cultures: Challenges In Home Service Acquisitions Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of "Owned and Operated," hosts John Wilson and Jack Carr are joined by guest Nathan Lenahan, co-owner of Bart's Heating and Air. Nathan shares his journey of rapidly scaling his HVAC business through strategic home service acquisitions, growing from a $1 million revenue company to over $10 million.
He discusses the challenges and considerations involved in merging companies, including integrating cultures, compensation structures, and deciding whether to rebrand under a larger, more recognized name. They’ll also get into the importance of people management, maintaining company values, and the shift from acquisition-led growth to focusing more on organic expansion.
Thanks to Our Sponsor Supply House
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Learn More About Service Scalers
Get your own home services business website, and dominate the SEO and Google Ads game, then check out Service Scalers today.
(https://www.servicescalers.com)
Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X
Episode Guest:
Nathan Lenahan: (https://x.com/n8lenahan)
Bart's Heating and Cooling: (https://x.com/Bartsheatingair)

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#154 - Business Cost Management and Sustainable Home Service Growth Dec 03, 2024

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In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson welcomes Luke Weiden from Deljo Heating and Cooling. They discuss the importance of profitability in business sustainability and strategies for operating more efficiently. Luke shares his experience in partnering with Heartland Home Services, his approach to cost management, and the significance of leadership development. They’ll talk about field efficiency, head count reduction, and optimizing service calls. They also explore how improving financials can support growth while driving high revenue per employee.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SERVICE SCALERS
Get your own home services business website, and dominate the SEO and Google Ads game, then check them out today.
Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Luke Weiden: On LinkedIn
Learn More About Deljo Heating and Cooling
A SPECIAL THANKS TO HATCH
Turn communication into conversion with Hatch and its AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, and more for your home service business. Save employee hours and book more leads with the power of Hatch.
Learn More About Hatch Here

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#153 - AI In Customer Service with Hatch and Chris Bache Nov 26, 2024

Show notes

Join John Wilson in this special episode of Owned and Operated, with guest Chris Bache, CEO of Hatch, sharing insights on how Hatch software has transformed AI in customer service and the power of the SMS campaign.
He explains how AI can streamline customer follow-ups and improve response rates by automating initial contacts. Chris also discusses the evolution of Hatch, starting as a small company to becoming a major player in the industry, helping over 2000 businesses optimize their sales processes.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO HATCH
Turn communication into conversion with Hatch and its AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, and more for your home service business. Save employee hours and book more leads with the power of Hatch.
Learn More About Hatch Here
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Guest Introduction: Chris Bache from Hatch
01:44 The Evolution of Hatch
04:16 Defining Rehash and Best Practices
05:11 Implementing a Rehash Program
07:36 Success Stories and Real-World Applications
13:15 Optimizing Messaging and Compliance
17:53 AI in Customer Interaction
19:59 Future of AI and Business Logic
20:24 Leveraging AI for Business Growth
24:09 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Chris Bache: On LinkedIn

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#152 - Advice for Selling a Home Service Business with Leap Partners Nov 19, 2024

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In this episode of 'Owned and Operated,' host Jack welcomes John and Justin from LEAP Partners to talk about what goes into the world of private equity home service business roll-ups. The two share a useful look into the importance of understanding your business's financials, the role of culture in acquisitions, and the unique approach of LEAP Partners in supporting business growth. Whether you're a current business owner or looking to buy or sell, this episode offers practical advice and inspiring stories of success in the home services industry.

Thanks to Our Sponsor Supply House
Need parts fast? Supply House Dot Com is fast, reliable, offers easy returns, and has a huge inventory of parts and supplies so that you're waiting less.
Take a look at their TradeMaster program and start getting perks now!

Key Takeaways:
- Understand your financial performance for better business decisions.
- The importance of maintaining company culture during and after acquisitions.
- Entrepreneurial drive and the willingness to learn are key traits for success.

Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Justin Deese: On LinkedIn
John Cerasuolo: On LinkedIn
Learn more about the Freedom Blueprint Podcast
Learn more about LEAP Partners

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#151 - From Leads to Revenue: Maximizing Your Marketing ROI with Sam Preston Nov 12, 2024

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He’s back! John is joined by Sam Preston, the dynamic CEO of Service Scalers, a marketing powerhouse specializing in helping home service businesses scale fast, for a recent livestream Q&A for the Owned and Operated Facebook Group. If you’re looking to grow your business and dominate your local market, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Learn more about Service Scalers, get your own home services business website, and dominate the SEO and Google Ads game, then check them out today.

Sam and John look into the strategies that took Service Scalers from $10K to a projected $2 million in annual revenue within just a year. They discuss the importance of understanding where your leads are coming from and how tracking the right KPIs can make all the difference. Sam shares why a simple, well-optimized website is more effective than a flashy, expensive one, and why investing in SEO is a game changer—but only when your business is ready for it.

The conversation also covers:

- The role of Google Ads, PPC, and Local Service Ads (LSAs) in driving qualified leads.

- How to effectively track and measure your marketing ROI to avoid wasted spend.

- Why knowing your book rate by channel can help you optimize your marketing dollars.

- The importance of being nimble and dynamic with your lead sources.

- Sam’s take on the latest changes in Google’s API and what it means for SEO indexing.

Episode Hosts: 🎤

John Wilson: https://x.com/WilsonCompanies
Jack Carr: https://x.com/thehvacjack

Episode Guest:

Sam Preston: https://x.com/heysampreston
More on Service Scalers: https://servicescalers.com/

A SPECIAL THANKS TO HATCH
Turn communication into conversion with Hatch and its AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, and more for your home service business. Save employee hours and book more leads with the power of Hatch.
Learn More About Hatch Here

Send Us Mail!

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#150 - LEGENDS: From Bankruptcy to $75 Million with EcoPlumber and Aaron Gaynor Nov 05, 2024

Show notes

Owned and Operated continues its new Legends series, focusing on the stories of the home service industry’s most successful entrepreneurs, this time joined by Aaron Gaynor.
The founder of Eco Plumbers, Aaron shares his incredible journey from losing everything to building a $75 million service business. He discusses the importance of setting a bold vision, focusing on one trade in one location, and the power of building relationships in the industry, as well as creating a reputable brand, leveraging marketing consistency, and making significant investments to ensure business growth. This is a LEGENDS episode you’ll want to take notes on!
Special Thanks to Avoca AI Coaching and Training
Looking to train your call center and technicians back on their calls? Get better performance today with the power of Avoca AI, as your staff learns their pain points and improves end-to-end. We have a special promo code available if you schedule now: ‘OWNED’.
Click here to schedule your demo today.
Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Aaron Gaynor: On LinkedIn
Learn More About EcoPlumbers, Electricians, and HVAC Technicians

Learn more about Service Scalers, get your own home services business website, and dominate the SEO and Google Ads game, then check them out today.

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#149 - Leadership Through Open Book Management with Ellen Rohr Oct 29, 2024

Show notes

A new episode of 'Owned and Operated' is here, with the incomparable Ellen Rohr joining Jack and John as they talk about her expensive journey through the world of plumbing, what leadership means, and why open book management leads to success. They talk about Ellen’s journey from plumbing to business success, strategic approaches to overcoming debt through proper pricing, and the personal evolution of founding successful ventures like Benjamin Franklin the Punctual Plumber and Zoom Drain. Now working with ServiceTitan, Ellen has seen a lot–don’t miss this masterclass episode of the show.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO HATCH
Turn communication into conversion with Hatch and its AI Agents, ready to handle follow-ups, reminders, email blasts, and more for your home service business. Save employee hours and book more leads with the power of Hatch.
Learn More About Hatch Here

Episode Hosts: 🎤
John Wilson: @WilsonCompanies on X
Jack Carr: @TheHVACJack on X

Episode Guest:
Ellen Rohr: @ellenrohr on X
More about Ellen Here
Ellen on LinkedIn

Learn more about Service Scalers, get your own home services business website, and dominate the SEO and Google Ads game, then check them out today.

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#148 - Using Global Talent to Outpace Competition with Sagan's Jon Matzner Oct 22, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John and Jack are joined by Sagan’s Jon Matzner to talk about the use of global talent and hiring overseas to enhance business operations, beyond just saving costs. What is the importance of systemization and automation in building a high-leverage business model?

Jon also goes through the evolution of the Sagan system, which starts with global talent as an entry point and extends to include automation and decentralized leadership. What are the dynamics of remote hiring, the role of AI in augmenting job roles, and the changing landscape of talent acquisition? You’ll never know unless you listen to the newest episode of Owned and Operated.

Episode Guest:
Jon Matzner: @MatznerJon on X
Learn More About Sagan Passport

Read Jon’s newsletter, Lazy Leverage

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#147 - From Customer to Owner: The Journey into Business Acquisition and Ownership Oct 15, 2024

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In this episode, Jack is flying solo and speaks with Rory Tyer, a new owner of an independent garden center in South Carolina, about his journey in entrepreneurship through acquisition. Rory shares his experiences and challenges in acquiring and operating a local nursery, discussing factors such as location, customer demographics, and the dynamics of retail vs. wholesale businesses.

The conversation also touches on the significant learning curve, managing inventory, and engaging in new marketing strategies such as an SP club and local school partnerships.

Episode Guest:
Rory Tyer: @rorytyer on Twitter
Learn more about Sagan Passport and what it can do for your business hiring needs

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