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

Latest Episodes:

How a $75M HVAC Company Generates Leads Across 7 Locations Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

How do you manage marketing across seven HVAC and plumbing companies generating $75 million in annual revenue?

John Wilson sits down with Cory Creekmore, Marketing Director overseeing seven home service brands, to break down the strategies behind scaling lead generation, building referral programs, and growing HVAC and plumbing businesses across multiple markets.

They discuss how smaller locations have nearly doubled in size, why marketing a $5 million company looks completely different from marketing a $25 million operation, and how a referral program is generating an estimated five referrals per branch per day.

Plus, how to allocate marketing budgets, decide between building one unified brand or keeping established local identities, and shift spending away from underperforming traditional advertising toward measurable lead generation.

Whether you're running a single HVAC or plumbing company or managing multiple locations, this episode breaks down practical ways to generate more leads, lower customer acquisition costs, and build a marketing strategy that scales.

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In This Episode:
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• How to manage marketing across 7 HVAC and plumbing businesses generating $75M
• Why marketing a $5M company is different from a $25M company
• Building a referral program generating roughly 5 referrals per branch per day
• How smaller HVAC businesses nearly doubled through better marketing
• Where to allocate marketing budgets and when traditional advertising stops making sense
• Centralizing marketing across multiple locations without losing established local brands
• How Google reviews, Local Services Ads, and AI search are changing home service lead generation
• Using local partnerships and community events to generate leads beyond digital advertising

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Sponsors
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Avoca
See how Avoca helps home service companies book more jobs with AI that handles calls, texts, follow ups, and dispatching without adding more chaos. Book a demo: https://www.avoca.ai/partners/oao
Service Scalers
Get more high quality leads with marketing built for home service companies. Book a free strategy call with Service Scalers and see what's driving real jobs:
https://www.servicescalers.com/?utm_source=oao_podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=podcast
Big Reputation
Get more from your Google Business Profile with Big Reputation. Automate reviews, improve local visibility, and turn more Google searches into inbound calls. Learn more: https://www.bigreputation.ai/oao?utm_source=oao&utm_medium=paid

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Cory Creekmore
Marketing Director, Cassidy Services Partners
https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreycreekmore/

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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.

Google Local Service Ads in 2026: What's Changing for HVAC Electrical, & Plumbing Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) are changing, and HVAC and plumbing contractors need to pay attention.

John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down the latest Google LSA changes in 2026 and how home service businesses can generate more leads while improving their return on ad spend.

They discuss Google's new missed-call billing, changes to the LSA platform, and why Google Business Profiles, reviews, and local SEO are becoming increasingly important.

Plus, John shares real marketing data from his home service companies, while Sam breaks down current HVAC, plumbing, and electrical lead costs and how contractors can track LSA performance all the way to actual revenue.

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In This Episode:
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• What's changing with Google Local Service Ads in 2026
• Why missed LSA calls can still cost you money
• How Google Business Profiles and reviews affect LSA performance
• Current HVAC, plumbing, and electrical cost-per-lead benchmarks
• How to optimize LSA budgets, targeting, and lead quality
• Tracking Google LSA leads to booked jobs and actual ROI
• Using LSAs to expand into new service areas

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Sponsors
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Catalyst | May 3–5 | Akron, Ohio
100+ home service owners and operators. Three days of tactical sessions, real conversations, and learning from great operators.
Grab your seat: https://www.ownedandoperated.com/catalyst

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Resources
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What Are Google Local Service Ads? A Clear Explanation for Business Owners

https://www.ownedandoperated.com/post/what-are-google-local-service-ads

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Sam Preston | Service Scalers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6/

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How One Man Turned Around a Failing $500M HVAC Company Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

How do you turn a failing $500M home service company into a profitable business in just three years?

John Wilson sits down with the former operator behind one of the largest HVAC and plumbing turnarounds in the country to break down how Service Experts went from losing $30 million annually to generating $30 million in EBITDA across 110 locations.

They discuss the operational changes that made the turnaround possible, from restructuring sales compensation and cutting equipment costs to rebuilding local brands and improving customer retention.

Plus, why traditional HVAC maintenance agreements often fail, how financing and recurring revenue models can change the economics of a home service business, and what smaller contractors can learn from scaling and fixing a massive operation.

Whether you're buying, building, or turning around a home service company, this episode explores what actually drives profitability and long-term growth.

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In This Episode:
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• Turning a 500M HVAC Business 30M to +$30M EBITDA
• Why HVAC financing is becoming essential as equipment prices rise
• How leading with monthly payments can improve HVAC sales and close rates
• The difference between traditional financing, leasing, and subscription-based HVAC services
• Why some contractors finance 70–80% of their HVAC installations
• How to improve financing approval rates and track sales performance
• Why traditional HVAC maintenance agreements struggle with customer retention

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Sponsors
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Big Reputation

Get more from your Google Business Profile with Big Reputation. Automate reviews, improve local visibility, and turn more Google searches into inbound calls. Learn more: https://www.bigreputation.ai/oao?utm_source=oao&utm_medium=paid

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Anuj Khanna
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujkhannapremierprogram
Comfort Connect
https://bit.ly/4wGXqSX

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Stop Buying More Leads. Fix Your Home Service Sales. With Brian Burton Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

What if you could grow your home service business without spending another dollar on marketing?

John Wilson sits down with Brian Burton, co-host of Waste No Day and creator of Blue Collar Closer, to break down how better sales training, higher average tickets, and a stronger sales culture drive growth.

Brian shares how he helped scale a plumbing company from $2.4M to $6.2M in two years without acquisitions, and another business from $6M to $32M with 20% net profit.

Plus, why technicians struggle to close sales, how to build repeatable sales processes, and why increasing your average ticket could be more valuable than generating more leads.

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In This Episode:
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• Growing a plumbing business from $2.4M to $6.2M through organic growth
• Scaling a home service company from $6M to $32M with 20% net profit
• Why increasing average tickets can outperform spending more on marketing
• Building a sales culture that drives technician performance
• How daily role-playing and sales training improve closing rates
• Why technicians struggle to ask customers for the sale
• The GO PRO sales process and presenting multiple service options
• Performance-based pay and technician commission structures

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Sponsors
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Service Scalers

Get more high quality leads with marketing built for home service companies. Book a free strategy call with Service Scalers and see what's driving real jobs: https://www.servicescalers.com/?utm_source=oao_podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=podcast

Quick Staffers

Hire trained HVAC and plumbing CSRs without the overhead of traditional hiring. Save $500 on your first placement with Quick Staffers: https://www.quickstaffers.com/

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Brian Burton | Waste No Day & Blue Collar Closer
https://wastenoday.com/
https://www.bluecollarcloser.com/

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From $700K to $15M: How He Built an Electrical Business in 5 Years Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

From $700K to $15M in just five years. Shane Viggiani has nearly doubled his electrical business every year, growing from one truck to a 50-person operation in Las Vegas.

John Wilson sits down with Shane, owner of Ampere Electric, to break down the strategies behind that growth. They discuss how Shane built over 3,000 Google reviews, structured technician commissions, developed his management team, and maintained roughly 15% net margins while scaling.

They also get into the mistakes that nearly derailed his early growth, why hands-on technician training has been so effective, and how he's thinking about acquisitions as he works toward $30M in annual revenue.
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In This Episode:
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Growing an electrical business from $700K to a $15M annual revenue pace
How 3,000 Google reviews became a competitive advantage
Hiring managers, building teams, and scaling operations
Technician commissions, sales training, and incentives
Maintaining profitability during rapid growth
Buying vs. building a home service business
The path from $15M to $30M

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Sponsors
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FieldPulse
Ready to ditch the whiteboard and spreadsheets? See how FieldPulse helps home service companies simplify scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and more.
Book a free demo: https://landing.fieldpulse.com/owned_and_operated

Service Scalers
Get more high quality leads with marketing built for home service companies.
Book a free strategy call with Service Scalers and see what's driving real jobs: https://os.servicescalers.com/go/oao_podcast/referral/youtube
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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/
Shane Viggiani | Ampere Electric
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DtHym2rke/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.instagram.com/shane_viggiani?obrf=MTAzOHVnaXd0ZGJ1MA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.instagram.com/ampere_electric_las_vegas?rpxt=cGgzNWFtYzJhNHdl&utm_source=qr

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What HVAC Owners Get Wrong About the Labor Shortage Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

The HVAC industry doesn't just have a labor shortage. It has a training problem.

John Wilson sits down with Jennifer Manzo, HVAC business owner and founder of HVA-Chicks Coalition, to discuss why contractors struggle to hire and develop technicians, and why the next generation of HVAC workers might be the solution.

They break down how one HVAC company reduced callbacks by 52% in just three months, why experienced technicians aren't always the best hires, and how better training, technology, and company culture can help operators build stronger businesses.

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In This Episode:
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Why the HVAC labor shortage might be a training problem
How one company reduced callbacks by 52%
Hiring Gen Z vs. experienced technicians
Building better technician training programs
Supporting women entering the trades
Adapting to heat pumps, inverters, and new refrigerants

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Sponsors
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Catalyst | May 3–5 | Akron, Ohio

100+ home service owners and operators. Three days of tactical sessions, real conversations, and learning from great operators.

Grab your seat: https://www.ownedandoperated.com/catalyst
Profit & Grit

Running a 3M–15M home service business? Profit & Grit helps contractors improve cash flow, pricing, forecasting, and profitability with guidance from an operator who's built and sold a $25M service business. Book your free 20-minute strategy call: https://www.profitandgrit.com

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Jennifer Manzo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hvachicks-jennifer-206832280/?isSelfProfile=false
https://www.instagram.com/hvachicksjennifer/?hl=en

A quick thank you to FieldPulse for helping make this conversation happen! If you're looking to simplify scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and more for your home service business, check them out here:

https://landing.fieldpulse.com/owned_and_operated

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The Low-Cost Marketing Playbook for Home Service Businesses Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

You don't need a massive marketing budget to grow a home service business. You just need to find opportunities your competitors are missing.

Jack Carr sits down with Sam Preston of Service Scalers to break down low-cost marketing strategies for growing a home service company. From Nextdoor and Facebook groups to yard signs, local partnerships, and community events, they share practical ways to generate leads without spending a fortune.

They also cover how one company generated over $500K in leads from Nextdoor, how yard signs helped grow an $8M plumbing business, and why getting creative with local marketing can give smaller operators an advantage over larger competitors.
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In This Episode:
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• Where to spend your first marketing dollars
• Generating leads without expensive advertising
• Nextdoor, Facebook groups, and Google Business Profile
• How yard signs helped grow an $8M plumbing business
• Building local partnerships and referral networks
• Marketing expenses to avoid early on
• Competing with larger companies on a smaller budget

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Sponsors
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Quick Staffers
Hire trained HVAC and plumbing CSRs without the overhead of traditional hiring. Save $500 on your first placement with Quick Staffers: https://www.quickstaffers.com/
Catalyst | May 3–5 | Akron, Ohio
100+ home service owners and operators. Three days of tactical sessions, real conversations, and learning from great operators.
Grab your seat: https://www.ownedandoperated.com/catalyst

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Connect
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Jack Carr
https://x.com/thehvacjack
Sam Preston
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6/

Send Us Mail!

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Why Profitable Home Service Companies Keep Running Out of Cash Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Your home service business can be profitable on paper and still run out of cash.

John Wilson sits down with Tyler Martin of Profit & Grit to break down where cash actually goes as a home service company grows and why strong EBITDA doesn’t always translate to money in the bank.

They cover the biggest cash drains, including trucks, inventory, accounts receivable, debt payments, and hiring ahead of demand. They also break down how much cash to keep in reserve, what owners should be watching every week, and how a 13-week cash flow forecast can help you stay ahead of a crunch.

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In This Episode
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• Why profitable businesses still run out of cash
• Profit vs. actual free cash flow
• How growth eats cash
• The hidden impact of AR, inventory, trucks, and debt
• How much cash to keep in reserve
• What financial numbers to review every week
• Building a 13-week cash flow forecast

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Sponsors
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Service Scalers
Get more high quality leads with marketing built for home service companies. Book a free strategy call with Service Scalers and see what's driving real jobs: https://os.servicescalers.com/go/oao_podcast/referral/podcast
FieldPulse
Ready to ditch the whiteboard and spreadsheets? See how FieldPulse helps home service companies simplify scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and more. Book a free demo: https://landing.fieldpulse.com/owned_and_operated
Comfort Connect
Turn one installation into years of repeat business with Comfort Connect. Give homeowners flexible payment options, stay connected after the job, and create new recurring revenue opportunities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4wGXqSX

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Tyler Martin
Profit & Grit
https://profitandgrit.com/
RESOURCE: Understanding Your Cash Flow Statement

https://profitandgrit.com/quickbooks-cash-flow-statement-home-service/

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How We’d Structure Home Service Marketing From $5M to $10M Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

What does the perfect marketing team actually look like for a $5M home service company trying to reach $10M?

John Wilson and Jack Carr go head-to-head to build a marketing department from scratch, with Sam Preston judging every decision.

They start with the exact same $5M appliance repair business, zero internal marketing employees, and a $400K payroll budget. Across five rounds, they have to decide who to hire first, what to keep outsourced, when to bring marketing in-house, and what gets cut when the budget tightens.

Along the way, they break down lifecycle marketing, lead generation, PPC, SEO, content, branding, business development, multi-location growth, and why the marketing team that gets you to $5M may not be the one that gets you to $10M.

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In This Episode
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• The first marketing hire John and Jack would make at $5M
• Marketing coordinator vs. lifecycle marketer
• Using your existing customer database to drive more revenue
• How the marketing team changes from $5M to $10M
• When growth requires expanding into new markets
• What should stay outsourced at $7M
• Why PPC, LSA, and SEO may belong with an agency

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Sponsors
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Avoca
See how Avoca helps home service companies book more jobs with AI that handles calls, texts, follow ups, and dispatching without adding more chaos. Book a demo: https://www.avoca.ai/partners/oao
Quick Staffers
Hire trained HVAC and plumbing CSRs without the overhead of traditional hiring. Save $500 on your first placement with Quick Staffers: https://www.quickstaffers.com/
Big Reputation
Get more from your Google Business Profile with Big Reputation. Automate reviews, improve local visibility, and turn more Google searches into inbound calls. Learn more: https://www.bigreputation.ai/oao?utm_source=oao&utm_medium=paid

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Connect
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John Wilson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/

Jack Carr
https://x.com/thehvacjack

Sam Preston
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6/

Send Us Mail!

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Why Home Service Marketing Breaks at $5M Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Most home service companies think they need more leads. But as you approach $5M, the real problems are often attribution, capacity, booking rates, sales, and fulfillment.

Jack Carr and Sam Preston break down where home service marketing starts to break as a company grows, why cost per lead can be misleading, and how to track marketing all the way to actual revenue.

They also cover Google Ads and Performance Max, AI search, review velocity, and why the next era of home service marketing could extend well beyond Google.

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In This Episode
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• What breaks in marketing around $5M
• Tracking leads all the way to revenue
• Why cost per lead can be misleading
• Using phone numbers and campaigns for attribution
• Matching marketing spend to technician capacity
• Why booking rate is one of the biggest missed opportunities
• When a “lead problem” is actually a sales problem

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Sponsors
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Big Reputation

Get more high quality leads with marketing built for home service companies. Book a free strategy call with Service Scalers and see what's driving real jobs: https://os.servicescalers.com/go/oao_podcast/referral/podcast
Avoca

See how Avoca helps home service companies book more jobs with AI that handles calls, texts, follow ups, and dispatching without adding more chaos.
Book a demo: https://www.avoca.ai/partners/oao

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Connect
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Jack Carr
https://x.com/thehvacjack
Sam Preston
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6/

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with OAO

Leave a Review

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