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

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 conversat...

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John explains the world of home service business growth with CEO Peter Lohmann, focusing on how branding can serve as a powerful lead-generation tool. John and Peter explore the journey of scaling a home service company, including the challenges, insights, and opportunities that come with driving marketing efforts and building operational efficiency. Key take...

This episode of Owned and Operated features Chris Hoffman, CEO of the $130M Hoffman Brothers, continuing the "Legends Series," where industry leaders are highlighted for their massive influence and expertise in the home services space.  Chris shares his journey with John and Jack, scaling Hoffman Brothers from a modest family business to a multi-million-dollar industry leader, operating...

It’s Breaking $5M Workshop week, and Jack and John are together in the studio for the first time! What happens when you get these two together? They talk about call centers, that’s what. They break down organizational changes driven by AI, adjustments to call center compensation and the broader implications for business efficiency. They’ll also stress the importance of continuously negotiating wit...

John and Jack welcome Joe Crisara from Service MVP, a mainstay in the home services business. Joe shares his extensive experience spanning 47 years in the trades industry, detailing his journey from a service technician to a successful entrepreneur. He discusses how implementing call by call management and personalized customer service can drastically improve business outcomes.  Joe also highlight...

In this episode of 'Owned and Operated,' John Wilson talks with owner Brian Sloan from TR Miller to discuss the nuances of business management and growth in HVAC and plumbing. What was the process for Brian of transitioning from a hands-on operator to a business owner mindset, learning the intricacies of multi-location management, and finding the importance of strategic partnerships?  Br...

In this episode of 'Owned and Operated,' host Jack Carr interviews Wyatt Smith from Upsmith to discuss employee retention and the psychology of incentives for skilled workforces. Wyatt shares a look into UpSmith’s mission to gamify the skilled trades industry using software that provides immediate feedback and recognition to technicians while bolstering your employee retention strategy,...

In this episode of Owned and Operated, hosts John Wilson and Jack welcome back Home Service Engine Founder Danny Peevey to discuss the complexities and challenges of making KPI, data-driven decisions in the home services industry. What starts with a talk on the importance of site visits and peer comparisons then turns to the complexities of ServiceTitan and the importance of knowing what to do wit...

Owned and Operated continues its new Legends series, focusing on the stories of the home service industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. John Wilson and Jack Carr are joined by special guest Chad Peterman, President and CEO of Peterman Brothers–a $120M home service empire with over 700 employees and eight locations. Follow along as Chad discusses how a centralized operation opened the door for e...

Owned and Operated continues its new LEGENDS series, focusing on the stories of the home service industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. John Wilson is joined by special guest Matt Ballard of Sunrise Mechanical, a $55M HVAC and plumbing company that works in small residential, commercial, and new construction. Matt discusses the balance between working in the two worlds of new construction and r...

Owned and Operated kicks off its new LEGENDS series, focusing on the stories of the home service industry’s most successful entrepreneurs. John Wilson and Jack Carr are joined by special guest Tommy Mello, founder and CEO of A1 Garage, which operates in over 20 states, with over 50 locations. The talk with Tommy covers his insistence on a strong company culture, how partnerships drove his company...

Are you focused on business leads in your home service company when the seasons change? This week, Jack and John talk about weak months during peak HVAC season, big victories coming from major talent hires, and the power of specialty equipment paying for itself almost immediately. However, the big topic of conversation covers home service business leads, generating those leads when times get quiet...

Even vacation can’t stop John from talking about the new, heavy equipment for his drainage excavation business doubling as a marketing strategy! He and Jack talk about the nature of working in HVAC, drains, and excavation, why pipelining is great, and just how much a machine for drain cleaning can cost a business–and how much it makes back when you start to tie upsells into your sales practices. D...

John joins the show this week from the middle of the woods as he and Jack discuss creating your home service business organizational structure, org charts, and the issues with hiring leaders. It’s also peak HVAC business season and that means an inevitable downturn. Are Jack and John prepared for an HVAC shoulder season? Will John find his way out of the woods? Give a listen to this week’s show, h...

July heat got you down? Then you must not work in the HVAC business, because things are hotter than ever for Jack and John, as they talk about trying to keep up with the massive summertime HVAC rush, the stretch of record-breaking home service sales records, and growth all around. But that begs the question: When you’re making summer hay what are the best moves to make in regards to expansion, fut...

It’s June Q&A time, as John tackles strategies for increasing revenue per plumber and HVAC technician, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), and tips for managing warehouse inventory and consignment. He’ll also get into hiring team leads, implementing incentive-based compensation plans, rebranding strategies after acquisitions, and navigating successful business models like new construct...

Join John Wilson and Jack Carr on 'Owned and Operated' as they look into the cutting-edge world of AI-powered call centers for home service businesses with Tyson from Avoca AI . Discover how AI is transforming the efficiency and effectiveness of call centers in the trades, optimizing everything from after-hours calls to specialized CSR allocation. Tyson shares his extensive background in...

Join John and Jack as they talk about hitting major milestones, training programs, and strategies that have significantly increased their average ticket sales. Learn about the importance of call-by-call management, creating effective options for customers, and improving service quality. We also discuss exploring customer needs early, the impact of nuanced training, and optimizing service processes...

Today's episode features a special guest, Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers . Join us as Sam visits our shop and shares his insights on revolutionizing home service marketing. We discuss the evolution from traditional marketing methods to leveraging digital strategies, AI, and SEO to drive leads and business growth. Learn about the challenges and successes in the industry, fresh marketing a...

In this episode of 'Owned and Operated,' Jack and John revisit their previous discussion on how to use and integrate AI into their home service business endeavors, analyzing its transformative impact over the past few months. They reflect into their experience with Avoca, an AI-driven call center software, and discuss its role in enhancing CSR coaching and overall call center efficiency....

Join John Wilson on this special episode of ' Owned and Operated ' as he dives into the world of home service businesses, focusing on plumbing, HVAC, and electric growth. It’s the end of the month and that means it’s time for John’s first Live Q&A with questions from the OaO private Facebook group! He answers pre-submitted questions about building business blueprints, recruiting for...

Join John Wilson and Jack Carr in another episode of ' Owned and Operated ,' where they dive deep into how to grow in the home service business; specifically residential plumbing, HVAC, and electric services. John discusses the challenges of thinking too small, the benefits of having substantial goals, and the potential of raising capital to scale operations. With insights on securing C-...

Is your home service using EOS and training to their full potential? Today on Owned and Operated , John and Jack talk about the need to replace unreliable vehicles with new vans, the benefits of leasing, and the recent whole company staff meeting aimed at clarifying company goals and values. They also explore the complexities of managing capacity issues, the nuance required in making significant b...

What happens when your Home Service Business ownership hits disaster, and how do you survive business hardship? Hard questions this week, as Owned and Operated hosts Jack and John tackle a question from the Owned and Operated private business owner group on Facebook to talk about navigating the murky water of when things go badly for your business. John also talks about the challenges of managing...

In this episode of Owned and Operated, hosts John Wilson and Jack Carr share insights from running a home service business specializing in residential plumbing, HVAC, and electric growth, in podcast form. This week, the two talk strategies for managing capacity and fulfillment to keep up with sales, with the importance of focusing on core services for optimization, and setting up efficient busines...