JackQuisitions - Small Business Acquisitions in Home Service

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack welcomes back Alan Peterson (First Internet Bank) to break down the SBA SOP changes that are reshaping home service acquisitions in 2026—especially for buyers navigating licensing, seller equity, and deal structure. Alan explains why the once-common “seller keeps 1–5%” strategy is fading, what’s replacing it, and why banks are forcing buyers to get serious...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Rand Larson , owner of Scale Path, to talk about the real reason so many operators struggle after closing their first deal: they’re doing it alone. Rand shares the origin story of Scale Path—starting as an informal peer group called Trench Therapy—and how one conversation with an overwhelmed HVAC owner (who was staring down a brutal first yea...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Micah Stanley, founder of a rapidly scaling nightlife vending business that went from one college-bar machine to 100+ machines across multiple states in under two years. What started as a failed brick-and-mortar vape shop turned into a highly profitable, asset-light business model built around placing high-margin vending machines in bars, nig...

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Ian Smith, partner at South River Capital, to break down what it actually looks like to scale through acquisitions in home services—when the “platform” you thought you bought turns out to be pen, paper, and magnets on a board. Ian shares how his partners bought Terraform Landscaping in 2021 (~$2M revenue), then turned around and acquired an eq...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack breaks down why pressure washing is one of the most misunderstood businesses in America—and why the “low skill, low overhead, easy money” narrative is exactly what traps most operators in unscalable jobs. Jack explains how pressure washing looks simple from the outside, but in reality is a sales, marketing, and operations business disguised as a trade. He w...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Collin Trimble of Alarm Masters and Entry & Exit to dig into what it really looks like to roll up commercial fire and security companies—and why recurring monthly revenue (RMR) can be a cheat code for ETA operators. Collin walks through his jump from petrochem finance to security sales, then into Salesforce and revenue consulting, and fin...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Nathan Lindley of Done Right to dig into what it really looks like to roll up small HVAC companies—and why acquisition can be the smartest growth channel in the trades. Nathan shares his jump from Christian book publishing to home services, the “HVAC is non-optional” thesis that pulled him from Oregon to Dallas in early 2020, and why he knew...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Stephen Olmon to unpack one of the spiciest ETA questions out there: should you buy a business or build one first? Stephen shares his non-traditional path into entrepreneurship—from a pastor/teacher household to telecom consulting, then into the world of software, NewCo businesses, and eventually acquisitions. They dig into Stephen’s early fa...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits back down with Chris Barr to talk about what real leverage looks like in a self-funded search: building systems instead of just refreshing BizBuySell, working your broker network, and turning your geo + niche into an actual acquisition brand. They break down how Chris is rebuilding his search infrastructure after round one, why tech leverage (CRM, scra...

Buying a septic company is one of the highest-ROI moves in home-service M&A… if you know where to look. In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack breaks down exactly where real septic deals come from — from the obvious online marketplaces to the off-market gold mines almost no one talks about. If you’re serious about buying your first septic business (or adding one as a high-margin tuck-in), th...

Buying a company is hard. Buying a job by accident is worse.  In this roundtable, John Wilson (Owned & Operated) and Jack Carr break down the biggest red flags they’ve seen across nine-plus home-service acquisitions—from septic and trash routes to HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. They dig into the “is it a business or a gig?” test, how to sniff out customer concentration that’s hiding in plain...

Today on JackQuisitions , Jack talks with Dustin Marx, founder of Mother (Modern Plumbing) — the Texas-based plumbing company that went from $15K a month to an $8M run rate in just 14 months. Dustin isn’t your typical plumbing entrepreneur — he’s a former tech founder who turned a small, two-person shop into a fast-scaling, culture-first powerhouse. In this episode, he breaks down how he found his...

MORE Entry & Exit Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get practical and tactical on winning new logos in security & life-safety. They break down how to niche your ICP, keep your message consistent, split lead vs. sales process, and get multithreaded so you close more deals—without wasting budget on broad, unfocused marketing. From anchor pricing and social proof snapshots to CRM must-ha...

Should 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 Florida/Palm Beach deal sourci...

Should you start an HVAC business in 2026?  This business is hot—sometimes literally—and it’s vital to most Americans. In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack breaks down what it really takes to start or buy an HVAC company in 2026: how much it costs, what kind of money you can actually make, and why HVAC might be one of the most durable trades to own right now. From licensing and startup costs to...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack flips the mic to bring on seasoned operator, investor, and podcast host Michael Crow . From beating stage four cancer in his 20s to building a 5,000-unit real estate portfolio and then diving headfirst into HVAC and plumbing, Michael shares a frank, field-tested playbook: compounding > flipping, shoulder seasons test your soul, and “permanent equity” wor...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack flips the mic to bring on… JackQuisitions favorite and Owned & Operated’s own John Wilson . Together they break down two real deals in Ohio: a premium pool service route in Northeast Ohio and a 221-ATM route in Franklin County (Columbus). They dig into seasonality, margins, route density, and the very real difference between buying a cash-flowing job vs...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Patrick Lange of Business Modification Group to unpack what really drives (and drags down) HVAC and plumbing valuations. Patrick has sold 149+ trades companies and shares straight-talk on multiples, owner bottlenecks, service vs. construction mix, and how buyer profiles—and the June SBA SOP changes—are reshaping deals. If you’re eyeing an exi...

In this part two, Jack sits back down with Chris Cisneros of Diamond Plumbing —this time diving deep into acquisitions, market entry strategy, and leading seasoned techs as a 23-year-old service manager. Live from the Miami Meetup, they unpack how to decide between greenfield vs. acquisition , what it really takes to keep teams post-close, and how to think about radius, logistics, and install crew...

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Chris Cisneros of Diamond Plumbing live at the Miami Meetup. Chris shares his incredible journey from selling marketing services door-to-door at just 13 years old to building a fast-growing plumbing business alongside his father. What started with one truck and a thrift store breakroom office has now expanded into a multi-truck operation with...

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down in Akron, Ohio with Matt, who just closed on his very first acquisition: a 75-year-old HVAC and refrigeration company outside Pittsburgh. Fresh off the Breaking $5 Million workshop, Matt walks through the whirlwind of his first six weeks as an owner—what it’s like to take on a $2M deal, why he valued stability over chasing top-line growth, and how...

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack catches up with Chris Barr, who returns with a hard but valuable update: his most recent deal is officially dead. After months of diligence, capital invested, and a strong connection with the sellers, Chris made the tough call to walk away when the risk profile jumped too high. What could have been a dream business became a cautionary tale about what happens...

In this episode of JackQuisitions , Jack sits down with Jeff Bates, a Michigan-based operator who went from running trucks in the heat to owning and growing multiple HVAC companies. After years at Lennox and a crash course in small business while working for his father-in-law’s trucking company, Jeff and his partner decided to jump into ownership themselves. Their first deal came in 2022 with RNL...

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Matthew Railla, a former wine industry operator turned termite company owner. After years running his family’s winery, Matt discovered business brokerage through his brother-in-law—and eventually listed a highly profitable termite inspection company. When buyers kept passing due to its relationship-driven, project-based model, Matt had a reali...

In this revealing episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with his good friend Scott Horman, who attempted to build an HVAC business from the ground up. Just ten months later, the doors closed for good. Scott opens up about the hard truths—misaligned partners, poor service quality, and unpredictable lead flow—that ultimately sank the venture. If you’ve ever wondered whether to start a trades bus...