In this episode of Owned and Operated, John and Jack explores the intricacies of running a home service business, focusing particularly on residential plumbing, HVAC, and electric services. The episode kicks off with a nod to Service Scalers for their exemplary assistance in managing digital advertising for home service companies. The discussion delves into the challenges and triumphs faced by entrepreneurs in the home service industry, highlighting the importance of adapting business...

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John and Jack explore the intricacies of running a home service business, focusing particularly on residential plumbing, HVAC, and electric services. The episode kicks off with a nod to Service Scalers for their exemplary assistance in managing digital advertising for home service companies. The discussion delves into the challenges and triumphs faced by entrepreneurs in the home service industry, highlighting the importance of adapting business...

Today on the Owned and Operated podcast, the boys interview entrepreneur Johannes Hock, the Owner of an artificial turf company who lives in Austin, Texas. They discuss Johannes's background, how he got into the turf industry, the business model of turf companies, expansion plans, challenges of scaling, and the factors influencing the choice of new locations. If you’re looking to learn more about the world of self-funded search and small business acquisitions then your favorite electrical,...

In this episode, John and Jack discuss their strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction through the implementation of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) system. They detail the comprehensive process of gathering feedback across every customer touchpoint, from marketing to accounting, aiming to turn customers into promoters. They also cover the practical changes they’ve implemented in their business, such as improving call center operations and post-service cleaning protocols, to ensure a...

Join John and Jack as they delve into the topic of business fraud within small companies, focusing on home service industries. Discover how to identify and prevent fraud in this insightful podcast episode. Learn from John's firsthand encounters with external and internal fraud attempts, such as a shocking incident involving attempted blackmail via Google reviews. Jack also shares his experiences, including subcontractor misconduct and service theft. Gain valuable insights and practical...

John and Jack highlight the importance and benefits of focusing on just one main service in a home service business to boost growth and success. John points to Leaf Filter as a standout example of a company that thrived by focusing exclusively on a specific service, implying that adopting a similar model of specialization and distribution could greatly benefit their business. Throughout their conversation, they contemplate how simplification could potentially accelerate their progress toward...

In this episode, John and Jack discuss the merits of buying versus building a business from their new studios. They emphasize the importance of reinvesting in the business rather than prioritizing personal expenses, and how such decisions impact growth and stability. They also explore the differing skill sets required for each approach and examine the concept of 'personal drag,' illustrating how personal lifestyle demands can affect business growth and strategy. Episode Hosts: John Wilson:...

John and Jack share their top three business mistakes, emphasizing lessons learned from these expensive errors. John highlights missteps like adopting a cost-saving-first philosophy by relocating the entire call center operations to the Philippines, expanding to multiple locations prematurely, and appointing the wrong person for crucial accounting roles. Meanwhile, Jack discusses his mistakes, including inadequate due diligence in acquisitions, underestimating the value of customer lists, and...

John and Jack engage in an in-depth conversation about scaling home service businesses, aiming for the $100 million goal. They discuss the importance of strategic hires, transitioning from generalists to specialists and experts, and the impact of proper staffing on business growth. They also share their experiences with a workshop they hosted, sharing success stories, and the challenges they face, including maintaining revenue during tough quarters, the significance of cultural fits in...

In this re-kick episode, Cassie Niekamp recounts her transition from the startup world to purchasing and running Bowden Fence Company. Cassie discusses the growth of the company, including revenue details, employee expansion, and system improvements. With a strong background in sales and recruiting for startups, Cassie provides valuable perspectives on business acquisition, scaling strategies, and effective management practices. Episode Host: John Wilson: @WilsonCompaniesEpisode...

In this re-kick episode, we revisit a timeless conversation with entrepreneur Rich Jordan who has impressively scaled Garon T Pumbing from $800,000 to a projected $17 million in revenue over three years. Starting with no industry experience, Rich's military background as a Marine infantry officer played a significant role in his success. This episode covers Rich's initial plunge into the business world through real estate before purchasing Garon T Plumbing in New Jersey. Rich shares the...

John and Jack explore the strategies fueling success in sales and warehouse management in this episode. They emphasize the role of sales folders in informing customers effectively and facilitating sales, as well as the concept of "Packout Kits” for enhancing job efficiency and speeding up installations. Moreover, John stresses the importance of selecting the right vendors and building strong relationships with them, and how this can affect business growth and service quality.  Don't forget to...

Expanding a business can be both exciting and challenging, with new opportunities and complexities to consider. In this episode, John and Jack explored the nuances of blending two businesses together and the key strategies involved in managing the transition effectively. Jack also discusses his recent plumbing business acquisition, detailing his initial successes and challenges within just one week. They explore the complexities of integrating purchase order systems and optimizing...

In this episode, John and Jack interview Neel Parekh, the founder of MaidThis Franchise, a remote cleaning business. Neel shares his journey from leaving a 9-to-5 job in private equity to starting a cleaning company after being inspired by a Reddit post. With a passion for travel, Neel optimized his business for remote operations, allowing him to explore 50 countries over seven years. MaidThis Franchise has now expanded into the first and only Airbnb cleaning franchise, with about 23...

In this episode, John and Jack address the marketing challenges faced by home service businesses. John shares insights from a marketing planning workshop, emphasizing a common issue businesses encounter: reaching spending limits on demand channels such as LSA (Local Services Ads),  regardless of their size. Jack also expresses his excitement about a recent plumbing deal, detailing the integration and communication strategies needed for merging businesses. Episode Hosts: John Wilson:...

In the competitive world of home service businesses, it can often feel daunting for smaller companies to go up against industry giants with massive budgets and resources. But in this episode, John and Jack share that there are strategic approaches that small businesses can take to not only compete but thrive in the market. By embracing community engagement and employing creative marketing strategies like guerrilla marketing, small home service businesses have the chance to compete against...

John and Jack outline their ideal businesses. John is interested in asset-heavy ventures like HVAC, electric, landscaping, tree removal, and driveway replacements, while Jack favors commercial endeavors such as bank equipment maintenance, telephone pole replacement, animal removal, and hydroelectric plants. Episode Hosts: John Wilson: @WilsonCompaniesJack Carr: @thehvacjack  Special thanks to our sponsor: Service Scalers: Looking to scale your home service business? Service Scalers is a...

In this episode, John and Jack exchange views on integrating Artificial Intelligence into their home service business. John elaborates on their utilization of AI for various tasks such as data analysis, marketing, communication, and improving written estimates for customers. They both share experiences with AI, emphasizing its role as an enhancer rather than a complete solution. Episode Hosts: John Wilson: @WilsonCompaniesJack Carr: @thehvacjack  Special thanks to our sponsor: Service...

Today, John and Jack are diving into the crucial role communication plays as businesses grow. They're sharing practical strategies to boost team collaboration and alignment, covering everything from one-on-one meetings to huddles, L10s, and skip-level meetings. John stresses the ongoing challenge of sharpening communication within his team, highlighting its pivotal role in the year ahead. Together, they're dishing out valuable insights on how to foster effective communication and build a...

In this episode, John and Jack talk about when and how to separate Dispatch and Call Center Representative roles for your home service business. It's a pretty pivotal moment for home service businesses that seems to happen around two and a half to three million of revenue, where these two fundamental positions become two different positions. They discuss what qualities to look for when hiring people for these roles. John also provides his perspective, describing CSRs as "bucket fillers" and...

John Wilson and Jack Carr interview Alec Stevanovski, founder of Homepros, a niche-focused B2B media business. His newsletter goes out once a week and you can check out the HVAC industry news here. Stevanovski discusses his journey into the industry, highlighting his background in technology startups and his pivot to focusing on HVAC industry news. He elaborates on his strategies for audience building, including leveraging personal contacts and maximizing platforms like LinkedIn. Episode...

In this episode, John and Jack discuss well drilling and do a business breakdown. Jack reveals that his friend earned $8.4 million last year from drilling wells. They underscore the significant financial investment, specific licensing requirements, and mechanical expertise needed to establish a well drilling company. Despite these obstacles, they remain optimistic about the potential for future business opportunities in the industry. Episode Hosts: John Wilson: @WilsonCompaniesJack Carr:...

John and Jack tackle a listener-submitted question addressing the five crucial aspects every business must master to scale successfully: the importance of daily reporting, tech transparency, job costing, lead attribution, and the monitoring of phone call interactions. Whether you're a Service Titan user or not, these principles are essential for any company looking to achieve sustainable growth. Episode Hosts: John Wilson: @WilsonCompaniesJack Carr: @thehvacjack  Special thanks to our...

Our discussion with Johnny Robinson aka SqueegeeGod continues in this episode as he talks about his experiences launching a new business, selling his previous venture, and switching to an information-based enterprise. We learn the difficulties of running a program-style company, addressing problems such as growing advertising expenses and putting in place an accelerator program to increase customer lifetime value. Johnny also shares a remarkable success story on how he played a key role in...