Shows / Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Owned and Operated is the podcast for home service entrepreneurs who want to build larger, more profitable businesses.
Hosted by John Wilson and Jack Carr, each episode features candid conversations with the founders, operators, investors, and industry leaders shaping the future of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, septic, roofing, restoration, and the wider home service industry.
From acquisitions and marketing to sales, leadership, hiring, finance, AI, and operational excellence, you'll hear…
Episodes
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Real Reason Everyone in the Trades Is Starting a Podcast
In this episode, John sits down with Jackie Aubel, host of ServiceTitan’s Toolbox for the Trades, to unpack what content actually does for a home service…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How Door-to-Door Marketing Is Driving Millions in Home Service Revenue
Most home service companies rely too heavily on digital channels—and that’s a risky game. In this episode, John Wilson and Sam Preston break down door-to-door…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Cash Flow 101: Why Profitable Businesses Still Go Broke (and How to Fix It)
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson ($40M revenue, ~200 employees), breaks down a hard truth: profit doesn’t keep businesses alive—cash does. In this episode, he…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The MOST Overlooked Growth Lever in Home Services
Most home service companies don’t have a lead problem—they have a follow-up problem. In this episode, John and Sam break down lifecycle marketing and how to…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Fleet Strategy: How to Buy, Finance, and Scale Your Vehicles
Most home service companies treat their fleet like a necessity. The best operators treat it like a strategy. In this episode, John and Jack break down how to…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
What Buyers Actually Look for When Buying a Business
If you think a big EBITDA number alone will get you a big exit… you’re in for a rude awakening. In this episode, John sits down with longtime business advisor…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Why Most Business Owners Lose Millions When They Sell
If you’re not building your business to sell, you’re building yourself a job. In this episode, Jack sits down with Steve and Austin from McCall Wealth Advisors…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
We Merged Our Home Service Companies—Now We’re Building to $100M
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid Response, to break down their recent partnership and the strategy…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Do Yard Signs ACTUALLY Work for Home Service Businesses?
Do Yard Signs Actually Work for Home Service Businesses? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Strategy That Doubled My Plumbing Sales in 90 Days
How do you double a plumbing business in just 90 days after buying it? In this episode, John Wilson breaks down the exact moves that led to nearly 100% growth…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
I Bought 3 Home Service Businesses in 90 Days — Here’s What Happened
I Bought 3 Home Service Businesses in 90 Days… Here’s What Happened In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with co-host Jack Carr (CEO of…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Weird Marketing That Actually Works ($1M from Home Shows, Newspaper Leads, & Toilet Ads)
Is “weird” marketing actually working in home services… or are contractors missing massive opportunities? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
If I Had to Start a Home Service Business From $0, Here’s Exactly What I'd Do
If you’re starting a home service business in 2026… you’re probably focusing on the wrong things. Most people waste months on logos, websites, and…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
AI Is Creating a MASSIVE Gap Between Contractors
Is AI actually changing home services… or just hype? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Tyson Chen (Founder of Avoca) to break…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The REAL Future of Home Services: Chick-fil-A, Handyman Businesses, and Industry Consolidation
Is Chick-fil-A entering home services… and what does that mean for contractors? At first glance, it sounds like a joke — but it’s real. A Chick-fil-A–backed…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The HVAC Marketing System That Will Dominate 2026
If you’re trying to win in HVAC in 2026… most of what you’ve been told about marketing is wrong. Contractors are wasting thousands on agencies, chasing…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
You're Tracking Your Ad Spend Wrong (Here’s What to Do Instead)
Is your home service marketing actually working — or is Google getting all the credit? In this episode John Wilson and returning guest Tony Castelucci…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
AI Isn’t Killing SEO—It’s Killing Bad Traffic (What Actually Works in 2026)
Is AI killing SEO—or just changing how it works? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Lisa from Service Scalers to talk about what…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The 3 Stages of Building a Home Service Business From $1M to $20M and Beyond
I was obsessed with hitting $10M. And when we finally got there… everything broke. In this solo episode, John breaks down what it actually looks like to scale…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Building a Billion-Dollar Septic Business
What does it actually take to build a billion-dollar septic company? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with the founders of Epic…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The $50K Truck Wrap Mistake Home Service Companies Make
Do truck wraps actually drive leads, or are most home service companies wasting money to look like everyone else? In this episode, John Wilson and Sam Preston…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Marketing Stack for Home Service Businesses: $1M to $10M
The Marketing Stack for Home Service Businesses: From $1M to $10M What should home service companies actually spend on marketing at $1 million, $5 million, and…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Billboards for Home Service Businesses: When They Work (and When They’re a Waste)
Are Billboards Worth It for Home Service Businesses? (Or Just an Expensive Ego Boost?) Billboards can feel like a milestone for a growing home service…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business
How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business (and Avoid a $100K Hiring Mistake) Scaling past $10M can expose a brutal truth: the leadership team…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The One Hire That Unlocks Growth
If you’ve ever felt stuck because your business outgrew your leadership team — or rushed a key hire just to relieve the pressure — this episode is for you. In…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Our Biggest Business Failures (And What They Cost Us)
Every home service operator has a failure story. In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid Plumbing, Heating…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
HVAC vs. Security: If You Had $5M, Where Would You Invest?
If someone handed you $5 million… would you buy an HVAC business or a security/alarm business? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Fire Employees Fairly (Without Ruining Your Culture)
Firing employees is one of the worst parts of owning a home service business — and the bigger you get, the more often it happens. In this episode of Owned and…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Is Direct Mail Back? The 2026 Growth Strategy for Service Businesses
Is direct mail actually back in 2026 — or is it a dinosaur channel that should stay extinct? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Why We Stopped Buying Service Vans — And You Should Too
Should Home Service Companies Stop Buying Vans? In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Nashville operator Jack Carr to break down one…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Google PPC Isn’t Dead — You’re Just Running It Wrong
Does Google PPC still work for home service businesses—or is it just an expensive mistake? In this Clicks to Calls episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Scale to $100M Without Breaking Your Business
How do you keep growing fast without breaking your business? In this Owned and Operated supercut, John Wilson pulls together his favorite moments from recent…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Under $5M? Marketing Isn’t Complicated (Here’s the Playbook)
How do you stop wasting money on marketing… and start building a lead engine that actually scales? In this episode of Click to Calls, John Wilson sits down…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Building, Scaling, and Selling Home Service Businesses (Supercut)
This episode is a supercut of standout moments from multiple Owned and Operated episodes, focused on one theme: how great operators build, scale, and…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Budget Marketing in 2026 (Without Wasting Cash)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down how smart home service operators should…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
What Home Service Business Should You Start in 2026? (And How to Win Early)
If you want to play the game on hard mode… randomly pick an industry and hope it works. In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson and Jack Carr break…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How Smart Operators Plan for Real Growth (Bonus)
Most security & life-safety companies don’t get stuck because they lack hustle—they get stuck because they lack measurement. In this special feed drop of Entry…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Dark Side of Roofing: Insurance Scams, Storm Chasers, and Why Homeowners Get Burned
Insurance claims, storm chasers, and broken incentives — welcome to the dark side of roofing. In this episode, John Wilson sits down (again) with Adam Cherup…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Disaster Roofing Business: Temporary Roofs, Real Margins
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Adam Cherup, a “disaster roofer” who’s built a niche, high-margin business installing…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Turn Referrals Into a Scalable, Predictable Growth Engine
Referrals are still the #1 growth channel in home services — but most contractors treat it like hope marketing. In this episode, John Wilson sits down with…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Google LSAs: The Easiest Way to Add Leads Tomorrow
This is the literal easiest lever you can pull to add leads tomorrow: turn on (and properly run) Google Local Services Ads (LSAs). In this episode, John Wilson…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Stop Losing Money in 2026: The Profit Plan for Higher EBITDA
We’re heading into 2026 with one goal: stop losing money. Not “grow at all costs.” Not “try harder.” Just: build a healthy business that actually cash flows…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Sales Process That Took Us From Losing Money to $12.5K Tickets
We break down how we tripled our HVAC average ticket—from $5,000 to $12,500+—and finally made sales profitable. In this episode, we walk through the painful…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The REAL Cost of Running a Trades Business in 2025 — What Most Owners Don’t Understand
We reveal the real cost of running a home service business in 2025. In this full debrief, we open our books to show why plumbing business growth exploded while…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Nextdoor Marketing for Contractors: The Local Referral Engine for Plumbing, HVAC & Home Services
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down one of the most overlooked (and…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How Smart Home Service Owners Should Invest (P&L, EBITDA, and Enterprise Value)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson and Jack break down what “smart investing” actually looks like for home service operators—starting with the…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Remote Staffing for Contractors: How to Hire Offshore for Recruiting, Dispatch & Ops
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Aizik Zimerman of Jay Blanton Plumbing (Chicago) to break down the remote staffing playbook…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
AI Didn’t Kill Google Search — Here’s Why GBP Still Wins
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston — CEO of Service Scalers — to talk about the marketing asset that still quietly…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
This HVAC Owner Scaled from $11M to $250M (Ken Goodrich’s Playbook)
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Ken Goodrich — legendary home services operator, turnaround specialist, and former…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
You’re Growing Fast… So Why Are You Still Broke?
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Patrick Dichter, owner of AppleTree Business Services, to break down what “good accounting” actually looks like…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Plumbing Owner Grew From $6M to $25M on Sewers (Here’s How)
In this episode, John Wilson is on-site in Chicago with Aizik Zimerman, owner of J.Blanton Plumbing, to break down how one of the fastest-growing plumbing…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Silent Growth Blocker in Home Services
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Daryna Kulya, co-founder of Quo (formerly OpenPhone), to unpack one of the most underappreciated growth levers in…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Ultimate Home Service Trivia Show (What Homeowners Really Think)
In this episode, John Wilson and Brandon Niro are joined by Zac Dearing from Mantel for a fast-paced, trivia-style breakdown of what homeowners actually want…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How To Scale a Service Based Business by Implementing an FSM
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Richard Dunbar of FieldPulse to dig into one of the most important — and often overlooked — levers for scaling a…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Rebrand Your Company and Add $500K in Revenue
In this episode, John Wilson and guest Rich Jordan dig into one of the scariest (and most valuable) moves you can make in home service: rebranding multiple…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Scale Beyond Yourself and Build a Real Company
In this episode, John Wilson and co-host Jack Carr unpack one of the biggest transitions in home service — going from owner to operator. What does it really…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How to Future-Proof Your Home Service Business in 2025
In this episode, John Wilson and co-host Jack Carr break down how home-service companies can actually future-proof in 2025: flattening org charts, using AI to…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
How This Operator Turned a Viral Laundromat Video into a $20M Roofing Company
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Brandon Schlicter—better known as Investment Joy—to unpack how a viral laundromat video turned into a portfolio of…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Consumer Always Wins: Building the Business They Actually Want
In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Jamie from Modernize to unpack how a consumer-obsessed mindset is reshaping home services—from the first inquiry to…
- Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
$170M in 2 Years: Premier Home Pros’ Playbook for Scaling Without Debt
In this follow-up to our Premier Home Pros deep dive, John Wilson sits back down with AJ and Noah to unpack how they turned six greenfield locations into a…