The One Hire That Unlocks Growth
Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Build a rigorous hiring process
Brendan recommends defining success, creating pipelines, and matching skills and culture before hiring.
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 this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Brendan Aronson, Founder of The Military Veteran (TMV), a recruiting firm that places military veterans into executive and operator roles.
They break down what it really takes to hire a GM or operator who can scale a $10M–$25M home service business — and why most hiring failures aren’t talent problems, but clarity and process problems.
The core theme:
Great companies believe people drive value creation. If you get the leadership hire wrong, the cost compounds. If you get it right, everything unlocks.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- What “operator” actually means in a scaling home service business
- Why hiring becomes the bottleneck as companies grow
- How military leadership experience translates (and where it doesn’t)
- Enlisted vs. officer backgrounds — and what each typically brings
They also cover the difference between hiring for:
- A private equity–backed platform (timeline-driven, playbook-oriented)
- A family-owned business (culture, long-term alignment, succession planning)
🎙️ Hosts
Host: John Wilson — https://x.com/WilsonCompanies
Guest: Brendan Aronson, Founder of The Military Veteran (TMV)
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💼Shoutout to Avoca AI!
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Shout Out to FieldPulse 🚀
FieldPulse is an incredible Field Service Management platform that helps you save hours each week while keeping your operations running smoothly. If you're looking to streamline your processes, stay competitive, and focus on what truly matters, FieldPulse is a game-changer!
📅 Book your demo
More Ways To Connect with O&O
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.
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