Justin Blaine, Co-owner of Carter Services in Torrance, CA, provides a unique perspective on banking on the resilience of the trades by detailing his transition from a professional M&A advisor to an owner-operator. Drawing on lessons from his three years in minor league baseball, Justin discusses the necessity of humility, work ethic, and managing failure when entering a new industry. He shares the fascinating story of how he went from being a customer to the owner of a 50-year-old family business that specializes in multiple home service trades. Justin reveals how he navigated a challenging first year of ownership by leveraging technology to learn the business quickly and implementing a “hospitality first” mindset to drive a 45% revenue increase in year two.

Join us as we discuss:

[1:42] Justin’s pivot from minor league baseball to M&A and the trades
[14:58] Transitioning from customer to owner of a home services business
[25:23] Cultivating a growth mindset with your team and “unreasonable hospitality”
[37:25] The future of private equity and why the trades is accessible to everyone

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

AthletesTouch
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer

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From Customer to Owner: Banking on the Resilience of the Trades