Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
John Wilson
The Owned and Operated electrical, HVAC, and plumbing business growth podcast is hosted by John Wilson and Jack Carr. These two Home Service Business owners bring you weekly podcasts and daily content with multiple perspectives, actionable advice, and info on an ever-changing industry revolving around advertising, lead generation, and more. Join us every Tuesday for topical conversations that unlock the potential for your business growth. Covering topics from top-tier talent recruitment to mastering marketing strategies and scaling your home service business, the podcast aims to be your guide on the path to entrepreneurial success.For more information, visit www.ownedandoperated.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 27, 2026 • 12min
The HVAC Marketing System That Will Dominate 2026
A tactical breakdown of the marketing system reshaping HVAC growth in 2026. Topics include controllable versus uncontrollable demand, the exact channels driving consistent leads, and reallocating ad spend to double revenue. Learn rapid response systems, multi-touch follow-up, and which Google tools work on different timelines.
Mar 26, 2026 • 53min
You're Tracking Your Ad Spend Wrong (Here’s What to Do Instead)
Tony Castelucci, founder of Wanamaker Advertising who blends traditional and video-driven marketing for home service companies. He explains why last-click and cost-per-lead mislead operators. Short takes on attributing TV, radio, and digital; demand capture versus demand creation; and practical tracking tactics like timestamps, tracking numbers, and CRM tie-ins.
Mar 24, 2026 • 42min
AI Isn’t Killing SEO—It’s Killing Bad Traffic (What Actually Works in 2026)
Lisa Appleby, an SEO consultant at Service Scalers with a decade helping home service companies, explains how AI reshapes search without killing it. They discuss why low-intent traffic falls away. They highlight the rising importance of Google Business Profiles, brand search, and authority signals. Practical tactics include expert quotes, geo-tagged photos, and improving user experience for high-intent local queries.
8 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 20min
The 3 Stages of Building a Home Service Business From $1M to $20M and Beyond
A candid roadmap for scaling a trades company through three growth stages. Stories about buying broken businesses and funding expansion from internal cash. Practical moves on pricing, digital leads, and rapid hiring. The shift from chaotic growth to building HR, accounting, and leadership systems. Finally, focusing on EBITDA and measuring expansion by return rather than top-line revenue.
Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 30min
Building a Billion-Dollar Septic Business
Chad Riddersen, a former Marine who runs operations and sales at Epic Septic, and Kyle Voss, an entrepreneur building a branded septic business, share big-picture growth moves. They dig into why septic is low-competition, the power of answering the phone and speed-to-lead, rapid revenue ramps, franchising plans, and lifestyle branding like merch and an energy drink.
Mar 17, 2026 • 36min
The $50K Truck Wrap Mistake Home Service Companies Make
Sam Preston, a ServiceScalers leader who advises home service companies on marketing and growth, tackles branding and truck wraps. He dissects why wraps no longer differentiate, how branding signals trust more than generates leads, and why simple, memorable designs beat busy ones. Hear practical tactics to spend smarter and stand out without copying every competitor.
12 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 49min
The Marketing Stack for Home Service Businesses: $1M to $10M
Ethan Wright, marketing and growth consultant at Service Scalers who helps home service companies scale revenue, shares the marketing stack for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical firms. He discusses why immediate lead channels beat branding early. He covers speed-to-lead tech, aggregators, reviews, pricing and when PPC, SEO, and lifecycle marketing should kick in.
Mar 10, 2026 • 44min
Billboards for Home Service Businesses: When They Work (and When They’re a Waste)
Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers and home-service marketing pro, breaks down billboard advertising for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies. He explains when billboards help and when they distract. Multiple short takes cover creative that sticks, why density matters, how to measure impact via branded search, and why most firms under ~$20M should buy leads first.
Mar 5, 2026 • 38min
How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business
Brendan Aronson, founder of The Military Veteran who places veterans into operator roles, shares hiring strategies for scaling home service companies. He covers when to hire a GM, building a deep hiring pipeline, spotting performance under pressure, red flags like wholesale Day 1 change, and why veterans often thrive in senior operator roles.
7 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 37min
The One Hire That Unlocks Growth
Brendan Aronson, founder of The Military Veteran, places veterans into executive and operator roles, translating military leadership for scaling businesses. He discusses why hiring a true operator unlocks growth. Short topics: how military experience maps to private-sector leadership. Enlisted vs officer fits. Building rigorous hiring processes and market-fit GM profiles for $10M–$25M firms.
