Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
The Owned and Operated Podcast is the go-to show for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical business owners who want to grow faster, increase profits, and scale smarter.
Hosted by John Wilson and Jack Carr, real home service operators in the trenches. This podcast delivers 2x weekly, no-BS conversations on what’s actually working in the trades today. From lead generation and marketing to hiring top-tier talent and building scalable systems, every episode is packed with actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
If you're an HVAC contractor, plumber, or electrician looking to grow your business, improve operations, and stay ahead in a competitive market, this podcast is for you.
New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday.
Learn more at www.ownedandoperated.com
Episodes
352 episodes
How We Doubled a Plumbing Business in 90 Days | Cash Flow, Sales & Buying Businesses Explained
What actually drives growth in home services?In this compilation episode, John Wilson shares the systems and strategies behind scaling a $40M home service company — including how his team doubled a plumbing business in 90 days, im...
Buy vs Build: The Fastest Way to Grow a Home Service Business
Most entrepreneurs think starting a business from scratch is the best way to grow. John Wilson disagrees.In this episode, John breaks down why buying an existing business can dramatically accelerate growth, reduce startup friction, and c...
Most Home Service Companies Are Wasting Their Best Leads (Referral Marketing Blueprint)
Home service companies are leaving serious money on the table when it comes to referrals. In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld from
High-Ticket Sales in Home Services: What Actually Works
High ticket sales in home services aren’t about being pushy — they’re about giving customers the right options.In this episode, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down the systems behind bigger tickets, better close rates, and stronger sale...
Why Your Techs Aren’t Selling High Ticket (And What to Fix)
Most home service companies think they have a sales problem. In reality, they have an organizational problem.In this bonus episode, John Wilson breaks down why low average tickets usually come down to poor positioning, weak training, and...
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 business—and why most people get it wrong from the start.They bre...
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 marketing (canvassing) and why it’s becoming one of the most powerful, scalable...
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 explains how companies can look profitable on paper while quietly running out ...
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 turn every lead into more revenue without increasing ad spend. From speed to lead...
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 actually think about fleet management—from financing vehicles to choosing ...
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 David Barnett—who’s helped sell hundreds of companies—to break down what actual...
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 to break down what actually drives business value—and why most owners l...
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 behind building a multi-market home service platform.They share what it actu...
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, to break down one of the simplest—and most debated—marketing channels in ...
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 immediately post-acquisition. From simple operational fixes to high-impact deci...
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 HappenedIn this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with co-host Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid HVAC) to break down what actually happens when you aggre...
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 joined by Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down unconven...
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 branding—before they ever get a single customer.In this solo episode, John breaks do...
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 down how AI is actually being deployed inside home serv...
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 venture has launched a home service brand focused on handyman work, and it...
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 “leads,” and relying on channels they don’t actually control.In this solo episo...
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 (Wanamaker Advertising) explain why cost‑per‑lead (CPL) often misleads, how attribution and d...
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 SEO actually looks like in 2026. They break down why AI isn’t replacing...
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 a trades business from $1M to $40M over the last decade — includ...
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 Septic to break down one of the most overlooked—and profitable—home service...