In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Ken Goodrich — legendary home services operator, turnaround specialist, and former CEO/Chairman of Goettl Air Conditioning & Plumbing — to unpack what it really takes to build, scale, and successfully exit a home service business.

Ken shares the origin story that shaped his entire career: buying his first HVAC business at 25, getting crushed by payroll tax mistakes, and discovering The E-Myth at the exact moment everything fell apart. That wake-up call turned into a repeatable business-building playbook — one he’s used to build and sell six home service companies, including taking Goettl from $11M in revenue and losing $3M to $250M across 11 locations and 1,000+ employees.

John and Ken dig into the real mechanics of multi-location growth: why most owners hit a wall, how daily scoreboards and call-by-call discipline keep branches aligned, and what changes before you have a full senior leadership bench. Ken also lays out his view on the “sweet spot” for exits, when to bring on capital, and why operators should treat every growth phase like a 1,000-day value creation sprint.

If you’re thinking about acquisitions, preparing for multi-market expansion, or asking “when is the right time to take chips off the table?” — this episode is the blueprint.

What You’ll Learn

How Ken used E-Myth systems to go from tech-owner chaos to scalable process
The multi-branch management cadence that keeps remote locations on-track
Why “easy lead years” create sloppy habits — and how to run with a scarcity mindset
The real EBITDA thresholds that change your exit options and multiples

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Host:
John Wilson

Guest:
Ken Goodrich

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

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He Lost Everything at 25: Then Built a $250M Home Service Empire

Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast