20 Mar 2026
19m

The 3 Stages of Building a Home Service Business From $1M to $20M and Beyond

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

John Wilson details his decade-long journey of building a trades business from $1 million to $40 million in revenue, outlining three key stages: $1-5M, $5-20M, and $20M+. He emphasizes the importance of aspiration over a rigid plan, recounting early struggles with limited resources and the initial focus on generating cash through pricing strategies, digital presence, and sales training. Wilson highlights a pivotal moment when he realized the potential of acquiring competitors, sharing lessons learned from buying "broken" businesses using unconventional deals and avoiding banks to maintain control and speed. Transitioning to the $5-20M stage required building a solid platform centered on HR, marketing, accounting, and leadership development to prepare for future growth, while the $20M+ stage shifted the focus to EBITDA and strategic opportunities for expansion.

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