In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack breaks down why pressure washing is one of the most misunderstood businesses in America—and why the “low skill, low overhead, easy money” narrative is exactly what traps most operators in unscalable jobs.

Jack explains how pressure washing looks simple from the outside, but in reality is a sales, marketing, and operations business disguised as a trade. He walks through the real cost structure most people ignore, why underpricing kills otherwise busy operators, and why many pressure washing companies never scale past the owner.

You’ll hear why commercial and route-based pressure washing is the real prize, why pure residential pressure washing caps out quickly, and how successful operators increase ticket size by stacking services instead of chasing more leads. Jack also covers when buying a pressure washing business makes sense (and when it absolutely doesn’t), the systems you must see before acquiring one, and the hidden skills required to build a real company—not just buy a job.

This episode is a reality check for anyone thinking about starting or buying a pressure washing business—and a playbook for those who want to do it the right way.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why pressure washing is not a low-skill business—and why most operators fail to scale
• The real cost structure behind pressure washing (fuel, chemicals, repairs, seasonality, callbacks)
• Why underpricing keeps operators busy but permanently unprofitable
• The difference between commercial route-based pressure washing and residential service

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement here

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr

Send us a text

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In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Collin Trimble of Alarm Masters and Entry & Exit to dig into what it really looks like to roll up commercial fire and security companies—and why recurring monthly revenue (RMR) can be a cheat code for ETA operators. Collin walks through his jump from petrochem finance to security sales, then into Salesforce and revenue consulting, and finally into buying his own alarm company with longtime friend and partner, Steven.

Collin breaks down why so many owner-operated alarm businesses stall out at $2–3M, how lifestyle creep and fear of reinvestment cap their growth, and why he and Steven saw a huge opportunity to professionalize sales, marketing, and process in an industry full of technician-founders. He shares how they think about project work, service, and RMR as three distinct revenue engines—and why they designed Alarm Masters to blend high-touch, “Chick-fil-A-level” service with scalable systems instead of giving that up as they grow.

You’ll hear Collin’s earlier entrepreneurial experiments (dumpster rentals and a CrossFit gym), how those reps prepared him to buy and scale a real platform, and why his roll-up strategy leans heavily on buying accounts, doing “coffee drops,” and cross-selling multiple scopes of work to commercial customers. They also dig into sourcing deals through brokers and vendors, what makes an ideal tuck-in vs platform, and Collin’s advice for first-time ETA operators who are grinding toward their first acquisition.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why many security and alarm businesses stall out at $2–3M in revenue—and how Collin and Steven break through that ceiling.
• How Collin went from petrochem analyst → security sales → Salesforce → revenue consultant → alarm company owner.
• The three revenue streams in security: projects, service/inspections, and recurring monthly revenue (RMR)—and how they design around all three.
• Why they prioritize commercial fire and security over pure residential and how that changes ticket sizes, cross-sell, and churn.
  
  

💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!

Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.

👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalification.

Connect with Alan Peterson from First Internet Bank here

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr — https://www.x.com/thehvacjack

Collin Trimble — https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-trimble-642a305a/

Entry & Exit — https://entryandexit

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Nathan Lindley of Done Right to dig into what it really looks like to roll up small HVAC companies—and why acquisition can be the smartest growth channel in the trades. Nathan shares his jump from Christian book publishing to home services, the “HVAC is non-optional” thesis that pulled him from Oregon to Dallas in early 2020, and why he knew his first deal would be his worst.

They get into the gritty middle: buying tiny mom-and-pops out of “cowardice,” learning fast under SBA debt pressure, and discovering the multiple-expansion play that turns a handful of 2.5x shops into a 4x+ platform. Nathan breaks down his current machine—nine deals closed, two under LOI—plus what he actually buys when he acquires sub-$2M businesses: phone rings, not EBITDA. You’ll hear how he values active vs dormant customers, the outbound power-dialer strategy most sellers never use, and how acquisitions can outperform Google PPC CAC by 50% or more.

They also talk integration across Dallas and Austin, hiring remote CSRs (shoutout stay-at-home moms), transitioning customers after close, and the emotional reality of early-stage ownership—panic blankets, family capital on the line, and the hard truth that buying businesses isn’t passive income until you’ve survived the knife fight of years 0–5.

If you’re doing ETA in home services—or thinking about your first HVAC tuck-in—this one is a masterclass in how real operators build value through acquisition.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why HVAC roll-ups are a customer acquisition strategy more than a profit-multiple game.
• Nathan’s path from book publishing to buying his first HVAC company right before COVID.
• Why your first acquisition will probably be your worst—and how to grow out of it fast.
• The multiple-expansion thesis: aggregating small shops into a higher-multiple platforms

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement here

💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!

Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.

👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalification.

Connect with Alan Peterson from First Internet Bank here

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr — https://www.x.com/thehvacjack
Nathan Lindley —

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.