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 — including the messy middle no one talks about.

If you’re trying to grow past $1M, push to $10M, or build a $100M platform, this episode maps out the three stages every operator goes through:

• $1M–$5M: Survival & Scrappiness
• $5M–$20M: Structure & Systems
• $20M+: Scale, EBITDA & Expansion

This is the unfiltered version of building a trades business — no playbook, no perfect plan, just figuring it out one step at a time.

If you’ve got big ambitions but no clear roadmap yet… you’re in the right place.

📈 What You’ll Learn:

• The exact playbook we used to grow from 8 employees to 200+
• Early-stage marketing and sales moves that drove 70% growth
• How to structure acquisitions without relying on banks
• The 4 core pillars of a scalable business (HR, Marketing, Accounting, Leadership)
• How to think about growth when you’re past $20M

Host: John Wilson https://x.com/WilsonCompanies

More Solo Content https://www.youtube.com/@JohnWilsonStudio

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

Leave a Review

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

📌 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.

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 industries.

They share how they went from zero to rapid growth, why septic is dramatically less competitive than HVAC or plumbing, and how simple fundamentals like answering the phone and selling on the first call can outperform expensive marketing strategies.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why septic is one of the most overlooked home service opportunities
• How 90% of competitors fail to answer the phone (and lose business because of it)
• Why speed-to-lead and phone sales drive extremely high close rates
• The real economics behind building a $100M–$1B service business

Host: John Wilson https://x.com/WilsonCompanies

Guests:
Kyle Voss
Chad Riddersen

https://epicseptic.com/

Break through the $5M ceiling.

Join John Wilson and Jack Carr May 5–7, 2026 in Akron, Ohio for the Breaking $5 Million Workshop—a 3-day, in-person event for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical owners ready to scale. You’ll see the Wilson operation live, sit in on a real sales huddle, tour the shop, and build your roadmap to $5M+.

🎟 Get $500 off with code BREAKINGEARLYBIRD HERE

💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers!

We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.
Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?

🔗Check Them Out Here

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

Leave a Review

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

📌 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.

Do truck wraps actually drive leads, or are most home service companies wasting money to look like everyone else?

In this episode, John Wilson and Sam Preston break down branding, truck wraps, and why many HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies overspend on “professional” branding that does not actually set them apart. They talk about what branding really does, why it helps close more deals than generate more leads, and how to think about standing out in a crowded market.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why truck wraps no longer differentiate most home service brands
• The difference between branding that signals trust and branding that drives leads
• Why simple truck wraps often work better than busy designs
• How branding has shifted from competitive advantage to table stakes
• Why many contractors overspend to look like everyone else

Host: John Wilson
https://x.com/WilsonCompanies

Guest: Sam Preston
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6

💸Sponsored by CFO Made Easy

Built a strong trades business? Let’s take it to $10M and beyond. CFO Made Easy offers part-time CFO services for home and trade service businesses—helping you boost cash flow, maximize profit per tech, and make clear growth decisions.

📈 Free Offer: Book a 45-min Financial Insight Session to uncover growth blockers.

Break through the $5M ceiling.

Join John Wilson and Jack Carr May 5–7, 2026 in Akron, Ohio for the Breaking $5 Million Workshop—a 3-day, in-person event for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical owners ready to scale. You’ll see the Wilson operation live, sit in on a real sales huddle, tour the shop, and build your roadmap to $5M+.

🎟 Get $500 off with code BREAKINGEARLYBIRD Here

📞 Sponsored by Quo — The Modern Business Phone for Service Pros

Missed calls mean missed business. Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the AI-powered phone system that logs calls, creates summaries, and automates follow-ups — keeping your team connected and customers happy.?

🎁 Start your 7-day free trial and get 20% off your first six months HERE

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

Leave a Review

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

📌 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.