The Jered Williams Show

On this episode of the Jered Williams Show, Jered sits down with Kristen Deese, a virtual CFO for the trades who spent 20 years owning plumbing, HVAC, and other home service businesses with her husband before selling to private equity. They dig into how to read a P&L and tie it back to operations, with Kristen arguing that owners should fix inefficiencies before raising prices and that gross profit dollars, not just margin percentage, are what cover overhead. She says revenue is an ego-driven number that owners keep growing while net profit quietly shrinks, and she recommends budgeting with four targets (a revenue goal, a gross profit margin goal, an overhead cap, and a net profit goal) instead of a line-by-line budget. They also compare payroll structures, with Kristen insisting a technician should be able to explain his pay to his spouse, and discuss how AI can speed up administrative work like journal entries, call classification, and permit tracking.

On this episode of the Jered Williams Show, Jered sits down with Eddie to reflect on one year of building Wahoo Plumbing in Pensacola after selling their $6.2 million Alaska business. The biggest lesson was that the right people matter more than anything. After hiring around 16 people with none of the originals left, they found that the wrong hires resisted their process and didn't believe in their pricing. Once the right technicians were in place, one month produced $170K from 90 jobs compared to $130K from 130 jobs with the wrong team, and marketing spend dropped from as high as 40% of revenue to around 16%. They also cover the hire-fast, fire-fast approach and why they'd start their next business by finding two "million dollar technicians" before growing.

On this episode of the Jered Williams Show, Jered speaks with Pam Hobbs, the systems creator and instigator behind Hobbs Plumbing and Mr. Rooter. Pam explains how she transformed a family business into a highly organized operation by implementing rigorous documentation, non-negotiable standards, and a culture where employees help build the company's policies. She shares insights into their multi-stage hiring process, the strategic differences between new construction and service divisions, and the practicalities of maintaining a successful business partnership with a spouse. The discussion highlights the importance of building scalable systems that allow for long-term growth and eventual leadership transition while emphasizing the value of community reinvestment.

On this episode of the Jered William's Show, Jered sits down with Travis Curtis of High Tide Plumbing to discuss his journey from struggling with new construction to building a service-based business on track for $3 million in revenue this year. Travis details his "poke a hole" philosophy for drain cleaning, which uses transparency and video inspections to sell long-term sewer solutions, and explains his unique sales model that pairs technicians with field supervisors to maximize conversion rates. The conversation explores the mindset shifts necessary for scaling, including the importance of raising prices, ignoring skeptical "outside noise" from friends and family, and the tactical plan to reach $5 million next year by implementing automated follow-ups and optimizing existing customer memberships.

On this episode of the Jered Williams Show, host Jered Williams sits down with Matt Delnay to explore the rapid growth and eventual sale of Mountaineer Plumbing, a journey that spanned just three years and navigated the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Matt shares his insights on scaling from a one-man operation to a multi-truck fleet by embracing value-based pricing, strict quality standards, and a culture of pride in workmanship. The discussion also covers the emotional toll of business ownership, the importance of financial discipline like daily expense tracking, and how Matt’s current venture, Plumbline, serves the trades by providing professional answering services. Ultimately, the episode highlights the transition from a technician's mindset to a leadership philosophy centered on impact, family, and long-term freedom.

On this episode of the jered williams show, host Jered Williams and industry expert Ellen Rohr explore the strategic foundations of scaling a trades business, emphasizing that reaching a seven or eight-truck fleet is a critical milestone for mitigating risk and achieving operational stability. The conversation highlights the necessity of hiring for character and mechanical aptitude while building an internal training culture to develop skilled technicians from the ground up. Ellen shares vital insights on financial health, advocating for open-book management and the importance of raising prices to ensure profitability rather than attempting to cut costs. They also discuss the role of leadership in maintaining a "cool head" during crises, the strategic integration of technology like ServiceTitan, and the shift in motivation from personal wealth to creating a lasting impact within the industry.

On this episode of the Jered Williams Show, host Jered Williams sits down with Sarah Delnay, owner of Plumbline, to discuss the critical impact of professional call handling and CSR performance on plumbing business profitability. The conversation highlights the necessity of 24/7 call coverage to protect marketing investments, the specific traits of successful CSRs—such as confidence, empathy, and the ability to maintain conversational control—and the strategic distinction between the customer-advocacy role of a CSR and the company-focused role of a dispatcher. Jered and Sarah also explore broader business growth themes, including the "sweet spot" of scaling to a six-to-seven truck fleet, the psychological barriers to raising prices, and the importance of aggressive capacity planning to ensure no high-value lead is left unbooked.

On this episode of the Jered Williams show, host Jered Williams sits down with Sergio from Bananas Creative to explore how professional branding serves as a catalyst for growth in the home service industry. Sergio discusses the principles from his new book, *Go Bananas*, highlighting his "BCC" framework—Bold, Clear, and Consistent—to help business owners transition from generic identities to memorable market leaders. The duo covers the strategic advantages of unique mascots and vibrant colors, the "three-second rule" for effective vehicle wraps, and the surprising impact that a professional image has on recruiting high-quality talent. By sharing real-world success stories from Australia to the UK, the conversation underscores why investing in expert brand development is essential for building trust, increasing average ticket values, and ensuring long-term business scalability.

On this episode of the Jered Williams show, Jered sits down with Anastasia from Bananas Creative to explore the intersection of branding, operations, and family business dynamics within the home services industry. Anastasia details her transition from a corporate HR Vice President to managing the operational side of her husband Sergio’s creative agency, highlighting how their complementary skill sets—his creative vision and her focus on accountability and speed—drive the company's success. The discussion delves into the transformative power of personal development, the importance of setting clear expectations through KPIs, and the necessity of maintaining a healthy work-life balance through travel and individual hobbies. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes that building a successful business requires not just hard work, but a commitment to honesty, strategic delegation, and fostering long-term relationships with both clients and vendors.

On this episode of the Jered Williams show, Jered sits down with business broker Patrick Lange to discuss the strategic process of valuing and selling trade-based businesses like HVAC and plumbing companies. Patrick emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining clean financial records, building a "sellable" business that operates independently of the owner, and understanding the impact of private equity on the current market. The conversation provides actionable advice for contractors on maximizing their company's value through maintenance agreements and operational maturity, ensuring they are prepared for a successful exit when the time comes.