What Numbers Drive HVAC Growth? - Lawrence Castillo

What Numbers Drive HVAC Growth? - Lawrence Castillo

Lawrence Castillo helped grow Brody Pennell from a roughly $6 million HVAC company into a business approaching $70 million in annual revenue. In this episode of Profit & Grit, Tyler Martin sits down with Lawrence to discuss what changed inside the company as it scaled. He shares the challenges he found when he first arrived, the systems that were built along the way, and the operational discipline required to support that level of growth. The conversation covers recruiting, branding, technician performance, customer experience, pricing, leadership, and the daily metrics that helped the company make better decisions as it expanded. Whether you're running an HVAC company or another trades business, Lawrence offers a firsthand look at what it takes to move beyond the early stages of growth and build a company capable of operating at a much larger scale. What You Will Learn in This Episode * How Lawrence Castillo got into the HVAC industry and built a long career in the trades * What Brody Pennell looked like when he first stepped into the business * How the company grew from about $6 million to around $70 million in revenue * Why Lawrence says growth has to be planned carefully before adding more labor * Why his first hire at Brody Pennell was a dedicated recruiter * How recruiting supports HVAC growth before the shop is ready to scale * Why daily numbers matter more than waiting for month-end reports * The technician KPIs Lawrence watches, including old call success rate, club conversion, and zero tickets * How Brody Pennell uses scoreboards and daily reports to create accountability * Why mild-weather HVAC markets require stronger customer experience and better maintenance calls * How personality, communication, and training help technicians build trust in the home * Why large jobs can create risk when they are not priced and managed correctly * How branding, Google reviews, uniforms, truck wraps, and photos helped rebuild Brody Pennell’s reputation * What $5 million to $10 million HVAC companies should focus on before chasing the next stage of growth More From Profit & Grit Book your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here: http://cfointrocall.com Learn more at http://cfomadeeasy.com Follow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades. If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group. 🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners. 🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com [https://profitandgrit.com] 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler] 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit Tyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting [https://calendly.com/tylermartin/intro-meeting-pg]

How to Reduce Fleet Costs in the Trades - Renee Milum

For many trades owners, trucks are one of the biggest expenses in the business, but fleet decisions are often made by habit instead of strategy. A paid-off truck can feel like a smart move until repairs, downtime, fuel, maintenance, and lost production start costing more than expected. In this episode, Tyler sits down with Renee Milum, Fleet Advisor at JumpSpark, to talk about how HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and home service company owners can make better decisions around their vehicles. Renee explains what a fleet advisor does, how to think through lease versus buy, and why the true cost of a truck goes far beyond the monthly payment. They also discuss when to replace vehicles, why the 80,000 to 100,000 mile range matters for many gas engines, how downtime quietly impacts revenue, and why fuel cards, cameras, and maintenance management can help owners protect the business. If your shop depends on trucks to generate revenue, this conversation will help you look at fleet management as a business strategy, not just another operating expense. What You Will Learn in This Episode * What a fleet advisor does for trades and home service companies * Why paid-off trucks are not always the cheapest option * How downtime affects revenue, labor, repairs, and customer service * Why owners should look beyond the monthly payment * What total cost of ownership means for service vehicles * The difference between retail leases and commercial fleet leases * How leasing can help preserve cash for other areas of the business * Why upfitting, wraps, ladder racks, and shelving should be part of the vehicle plan * When gas vehicles should typically be reviewed for replacement * Why diesel vehicles may have a different replacement timeline * How maintenance management programs help control repair costs * Why fuel cards are useful for fleets of any size * How cameras can support safety, accountability, and liability protection * Why proactive fleet planning is better than waiting for a breakdown * How AI and fleet data are helping owners make smarter replacement decisions More From Profit & Grit Book your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here: http://cfointrocall.com Learn more at http://cfomadeeasy.com Follow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades. If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group. 🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners. 🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com [https://profitandgrit.com] 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler] 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit Tyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting [https://calendly.com/tylermartin/intro-meeting-pg]

Why This Plumbing Company Shares 50% of Profits - Dustin Marx

After building and exiting a $100 million company, Dustin Marx [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-marx-b60496a4/] chose a very different next move: buying a small plumbing company doing around $15,000 a month. In this episode, Dustin shares how that business grew into a company running at roughly a $10 million pace, and why the growth came from listening to the field, building around the right people, and creating a culture where the team understands the numbers. He talks about why Mother Modern Plumbing [https://www.callmother.com/] focuses on one trade, how they put plumbers at the top of the org chart, and why open book management has helped the team make better decisions. We also discuss the 50% profit sharing model, why every truck forecasts its own performance each Friday, how Dustin thinks about gross profit and cash, and what trades owners can learn from building a company where employees are treated like true partners in the business. What You Will Learn in This Episode * How Dustin went from building a $100 million company to buying a small plumbing shop * Why he chose to focus on one trade instead of adding HVAC or electrical too early * How Mother Modern Plumbing grew from $15,000 a month to a $10 million run rate * Why Dustin believes being a student instead of the expert helped the company grow * How listening to plumbers led to a major shift in the service model * Why putting the field team at the top of the org chart can improve the customer experience * How open book management helps employees understand revenue, costs, cash, and profit * Why every truck forecasts its own performance every Friday * How forecasting helps the team adjust before the month is already over * Why Dustin focuses on getting each truck to produce around $50,000 per month * How profit sharing can change team behavior and encourage better business decisions * Why managing cost of goods sold matters for protecting profitability * How the team responded when Local Service Ads traffic dropped * Why Dustin sees adversity as part of building long-term business strength * What trades owners can learn from creating a company people would actually want to work in More From Profit & Grit Book your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here: http://cfointrocall.com Learn more at http://cfomadeeasy.com Follow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades. If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group. 🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners. 🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com [https://profitandgrit.com] 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler] 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit Tyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting [https://calendly.com/tylermartin/intro-meeting-pg]

The Shift That Took This HVAC Company From $5M to $11M - Darren Yarbrough

After 40 years in HVAC and plumbing, Darren Yarbrough has built Yarbrough & Sons [https://yarbroughandsons.com/] from a small family-run shop into a multi-trade company with more than 50 team members. In this episode, Darren shares how he started the business in 1988 with no big plan, just a need to provide for his family. He talks about growing through word of mouth, getting stuck around the $5M mark, and how the company changed when his three sons joined the business in 2018. We also discuss adding plumbing, why electrical did not work the first time, how the team uses open numbers and profit sharing, and why customer trust and employee care have stayed at the center of the company. Darren also shares his thoughts on debt, average ticket, financing, succession, private equity, and why his family is leaning into transparent online pricing through GetSuite [https://getsuite.ai/].  What You Will Learn in This Episode *  How Darren started Yarbrough & Sons in 1988  *  Why the business stayed around $5M for years  *  What changed when his sons joined the company  *  How they added plumbing successfully  *  Why the right leader matters when adding a trade  *  How they share numbers and profit with the team  *  Why average ticket became an important number  *  How they think about debt, cash flow, and financing  *  Why they are not focused on selling to private equity  *  How transparent online pricing helps qualify customers More From Profit & Grit Book your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here: http://cfointrocall.com Learn more at http://cfomadeeasy.com Follow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades. If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group. 🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners. 🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com [https://profitandgrit.com] 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler] 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit Tyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting [https://calendly.com/tylermartin/intro-meeting-pg]

Become Your Own Private Equity in HVAC and Plumbing - Dillon Caraway

Private equity has been buying up HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other home service companies for years. But Dillon Caraway believes trades owners have more options than they may realize, especially when financing is used as a growth strategy instead of a last resort. In this episode, Tyler is joined again by Dillon Caraway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilloncaraway/] from Live Oak Bank [https://www.liveoak.bank/business-loans/service-contractors/] to talk about how service business owners can use lending to fund acquisitions, buy real estate, access working capital, and prepare for succession. Dillon explains what banks actually look for when evaluating a business, why profitability matters more than top-line revenue, and how clean financials can open the door to bigger opportunities. They also discuss what it means to “become your own private equity,” when buying another company makes sense, how DSCR impacts financing, and why owners need to think carefully before taking on debt, buying a building, or preparing for an exit. What You Will Learn in This Episode * How Dillon and Live Oak Bank work with HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other service businesses  * Why banks care more about cash flow and profitability than revenue  * What adjusted EBITDA means and why it matters for financing How trades owners can use financing to acquire another business  * What it means to become your own private equity without giving up control  * When 100% financing may be available for an acquisition  * Why keeping cash on the balance sheet matters during growth  * What banks look for in the existing business, target business, and owner’s personal finances  * When buying a building makes sense versus continuing to lease  * How owning real estate can support long-term wealth and succession planning  * Why trends, work mix, and customer concentration can make or break a deal  * What DSCR means and why 1.25x is an important benchmark  * How too much debt can quietly weaken a business  * Why clean books, accurate tax filings, and stable profitability matter before selling  * How owners can prepare for succession, partner buyouts, or selling to a key employee  * Why buyers and banks care about historical performance, not just potential  More From Profit & Grit Book your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here: http://cfointrocall.com Learn more at http://cfomadeeasy.com Follow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades. If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group. 🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners. 🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com [https://profitandgrit.com] 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinktyler] 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgrit Tyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting [https://calendly.com/tylermartin/intro-meeting-pg]