Are Billboards Worth It for Home Service Businesses? (Or Just an Expensive Ego Boost?)

Billboards can feel like a milestone for a growing home service company—your name on the highway, customers saying they saw your brand, friends texting photos of your sign. But for most HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies, billboard advertising starts too early and becomes an expensive distraction from what actually drives growth: leads.

In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) for another installment of the Clicks to Calls series. They break down when billboards actually work, when they don’t, and why most contractors under $20M are usually better off buying more leads instead of investing heavily in brand campaigns.

They also unpack what makes a billboard memorable, why density matters more than just “having one,” and how brand channels like billboards show up in your data through branded search rather than traditional attribution.

You’ll learn:

• When billboards actually make sense for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies
• The biggest mistake contractors make: running one or two billboards instead of building density
• Why most companies under ~$20M should prioritize buying leads over brand marketing

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

Guest: Sam Preston — https://x.com/HeySamPreston


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


💼 Big Reputation

— Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.

👉 Book your demo


💼 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 $500 off your first placement 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.

How to Hire a GM or Operator for Your Home Service Business (and Avoid a $100K Hiring Mistake)

Scaling past $10M can expose a brutal truth: the leadership team that got you here might not be the team that gets you to $25M+. In this episode, John Wilson talks with Brendan Aronson (Founder of The Military Veteran, TMV), a recruiting firm that places military veterans into executive and operator roles at home service companies.

They break down what an “operator” actually does in a growing HVAC, plumbing, or electrical business—how to know when you need one, and how to avoid the expensive hiring mistakes that come from unclear expectations and a sloppy process. Brendan shares why veterans often excel under pressure, what to look for in reference checks, and the biggest red flag after a senior hire: changing everything on Day 1.

You’ll learn:

• What a true GM/operator looks like in a $10M–$40M+ home service company
• How to test for performance under pressure (behavioral questions + reference checks)
• The #1 red flag: leaders who “rip up the carpet” immediately
• Why the best operators listen first—and when fast change is required (safety/acute risk)
• How to build a real hiring pipeline (dozens screened → ~7 serious interviews)

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

Guest: Brendan Aronson (TMV) — https://themilvet.typeform.com/to/BDwkmCU0?typeform-source=www.themilvet.org

💼Shoutout to Avoca AI!

Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish.
🔗 Schedule a demo

💳 Extra Special Thanks to Coast!

Coast is the smart fuel card built for home service businesses. Set custom spend controls, stop fuel fraud in real time, earn rebates, and use it anywhere Visa is accepted — no more station restrictions or admin headaches.

Want to see how much you could save? Check them out HERE

🔗 coastpay.com/ownedandoperated The Coast Visa® Commercial Card is issued by Celtic Bank. All card accounts subject to credit approval.

🛒 Extra Special Thanks to Contractor Commerce!

Contractor Commerce turns your website into a 24/7 sales engine for service contractors. With guided pricing, online service and membership sales, and deep system integrations, your site pre-qualifies customers before the phone ever rings.

One contractor generated a $15,000 service sale after hours — straight from their website.

Visit HERE to Book a demo to see how Contract

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.

If you’ve ever felt stuck because your business outgrew your leadership team — or rushed a key hire just to relieve the pressure — this episode is for you.

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with Brendan Aronson, Founder of The Military Veteran (TMV), a recruiting firm that places military veterans into executive and operator roles.

They break down what it really takes to hire a GM or operator who can scale a $10M–$25M home service business — and why most hiring failures aren’t talent problems, but clarity and process problems.

The core theme:
Great companies believe people drive value creation. If you get the leadership hire wrong, the cost compounds. If you get it right, everything unlocks.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What “operator” actually means in a scaling home service business
• Why hiring becomes the bottleneck as companies grow
• How military leadership experience translates (and where it doesn’t)
• Enlisted vs. officer backgrounds — and what each typically brings

They also cover the difference between hiring for:

• A private equity–backed platform (timeline-driven, playbook-oriented)
• A family-owned business (culture, long-term alignment, succession planning)

🎙️ Hosts
Host: John Wilson — https://x.com/WilsonCompanies
Guest: Brendan Aronson, Founder of The Military Veteran (TMV)

Check Them Out Here

💼 Big Reputation —

Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.

👉 Book your demo

💼Shoutout to Avoca AI!

Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish.
🔗 Schedule a demo

Shout Out to FieldPulse 🚀

FieldPulse is an incredible Field Service Management platform that helps you save hours each week while keeping your operations running smoothly. If you're looking to streamline your processes, stay competitive, and focus on what truly matters, FieldPulse is a game-changer!

📅 Book your demo

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.