Today under the Trump Administration, scrutiny regarding labor compliance, immigration practices and employment policies is at an all time high.

In this episode Jeff sits down with Todd Stanton, founder of Stanton Law and author of The 95% Rule, to break down why most employment issues are not surprises, they’re patterns. Todd shares decades of frontline experience helping business owners navigate HR, compliance, culture, and people problems before they turn into expensive legal battles.

From holiday parties and company culture to employee handbooks, misclassified contractors, and private equity readiness, this conversation delivers practical, no-jargon insights every growing business owner needs to hear.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why hiring HR often reveals problems, not creates them

• The “95% Rule” and why most employment disputes are predictable

• Holiday parties, alcohol, and the hidden legal risks business owners ignore

• Contractors vs. employees: the costly mistake owners keep making

• Why culture decisions always come with legal consequences

• What investors and buyers look for in HR and compliance

What happens after you make the money? In this episode, Jeff Harkness sits down with longtime mentor and serial entrepreneur Brian Will to unpack why wealth without purpose leads to burnout and how real success is built.

Brian has built, scaled, and exited businesses across multiple industries, from landscaping and insurance to internet marketing and private equity-backed companies. In this wide-ranging conversation, Brian and Jeff dig deep into the psychology of success, the concept of a “success filter,” and why most entrepreneurs unknowingly sabotage their own growth. They explore the fundamentals that actually drive enterprise value: mindset, data-driven sales and marketing, margin discipline, and cash flow clarity. The episode closes with a powerful discussion on purpose, advisory boards, and why scaling leaders must surround themselves with people who have already been where they’re going.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why money alone never creates happiness or fulfillment

• The “success filter” and how mindset determines outcomes

• From blue-collar beginnings to multiple exits across industries

• Why business principles are universal, regardless of industry

• Passive vs. active growth strategies in the skilled trades

• Sales teams, data, and why margin matters more than revenue

• Cash flow, gross profit, and knowing your numbers

• The difference between peer groups and true advisory boards

• Finding purpose after an exit, and resetting your compass

Some business owners believe partnering with private equity means losing control. The right partner can do the opposite: alignment, accelerating growth, strengthening culture, and creating generational wealth.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, Jeff sits down with Allen Sweeney, founder and CEO of APHIX Grounds Maintenance, to unpack his journey from starting a landscape business in high school to leading a $60M, multi-state platform. Allen shares the pivotal decisions that fueled APHIX’s growth: hiring a true CFO earlier than felt comfortable, redefining the company’s name and mission, and ultimately partnering with private equity. Together, Jeff and Allen break down what the partnership process really looks like, how management equity transformed APHIX’s leadership team, and why culture and vision mattered more than capital at every stage.

Key Discussion Points:

• Starting a service business in high school and scaling over decades

• Why APHIX changed its name, values, and mission

• Hiring a real CFO before “feeling ready”

• Letting your “Why” unlock your growth

• Unsolicited offers and valuation surprises

• What private equity partnerships actually look like in practice

• Management equity and creating generational wealth for leaders

• Scaling culture, leadership, and accountability alongside growth

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:00 Meet Allen Sweeney & APHIX Grounds Maintenance

3:40 How Jeff and Allen First Met

7:00 Starting a Business in High School

10:00 Why APHIX Changed Its Name and Mission

14:10 Hiring a CFO Before Feeling Ready

18:30 Scaling from $8M to $18M in One Year

22:30 Unsolicited Offers & Valuation Shock

26:00 Deciding Whether to Take Private Equity

30:00 Selecting the Right PE Partner

33:30 Management Equity & Sharing the Win

38:00 Life After the First Private Equity Deal

41:30 Leadership Routines & Mental Discipline

44:30 Growing Leaders Inside APHIX

47:00 Final Reflections & Closing

A lot of investors miss the big three pressure points that make or break deals in the trades: connecting with sellers in a room, navigating diligence without killing momentum, and integrating teams together without wrecking culture.

Jeff and Gloria talk through the common buyer missteps that tank deals, stress out sellers, and create post-close headaches, and what great buyers do differently.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why speaking “entrepreneur” wins more deals than speaking acronyms

• The real reason diligence fatigue destroys transactions

• How a Navigator prevents sellers from getting overwhelmed

• Why duplicate diligence requests blow up trust and timelines

• Integration failures: payroll, benefits, culture, and communication

• What great investors do in the first 100 days (and what bad ones miss)

What does it really take to build a billion-dollar company in the trades, and create 35 first-time employee millionaires along the way? In this episode, Justin White lays out the boldest vision in the green industry and the relentless leadership required to make it real.

Jeff sits down with Justin, CEO of K&D Landscaping and founder of JW Group and The Disruptors, as he breaks down his “35 by 35” mission, the math behind a $1B valuation, and the leadership disciplines that fuel rapid scale across landscaping, trades, and facility services. They dive deep into KPIs, acquisitions, tech stacks, org chart restructuring, and how elite leaders navigate adversity…especially when momentum stalls. This episode blends strategy, execution, and raw honesty for any founder chasing transformational growth.

Key Discussion Points:

• Justin’s “35 by 35” vision

• Why the trades can produce billion-dollar companies

• The 4 traits of elite CEOs

• KPIs that actually drive scale

• Building a real growth engine

• Acquisition strategy & deal discipline

• Tech stack essentials (Aspire, BI, AI)

• Leadership through adversity & org chart changes

Most deals fail - not because of bad businesses, but because owners and investors speak two different languages.

Host Jeff Harkness sits down with Gloria Palmer, CPA and Co-Founder of Source Expert Advisors, to uncover the biggest communication gap in M&A: how entrepreneurs and investors misunderstand each other. Gloria explains how her “navigator” approach helps bridge that gap, guiding business owners through due diligence, deal fatigue, and financial chaos.

They break down confusing deal terms, why working capital can kill deals and how to prepare your business before the numbers start flying. If you’ve ever been lost in the language of EBITDA, accruals, or due diligence, this episode will translate it all.

Key Discussion Points:

• Gloria’s path from family business to deal advisory

• Why deals fall apart during due diligence

• How to bridge the investor–entrepreneur gap

• The difference between accounting and finance

• What “navigating a deal” really means

• The hidden dangers in working capital and accruals

Buying a business isn’t just about the numbers…it’s about understanding the documents and decisions that protect you at the closing table.

In this episode of The Deal Factory, host Jeff Harkness sits down with Nick Bramblett, COO of 3PG Advisors, to unpack the real-world mechanics of buying a business in the trades and service industries.

Nick shares his journey from corporate finance and law to M&A advisory, and together they break down the must-know governing documents, common pitfalls, and the difference between asset and stock purchase agreements.

Whether you’re looking to scale your landscaping company or acquire a pool business, this episode gives you the inside track on what it takes to be a smart buyer.

Key Discussion Points:

• The difference between asset deals vs. stock deals

• Why the Letter of Intent (LOI) sets the tone for a successful close

• The “big three” governing documents

• How rollover equity and operating agreements work in buy-side deals

• Non-compete and non-solicit agreements: what’s “market” and why it varies

• Business realities of asset deals: rehiring employees, benefits, truck titles, and insurance

• The importance of having an M&A attorney vs. a generalist

• Legal costs: what buyers should realistically budget

• Growing role of labor compliance and immigration (H2B, I-9s) in diligence

What if the business you built from the ground up could become your family’s greatest wealth engine?

In this debut episode of The Deal Factory, host Jeff Harkness sits down with Kevin Caldwell, founder of Caldwell Tree Care and now VP of Sales for Tree Guardians, to unpack his journey from startup grit to private equity success.

They dive into the lessons of scaling a business the right way: with compliance, culture, and profitability at the core, and why selling doesn’t mean losing your purpose. From his years as TCIA Chairman to leading in a PE-backed company, Kevin shares candid insights on leadership, family, technology, and redefining success in the trades.

Key Discussion Points:

• From technician to entrepreneur: how Kevin built one of the industry’s most profitable tree care companies

• The turning point that forced a mindset shift toward running a compliant, audit-ready business

• Inside the deal: navigating emotions, due diligence, and choosing the right private equity partner

• Transitioning from owner-operator to VP of Sales, and rediscovering purpose

• The power of servant leadership and communication in scaling culture across 12+ acquisitions

• Technology, AI, and the future of the green industry workforce

• Advice for young tradespeople: why you don’t need a degree to build wealth and purpose