Why Honest HVAC Companies Are Winning on Referrals (Not Marketing) | S1E10
In this episode of Builders, Makers, Doers, Andy and Elliot sit down with Aaron Johnson, Vice President and Partner at Xtreme Heating & Cooling, to talk about what actually builds a durable business.
Most trades companies don’t fail because they lack work.
They fail because they cut corners early.
This isn’t about HVAC equipment.
It’s about foundations.
Aaron grew up in the industry.
Five years old, riding service calls with his dad.
He watched a company grow from a licensed side gig into a 45-person operation.
Not through hype. Not through aggressive marketing. Not through upsell tactics.
Through discipline. Through reputation. Through training. Through doing it right when no one was watching.
This is what you’ll discover:
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Why starting “the right way” protects your business long before you scale
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How reinvesting early beats lifestyle inflation every time
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Why 80% referral business is a signal of operational discipline
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The difference between hiring technicians and building craftsmen
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Why training takes 4–5 years — and why that matters
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How communication failures destroy trust faster than bad pricing
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What the aging trades workforce means for the next decade
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How AI can increase efficiency without replacing real skill
Aaron also addresses something most contractors won’t say out loud: The industry has a trust problem. And the only way to fix it is through consistency, education, and reputation built one job at a time.
This episode isn’t about growth hacks.
It’s about building a trades company that can survive scrutiny, labor shortages, and economic cycles.
If you own or plan to own a construction, HVAC, plumbing, or specialty trades business, this conversation will feel familiar.
And necessary.
Chapters
00:00 – Starting in the trades at five years old02:00 – Why starting “the right way” protects you later
03:55 – The grind: reinvesting every dollar
07:30 – Complementary leadership skillsets
13:25 – Business is built on relationships
14:15 – The trust problem in the trades
17:25 – 80% of residential work comes from referrals
19:25 – The hardest part of scaling: finding craftsmen
27:50 – Communication failures that destroy trust
34:50 – The aging workforce reality
36:30 – Why foundation determines long-term scale
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