In this episode of Owned and Operated, John and Jack explore the wild and unconventional world of lifestyle businesses—where personal passion meets profit.

From running an online Magic: The Gathering store to launching a ski wax brand, buying a marina, or even farming ants and mushrooms, the duo dives into how niche interests can evolve into sustainable, revenue-generating ventures. They discuss the lifestyle advantages of owning passion-driven businesses, the economics of niche markets, and how to balance multiple income streams while having fun doing it.

Whether you're curious about collectibles, concierge services, or the idea of turning hobbies into scalable side hustles, this episode is packed with insight, laughter, and unexpected ideas.

🔹 In This Episode, We Cover:

• Building a business around Magic: The Gathering
• Running a niche eCommerce store
• Monetizing hobbies like ant farming and mushroom cultivation
• Exploring the economics of ski wax and seasonal products
• What it takes to own and operate a marina
• Concierge services for high-end travel
• Revisiting Bitcoin mining and its business model
• How to align business with your lifestyle goals

🎧 Listen to more episodes & resources:
👉 Owned and Operated

👤 Hosted by:
John Wilson – https://x.com/wilsoncompanies
Jack Carr – https://x.com/thehvacjack

💼 Sponsored by Volca

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📅 Book a time with the team

💼 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.

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💸 Sponsored by CFO Made Easy

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More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer:
Some links may include UTM parameters for tracking. Episodes may feature paid sponsors, but all opinions are our own. Always do your own research before making business decisions.

Buying a service business with the idea of passive income? In this episode of Jack Acquisitions, host Jack interviews Thomas Beebe, a financial advisor who stepped into ownership of his family’s HVAC company. What started as a hands-off investment quickly turned into a hands-on leadership journey.

From remote team management to turning around a messy acquisition, Thomas shares the tactical decisions, operational missteps, and growth strategies that shaped his perspective on what it really takes to own and run a trades business. This episode is packed with real-world insight—whether you're planning to buy, scale, or just survive in the world of home services.

⚡ What you’ll learn
Why Thomas initially underestimated the involvement required—and how he course-corrected
The operational systems needed for remote management (and where they fail)
How to set up accountability when you’re not on-site every day
Insights from a turnaround: A case study of a friend’s messy HVAC acquisition
The critical questions Thomas asks in due diligence after seeing both sides
When to diversify into adjacent verticals like plumbing—and when not to
How to build a business that’s both profitable and people-first

If you’re buying a local service business or building one to scale, this episode will challenge your assumptions and give you frameworks for sustainable growth—even when you’re managing from a distance.

💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!

Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.


👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalification.
Connect with Alan Peterson from First Internet Bank here to get started [https://alanfib.com/]

💼Buying businesses?

Jackquisitions is the must-read newsletter for operators, acquirers, and deal junkies. It’s packed with real acquisition breakdowns, seller red flags, and proven strategies from the trenches.
📬 Join and get smarter on small biz M&A every week.
👉 Subscribe at [jackquisitions.com]

[https://www.jackquisitions.com/]

👤 Hosted by:
Jack Carr
👤 Episode Guest
Thomas Beebe

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter

Leave a Review

John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer:
Some links may include UTM parameters for tracking. Episodes may feature paid sponsors, but all opinions are our own. Always do your own research before making business decisions.

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John and Jack break down the full playbook for hiring HVAC and plumbing technicians—from sourcing to retention. They dive into the real-world challenges of technician recruitment and share the strategies they use to keep a steady pipeline of high-quality candidates. From building a branded hiring engine to managing seasonal swings, this episode delivers tactical advice and real SOPs that help home service businesses grow their field teams with intention.

They cover why recruiting never stops, how to build a budget that supports year-round hiring, and why onboarding and retention matter just as much as the job offer. Whether you’re scaling a team or trying to fix your hiring funnel, this episode is packed with practical frameworks and firsthand experience.

🔹 In This Episode, We Cover:
Building a technician recruitment process from scratch
Why continuous recruiting beats reactive hiring
How to structure compensation to stay competitive
The role of onboarding in long-term retention
Using recruiters and internal plans to scale hiring
Planning budgets around seasonal employment needs
Leveraging branding and sales tactics in hiring
SOPs and examples that drive real technician results

💡 Special Thanks to Modernize!

We've been using Modernize for our water quality leads, and it's been a game-changer. If you’re serious about growing your business with better water quality leads, HVAC leads, or home improvement leads, check them out:

🔗 Get Quality Leads Here: (https://modernize.com/pros/leads/wilson)

💼 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 $1,000 off your first placement here: [https://www.quickstaffers.com/]

💡 Shoutout to Avoca AI!

Avoca is helping home service companies level up with 24/7 AI call handling, performance insights, and targeted coaching.

🔗 Book a demo: [ https://avoca.ai/demo/owned]

🌐 More resources: [https://www.ownedandoperated.com]

👤 Hosted by:

John Wilson

Jack Carr

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter

Leave a Review

John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer:
Some links may include UTM parameters for tracking. Episodes may feature paid sponsors, but all opinions are our own. Always do your own research before making business decisions.