Don’t Fall for the Buyer’s Trap: Why No-Marketing Businesses Aren’t Easy Wins
In this episode of Jackquisitions, we dive into a common pitfall many first-time buyers fall for—the belief that a business with little or no marketing is a “goldmine” just waiting to be unlocked. Spoiler: it’s not that simple. Using the tongue-in-cheek example of an underwater basket weaving business, we break down the real costs of building out a marketing engine from scratch.

Jack unpacks the "buyer’s trap": the dangerous assumption that adding marketing will instantly generate revenue. In reality, successful marketing requires time, capital, and deep strategic focus—and that investment often erodes the profit margins buyers were initially excited about. Instead of chasing fixer-uppers, Jack recommends targeting businesses with established marketing systems already in place. It’s about buying stability, not a project.

Whether you're just starting your acquisition journey or knee-deep in LOIs, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to grow through home service business acquisitions without overextending financially.

🚨 In This Episode, We Cover:

🔹 Why “just add marketing” is a flawed growth plan
🔹 The hidden costs of launching marketing from zero
🔹 Avoiding the buyer’s trap and protecting your upside
🔹 How to evaluate marketing systems before buying
🔹 Real-world examples (including underwater basket weaving)
🔹 Jack’s criteria for choosing scalable, stable businesses

🎙️ Episode Host
🗣️ Jack [@theHVACJack]

💼 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

📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for unfiltered insights on building in the blue-collar space.

📌 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.

Send Us Mail!

Contact Owned and Operated:

• info@ownedandoperated.com
• Visit the website for more information

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.

John teams up with Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down the exact marketing strategies that move the needle for home service businesses. Whether you’re HVAC, plumbing, or any trades business, you'll learn how to prioritize channels that capture demand today—before wasting money on ones that might (or might not) pay off later.

Struggling to turn marketing dollars into real leads? This episode is your blueprint.

From real-world wins to costly missteps, John and Sam unpack where most businesses go wrong—like blowing budgets on flashy billboards while ignoring Google Ads, LSAs, and SEO. This isn’t theory; it’s a tactical deep dive grounded in what’s actually working right now.

🚨 What You'll Learn:
• The difference between demand capture vs. demand creation
• Why Google Ads, GMB, LSAs, and SEO are non-negotiable
• How to time your investment in traditional media like mailers and billboards
• The dangers of hiring an internal marketing manager too soon
• How to hold your marketing agency accountable—and what to expect from them
• Real marketing systems that fuel actual growth in the trades

💼 Special Thanks to Service Scalers!

We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.

Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?

🔗 Check them out here

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:

🎙️ Hosts:
🗣️ John Wilson
🎙️ Guest:
🗣️ Sam Preston

📢 Enjoyed the episode?
👍 Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly tactical advice on scaling blue-collar businesses.

Send Us Mail!

Contact Owned and Operated:

• info@ownedandoperated.com
• Visit the website for more information

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

Struggling to find great technicians or keep your best employees around? This episode is your playbook.

We break down battle-tested recruiting strategies that helped scale real home service businesses—from plumbing and HVAC to general trades. You'll learn how to treat recruitment like a sales pipeline, maintain momentum year-round, and create a company culture that people want to be part of.
This episode goes beyond theory. From incentive trips and performance bonuses to sharp branding, upgraded vehicles, and custom dashboards, you'll hear exactly how to build an environment that attracts and retains top-tier talent.

🚨 What You'll Learn:
• Why recruitment should be treated like sales
• How to build a continuous, always-on hiring funnel
• Using CRMs and dashboards to track applicants and team performance
• Incentives that actually work: Trips, bonuses, and peer recognition
• How infrastructure—like trucks, tools, and facilities—sells your company
• Real-world examples of what actually works in blue-collar culture building

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

💼 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

🎙️ Hosts:
🗣️John Wilson
🗣️Jack Carr

📢 Enjoyed the episode?
👍 Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly tactical advice on scaling blue-collar businesses.

Send Us Mail!

Contact Owned and Operated:

• info@ownedandoperated.com
• Visit the website for more information

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