The PE Playbook for Trade Business Owners
How to Run Your Business Like Private Equity — Without Selling It
98.2% of HVAC businesses never break $3 million. Learn the operating principles that PE firms and franchises use to scale what seems unscalable — and apply them to your independent business.
13 chapters • ~40,000 words • Free to read online
What You'll Learn
The exact operating principles that PE firms use to transform trade businesses.
Break Through Ceilings
Understand why businesses get stuck at $1M, $3M, and $5M — and what it takes to break through.
Build Structure
Learn the roles, systems, and operating rhythms that make businesses scalable.
Improve Margins
Discover how to make more per customer, improve cash flow, and expand margins.
Create Value
Build a business worth a real multiple — whether you sell or not.
Table of Contents
13 chapters organized into three parts.
Part 1: The Mindset Shift
Understanding why trade businesses stay stuck and what actually creates scale.
Why Most Trade Businesses Never Scale
Discover why 98% of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical businesses never break $3M in revenue. Learn what really causes growth ceilings and how to break through.
What 100-Location Companies Know That You Don't
The operating model behind franchises and PE-backed HVAC companies that actually scales. Learn the systems that turn chaos into predictable growth.
People in Roles, Not Just Systems
Systems without dedicated people are just documentation. Learn why role clarity and accountability matter more than software for scaling your trade business.
Part 2: The PE Playbook
The operational systems that PE firms and franchises use to scale.
Getting Customers for Your Trade Business
The 4 customer acquisition channels that work for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors. Learn which to invest in first and when to expand.
Making More Per Customer in Your Trade Business
Master pricing strategy, customer retention, and service agreements. Learn how to increase lifetime value and make more from every HVAC or plumbing customer.
Margin Expansion for Trade Businesses
Learn how PE firms restructure costs to increase margins. Covers operational efficiency, labor optimization, and cost control for HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Growth Through Acquisition: The Buy-and-Build Strategy
Learn the PE playbook for growth through acquisition. How to buy competitor HVAC and plumbing businesses and build a multi-location empire yourself.
The Office Machine for Contractors
Build an office that runs without you. Covers phone systems, scheduling optimization, follow-up automation, and collections for HVAC and trade businesses.
Cash Flow Discipline for Contractors
Master cash flow management with the 13-week forecast. Learn to avoid the cash trap that kills profitable HVAC and plumbing businesses. Essential reading.
Organizational Design for Trade Businesses
Build an organizational structure that scales past you. Learn the org charts that work at $1M, $3M, $5M, and $10M for HVAC and trade contractors.
Value Creation for Trade Business Owners
What makes a trade business valuable — even if you never sell. Learn how PE firms evaluate HVAC and plumbing companies and what increases multiples.
Part 3: Moving Forward
Choosing your path and taking action.
The Two Paths: DIY vs. Installed Infrastructure
An honest assessment: DIY implementation vs. installed infrastructure for scaling your trade business. Learn which path matches your situation and resources.
What Comes Next: Your 30-Day Action Plan
Your 30-day priority list for implementing the PE Playbook. Turn what you've learned into action with specific steps for HVAC and trade contractors.
Get the Complete Playbook
Download all 13 chapters as a beautifully formatted PDF. Take it with you, highlight it, share it with your team.
Who This Book Is For
Stuck at $1-2M? You've got a few employees but you're still doing everything yourself. Every decision runs through you.
Chaos everywhere? Customer complaints are increasing, good techs are leaving, your office manager is overwhelmed.
Want more? Your business runs okay but you want to take a vacation, eventually sell for a real multiple, or just build something that's worth something.
"98.2% of HVAC businesses never break $3 million in revenue. They're stuck because of how their businesses are structured — not because they lack skill or work ethic."
— The PE Playbook, Chapter 1
Ready to Start?
Begin with Chapter 1 and understand why most trade businesses never scale.
Start Chapter 1