Buying a septic company is one of the highest-ROI moves in home-service M&A… if you know where to look.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack breaks down exactly where real septic deals come from — from the obvious online marketplaces to the off-market gold mines almost no one talks about. If you’re serious about buying your first septic business (or adding one as a high-margin tuck-in), this roadmap will save you weeks of searching and tens of thousands of dollars.

Jack covers why septic is one of his favorite industries to acquire, why so many buyers overlook it, and the simple outreach strategy that consistently uncovers motivated sellers long before they hit BizBuySell.

Whether you're running an SBA search, building a route-based portfolio, or just trying to get into home-service acquisitions in 2026, this one gives you the playbook.

What You’ll Learn

• The 3 real channels for finding septic companies for sale (and which one beats the others every time).
• How deal aggregator sites really work—and why the “clean books” come with a premium price tag.
• Why local business brokers can be useful… and why they rarely have septic deals ready to go.

💼 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

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr

Keywords:

JackQuisitions, septic acquisition, route-based business, home service acquisition, off-market deal sourcing, SBA acquisition, residential service, trades entrepreneurship, business brokers, BizBuySell, deal flow, customer lists, route-based valuation, environmental services, well drilling, state permit lookup

Hashtags:

#JackQuisitions #HomeServices #BusinessAcquisition #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Trades #HVAC #Plumbing #Septic #ServiceTitan #Nexstar #GrossMargin #RouteBasedBusiness #OffMarketDeals

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📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

Buying a company is hard. Buying a job by accident is worse.
In this roundtable, John Wilson (Owned & Operated) and Jack Carr break down the biggest red flags they’ve seen across nine-plus home-service acquisitions—from septic and trash routes to HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. They dig into the “is it a business or a gig?” test, how to sniff out customer concentration that’s hiding in plain sight, why low gross margin is the one warning sign you should never ignore, and the leadership tells (like owners who insist on staying) that can turn a deal into a grind.

If you’re scanning BizBuySell, courting a tuck-in, or prepping your first SBA deal, this one will save you time, cash, and headaches.

What you’ll learn

• A simple gut-check to tell business vs. gig (and how price & diligence can de-risk tiny acquisitions).
• The sneaky ways customer concentration hides (home warranties, PMs with many LLCs) and how to uncover it.
• Why unverified numbers and box-of-receipts “financials” demand either a deep discount—or a pass.

💼 Special Thanks to AppleTree Business Services!

One of the most common and expensive mistakes in acquisitions is not getting serious about accounting. Whether you’re buying a business or running one, you need the right financial partner. That’s why we’ve partnered with AppleTree Business Services — a one-stop shop fluent in tools like ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro.

👉 Listeners get a free tax & financial review, plus 10% off quality of earnings when buying a business.

Visit https://appletreebusiness.com and tell Patrick Owned and Operated sent you!

💼 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

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr

John Wilson

Keywords: JackQuisitions, Owned and Operated, plumbing acquisition, home service acquisition, SBA acquisition, residential service, trades entrepreneurship, route-based business, customer concentration, gross margin, ServiceTitan, Nexstar, open-book management, profit sharing (debated), brand & culture

Hashtags:
#JackQuisitions #OwnedAndOperated #HomeServices #BusinessAcquisition #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Trades #HVAC #Plumbing #Septic #ServiceTitan #Nexstar #OpenBookManagement #Branding #GrossMargin

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

Today on JackQuisitions, Jack talks with Dustin Marx, founder of Mother (Modern Plumbing) — the Texas-based plumbing company that went from $15K a month to an $8M run rate in just 14 months.

Dustin isn’t your typical plumbing entrepreneur — he’s a former tech founder who turned a small, two-person shop into a fast-scaling, culture-first powerhouse. In this episode, he breaks down how he found his first acquisition through a podcast, why brand and mission matter more than ever, and how a 50% profit-sharing model built unshakable buy-in from his team.

If you’re thinking about buying your first business or scaling your home service company the right way, this episode is a must-watch.

💼 Shoutout to PayPerCall.io

Stop paying for leads that don’t convert. With PayPerCall.io, you only pay when your phone rings with a qualified customer. Real calls. Real results.

👉 Book your free call

💼 Big Reputation

Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.

👉 Book your demo

💼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.

🔗 Schedule a demo

💡 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How to find your first acquisition through real relationships
• Turning a small acquisition into a multimillion-dollar business
• Why employee incentives and ownership drive faster growth
• How to build a brand that stands out in a “sea of sameness”
• The structure behind open-book management and forecasting
• Long-term thinking: building a business that lasts generations

🔗 CONNECT

Jack Carr

Dustin Marx

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

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📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

MORE Entry & Exit

Hosts Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble get practical and tactical on winning new logos in security & life-safety. They break down how to niche your ICP, keep your message consistent, split lead vs. sales process, and get multithreaded so you close more deals—without wasting budget on broad, unfocused marketing. From anchor pricing and social proof snapshots to CRM must-haves, this is the field guide to predictable pipeline and higher close rates.

✨ What You’ll Learn

• Niche to win: How vertical focus (e.g., K-12 & universities) sharpens messaging, improves ops, and raises credibility.
• ICP, not guesswork: Turn real customer interviews into a usable Ideal Customer Profile that drives copy, offers, and outreach.
• Lead vs. Sales process: Why separating them boosts qualification, reduces time vampires, and increases conversions.
• Multithreading that matters: Get beyond one facility manager to influencers and power—so you don’t lose single-threaded deals.

💼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.

🔗 Schedule a demo

💼 Extra 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

🔗 Connect

• Stephen Olmon
  
  
• Collin Trimble
• Owned and Operated — https://www.ownedandoperated.com/

Owned and Operated

New Episodes Every Wednesday!

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Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

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📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

Should you stay sector-agnostic in ETA (entrepreneurship through acquisition) or plant a flag with a clear buy box brokers, CPAs, and attorneys can remember? After a month sidelined by a home flood, searcher Chris Barr returns to his acquisition entrepreneurship journey—refining a small-business acquisition thesis around B2B services, GovCon janitorial contracts, and Florida/Palm Beach deal sourcing. We dig into search fund tactics, on-market and off-market pipelines, broker outreach, list scraping, AI-assisted follow-ups, and how to position for SBA 7(a) financing, LOIs, diligence, and close.

From tier-1 vs. tier-2/3 service models to residential vs. commercial focus, Jack and Chris get tactical about building a repeatable deal flow engine in a tight geo, crafting a memorable buy box (ticket size, customer type, contract length), and using light automation without sounding like spam. If you’re refining your acquisition criteria—B2B/government contracting, janitorial cleaning services, niche add-ons (e.g., AeroSeal), high-margin home services, or local trades—this episode hits playbooks for valuation, negotiation, seasonality, staffing, and lender selection so you can source better deals, faster.

💡 What You’ll Learn
• How to create a “tight buy box” brokers/CPAs/lawyers can remember and route deals to
• The case for B2B and GovCon janitorial (set-asides, contracts, and people leverage)
• Tier 1 vs. Tier 2/3 plays (e.g., niche add-ons like AeroSeal) and which fits a “nice-wage, simple, local” plan
• Residential vs. commercial: ticket size, sales motion, and capacity caps
• On-market vs. off-market engines: re-engaging brokers, list-scraping, and thoughtful personalization
• Using AI for workflow and follow-ups—without sounding like a bot
• Why timelines slip (and that’s normal): guilt, resets, and staying in the game
• Picking the right SBA lender for trades acquisitions

💼 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

💼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.

🔗 Schedule a demo

🎙 Host: Jack Carr

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

Should you start an HVAC business in 2026?

This business is hot—sometimes literally—and it’s vital to most Americans. In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack breaks down what it really takes to start or buy an HVAC company in 2026: how much it costs, what kind of money you can actually make, and why HVAC might be one of the most durable trades to own right now.

From licensing and startup costs to cash-flow management, staffing, and seasonality, this one gets brutally honest. If you’ve ever wondered whether to start from scratch or buy an existing business, Jack covers both paths—and the math behind each.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• True startup costs: trucks, tools, techs, and permits
• How to buy your way into HVAC with an SBA 7(a) loan
• Why HVAC can generate 50–60% margins—but only if you know the trade
• Managing seasonality and keeping the phones ringing year-round
• Hiring and retaining licensed technicians (aka gold)
  
  

💼 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


💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Hire trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost.

🔥 $1,000 off your first placement

🎙 Host: Jack Carr

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack flips the mic to bring on seasoned operator, investor, and podcast host Michael Crow. From beating stage four cancer in his 20s to building a 5,000-unit real estate portfolio and then diving headfirst into HVAC and plumbing, Michael shares a frank, field-tested playbook: compounding > flipping, shoulder seasons test your soul, and “permanent equity” works best when you actually plan to hold. They dig into franchise vs. independent, concentration risk war stories, hiring real A-players (and firing paper tigers), and why most businesses won’t become unicorns—and that’s okay.

💼 Business Modification Group —

The go-to business brokers for trades companies. Whether you’re buying or selling HVAC, plumbing, or electrical businesses, we help you navigate valuations, find deals, and close successfully. Get a free valuation as a buyer or seller and join our exclusive distribution list for the best opportunities in the trades market.

👉 Get Your Free Valuation Here

For Sellers

For Buyers


💼 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

💼 Extra 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

🎙 Host: Jack Carr — https://x.com/thehvacjack
🎙 Guest: Michael Crow — Permanent Equity | Crow Companies

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack flips the mic to bring on… JackQuisitions favorite and Owned & Operated’s own John Wilson. Together they break down two real deals in Ohio: a premium pool service route in Northeast Ohio and a 221-ATM route in Franklin County (Columbus). They dig into seasonality, margins, route density, and the very real difference between buying a cash-flowing job vs. a scalable business. If you’re weighing service routes, LSA arbitrage, or sticky B2B contracts (YMCA/schools/hotels), this one’s rubber-meets-the-road deal analysis.

John and Jack unpack how pool service plugs neatly into a home-services platform (maintenance → service → replace), where the margin leaks might be, and why commercial indoor pools can spin off restoration/mold remediation upsides. Then they turn to the ATM route: 221 machines, ~two people to run it, eye-popping EBITDA… but relationship concentration, pricing, and “are you buying a job?” realities.

💼 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: [https://alanfib.com/]



💼 Business Modification Group —

The go-to business brokers for trades companies. Whether you’re buying or selling HVAC, plumbing, or electrical businesses, we help you navigate valuations, find deals, and close successfully. Get a free valuation as a buyer or seller and join our exclusive distribution list for the best opportunities in the trades market.

👉 Get Your Free Valuation Here

For Sellers

For Buyers

💼 Shoutout to Appletree Business Services

HVAC and plumbing pros—ditch tax surprises and unresponsive accountants. Appletree handles your books, taxes, payroll, and acquisitions, and they know tools like ServiceTitan cold.

🎁 Get a free tax & financial review or 10% off a QOE report.

👉 Book a call HERE tell Patrick Jack sent you.

🎙 Host: Jack Carr — https://x.com/thehvacjack
🎙 Guest: John Wilson — https://x.com/thewilsoncompanies

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.