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In this episode of the 8-Figure HVAC Brands Podcast, Netrocket founder Daniel Dramshev walks the floor of AHR Expo in Las Vegas and talks to HVAC contractors from across the country. He asks each of them the same quick questions, from “gloves or no gloves” to revenue vs. net profit, and then digs into how they get leads, what they spend on marketing, and whether their company shows up in ChatGPT.
Featured guests and companies
| Interview 1 | Bryan Johnson, Owner, Absolute Comfort Heating and A/C |
| Interview 2 | Ryan Welch, Operations Manager, Ridge Valley Heat and Air |
| Interview 3 | Randy Callan, Rescue One Air Jesse Cock, Service Technician, Panther Air |
| Interview 4 | Roberto Flores, Owner, Bionic Mechanical |
| Interview 5 | Nick Baucum, Owner, Gulf Stream Heating and Cooling Brent Bonifay, Operations Manager, Gulf Stream Heating and Cooling |
| Interview 6 | John Morrissey, Vice President, Mechanical Systems, Inc. |
$2M with zero dollars on marketing
Bryan Johnson, owner of Absolute Comfort Heating and A/C, runs a second-generation company in southern Illinois that has been in business for almost 30 years. With six people, they’ll do over $2 million this year and net around 28% to 30%. They spend nothing on marketing: no Google Business Profile, no sign on the building, just a couple of lettered trucks. In a small market with little competition, 30 years of reputation keeps the phone ringing.
His biggest challenge isn’t leads. It’s finding people, because not enough young technicians are coming into the trade. When Daniel checked ChatGPT live for HVAC contractors in his town, the company didn’t show up at all.
“Be honest and show up when you say you’re going to be there.“
$8M without marketing, and why bigger isn’t always better
Ryan Welch, operations manager at Ridge Valley Heat and Air in East Tennessee, says the company does $8 million with 30 people and no marketing budget. All work comes from referrals. They’ve scaled before and decided it didn’t pay off: more trucks, higher insurance, more headaches, and not more net profit.
“We’re not really making more net the bigger we get.“
Their goal is 10% net, with 20% as the ideal for an HVAC service business. They pay their technicians well so they stay. They have about 120 Google reviews without promoting their profile. ChatGPT knew the company when asked by name, but didn’t include it in the list of top contractors.
$15M from one location and nearly 3,000 reviews
Randy Callan of Rescue One Air and Jesse Cock of Panther Air work in the Phoenix area, where their company does about $15 million from a single location. They invest in Google Ads and Local Services Ads, run direct mail and a referral program, have an in-house marketing team, and outsource SEO. Their strongest asset is Google Business Profile, with nearly 3,000 reviews.
Their review process is simple: ask every customer at the end of the job, and help them leave the review right there by sending a link or showing a QR code. Reviews with photos stay at the top of the profile the longest.
“If you’re not getting reviews, you’re missing the mark.“
Yelp hasn’t paid off for them, because many reviews don’t stick. One customer found them through Gemini and bought a system on the spot, but the company didn’t show up when they checked ChatGPT. That’s exactly the gap AI SEO is meant to close.
45% profit per job and leads from TikTok
Roberto Flores, owner of Bionic Mechanical in Las Vegas, has been in business for about two years and focuses on net profit, aiming for 45% on every job after labor, insurance, and overhead. He believes many owners cap out around $2 million to $3 million, and the next step costs money and takes the right people, especially someone who can manage cash flow.
Most of his residential leads come from Google Maps and Local Services Ads. His biggest surprise is TikTok: videos that show his craftsmanship have already brought him several contracts. He also recommends van wraps over billboards, door hangers on neighboring houses after every job, and direct mail instead of door knocking. His long-term plan is to add plumbing and electrical and eventually sell the company.
“Listen to the people that you hire. They know what they’re talking about.“
Commercial work, word of mouth, and ChatGPT
Nick Baucum, owner of Gulf Stream Heating and Cooling in Pensacola, and operations manager Brent Bonifay focus on commercial HVAC and refrigeration. The company targets 16% net profit, with 10% as the minimum. Their business grew from relationships: when the owner left his previous company, customers followed him. They still don’t have a sign out front, but they do wrap their trucks and use a review tool.
When Daniel asked ChatGPT for the top commercial HVAC contractors in their area, the company came up fourth, and the owners pointed out that the top two don’t even do commercial work. ChatGPT explained it ranked companies by reputation, reviews, commercial capability, and responsiveness.
“Every $5 million is another step”
John Morrissey, vice president of Mechanical Systems, Inc., runs a family-owned union commercial company targeting 18% to 22% profit and $12 million to $15 million next year. They don’t do lead generation, only customer events. When a company grows, he says the field breaks first, so you have to build the field team before the office. The company will be passed down to the next generation rather than sold.
“Every 5 million is another step. It’s another headache.“
What the AHR Expo conversations show
Some owners spend nothing on marketing and still do $2M to $10M, usually in small markets, commercial work, or with decades of reputation. Others grow through reviews, Google Maps, paid ads, and social media. But almost everyone agreed on a few things:
- Reviews matter, and the best time to ask is right after the job
- Truck wraps beat billboards
- Net profit matters more than revenue
- Growth past each stage takes the right people and a handle on cash flow
- Most owners have never checked whether ChatGPT recommends them
If your company is stuck at that $2M to $5M stage, watch our conversation with Roman Shato on why HVAC companies get stuck at $2-5M.
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