Management • Business Tips • Industry Insights • 40 minutes

Getting Scrappy: Finding the Right People in Strategic Acquisitions

March 14, 2023

Episode Overview

After starting up a successful painting company in the Pacific Northwest, Kylon and Teliah Gienger applied new coats of business research to their operation and acquired a pair of trade companies.

They went from zero to 75 employees and $15 million in revenue in eight months.

Neither half of this entrepreneurial husband-and-wife team had specific technical knowledge related to Hurliman Heating and Air and Plumb-Tech Heating and Cooling.

They did, however, have a solid business plan that involved strategic hiring practices, being hands-on owners and knowing when to loosen the reins.

First, you need some kind of business experience, Kylon Gienger says, like being a manager or leader.

“If you have some of the financial acumen required to run up a business, that basic business knowledge is going to be immensely helpful for you,” he says.

Teliah Gienger says it’s important to use the first 12 months to determine who’s the best leader to come help run the business.

“To come in the first two months and be like, ‘Oh, I know exactly what this company needs,’ is pretty naive,” she says. “You need time to understand it, understand its quirks, and then figure out the right kind of person to come in and lead alongside you.”

The crucial aspect of trade takeovers is identifying, attracting, placing and developing the right people, Kylon says.

“At the core of any business, it's all about people,” he says. “And to the extent that you have world-class people in place and in the right seat, you can build a world-class business.”

Kylon notes that after a couple tries they found the right general manager for Plumb-Tech. And that allowed them to spend more time similarly setting up the right leadership at Hurliman.

“That’s really the key,” he says. “Building the systems and management and personnel structure,  and continuing to systematically delegate. That allows you to keep ascending up the org chart, do more acquisitions and be able to focus on the right things.”

Kylon and Teliah Gienger, recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel as part of Season 7 of the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included the Giengers’ thoughts on:

  • (4:05) Lessons learned from multiple small business acquisitions 

  • (15:11) Finding the right people for your entrepreneurial vision 

  • (25:58) Advice for people considering a trades acquisition 

  • (33:48) Insight from books like Traction and Entrepreneurial Operating System

  • (36:07) Advantages of a husband-wife business partnership

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.

Related Videos

More episodes

Marketing • Management • Business Tips • 30 minutes

The Devil’s in the Data: Getting Smart in HVAC Home Service Technology

SmartAC.com founder and CEO Josh Teekell demonstrates how contractors can use year-round m...

Management • Business Tips • Industry Insights • 44 minutes

Mistakes Filter Out Mediocrity: Hitting $1 Million by Learning From Failure

Above and Beyond LLC owner and CEO Jason Brady has created a path to success that relies h...

Industry Insights • Business Tips • Management • 36 minutes

Leveraging Humanity: Staying True to Community in a Dynamic Industry

TNT Home Services founder and general manager Laura Thornton believes a company has to con...

About the Show

Toolbox for the Trades is a podcast where top service professionals share the tips, tricks, and tactics they use to succeed in their industry. Hosted by Jackie Aubel, this podcast is brought to you by ServiceTitan—the leading home and commercial field service software.

Episodes will feature stories and strategies to help contractors grow and scale their service business.

Get on the show!
Explore Toolbox