The Hidden $30K/Month Leak Killing Your Profit

We’re heading into 2026 with one goal: stop losing money. Not “grow at all costs.” Not “try harder.” Just: build a healthy business that actually cash flows. In this episode, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down what they’re cutting, tightening, and renegotiating in 2026 to go from ~13% EBITDA to 20% EBITDA—and why they’re also targeting 10% net profit after realizing how big the gap can be between EBITDA and real take-home profit. They walk through the exact planning process they used this year (operational inputs → revenue → profit plan), then share the unsexy truth: most of the gains don’t come from some magic tactic… they come from relentless efficiency—marketing discipline, killing bloated software, renegotiating vendor terms, tightening material spend, and finding hidden leaks everywhere. If you run a home service business (at any size), this is your 2026 playbook for getting healthy first—then scaling from strength. In this episode, we cover: - “Just Don’t Lose Money” Mindset: Why refusing to lose changes everything - Profit Planning for 2026: Planning off the P&L (not vibes) - EBITDA Isn’t a Light Switch: Why profitability is an on-ramp (and takes time) - Marketing Discipline: Cutting inconsistent channels + tracking cancellation rate - Software Bloat: The hidden $10K–$50K/month leak almost everyone has 🚀 What You’ll Learn: - Why “growth” doesn’t matter if you aren’t net profitable - The fastest way to find 5–10% savings without cutting core staff - How to audit marketing beyond ROI (book rate, cancels, demo rate, ticket) - What to renegotiate with vendors (and how early to start) - How to tighten materials spend from 25% → 23% without heroics - Why consistent wins beat “one big lucky month” every time 🎙️ Hosts: John Wilson: https://x.com/WilsonCompanies Jack Carr: https://x.com/theHVACJack ⏱️Brought to you by The Military Veteran If you’re running a home service business and hiring feels slow, risky, or you’re just not seeing the leadership talent you need, TMV can help. They connect companies like yours with exceptional military veteran leaders, people who’ve already proven they can execute, adapt, and lead under pressure. And they do it fast, with a white-glove process that saves you weeks and avoids costly mis-hires. Want to see who’s out there? Book a Free Coaching session Below 🔗 https://themilvet.typeform.com/to/BDwkmCU0?typeform-source=www.themilvet.org 📞 Sponsored by Quo — The Modern Business Phone for Service Pros Missed calls mean missed business. Quo (formerly OpenPhone) is the AI-powered phone system that logs calls, creates summaries, and automates follow-ups — keeping your team connected and customers happy.? 🎁 Start your 7-day free trial and get 20% off your first six months at https://quo.com/owned 📌 Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Banter 03:19 Operational Efficiency and Profit Planning 15:45 Marketing Strategies and Adjustments 26:01 Building Custom Solutions with AI 32:09 Negotiating Vendor Contracts Hashtags: #HomeServiceBusiness #ContractorGrowth #HVAC #TradesBusiness #BusinessProfit #EBITDA #HVACBusiness #OwnedAndOperated #ServiceBusiness #Operations