He Started an HVAC Business at 22 | Luke Williams’ Small-Town Startup Story

At just 22 years old, Luke Williams launched his HVAC business in Connersville, Indiana, with nothing but grit, family support, and a 1999 Chevy Lumina.

In this episode of The Hoel Truth Podcast, Luke shares how he transitioned straight from HVAC school to business ownership, what he’s learned about hiring, customer service, licensing, and keeping a reputation in small towns.

If you're thinking about starting a service business—or just love rooting for a hometown underdog—this episode is full of insight, honesty, and heart.

Transcript

Luke, Who was your biggest supporters? And, any words of wisdom?

So my biggest supporters were definitely my friends and family. And, as, friends told me once, it costs $0 to be a good person. That stuck with me in life.

Welcome to this edition of the Hoel Truth Podcast. Today, we have a special guest, Mister Luke Williams, owner and operator of Williams Heating and Cooling out of Connersville.

I'm going to let him take a minute, introduce himself. So, like you said, I'm Luke Williams. I own a heating and air business, and, we do a lot of installs, service work, mostly install, furnace and air conditions, do a lot of work, run some gas line stuff like that. It's me and another guy, Jimmy.

Jimmy's helped me out a bunch. Been a big help to us, and, he, he's actually working right now. Thanks, Jimmy. So. So he can do this podcast. So let's take a minute. Because, like, we're off camera, we were kind of talking a little. You've taken the untraditional route where you went to college, got the training, and jumped right into owning your own business.

Right. So how old were you when you started? So I went to college for two years, and I've been my business has been started since January of this year was my first year. So it's been opening a little over a year now. And I would have been, let's see, 22. Okay. So I started my I was 22.

My dad and grandpa, they both owned businesses, mowing and landscaping businesses. And, when I got out of college, I that's what I was going to do was just go work for a, company somewhere. And they both, you know, pushed me, which I've had a lot of good people pushing me, and they both pushed me to, you know, start a business.

And I kind of thought maybe they were a little crazy at first, but it's went really well and everything's, you know, we've kind of went through some lumps and bumps, but everything's everything's went good. And we figured it out and, you know, been really blessed, you know, along the way. So. So I had a guy tell me when I first started, he's actually an Hvac also.

He said, if you'll work, it'll work. Yeah. And what a lot of people don't understand is the consistency of in the beginning. Like, you have to get up and put in the work. Right now, my team expects me in here. My team's calling. They take care, like, you know what I mean? Like, but in the beginning, I didn't have a podcast schedule that I knew I had to do.

Yeah, but you had to be. I had to be out of the plane. And, you know, it's easier for my team to hold me accountable, that customer, per se. But, you know, you just you learn a lot. And, I mean, I laugh because, you know, I was in my early 30s, and I got, Oh, my gosh, how old are you?

I know when I started, right. Yeah. So I walk into places all the time and they're like, man, you know, you're young, like you own the business. I'm like, yeah, I do. You know, I'm young, but you know, it just take a lot of good people. That's, that's had faith in me that I would do a good job and along the way just, you know, people pushing me and it's, it's worked itself out.

So. But yeah, I understand what you're saying on that. You know, people kind of giggle, you know, you show up and, you know, as young as you are, but you know, so part of it what, what really was that? I mean, you said your grandpa and your dad pushed you, but kind of what what really gave you that confidence of, like, yes, I'm going to go try this.

So, another another person that pushed me is Chris, the guy that I used to work with, he owns, he has a really successful business, actually, here in Rushville. And, you know, he he has he's a very intelligent person, had a lot of confidence, and I worked for him for while I still worked for him a little bit here, there.

And, worked for him for 5 or 6 years. And I think being around that confidence, you know, knowing, you know, you're going to run into roadblocks, but, you know, just put your head down and keep going. And that's I think he's in between that. And my, you know, having my family and stuff pushed me I that's it's just, you know, having that confidence that, you know, you know you're going to run into things, but you just figure it out and move on down the road.

And that's been those all those people have been, you know, really good help to me. And, and, I can't thank him enough for that. Really. Well, and I mean, and and as you, your business continues to grow, like, you'll truly realize it. It's it's the people. Like, it's it's Jimmy, right? Yep. Jimmy. It's the Jimmy. He's it's, you know, like we were talking off camera, like Jerry, came and worked for us kind of early on, especially when we, about a year in, and we were starting to try to focus more on the remodeling.

I had to roofing, siding and gutters kind of down right, you know, and the wealth of knowledge, I mean, just, you know, just always dependable, right? Like, you know, and like I said, like, whenever you do go hire, like, keep them same standards, like, it's a cheat code for you, like, don't just get a body if you go if you hire.

I heard this the other day from somebody that said, if you're hiring people and they're not bringing the average of everybody up, you're not you're not building a team. You're you're adding to your numbers. Right? And there's so much truth to that. And everybody's going to come in different. Like eventually you're going to have to have a sales guy that's not going to know squat about fixing a problem in the field, right.

However, your lead service guy in a few years may not be able to sell himself out of a wet paper bag he can fix. Yeah, he can fix it. Yeah. And, you know, and like, at our company, like we've got we've got a lot of tech now, you know, we've got a videographer, I've got a content writer. You know, I always joke with Adam.

I love Adam behind the camera. You know, I said he couldn't be in sales because he talked to the same person all day. Know I meet with you, and that's right. But that's okay, because he sells lies. Our sales guys can't even operate their phones half the time, you know? So it's like, Adam, can you fix this for us?

So, like, that's truly, in, in you're fortunate. But also if you're a go getter, right. People see that the Chris Nabi see that where it's like, okay, I'm going to encourage it because to me, I get great joy in having a podcast with you at such a young age, because when I was your age, like my dad taught me, have a full time job and a side hustle.

So I've always fed cattle, baled hay as a side hustle, right? I mean, it really wasn't money, wasn't a money in it. But it was I was always busy, you know, so, like, I'll be the I'll be the first to encourage it. Like I have people call me. I've had two of these calls and probably the last four months.

Hey, when should I start a business? I think to to not get started. And they're like, what do you mean? And I was like, I do it. And I as you can get online, follow your LLC through state of Indiana. Right. Yeah. You start shopping for insurance online tonight. Right. So like I made so tell that story of like when you what tell that story when there's like that.

When was your tonight. So I guess it kind of all started. So I was, I was a senior in high school. I knew I want to do something with my hands. I didn't know what it was. I knew I wanted to be a, electrician or a plumber or or something of the sort. And, we were, you know, coming up on our the end of our senior year, and I was kind of like, I was I was one of those kids.

I didn't know what I wanted to do. I knew I want to do something like that, but I, you know, didn't really have a path. And, and, I had two buddies that was going to, you know, H and lime, Ohio. That's where I went for school. And they're like, hey, we're going, you know, this is where we're going.

Launching hop in the truck and go with this. You know, maybe there's something up here that you like. Well, they had, you know, heating and air and, that kind of does everything plumbing, electrical and, so we went through that process and I ended up going to school there and really liking it. And, then, you know, we got to school and we got to the end of high school or of, college.

And it was one of those things again, like, man, you know, I got to figure out what I'm like, I've got this degree or I got this, you know, knowledge, but what am I going to do with it? And, so, you know, I there's a couple companies around that I taught, you know, thought, well, actually, one of them, I, I think I had an interview for and, I was like, my dad.

My dad and grandpa was always in the background, like, man, want to do your art? And, you know, Chris, do you want to do your own thing? I'm like, man, you know what? If I don't really. There's ins and outs that I don't really know very well, you know. Yeah. That things you figure out, you know, along the way and, and, I was like, you know.

So then we, my dad knew Jimmy from the fire department, and we talked with him, and he was, you know, willing to help me out on because some of the ductwork was kind of some of the the part that I wasn't, you know, the best at. So. And Jimmy's like, yeah, I'll help him out, you know, whatever he needs and, and it's kind of, you know, from then I was like, well, you know, if Jimmy can take care of that and then I, you know, can take care of this part of it.

And it kind of worked out that you know, we kind of make we make a good team. And I was like, well, you know, maybe this will work. Well, we I'll never forget the first job that we did. He he kind of sat down with me and me and him went through, you know, he was explaining to me exactly what he was doing.

And between it had been a while since he had he had done any of that too. So it was kind of bring it up to pass for him. And, and he was teaching me things and things that I had learned. I was kind of teaching him things, and it was kind of fun, you know, teaching a 50 year old man new things.

But he was also teaching me, you know, so it was it was a good time. Like, it was everything's, you know, it worked out and, and, it was just, I guess my biggest step, the biggest step for me was just, you know, making that first step. Okay, this is what I'm going to do. And, and, you know, I'm glad I did, but sometimes it's it's, it is a challenge, and that's okay.

That's that's a lot of what I, I like about running a business is it is a challenge and I, and I enjoy that part of it. I like keeping my mind busy. And I like that, that, you know, challenge of, you know, well, I don't have anybody to fall back on. I am the guy, you know, I've got to figure it out, and I'm not.

Actually, Chris has told me from the beginning, you know, you don't have to know everything. You have to know people that know things. And that's very true. You know, if I run into a roadblock and don't know, you know, you get on the phone and you ask questions and there's somebody out there that's willing to help you and answer that question, you know, and, and, yeah, everything's just well, and, I mean, there's only so much to know about every.

Right, everything. If it's Hvac, if it's roofing, like, you're right, you know, there's there's always somebody out there, you know, that's willing to stick their hand out for you and that that, that has the answer. But, you know, you know, another thing is, and I haven't prepped you on this question, so I have no idea where this is going to go.

But like, you know, what were your financial responsibilities when you started? Like, you know, are you still living at home? Do you have a big truck payment? You know what? So what did that look like when we when we first started, I was still living at my mom and dad's house, which was a big help because they were there to help answer questions on, you know, getting insurance and stuff like that.

So I was still living at home. I was driving a 99 Lumina. That's what I drove back and forth to school that they had you know, 150,000, 200,000 miles on it. And it was, you know, it was it got me back from point A to point B and, so really, you know, not a whole lot. I mean, I paid for you know, phone bills and stuff like that.

And then let's see, last November, it would have been, I, me and my girlfriend moved into a place, and we're living there now, and we're in the process of, the farm. They bought the place, and we're in the process of buying the house and the barns from them. So kind of going from driving a 99 Lumina to now having a house and, you know, a property to take care of, that's kind of changed.

But, yeah, I mean, when we started out, not not too much overhead, just, you know, well, thankfully that went exactly how I wanted it to because, like, yeah, you know, me and my wife just built a beautiful home. And I was just telling, one of my guys, Tim, yesterday, I was like, Tim, have I ever taken you by my first house in Glenwood?

It was a two bedroom, one bath house in Glenwood. Yeah. Smaller than a third of this office area. I mean, it was it was 700ft², and that included the front porch. So literally on a couch. And cook your dinner at the same time. Oh, looks. Yes. You know, and that's what, like, people, you know, people don't see that like, or they seem to really forget that in five years you've got five vehicles on the road, right?

They're gonna be like, oh, he was so lucky right now. He drove a 99, which is a piece. I mean, that was that was older. What year you born? In 2002? Yeah, it's older than yours. So you know, like. Right. Yeah. So that's like I said, like. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean that's and and I mean 40 year olds and 50 year olds that are so got so much debt that they're so trapped in whatever they're doing that, you know.

So it is nice to see that you, you jumped out in there, you know, in the beginning, because like, you didn't have to have that $40,000 diesel truck. That right? I'm sure you like. Right. You know, but the benefit of, I mean, that's that's awesome. Like I said, I'm glad that exactly went the way that I wanted it to.

Yeah, but I just had that feeling, you know, it's it's growing up and, you know, and your dad and your grandpa encourage you, and, you know, like, I mean, my dad always said, my dad always said, if you work hard and you're honest, you'll never have to worry about a job. Yeah. And I've just try to take that to the next level to say if I work hard and I'm honest, then I'll never have to worry about my business.

Like, don't worry, I worry about my business, right? No, no, no. But like, for the most part, this will come like we had we had a, we had a customer trying to say things that weren't true about us. And a local, Hvac company was like, no, actually, I've seen their work before. They do good work. Like they knew your reputation.

Yeah, and like that. That is pretty cool. And somebody that I don't even know their name is out at a local steakhouse community to here. Yeah. Sticks up for my name. Right? That means a lot. Yeah. No, there was an old guy that told me one time he said, there's two things in this world that you leave with, and that's your reputation in your family.

So you better take care of both of them and not, you know, I really that's a that's a big thing. My family's big thing in my reputation. If you you know, if you don't have those two things, you know, what's it worth, you know, and keep your keeping a good reputation means a lot, especially in these small communities.

Like, you know, you may work for this little lady here. Well, then she goes to church and tells 20 little old ladies, well, then you work for, you know, work for them and, you know, rather if that's a good compliment or a bad compliment, you know that reputation you keep between those people can take you a long way, I feel.

And that's been a, you know, a big help to me word of mouth, I guess, word of mouth. So one thing I heard Dave Ramsey say, he's Dave Ramsey fan. Anybody who's ever listened to me knows that, and he was talking about an Hvac company that came to his house one time, and the guy wore little booties over his shoes to make sure the house stayed clean.

Yeah. And then an hour after he left, he called Dave's wife back, was like, hey, I just want to make sure. Is your air conditioner still running? Your heater still working? Yeah. And like he said, like she's referred that guy to so many people because he cared. Unfortunately, a lot of service calls is hurry up. Get in there, get it.

Relax your money and leave. Yeah. That's how you know, customer take care of your customers. Yeah. So like, you know and and and word of mouth is so important in the world like you and I mean, especially as social media, you know. Yeah. Because unfortunately you can have people that are completely out of line. Right, right. It's good and bad.

It can be. Yeah. I can go both ways. And you know, like I said, you build that reputation. There's always going to be people. You're going to get to the point that unfortunately, people that are rooting for you now in 2 or 3 years, well, he's got big. He's he's stuck up or he doesn't call me anymore. I forgot where he came from.

Yeah, I know, and, he's so damn busy right, guys? You know, I, I understand the responsibilities, you know, shift. So what? So your girlfriend, she been with you from the beginning? Yep. Yep. We've been together for you. Don't let me mess. So I think four years now. Now. Four years now. And, Yeah, she's she's been a big help to me.

She's been there. She helps helps keep me on track when I, you know, kind of get scatterbrained around. She kind of brings me back to to zero and, and, I, you know, appreciate that. And she, she helps with billing and making sure invoices get out and all that because, you know, she tells me all the time, I'm the hardest working person she knows, but I just don't want to get paid now.

Like, no, it's not that I don't want to get paid. Is that part of it? You know, I'd rather do the work than do the the paperwork and all that, but kind of goes hand in hand, you know, you got to do it both or do both of it. So yeah, my first year, my wife was, my poor wife signed up to be a stay at home mom.

That's why we started doing Dave Ramsey, stuff almost 15 years ago now. And then, my second year in business. One week, I remember she collected $40,000 that was owed from me from the year before. And the problem was, like, I was really good about selling the job, getting it done right. I was really bad about billing.

Now we've got a lot more steps in place, right? And now their sales guys understand and they don't get paid until we're paid. So they're incentivized to go collect, you know. But the one guy that owed me a chunk of that, like I knew I could call him and he'd give you any time. Yeah, I call him on a Sunday afternoon.

He'd be like, yeah, Bob, you know, because finally he called me the week before. He's like, Bob, we need to get settled up on this. I was like, all right. As I almost said, my wife got in and pick up packages. I don't care who picks up the check. He's like, I want to get you paid. So, you know, like I said, like, you know, but that's when you surround yourself with people.

Eventually you get an office person, an admin person that you can. They took care of it, put a system in place, put a process in place that you send it over to them. They get it billed. You don't have to think about it. You can look at your books once a month, once or twice a month, whatever. And, you know, kind of kind of roll with it.

But, you know, that's another important piece that I feel like a lot of people don't totally understand. It's not in our spot where the the support, right. If it's apparent, if it's if it's eventually a spouse, a girlfriend, you know, like because there's days that you don't believe in yourself. Oh absolutely. And they do. And it's like, yeah, holy cow.

Like you know. Yeah yeah yeah yeah. Some days you come home and you're, you know, holding your head down and stuff. You got to have somebody there to pick you up because, you know, we're all human. We're all, you know, we all we all want the best for it, for us and our families. But you know, some days you have a rough day.

It's kind of hard to, you know, come back from and not come back from. But, you know, you got to have those people that are willing to say, hey, you know, you can do this and that, just, you know, you got to have a good support team. So, so your main, services are, you know, swapping out and swapping out old, furnace and snares.

We do full installs, like new builds, which we, we were, still in the beginning stages on your house when we started. But, yeah, we do new builds and then service work. We do a lot of service work, you know, fixing broke down stuff and, things like that. But yeah, we do the old tear outs and new replacements and then, do you know, new builds and start, you know, start to finish.

So what's the term in your world? Because like, we like, you know, we call it a remodel. Like if I'm tearing off year old we call it new construction kind of remodel side. So. Well, I guess, on that part of it, I can, change out. Like, if we're changing out or a new install. I think this is, you know, start to finish.

That's kind of our terminology, I guess. But, yeah, let's stay busy. Yeah, yeah. No, like I said, I mean, that's awesome. What is your service area then? So, mostly Connersville, okay. But I mean, pretty much anywhere we go to Brookville. The farthest I ever went was Greenfield. That was for an uncle. He wanted, you know, he he wanted to use me.

So I went and then, so Brookville, Connersville, Liberty, Rushville. And then we've went. I've went as far as, like College Corner. Yep. So kind of, you know, pretty much anywhere that that, you know, if we get a call and it's, so you're really trying to stay Fayette County and surrounding counties, right? I mean, for the most part right now, I mean, right now, yeah, in a couple of years, when you get 2 or 3 trucks on a road, right, you'll you'll expand that.

Absolutely. Yeah. Is there any so Hvac, you got to be you got to be licensed then. Right. Well, so you got to be licensed, you got to have your EPA, which is to handle refrigerant and you know, all that, which is Nate certifications. We got all that to school and stuff. And then, yeah. So you got to have all that.

And then in, if your business is in Connersville, you don't have to have any kind of, I guess, like electrical or stuff like that. So that kind of goes with, you know, you own your company and that kind of thing, but, Yeah. What what does it look like? Man, I just totally lost my train of thought that,

00:21:22:58 - 00:21:42:03
Unknown
Yeah, that that that freaking never happens. Sorry about that. No. What does what does it look like for you? Like some common things. Like what's the average? Is there a certain brand? And I've noticed with the Hvac companies, like usually you tie to one brand. I get it, we do the same thing in the real world, right?

But is there a certain brand that you kind of you push people towards, or maybe a certain brand you try to put away? We so I'm a dealer for Luxaire. Okay. And I kind of I like Luxaire's product. We can get them right in Richmond. So it kind of, you know, my biggest thing is if it's during the summer, it don't really matter too much.

Obviously, we want to get to you and get it fixed as quick as possible, but when it's, you know, zero out, if you got a part that's broke, you know, we can run right to Richmond versus going to Dayton or, you know, something like that to get a part. So I like the convenience of that. Plus, you know, I like you know, I like Luxaire's product.

So we stick mostly with Luxaire. You know, we'll pretty much put in if we can get it. Now some of like if you go train or, you know, a higher end like that, you've got to actually be a dealer for them to get the product they want their dealers, you know, to put, put the stuff in which.

So we pretty much stick with Luxaire. You know, if you if you have an opinion or want something, we'll do our best to put in whatever, whatever you guys, you know, whatever the customer wants. But we stick with, you know, mostly Lexington product. So what's the average lifespan of an Hvac system these days? So it's kind of funny you bring that up.

We actually did a change out the other day, and, a lady had an old fuel furnace. It was a Williamson and she, she, her and her husband built the house. And I may get this wrong. I think it was 53 years ago. And that was the original furnace. It was in there. You know, when they built the house, they put that in, and, it was still work, and she used it the winter before, and they kind of, the, the place that she was, the co op, she was buying her fuel from, which kind of a lot of the co are switching to this.

If you have fuel oil and your tanks in the basement they want to get it out of the basement. That's just you know I think it's an insurance deal. Yeah. Well, her, her daughter kind of, you know, was telling her, well mom, if you're going to do all that, why don't you just replace. Because she didn't have central air?

Why don't you just replace and, you know, put a, they had natural gas running down in front of the house. She's like, why don't you put a natural gas furnace in? Then you don't have to worry about filling up a tank. And then, you know, get you some central air. She was, I think, in her 80s, so, you know, get you some central air.

So we did that. So that was a 53 year old furnace, and she kind of laughed, was like, well, I was like, well, I would say, you know, they're you should be able to get 20 years, 25 years out of it, out of a system. But, I promise you, you probably aren't going to get 53 years out of it.

I mean, that was just, you know, that was kind of cool. You know, she. Yeah, she actually was telling us the story. I mean, she remembered when they came and brought it in, and her and her husband built the house, and it was kind of, you know, cool to listen to her story. But that thing was it wouldn't fit in the back of your pickup truck.

Well, I hope, I hope in 50 years we're sitting here doing another podcast. I tell you that my Hvac system proved me wrong. Right? Yeah, yeah. But no, that's, No, I mean, that's cool because, you know, like, even, you know, everybody wants to complain about nothing lasting, lasting as long lasting these days. But also I feel like in you probably see it as much as I see it, and you're going to see it more as the lack of service, lack of maintenance.

Right. Like we just don't want to I know, I understand, we all on, you know, on these hot, hot summer days, you know, everybody when it's, you know, 90 degrees, everybody's units are running really tough. You know, they're it every it doesn't matter. You know what you know or what brand of unit you have when it's 90 degrees.

Everybody's running, running hard and, you know, you show up there to, you know, try to help, to cast morale and, you know, just something as simple as changing your furnace filter, you know, change your furnace filter and that, that really helps out. But, you know, lack of, like, you say, lack of service that, that, you got to take care if you want it to last.

You got to take care of it. And that's how them things, you take care of it and hopefully it'll take care of you. So what is, So is there any brands that you try to stay away from? No. Not really. I haven't really ran across any yet that, you know, just like, hey, you know, probably out or not, you know, deal with those.

But I'm sure as time goes along, we'll probably come across something, you know? But as of now, not really. Is there any brands that's kind of known as the Cadillac version or the like? If you are building a house and you're young and you're like, I want this to last, I'm not afraid to spend a couple extra bucks.

I would say, you know, Lux Air is probably, you know, and I'm a dealer, so maybe, but, maybe I'm a little biased on that, but, you know, I, I they're a good unit, and I, I've had actually, I went and worked on one that a guy from Connersville, he put in. Well, the unit was 26 years old, I believe.

And it was we put a, you know, a part on it and fired it up. And it was still working. So, you know, I, I'm, I'm a firm believer in the luxury. I mean, you can get into the train and pains and, you know, hire in like that. You know, sometimes, you know, some people like the, the bells and whistles and some people just, you know, as long as it heats and cools my house, you know, but, you know, we try to fit everybody's situation.

You know, somebody want something different. We're willing to, you know, work with them on that. So what about so I know this just from flipping houses and stuff like the the frigid or not the frigid, but the, refrigerant. Refrigerant. There you go. Yeah. Any AC, like, I feel like you're seeing a bunch of stuff where the government's out on this and you can't get this, and like, what does that look like?

How is that changing what you do? So, actually, they changed this year. So it was our 22, then they changed and they went to 410. And they kind of phase when that happens, they set a date and then they phase that it out. So whatever, you know, whatever. Is out there, they're not going to make any more of it.

So, you know, obviously over time, if a jug or refrigerant was $300 at some point, you know, it's going to be way more than that. You know, it might get up to you know, 1000 or 1500, because they're not making any more of it. So actually, this year they changed from 410, which is what I started with.

That's what we used in school. That's what and then they went, now they have our 32 or our 454 B. So on the both of those new refrigerants, they're both considered flammable. So now we have to use a, it's called a mitigation board. You put those on basically it detects if there's ever a leak.

You know, but in the grand scheme of things, it's probably, you know, we've been putting, natural gas and propane in people's houses for years, and we never had to put it, you know, anything like that. So it's kind of one of those things. Yeah. For safety reasons. Let's do it. It's kind of like a like a smoke detector.

Let's put a smoke detector in your house because. Yeah, the chance of your house catching on fire. Probably not. But so we put the put these mitigation boards on. But it's, you know, it's not anything to be scared of. I mean, like I said, we run natural gas and propane in people's houses for years and never have to have anything like that.

And, you know, my look at it is natural gas has an endless supply. So if it pops a leak, it's going to, you know, leak and leak and leak forever. Where this if it's got 4 pounds of refrigerant in it, when that 4 pounds refrigerant runs out, you know, your supply or your, you know your fuel is gone.

So it's not, you know, nothing to be scared of, but it's just an extra step that we have to take now to put that extra board on there. So what is what is the difference in that refrigerant that they're changing. Like is there really much difference in it or so sometimes I feel like the government and these manufacturers just want too much is all the stuff.

I mean, I mean, no, no, no, the manufacturers are deciding like they'll change the color or they'll change the profile. And there really wasn't nothing. There's really not much difference. And then in five years, like if I put a roof on and then they discontinue the product in five years and you've got a patch that blows off, I can't go fix it because they don't make it anymore.

Right. The shingles two inches bigger or right. It's definitely a different color. So yeah. Right. So yeah. So it's kind of the same thing. There's not too much of a difference that I have seen. Actually, I haven't, you know, talking to different dealers and stuff like that. Like they, they're not really seeing a whole lot of difference other than, you know, the mobility in that, they say it's an EPA thing or, you know, it's more it's better for the environment.

So basically, you know, if it would properly it's better for the environment. I think dam tree here. Yeah, I think, I think sometimes they get too caught up for that stuff. I, they come on. We've been doing this for how long. You know it's, but that's pretty much the biggest thing is you know, there are 22 in the 410.

That was bad for the world, 22 was bad for the environment. So we went for ten. Well, the 410 was this new and improved thing and was really good and good. You know, better for the environment. Well now we're facing for ten out because well it's no longer good for the environment. So it's just coal and things. I think they get too caught up on that.

So as we as we wrap up, thank you for coming in. Absolutely. Thanks for financing. I love small businesses. I love I feel like your generation is starting to start more. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's maybe I'm just looking. Well, so it's funny you say looking to encourage, but I genuinely mean now, like, I want to be a resource because I want you to call me the day that you're down because you're ready to quit and give up because anybody owns their own business hasn't they say that they don't have them days are they're liars, I agree, but for some reason I see I see that it's funny when you look at I've got an older brother that's 14, 16 months older than me. 

And love on the pieces. He's on the fire department. Like he wants that security, right? Where I'm like, I don't want anybody controlling me. So, like, born only a year and a half apart, raised by the same dad, like, you know, completely different outlooks. And, yeah, I'm glad that he's EMT firefighters.

We need to have those people too, you know. So but yeah, like, I mean, like I said, I feel like there's a wave of young entrepreneurs, which, which, which is pretty cool. It is funny you say that because I, I've got, me and then a couple buddies of mine, they one started an electrical business, one started a mobile, mobile mechanics service, and it's kind of.

I was thinking the other day, I was like, man, it's kind of funny. You know, at one point we were this. These little kids running around on the street, you know, hanging out, riding bicycles together, riding four wheelers or whatever. And and now we're at the age where, you know, we're starting to, you know, start in our life and, and, they but it is funny you say that because I was thinking that the other day I was like, man, you know, some of the there's a lot of, you know, up and coming businesses that have been started and but but what I think you might not be, what you realize is you eventually start hanging out with people that's doing the same thing as you. 

I literally just had this conversation with my electrician buddy last night. Like, you know, you hang around with like minded people, right? You want to talk business, you don't want to talk about your glory days in high school, right? Because you realize it. They kind of sucked anyway, right?

We're really glad we're at a high school. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, they I mean, you know, they say that, you know, genuinely like, you will like. Right. And you'll be an encouragement and you won't. You also don't realize this, you know, did you start your business first? Yeah. Like. Yeah. I mean, how much did they look up to like man Luke did that and that worked out like I don't know.

But I well I liked it. So this is funny. And this going to sound like I'm bragging. So just please let me hear me out. But, I started out my teeth. Cochran exteriors in Indianapolis. I was looking for we we went through did our debt snowball. Me and my wife did. I said, I'll buy a bigger house.

We had a kid, I said, and then it's going to be paid for, and I'm going to go find a job. I work for straight commission because I don't want anybody limiting how much money I can make. Right. And it wasn't like for me to be like, look at me. It was like.

I wanted to change my family tree. And I was listening to Dave Ramsey and he kept saying sales, sales, sales. And I felt like I was an actual sales guy. So I was like, I'm going to go try it. And Craig's List ad. When interviewed with sales manager George Fitzgerald, we did a podcast with him probably a year and a half ago.

Tremendous guy supported the hell out of me. He still supports me, still encourages me, still gives me a lot of shit. Right? That's all. At the end of the day, I know he's got my back. Absolutely. And I sat down for the interview and he talks about his debt snowball and getting out of debt, and he had a business had failed on them on the East Coast.

So he was digging out of a lot of debt. Yeah. And I was like, I had I'm taking it. I call my wife is like, hey, I'm taking this job. And she's like, okay, right. But she supported me, right? You know? Right. However, it was nice that we had our money and line. Right. Well, there was a couple other guys that had quit that roofing company and wouldn't sold for this other company, then went and tried to merge in business with this other guy.

It was kind of just a cluster, right. And two of them started and they're like, well, if Bob can do it, they called me Big Country because I drove him do it. Anybody? I drove a three quarter ton Chevy truck. Yeah, you know, in Indy and, you know, all day Wells kind of stuck out a little. I literally was like, oh, yeah, they were describing me.

He's like, yeah, that big country, that big country guy. And I always wore my boots. That's just who I was. It was so funny because I could go into Carmel and sell $1 million house, a new roof, right? And they're like, I just don't know why they do business with the country people. I'm like, it's just who I was, right?

Like, I wasn't I wasn't wearing boots to be. I know now wearing boots is kind of a fad. It's not cool. That's just who you are. That's who I am. Yeah. Like also up to a funeral and a pair of boots. Yeah. You know, so, each dress we're on, I took my wife out to a nice steakhouse last weekend.

I just put on my boots. I don't have dress shoes. Nope. That's how I am. They are, you know. So, yeah, like I said, I think we learn in life. Like, you'll naturally start attracting them kind of people because you'll start having the same problems. It doesn't matter if if you're doing electrical or Hvac. I mean then businesses are kind of similar anyways, but you're got to have, you know, you're going to learn stuff, you're going to learn insurance stuff over the next few years.

You're going to learn payroll stuff, like we were talking before. Like, you know, we've had our Russ and learn this year in a couple of really dumb things that we shouldn't have. Right. But it's just it's a gradual course of that. And then it's just like I said, like then it also comes a level that when you're talking to other business owners, you can tell them some of your goals.

That maybe to the average Joe. Well, it sounds a little while. Who does he think he is? Right. You know, I share a goal with a good friend of mine, electrician, the other day that, like, is a goal of mine. By the time I'm 40. And I don't want some people to hear it because they're going to take it the wrong way.

So. But yeah, like be intentional but also be encouraging, right. Like be that support that your dad. Oh, somebody got us that Chris. Nabi was like, supportive because, you know, like George, my old sales manager. Like, he supported me to go start my own company when I was selling for him. And he was making money off me every week.

Right. Or every month? Somebody. Yeah, somebody like me. Literally. It took money out of his pocket. Short term to encourage that. So like, that's a friend. Like that's a that's a true support. They want to see you do better. You know they they see it for your family. They see it for your future kids, your future wife. You know, you know, how does that look?

You know, and another thing that I've come to learn, just kind words of encouragement, is don't look at your competition as like, oh, that sob, look at it is like, okay, how how can I learn from them? Right? I just had this conversation. Aaron Christie with any riff company, out of Indy, they're massive. They're way bigger than I am.

If I called him right now, he would most likely answer and answer any question I have. Right. And he could be like, Bob, he's. But he doesn't like that's that's also the fun part of when you get business around other quality business owners, right? You have to try to help each other. You want to you want to help each other out, right?

Like, you know, you even get the point that it's like you're you're calling it a part. And they'll have it right, and they can gouge you on the price because you need it to go help Susie. Right. You're already at Susie's house and fix the other three things, right? You know, so that's just to me. Words of encouragement.

Keep doing the right thing. Keep hustling. But, and it's pretty cool to see your success. I appreciate that. I love your energy. Like I said, I. I love small business. Like, it's it's truly the backbone of this country. And it and I feel like being in business makes you grow more absolutely than anything else because you frickin have to.

Yeah. You know, so I, and that's another thing, I guess people my age. But I've had to do things and learn things that, you know, some people might be 40 years older, might live their whole life, and I'll have to go through and, you know, that just makes you, a tougher person. I guess you just work through those things.

Well, when you build it from the ground up, like that's another whole level, right? Like, you know, me and my wife had that conversation like, I knew other people in business that they had a dad or a grant, Paul, that could write a check to bail them out. Right. And I love my dad. Respect the hell out of my dad.

Right. He wouldn't. Bill, write a very big check to bail me out if I did something stupid. No. Yeah, I know, like, there's there's a level. I mean, there's people that support you and that's awesome because we need that right now. But then, you know, it's fortunate that your parents let you live at home for a little while like that got your feet on right.

But they probably want like you lived at home for a while if you sat around and just. And then know one afternoon every five days, right. Like it'd be like, all right, let's go, let's go. You got to get something going here. But. So, you got a Facebook page. I can have family support. Yeah. Facebook and, there's email, there's phone number on there.

And then, yeah, pretty much Facebook right now, it's where we do a lot of a lot of stuff through Facebook. We actually just did a, a giveaway on a gift card prize. So, yeah, we, we do a lot of things in Facebook working on getting a, at some point we want to do a better a, website.

We just haven't got that free yet. But. So if you're in Connersville, Fayette County, surrounding counties, give Luke a call. You will be satisfied. He got one of our furnaces up and running for us for about a year ago. Super appreciated that. So thanks for your time, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it.