What does it take to grow a one-man plumbing operation into a 26-person business that thrives on performance, profitability, and culture? In this episode of Titans of the Trades, host Ryan Englin sits down with Al Fagundes of Fagundes Plumbing & Heating, who shares the hard-earned lessons from his 23-year journey in the trades.

Al dives deep into the turning points that shifted his business from a high-paying job to a true company. He reveals how focusing on EBITDA instead of revenue, ditching off-the-shelf price books, and building a performance pay model helped him scale sustainably. But even more powerful is his relentless focus on culture, from training and role-playing to open-book financials.

If you’re a blue-collar leader looking for actionable insights on leadership, hiring, and operational efficiency, this episode is packed with value.

Takeaways:

• [1:00] Why going out on your own isn’t as simple as firing your boss.
• [2:30] The biggest hurdle Al faced: hiring his first office employee.
• [5:10] How industry “norms” held his business back for years.
• [7:20] The major shift that happened when Al ditched flat rate pricing.
• [10:15] How tying performance pay to efficiency changed everything.
• [14:00] Role-playing and training: Why Al doesn’t script his techs.
• [15:25] How company culture drives clean job sites and accountability.
• [17:35] The power of open-book management in blue-collar leadership.
• [21:00] How Al connects with local technical schools to recruit young talent.
• [22:40] Why core values matter more than experience when hiring.

Connect With Al:

Website: https://www.afphpro.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-fagundes-77ab2244/

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