#248 Inside the $150M Operator Playbook: How Sierra Scaled Fast
Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Outro
Hosts close the episode with thanks, final sponsor mentions, and pointers to ownedandoperated.com for more information.
Live from Pantheon, John sits down with RJ Magee (Sierra) and Tyson Chen (Avoca AI) to talk about the future of technology in home service — from AI call centers to multi-location growth and ServiceTitan integration.
RJ shares how Sierra grew to 6 companies across 5 states through strategic acquisitions, while Tyson explains how Avoca’s AI agents are transforming call centers — booking jobs, handling overflow, and integrating directly with CRMs.
They unpack what it really takes to expand across geographies, standardize technology stacks, manage ServiceTitan instances, and build a culture that embraces change.
If you’re scaling locations, integrating new tech, or curious about how AI can actually work in the trades — this one’s a playbook.
💡 What You’ll Learn
-How Sierra scaled to 6 companies across 5 states through acquisitions and shared resources
-Why decentralizing call centers (but centralizing tech) drives accountability
-How Avoca’s AI books real jobs, handles overflow, and integrates directly with ServiceTitan
-Implementing multi-location tech rollouts — what to standardize, what to localize
-Change management: how to make teams embrace AI instead of fear it
-Lessons from Pantheon: how the trades are evolving into tech-enabled businesses
🎙️ Host
John Wilson
🎙️ Guests
RJ Magee (Sierra)
Tyson Chen (Avoca AI)
💼MASSIVE Shoutout to Avoca AI!
Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish.
🔗 Schedule a demo HERE
💼 Big Reputation — Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.
👉 Book your demo
💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers!
We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.
Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?
More Ways To Connect with O&O
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC
📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.
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