Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast

How One Inspection Company Scaled to $20M Without Private Equity

Oct 23, 2025
Harmony Brownwood, the CEO and founder of GreenWorks Inspections & Engineering, shares her incredible journey from a broke student to leading a multi-state company generating ~$15-20M annually. She discusses the key to her success: a focus on exceptional client experiences and building strong SOPs. Harmony reveals how she navigated the challenges of a flat market, emphasizing the importance of engineering and environmental services for expansion. Plus, she highlights metrics for measuring client satisfaction and the culture of earning every customer.
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ANECDOTE

From Homeless Persistence To First Hire

  • Harmony started GreenWorks after calling real estate professionals to learn careers and discovered inspectors hustled unpaid for realtor leads.
  • She spent 16 months homeless and persistent before landing regular customers and hiring her first inspector.
INSIGHT

Flat Markets Require Market-Share Plays

  • Flat markets force growth by taking market share rather than relying on market expansion.
  • Expand offerings and awareness to create new 'pies' rather than only competing for existing demand.
ANECDOTE

Mentor Advice Changed Pricing And Growth

  • Harmony's second customer introduced her to investors and advised raising prices from $93 to $199.
  • That mentorship accelerated growth and led to hiring her first long-term inspector.
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