JackQuisitions - Small Business Acquisitions in Home Service Is Rolling Up Alarm Companies the Best ETA Play in 2025?
In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Collin Trimble of Alarm Masters and Entry & Exit to dig into what it really looks like to roll up commercial fire and security companies—and why recurring monthly revenue (RMR) can be a cheat code for ETA operators. Collin walks through his jump from petrochem finance to security sales, then into Salesforce and revenue consulting, and finally into buying his own alarm company with longtime friend and partner, Steven.
Collin breaks down why so many owner-operated alarm businesses stall out at $2–3M, how lifestyle creep and fear of reinvestment cap their growth, and why he and Steven saw a huge opportunity to professionalize sales, marketing, and process in an industry full of technician-founders. He shares how they think about project work, service, and RMR as three distinct revenue engines—and why they designed Alarm Masters to blend high-touch, “Chick-fil-A-level” service with scalable systems instead of giving that up as they grow.
You’ll hear Collin’s earlier entrepreneurial experiments (dumpster rentals and a CrossFit gym), how those reps prepared him to buy and scale a real platform, and why his roll-up strategy leans heavily on buying accounts, doing “coffee drops,” and cross-selling multiple scopes of work to commercial customers. They also dig into sourcing deals through brokers and vendors, what makes an ideal tuck-in vs platform, and Collin’s advice for first-time ETA operators who are grinding toward their first acquisition.
🔍 What You’ll Learn
- Why many security and alarm businesses stall out at $2–3M in revenue—and how Collin and Steven break through that ceiling.
- How Collin went from petrochem analyst → security sales → Salesforce → revenue consultant → alarm company owner.
- The three revenue streams in security: projects, service/inspections, and recurring monthly revenue (RMR)—and how they design around all three.
- Why they prioritize commercial fire and security over pure residential and how that changes ticket sizes, cross-sell, and churn.
💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!
Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.
👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalification.
Connect with Alan Peterson from First Internet Bank here
🔗 Connect
Jack Carr — https://www.x.com/thehvacjack
Collin Trimble — https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-trimble-642a305a/
Entry & Exit — https://entryandexit
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