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

#201 Turf Takeover and the Rise of Tier Two Business Acquisitions

May 23, 2025

Peter De Baptiste, owner of Joe Cole Plumbing, shares his entrepreneurial journey from banking to acquiring home service businesses. He dives into the exciting, often underrated tier two and three opportunities in the HVAC and turf installation sectors. Peter discusses the unique challenges and scalability of these niche industries while revealing effective strategies for navigating small business acquisitions. He emphasizes the importance of marketing and the operational dynamics that influence customer satisfaction and long-term growth potential.

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ANECDOTE

Peter's Plumbing Acquisition Journey

Peter De Baptiste bought a plumbing business without prior industry experience and quickly learned the ropes.
He chose plumbing for its challenge and financial opportunity despite initially considering multiple industries.

INSIGHT

Appeal of Tier Two Services

Tier two and three home services like turf installation have less competition and low customer dissatisfaction, offering growth potential.
Customers generally end up happy, creating a better business atmosphere compared to emergency-driven trades like plumbing.

ADVICE

Use Home Service Playbook

Apply the proven home services playbook to tier two businesses to gain competitive advantage.
Use live pricing, multiple options, and responsive quoting to win more customers and dominate your niche.

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In this episode of Jackcquisitions, we explore profitable small business acquisition strategies with Peter De Baptiste, owner of Joe Cole Plumbing in Florida. Peter shares his entrepreneurial journey—starting in banking, then leading a delivery service startup, and ultimately acquiring a plumbing company. Now, he's setting his sights on HVAC and turf installation businesses, uncovering high-potential, under-the-radar sectors in the home services industry.

We break down the unique appeal of tier two and tier three service businesses, such as synthetic turf installation and residential HVAC. Peter and Jack discuss the financial performance, operational demands, and long-term scalability of these niche industries. Whether you're an investor or operator, this episode offers practical insight into identifying and evaluating service businesses with real growth potential.

If you’re looking to buy a service business or expand your portfolio in home services, this conversation delivers a wealth of real-world advice. Learn how to navigate smaller markets, understand what makes niche businesses attractive, and discover the lifestyle implications of owning versus operating in competitive sectors.

🚨 In This Episode, We Cover:
🔹 Peter’s Journey from Banking to Plumbing
🔹 Why He’s Targeting HVAC and Turf Businesses
🔹 Understanding Tier Two and Tier Three Opportunities
🔹 Operational Challenges in Niche Home Services
🔹 Scaling Potential vs. Lifestyle Fit
🔹 How to Evaluate Smaller, Less Competitive Businesses

🌐 ownedandoperated.com

💼 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?

🔗Check Them Out Here

💼 Shoutout to Appletree Business Services
HVAC and plumbing pros—ditch tax surprises and unresponsive accountants. Appletree handles your books, taxes, payroll, and acquisitions, and they know tools like ServiceTitan cold.

🎁 Get a free tax & financial review or 10% off a QOE report.
👉 Book a call at appletreebusiness.com — tell Patrick Jack sent you.

🎙️ Hosts:
🗣️ Jack Carr
🗣️ Peter Debaptiste

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

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