In this episode of Head, Heart, and Boots, Brandon and I sit down with Claire Carreras, a musician, comedian, fashion entrepreneur, and now co-owner of 1-Tom Plumber Austin to unpack one of the most unexpected and compelling career journeys we’ve ever featured. Claire opens up about a childhood marked by constant relocation across multiple countries, how creativity and performance became her anchor, and how those early experiences shaped the grit and resourcefulness she now brings to building service businesses.

We explore the rise and collapse of her fashion brands, the financial devastation of COVID, and what it took to rebuild her life from scratch in a new country. Claire shares the mindset shifts that helped her scale restoration and plumbing operations, the leadership lessons she brought from stages and tour vans, and her refreshingly honest view on managing people, burnout, and generational differences inside a 24/7 business.

If you’re drawn to real entrepreneurial stories, the raw ones, with bruises, resilience, and reinvention; this conversation is worth every minute.

Hope you enjoy.

Chris

Why You Should Listen...

[00:05:15] How a turbulent childhood, constant relocation, and exposure to wildly different cultures forged Claire’s resilience and leadership instincts

[00:13:03] How acting, stand-up comedy, and 15 years of international touring built the confidence, grit, and communication skills she now uses to scale home-service companies

[00:20:27] What three failed fashion businesses taught her about timing, financial risk, market collapse, and how to recover when everything falls apart

[00:28:14] Why she jumped into One-Tom Plumber after COVID wiped out her income, and how she built a 5-truck operation in months by leaning into clarity, systems, and urgency

[00:45:06] How Claire motivates teams through uncertainty, connects personally without lowering standards, and navigates generational differences around pressure and mental health

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Ep 190 - "From Guitars to Plumbing Franchises"