To The Point – Home Services Podcast

Episode: Turning Pain & Addiction Into a $17M Multi-Trade Growth Engine
Host: Chris Yano (RYNO Strategic Solutions)
Guest: Will Staton (Staton Heating, Cooling & Plumbing)
Date Aired: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode is a raw, inspiring deep-dive into the journey of Will Staton, owner of Staton Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Maryland. Will opens up about turning the pain of early childhood loss and the struggle of addiction into fuel for building a transformational $17M+ multi-trade home service business. Host Chris Yano guides the conversation through the personal and operational challenges, the major pivots from new construction to residential services, and the growth philosophy that continues to push Staton toward an ambitious $24M goal.

The discussion offers practical, hard-won business advice, lessons in leadership and accountability, and emotional insights about overcoming adversity, repairing relationships, and finding fulfillment in growth—in business and in life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Will’s Background: Family, Trades & Early Adversity

• Will grew up admiring his father, a plumber deeply rooted in new construction. Early exposure to the field came from tagging along on job sites (04:31).
• At age 13, Will lost his mother to leukemia, a devastating event that left him and his brother searching for guidance and stability (09:06).
• The loss, coupled with a lack of structure and accountability at home, contributed to Will drifting into addiction through his teens and early 20s (12:46).
• Quote:

  “My mom was… the rock of the family.” — Will (09:06)
  “I was left to my own devices. I pretty much could do whatever I wanted to.” — Will (19:41)

2. Struggle, Recovery & Redemption

• By his early 20s, addiction had deeply affected Will’s life, relationships, and self-image (14:04).
• At 22, he committed to recovery, a journey marked by “extreme ownership” and relentless effort—qualities he credits for both sobriety and business growth (19:15).
• Memorable Quote:

  “You can’t stay clean without a good group of people. You cannot grow a business without a great group of people.” — Will (20:15)

• Will celebrates nearly 20 years of sobriety, reflecting on how the drive to fill “the hole” within can be redirected into purposeful business activity (18:12, 23:39).

3. Building the Business: New Construction → Multi-Trade Services

• Will’s journey started with new construction plumbing, working with his father, but he always wanted to grow and evolve the business (05:28).
• By 2020, the company, still largely new construction-focused, was at ~$3M. Will was dissatisfied with the business model and sought something more sustainable (27:06).
• Radical decisions made almost simultaneously:
  • Switching to ServiceTitan software in June 2020, despite little operational experience with CRMs (27:56).
  • Exiting new construction entirely, firing longstanding builders, and turning full attention to residential service (27:46).
  • “Wrote a letter…All the builders: ‘Hey, thank you, but no thank you.’” — Will (27:56)
• January 2021: Adding HVAC as a second trade—without prior operational knowledge of the business or trade (27:31).

4. Painful Learning Curve & Operational Overhaul

• Initial attempts at growth were fraught with issues:
  • Mistakes in leadership and hiring—retaining people who doubted KPIs or failed to buy into the vision (38:26)
  • “Not pricing the services correctly, not understanding the sales process, not having a refined sales process, not having your marketing dialed in around it and having bad leadership…” — Will (38:27)
• Complete turnover of initial HVAC team; built a new culture centered on accountability and clear results.
• Strong emphasis on recruiting, communicating expectations transparently, and using inspiration from industry leaders:
  • Quote:

    “We will break our backs if you’re willing to get better, but we’re not going to break our expectations.” — Will (quoting Frank DeMarco & Leland Smith) (40:08)

• Embracing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) for structure, accountability, and measurable leadership (34:54).

5. Growth Engines: Marketing, Expansion, & Leveraging Data

• Will shares the tactical levers Staton is pulling to push toward their $24M goal:
  • Opening a second location in Timonium/Cockeysville (47:56).
  • Maintaining strict adherence to sales process and customer experience, recently hiring call-by-call managers (48:38).
  • Committing to robust, year-round marketing—never cutting ad spend, watching KPIs closely (49:46).
  • Proactive recruiting and building deep membership programs to sustain business through off-season (55:27).
• “When the onslaught [of demand] does come in, what do you do with it? How well do you manage that on a day-to-day basis?” — Will (54:15)
• Lessons from industry leaders: Don’t throttle marketing in busy season; plan staff and operations to seize peak opportunities (55:27).

6. Lessons in Leadership & Company Culture

• Will prioritizes his team’s genuine care and emotional buy-in.
• Utilizes regular all-hands meetings and Loom videos for consistent messaging.
• Emphasizes the high “will and skill” of employees and filters new hires via Wonderlic tests (45:40, 46:20).
• “I think you need to find people who genuinely care. If you can find people that really fucking care, that’s half the battle.” — Will (45:45)

7. Personal Fulfillment, Reflecting on Legacy

• Will admits he’s driven by a desire for more and rarely feels “satisfied”—a residue of his past but also a motivator (18:12, 65:57).
• Host Chris prods Will to reflect on what his mother might think of his journey—a rare, vulnerable moment:
  • Quote:

    “I think she would be very proud...especially with the relationship I repaired with my father… the type of father I’m trying to be every day and husband to my wife.” — Will (65:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Recovery & Business:

  “If you want to find the keys to success, just ask the questions. Everybody will tell you the answers.” — Will (40:08)

• On Making Bold Moves:

  “Sometimes you just gotta take a chance.” — Will (36:26)
  “There’s an argument for jumping and building the parachute on the way down.” — Chris (35:52)

• On Team Buy-In:

  “One of the most dangerous things in a company is you got a manager or leader who doesn’t buy in…that’s really dangerous.” — Will (38:26)

• On Memberships & Shoulder Season:

  “We really curate the relationship with the members… the members is what feeds the business to be steady all year.” — Will (56:21)

• On Leading by Example & Reflection:

  “Our brains go back to certain feelings… It’s important for you, as you scale, to be able to reflect on what you did.” — Chris (67:20)

• Final Words:

  “Never give up. If I can do it, anybody can do it, because there is nothing special ...if I can do it, anybody can do it for sure.” — Will (70:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Origin Story & Mother’s Influence: 04:31 – 09:54
• Addiction, Recovery & Early Adulthood: 12:37 – 21:49
• Turning the Business Around: 26:48 – 32:14
• ServiceTitan Integration & Rapid Change: 27:56 – 36:01
• Painful Lessons, Leadership & Culture: 37:46 – 45:45
• Recruiting and Personality Tests: 46:20
• Growth Levers & KPI-Driven Planning: 47:39 – 54:15
• Memberships & Off-Season Strategy: 55:27 – 57:02
• Reflections on Legacy & Parental Approval: 64:02 – 66:31
• Closing Thoughts & Motivation: 70:01 – 70:17

Takeaways for Home Service Entrepreneurs

• Radical personal transformation can fuel radical business success.
• Extreme ownership, hunger for learning, and relentless relationship-building are key drivers at every stage.
• Honest reflection (“filling the void”) and transparent culture are as important as tactical KPIs.
• Recruiting, clear expectations, and KPI-driven decisions are vital for scaling.
• No one “has it all figured out”—be willing to ask, adapt, and seek mentorship.

In the Words of Will Staton

“If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

For more inspirational journeys and actionable advice, keep tuning in to 'To The Point.'