When Brent Garrett announced during his final semester of college that he intended to start a skilled trades company, his father—a lifelong plumber and Korean War veteran—broke down in tears. Today, as President of Sirius Plumbing & Air Conditioning in Carrollton, TX, Garrett has proven that the trades are a powerful avenue for wealth and legacy.

He built his home service business from the ground up to now operate 17 trucks, employ 30 people, and generate around $5 million in revenue by providing residential HVAC and plumbing services within a ten-mile radius of the North Dallas and Plano areas.

Escaping the Messy Middle

The residential plumbing and air conditioning market is a $125 billion industry, yet 80% of the contractors driving that revenue remain stuck making between a dollar and $1.5 million. Garrett identifies this growth wall as the “messy middle.” Typically occurring when a company reaches the $750,000 threshold, this phase feels like a whirlpool where owners work twice as hard but see a fraction of the profits.

Garrett warns that the standard blue-collar work ethic of simply pushing harder will not solve this problem and can even lead to bankruptcy within the first five years. “The problem’s not the problem. The problem is the way we are looking at the problem,” Garrett explains. To break free, an owner must stop acting as a technician and start delegating.

Becoming a Coach, Not a Player

Scaling Sirius Plumbing & Air Conditioning required a complete mindset shift regarding daily operations. Garrett insists that true business owners must step off the field. “A coach, you have to realize, cannot play the game,” he says.

To prevent himself from jumping back into fieldwork, he literally gave away his tools to an employee, effectively eliminating his option to retreat to familiar tasks. He advises fellow owners to transition away from operations by finding the one administrative job they despise most and delegating it to capable support staff.

This approach creates free space, allowing the owner to focus on leading the team. However, he emphasizes that delegation does not mean losing control of the big picture. “Never delegate your culture and always own your financials,” he cautions.

The Math Behind the Growth

To fuel expansion in Carrollton, TX and successfully reach the top 20% of the industry, Garrett relies on precise numbers and structured processes. He advocates for flat-rate pricing to maintain a strict 55% to 60% gross margin. “If you aren’t at the right gross margin, you are dead before you start,” Garrett notes.

He also utilizes “time boxing,” a management technique based on Parkinson’s Law, ensuring technicians check in with updates at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 2:00 PM to keep daily projects on track and prevent jobs from drifting into the evening hours. Furthermore, he advises dedicating 8% to 12% of projected revenue to a comprehensive marketing budget to sustain lead generation and capture high-profit sales.

Ultimately, Garrett believes the goal of any skilled trades entrepreneur should be to build a self-sustaining asset, moving from a solopreneur to someone who leaves a lasting impact on their family.

“Don’t start this business if you don’t have an end goal of building equity in your business and having something you can sell and something that doesn’t require you every day,” he advises. 

For more of his insights, the next generation of business owners can read his book, 30 Days to a Better Business, or book a conversation with him at theskilledtradescoach.com to start mapping out their own legacy.