Interviewed by Michael Nelson and Derek Foster • Article written directly from the recorded transcript using AI, editor-reviewed by Taylor Stone, and subject-verified.

Stephanie Postell, Owner and COO of Anchor Heating & Air in Charleston, South Carolina, has built her HVAC business through a combination of hard work, disciplined pricing, marketing, and a willingness to start over when circumstances forced her to.

After helping grow another company, then losing ownership in a business she and her husband had rapidly scaled, Postell and her husband David launched Anchor Heating & Air with just $2,000.

From $2,000 to a Growing HVAC Company

Anchor Heating & Air officially opened on March 3, 2020—just weeks before the COVID-19 shutdowns. Postell said the timing turned out to be an opportunity to grow quickly. After starting with David, a dispatcher, and their own labor, the business reached roughly $1 million in its first year.

When they were later forced to leave another HVAC company they had helped build, Stephanie Postell and David again started from scratch. Their first Anchor Heating & Air job came from a referral from their nephew.

“We had $2,000, and we took that $2,000 and bought the first unit,” Postell said. “We sold that unit, we bought it, we installed it, and we took that money and rolled it into the next one.”

Today, Postell said Anchor Heating & Air is approaching its fifth year, employs an expanding team, serves primarily residential customers with some light commercial work, and is on track to exceed $8 million in revenue.

“Startup is absolutely in our blood,” she said.

Charge Enough to Build the Company You Want

For Postell, one of the biggest mistakes HVAC entrepreneurs make is underpricing their work. She believes technicians who launch businesses often focus on being cheaper than established competitors without fully accounting for overhead, employee pay, benefits, marketing, equipment, and future growth.

“I wasn’t charging for what I had right then,” Postell said. “I was charging for what I wanted to have today.”

That mindset has shaped how Anchor Heating & Air operates. Postell argued that appropriate pricing creates the ability to hire stronger technicians, reduce callbacks, improve the customer experience, and invest in the business.

“You deserve to make the money for the skill that you have cultivated over the 5, 10, 15, or 20 years that you’ve been in this industry,” she said.

Her advice is not simply to raise prices without understanding the numbers. Business owners need to know their costs and overhead, but they also need to build room into their pricing for where they want the company to go and how they want to take care of employees.

Build a Brand, Tell a Story, and Show Up

Postell also credits Anchor Heating & Air’s growth to marketing and a consistent brand story. Early on, she spent hours using Facebook and community groups because the company did not have a large marketing budget.

The name Anchor came from a quote her sister sent during the difficult period between businesses. Postell connected the idea of an anchor to her faith, and the concept became the foundation for the company’s branding.

“We have the Pearl Promise, we have the Purple Anchor Award, we have the Captains Club, we have the Admirals Club,” Postell said. “It’s this cohesive story, and none of that cost anything.”

Her advice to new trades businesses is to think beyond a generic company name, develop a recognizable look, participate in community events, and consistently show up on social media. For Stephanie Postell and Anchor Heating & Air, community visibility has been as important as advertising.

As the company continues to grow, Postell remains focused on helping other trades entrepreneurs avoid the mistakes she has already made. Her message to the next generation is simple: “There is no secret sauce.” But with hard work, strong processes, appropriate pricing, and a clear vision for the business, she believes owners can build something worth sharing with their employees and communities.