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Ken Goodrich’s Multi-Location Playbook: Metrics, Call-by-Call Management, and Scaling Past $50M

📅 December 9, 2025 ⏱️ 1:11:37 🎤 John Wilson, Ken Goodrich

Chapters

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  • 0:06
    Early Struggles & E-Myth
    Ken Goodrich recounts his initial struggles as a young HVAC business owner, leading him to discover Michael Gerber's 'E-Myth Revisited' and the foundational principles of building a business system.
  • 1:02
    Ghetto's Growth Story
    Goodrich details the transformation of Ghetto from a struggling $11 million business to a $250 million enterprise with 11 locations and over 1,000 employees.
  • 1:49
    Building and Selling Businesses
    Goodrich explains his strategic approach to repeatedly building and selling companies, viewing himself as being in the 'business building business' rather than just HVAC or plumbing.
  • 3:54
    Exit Strategy & Thresholds
    Goodrich provides insights into determining the right thresholds for bringing on a partner or exiting a business, emphasizing the importance of significant capital for life choices.
  • 5:08
    Management Systems & Cadence
    Goodrich discusses the importance of a structured management system, including daily huddles, weekly calls focusing on metrics, and the origins of 'call by call management'.
  • 6:11
    Scarcity Mindset & Efficiency
    Goodrich advocates for maintaining a 'scarcity mindset' and extreme efficiency, even during prosperous times, to build resilience for leaner periods and maximize every customer opportunity.
  • 7:52
    Hiring Top Talent
    Goodrich shares his strategy for recruiting high-caliber talent, even from outside the industry, and overcoming the intimidation of hiring people smarter than himself.
  • 9:20
    Multi-Location Management
    Goodrich addresses the challenges of multi-location management, highlighting the need for daily accountability, consistent routines, and a strong dashboard of numbers.
  • 10:21
    The 1000-Day Plan
    Goodrich introduces his 'thousand-day plan' methodology, a strategic framework for dramatically increasing business value within a defined timeframe through meticulous planning and execution.
  • 11:30
    Advice for New Contractors
    Goodrich offers poignant advice to aspiring business owners: master the 'business of HVAC' before becoming an owner, leverage best practice groups, and don't be afraid to scale down to build a solid foundation.

Speakers

J
John Wilson
Host
K
Ken Goodrich

Key Takeaways

✦

Before launching your own home-improvement business, invest time in learning the 'business of HVAC' (or your specific trade) through courses, mentors, or best practice groups, rather than relying solely on technical skills.

✦

Implement a robust management system, such as EOS or MAP, to establish clear processes, routines, and accountability, moving beyond daily firefighting to strategic business growth.

✦

Adopt a 'scarcity mindset' regardless of current lead flow; focus on maximizing efficiency and converting every customer opportunity, as this discipline will be crucial during lean times.

✦

Utilize a data-driven approach to management by tracking key metrics daily (e.g., call goals, conversion rates, average ticket) and conducting regular meetings to discuss performance and course corrections across all locations.

✦

Be strategic about bringing on partners or exiting; aim for a valuation that offers meaningful capital for life choices (e.g., $20-25 million EBITDA for higher multiples) rather than just taking the first offer for relief.

✦

Consider a 'thousand-day plan' approach: set an audacious goal to 10x your business's value within 1,000 days, whiteboard the plan, and execute with relentless focus and a Gantt chart for tracking progress.

✦

Prioritize hiring high-caliber talent, even if they are 'smarter than you' or come from different industries; a strong, diverse management team (CFO, COO, VP of Sales) can be a force multiplier for growth and execution.

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