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If you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind
I’ve been in the trades since I was 12 years old, crawling through attics and running ductwork. What started as a weekend helping my brother-in-law quickly became a way of life. Over 35 years later, I’ve built companies, sold them, failed forward more times than I can count, and now I’m chasing something entirely new: bringing machine learning into HVAC.
Change has never scared me. I left my family’s HVAC business as a young man when someone offered me $20,000 just to sign on. I didn’t do it for the money as much as for the chance to test myself. And I made a mark. I became one of the top installers in the country at the time. My mentor, Lou Snavely, gave me freedom that most owners wouldn’t. He let me make decisions, innovate, and prove myself. That’s when I realized I didn’t have to wait until I was in my 40s or 50s to lead. I could help push the next generation forward right then.
That mindset has shaped how I’ve approached business ever since. I’ve changed the way sales were done, the way techs were positioned, and the way companies I worked for thought about homeowners. For example, we shifted the dress code at one company: service uniforms instead of polos and khakis. Not to trick customers, but because homeowners trusted technicians more than salesmen. That one change transformed how people engaged with us. Over the years, I’ve made countless adjustments like that, because in this trade, if you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind.
The truth is, many in our industry still resist change. You’ve got second and third generation owners holding on to the “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” mentality. I’ve never thought that way. My entire career has been about adapting, testing, and shifting. The next four or five years are going to bring massive changes to HVAC. Smarter systems, predictive maintenance, and a stronger focus on indoor air quality. Those who don’t adapt will struggle.
Respect and communication
If you want to build something meaningful, you need the right partner. My wife pushes me, grounds me, and walks with me through the chaos. Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with balance. It comes with sacrifice. The wrong partner will break you. The right one will make you unstoppable.
I have two older kids and three little ones. The little ones don’t get iPads. We keep TV down to maybe two hours a week, usually when I’m decompressing after work. I want them to have real interactions. My two older kids work in the business, and most clients Tell me, “Your kids are the most professional young people I’ve dealt with.” That’s because my wife and I push respect and communication.
And that’s the biggest skill we’re missing today: communication. I speak at colleges all the time, and I’m blown away by how poor communication skills are among some younger folks. It’s not everyone, but enough to notice. Too many think they know it all because they read it online.
And trade schools aren’t helping enough. They teach theory and book work, but not how to talk to a homeowner or a building manager. They should include role playing and real world client communication. Because here’s the thing, you don’t just need to turn a wrench. You need to know how to connect, explain, and earn trust. That’s the number one skill.
It’s about legacy
I didn’t grow up with money. My father was an immigrant who worked day and night to provide for us. I started out aggressive, the young kid on the job who always said, “I can do this.” I wasn’t the guy complaining about hot attics, I was the one laying down drop cloths and getting to work. Over time, I realized my ability to communicate and connect was just as valuable as my drive.
My dad used to say, “Keith stumbles up.” I’ve lost money, lost businesses, but I’ve always found myself doing something bigger after. Failure’s part of it. Too many people see failure as the end. I see it as tuition.
Now, at this stage, it’s not about money. It’s about legacy. I want to build something lasting for the trades, for my kids, for the next generation. Home Guardian, what I’m building now, is about connecting the trades, making life easier for both contractors and building owners, and creating something that outlives me.
At the end of the day, HVAC is about more than equipment, it’s about people. It’s about training, mentoring, and passing on the lessons I had to learn the hard way. Integrity, hard work, and doing the job right even when no one’s watching. Those are the values I live by. I want the next generation of techs to embrace change, to stay curious, and to take pride in what they build.
For the last 15 years, I’ve told every tech who’s worked with me the same thing: “My goal is for you to start your own company one day.” That means I want to teach them how to run a company, not just fix a system.
If my younger self could see me now, I think he’d be proudest not of the businesses I built or sold, but of the way I kept evolving, kept pushing, and kept helping others along the way.
