Chad Jewell had reached the point every business owner dreads: he felt trapped in his own HVAC business and was ready to sell. He’d already started that process with a broker — until he realized the broker’s incentives weren’t actually aligned with his own.
“I came to a point in my business where I felt that I was in a hole trying to get out. I wanted a life change and I was working to sell my business but I knew the broker did not have my best interest in mind,” Chad says. “…THEN I MET JOHN. John knew and understood sales; he helped me figure out which acquisition made the most sense… After 1.5 years of working with John, I have literally doubled my revenue. My favorite check to write is my check to John because I know that his check is well deserved.”
An Exit Plan Built on the Wrong Numbers
Before engaging Waters Business Consulting Group, Noble Air HVAC Services was facing the classic pileup of problems that make a business hard to both run and sell: financial forecasting and budgeting were too thin to give real predictability to growth, pricing strategy and job costing weren’t protecting margins the way they should, and cash flow management wasn’t keeping pace with the capital needs of a growing operation. Chad also needed to find and hire professional talent to help scale the business, and he needed an exit strategy that would actually optimize his return rather than just get a deal done. Layered on top of all of that were the practical challenges of leadership development, navigating a business acquisition transition, and figuring out how to integrate Noble Air’s culture with a larger corporate structure.
Rebuilding the Business Before Selling It
Rather than rushing toward an exit, Waters Business Consulting Group worked with Chad to strengthen the business itself first. Weekly sessions reviewed financials and key action items to keep Chad accountable to real progress, and the team took a hands-on role with prospective partners to facilitate the eventual acquisition. Hiring improved through clear position descriptions and performance incentives, contracts were designed and managed more carefully, and a dedicated forecast module aligned marketing and sales strategy with concrete growth goals. When the acquisition process began, Waters Business Consulting Group negotiated on Chad’s behalf and coached him through integrating with the new company’s culture — effectively serving as a fractional CEO through the transition.
The Results
The numbers speak for themselves: Chad doubled his revenue in one year and increased EBITDA alongside it, which in turn doubled the value of the business by the time the acquisition closed. Contract negotiations delivered a stronger return to Chad along with a consistent compensation structure and an earn-out bonus, and stronger partner relationships opened the door to recurring opportunities and growth. Increased trust among employees gave Chad more time off than he’d had in years, and the experienced, outside insight throughout the process gave him the confidence to make sound decisions at every step.
Whether you’re planning to grow, sell, or both, having someone in your corner whose incentives are aligned with yours changes everything — as Chad discovered firsthand. Waters Business Consulting Group helps Arizona business owners build stronger businesses and navigate exits that actually work in their favor. Schedule a free consultation to talk through your goals.
