Running an HVAC Business With Your Spouse and Family - Amber DeLong

Taking an HVAC company from a one-man operation to a million-dollar business comes with plenty of lessons along the way. From hiring the right people to understanding job costs and improving daily operations, every decision becomes more important as the company expands.In this episode of Profit & Grit, I sit down with Amber DeLong, co-owner of DeLong & Sons HVAC, to discuss how she and her husband, Justin, built their family-run company from a single truck in 2021 to 11 employees and $1.8 million in annual revenue.Amber shares the challenges they've faced with hiring, managing a family business, and finding the right marketing partners. We discuss how business coaching helped her better understand job costing, labor rates, profitability, and the financial metrics that matter most when running an HVAC company.We also explore how she's using AI to build custom tools for purchase orders, job costing, and performance tracking, along with her approach to improving technician efficiency, measuring KPIs, and preparing the business for its next stage of growth.What You Will Learn in This EpisodeHow Amber and her husband grew DeLong & Sons HVAC from one truck to 11 employees and $1.8 million in annual revenueWhy a difficult hiring experience changed their approach to bringing new employees into the businessHow they're planning to expand their service department and eventually move Justin out of the field and into a larger operational roleWhat Amber learned from business coaching about understanding labor rates, job costing, net profit, and financial performanceWhy their first two marketing agencies didn't work out and how finding a marketing partner that understands HVAC helped improve lead qualityHow tracking marketing spending, Google Local Services Ads, and qualified leads helps Amber evaluate her marketing investmentWhat it takes to manage a family-run HVAC company while balancing responsibilities, leadership decisions, and personal relationshipsHow Amber uses AI to build custom purchase order systems, job costing tools, and reporting dashboards without a software development backgroundWhy tracking technician time, estimate close rates, average ticket size, and operational compliance helps identify inefficienciesHow turning recurring operational problems into measurable KPIs can improve accountability and support smarter decisions as the business growsMore From Profit & GritBook your complimentary Financial Insight Session with Tyler Martin, fractional CFO for home services and the trades, here:http://profitandgrit.comLearn more at profitandgrit.comFollow the show for weekly interviews with HVAC, plumbing, and home service owners and experts who share what it really takes to grow, scale, and profit in the trades.If you listen to any of the following shows, we’re sure you’ll love ours too! To The Point Home Services Podcast, Toolbox for the Trades, Masters of Home Service, Home Service Business Coach With David Moerman, BlueCollar.CEO, The Home Service Expert Podcast, Next Level Pros, Blue Collar Business Podcast, Home Service Millionaire with Mike Andes, The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber, and Blue Collar Success Group.🎙️ Profit & Grit by Tyler Martin Real stories. Real strategy. Real results for service-based business owners.🔗 Website: ProfitAndGrit.com 📍 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thinktyler 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @profitandgritTyler Martin, a fractional CFO for home services and the trades 📅 Want to grow your business with smarter financial strategy? Book a free intro meeting