In this power-packed episode of TradesFormation Unlocked, Adrian Fadini sits down with industry heavyweight Tom Howard for a raw, humorous, and insightful deep dive into business growth, leadership, and the often-ignored importance of having an exit strategy. Tom shares his unlikely journey from a 15-year-old truck cleaner to scaling and exiting multimillion-dollar trade businesses.

Now serving as VP of Customer Experience at ServiceTitan, Tom reflects on his entrepreneurial path, detailing the acquisitions and exits that fueled his success. He emphasizes the importance of financial literacy, visionary leadership, and building with intention. This is your ultimate blueprint to future-proofing your trade business.

Listeners will discover how Tom used painful lessons to develop financial acumen, why mindset trumps market conditions, and how investing in your team creates massive value. The duo also covers real-world examples of acquisition wins, price objections, and creating a workplace culture that retains top talent. Above all, Tom delivers a wake-up call for trade business owners to think long-term and build with the end in mind.

🧠 What You'll Learn

• Why every business needs an exit strategy—even if you never plan to leave
• How to build financial literacy without a degree
• The cost of NOT knowing your numbers
• Key mindset shifts to break through growth ceilings
• How to price for value, not just survival
• How Tom turned a -$1M profit business into $6M profit in 16 months
• Why paying your team well is a moral obligation
• The power of transparent incentives and leadership autonomy

💬 Memorable Quotes

"Your life has a 100% mortality rate. You need an exit strategy."

"Not knowing your numbers will cost you more than learning them ever will."

"Stop selling to your customers. Start creating the conditions where they want to buy from you."

"If you can't pay the highest wages in your area, it's not your team's fault—it's yours."

HowardDeals.com — Tom's acquisitions, podcast, and deal platform

How Lifelong Friends Built a $6M Plumbing Powerhouse from Scratch

In this inspiring episode of TradesFormation Unlocked, host Adrian Fadini dives deep with Ren and Chris, the dynamic duo behind Fix n Flow Plumbing. Starting as preschool buddies and eventually becoming business partners, these two have turned trust and grit into a $6 million plumbing empire in just three years.

We explore their story from humble beginnings and shared sacrifice to major wins—including doubling sales performance after just two days of training. The episode is packed with practical advice on building a business, leading with mindset, creating strong partnerships, and developing a culture where team members thrive.

Whether you're a technician dreaming of launching your own venture or a seasoned owner seeking new inspiration, this episode will spark motivation and provide actionable strategies.

🧠 What You'll Learn

The critical role of trust in business partnerships

How clear role division powers growth

Why technical mastery is key to successful sales

The power of investing in team training and culture

How to handle burnout by aligning with your core values

What it really takes to grow a trade business from zero to millions

Insights on mindset, self-belief, and personal sacrifice

“Before TradesFormation’s sales training, our techs were averaging $20K–$25K a week. After just two days with the team, that doubled—$50K weeks became the norm. The impact was immediate.”

— Chris, Fix and Flow

“You can’t sell something you don’t know. Confidence comes from mastery.” — Ren

How Shane Pinner of Tonkin grew a trade business from 7M to 25M+ by merging vision, leadership, and heart

In this compelling episode of TradesFormation Unlocked, Adrian Fadini sits down with Shane Pinner, co-founder of Tonkin, to unpack the incredible journey of merging two legacy trade businesses into a powerhouse of growth and leadership. Shane shares the real story behind Tonkin’s expansion from a local operation into a 25M+ enterprise, revealing the mindset, structure, and shared vision that fueled this transformation. From navigating partnerships to building internal leadership academies, Shane pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to create sustainable growth while staying rooted in community and values.

The critical factors for a successful business partnership

How Tonkin scaled from 7M to 25M in just five years

The value of shared vision and complimenting leadership styles

Why training and leadership development is essential in trades

How Tonkin redefined what a "trade business" can look like

Lessons from failed ventures and how they shaped future wins

The impact of data-driven decision making on profitability

Why you need to treat your business like a living, evolving entity

Trades business growth, partnerships in trades, Shane Pinner, Adrian Fadini, Tonkin Plumbing, leadership in trades, business systems, ServiceTitan, training culture, TradesFormation Unlocked, HVAC growth, trades leadership, profitability in trades