In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Rand Larson, owner of Scale Path, to talk about the real reason so many operators struggle after closing their first deal: they’re doing it alone.

Rand shares the origin story of Scale Path—starting as an informal peer group called Trench Therapy—and how one conversation with an overwhelmed HVAC owner (who was staring down a brutal first year post-acquisition) revealed the biggest missing piece for new leaders: a room of other owners who actually get it.

They dig into what peer groups do best (practical, P&L-impacting advice) and what they’re secretly built for (that final 10%: the mental load, the isolation, and the pressure that comes with personal guarantees and leadership). Rand also breaks down the behind-the-scenes realities of building a community business: why some groups fail, why “industry fit” matters more than people think, and how trust becomes the true bottleneck as you scale.

The conversation goes deep on Scale Path’s acquisition (Rand “tucking” his community into a stronger brand), what makes community businesses hard to buy and sell, and the key safeguards to avoid member churn when the face of a network changes. Plus: why the second, third, and fourth acquisition often come easier than the first—and how to position yourself so brokers take you seriously faster.

If you’re navigating your first acquisition, running a home service business, or building a leadership network you can lean on—this episode will hit home.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why new operators feel stuck after closing—and what actually fixes it
• The “90/10” rule of peer groups: P&L execution vs. therapy and pressure relief
• Why most peer groups fail when they mix business models (and how to structure them correctly)
• What makes community businesses risky acquisitions—and how to protect retention

💼 Special Thanks to First Internet Bank!

Looking to buy or expand a business? First Internet Bank is a National Preferred SBA lender specializing in acquisitions for the skilled trades. Their SBA loan program offers up to 90% financing for business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate—plus optional lines of credit to fuel future growth. Unlike traditional lenders, they take a “how can we” approach, making deals happen for both first-time buyers and experienced operators.

👉 Special Offer: Mention Owned and Operated for a reduced good faith deposit and a complimentary deal review + buyside prequalification.

Connect with Alan Peterson from First Internet Bank HERE

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr – https://www.x.com/thehvacjack
Rand Larson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rand-larsen/

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


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📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Micah Stanley, founder of a rapidly scaling nightlife vending business that went from one college-bar machine to 100+ machines across multiple states in under two years.

What started as a failed brick-and-mortar vape shop turned into a highly profitable, asset-light business model built around placing high-margin vending machines in bars, nightclubs, and casinos. Micah breaks down how he spotted the opportunity almost by accident, why nightlife vending works when traditional vending doesn’t, and how he navigated regulation, compliance, and logistics across three states.

You’ll hear how Micah scaled from refilling machines himself to running partner-operated routes, why trust is the real bottleneck in this business, and how location quality matters more than almost anything else. They also dive deep into ID scanners, state laws, excise taxes, hardware mistakes, sourcing machines, and why most people overcomplicate getting started.

If you’re interested in unconventional cash-flow businesses, location-based models, or scaling without employees, this episode is a must-listen.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why nightlife vending is far more passive than traditional snack vending
• How Micah scaled from 1 machine to 100+ across 3 states
• The real reason most people don’t start vape vending (and why it’s usually wrong)
• How to legally sell age-restricted products using ID scanners
• Why location > machine > product in vending economics
• The biggest hardware mistakes first-time operators make

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement HERE

💼 Big Reputation — Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.

👉 Book your demo

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr - https://www.x.com/thehvacjack

Micah Stanley -
IG: Micah.stanley

youtube.com/@micahstanleyvending

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

In this episode of JackQuisitions, Jack sits down with Ian Smith, partner at South River Capital, to break down what it actually looks like to scale through acquisitions in home services—when the “platform” you thought you bought turns out to be pen, paper, and magnets on a board.

Ian shares how his partners bought Terraform Landscaping in 2021 (~$2M revenue), then turned around and acquired an equal-sized landscaping company (Robins Landscaping)—only to learn the hard way that the owner was doing far more than anyone realized. You’ll hear what they expected going into the deal, what surprised them immediately, and how they discovered they didn’t buy the platform… they had to build it.

They walk through how they approached branding and integration (why Robins became Terraform), how modernizing tools and systems can be way harder than it looks, and why “smashing companies together” breaks culture, comp, contracts, and operations faster than most buyers expect.

Then the story escalates: two acquisitions in six months, going from roughly $2.5M to ~$7M in about a year—plus a third deal, Miller Irrigation, that introduced a totally different business model (high-volume, low-ticket service work). Ian explains why irrigation acquisitions may be the real growth lever going into 2026, how they kept Miller as a separate outward-facing brand, and the painful lessons they learned around AR, invoicing lag, overhead, and operational complexity.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone buying in home services—especially if you’re considering partnerships, roll-ups, or “platform” strategies that look clean on paper but get messy fast.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why the owner always does more than you think (and how that changes integration plans)
• What “building the platform” really means when systems aren’t actually scalable
• How they handled branding + consolidation (why Robins became Terraform)
• Why the second deal wasn’t a tuck-in—it was an equal-sized acquisition

💼 Big Reputation — Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.

👉 Book your demo

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $1,000 off your first placement here

🔗 Connect

Jack Carr — https://www.x.com/thehvacjack

Send us a text

Jackquisitions Newsletter — Your favorite source for how to buy small businesses. Real insights, smart strategies, zero gurus.

🖊️ Sign up HERE for more insights


📢 Enjoyed the episode?
✅ Like, Comment & Subscribe for weekly insights on business acquisitions, deal flow, marketing, and growth strategies!

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.