106 | From Technician to Business Owner & Leader: Billy Gregus’ Journey in HVAC

Welcome back to another episode of freedom blueprint podcast. I'm your host Justin Deese and we are hanging out today with Billy Gregus from integrity down in beautiful, hot central Florida.

How

What's up man? Good. So ⁓ if you're listening to this, you can't see this, but if you're watching this on YouTube, you can see the word together. You're at the studio. Billy came and hung out with us yesterday. We did a shop tour at Paradise and he got to hang out with the team. And then today he was like, let's venture up to the farm and see the studio. So we've been kind of hanging out.

you doing good to be here ⁓

today and once we get done. So this is becoming a little bit of a tradition when people come

to the studio and do recording. We usually end up leaving here and doing lunch at the pig, which is for any of you that don't know that is Piggly Wiggly, which is an old school grocery store. Fun fact, Piggly Wiggly was the very first grocery store where it was self-service, where you went in and picked your own groceries.

I didn't know that. ⁓

You don't hang out at Pigly Wiggly enough. ironically up here by the farm, we have one that was just built a couple years ago. ⁓ most people's response to Pigly Wiggly is like, they still make those. It's a new one and it's really cool and it's awesome. And so that's kind of becoming part of our tradition for anybody that comes here. We we go stuff our faces on that long, amazing buffet line. Cool. ⁓

No, we don't have any where we're I'm excited to experience it.

So tell us a little bit about really kind of your journey. Like how did you even end up in the HVAC business?

I ended up, ⁓ I initially started working with a real good friend of mine. had a, ⁓ he just started an HVAC business and he needed help. So I started doing installs with him and experienced that side of it. And really I was fascinated by how the whole thing worked. The, can you take a box that makes constant cold? You don't have to refill it, et cetera, was kind of my fascination with

And that kind of sparked my interest. And then I went to work for a company called Jividon and I was the maintenance department. And they did not have a maintenance technician that could work on any of the AC equipment or the refrigeration equipment. And I became a lead and one of my goals was to completely learn in and out so we didn't have to hire third party to be able to ⁓ basically I could work on the things

that we have there. So I started doing schooling for years and years, went to train, did online, got my certification. Basically all the steps to be able to fully understand refrigeration and AC. ⁓

are completely two different things in my opinion. Refrigeration is much more advanced. So, started working on it and within a year I was able to eliminate all third-party contractors and I was working on all the refrigeration equipment. So then, obviously I started doing it on the side.

you know, for family, friends. I didn't have my license at the time, so I was like, man, I really want to do this legit way and work towards getting my license and got my license. And just a couple of years later, I ended up branching out. made more sense to start my own business and continue working with the company. But that company was absolutely great. It gave me the foundations and the guidance to where I am today, for sure.

That's awesome. So how old were you when you started in the

trades when you started doing the installs? Okay, alright. So then you were at the then you were the maintenance guy and and you now as a business owner would not like you as a maintenance person.

no

no absolutely now it's like don't worry about it that's my profession I'll take care it ⁓

You're like, don't be fixing everything. Just call me. I'll come fix it. That's the. So and you're right. So refrigeration is a different animal. I would agree with that

from and that's for my vast. Limited limited knowledge, but more and more companies are not doing refrigeration, so there's there's obviously a demand for that and being where you are in central Florida.

expertise

What are the majority of companies that use refrigeration? Like when I think refrigeration, think restaurants. that's, and obviously we're here on the Gulf Coast, so we have a ton of restaurants. But what are some other example of companies that you do refrigeration for?

Yeah, in my area there's not much. It is a specialty skill, I like to say. Either it's too advanced and they don't have the people that can work on it, or they don't like being on call 24-7, having the emergency demands. when refrigeration breaks down, usually it's a freezer's down. Hey, we're going to lose $20,000 products. There's a lot of different conversation than, hey, I'm hot.

Yeah. ⁓

So, and it's very profitable if you do it properly. ⁓ You know,

they want to get their stuff up working. They want you to rush. They want you to get over there as fast as possible. So it's very profitable and not too much competition. ⁓ People don't want to deal with it. For me, it fascinates me because in the beginning, before I actually mastered refrigeration, ⁓ I was doing just HVAC and after a certain amount of time, you only run into so many problems. It's a float switch. It's a capacitor. It's a dirty coil.

So I'm somebody that always likes to be challenged so refrigeration It doesn't matter if you know how to work on a chiller You every single chiller you go to is gonna be different setup. It's gonna be doing a different purpose It's gonna have different components that you need to work on so that's what really ⁓ You know excites me is that there's constantly you have to constantly scratch your head There's never like you just walk up and go it's this

So with that, are you guys running? So I'm assuming you guys run 24-7.

Right

We do when needed, you know, that's also very hard on my technicians So I'm very culture driven

to where Monday through Friday We try we try not to do any after-hours calls after five o'clock Because one things that I didn't want was my guys to get off. They're eating dinner with their family It's seven o'clock and all of sudden they just worked all day But now they have to break off to take care of a customer. I think that's the best way to lose good employees

100 % agree with that. Yes.

And ⁓ so do we do it? Yes, but we are very selective on the customers that we do it for And it's really just geared towards I don't want to beat my guys up.

I have a great crew of a great team and I would I would I would rather

and I would rather

them be in a better mental state than to just be there for the customers as fast as possible. So it can usually always wait. We do work arounds, but it's mainly to make sure my guys are being taken care of. I can remember, and this has been probably.

them be in a better mental state than to just be there for the customers as fast as possible. So he can usually always wait and we do work arounds, but it's mainly to make sure my guys are being taken care of.

10, maybe 12 years ago, maybe even 15

years ago. Being in meetings slash conferences and people talking about 24-7. And I remember saying, we don't do 24-7. And people were like, you can't be in the plumbing industry and not do 24-7.

I'm like, if I'm not going to go out at two o'clock in the morning, there's no way I'm going to ask somebody else to do it. And quite frankly, I don't think a customer, I don't think you're going to bond that customer that long. Now I know there's people that are listening to this. They're going to be like, you're an idiot. You have no idea what you're talking about. That's fine. This is my journey and my story. Culture has always been important. And the same is what you just said. Like I always think about.

And I, and I interview people that have, ⁓ that worked for those big companies that do 24 seven and it, and it's weird because you're like, I ran a call till four and then I got to call it seven in the morning. Like, how can you mentally be prepared to handle that? I, I don't know. We we've never done it. ⁓ and it, and it's for just that reason that I'm not doing it. So from a leadership standpoint, it's hard to say you go do this, you know, do as I say, not as I do kind of thing. ⁓

Yeah. From a leadership standpoint, it's hard to say, you go do this, do as I say, not as I do kind of thing.

Yeah, and that's how I guide a lot of my decisions is I sit back and go, would I want to do that? Like for instance, I rotate calls with my guys because I want to show them that I'm there for them. I'm not asking them to do anything that I'm not willing to do. In the trenches leadership, I like it.

But yeah. ⁓

Yep. In the trenches leadership. I like it. Like,

come on, let's go get, let's go get in trenches. Let's go, let's go dig a hole. Yeah.

Absolutely, we're

all family friends and we keep a good bond and they have a healthy family life, which is very important to me. Because again, as I'm growing older, that's important to me to spend time with the family. It used to be working 78 hours a week, but that journey's coming to an end and I value.

Good.

my guys having mental clarity, family time, because then that helps them produce at 100 % when they are at work.

Well, that's, you hear the conversations all the time about no good people, nobody wants to work, you know, the story that we let ourselves believe.

I truly think that it's not that as much as the generation now. They just have more options now.

So now I think the difference is they have way more options than we did the generations before. So if they don't like something, they can get on DoorDash. They can get on Uber Eats. They can be an Uber driver. ⁓ We have this whole gig economy that was not a thing. 10 years ago, that wasn't even a thing. So that's definitely part of what you're competing with now when you're having good people on the team is there is the balance where it used to be when you worked for a company, that's where you worked. And when you were told to do something, you just

did it. Like that's just that's kind of the generation before that's if you didn't like it you might start looking for another job but you certainly did not leave that job until you had another job. I think the gig economy has kind of changed that because now they're like you know what I'm out and by the time they hit the parking lot they're already on some app and they've got some some gig lined up.

⁓

The grass is always greener on the other side kind of thing. True.

Yeah, I mean, a good friend of mine, we were talking about this, this topic the other day and he said, or you just water your own grass and then look at the, look at how it grows.

what, tell me a little bit about the service area that you guys have. know you're, you're kind of in between Tampa and Orlando, right? So, ⁓ do you, do you service either of those or you just kind of have a pocket in the middle?

We're trying to, ⁓ I don't like going to Orlando. We don't like going all the way to Tampa. There's plenty of competition out there that ⁓ we're not needed. We're really trying to be a local community, make an effect. We stay within our county, I like to say. And we have plenty of business there. So the way I look at it again, why am gonna beat my guys up and drive an hour and a half? ⁓

Yeah.

good okay

We serve our customers, we serve in our county, and we really, we do it for select few customers. Like we have a dermatology office that has 13 locations, and some are in Sebring, some are further away, two hours away. ⁓ But besides that, we will not, usually it's just Polk County, which is the county that we live in. And then mainly the city that we're in, which is Winter Haven. We love Winter Haven. ⁓

We try to do as much as we can in Winter Haven and stay in that area. ⁓ But we will travel around the county.

Well, there's something to be said for just focus and dominating your market. Right? Just dominate your backyard before you move into the next

into the next backyard. Own the zip code before you start to own the very next zip code. So I think that's a that's a good strategy. When did you kick off integrity?

Right.

make the leap. ⁓

So, and I kind of did it safely, you know. I had those two year buffer where I could, you know, save and market and wait till I got enough customers to do the jump. But I did the jump and yeah, it's been a journey, you know. ⁓ A lot of work, a lot of overtime.

But I'm getting to the stage now where I'm leading and I have a great team around me. I can start backing off a little bit. You know, and it feels nice,

you know, starting to get the freedom side of it, spending time with the family. The things that I start to understand what success is, is spending time with family. It's not hitting a certain ⁓ amount of revenue or hitting a certain percentage. So I'm at a good point in my life, but I am always that type that wants to push it and push the limits.

That's the entrepreneur man, that just doesn't go away. People are like, when's enough enough? You're like, I'll let you know. We're just not there yet.

Right I'll embrace it

So I will say if any of your team listens to this podcast, I

will say you over the last two days that we've spent together, you have talked so highly of your team and the culture and the things they do. So for anybody on the team, if they're listening, just know he's he's he's saying such good things about about you guys as a team.

And they know it I tell them I show my appreciation and True true ⁓

But now you're saying it when they're not looking and you weren't you weren't expecting me to say it either. So now they're getting it even though you say it now they're like, OK, wait a minute. He's not

here and still has good things to say about us. So yeah, it's man. It is a different world when you're working around a team of people that you like.

I know for us at Paradise, that's been a big journey for us was our culture was so important from the very, very beginning. And even now, we have such an amazing culture, such great team. it just makes it way more fun. Yeah, not? When I was younger, do the hit snooze five times. Is it Friday yet? Yeah. yeah. And I try to make it as fun as possible. At the end of the day, we work hard.

That's been a big journey for us. Our culture was so important from the very, very beginning. And even now, we have such an amazing culture, such great team. And it just makes it way more fun. Yeah, why not? When I was younger, I'd do the hit snooze five times. Is it Friday yet? Kind of saying. And I try to make it as fun as possible. At the end of day, we work hard.

to be able to make money for the business, we've got to pay bills, ⁓ but it doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's companies, it doesn't mean that we can't have a bond, doesn't, all those things make it better in my opinion, to where you're going into work. Time passes by so quick when I'm at work and it's because I enjoy what I do and I work with people that I truly love.

Right.

When and think about going to a to a business, especially one that you own and you're like, ⁓ I got to go in there today. And I know for some people listening, they're like, there's days that's me. I'm telling you, you are the leader of that organization. You are the leader of that culture. If that is how you feel, imagine how your team feels, man, that is not good. So fix that, fix that.

So what are some plans for the future? And I'm not talking big stuff, but are you planning to grow into other markets? Are you planning to, ⁓ yeah, what does that look like?

You know, the older I get, the more I look at success as, like I said, with family, spending time with family, enjoying the company, the people that I work for, making sure that they're, you know, ⁓ have a good life.

and that's really what i've really tapped into and and finding interesting and ⁓ you know my main goal isn't revenue isn't i want my company this size it's having a good time making money with people taking care of customers you know at the end of the day taking care of customers making money is just a byproduct so i'm never looking for money i'm looking for ways to be able to serve our customers and ⁓ to give to give my guys ⁓ a good option to come to work to where they don't

100 %

have to the snooze button and ⁓ you know long term it changes on a yearly basis you know I noticed when I look back a year ago I had I had a little bit different goals so you know mentioned already planning is not my strong my strong point although I'm gonna fix that ⁓ you know I really ⁓ I really like the direction we're going now I want to continue this pace and see how it evolves you know we're we're the best HVAC refrigeration business in our area

Yeah.

So that that's absolutely ⁓ a great accomplishment. Team culture strong. We just got some new wrap vehicles to serve our customers better. We just got some good accounts that are solid that we can depend on so I can continue growing the business. ⁓ But efficiency, ⁓ know, ⁓ and just building a team that knows that we're accomplishing great things every single day. Right now, that's my goal.

I would probably say don't work so hard. You know I had in my mind I'm a man so I should be working 80 hours. That's taking care of you know the family.

Right.

And I was working a lot. I was getting a lot done. But I missed some moments with my daughter, you know, while she was growing up. She's she's 13. And I would say enjoy the moments because we now have Sebastian. He's two and a half years old. I understand those moments and how important they are. And I'm

recognizing them. And although I could be doing something, you know, at seven o'clock, eight o'clock, I could be working, I could be sending emails. I'm really indulging and taking in the moment. And that's what I would tell myself is

success doesn't mean that you're away from your family. You're making money. That means that you're taking care of your family. No, being with your family is taking care of your family.

Right.

No, I think that's a, I think that's a great, ⁓ I think that's a great piece of advice. And I, and I know, and I've talked about this on the podcast too, but when, my kids were small and they're, they're about 18 months apart, so they were, know, 18 months apart. they're, they're very close in age and they're very close, ⁓ together, but there was a lot, the first probably five years of their life where I missed a lot of stuff, man. And, ⁓ and it was, and it's easy to tell yourself like, I'm, I'm missing it.

I'm doing the right thing

because of the family. I'm here, right, I'm doing it to support them, or I'm doing it to, and as I think back on it now, I regret missing the memories. I couldn't even tell you what thing I had to do, because I'm sure it was a fire that I probably could have prevented from starting in the first place. But no, think that's

a really good piece of advice. What, um.

⁓

book. Let's talk book. ⁓ What's a book that you would tell yourself to read or a book that you've read recently? ⁓

Dan Martell, Buy Back Your Time. That is a great book and it really highlights, you know, possibly making adjustments to where, okay, you want to mow your yard. That's fine, right?

How much time is that taken from you and what does that break down to hourly and are you okay with paying yourself that if that's the case? know, especially with the busy hectic life, ⁓ want to spend time with family, the business is still busy and we have to take care of customers so I still have to put in time in that. But just understanding... ⁓

you know finding strategic ways to recognize that i don't have to do it to save a little bit of money you know well if i do it myself then i'll save one hundred dollars a month well how about you take that time and do what you're actually good at and make a thousand dollars and ⁓ that that really open my eyes to some of the possibilities it absolutely probably one of my top five books dan martell buy back your time i really enjoy that book

So in the last

⁓ probably four to six weeks,

Have

I think I have been recommended that book 10 times. I have not. I have not. So what's interesting is I've been, I've been all about books for so many years.

you read it? You have to read it.

Like my audibles just covered up in books that I've read and I love books, but I have spent a lot of time on podcasts in the last probably 12 months just because it's that shorter type, but I'm going to put that in my list today. So no, I'm an audit.

Are you really? I'm not, man. can't, ⁓ I try. So like even in here, if you notice I'm, ⁓ well, you can see it. No one else can see it, but right outside the studio, I'm a treadmill and I have a monitor there and that's using earbuds and I'm either listening to a podcast, listening to a book where I'm, and I'm taking notes while I'm on the treadmill. So,

But no, I'm going definitely have to, because it has been recommended over and over again.

Yeah, that's a great book and I'm a reader because I've got ADHD and that helps me focus and it really puts me in a meditative state I've realized. I've tried the audiobook but my mind wanders while I'm listening

to it and all of sudden I went through a whole chapter and I couldn't tell you one word that they said. My is like that.

What was that one thing? see, okay, so I, and I feel like I can't read the book because I can't focus on it.

I'm like, but, but my wife can read a book, but not listen to audible. So there you go.

⁓ Yeah, so as we kind of wrap up here, what are some tidbits that you would like to leave the listeners with?

Um, well, if I was, uh, to give anything, you know, it's again, I'm, I'm on a journey where spending time with family culture is important to me. I'm enjoying the process. Be present. That's a great, um, you know, a great tip for the longest. Um, you know, you always thinking about what are you going to do or what do need to do? Or I wish I didn't make this mistake. I wish shouldn't they make that one. And you never stop in the present and think, enjoy the things that you have, because if you're always looking in the future, you're always looking the past, you're never enjoying the present.

Time goes really fast when you do that. And I wish it didn't take me as long to kind of recognize that. So I'm having a blast. I get to hang out with cool people like you. You gave me your blessing to come and check you out and I'm so glad you did. I met your team. Great, great bunch of people. Got some great ideas, tips. I'm sure we'll communicate more in the future.

Yeah, and it's just a great experience. So be present is a really good tidbit. And for contractors, I mean, guess it depends on what your goal is. Mine right now is quality, efficiency, culture, systems processes, motivation, leadership. I'm becoming a really good leader.

You know, I'm navigating from the technical side to the leadership side. And I'm loving it, you know, ⁓ because I'm changing people's lives that way. So that might be the, that might be my new passion driving forward is I really enjoy helping people. like helping customers, ⁓ but just in a really good, point in my life.

Good. That's awesome, man. Well, appreciate you coming and hanging out, not only checking out Paradise yesterday, but hanging out at the farm where we had

chickens at one point that were going crazy in the background.

We I didn't hear any in during the recording of this but earlier today we were hanging out they were all over the place so so many chickens. Well cool man appreciate it hanging out we're about to go hit the pig and for everybody listening thanks for coming and hanging out

see you guys