“The installers didn’t care about any of those things. They cut corners, did poor work, and focused more on getting through the day.
I couldn’t tolerate it. I promised customers great outcomes, and the installers were carelessly installing units upside down and doing other things that ruined this equipment’s ability to deliver comfort and made me look like a liar.
“In 2001, I got so fed up that I decided to start my own company. I had no money. I had no idea what I was doing. But I started running service calls, earned my Master’s card for the State of Virginia, and focused on knocking on doors to sell my services.
“Behind everything I do, I hold myself and those who eventually work for me to the highest standard of integrity and character, and I am always doing the right thing.”
Hitting the Wall
In his second year of business (2002), Chuck’s company achieved more than $800,000 in sales with a team of four or five people.
Thirteen years later, he says he built that company into a $2.1 million HVAC firm with his wife, who had an MBA and was brilliant at managing the books and the business side. Chuck managed the sales and installation side.
Unfortunately, that didn’t last. Chuck and his wife split up, and the divorce took four painful years. On top of this, Chuck lost his company due to a bad business decision. He had to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, leaving him $500,000 in debt in 2014.
“This rocked my world. It sucked so badly. I wound up selling scrap metal for $100 per week just to feed myself. I did go to work for several HVAC companies as a salesperson but could not make enough to pay off my colossal debt,” Worley continues.
Meanwhile, his son, Chase, who was attending college in New Jersey, saw how badly his father suffered and suggested Chuck open a new HVAC company.
“That sounded awful,” he says. “I couldn’t bring myself to start worrying about payroll, taxes, and all the responsibilities. Chase said that he’d take care of all that stuff.”
Worley’s Home Services is Born
And he does. Chase transfers to Christopher Newport University, carrying 18 to 21 credits per semester. Meanwhile, Chuck bought a 10-year-old encapsulation (insulation) company with a gross annual income of around $300,000. He fired the three existing employees within two months because they weren’t up to his integrity standard and hired a few people who did.
He explains, “It’s very humid in Virginia, so encapsulations are popular. People want us to insulate the sidewalls under the floor and tighten crawl spaces.”
By 2017, Worley’s Home Services is a $1.1 million company.
“My son ran the entire office while taking 18 to 21 college credits per semester. He is a monster at operations and finances – things I suck at.
“Meanwhile, I am selling like crazy. And we should finish up 2024 at between $13 and $14 million. Chase is 29 years old and runs a $14 million company!”
Chuck explains that in the first five years he used to run five to 10 calls a day. That included every sales call and every happy check after each installation. He inspected every job, took pictures, then sent the information back to Chase. Chuck sent his team back to fix anything that was not up to snuff.
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