How Kelson Carter Built an $11M Plumbing Company Debt-Free

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Kelson Carter built an $11M plumbing company — without ever offering HVAC or taking on debt. And he’s done it while only 35 years old.

As a third-generation plumber and owner of Carter’s My Plumber in Indianapolis, Kelson has taken bold, focused action to grow fast and profitably. In this episode, he shares how he:
• Grew a plumbing-only company to $11M, completely debt-free
• Branded his business around water heaters and a $500 guarantee
• Closes 60% of water heater sales over the phone
• Trains every week and manages his team daily with KPIs
• Promotes future leaders, not just top-performing techs
• Uses specific systems to scale with structure and confidence

If you're a plumbing contractor ready to grow without chaos — this one's for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• The water heater sales strategy that changed Kelson’s business
• Why “guys with bills” are his best hires
• How to create team-wide accountability through leadership
• The value of weekly training and daily coaching
• Why CertainPath has been key to staying consistent while scaling fast

Want More Support Growing Your Business?
When you join CertainPath, you’re not just getting coaching and training. You’re getting access to our Partner Network—120 vendor partners, including solutions like Reins, offering exclusive discounts and rebates on the tools and services you’re already using.
Last year alone, our members earned back over $10 MILLION in rebates.
That’s more cash in your business—and more partners helping you grow, profit, and scale.
Book your free Discovery Call to learn how we can help you level up: https://bit.ly/3TvGiNW or call us at: (214)-453-1591

Chapters
00:00 – Meet Kelson Carter of Carter’s My Plumber
01:52 – From Framing to Plumbing: Kelson’s Career Shift
03:57 – Starting the Business While Still Working Full-Time
05:40 – Hiring His First Employee: A Turning Point
07:40 – Why the Call Center Was Built Before More Techs
09:28 – Call-Taking & Dispatch: Foundations for Growth
10:36 – “Hot Water Today or You Don’t Pay”: The Bold Guarantee
12:42 – Embracing Risk: Marketing That Forces Excellence
14:24 – Accountability Culture: Lessons in Leadership
16:02 – Leadership Mistakes That Shaped the Business
18:44 – Hiring for Culture: Why Personality Beats Experience
21:30 – Why Carter’s My Plumber Stopped Hiring Off Craigslist
23:52 – Pricing With Confidence: “Know Your Worth”
26:01 – Training Techs to Present, Not Push
29:14 – Club Memberships as a Growth Lever
32:33 – TV & Direct Mail: Building a Memorable Brand
35:09 – “Owning Zip Codes” with Consistent Marketing
38:40 – How They Track Marketing ROI & Performance
40:36 – Faith-Driven Leadership: Kelson’s Core Values
43:18 – Staying Mission-Focused During Growth
45:06 – Developing Leaders From Within
47:28 – Systems That Enable Explosive, Sustainable Growth
50:04 – Promoting vs. Hiring: Who Leads the Team?
52:29 – Weekly Core Value Reinforcement
54:18 – Delivering a Consistent Customer Experience
56:41 – Scaling Without Losing Culture
59:22 – Daily Coaching & Call-By-Call Training
01:02:07 – Building a Coaching-First Culture
01:05:16 – Parting Advice: Lead With Integrity

Show Notes
The Successful Contractor Podcast is a part of the CertainPath family. CertainPath builds successful home service businesses—and has for 25 years. We do it by providing contractors with a proven path to success, professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,200+ strong. Doubling your sales, with a 20% net profit, and an inspiring company culture is ALL possible. Let us show you the way. With CertainPath, Success is Made Certain. Visit www.mycertainpath.com for more information.

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