The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the HVAC Business!

Are you looking to get into the HVAC business? Nth Zone Master Guide Kelley McKay has over 25 years of experience in HVAC, and has owned his own business for 13 years. Kelley shares the highs and lows of owning an HVAC business. What’s good about it, what’s bad about it, and what are some of the ugly truths that nobody wants to talk about. 

THE GOOD

The Challenges Will Make You a Great Business Owner and Better Person

It may sound contradictory, but the very things that make HVAC challenging are what make it great! The HVAC business is complex with many working parts. If you stick it out and rise to those challenges, you will become a better business person who knows how to be more profitable and more efficient. Once you expand your business and add employees to your team, you will learn a lot about managing and leading others. When you better yourself, you better your company. 

You Can Build the Business You’ve Always Wanted to Work For

As an HVAC business owner, you can help your employees develop their skills and abilities. You can take great pride in knowing that you helped someone get a start in the industry or further progress in their career.

Owning a Business Helps You Continuously Grow and Pursue Your Greater Purpose

Owning a business is challenging, and when we are challenged, we grow as individuals. Without that adversity, we can’t grow and progress to our full potential. 

“Before owning the business, I was pretty comfortable and that comfort is the enemy of becoming something great,” says Kelley. 

However, by pushing past his comfort zone, Kelley was able to start his own HVAC business and explore what really fulfills him. 

THE BAD

The Fear and Stress of Failure Can Consume You

Even if you’ve worked in the HVAC industry for years, you will encounter many unknowns and unprecedented levels of stress when you start your own HVAC business. If you ever had a client standing over your shoulder watching you work in your early years when you were less confident in your diagnostic abilities, take that feeling and magnify it by ten. That’s the kind of pressure you will feel as an HVAC business owner. There will always be a little thought in your head surrounding the possibility of failure. However, remember that without extreme pressure, there can be no diamond!

THE UGLY

Being a Leader Can Cause Heartache

The ugliest part of owning your own HVAC business is learning how to manage people and be a leader. You can read many books on the topic, and you should, but there are still many things you will need to experience and figure out on your own. The people you employ will be the number one stressor of your business. It will cause you heartache. That’s because emotions make management and leadership tough. You will make mistakes, say the wrong thing, and make bad calls. There will be times when you let your emotions run your mouth. But you have to go through those experiences to grow and get better. 

To Succeed, You Will Need Work Harder Than Ever Before

The ugly truth is that the odds are stacked against you. Up to 70% of HVAC businesses fail in the first year. Only 10% make it past year 10. In order to succeed, you are going to have to work harder than ever before for the first 3-5 years of your business. And don’t be afraid to get mentoring, take courses, read books or hire a coach. Pay someone for their expertise so you will actually pay attention. 


That’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of owning your own HVAC business. If you are interested in getting support from Kelley and the Nth Zone HVAC team, give us a call at 919-568-5285 or reach out via our contact form today!