Blue-Collar Business Owners: Entrepreneurship in HVAC, Plumbing & Skilled Trades

You know the trade. But what does it take to own, grow, or sell the business?

Technical skills are only the beginning. Finding customers, pricing profitably, hiring the right people, and building a company that can thrive without you bring a whole new set of challenges.

Join Professor Cathy Trinh and three experienced business owners for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about buying, building, growing, and selling skilled trades businesses.

Featured speakers:

Rich Ashton: Bought a struggling HVAC company without HVAC experience, grew Tom's Mechanical, Inc. to more than $10 million in annual revenue, and developed leaders who could run daily operations without him.

Todd Cleveland: Spent more than 20 years building Mansfield Plumbing, Electric, Heating & Air before selling the business in 2026. He’ll share his perspective on growth and preparing for an exit.

Eric Johnson: Took ownership of Signature Auto Service in 2021. He’ll share his experience earning customer trust and repeat business in a competitive market.

What You'll Discover

Making the Leap into Ownership: What it takes to start or buy a business—and move from doing the work to leading the company.

The Money Side: Lessons in finding customers, setting prices, managing cash flow, and building a profitable business.

The Challenges Nobody Talks About: Costly mistakes, unexpected setbacks, and lessons learned the hard way.

Growing Beyond Yourself: How to hire employees, develop leaders, and build a business that depends less on you.

Preparing for an Exit: How to prepare your business for sale, attract buyers, and protect the value you’ve built.

Hosted by Professor Cathy Trinh, EMBA

An award-winning Tarrant County College professor and business advisor who has worked with more than 350 businesses.

Who Should Attend?

A student wondering how to turn your interests and skills into a career—or your first business.

A skilled trades professional ready to become your own boss but unsure how to make the leap into business ownership.

An existing business owner working hard but struggling to grow, expand, or build a team that can run without you.

A business owner planning to sell and wondering how to prepare your business, attract buyers, and protect the value you’ve built.

Bring your questions! Ask the speakers about starting, growing, or selling a business.

Event Details

Wednesday, November 18, 2026
12:00–1:30 PM Central Time
Live Online via Microsoft Teams

FREE | Open to Students and the Community