From Accountant to Accountable for $10M Growth

In this episode of To The Point, we get to hear an incredible story of resilience and transformation as Chris Yano and Chad Peterman sit down with Tyler Wickstrom, President of Wickstrom Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in Boise, Idaho. Tyler shares how he stepped into ownership at just 27, rebuilt a $1M multi-trade business, and grew it into an $11M organization rooted in purpose, culture, and extreme ownership.

From Loss to Leadership

When Tyler reflects on 2019, he remembers being just 27, three credits shy of his accounting degree, and completely unprepared for what came next. After his mother passed away from breast cancer, he stepped into the family business overnight. With only a handful of technicians and no real management experience, he had to learn the trades, leadership, and business operations all at once.

He dove into best-practice groups, toured top-performing shops, and absorbed every lesson he could. Discovering Extreme Ownership became a defining moment, shaping the way he approached problems, decisions, and accountability. Through persistent learning and unwavering determination, he began rebuilding the company. From tightening sales processes to strengthening culture he ultimately guided Wickstrom from $1M to $11M!

• Tyler’s pivot from accounting student to unexpected business owner
• Taking over a $1M multi-trade shop with a mostly family team
• Fixing sales processes & seeking out best-practice groups
• The challenge of promoting technicians into managers
• When ¾ of the plumbing team left, and why it became a turning point
• Rebuilding with culture, recruiting, and better leadership
• Branding: the major shift Wickstrom made in 2022
• Membership growth and customer retention strategies
• Goals for 2025–2026, including new HVAC install crews and inside sales

Advice for Contractors & What’s Ahead

For contractors trying to break past the $1M–$2M mark, Tyler keeps the focus simple: start with a true sales process, invest in software that captures clean customer data, and never stop recruiting. Growth only happens when the right people are in the right roles, and that requires constant evaluation, hiring, and development.

Looking ahead, Tyler is preparing Wickstrom’s next leap: adding an HVAC install crew, expanding branding efforts, and investing in training programs that will help propel the company toward its goal of $16M and beyond.

Until next time…NO. ZERO. DAYS.