Guest:
Alan O’Neill – CEO, Abacus Plumbing (Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical)
This episode traces how Alan O’Neill went from a plumbing apprenticeship in Dublin to building a $100M+ home services business in the U.S., and why the trades are one of the most underrated wealth-and-impact vehicles in the country. It breaks down the rigor gap between European and U.S. apprenticeship systems, how early leadership opportunities accelerated his career, and why steady, disciplined growth can outperform chaotic “rocket-ship” scaling when you’re building something meant to last. The episode also explains how private equity can become a growth accelerator when used correctly, including what it unlocks when expanding into new trades, why adding HVAC was a turning point, and how “multiple exits” actually work when you roll equity forward instead of relying on earn-outs. It dives into a real definition of success that goes beyond money—changing family trees by turning overlooked apprentices into six-figure tradespeople and future business owners—plus practical leadership lessons on staying calm under stress, handling accountability without destroying relationships, and protecting your family from the emotional volatility of entrepreneurship. Finally, it closes with a direct challenge to the industry: stop only marketing the trades to each other and start going into high schools to show young people what’s possible, because the opportunity gap is massive and the demand is only growing.