September 17, 2024
Episode #202 – Adam McCabe – Built from Hard Work, Resilience, and Offering a Hand Up
“If you put it in the Universe, and you work hard enough, it will come true and it doesn’t matter if you are good in school. If you work hard and you have the vision and the path it can get done.” – Adam McCabe
- In this episode of The Everyday Millionaire Podcast, host Patrick Francey sits poolside with guest Adam McCabe, CEO of The Gravity Group, a plumbing and HVAC company. Adam shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from starting in the trades to leading a rapidly growing business. He discusses how his career began somewhat unexpectedly in plumbing after initially aiming to be a carpenter. After years of gaining experience and managing operations in Western Canada, he decided to return to Ontario to start his own company, driven by a desire to be close to family and take control of his career.
- Adam emphasizes the importance of leadership, vision, and personal growth in both life and business. He explains how his early years were shaped by a need to prove himself after struggling in school, which fueled his drive to succeed. This experience has influenced how he leads his team today, fostering a work environment where growth and opportunity are encouraged.
- Patrick and Adam explore the challenges of scaling a business in a competitive industry, the value of building strong, loyal teams, and Adam’s focus on creating a company culture that emphasizes hard work, loyalty, and personal development. Adam also touches on his goals for expanding The Gravity Group through acquisitions and his vision for the future, which includes helping others in the trades succeed.
- This episode is an insightful look into how grit, vision, and a focus on people can lead to extraordinary business success.
- Show Notes
- [00:42] Patrick introduces his next TEDM guest, Adam McCabe.
- [01:32] Adam and Patrick roll out their conversation at the poolside studio in British Columbia! Adam expands on his bio to share what he’s up to as an entrepreneur in the HVAC space, and where the name of his company The Gravity Group originated!
- [03:04] Moving west to east, Adam digs into his own start, the impetus of his move, and the journey back home to start his own business.
- [08:47] Man with a van and a plan. Armed with knowledge, experience, and a blueprint, Adam had a vision to expand his business in Ontario from one man with a van to the biggest plumbing/heating company in the area within two years. It was a different path than many in his industry, but Adam realized he couldn’t play small and with a lot of hunger and determination he started to make it happen.
- [11:37] Adam’s attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to his hard-working parents, a lot of grit from childhood experiences, observing the time his Mom invested in her own career and his mentors from the Calgary business where it all started.
- [14:15] What sets Adam and his organization apart in the trades industry? Adam explains his intentional leadership, culture building, and setting up his team for success. Cultivating intrapreneurs who are invested in their own growth alongside the company growth.
- [17:19] Unfurling of a vision. Adam describes the initiative that compelled him to create a vision for his business. With a vision that continues to grow, Adam crafts his no more than 1-3 years out.
- [19:07] With the confidence to keep reaching and exceeding his goals, Adam’s Mom started to realize he wasn’t just blowing smoke! Her encouragement underpinned the confidence Adam had built by proving to himself he could do it.
- [20:14] Universal law. His own understanding of how it works wasn’t a calculated study, it was simply Adam’s experience of that truth showing up in his life. He put his vision out there, worked hard, and saw the results. Podcasts and business books reinforced his inner knowing. He didn’t need to know how it worked; he just knew it did!
- [21:32] Constant growth is a must for Adam. Driven by the results he sees; Adam feels assured to keep stretching and elevating his goals. There are always challenges, and once overcome they do make us stronger and more resilient. Adam shares his personal challenges as examples of the fact that resilience is a muscle we can build.
- [25:05] Learning, gaining experience and side hustles!
- [26:18] Believing in the dream. Adam gives his perspective on why he attracts and retains the team he does. It’s an impressive story to be a part of! Fortifying infrastructure and understanding the best fit for his team’s growth are critical elements.
- [30:45] Adam talks about the process of bringing on apprentices, their education, and the path to journeymen. They also have a cool vision for starting an in-house academy to help get them started in the trades.
- [32:45] Intentionally creating culture and building a positive environment within the business is based on core values. Adam shares his top three core values – hard work, loyalty, self improvement. A bonus fourth – accountability. Adam also offers his thoughts on the work ethic of the younger generation
- [37:59] Capacity to care. Building and supporting your team, only builds and supports your business. An exceptional customer experience starts with cultivating an exceptional team.
- [41:58] Growth through acquisition. Adam realized that part of his growth vision could be done through acquiring other businesses. To date it’s been word of mouth, but Adam has a thought process in place to expand to larger scale organizations. His fire gets lit when he’s told he can’t do something!
- [45:47] Patrick shares a story of one his past team members, who was great in sales, and if Patrick pushed those same buttons she too would get lit up! She knew he was doing it but worked hard to prove him wrong anyway.
- [47:10] Adam recognizes the downturn in Ontario’s economy and sees a potential downward trend in 2025 for those in the new home build space. Adam and Gravity haven’t been at the effect of it on the home service side of things as they continue to build their strong brand and exceptional customer service. Their plan is still a growth plan.
- [50:55] When work doesn’t feel like work. It’s life! Adam describes his day as a daily video game, it gets him up in the morning, and he loves it. His end goal is to create an infrastructure that will allow him to teach and mentor others.
- [53:59] Does Adam have aspirations to expand his acquisition endeavours beyond HVAC and plumbing into other types of businesses or keep to what he knows?
- [55:10] Adam defines what hard work looks like to him. He shares his thoughts on how well he recognizes his team for their efforts and shares his own values with his team.
- [58:09] How have Adam’s leadership skills evolved – naturally or pragmatically?
- [59:35] In the space of growth mindset, Adam values 1 to 1 conversations with his team to work with them and help nurture their development and direction. At the end of the day, the individual must want it for themselves. He can lead them to water, but he can’t make them drink. At this point in the game, Adam recognizes the qualities of someone who will do well in their organization.
- [65:08] Patrick shares one of his tricks in his hiring process which Adam uses as well.
- [66:21] Adam imparts a final and important piece that he wants listeners to know about the values of The Gravity Group.
- [68:12] Adam talks about what lights him up and thrive. Seeing other people succeed and being of contribution to help them get there.
- [70:21] Time to roll into the rapid fire! Apple or Android; favourite tune and genre; favourite movie; room-desk-car; car guy or truck guy, Adam’s gratitude, message at the pearly gates.
- Selected links and people mentioned from this episode:
- The Gravity Group
- C Mac Mechanical – Calgary
- Connect with REIN Canada
- REIN Canada
- [email protected]
- REIN Channel
- X
