Ep 198 - "From Chaos to Control: A Founder's Comeback"

In this episode of Head, Heart, and Boots, we sit down with Johnny Gabe for a raw and deeply personal conversation about redemption, reinvention, and what real leadership transformation looks like over time. Johnny shares his journey from growing up in a violent environment in Philadelphia, surviving being shot at fourteen, and carrying that trauma into adulthood, to building multiple successful home service companies grounded in culture, accountability, and service.  We unpack the early years of his construction and restoration businesses, the ceiling he kept hitting, and the pivotal decision to launch a 1-Tom Plumber franchise that changed the trajectory of his growth. Johnny opens up about nearly losing his marriage, battling crippling anxiety and panic attacks, and the hard internal work required to become a steadier husband, father, and leader.  The conversation dives into culture meetings, mentorship inside the company, hiring for character over experience, and Johnny’s long-term vision to build a trades-based training pipeline that gives young people a different path forward. This is not just a business growth story. It is a story about confronting your past, doing the work to change, and building something meaningful enough to impact the next generation.  Hope you enjoy.  Chris  Why You Should Listen  [00:05:54] How Johnny broke through the million-dollar ceiling in restoration and what finally changed when he embraced coaching and accountability  [00:08:34] The plumbing catalyst story that exposed a massive opportunity gap and led to launching a One-Tom Plumber franchise  [00:24:22] A raw look at battling severe anxiety, panic attacks, and nearly losing everything before rebuilding from the inside out  [00:31:36] How surviving violence at fourteen shaped his early leadership style and the transformation that followed years later  [00:45:20] Why culture meetings, mentorship, and hiring for character over experience are now the backbone of his company’s explosive growth Did you know...  Only 30% of businesses listed for sale actually find a buyer? Even more striking, just 10% of those sell for the price their owners anticipated or higher, meaning only 3% of all business owners achieve their desired sale price. By focusing on understanding and enhancing your enterprise value, you can significantly boost your chances of joining that successful 3%.  Business Health & Value Assessment  Start Assessment Know Your Enterprise Value. See Your Potential Gaps.  Complete this assessment in less than 15 minutes and receive a free assessment for your business that includes:  A Lite Valuation Of Your Business  Your Value Multiplier Per Your Industry  Health Assessment Per Our PYB Methodology  Business Value & Growth Roadmap Tailored For You  Value Acceleration Strategies  Spotlight on Floodlight: Your Secret Weapon for Sales & Scaling  This isn’t a paid plug. It’s real talk from the front lines. If you’ve ever thought, “How do I get a VP-level sales leader or even a sales team without hiring full-time?” Floodlight has the answer.  Fractional Sales Leadership  They act as your outsourced VP of Sales, taking full responsibility for training, managing, and growing your sales team. No six-figure hire needed.  Clients often close 20 to 50 percent more deals within six months, thanks to data-driven coaching, CRM setup, scripts, and performance reviews.  More at floodlightgrp.com/sales  Commercial Sales MasterCourse A self-paced, video-driven B2B sales course designed specifically for restoration teams. Perfect for building commercial revenue and getting free from TPA handcuffs. ● Covers mindset, prospecting, pipeline building, LinkedIn lead generation, and includes a $250 discount with code SALESBOOST.  Details at floodlightgrp.com/courses  Tailored Consulting & Coaching  Floodlight’s Propel Your Business methodology offers a full-circle roadmap: financials, sales, marketing, leadership, recruiting, productivity. All built for contractors.  These aren’t “life coaches.” They’re former restoration owners who’ve lived the chaos and know how to scale out of it.  Explore more at floodlightgrp.com  Live Training, Tools & Strategic Partnerships  Floodlight also delivers live onsite and virtual training, keynote speaking, and leadership tracks covering operations, project management, and strategic growth.  Bonus: They’ve vetted tools like Xcelerate, Liftify, and Sureti. Floodlight clients get access to exclusive discounts on tech that actually moves the needle.  See all partnerships at floodlightgrp.com/partners  Why it matters for you as a listener  You don’t need to figure this stuff out alone.  If you’re serious about sales growth, operational clarity, exit readiness, or leadership development, Floodlight is already helping folks like you scale smarter.  And you get it from industry insiders. People who’ve sat in your chair, survived the fires, and built systems that actually work.