he trendy desire to build a holdco of businesses is often received with skepticism.

Especially if you haven't yet bought a business.

"Buy your first, prove you can operate, and get back to me in a couple years." — so goes the sentiment.

Which is why today's guest, John Mahony, felt a little reluctant to share his holdco vision.

But I leaned on John to talk about it because 1) there's a mission behind it, and 2) John has bought his first business:

Bailey Heating & Air, a small HVAC business in Greenville, Tennessee.

John Mahony with Bailey Heating & Air team
John Mahony (right) with Bailey Heating & Air techs

Greenville is a town of 20,000 in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, in Appalachia.

Meanwhile, John is from the suburbs of Boston.

So, this is a big change.

‍And not to mention: John lives right next door to Bailey, and rents his house from the previous owners of the business.

So I say this earns John serious SMB cred.

You'll also hear his patience come through. He's not breathlessly trying to buy as many businesses as possible as fast as possible. He's taking his time, and thinking in terms of decades.

So, between his cred & his patience, I see someone capable of realizing his holdco vision.

See if you agree.

Here's John Mahony, owner of Bailey Heating & Air.