Blue Collar Ballers

How Ashley Stroud Built a $5M+ Plumbing Business While Raising 5 Kids

What does it take to build a plumbing company from scratch—while raising five kids and running it with your spouse?

In this episode of Blue Collar Ballers, we sit down with Ashley Stroud, co-owner of Plumbing Outfitters, to unpack how she and her husband Warren scaled their family business to 26 employees, 9 service vans, and $6M in projected revenue—all while creating a leadership-driven culture that develops talent from within.

We dive deep into:

✅ How Ashley transitioned from ER nurse to Owner
✅ The moment on a road trip that sparked the business idea
✅ Why leadership development is the true ceiling on growth
✅ How they went from door-knocking to building a referral flywheel
✅ The power of rebranding and building a culture customers can feel
✅ How transparency with P&Ls and pricing turned employees into owners
✅ Lessons on business, marriage, and parenting under pressure

Whether you're a home service entrepreneur, trades business owner, or just curious how real families are building empires from the ground up—this conversation will leave you fired up.

🔗 Watch or listen now and subscribe for more episodes that celebrate the real stories behind America’s blue collar ballers.

Host: Faiez Rana

Guest: Ashley Stroud

How Jacob Vanhorn Built a $50M Roofing Empire with Systems, Service, and Second Chances

In this powerful episode of Blue Collar Ballers, Faiez Rana sits down with Jacob, the CEO and co-owner of Bird Creek Roofing & Construction—a Texas-based roofing company that grew from humble beginnings to over $50 million in annual revenue. But Jacob’s story isn’t just about sales and scaling—it’s about redemption, resilience, and radically ethical leadership.

We explore:

• How Bird Creek grew from $28M to $50M in one year without chasing storms

• Why “the system is the star” is the mantra driving their scalable sales engine

• Jacob’s journey from federal prison to pastor to high-performing sales leader and CEO

• How to build a high-integrity sales culture in a cutthroat industry

• The power of core values (Generous, Optimistic, Driven) and how they shape hiring, firing, and leadership

• A practical blueprint for entrepreneurs doing $1–3M and feeling overwhelmed

• Why drive, not talent, is the difference between average and elite performers

• Real talk on avoiding predatory industry tactics and prioritizing customer trust

Whether you’re building a blue-collar business or leading a sales team, this episode is packed with gritty wisdom, operational insight, and a reminder that your past doesn't define your future—your systems and your values do.

🔨 If you want to learn how to build a blue-collar business with heart, hustle, and high-performance systems, this one’s for you.

Host: Faiez Rana

Guest: Jacob Vanhorn