Today we’d like to introduce you to Marlon Simpson.
Hi Marlon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A One HVAC is a second-generation family business born out of necessity and vision.
My father, Leerie, was working for an HVAC company when the Great Recession hit in 2008 and 2009. The company went under. They owed him wages and income he’d earned, money the company simply couldn’t pay back. At 60 years old, when most people are thinking about retirement, he faced a choice. He could try to find work at another company. Or he could take a risk.
He negotiated to acquire the company’s phone number and its existing customer base in exchange for the wages he was owed. That was the birth of A One in 2010. He started with a phone line, a list of customers, and the reputation he’d built. Nothing else. He put everything he had into it to support our family and build something that would last.
That’s the foundation I inherited. It’s not just a business. It’s a story about resilience and choosing to build something of your own rather than waiting for someone else to hire you.
When I took over, the business was solid but operator-dependent. My father was the sales anchor, the technical decision-maker, and the face of the company all at once. It worked while he was driving, but it had a ceiling. I realized early on that if I wanted to grow beyond what one person could manage, I needed to systemize everything.
So for the last few years, I’ve been deliberately rebuilding the company from the inside out. I’ve documented every process. Service standards. How we price jobs. How we close estimates. How we onboard technicians. How we follow up with customers. I’ve brought my father more fully into strategy and mentoring instead of being the daily bottleneck. I’ve invested in better tools and system. We use Housecall Pro for dispatch and job management, QuickBooks for financial clarity, and we’re automating a lot of the backend work using AI that used to eat up our time.
The goal isn’t just to run a bigger HVAC company. It’s to build a company that doesn’t depend on my father or me being in every meeting, every estimate, and every decision. That means it’s worth more, it’s less stressful to run, better for the customers, and eventually, it’s saleable.
We’re an Authorized Trane dealer, and we’re intentional about the brands we represent and the quality we commit to. Bowie and the surrounding counties, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Howard, Charles, these are our markets. We know them. We’ve built relationships in them. And we’re growing thoughtfully in them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it hasn’t been smooth. One of the most difficult parts of running a business is the dynamic of a father and son, but also a co-worker relationship. Those lines get blurred and blended, and it can create a lot of friction. Early on, we didn’t have that clarity. We’d have conversations where it wasn’t clear if we were talking as father and son or as business partners. If you aren’t bought into the same vision, if you don’t have clear roles and responsibilities, if you don’t have structure, it creates real problems. We had some of those growing pains. But we worked through those initial and early problems that most fathers and sons would, and now we have a clear understanding of where we’re going, who we are, and how we want to get there.
The pandemic was a defining moment for us because that’s when things shifted. Leerie was less in the field, and I took over more of the sales responsibilities and being the face of the company. It wasn’t planned that way. It just happened because of the circumstances. But it turned out to be the best decision for us. Leerie was getting older but still had so much value he could bring, so instead of trying to keep him in the field, we transitioned him to the office side where he could focus on strategy and mentoring. And I moved more into lead sales and operations. It was something we had to adjust to, but looking back, it’s benefited us in the long run.
I also learned that you can’t just throw systems at people and expect them to stick. Early on, I tried to implement too many processes at once. I created documentation, I changed how we quoted jobs, I added new follow-up requirements. My team pushed back, and rightfully so. They felt like I was making their job harder without explaining why. I had to step back and realize that systems only work if people understand the purpose behind them and feel heard in the process. That’s been a bigger lesson than any operational fix.
The hardest struggle has been the owner dependency trap. My father built the company on his reputation and his relationships. Customers asked for him by name. When I started taking over more of the sales and estimating, some customers were resistant. They wanted Leerie, not me. I had to earn that trust myself, and that took time and consistency. It still does.
We’ve also struggled with technician turnover and finding people who fit our standards. In HVAC, good technicians are hard to find. You can train someone on the technical side, but you can’t train attitude or work ethic. We’ve had people who were technically skilled but didn’t care about customer communication or documentation. We’ve had people who were great with customers but cut corners on the install. Finding the right fit is ongoing.
The regulatory environment has been a challenge too. Maryland is moving fast on efficiency standards and the heat pump mandate coming in 2029. We had to invest in training and certification ahead of that curve, and it costs money upfront. But if we don’t, we’ll be behind when the market shifts. That’s a calculated bet, and it’s stressful.
Cash flow has been tight at times. When you’re growing and trying to improve quality at the same time, you’re paying for training, you’re investing in tools and systems, and you’re sometimes turning away jobs that don’t fit our standards. That hits the bottom line in the short term. My father had to trust that the long-term play was worth the short-term pain.
The biggest struggle overall has been the mindset shift from running a job-to-job business to building a scalable, systems-driven company. It’s not intuitive. It feels slower at first. You’re documenting processes instead of just doing the work. You’re training people instead of doing the job yourself. You’re saying no to certain customers or certain types of work. All of that feels like you’re losing momentum when you’re actually building foundation.
We’re still working through a lot of this. But I’m more confident now that the direction is right, and that Leerie sees the long-term vision too.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A One HVAC is a residential heating, air conditioning, and plumbing company serving Bowie and the surrounding Maryland counties. Prince George’s, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and the DC suburbs are our core markets. We’ve been around since 2010, and we’ve built our reputation on one simple principle: do the work right, communicate clearly, and treat people’s homes with respect.
We specialize in HVAC replacements, service and repair, maintenance agreements, and plumbing work. But the way we approach it is different from a lot of competitors. We’re an Authorized Trane dealer, and we sell Trane equipment exclusively for replacements. That’s a deliberate choice. We’re not chasing every brand at the lowest price. We believe in quality equipment, and we stand behind what we install. Our customers know that when we recommend a Trane system, it’s because we believe it’s the right fit for their home, not because we’re trying to maximize our margin on a cheaper unit.
What sets us apart is our focus on maintenance agreements and recurring revenue. Most HVAC companies treat maintenance plans like an afterthought. We treat them like a core business. A maintenance agreement isn’t just about cleaning the filter twice a year. It’s about building a relationship where we’re checking on your system regularly, catching small problems before they become big ones, and giving you peace of mind. We’re growing our maintenance agreement base aggressively because it’s better for customers and it’s better for our business. It creates predictable revenue, it reduces emergency calls, and it keeps our technicians busy and productive.
Our service team is held to clear standards. Every technician carries a clean uniform, takes photos of the work they do, documents what they find in plain language, and explains things to customers in a way they can actually understand. We don’t show up and disappear into the basement for two hours and then hand you a bill. We communicate. We show you what we found. We explain your options. And we let you decide what you want to do.
We’re also ahead of the curve on regulatory changes. Maryland is moving toward higher efficiency standards and a heat pump mandate in 2029. A lot of HVAC companies are ignoring that until it becomes urgent. We’re investing in A2L refrigerant certification and heat pump training now, so when that mandate hits, we’re ready. We’re also leveraging EmPOWER rebates and IRA programs to help customers afford high-efficiency systems. Those are real incentives that can save homeowners thousands of dollars, and we make sure they know about them.
Brand wise, I’m most proud that we’ve earned a reputation for being straightforward. We don’t oversell. We don’t use scare tactics. If your system can be repaired, we’ll tell you. If it needs to be replaced, we’ll explain why and show you the options. Customers know they can trust what we’re telling them, and that matters. In this business, trust is everything.
What I want readers to know is that A One is a family business, but we’re not running it like a family business from the 1990s. We’re intentional about quality, we’re systematic about how we operate, and we’re investing in the future. We’re not just trying to make money on the next job. We’re building something that’s going to serve this community for a long time and that’s going to be worth something when we eventually hand it off.
And we’re here because of customers like the ones we serve. They’ve trusted my father and now they’re trusting me. That’s not something we take lightly.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The HVAC industry is in the middle of a significant shift, and it’s accelerating.
The biggest change is the move away from gas furnaces toward heat pump technology. The federal government and state governments are pushing this hard through incentives and mandates. Maryland’s 2029 heat pump mandate is real, and it’s coming fast. What that means is that in five to ten years, heat pumps won’t be the alternative option anymore. They’ll be the standard. Gas furnaces will still exist, but they’ll be less common, especially in new construction and replacements.
That’s a fundamental technology shift. Heat pumps work differently than furnaces. They require different installation practices, different maintenance protocols, and different troubleshooting. A lot of HVAC companies are going to get caught flat-footed because they didn’t invest in training early. We’re investing now because we know it’s coming.
The second shift is refrigerant transition. The A2L refrigerant is replacing older refrigerants like R410A. A2L is more efficient and more environmentally friendly, but it requires different equipment, different handling procedures, and different certifications. That’s another technical hurdle that’s going to separate companies that are prepared from companies that aren’t.
The third trend is consolidation and professionalization. HVAC used to be a business where you could start with a van and a toolbelt and build something. That’s still true, but the bar for legitimacy is getting higher. Customers want licensed technicians, they want documentation, they want accountability, they want companies that have systems and standards. The fly-by-night operators are going to have a harder time competing. That’s actually good for companies like ours that are willing to invest in quality and documentation.
Another shift is recurring revenue. Service plans and maintenance agreements used to be nice to have. Now they’re becoming essential to how HVAC companies stay profitable. The old model of living job-to-job is getting squeezed by rising labor costs and tighter margins. Companies that build a strong maintenance agreement base and create recurring revenue are going to be more stable and more valuable.
The regulatory environment is also creating opportunity if you’re paying attention. The A2L transition, the EmPOWER rebates, the heat pump mandate, the IRA tax credits for high-efficiency systems, these aren’t just compliance headaches. They’re sales tools if you understand them and can communicate them to customers. Customers want to do the right thing environmentally and financially. If you can show them how to do both, you’ve got an advantage.
There’s also going to be more pressure on indoor air quality. People are thinking more about the air they’re breathing, especially post-pandemic. Air filtration, humidity control, ventilation, these are becoming selling points. Companies that can bundle IAQ solutions with their core HVAC work are going to capture more revenue per customer.
Labor is going to keep being tight. Good technicians are hard to find, and they’re going to stay hard to find. Companies that can attract and retain quality people are going to have a real advantage. That means paying well, creating good working conditions, and giving people clear career paths.
The consolidation trend means that private equity and larger regional companies are going to keep acquiring smaller independent shops. That’s not necessarily a threat if you’re running a quality operation with good margins and clean systems. Actually, it creates exit opportunities for owners who want to sell. But it also means the competitive landscape is changing. You’re not just competing against other single-location shops anymore. You’re competing against regional chains that have better marketing budgets and more capacity.
What I think is going to separate winners from losers over the next five to ten years is this: companies that embrace the technology shift, invest in training and certification, build recurring revenue, systemize their operations, and earn genuine customer trust are going to do really well. Companies that resist the shift, stay operator-dependent, rely on one-off jobs, and cut corners are going to struggle.
For A One, all of this is tailwind. We’re already moving in these directions. We’re investing in heat pump and A2L certification. We’re building our maintenance agreement base. We’re systemizing. We’re earning trust through clear communication and quality work. These trends aren’t things we’re worried about. They’re things we’re preparing for and positioning to take advantage of.
Pricing:
- Service call: $89 (includes diagnostic)
- Maintenance agreements: $239 per year
- Full-system replacement: $8,000 to $15,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aoneheatingandairmd.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aonehvac
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aonehvac
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlonsimpson/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/marlonthesavage_
