Pricing, People, Purpose: Richard Behney’s Formula for Profitable Trades Businesses

Ask a Pro is our live webinar series where we sit down with experienced trades professionals to talk real growth, hard-earned lessons, and what it takes to run a modern service business.

In this session, we spoke with Richard Behney, founder of The Million Dollar Plumber , a coaching and consulting brand for trades professionals. With over 40 years of experience and the hard-earned wisdom of scaling his own plumbing company from a kitchen-table idea to a successful exit, Richard now helps other service business owners build profitable, purposeful companies. His goal? Help them grow without burning out or selling themselves short.

From tough love on pricing to defining your “why” and building a customer-first operation, here’s what we learned.

Watch the full webinar here

Quick Takeaways

Here are 5 standout insights from the conversation:

• If you’re not pricing based on your business’s time, you’re losing money.

• Market awareness matters, but your pricing must be based on your own costs and value.

• Not every job (or customer) is a good fit. Triage based on profit and urgency.

• Your technicians don’t care about your personal “why,” they care about consistency, clarity, and winning on the job.

• You need a purpose beyond profit to sustain the challenges of building a company.

About Richard and Million Dollar Plumber

Million Dollar Plumber is a training and mentorship platform created by Richard Behney, a licensed master plumber and former business owner who now helps trades entrepreneurs grow scalable, systematized, and profitable companies. After selling his own business in 2017, Richard shifted focus to teaching others how to succeed in the home services industry. He’s especially passionate about helping business owners transition from tradesperson to CEO and equipping them with the mindset and tools to win.

Full Recap

It Ain’t About the Trade — It’s About the Money

Richard didn’t mince words: “It ain’t about plumbing. It’s about the money.” One of the biggest mindset shifts tradespeople need to make when starting their own business is recognizing that they’re no longer selling just a service, they’re selling time. And unless you account for all the time it takes to operate your business, from answering phones to quoting jobs and handling callbacks, your pricing is likely leaving you broke.

“You’re not selling plumbing. You’re selling time. And if you’re not charging for all your time, you’re stealing from yourself.”

He warned against common pricing traps: copying competitors, guessing based on what “feels right,” or asking suppliers for advice. Instead, he recommended a salary rate calculator that fully accounts for your overhead and desired income. His clients routinely double their hourly rates once they crunch the real numbers.

Systematize for Profit, Not Popularity

Richard emphasized the importance of systemization and how tools like FieldPulse can help. From pricing automation to job scheduling and tech accountability, using the right platform lets you enforce consistency and scale your service standards.

“FieldPulse helps you get out of the truck while still taking care of your customers, your way. That’s how you scale and keep quality.”

He pointed out that supporting field techs with simple, reliable tools boosts performance and customer satisfaction. It’s not about micromanaging, it’s about building a machine that runs even when you’re not the one turning the wrench.

Sell to the Right Customer — and Sell the Right Thing

Too many new owners take every job, from warranty calls to big GC projects with 60-day payouts. Richard called this a huge mistake. Instead, he urged pros to focus on residential service customers who value same-day solutions and are willing to pay for convenience, reliability, and professionalism.

“No one wakes up wanting to call a plumber. They just want their problem gone. Today. That’s what they’re really buying — not a part, but peace of mind.”

He introduced the concept of job triage; prioritizing leads not by who called first, but by which jobs deliver the most profit and cash flow. The goal is money in the bank today, not just big numbers on a future invoice.

Clarify the Purpose: Theirs and Yours

Your business's purpose is simple: to make money. But your personal purpose, your reason for starting and continuing the business, needs to be bigger. Whether it’s freedom, family, or legacy, Richard stressed the need for daily reflection on your “why.”

“You’ve got to know who you are and why you’re doing this. Otherwise, the business will suck you in and wear you out.”

He and his wife start every day at 5 am with journaling and what he calls “GPS time,” imagining and affirming the future they’re building. That clarity helps guide business decisions and long-term resilience, especially when challenges mount.

Technicians Don’t Care About Your Why — And That’s OK

One surprising takeaway? Your field team doesn’t care about your purpose, at least not directly. Richard explained that trying to “inspire” them with your personal goals often backfires. Instead, create a clear mission for the business and align their incentives accordingly.

“They don’t care about your purpose. And that’s okay. What they care about is winning — being supported, being clear, being part of something successful.”

He also shared how reframing performance metrics, like tracking and rewarding sold hours instead of dollar revenue, reduced resistance and improved morale. Once technicians saw how their time contributed to success (without fixating on money), they leaned in.

Final Thoughts

From Richard’s journey, one thing’s clear: the trades may be where you started, but profit, purpose, and people are how you grow. Whether you’re a solo tech dreaming of something bigger or already scaling a team, the difference between paycheck-to-paycheck and real prosperity starts with mindset and margins.

As Richard says, “Go out there. Plumb like a champion.”

Where to Find The Million Dollar Plumber

Want more insights from Richard Behney? Connect with Million Dollar Plumber across platforms:

Website: milliondollarplumber.com

Podcast: Potty Talk

YouTube: Million Dollar Plumber

Facebook: Million Dollar Plumber

Instagram: @themilliondollarplumber

Free Strategy Call: milliondollarplumber.com/call

Whether you’re trying to price right, get out of the truck, or scale a real asset, Richard’s mission is to help trades business owners become successful in business and in life.

Watch the Full Webinar

Ready to dive deeper into Richard’s insights? Watch the full Ask a Pro session here.

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