Business Owner Brings the Heat to Hillsborough County

Hank’s Heating & Cooling of Hillsborough County

When Christopher Jones founded his heating and cooling business in Hillsborough County, he had a clear vision of what he wanted his business to look like but faced challenges that many new businesses face. Balancing the demands of running a new business while trying to grow it was no easy feat. That’s when the business owner stumbled upon someone that would tell him about the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County which would lead him to reach out.

“I actually met a guy in a store, and he asked me was I involved with the SBDC, and I advised him, no I wasn’t, and he goes, ‘well, you need to get involved man and here’s their number,’ and after that Mr. Barry dropped right in my hands one day,” Jones recalls.

After reaching out to the center, Jones was paired with Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County business consultant, Barry Haynes, who provided the essential support and business guidance needed to turn Jones’ vision into a thriving reality.

Jones’ company, Hank’s Heating & Cooling, began as a small operation with a meaningful mission of taking great care of its customers, in honor of his late sister. “My company, I started it, and I named it after my little sister who passed away in the military. She had multiple sclerosis; it was really aggressive. She passed away from it. We used to joke with each other when I was growing up. She used to call me Hank and I started calling her the same nickname so it kind of stuck with her. I always kept her in my mind on a daily basis after she passed away, so I just felt like anything I could do to keep her name alive I would do. I didn’t know what name to name my company but it kind of just fell out of the sky to me, maybe she put it on my brain that day but I kind of take it personal, everything I do with the company, because of what I named it,” Christopher Jones expressed.

Despite his technical expertise, Jones wanted to become an expert within the business side of his heating and cooling company. He knew he needed a comprehensive plan to navigate the competitive landscape and achieve sustainable growth. Thus, Jones attended several one-on-one consulting sessions with Haynes, which equipped him with the tools to refine his business model and expand his market reach.

The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County provided invaluable assistance in business planning, marketing strategies, and overall business guidance. “The information that I used, that Mr. Barry has provided me has been phenomenal in what I’ve been doing in this business. Mr. Barry has given me tools that I never had, even though I had a business before. It opened my eyes to be able to not just think inside of the box but now I’m more, you know, not like a horse with blinders on. More open-minded to different things and I ask questions now and I also follow up on stuff,” Christopher Jones said.

Since working with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, Hank’s Heating & Cooling has seen remarkable growth. The company’s sales have increased allowing them to hire additional staff and expand their service offerings. “My business has grown tremendously since dealing with the SBDC Florida in Hillsborough County. I’ve been having a spike in sales, I’ve added a new van, I’ve hired another employee. So, I basically doubled in size in one year. It’s been pretty lucrative walkthrough if I may say so,” Christopher Jones said proudly.

Jones attributes much of his company’s success to his willingness to always move forward and seek greater things for himself and the people around him. “My biggest success, in my opinion, would be just having the faith and believing in myself to step away from my comfort zone and opening my own company,” Christopher Jones said.

“Going to school in my late 40s to get my contractor license, to get my EPA. I was probably one of the oldest guys in the classroom. I kind of pat myself on the back for just being the individual that just don’t want to be the bump on log, I want to always keep elevating in whatever I do in life,” he added.

He also didn’t fail to mention how the ongoing support and resources provided by the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County and his business consultant have gotten him to new heights in his business journey. “I would like to say that if it wasn’t for the SBDC, I probably would still be a step or two behind in my business right now. I’ve always mentioned him (Barry Haynes) to people that ask me about business now. A lot of stuff that I didn’t know he’s opened my eyes to, and I really appreciate him today. I thank the SBDC as well for having Mr. Barry,” Christopher Jones expressed.

Moving forward, the passionate business owner plans to grow his business and help as many people as possible, whether it be through his business services or his recommendation of the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County. “Moving forward, I will use the SBDC to get me a wider variety of work, a wider variety of advertisement. They also give me a platform where I can speak to other people. It’s been a great experience dealing with this entity here in the county, that I didn’t know existed, until I met someone that kind of gave me that information. I will definitely be a part of it for the entirety of my business and anyone else I know that needs that movement as well, I’ll definitely forward it over to them,” Christopher Jones said.