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Devil Dog Marketplace

Published September 3, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026 · By Michael Fieger

A staged growth financing story: from $7M to $53M in revenue

Quick answer: A Florida HVAC company grew from $7M to $23M to $53M in revenue, with $70M projected next. It wasn’t one big check. It was a lender that staged capital in waves as the business proved itself.

Last week I shared how a $250K loan got an HVAC owner through his slow season after a past bankruptcy had shut most lenders’ doors. What happened next is the part that stuck with me even more.

Escaping the seasonal cycle

Once stable, he wanted out of the seasonal cycle entirely. Florida HVAC means strong summers and quiet winters, no matter how well you run the business. He already had an electrical division. It just wasn’t big enough to carry the company through the slow months. Growing it meant more trucks, more electricians, and real overhead before the revenue caught up.

Staged, not a lump sum

His lender didn’t just approve a lump sum. They staged it: ten trucks, then twenty, then twenty more, each wave given time to settle before the next arrived. They even timed the purchases to capture a tax deduction on the equipment. The relationship scaled his borrowing capacity 5x over time.

The results

The business went from $7M to $23M to $53M, with $70M projected next.

What stood out

What gets me about this one is the sequencing. It wasn’t one big check. It was a partner who kept showing up as the business proved itself, round after round.

If your business is working through a similar growth bottleneck, I’m glad to talk through what staged capital planning could look like for you.

Michael Fieger
Business Funding Advisor, Partner of National Business Capital

Let’s talk it through

No pressure and no pitch. Tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll tell you what’s realistic.

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About the author

Michael Fieger is a business owner and Business Funding Advisor, Partner of National Business Capital, through Devil Dog Marketplace LLC. He worked in the airline, insurance and banking industries and has a background in digital, branding and marketing, which gives him a well-rounded view of what companies need, from operations to funding.

This article is for education only. It is not individualized financial or legal advice.