The Bus Incident That Changed Everything with Steve Akian is a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a people-first trades business — from a stenciled truck in the backyard to a 50-person team pushing toward $13.5M.

Steve Akian didn't plan his exit from his last job. He got fired in his 20s — his own admission, a little too much fun, a little too little focus. But the truck was already lettered, the plan was already in motion, and the next day he sold his first job. Akian Electrical & HVAC was open for business.

"April will be nine years in business," says Steve. "My apprentice that I started with is still with us. The person we hired after him is still with us. The person after him is still with us." In an industry known for turnover, that track record says something.

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Steve is deeply values-driven — not in the buzzword sense, but in the way that shapes every decision he makes about people, pricing, and growth. "Trust is truthfully a currency," he explains. "And once you lose it, it's hard to win it back." For Steve, that applies to clients, employees, vendors, and utility companies alike.

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Running a home services company isn't just about fixing things — it's about navigating a market shaped by private equity competition, rising insurance costs, AI adoption, and a workforce that's changing fast. Steve talks through all of it honestly, including the pressure of leading a team of 50 while his grandmother was hospitalized and he was up at 4:30 every morning trying to stay centered.

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"The more you grow, the more you have to give," he says. "That's really what drives me."