The North American air duct market is heating up fast. Valued at nearly $5 billion in 2024 and projected to reach over $7 billion by 2033, the sector is experiencing explosive growth. For entrepreneurs, this boom in the broader HVAC market represents a massive opportunity. But for their clients, it can be a mixed bag. Because with rapid industry growth often comes something more dangerous: mission drift.
Too many companies, once built on family values and fair pricing, begin to lose their way. As demand increases, so do overheads, prices, and egos. Clients go from being neighbors to numbers. And sometimes, what started as a community-minded business becomes just another overgrown, investor-backed operation. One company that stands out as a bold exception to this pattern is Vessel Home Services LLC, led by husband-and-wife founders Trevor and Kristen Franco. Their message to the industry? Grow, but the right way.
Kristen and Trevor know what growth is. In less than two years, they’ve transformed Vessel Home Services from a three-person passion project into an industry giant with nine businesses under its umbrella. But while the pace of their expansion matches the industry’s, their philosophy couldn’t be more different from the ‘bigger is always better’ mindset dominating the market.
Trevor says, “We generally see companies with tremendous growth no longer thinking about the client. They eventually become a corporate engine. The service suffers. The prices soar. And people are left dealing with a system that forgot who it’s supposed to serve.”
At Vessel, the Francos have done the opposite. Rather than scale blindly, they’ve scaled intentionally, through smart acquisitions, efficient operations, and a relentless focus on people over profits. Their secret is staying lean, staying connected, and staying real. “We’ve crunched, shaved, and figured out how to provide more value for less,” Trevor says. “Because we believe the right kind of growth comes from doing right by people. We haven’t raised our prices just because we can. We’ve built trust. That’s what keeps people coming back.”
The HVAC industry’s growth spurt has attracted private equity and investor-backed giants. But in the race to dominate, many have forgotten their roots. The Francos, by contrast, have doubled down on theirs.
“Family-owned and female-led is more than a title,” says Kristen, who holds the company’s HVAC license and manages operations with precision and warmth. “It’s our ethos. We know our customers. We see them in the grocery store. We host events in their neighborhoods. Our clients aren’t just numbers; they’re part of our community.”
In fact, community engagement is baked into their business model. Vessel Home Services frequently holds local seminars and training events, bringing people together over education, empowerment, and even a few burgers and drinks. These gatherings aren’t just good for branding; they’re good for relationships. “Our events are packed,” Trevor says. “Some of our best clients came from someone saying, ‘You have to hear these guys speak.’ It’s a ripple effect, and it all comes back to trust.”
As HVAC becomes more technologically complex and client expectations evolve, Vessel Home Services is proving itself not only as a service provider but as a thought leader within the space. Their motto, “A Step Forward in the Business Evolution,” isn’t just a catchy tagline; it’s a statement of intent. “We’re not anti-growth,” Kristen says. “We’re pro-sustainable growth. The industry is booming, yes, but we have a responsibility to guide that boom in the right direction.”
That direction, according to the Francos, involves maintaining integrity, transparency, and customer-first values. It also means resisting the temptation to pass rising costs onto clients without justification. As Trevor puts it, “If your only plan for staying profitable is raising prices, you don’t have a plan; you have a problem.”
Even with their conscientious approach, make no mistake: Vessel Home Services is still full steam ahead. The company has aggressive expansion plans, including adding plumbing services, acquiring new companies across the region, and launching new verticals in home services that could surpass even the HVAC side of the business.
“We’re not done,” Kristen says. “We’re growing fast, but we’re growing with purpose. Everything we do, we ask: ‘Is this good for our clients? Our team? The industry?’ If it checks those boxes, we go for it. If not, we don’t touch it.”
And that’s precisely what makes them rare. If the HVAC sector is indeed evolving, Kristen and Trevor Franco are making sure it’s evolving in the right direction, one honest repair, one meaningful conversation, and one community connection at a time.