With a focus on leadership and measurable results, Nexstar Network empowers independent contractors in the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical trades to outperform the competition.
BLOOMINGTON, MN / ACCESS Newswire / April 23, 2026 / Imagine a ditchdigger becoming a CEO. Or a young leader who started in her family's business, set her sights on running it, and met her family's conditions, which included building experience beyond the business. She pursued college, technical school, and work in other industries before returning to lead a third-generation company and chair a national organization.
These aren't hypothetical situations. They're the real stories of Julian Scadden, President and CEO of Nexstar Network, and Claire Ferrara, President of Standard Heating & Air Conditioning and current Nexstar Network Board Chair. Both started in the skilled trades under different circumstances, and today they lead Nexstar Network, a member-owned organization that empowers independent residential plumbing, HVAC, and electrical companies to grow with purpose and confidence.
The skilled trades offer careers with incredible growth, stability, and leadership opportunities, but jobs in the trades have historically been undervalued. Business owners can feel stuck; employees may not see a clear career path. That's where Nexstar comes in. Begun in 1992 and based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Nexstar offers coaching, training, and support to independent home services companies ready to achieve success through education and the sharing of information within a powerful network of like-minded peers.
How's it Working?
When compared to nonmembers, Nexstar members:
Generate more than double the revenue annually
Have a 32% higher average ticket size
Have an 85% booking rate vs. ~65-75%
Have a 10.2% EBITDA margin
Nexstar members outpace the competition. "Our independently owned members comprise the top 5% of the home services industry," explains Scadden. "Most owners don't lack effort-they lack a roadmap. Once they have the right systems and support, the business's entire trajectory changes."
Scadden understands what it takes to grow in this industry. He was a high school dropout digging ditches as a plumbing laborer and advanced in his field through sheer perseverance. But grit alone has limits. He needed mentors and a support system to move from the field into business ownership and, ultimately, to Nexstar.
Ferrara also understands what it takes. Determined to run her family business after gaining experience in different industries, she joined Nexstar to help her business scale with intention. "Without an organization like Nexstar, there's heavy lifting companies have to do to develop content, train teams, and strategically plan for the future," she says. "The beauty of Nexstar is they have it figured out."
For Ferrara, the value goes beyond systems. "The connections I've made through Nexstar, whether at trainings or meetings, are connections I'll have for life. These are some of the smartest, most driven, creative people I've ever met," she offers. "Given how quickly the industry changes, I need a network that helps me adapt. Nexstar helps our business every day."
Together, Scadden and Ferrara are proud to lead Nexstar into the future of home services, helping to give business owners the structure, proven systems, and support needed to grow their businesses and teams successfully.
There's space to thrive in the skilled trades, and Nexstar offers both a dynamic peer network and a proven roadmap for those ready to lead at the highest level.
Contact:
Nexstar Network
7760 France Avenue South, Suite 600
Bloomington, Minnesota 55435
888-240-7827
nexstarnetwork.com
SOURCE: Nexstar Network
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/nexstar-network-leading-the-future-of-home-services-1157555
