Michael Mayes
Michael is the person you’ll actually talk to if you’re thinking about selling your HVAC business. Not a sourcing analyst. Not a committee. The buyer — from the first conversation through closing day and beyond.
Michael Mayes is the founder and CEO of Homestead Service Partners, a Chicago-based company that acquires and operates commercial HVAC businesses. He is the direct buyer on every deal — no intermediaries, no fund managers, and no layers between you and the person making decisions.
You’ll work with the actual buyer.
Most acquisition companies put layers between you and the decision-maker. You talk to a sourcing analyst, then a deal associate, then maybe a partner. By the time the real decision-maker shows up, the process already feels like a maze.
That is not how Homestead works. Michael handles seller conversations personally, evaluates the business himself, and structures deals directly. He is an operator, not a passive investor — which means faster decisions, straight answers, and less corporate theater.
If you’re considering selling your HVAC business, want to understand what it might be worth through our free valuation calculator, or want to see how the acquisition process works, this page tells you exactly who is on the other side.
Why owners check this page before reaching out
Selling your business is not just a financial decision. It is personal. Owners want to know who they are handing the keys to, whether that person understands the work, and whether the commitments made before closing will still hold six months later. That is what this page is for.
- Who is the actual buyer behind Homestead?
- Has he operated and helped sell a real business before?
- Does he understand the trades, or just the spreadsheets?
- How is this different from private equity?
- Will he be involved after the deal closes?
From laborer to operator.
Michael started in the trades as a stone mason — physical, hands-on work, years before he ever sat behind a desk. He worked his way from laborer to foreman to owner. That’s where he learned the thing that still shapes how he operates: the people doing the work are the business.
Over the next two decades, Michael built and operated companies across operations, marketing, and growth. He was the operating partner behind a $20 million exit — running the team, the operations, and the sale process himself in one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. The industry was different from HVAC; the work of building a real operation and preparing it for a clean sale is exactly what he does now.
Why he started Homestead
Michael founded Homestead Service Partners in 2025 to acquire and operate commercial HVAC service businesses in Chicagoland — not as a financial play, but as a long-term operating company. The plan is not to buy, rebrand, cut costs, and flip. It is to buy great businesses from owners ready for the next chapter, keep the teams intact, and invest in the things that make those businesses better over time.
Before Homestead, Michael spent more than 20 years building and scaling companies across operations, marketing, and growth. He knows what it takes to manage a crew, handle customers, protect cash flow, and grow revenue in competitive local markets. That experience shapes how he evaluates HVAC businesses — and how he runs them after the deal closes.
He is a member of the Forbes Business Council and has been featured in more than 150 publications. But credentials aside, the thing sellers care about most is simple: Michael is personally involved in every acquisition and every transition. There is no handoff to a management company. The person you shake hands with is the person who shows up on Monday.
The numbers behind the buyer.
Anybody can say they are serious about buying your business. These are the specifics that let you decide for yourself.
What selling to Michael actually looks like.
A lot of buyers talk about legacy and culture. The difference is in the details: who you deal with, how fast things move, and what happens after closing day.
Who handles what.
Deals are simpler when you know exactly who is responsible. On this team, the structure is straightforward — and that is the point.
Practical guides on valuations, timing, deal structure, and what to expect when you’re thinking about what comes next.
The profit × multiple formula buyers actually use, add-backs worth claiming, and how to benchmark against real Chicago market data.
Michael MayesYour team stays. Your brand stays. Clean deal structure. Here’s how selling to an operator is fundamentally different from PE.
Michael MayesThe first 90 days, your team, your brand, and your role. Here’s exactly what the transition looks like.
Michael MayesReady for a straight conversation? No pitch. No pressure.
Whether you’re ready to sell or just want to understand what your HVAC business might be worth, Michael will give you honest answers. Every conversation is confidential.