My journey in air conditioning sparked my interest in becoming a HVAC technician, and I’ll share the hard work I’ve put in.

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I’m diving into a new venture: starting an air conditioning business. I’ve been dedicating a good chunk of my time to it, even though my schedule was already pretty packed. I’ll be balancing this with my current business, which I’ll talk about in a future post.

Even though it means I have to hit the books again, getting a solid grasp of the theory is important for kicking things off right. My goal is to absorb as much knowledge as possible to apply later. Honestly, it’s been refreshing to return to class after such a long break, and I find the subject really interesting.

I worried about fitting in my hands-on training without neglecting my current job after finishing those studies.”

Back to the Classroom

I started by learning the basics of refrigeration—domestic, commercial, and industrial—before diving into air conditioning. Looking back, I can definitely say it was worth it. Since all these systems are interconnected, building a solid foundation was key. Once you grasp the basics, you’ll see there’s not much difference between them.

I worried about fitting in my hands-on training without neglecting my current job after finishing those studies. Fortunately, I quickly found a good solution to my dilemma without too much hassle. But first, let me share how I became interested in air conditioning systems in the first place.

Typically, he would spend around four hours at each house to ensure everything was running smoothly.”

How It All Started

I was talking with a client who shared some interesting details about her husband’s job as an air conditioning technician. He earned a decent living doing maintenance and repairs for people in their homes. Typically, he would spend around four hours at each house to ensure everything was running smoothly.

On slower days, he still managed to visit at least one home for work, which was impressive to hear. There always seemed to be someone calling him for help with their air conditioning units. Even when work was hard to come by, clients would reach out to him for assistance. Honestly, I had never considered that kind of job before, so her story really surprised me. 

Being the curious person I am, I wanted to learn more about this business to understand if I could do it too.”

Big Chance

Sometimes, depending on what he was doing, he’d visit the same house more than once in a single week. What really caught my attention was how she described her husband charging quite a bit for even the simplest tasks. Naturally, as she painted this picture, I could feel my eyes lighting up with dollar signs in my mind!

Being the curious person I am, I wanted to learn more about this business to understand if I could do it too. So, I asked her about it, and she explained that her husband repaired and maintained air conditioning systems. I had never really considered how essential air conditioning is in the U.S., especially since it’s such a common thing there.

She was definitely referring to a central air conditioning system, which was exactly what I had envisioned in my mind.”

Crunching the Numbers

The idea was becoming more interesting to me, especially since any legal cash in hand is always welcome. The first thing that came to mind was how often air conditioning is used in homes across the country. I started picturing ducts, vents, and thermostats, like the ones you see in Hollywood movies such as Die Hard.

She was definitely referring to a central air conditioning system, which was exactly what I had envisioned in my mind. It’s the typical setup people think of when they hear “air conditioning,” and I had seen plenty of those systems in various houses. Funny enough, I had never really paid attention to that kind of business before, despite how common it actually is.

Still, I realized I had to dig deeper into this business opportunity unfolding right before my eyes.”

Challenges

The fact that her husband had a steady stream of regular clients showed me that this work could be profitable. However, doubts soon crept in about whether such systems could even be installed in Peru due to the costs. These systems are common in many American homes, and I figured they wouldn’t be cheap to set up in Lima.

That thought kind of bummed me out while she explained how little she understood about her husband’s trade. In the U.S., houses are mostly made of wood, it’s a different game installing ducts in brick structures. Still, I realized I had to dig deeper into this business opportunity unfolding right before my eyes.

Honestly, I didn’t dwell on it for long because I was convinced of the fantastic business opportunity before me.”

Figuring Things Out

From what this woman was telling me, there was definitely potential for a great way to earn extra income. I felt the need to understand this promising field better since it seemed like a profitable trade in Lima. But, as often happens, I realized I was acting like I’d just discovered fire, which had been around for ages.

Honestly, I didn’t dwell on it for long because I was convinced of the fantastic business opportunity before me. While I do pretty well at my at my job back then, I was eager to learn and start this business. The thought of diving into the air conditioning world consumed my mind, and I was determined to make it happen.

That same night, I spent several hours researching the pros and cons of this new venture I was considering.”

Getting Another Take

I discussed my plans with Kiki to get a second opinion, even though I doubted she’d share my enthusiasm for starting my own business. I won’t go into too many details about her because, honestly, she’d kick my butt if she found out, it’s not really relevant here. Her perspective was more about finding a stable job with a fixed salary—basically, working for a company with a steady paycheck.

Because of that, I decided to keep my new business idea under wraps to avoid any debates about what was best for me. However, she thought it was a great idea for me to start studying air conditioning and supported my decision. That same night, I spent several hours researching the pros and cons of this new venture I was considering.

The good thing was that I started with the basics—refrigeration—since it’s the foundation of air conditioning.”

Getting to Work

Before long, I found the perfect place to study, conveniently located so I could keep working. I have to admit, I can be a bit impatient and anxious when I get a fixed idea in my head. The good thing was that I started with the basics—refrigeration—since it’s the foundation of air conditioning.

This meant I had to cover all the different areas, from domestic refrigeration to commercial and industrial systems. I even had to learn a bit about electricity and electronics before finally moving on to the long-awaited air conditioning course. I don’t mean to brag, but I was one of the top students in that class! 

That uncertainty was creeping in because I was starting to feel the first signs of stress from moving too quickly.”

The Tough Spot

Even though I had just finished studying, I was full of doubts—especially about how to get practical experience without cutting too much into my work hours. That uncertainty was creeping in because I was starting to feel the first signs of stress from moving too quickly. I was sacrificing a lot of my other activities for this training that was really starting to excite me.

Fortunately, I ran into a friend who mentioned that another mutual friend had already started his own business. As he was telling me how well things were going for Víctor, I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Just when I was convincing myself that I wouldn’t be able to do my practical training, it seemed like my problems were finally coming to an end.

Stay tuned for the Next Entry