169: Kindness, Character, and Legacy Leadership with Skip Stanton
How Faith and Integrity Have Shaped a Company—and a Culture—Rooted in People and Purpose
Building People Before Building Business
What does it look like to build a business that truly lasts? For Skip Stanton, CEO and co-owner of Aqua Plumbing & Air, leadership starts with people — not profit.
In this episode of Grow With Purpose, Joey Brannon sits down with Skip — longtime client, friend, and mentor to many — to talk about faith, legacy, and leadership that stands the test of time.
From starting with $5,000 and a truck to leading a company of more than 180 employees, Skip’s story is proof that kindness and integrity are not soft skills — they’re the foundation of strong leadership and lasting growth.
Faith, Family, and the Foundations of Leadership
Skip didn’t plan to run a large company. He fell into the trades early, working at Sears, where he learned two lessons that would guide him for life: the importance of clear growth paths and genuine customer service.
At Sears, Skip learned what clear growth could look like. The company had a defined roadmap — if you worked hard, earned certifications, and took care of customers, your opportunities grew. That experience stuck with him for life.
When he stepped out on his own, Skip admits he didn’t know much about business. But he knew how to work hard, serve people, and do what he said he would do.
Years later, Aqua Plumbing & Air invited him to join their growing team. It was a leap of faith that would lead to leadership, ownership, and the opportunity to shape the company’s future.
Leadership That Starts with Character
Skip’s leadership style can be summed up in two words: kind consistency.
I don’t want people to work in fear. I want them to feel supported and valued. If it’s not a good fit, that’s okay — I’ll help them find where they are.
He’s quick to admit that being kind doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations. Over the years, he’s learned how to balance grace with accountability — the same balance he expects from himself as a father and a CEO.
If I can expect something from my kids, I can expect it from my team. Grace doesn’t mean low standards.
Joey describes Skip as the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow — someone whose example carries weight because it’s grounded in faith and humility.
Mentorship and the Power of Faith in Business
Skip credits much of his growth to mentorship — especially his longtime friend and pastor, Ruben Beachy, who helped him connect biblical truth to business leadership. Skip describes Ruben as a businessman, a pastor, and a great family man — someone who, as he puts it, “has all the fruit in his life that I want in mine.”
Because of that example, Skip says he takes Ruben’s advice seriously, knowing it’s rooted in biblical values that align with his own. Their time together has included several studies that shaped Skip’s understanding of leadership and faith — most notably a 44-week program called La Red, built around values drawn from Proverbs. Each week focuses on a single Scripture and a one-page summary of how to apply it in everyday life and business.
As Skip reflected, that study marked the point when his faith began to grow in new ways — not just reading Scripture, but learning to apply its principles of honesty, humility, and diligence to real-world leadership. Through that process, he discovered that values aren’t just statements on a wall; they’re habits of the heart.
Redefining Success
In a world obsessed with metrics and margins, Skip’s definition of success is refreshingly simple. He says it starts with honoring people — doing what you say you’ll do, taking care of your team, and treating clients the same way. At Aqua Plumbing & Air, that commitment runs deep. They take care of their people, honor their clients, and stand behind their work.
Skip believes that when people feel valued, excellence follows naturally. If all a leader focuses on is the bottom line, people begin to feel expendable. But when employees know they’re cared for, they take care of customers — and the bottom line takes care of itself. As he often notes, if you beat on your people, you can’t expect them to go out and take care of your customers. Trust and support always create better results than pressure and fear.
Skip’s belief that people come first isn’t just about kindness — it’s good business. As Joey pointed out in their conversation, replacing an employee can cost companies up to three times that person’s salary. Beyond the financial impact, the real loss comes from the relationships, trust, and experience that walk out the door.
During their conversation, Joey asked Skip what his standard of success really is — what the bar looks like for him as a leader. For Skip, success isn’t defined by revenue or recognition, but by the health and growth of his people. When his team is thriving, when he’s honored them, and when he’s kept his word — that’s the bar. That’s success.
Developing Leaders Who Lead with Heart
As Aqua Plumbing & Air continues to grow, Skip sees leadership development as his greatest responsibility.
When you’re in the field, you get wins all day. You fix something, make a customer happy, and move on. In leadership, those wins are fewer, and if people don’t feel like they’re winning, they can lose heart.
To keep his leaders inspired, Skip focuses on appreciation and ownership.
Sometimes I just tell them I appreciate them — not because they did something big, but because it matters. I look for initiative and optimism. Even if they make mistakes, I love seeing people take initiative. Leaders can’t be dragged along — they help pull others forward.
"My success as a leader totally hinges on my people being successful.” — Joey Brannon
Creating a Culture You Can Feel
Many who join Aqua from larger companies immediately sense something different.
They’re shocked that the CEO’s door is open. That I care about their families, their kids, and their charities. We celebrate new babies. We support what matters to them. Because we really do care.
Skip’s generosity isn’t calculated; it’s genuine. He’s supported out-of-state charities simply because they mattered to his employees.
There wasn’t a business benefit, but it mattered to his employee — and that was reason enough for Skip.
It’s the kind of culture that can’t be copied — because it’s not a policy, it’s a way of serving.
Faith Under Pressure
Like any CEO, Skip faces challenges — lawsuits, accidents, and business risks. But he’s learned to lead without letting circumstances dictate character.
Most of what we get upset about isn’t that big a deal when it shakes out. I just try not to let frustration make me someone I don’t want to be.
He laughs remembering moments that would rattle any leader: trucks in ditches, midnight phone calls, unexpected crises. But through it all, he’s learned to keep perspective.
“As long as I can stay out of having an accident, I win… as long as it doesn’t get under my skin and cause me to be someone I don’t want to be.” - Skip Stanton
That kind of composure isn’t luck — it’s the fruit of faith, discipline, and perspective.
Family, Legacy, and the Long View
Skip’s son, Matt, now leads Aqua’s commercial division — a major growth engine that has expanded 35–40% in recent years. Watching him lead brings Skip equal parts pride and humility.
He’s accomplished things that had nothing to do with me. But when your kid tells you you’re wrong — and he’s right — that’s tough.
Together, they’re learning to lead transparently — sharing financial insight, strategic vision, and the lessons that come with stewardship.
If you only give someone part of the information, they’ll fill in the blanks. Transparency helps them grow in wisdom, not assumption.
It’s more than succession planning — it’s discipleship in leadership. That’s not just good business; that’s legacy leadership.
Choosing Legacy Over the Highest Offer
Skip receives calls every week from firms wanting to buy his company. But he isn’t interested.
If these investors think my business is a great place for their money, maybe it’s a great place for me to keep mine.
He’s built something too personal to trade.
We’ve got people who’ve been with us 20 or 30 years. They’ve built this company with us. I’m not willing to trade that culture for a payout.
For Skip, leadership is about more than business — it’s ministry.
“I care about the value of souls, not just the bottom line. If God’s given me a platform, I’m going to use it.” - Skip Stanton
Growing With Purpose
At Aqua Plumbing & Air, leadership isn’t just about growing a company — it’s about growing people. Every “mission moment” inside their culture reflects the same truth we hold close at Axiom: “We believe that the world around a small business ought to be changed because of it — starting with the employees and team members in that business.” — Joey Brannon
Skip’s story brings that vision to life — showing how faith, integrity, and intentional leadership can shape not only a business, but the lives within it.
Because when you build people first, you build something that lasts.
References and Downloadable Resources:
Website: Aqua Plumbing and Air
LinkedIn: Skip Stanton
Facebook: Aqua Plumbing and Air
Episode 169: Leadership Guide