108. From Rock Bottom to a $20 Million Business: The Relentless Journey of John Karpov

The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast

At just 17 years old, John Karpov immigrated alone from Kazakhstan to Canada, barely speaking English and with no safety net. When a scam wiped out his savings and left him contemplating suicide, one phone call saved his life, and set off a chain of events that would redefine what grit and perseverance look like.

In this powerful conversation, Dwayne Kerrigan sits down with John to unpack how he went from a desperate student to the founder of Action Home Services, a multimillion-dollar landscape construction company. John shares how he learned English, mastered sales by necessity, and built a thriving business one door knock at a time.

This is a masterclass in resilience, risk, and the immigrant mindset that fuels unstoppable entrepreneurs.

Timestamps

00:00 - John reflects on fear, scarcity, and the pain that still drives him 11 years later.

01:00 - Dwayne introduces John Karpov, founder of Action Home Services.

03:00 - John’s early life in Kazakhstan and decision to immigrate to Canada at 17.

05:00 - Struggling to understand North American English and adapting to culture shock.

06:00 - Losing his financial support — and falling victim to a fraud that wiped out his savings.

08:00 - A near-suicidal moment and the phone call that changed everything.

10:00 - Finding a commission-only job selling driveway sealing — and having no clue what it was.

15:00 - Knocking doors for 8 hours with no sales — until a breakthrough changes everything.

17:30 - A confrontation, courage, and earning $400 in a day — more than a month’s pay back home.

19:00 - What kept him from giving up — the mindset shift from failure to relentless drive.

23:00 - Outworking everyone and learning the power of necessity.

25:00 - Starting his first business with no money, no truck, no driver’s license — and no experience.

31:00 - Working 60 hours a week while in college — the early years of survival.

34:00 - Transition from driveway sealing to landscaping and scaling beyond himself.

38:00 - Dwayne and John break down the principles of sales: activity, energy, and hunger.

41:30 - The scarcity mindset that still lingers — and how fear drives discipline.

47:00 - Risk, safety, and how to protect a growing business through systems and liquidity.

53:00 - Building systems, crews, and leadership while finishing college.

1:03:00 - Growing past chaos: when your living-room floor becomes your job-scheduling system.

1:07:00 - Bringing his wife into the business — and the promise to be home by 5 p.m.

1:13:00 - Her immigration story — and how persistence beat three rejections.

1:14:00 - Dwayne’s closing reflections: from scarcity to abundance — and what’s coming in Part 2.

Key Takeaways

1. Necessity builds resilience. When failure isn’t an option, resourcefulness becomes instinct.
2. Work ethic beats experience. John outworked everyone — before he even knew what he was selling.
3. Systems are survival. Growth without process leads to chaos (and lost contracts under the carpet).
4. Scarcity can ignite hunger — but abundance sustains growth. Learning when to move from survival mode to strategy is essential.
5. Leadership evolves. From door-to-door hustler to CEO, John learned that empowering others fuels exponential scale.

Quotes:

“The moment I start knocking those doors, the flame inside of me started, and I just knew I cannot give up. I need to actually get back on track. I cannot fail my parents because they gave me this opportunity to come in.” John Karpov

“For me, grow, it's in my DNA, like it's in my blood. I would never stop growing.” John Karpov

“I think it is still a scarcity that somebody can take it away, that it still could be over, and it still could turn totally different. The pain which I had, it's probably still didn't heal for, and it's been 11 years, so I don't think I'm fully over it.” John Karpov

“It’s amazing to me, like even when you just explained it like that, I kept on thinking: people who don’t have a business think, ‘oh, you did a million in revenue, you’ve gotta be making big money,’ and you go, no — your parameters around not being broke were, I had rent and I had food, and everything else was going back into the business. That’s the life of an entrepreneur.” Dwayne Kerrigan

John is President of Action Home Services (AHS), a leading landscaping and exterior construction company serving Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Since founding AHS in 2015, John has grown the business from a small driveway sealing service into one of the GTA’s premier full-service landscaping and outdoor design firms. Under his leadership, the company has become known for its craftsmanship, reliability, and innovative outdoor solutions, specializing in interlocking, landscaping, pool installations, decks, fences, and complete backyard transformations. John’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has earned AHS multiple awards and a trusted reputation across the region.

Links:

• Website: actionhomeservices.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/ActionHomeServicesToronto
• Instagram: instagram.com/actionhomeservices
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/action-home-services-gta

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Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.