I think I started with less than $1000!
First move would be to not buy a brand-new truck right away. I could have 2 trucks on the road right now for what I am paying for mine alone.
Secondly, I wouldn't take out a loan. I would live and work within my means until I had some money in the bank. Then make the moves I want to make.
Third, I would have spent more time learning about Google Ads, marketing and social media before I started up. I would have loved to learn more while I was on someone else's dime and collecting a pay cheque. Now I feel a little desperate and playing catchup trying to figure it all out.
I can definitely relate to the Google Ads learning curve—it’s something I’m still working through myself. I actually have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and I still hired someone to help with Google Ads. Marketing strategy and running high-performing Google Ads campaigns are two very different skill sets.
One thing that’s helped me is realizing you don’t have to figure it all out alone. There are some great freelancers on Fiverr and other platforms who specialize in Google Ads at a reasonable cost. My biggest advice would be to find someone who understands your specific service and local market, because that’s made a huge difference for us. Even with help, I think it’s important to stay involved and understand where your ad dollars are going.
Sometimes the best investment isn’t trying to become an expert at everything—it’s knowing when to bring in someone who already is, so you can focus on growing the business.
