Who do you turn to when you need business advice? 🤔
Kevin Valle and Brandon Downer at Pink’s Windows don’t agree on everything. But speaking up when something isn’t working and being willing to listen has helped them work through the challenges of growing a franchise together. “Have people you can talk to." - Brandon Downer, Pink's Windows 💬 Comment below: Who do you turn to when you need business advice? Share a time someone helped you work through a tough decision. In this Masters of Home Service episode, Kevin and Brandon share what a franchise can (and can’t) do for you, why honest feedback matters, and how the support you need changes as your business grows. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have You Ever Hired a Life Coach?
Curious if anyone has every paid someone for "support" for the things they go through with business, life etc? I was approached recently by a guy at my church. I've talked to him before, good guy and I liked his perspective. He basically said he helps guys (a lot of business owners) find more balance and purpose yada yada yada. I've had a life coach before. My experience was that he helped me through some personal stuff, my business was really early on so I was easy to coach in that regard (lots of things to suggest) but the relationship started to become more of a chore and a complaining session than experiencing breakthrough. We ended it then we picked it up again when he put together a group of guys that were supposed to be similar but ultimately I didn't find a lot of value in that. Still talk to the guy but this new gentleman approaching me, made me kind of relive that. Have you ever hired someone for this? What would you expect out of them? What would you tell someone that might hire a life coach?
Looking to scale, need advice
Hello, I am just seeking advice, I am a one man crew (with 1-2 helpers when available) for Lawn care, Parging & Snow removal (all insured). I am getting a large quantity of calls, bookings & deposits. But how can a sole proprietor scale up from me, to a crew of 5 and pay $25 an hour and be able to keep them working for months, or years to come? I cant see the "vision" of how to achieve that, sure I can get more clients. But its definitely tough with the massive undercuts of prices. Just some friendly advice will do, thanks all! MattWhat led you into your trade, and what made you decide to work for yourself?
Leaving college wasn’t an easy call for Jacob Palmer. But an apprenticeship with a local electrician helped him learn the trade and eventually start his own business. “There’s nothing stopping you. Just get started." - Jacob Palmer, Palmer Electrical 👇 Comment below: What was the turning point that brought you into your trade—and when did you know you wanted to work for yourself? In this Masters of Home Service episode, Jacob shares how an apprenticeship prepared him for business ownership, how he found his first customers, and what he’s learned about charging what his work is worth. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
At what point did you realize you needed more systems instead of just working harder?
At what point did you realize you needed more systems instead of just working harder? One thing I've noticed over the years is that almost every problem in a growing business gets solved the same way at first: the owner works longer hours. Need estimates out faster? Stay up later. Need to keep jobs moving? Spend more time on site. Need to answer clients? Reply at night. It works... until it doesn't. Eventually you hit a point where putting in more hours barely moves the needle. The bottleneck isn't effort anymore. It's the lack of systems. For us, that meant standardizing things like estimating, handoffs to production, material ordering, site documentation, and communication with clients. I'm curious if anyone else had a moment where they realized they couldn't outwork the problem anymore. What system had the biggest impact on your business?“We didn't have time to train. We had no systems in place.”
Beau Batcheller (Five Stones Landscape) learned this when his business grew from $1M to $7M in under a year. He kept hiring, but without time to train people or a clear way to get things done, more hands didn’t make the work easier. 🌱 What’s been the biggest challenge as your business grew? Vote in the poll below. If there’s something you weren’t prepared for, share it in the comments. In this Masters of Home Service episode, Beau shares how he went from a borrowed mower to a $7M business, what he learned about pricing and hiring, and how better systems and marketing helped him keep up with growth. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.To Everyone Who Didnt Win The Jobber Grant
I jus got the email of the winners... I know I’m not the only one who was hoping to hear our name called. Being told you didn’t make the cut can definitely sting, especially when you’ve put your heart, time, and energy into building your business. But not being selected doesn’t mean your business isn’t worthy. It doesn’t erase the work you’ve already put in, the customers you’ve helped, or the dreams you’re chasing. Congratulations to the 9 who were selected you earned it. 👏 And to everyone who didn’t, keep going. Our story doesn’t end with one “no.” Sometimes the setback is just another chapter before the breakthrough. Keep building. Keep learning. Keep showing up. We may not have won the grant, but we’re not done winning. 💪🚀
