The Hardest Thing in Entrepreneurship? Looking in the Mirror.
Hands down, The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in business… was look in the mirror and ask myself: ➡️ Where am I actually going? ➡️ And am I the person to get us there? We talk a lot about growth, but most people can’t define what success even looks like for themselves. This is when so many get caught up in business, rather than on the business. Is it freedom? Is it hitting 350k, 500k, 1M in revenue? Is it peace of mind and time with your kids? And don’t forget: Your business can’t grow if the person leading it refuses to. What are you working towards ? Half way through 2025, keep it up.What Flying Taught Me About Business
One of my favorite things to do any day I get 1–2 hours free, is head to the airport in Danbury, CT and fly. Sometimes it’s a lesson. Sometimes it’s just being up out there just to think. But what surprised me is how much flying taught me about business. To get a plane in the air, you need 3 things: Speed – You have to build enough runway momentum Lift – Once you hit the right speed, you rise Momentum – After you’re up, you have to keep steady energy to stay in the air The Funny thing is business is the same. You can’t fly without direction either. That’s where the GPS analogy comes in. I created this graphic to help remind myself of what's needed when im about to start a new venture in business, or if imm feeling stuck, lost or going nowhere. What do you do when your stuck?Contracts with customers vs Contracts with yourself
You’d never start a job without a contract, estimate or anything in writing, right? So why are you trying to build a business… run a team… or chase your goals… without a contract with yourself? It's so funny how business taught me so many different life lessons and how they all play a part. So I created this breakdown for myself whenever I want a new goal, or ones starting their own business. Do you all think business plans are valuable ?
Maintenance or Design & Build? Or Both?
Hello Jobber community! My name is Levi, I am a Canadian 20 year old home service business owner. secind year of business. I am at a big crossroads here, I do not know if I should commit fully to maintenance (lawn care, clean ups, guaranteed recurring revenue) or Landscape / Hardscape design and build (Sod, patios, decks, fences, retaining walls, longer timeline, better margins, etc..)? Currently we are doing both but it is proving to be an absolute nightmare to manage. Both sides of my business seem so different, recurring small jobs with many clients versus large projects with one client. Currently Landscape ? Hardscape is the majority of our topline, but it is very nice to have that recurring revenue from the lawncare. Plus I do not see a way to stop my mow list without effecting my reputation. I also see a very realistic reality in which the lawncare list overtakes the landscaping. Lawncare seems much easier to scale and automate. Without a doubt we will continue to do spring, fall cleanups and snow removal as we make too much revenue in those couple months, this makes me lean more towards maintenance as those go hand in hand. I just do not know what to do, any suggestions?Did You Know the Oldest Business in the World Is a Contracting Company?
“Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?” Take a minute to think about it .... Now let me hear it please. Before we begin, I'll be giving a little history lesson, so if this isn't for you. I won't take offense... Guess what, if you have a vision, if you have a plan, you are already ahead of the curve. If you dont .... Then you are not alone ! Most of the time, the answer is… “I just want to make it through this week.” Or, “If I can survive the year, I’ll be good.” You are doing everything you need to stay alive and I solute you. But thinking like that holds us all back. It keeps us stuck in survival mode, making the joy of contacting a threat. Always reacting, never building or planning for the future. So we did the research. Turns out the oldest company in the world, not just in trades, but in any industry, happens to be a contracting company. Kongo Gumi. Japan. Founded in 578 AD. For over 1,400 years. Let that sink in. In the U.S., it’s DF Pray, since 1830. Still building today. Here’s the point: If it’s been done — it’s possible. The question is: Are you building something that can last?Are You Building a Business or Just Buying Problems?
When I started contracting, I just want to jump in and hit the ground running. Ive got the skill. Ive got the drive. But there's a catch .... Growth costs more than money. It costs: Your time Your sleep Your weekends Your peace of mind Sometimes even your relationships You want to bring on a new guy? Cool. Are you ready to train him, lead him, and carry the pressure when he’s not producing yet? You want to buy a new truck or tool? Cool. Are you ready for the stress that comes with the financing, maintenance, or overhead that doesn't go away? This is when I began to ask myself: What am I willing to give up to get where I’m going? Am I ready for the weight that comes with more responsibility? Can I handle the pressure without breaking myself? Where do you all stand on this ?#1 Reason Most Contractors Shut Down
I dont know if you all can relate to this, but ever since starting my business, I have been obsessed with the study of my mind. I dont mean the corny, self help, realization of past trauma and not just motivation. I’m talking about the beliefs that shape our decisions, the ones we don’t even realize are holding us back. It's crazy to see so many individuals on instagram always talk about being real, raw and authentic and then it doesn't carry any weight, because they dont focus on who they are. On surface level they say everything right and then it doesn't bear fruit. There's always truth in acknowledging hard times, but a hyper focus on only the negative pisses me off. This is why most businesses don’t fail because of lack of skill. They fail because of limiting beliefs. How they view the industry and work. If you’re not asking better questions about yourself, you’ll keep repeating the same patterns. So let me ask you: What belief do you have or struggling with?Build the Foundation, or Don’t Be Surprised When theBusiness Collapses
When I first started my contracting business, I was in Home Depot parking lots, Lowes, city hall, anywhere to chase new leads. Then back buy more tools, to prepare for future work. Then learn new skills, to offer more services. …but never stop to ask: What’s going on with me? What am I working towards? Because at the end of the day, business problems usually come down to beliefs, values, and habits. That's what was going to motivate me or kill me. So I created this questionnaire the we go over with our contractors in our masterclass. Where do you all see yourself?A Successful Service Base Company — What It Really Takes?
When I first got into the trades, I thought skill was everything. If I worked harder… If I got faster… If I stacked more certifications… …I’d win. But over time, I realized the difference between a worker and a business owner: Hard Skills make you good at the job. Soft Skills make you good at running the business. The most successful contractors know how to balance both. That is what I want to work towards, and constantly challenge myself in. Understand that this is either two different positions, or developing the systems and skills needed as the leader / CEO of the company, with hard skills vs soft. So ask yourself: What 3 hard skills do you need to sharpen this year? What 3 soft skills are holding you back?ACCOUNTABILITY
It’s easy to blame the client. Easy to blame the apprentice. Even easier to blame the industry. But here’s the truth: Problems don’t get solved until you own your role in them. I used to get frustrated when things went wrong — late jobs, customer complaints, crew mistakes. Until I started asking: Did I set clear expectations? Did I follow through? Did I build the systems that make success possible? Because here’s the thing — leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about owning the problem, fixing it, and preventing it from happening again. I created this visual to help myself and the team when I comes to unforeseen issues. What's your thoughts?
