Are You Building a Business or Just Creating Yourself Another Job?
It’s easy as a small business owner to get caught up doing everything yourself. At what point do you start delegating, hiring, or putting systems in place so the business can operate without you being involved in every job? I’d love to hear how other owners are making that transition while still keeping quality and customer service high.Should customers pay more if they refuse auto-pay?
Auto-pay saves a lot of admin time in a recurring service business. Manual billing sounds simple until invoices sit unpaid, cards fail, reminders pile up, and someone has to decide whether to pause service. That extra follow-up has a cost. I don’t think every customer who avoids auto-pay is a bad customer. Some people just prefer more control. But if one customer requires more billing work every month, should they pay the same price as someone on auto-pay? I’m starting to think manual billing fees make sense. Something simple like: “Auto-pay is included with monthly service. Manual invoice payment is available for an added admin fee.” Do you require auto-pay, charge more for manual billing, or let customers pay however they want?Do you still want every lead that comes into your business?
When I first started, the answer was absolutely YES. 😂 If someone wanted a cleaning quote, I wanted that job. I didn’t care where they lived, what day they needed, what kind of service they wanted, or whether they were actually a good fit for us. A lead meant potential money, and turning down money felt crazy. As we’ve grown, I’ve realized that not every lead is a good lead and not every dollar of revenue is good revenue. Some jobs look great until you factor in the drive time. Some want a schedule that completely disrupts your routes. Some are looking for a level of service you don’t provide. And sometimes you can tell during the very first conversation that their expectations and your business just aren’t going to be a good match. I think one of the hardest parts of growing has been learning that saying no to the wrong client can actually leave room for the right one. We’ve become much more selective about the work we take on, and I don’t necessarily see turning down a lead as “losing business” anymore. Sometimes it’s protecting the business you’ve already built. Has growth made you more selective about the leads you accept? What are the things that make you immediately think, “We’re probably not the right company for this one”?Service Agreement Ideas for Project Based Businesses
This one has got me racking my mind. One thing they always talk about when you are building enterprise value in a business is having predictable revenues. I think for something like window washing, lawn care, poop scooping etc it'd be easy to have predictable revenues because it's pretty straightforward to have a re-occuring service agreement. But what about us GCs? I originally thought I could get people with a membership for a percentage off jobs. This seemed like a good idea till the first two people to sign up only did so because they had large $40k plus jobs so it was a no brainer (it paid for itself 2x over). If I tried to make the percentage off smaller, it wouldn't be enticing enough to get people interested. Let's brainstorm here guys - what can a general contractor do as a monthly or quarterly service to get in to the service agreement game?
Any Recommendations for SBA Lenders?
I’m curious whether anyone here has successfully used an SBA loan, grant, or other government-backed funding program for a very small business. I run a one-person metal art and fabrication business, and finding realistic financing has been difficult. A lot of the options marketed toward small businesses seem to come with high interest rates, aggressive repayment terms, or daily and weekly withdrawals that can make an existing cash-flow problem even worse. I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has actually gone through the SBA process: Which loan or grant program did you use? Was the application process manageable? What documentation did they require? Did the funding genuinely help your business grow? Were there any fees, repayment terms, or surprises you wish you had known about beforehand? I’m especially interested in options that might work for a one-person business looking to purchase equipment, improve production capacity, or create more stable cash flow without getting trapped in predatory financing. Has anyone found an SBA lender, grant program, or small-business resource they would genuinely recommend? Thanks in advance, I am located in Northeast Pennsylvania.Has anyone here been a Jobber Grant recipient? I’d love to learn from your experience.
Good morning, everyone! I recently completed my Jobber Grant application, and regardless of the outcome, I’m grateful for the opportunity and everything I’ve already learned through this community. I was curious if anyone here has been selected as a Jobber Grant recipient in previous years. If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. How did receiving the grant impact your business? What investments made the biggest difference? Were there any lessons you learned after receiving the funding that you wish you had known beforehand? I believe hearing real success stories can help all of us prepare for future growth, whether we’re selected this year or not. Thank you in advance for sharing your journey!Chargeback on Landscape Services- a first!
I recently had a client file a chargeback dispute on a landscape installation we planted back in May. Nearly $1800 was withdrawn from my business account despite my counterclaim. To be clear, the estimate was sent and signed with deposit made in advance of the work. We completed the work on schedule and final payment was made. The client wanted additional work done, but was caught up in our Spring planting schedule, so we haven't been able to circle back. Without any further communication, this chargeback was filed and nearly 2k is gone. I have proof of purchases, signed documents, client communication texts, and final pictures of the project. Unfortunately this is now in the hands of her bank and whatever they decide to do. Should I file a lien? She has now gone radio silent after I sent a very respectful email detailing the above info and a follow up text. In the end, 2k won't sink us but I would hate to think that any client can just maliciously do this.
