From weekend side hustle to full-time: what would you start with?
Hey everyone We’re in NJ and exploring starting a weekend home service business that could eventually replace full-time income. My husband comes from road service and gas station inventory work—very hands-on, problem-solving, and customer-facing. The plan is to start on weekends, replace overtime first, and grow from there. For those who’ve done it: - What service did you start with on weekends? - What would you do differently if you were starting again? - Any service you wish you hadn’t tried? Would love to hear real stories and lessons learned.How do business owners use time blocking to manage a busy workday?
How is everyone is handling time blocking when you’re getting pulled in a bunch of different directions all day? I’ve been trying to use time blocking more, but honestly I’ve had a hard time sticking to it consistently. Between calls, texts, estimates, job issues, and random things popping up, it feels like the day can get away from you pretty fast. For those of you who are doing it well, what does that actually look like? Do you have certain blocks every week that are set in stone and don’t move? Do you leave flexible time in your day for unexpected stuff? Do you build in dead time or catch-up time? Or do you just have certain priorities you try to hit without scheduling every hour? I’d love to hear how other people are approaching it, especially if you’re balancing sales, operations, and team questions all at the same time. I’m trying to find something realistic that actually works in day-to-day business, not just something that looks good on paper.What’s hardest to keep under control as your business grows?
As your business grows, whether you’re solo or leading a team, what’s been the hardest thing to keep on track? Have you built a system for it yet, or are you still figuring it out? In this episode of Masters of Home Service, ryaantuttle and WiringByron covers: Why getting busier without systems creates more chaos The importance of locking in cash flow, business plans, and org charts before growth Simple processes (like estimating and invoicing) that make scaling easier Want to put these tips into action? Download our free business scaling readiness checklist. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
What gave you the courage to finally go “all in” on your business?
Looking back, what gave you the confidence to go all in? Was it a financial milestone, confidence in your craft, a mindset shift, or something else? In this episode of Masters of Home Service, Kevin Cook talks about: Starting a business while keeping a steady paycheck How survival-mode thinking hurts your sales and success The lessons and mindset shifts that helped him rebuild and start over Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Would you offer junk removal services after listening to this?
I just listened to Hunter Patrick (Dumpire) share how he turned an $80 couch pickup into a thriving, $1M junk removal business. In this episode of Masters of Home Service, he digs into: What it really takes to start a junk removal company (no fancy degree needed) Why the margins are so strong compared to other trades His mindset, marketing, and pricing tips for scalable growth Would you ever start a junk removal business—or add it as an extra service to what you already do? Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Should We Care About "The Going Rate"?
I saw this post from Tom Reber and it really hits home. One of the things that really gets under my skin is when I'm talking to a home owner and they say something to the effect of "Well the going rate for (fill in the blank) is (fill in the blank)". I should probably be used to it by now but it still gets me. What they are saying is "I got numbers from people and I can't tell the difference between all of them other than their price". And that's ok - it's up to us to show them the difference. Obviously Jobber helps with that tremendously (automatic appointment reminders, uniform quotes, etc) but it's UP TO US to communicate that difference effectively. My question to you guys is: How are you showing your potential customers you're different than just saying your work is better?What does “your best year yet” actually mean for your home service business in 2026?
Every service business wants their ✨ best year yet ✨, but after talking to other home service pros, that usually means more than just higher revenue. For some, it’s: Steadier work through slow seasons Healthier margins without burning out Fewer last-minute scrambles and more predictability day to day When you think about 2026 being your best year yet, what does that actually look like for your business?
2026 Goals
We're a small Technology Support company. Our Big goals for 2026 are: 1: Streamline appointment setting and reduce phone calls by implementing the virtual receptionist. 2: Increase sales by communicating with our clients via email more frequently. 3: Re-activate clients that haven't used our service for more than 2 years by offering a free service to get them to re-engage with us.
