What’s holding most service businesses back
I’ve been thinking about this lately, what’s actually holding most service businesses back? Is it: • Lack of leads • Poor systems • Weak pricing • Or the owner not stepping into the business role Because I’ve seen companies busy all day… but still stuck. Curious what do you think is the real bottleneck?Do You Train Your Team to Think or Just Work?
Every Monday, we hold a short training session with our team. We train on communication. leadership. & mindset. The reason being most tradespeople aren’t struggling because they can’t do the work. They’re struggling because they were never taught how to: Speak with clarity Handle conflict Lead a crew Represent the business professionally These tend to be the issues I see bottling up, either from our exit interviews or customer feed back or when things are misunderstood. Thats why I'm curious: Do you train soft skills with your crew?
Scaling a Commercial Cleaning Business – What’s Working for Landing Larger Contracts?
I run a commercial and post-construction cleaning company operating across NYC, Connecticut, and New Jersey. We focus on long-term facility maintenance rather than one-time jobs, and I’m currently pushing to scale into larger commercial accounts and consistent contracts. I’ve been doing direct outreach, building internal systems, and focusing on service quality and retention. At this stage, I’m looking to refine what’s actually working for others when it comes to landing and maintaining higher-value contracts. For those operating at scale: – What has been most effective in securing larger commercial clients? – Are you seeing better results from direct outreach, partnerships, or platforms? – Any specific strategies that helped you move from smaller jobs to consistent contract work? Appreciate any insight from those who have already made that jump.Is anyone finding it hard to get a cap cover for their pickup?
I have been looking into getting a cover for the bed of my truck and a lot of places here in Toronto are saying their inventory is gone! And it will likely be a year before any new ones come in. Even used ones are being bought up for resale or even modified to fit the more popular trucks. Has anyone been looking for one and found the same supply issues?Upsides and downsides of hiring a summer helper?
I am thinking about hiring someone to help me in the busy season and the idea of a high school kid as a summer job sounds like a promising idea. I wouldn't have to pay them a crazy salary, they are like sponges with information and they are typically more physically full of energy. I wouldn't be able to send them on their own, but they could help me get a few more jobs done in a day. I am wondering if anyone has tried this and what would be the pros and cons of doing it?When is it time to hire an accountant?
I am wondering at what point some of you guys have hired an accountant? Did you hire one to grow? To maintain what you have? Or are you simply using one to file taxes at the end of the year? I am thinking about hiring an accountant to manage my finances for me and see where things go, but wondering when is the right time.Which marketing strategies have brought you the best customers?
Hi everyone, I'm building a Junk removal Business and trying to learn more about marketing and pricing. Right now im experimenting with Thumbtack, yard signs, and email marketing. for those with experience, which marketing strategies have brought you the best customers?What Should Home Service Businesses Automate First to Save Time?
Small manual tasks start stacking up, catching up on follow-ups, re-adjusting scheduling, invoicing, review requests, the list goes on and on. Sound familiar? What’s one task you’re still doing manually that you know could be automated? What’s stopping you from setting it up?How Much Should You Really Be Charging?
The number one question I receive is tied directly to the fact, most contractors are still guessing when it comes to pricing. Overhead. Profit. Labor rate. Trip fees. They think just because they throw a number they hear their competitors use, thats all that they need. It may work, but how and what do you divide these funds is just as important for your business health. If you don’t know how to do the math, you’re not building a business. You’re surviving check to check and think you need more work, when you do not. So here’s the plan: This Tuesday & Thursday on IG, I’m walking you through our Contractor Price Builder Worksheet FREE on instagram live. We will cover: - How to calculate your real hourly rate - The difference between markup and margin - Why profit is a non-negotiable - And how to price with confidence Join the session. Bring your numbers.
