How do you stay motivated as an entrepreneur when facing constant rejection?
Hello everyone, I’m reaching out to my fellow entrepreneurs. I am a serial entrepreneur with multiple businesses, but I have a strong passion for serving in real estate and traditional home-related services. People often contact me for down payment assistance, closing cost help, home improvements, foreclosure prevention, rental assistance, debt relief, or support for first-time homebuyers. I connect people with the resources they need to maintain and sustain homeownership, promote housing stability, and ensure safe housing. Recently, I decided to form a nonprofit with my amazing team because I’ve mostly been referring people to resources, but I want to become a direct resource myself. If you’re a new entrepreneur or a seasoned one like me, you know that starting or working on something often involves a lot of rejection. Today, I’m just reaching out to see how everyone stays motivated. My motivation has always been my community and service. I want to hear from my fellow entrepreneurs: how do you stay motivated? I’d love to hear different perspectives in the comments.How do you stay focused on one business when you keep getting new ideas?
Hey everyone, My name is Robbie, and I've been building Monarch Landscaping in Ontario, Canada, for the past 3 years (still feels like we're in the baby stages lol). Today we have 7 employees, solid systems in place, and for the first time, I'm primarily focused on sales, strategy, and putting out the occasional fire rather than being involved in every part of the day-to-day operations. Over the last 3 years, I've had to slowly let go of several other ventures to fully commit to Monarch. At one point, I was running a pressure washing startup, a marketing consulting business, a small marketing agency serving trades businesses, a YouTube channel, and constantly working on new ideas. Over the past year, I've intentionally let most of those things fizzle out so I could put my full attention into Monarch, and honestly, it's been one of the best decisions I've made. The challenge is that I still get a new business idea almost every day—especially when things slow down. One day it's a new division for Monarch. The next day it's a bin rental business. Then it's software, marketing, AI, or some completely different opportunity. I've noticed these thoughts usually show up when I feel like I'm not moving fast enough or when the business isn't yet where I want it to be. Some questions: - How do you stay focused on one thing? - How do you know when a new opportunity is a distraction versus a legitimate next step? - Have any of you struggled with "entrepreneurial ADHD," and if so, how did you overcome it? Looking forward to hearing your experiences. Robbie Monarch Landscaping
Four-plus years in — what I'd tell year-one me
Incorporated Great Raven Renovations Ltd. on January 18, 2022. Salt Spring Island base, work across the Cowichan Valley and South Nanaimo. Renovations, roofing, decks, structural. Four and a half years in now. Been thinking lately about what I'd tell myself on day one if I could. Putting it here in case any of it lands for someone earlier in the journey, and because I'd genuinely like to hear what the rest of you would add. 1. The contract is the business. Year one I thought craftsmanship was the business. Craftsmanship is the product. The contract is the business. Weak contract language is how good work turns into unpaid work. Hidden-conditions clause, signed change orders, deposit terms, warranty conditions tied to payment — every one of those came after losing real money for not having them. 2. Slow down on hiring. Way down. The cost of a bad hire isn't just their wages. It's the project they damaged, the client they alienated, and the time you spent fixing both. I'd rather turn down a job than put the wrong person on it now. Took me a while to learn that turning down work is sometimes the most profitable thing you can do. 3. Photograph everything. Before, during, after. Substrate conditions. Hidden framing. What was behind the drywall before you closed it up. Two months from now the homeowner won't remember what was there, and neither will you. The photo record is worth more than any verbal reassurance. 4. One accountable contact beats a polished process every time. Clients don't want to be passed around. Especially on renovations, where they're already nervous about the unknown. Being the one phone number, the one email, the one face — even at the cost of scaling slower — has done more for our referral pipeline than any marketing. 5. The completion walkthrough is non-negotiable. Walk every project with the client at the end, point by point against the original scope. Sign-off before final draw. If something needs touch-up, it gets done before you invoice. The disputes I've had almost always traced back to a project that didn't end with a real walkthrough. 6. You're going to make expensive mistakes. Build a system that survives them. The losses aren't optional. The lessons are. The only difference between a business that survives bad years and one that doesn't is whether the founder turned each loss into a piece of the operating system or just absorbed it as pain. Curious from the rest of you — what would you tell your year-one self that you wish someone had said earlier? Especially anyone who's made it through years three to five. That stretch is where I think most of us either consolidate or fold. Appreciate the community. — Chad Great Raven Renovations Ltd. Salt Spring Island, BC
People Don't Quit Jobs That See Them
Most cleaning companies treat their crew like they're replaceable. I don't. My crew shows up at 7AM to the jobs nobody wants. The ceiling vents nobody else thinks to clean. The bathrooms, the back rooms, the corners everyone else skips. They stay late on a final walkthrough, not because I made them, but because they wanted it right. I didn't build that. They did. My job is just to notice it. So I say their names. Out loud. In front of the team. Every time someone goes above what the job asked for. What I've learned is simple. People don't quit jobs that see them. They quit jobs that use them. Pay on time. Say the names. Watch what happens to the work.
Manifesting my jobber grant finalist and reward .😎
I just wanna hit that finalist spot for the jobber grant so I can show my son all this time spent restless, stressed and sacrificing time together was for something. I wanna look at him and be like alright little guy we have been through hell and back but persistence and faith paid off we can now execute towards our life of financial freedom and success. We broke the generational curses and now I will secure everyone in the bloodlines future starting with my son . I need it I want it I will stop at nothing to prove I am the person I've claimed to be and I will not give up the fight!Anyone here doing government contracts? Got any advice for winning bids?
If you've landed government contracts for your business, what's some advice that improved your chances of winning bids? Share your tips below for other pros looking to break into government work! In this recent episode of Masters of Home Service, AnatolyNaz2000 talks about landing government contracts as a service business. He shares: Where and how to find government contracts Tips on navigating the bidding process Common government bidding mistakes and how to avoid them Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
When do you turn down profitable plumbing work to protect your team and reputation?
In the early days of Sitko Plumbing and Drain Services in San Diego, I said yes to almost every call — evenings, weekends, 1+ hour drives, you name it. Sewer emergencies don’t wait, and I wanted the revenue. But I quickly learned that constantly overcommitting burned out my techs, led to rushed jobs, and hurt our quality. Last year we had a stretch where we were slammed with back-to-back mainline replacements. We pushed through, but the team was exhausted and one preventable callback slipped through. That hurt more than turning down a few jobs would have. Now we’re much more intentional: we protect core hours for our core customers, build in buffer time, and politely refer overflow to trusted partners when needed. It’s meant steadier growth, happier techs (just gave one a well-deserved raise and promotion), and better reviews overall. Question for the group: How do you decide when to say “no” or refer out work — even if it’s profitable — especially in a trade like plumbing where emergencies are constant? Curious how others balance growth vs. sustainability. Would love to hear what’s working for you!
Entrepreneurship & Family Life: The Real Balance
Being an entrepreneur while managing a family is both rewarding and challenging. The Struggles: Constant battle between work and family time Stress and unpredictable schedules Feeling guilty for not giving enough to either side The Good Side: Flexibility to be present when it matters Inspiring your family through your journey Making family time more intentional and meaningful Quick Tips: Set clear boundaries between work and home Prioritize key family moments Give yourself grace—balance isn’t perfect every day Bottom line: It’s not about perfect balance, but making both your business and family feel valued. A few books to help you along your jouney The Family-First Entrepreneur – Steve Chou → Teaches how to build a business without sacrificing what matters most The Family–Business Balancing Act – Patrick Cummings → Helps you recognize imbalance and build better habits for both work and home life [amazon.com] Tandem – Married Entrepreneurs’ Guide → Great if family + business overlap (especially with a partner) The 4-Hour Work Week → Teaches working smarter so you reclaim personal time
